I've never understood why so many people want one of the worst men in America to be president. It's been analyzed many times by psychologists, historians, journalists, authors and political junkies. Despite all explanations, it's still baffling, depressing and infuriating that Trump maintains his hold over the MAGA – millions of voters and thousands of spineless Republican voters. It is a tragic commentary on the state of the republic that so many Americans think Trump is the best this nation has to offer. After his federal indictment last week, I proffered that Trumpies are simply "willfully blind" to his many offenses. A reader took offense at that. Here are his comments (in italics) and my responses.
"It is crucial to recognize that an indictment does not equate to guilt. The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of justice, and it is imperative to afford this presumption to every individual, including President Trump. As the legal process unfolds, it is journalistically irresponsible to label him guilty."
I did not declare Trump guilty. In fact, I used some form of the phrase "if convicted" twice.
Furthermore, suggesting that individuals who defend Trump are "willfully blind" to the threat he poses oversimplifies the complexity of political allegiance and personal beliefs.
No adult American – liberal, conservative or moderate – who claims to be an objective thinker and a responsible citizen can support Trump given all we know about him. He clearly incited the insurrection of Jan. 6, and that alone should be enough to disqualify him as a candidate for president. And yet, what do we have? Millions of citizens, led by Republicans in the House and Senate, still supporting Trump no matter what. According to Merriam-Webster, "willfully blind" means: "deliberate failure to make a reasonable inquiry of wrongdoing despite suspicion or an awareness of the high probability of its existence." Furthermore, the dictionary says, "Willful blindness involves conscious avoidance of the truth."
So, I think I have this right.
People may support Trump based on policies, economic considerations or other factors that go beyond their evaluation of his legal situation.
By "policies," you must mean raising deficits by cutting taxes for millionaires and corporations. Or maybe by "policies," you mean Trump's racist approach to immigrants informed by the young fascist Steven Miller. Or walking away from international agreements on climate change and Iran nuclear development. Aside from some surprising criminal justice reforms, there isn't much of consequence from the Trump administration worth mentioning.
I agree that people can have opinions about domestic and foreign policy, but they're not entitled to wholly dismiss facts, such as: Trump incited the Jan. 6 insurrection; he continues to claim without evidence that the 2020 election was riddled with voter fraud; he allegedly absconded with classified documents upon leaving office and refused to return them when the government asked for them back; he's been found liable for sexual assault and defamation. Trump supporters are in denial about all of that and much more. A person who accepts all of Trump's offenses in return for tax breaks is "willfully blind," not to mention selfish.
Others may believe the mental capacity of President Biden is a worse alternative.
When in doubt, throw in a cheap shot about your opponent. But I found myself more amused than offended by this comment given what we've learned from Trump's indictment. Whose "mental capacity" is of greater concern -- a hoarder of classified documents who lies constantly, speaks in non sequiturs and calls people vile names… or an old-guy president who managed to keep Republicans from sending the national economy over a cliff? I get that a lot of people, including Democrats, think Biden is too old, and that probably figures into his low approval rating. But while Trump has little to nothing to show for his four years, Biden has managed to accomplish a great many things in two and a half years. If it comes to the choice between old men, I'll take the never-indicted, slow-speaking, throat-clearing Democrat over the indicted, dangerous Mar-a-Largo narcissist. Trumpies ridicule Biden because, when it comes to defending Trump, they got nothin'.
Dismissing all his supporters as blind or incapable of discerning national security threats undermines the diversity of opinions and perspectives within our democracy.
As I and others have said so many times: Everyone is entitled to opinions; they're not entitled to their own set of facts.
Lastly, you claim that the Department of Justice being "weaponized" against Trump is unfounded. However, it is essential to acknowledge that claims of politically motivated prosecutions have been made throughout history, regardless of party affiliation. It is not unreasonable for defendants, including Trump, to question the motivations behind the charges brought against them. These concerns should be addressed and thoroughly examined in a fair legal process to ensure justice.
In Sunday's post, I acknowledge that politicians charged with corruption always claim some form of "politics" is behind their indictments. But most, in my experience with the federal court in Maryland, learned to shut up about that eventually and turn toward defending themselves – or getting a good plea deal – in court. It is not normal (and arguably authoritarian) for the former head of the federal government to continually disparage that government — to claim the DOJ is corrupt, that the FBI can't be trusted. Claiming your accusers are unethical is what scoundrels do when they have no defense.
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