It’s the 16th of June, back in 2015. Donald Trump is riding an escalator in the Manhattan tower he’s named after himself. The skin beneath his chin is sagging over a generic red tie. His face is reddish-purple. He holds his left hand aloft, and offers a thumbs-up to the press. In the background, a couple of dozen people are standing on the level from which Trump is descending, pressed up against a golden handrail. Some wave at the reality TV star, whilst others snap photos on their phones. A few of these spectators have wandered in off the street; curious to see what’s afoot. Others are being paid $50 to attend. Trump follows his wife, Melania, who is sporting a white dress and a stoic face. He clambers up onto a makeshift stage, positions himself, and begins in the style to which the world will soon become accustomed:
“Our country is in serious trouble. We don’t have victories anymore. We used to have victories, but we don’t have them. When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time. “When did we beat Japan at anything? They send their cars over by the millions, and what do we do? When was the last time you saw a Chevrolet in Tokyo? It doesn’t exist, folks. They beat us all the time. “When do we beat Mexico at the border? They’re laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they’re killing us economically.
“The US has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems. “Thank you. It’s true, and these are the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people. “But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we’re getting. And it only makes common sense. It only makes common sense. They’re sending us not the right people.
“It’s coming from more than Mexico. It’s coming from all over South and Latin America, and it’s coming probably... probably... from the Middle East. But we don’t know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don’t know what’s happening. And it’s got to stop.”
These were the opening remarks from the speech that launched Trump’s campaign for office. He’d started as he meant to go on. Less than two weeks later, when NBC dumped Trump for “Derogatory statements... regarding immigrants,” the future president doubled down, claiming: “We must have strong borders and not let illegal immigrants enter the United States… Public reports routinely state great amounts of crime are being committed by illegal immigrants.” Trump insisted that the solution was a border wall: “I will build a great wall. And nobody builds walls better than me, believe me. And I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall.”
And Trump took things to the next level, in December of that year – saying he’d implement a “Total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”: “Our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”
Things were pretty dire, for a significant number of Americans... Jobs had been shipped off abroad, wages had stagnated, and living costs were spiralling out of control. The aftermath of the Global Economic Crash had been devastating for everyday folk: Around ten million Americans had lost their homes, nine million had lost their jobs, and over 45 million had been plunged into poverty. (Shallby, 2018). Trump was tapping into this seam of discontent, and offering a deliciously simple answer: It’s the immigrants! They’re the bogeymen. They’re the ones who are pillaging your prosperity. But that malaise hadn’t been caused by immigrants. It was caused by the policies of Ronald Reagan, George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. They were the ones who’d put corporate profits before the welfare of the American people – cutting regulation, abolishing trade barriers, and reducing union power. (Gerstle, 2022).
And the Global Economic Crash wasn’t caused by immigrants either. It was the work of unscrupulous investment bankers, the credit agencies that gave triple-A ratings to subprime loans, and successive governments, who’d rolled back the very legislation which was designed to prevent that type of meltdown. Most of the bankers at Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns weren’t immigrants. Most of the politicians who put profit before people, were born and raised in the States. It wasn’t immigrants who closed around seventy thousand American factories, and outsourced five million manufacturing jobs. Those decisions were made by fat cat chief executives. And it wasn’t immigrants who profited from the slash-and-burn approach to managing the economy. It was a tiny cabal of shareholders. (Scott et al, 2022).
But none of that mattered. In politics, the truth is secondary. Narrative wins the day. If you can pick at people’s discontent, work your audience into a frenzy, say you’ve identified the issue, say you have the solutions, and promise to make life better – then you’ll rack up the votes. Donald Trump did that. Hillary Clinton did not.
THE FACTS WHICH DISAPPEARED
But what if Hillary had tried such an approach? What if she had acknowledged the suffering of the American people? What if she’d gone as far as to say that immigration policy was to blame? Imagine the scene, if you will… Clinton and Trump have won their parties’ nominations. Trump’s rhetoric is well-known. But Hillary has been fighting fire with fire--taking an unashamedly pro-immigration stance. Her campaign has been just as controversial as Trump’s...
~~~
Imagine, if you will, that Hillary Clinton had created her own, but exact opposite, of the campaign that was used during the 2016 election. The slogan would be "Immigrants make America Great" and ads, hats and even necklaces that could be hung around a woman's neck would be seen all around. Hillary would forget about trying to out-scream Trump and, instead, she would talk about sisterly support, how she was already working with thousands of women and charitable organizations that were aimed at meeting the needs of the poor and hungry...
Well, we already know that Clinton won the popular vote, especially after Trump's claim that he could grab the genitals of women and they wouldn't care... And all of those women who attended the large protest march at that time, had voted and asked that state representatives for her campaign would work with the electors of states, to ensure that they were singing the same tune that the majority of Americans had been singing... Clinton promises to help Immigrants from across the world, just like the Statue of Liberty guaranteed... She had recited the famous poem, "Give me your tired your poor..." followed by a rallying cry!
I had a chance to talk briefly with my mailman yesterday and we got into politics, somehow. He was laughing that Trump had won and would win again in 2024. I pointed out that Clinton had won the 2016 popular vote--that he had won... And I mentioned the Russian hackers... Again he roared in laughter. I asked him, Do you know what report documented those who had been convicted of interfering with the election? He looked at me. I could tell he didn't and mentioned the Mueller report. Again, a blank stare...
How I wish that the Democratic Party had realized or knew about all that we now know! But that is history which we cannot change, even though much of Trump's actions during his presidency has been regurgitated into entirely different statements of republican truth...
BUT, I want to quickly point out that this book has little to do with politics! As I was reading, I again realized that I was to read this book NOW. Because it was purely by a God Incident that I even discovered Joss' email--I had been routinely deleting email from the address I had used as a reviewer who accepted requests for reading books from authors. And, as I read, this song came to me...
Whether you approach the care of our world from a religious or scientific viewpoint, or both, like me, is really irrelevant. It is, frankly, common sense for all of us to be alert to, and be involved in any way we can help to care for Planet Earth, all of its occupants, and the heavens above... So why are republicans unwilling to support a Climate Control program...Again!?
Still, Sheldon is not quite finished with his Introduction of a story that began in 2015... He shares elaborate RHETORIC from rallies from Candidate Clinton... Talking about the fact that all of the creators of the Constitution were Immigrants! Then she moves on to people who came from various countries, such as those now working in health care. Noting that 1.5 Immigrants work in various positions such as doctors--and I immediately thought of my doctor who performed surgery to remove a tumor from my brain, who was an immigrant, perhaps 1st or 2nd generation... But I was thrilled with his caring concern and the success of that life-saving surgery.
Wouldn't you like to have seen a rousing debate between the two candidates on the same subject, rather than how it did occur?! I sure would have. But, then, again, D. J. Trump would possibly never have been indicted on 91 criminal counts, and gone back to cheating the State of New York in various ways, starting with the creation of a charitable organization which was closed due to how the donated money was being used... With a statement that the Trump family would never be able to open a charitable fund in the future...
This week I will, with permission by the author, be sharing more than usual about this book, simply because it is a very important book...as well as because border problems are now in the forefront of our country. We need to consider our future in America and around the world... We need to realize that Freedom requires Attention and Action!
Joss Sheldon speaks of Free Open Borders! Can we, as President Biden demands of Congress, begin to at least get some type of rational program at our southern border approved and funded! Don't let the republican party continue to use thousands of potential immigrants as pawns in their political grab for power! Freedom Begins With Each of Us!
Tomorrow: Other Worlds Are Possible!
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