More than one Spy reader has accused me of being a “congenital Democrat,” a term that suggests that I am too close minded to contrast Trump’s proposals with those of his opponent. Some accuse me of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” which, best I can tell, means that I detest Trump so much that I don’t recognize his admirable character and leadership.
I have voted for good Republicans many times, and Donald Trump is not one of them. I have read at least a dozen books about Trump and a few written by him, including The Art of the Deal. I know Trump and see him clearly. He is flawed, delusional, a liar, and lacks empathy. He is not worthy of serious consideration for my vote.
Given who Trump is, I reject him. His character is rotten, or should I say lack of character. And you should reject him too, even if you are troubled by border security, want tax cuts, and believe Trump would do a great job keeping transgender women out of women’s sports.
Why is Trump unworthy of consideration for a second term as president? What are the character flaws that I find so troubling? Here are a few.
According to a New York judge, Trump raped E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room.
Trump ridicules people with disabilities. Remember his mimicking a distinguished New York Times reporter with disabilities?
Trump recklessly threatens “retribution” against his enemies including federal prosecutors and judges. Their crime? Indicting him and presiding over his cases.
Trump lies. The Washington Post has suggested the count is well over 30,000. Remember Trump’s first lie as president—that his inauguration crowd was larger than any in American history? It has been downhill since then.
Trump’s first term in office was chaotic. Cabinet level officers should not have to check their Twitter (now X) accounts to see if they were fired overnight.
More than a hundred people who worked in his administration refuse to vote for him again.
Trump disrespects Americans who were killed in wars. His former chief-of-staff, General John Kelly, says he called Americans who died in combat “losers.” Trump also dissed John McCain for being a prisoner of war after his aircraft was shot down over Vietnam. Trump himself skirted military service because of alleged “bone spurs.”
Trump engaged in numerous affairs, including with a Playboy centerfold and a porn star, right after his youngest son was born. Trump’s affairs are his own business, but they reflect on his character. That is why these sordid episodes are relevant.
Trump cheated on his taxes. With the help of his CFO and others, Trump created shell corporations, falsely exaggerated losses, and conducted other accounting frauds to avoid paying taxes.
Trump denies he lost the 2020 election. This bodes poorly for next month. Already Trump is laying groundwork to challenge the 2024 election results. That, by itself, should disqualify him for the presidency.
Trump summoned a mob to attack the Capitol and prevent the certification of Electoral College votes. That interference with the election constitutes a felony.
Trump said, “So what?” after aides told him a mob was closing in on Vice President Pence and threatening to hang him.
Trump evidences severe mental decline. Just watch the entirety of one of his rallies. On Monday night at a Town Hall in Pennsylvania, for example, Trump stopped taking questions for 39 minutes to play nine songs from his play list. During the music, Trump swayed back and forth, his version of dancing. What was going on? Normal, mentally healthy people do not do this sort of thing.
In contrast to Trump, we have Kamala Harris. Had President Biden decided against running for reelection a year earlier, Harris might not have been the Democratic nominee. Today, she is performing well, but not well enough to satisfy all Democrats or to win over all independents. That is troubling because if you reject Harris, you either vote for Trump or do not vote. In either case, you are joining Trump’s anti-democracy club.
If voters take a hard look at Trump’s record and character, they should dismiss him out of hand. The same cannot be said of Harris.
If elected, Harris may not prove to be America’s best president, but it is unlikely she will repeat any of the chaos, lying, treason, and grifting that are the hallmarks of Trump’s first four years in the White House.
This year’s presidential race should be about character, but for too many voters, it is not. That is why the race is still close. It shouldn’t be.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects.
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