In 2015, as a registered Independent voter, I was no fan of Trump. The idea of him becoming the President was a joke to me. And he personally insulted my preferred candidate (he insulted so many there is no way for you to profile me by who I supported for president).
Trump deserved criticism about his infidelity, his several poor choices for his Presidential supporting cast, and for some of his mean tweets. Trump’s mouth is both his strength and his weakness. He can hammer dumb ideas. But he is a meandering communicator—he speaks in circles and superlatives. And he says nasty things about every person around him who he views as disloyal.
But, the obvious Legacy Media bias against Trump, and their obvious promotion of lies drew me to side with him.
In addition, several of Trump’s policies proved to be operational genius that produced tremendous results: NATO allies began to follow through on their commitments; new Middle East dialogue and agreements that would foster peace; a strong economy; and record-low black and Hispanic jobless rates.
However…
Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million in the 2016 presidential election, and won only because of the Electoral College system. He lost in 2020. His petulant claim the vote would be rigged in Georgia suppressed Republican turnout in the Senate runoff and gave Democrats the power to spend the extra $1.9 trillion that is driving inflation, higher interest rates, deepened national debt, and economic stagnation.
Polling shows Trump is the Democrats’ hope to win the 2024 presidential election. Though Trump has a loyal 30% of the Republican base, in 2024 election polling he is neck and neck with Biden. Being tied with the worst US president in history is not an endorsement for Trump. After the 2020 loss, Trump’s rhetoric and actions have alienated too many Independents and Republicans. Sadly, there are millions of uninformed people who believe the content Legacy Media delivers about Trump. In addition Trump’s meanness energizes too many to turn out just to vote against him.
Here is what Donald Trump can do to save the country: during this race keep taking the brunt of the politically-motivated lies and indictments, and keep calling out the Media for their deception and hypocrisy. Then, do something no president has done since George Washington turned down running for a third term as president (so the nation wouldn’t descend into a sort of monarchy).
Trump could step aside.
In the greatest self-sacrificing pivot since Washington, Trump could step aside to endorse another Republican candidate. Once Trump’s 30% and the rest of Republicans get behind one person who doesn’t alienate Independents, the candidate will crush Biden in the General Election, will lift up Republicans in congressional races to take the Senate and keep the House, and will reinstate Trumpian policies.
I know it’s not fair. Fair would be for Trump to push congressional hearings, press releases, and criminal prosecution for treason against the bureaucrats guilty of undermining a sitting president. But there will be no such justice if a Democrat is elected president, and either the House or Senate is Democrat controlled.
Trump is in the position to be the hero and act at the self-sacrificing level of George Washington to rescue the country—in this case from the unhinged, authoritarian Left. Beyond that, Washington’s sacrifice didn’t have a contemporaneous impact on saving the world. Trump’s sacrifice would help reverse Biden’s foreign policy that is throwing gunpowder on the smoldering embers of wars across the world.
Americans couldn’t cite one thing done by most presidents. But people admire and remember sacrifice. If Trump steps aside, future history teachers could be saying to their classes, “Much like the first president, the forty-fifth sacrificed political ambition for the good of the nation and the world…”
More writing at https://rethink1.substack.com
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