2016 March 14^th

Hillary Clinton is seen as the least trustworthy of all the candidates, even less than Donald Trump, although not by much. Her competitor for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders, is seen as the most trustworthy candidate from either party. Does that make a difference? Who knows? Clinton added to her problem recently by accusing Sanders of sitting on his hands while she was trying to get healthcare for people during the Clinton administration.  She said, “I don’t know where he was when I was trying to get healthcare in ’93 and ’94.” She found out quite quickly where Senator Sanders was; he was standing right behind her as she made her pitch on TV. Then to add to her problem with Bernie, a clip surfaced showing her thanking him for his help. This gaff might not hurt her image but it surely doesn’t help it.

We move to Mona Charen’s column in today’s paper. Ms. Charen is most unhappy with her party’s support for Donald Trump. Among lots of other things she claims that Trump will, “…certainly lose the general election but also introduce an element of fascism to American politics…it is Trump’s unique contribution to wed authoritarianism—threatening the First Amendment, promising war crimes, admiring dictators, encouraging mob violence, fomenting racial and ethnic strife…” There were other things as well but you get the drift of her concerns with Trump.

Charen cannot understand the rise of Trump. She claims, “The Republican party has become more reform minded and more conservative over the last thirty years.”  She says that the Arlen Spectors and Bob Packwoods are gone to be replaced by dynamic, smart, articulate leaders such as, Tom Cotton, Nikki Haley, Bobby Jindal, etc. Whoops there Mona; Bobby Jindal is on your list? Jindal had a 900 million surplus when he took office and he left Louisiana mired in debt to the point that the new governor has had to call emergency sessions to keep universities and hospitals open. Even university football programs had to be cut back. When Jindal left office his approval rating was barely 30 percent. Even President Obama’s approval rating in Louisiana was higher than Jindal’s. And where is Chris Christie in this mix; doesn’t the esteemed governor of New Jersey and former presidential candidate get a mention? Not if he has endorsed Donald Trump he doesn’t; Charen has her standards.

Charen doesn’t realize that it is precisely this shift to the uncompromising right that has given rise to her nemesis Donald Trump. The rightward shift has resulted in tea party types ascendant who want to disrupt government, and in that they have been successful. Nothing gets done in Washington and that fact spurs the Trumpeters to revolt. Compromise is the life blood of democratic government and these conservatives will tolerate no compromise; the result is no government and the rise of Donald trump.