Trump’s comments cause of great concern

I have been in the political arena for half a century, but I have never been so concerned about a presidential candidate as I am about Republican nominee Donald Trump.

While his supporters may think he is anti-establishment, not politically correct, and even funny, some comments he has made are no laughing matter. All the while, his campaign and party loyalists spin his dangerous and reckless pronouncements to justify supporting him. There comes a time when the welfare of the country supersedes partisan politics. That time appears to be now.

Before you label me with the dreaded “L” word, let me say that I am registered Democrat, but political party is not how I decide for whom I will vote. I always evaluate the person and his fitness and qualifications and don’t blindly vote the Democrat party line. For example, in the past, I have voted for Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush for president. I did so because I believed they were more qualified to lead our country than their Democratic opponents. Neither party always has the best candidate, and neither party is always right.

A fellow local columnist recently used his entire space to let everyone know what a negative rating Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate for president, has. The latest polls reveal that 55 percent view her unfavorably. What he failed to mention is that 70 percent of Americans view Trump unfavorably. In other words, he was trying to convince his readers that they should vote for Trump over Clinton for no other reason than that he is a Republican. Nothing else matters.

Somehow, the Republican Party has lost its way and has run off the political road into the ditch. Some of the party’s leaders could see it coming when the party began kowtowing to the Tea Party fanatics and right-wing extremists. Mainstream Republicans didn’t have the courage to stop the runaway train then. But some Republicans have finally stepped up with regard to Trump’s prejudiced and dangerous rhetoric.

For starters, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whom Trump beat out for the nomination, refused to endorse him at the Republican National Convention. “He’s committed political suicide,” Trump and his supporters said. In the end, Cruz may come out smelling like a rose while Trump plummets into political obscurity after being defeated in a landslide.

Some Republican stalwarts stayed with Trump as long as they could. But his bashing of certain ethnic groups, his urging Russia to hack into a presidential candidate’s e-mails, and his hinting that if Clinton is elected perhaps she should be assassinated, plus other ridiculous rants, has caused them to disavow him as the Republican standard bearer. They see him as disruptive, self-destructive, careless, dangerous and dictatorial.

Of course, some conservative columnists are blaming the media for Trump’s troubles, claiming that they are biased and support Clinton. Perhaps some in the media are and do. But they are no more biased toward Clinton than these very same conservative columnists are biased against Clinton and pro-Trump. When 50 of the nation’s most senior Republican national security officials sign a letter saying that Trump lacks the character, values and experience to be president and that he would put the country’s national security and well-being at risk, it’s ridiculous to blame the liberal media for reporting that development.

Among those who signed the letter were a former director of the CIA and National Security Agency, a former director of national intelligence, two former secretaries of Homeland Security and Vice President Dick Cheney’s national security adviser. Their letter was not an endorsement of Clinton because they also noted that they have doubts about her as well. Still, the consensus is either Trump or Clinton will win the election, and they do not want Trump to be the victor and occupy the Oval Office.

True, there are a few third-party candidates who will be on the ballot, but because America’s political system is built around two major parties, they have no chance of winning a presidential election. We have seen, however, that somethird-party candidates can play a role in which major party candidate does win.

An example is Ralph Nader, who ran on the Green Party ticket in 2000 and won 2.7 percent of the vote. Democrats blamed him for contributing to Democrat Al Gore’s defeat.

The election is still a long way off. The big question is whether the Trump train can get on track. He is down double-digits in the polls. But his outlandish statements already made will never go away in this day and age of cable news and social media. Here are some of the groups his divisive demeanor has alienated so far: Iowans, Muslims, Mexicans, African-Americans, Asians, Seventh Day Adventists, POWs, women, journalists, his competitors and the disabled. It’s almost impossible to win a national election when a candidate has been so callous.

Frankly, Louisiana reeks of prejudice, and Republicans who will vote for anybody or anything with an “R” behind it. So I expect that the state’s eight electoral votes will go to Trump, as sad and disappointing that will be. “Vote your conscience,” as Cruz suggested.

Lou Gehrig Burnett, an award-winning journalist, has been involved with politics for 44 years and was a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for 27 years. He also served as executive assistant to former Shreveport Mayor “Bo” Williams. Burnett is the publisher of the weekly “FaxNet Update” and can be reached at 861-0552 or louburnett@comcast.net.