I expect an ear full from Trump supporters, but hear me out please.
Ronald Reagan was a Hollywood liberal in the mid-1940s, flirting with leftish groups that even landed him on a blacklist. A few years later, his dissatisfaction with the left prompted him to serve as an FBI informant on the Screen Actors Guild. In 1950, this passionate Conservative made his beliefs known to friends, probably influenced by meeting Nancy Reagan. He changed his beliefs, even though his party registration to Republican came only in 1962. Reagan’s 1964 "A Time for Choosing" speech voiced both his support for conservative ideals and his dislike of leftist/socialist policies. He knew LBJ’s “war on poverty” would fail, foreseeing the sixty trillion dollars wasted. He knew poverty levels would remain unchanged. Clearly, disillusioned by the likes of Lyndon Johnson’s "Great Society,” Reagan’s shift from Hollywood radical Democrat to a bona fide Republican culminated in that 1964 speech. His 8 years serving as governor of the State of California under conservative principles prove the premise. He was a genuine Republican for decades before his 1980 inauguration as President of the United States, not a Johnny-Come-Lately. Reagan’s principles were clearly defined.
So what credentials does Donald Trump think empower him to claim the kinship to clearly conservative Ronald Reagan? A registered Democrat for most of his adult life, Trump donated the maximum allowable amount to none other than Jimmy Carter in 1980. In 1984, when Reagan won forty-nine states, Trump donated to and presumably voted for Walter Mondale. During the heart of the conservative revolution, Trump supported a Democrat who won only one state-so when did he change his beliefs? When did Trump become Republican? Did he ever really become conservative considering his championing of universal health care? 2009, when Obama paraded around the country to enlist support for his now failed signature bill, the Consumer Protection Affordable Care Act, was Trump a Republican opposing arguably the largest social welfare program in the last fifty years? Nope! He supported Obamacare‘s complete violation of the Constitution, one that wounded the American healthcare system. Trump is on record supporting single-payer healthcare. In England, if you tear your rotator cuff, National Health makes you wait months for repair. Canadians can tell you of waits even for cancer treatment that result in unnecessary death. Universal healthcare maybe might work in a state with a few million people and a large labor participation rate. A country with 330 million citizens of which 100 million are already dependent on government subsidies including welfare and food stamps, single-payer like National Health means failure of health care for all our citizens. Obamacare was and is now nothing more than a ploy to redistribute wealth but no word of protest from Trump can be found. Where is Trump? He supports this socialist failure.
Socialism championed on the Left translated to nothing but mismanagement and self-interest in other demonstrable areas. How's the VA doing? How's the IRS doing? How about the Department of Justice selectively picking and choosing when and where to pursue justice? These few examples underscore the failure of these socialist pet projects. So where was Trump in all of this since 2008?
In 2009, Trump praised Obama, calling him "phenomenal" in passing a bill strictly down party lines. Not a single Republican vote in favor was cast, yet Trump embraces the guy. Laughably, Trump claims he’s the “first and only candidate who ….” in his rambling public diatribes. He claims to be the first to mention the outrageous abrogation of our national borders as if no one noticed until he pointed it out. He claims to be the first concerned with our vets. Claiming does not make it so especially when this reality TV star never uttered a public word until he started running.
We all know the failures of the Veterans Administration universal healthcare for US military personnel. We know how that functions. Along comes Donald Trump about six months ago claiming his opposition exposed this mistreatment. Where was Trump all these years? Where was he since 2008 when other candidates and Concerned Veterans for America strongly voiced objection and concern? Where was he when we learned that a veteran kills himself every twenty-two minutes? After the 2012 election, reports of massive corruption within the VA surfaced. America became aware of the hideous disservice of year-long waiting lists endangering lives. Where was Trump? Callous and cold hearted that should offend every American is not the purview of Trump. Every decent American has been aware and offended. Where was Trump? Clearly not voicing opposition to the plight of these people before, six months ago he decided to run for office. Now, he disgracefully uses America’s bravest as a ploy in his quest for power.
Ronald Reagan was a registered Republican for decades. He did not switch parties to run. Before Reagan was elected president in 1980, he was governor of California for eight years. Reagan actual record of governing on conservative ideals may have been unpopular with some but expressed his convictions and never wavered. Donald Trump never served in any form of public service. Now, he wants you to hand him the presidency to this known Clinton, Mondale, and Carter supporter. Some of the things he says sound good. I even I agree with many of his positions on illegal immigration. If he ever clearly explained his position of economic or international relations, I might even support those. This is a man who claimed, “I am militaristic. I am probably the most militaristic person here.” What does that mean? The jabberwocky simply confuses, serving as subterfuge. He claims he could shoot someone and still not lose a supporter. Did this country not have enough of the Obama jazz hands?
Where is Trump? Here’s where has he been: He called for the impeachment of George Bush in 2008, when Bush only had a few months left of his presidency anyway. He went on record supporting amnesty. Donald Trump is as conservative as Nancy Pelosi and his buddy, Hillary. If I am wrong, first give him the mayoralty of NYC or ship him to the governors mansion in Albany to see how he governs. Voters must cease voting on emotions. We must analyze facts. Facts indicate Donald Trump is about as conservative as Tip O’Neil. Voting for Trump makes a risky bet. Do you really believe Trump is anything like the man who uttered the words, “If the government says you’re depressed, lay down and be depressed." In that one sentence, he encapsulates government’s incompetence, illuminating how we all feel when dealing with government bureaucracies. Where was Trump? Clearly, he was busy supporting the intrusion of government into all of our private lives.
Do you want the pro Second Amendment supporting free markets Trump or the anti-Second Amendment, nationalized healthcare Trump? Do you want a man who says anything to garner votes? From day one, people knew what they got with Reagan. He clearly enunciated his convictions during the several years required to clean up the Carter mess. Where’s Trump on convictions? His history shows his vacillate.
Current political winds swung the pendulum to the Right so Trump changes like a chameleon. As much as I would love to believe Trump, his past actions and donations indicate otherwise. America cannot risk another narcissist in the White House. America cannot risk another president who listens to no one, self-defines the role of the executive branch, puffs up on his chest at success real or imagined, and blames everyone else for his failures. If Trump is sincere, let him prove it. Words mean nothing when choosing who is best prepared to govern and unite fifty states. America learned that from 2008-2016. Only principles and actions matter. Judge Trump on his past actions. He's a liberal masquerading as a conservative for the sole reason of popularity to translate into power. Until he has proven the contrary, his empty rhetoric deserves nothing more than a gracious thank you for bringing major issues to the forefront with angry low information voters. Where’s Trump? Hopefully, Trump will be back in Trump Tower after the inauguration of a real Conservative in January.