There are going to be millions of Americans who are going to vote for Trump come November 8. They want change. Ok. Good. But change to what?
Maybe Trump's promise to make America great AGAIN gives us a clue as to what kind of change he is planning. "AGAIN" sounds to me like he wants to take America to what it has been. Thus, it appeals to those with a conservative band.
When was America great? Greater than now?
I suggest America was in its Prime in the nineteen fifties of the last century. Right after the second world war. Can we go BACK? The conditions have changed drastically. Can we recreate that world? Life was so much simpler then. Our world is far too complicated in comparison now.
Ah, maybe "again" does not refer to reversing us to the past but to make America great again because it is no more.
Ok. Let us assume that is true. Let us then analyze some of the ingredients of Trump's ideas (I would not call them plans) that will make America great. How will this country look if the changes he recommends get implemented; Let us imagine and let us be sure that it will make America better off, not worse off.
Will deporting eleven million illegal inhabitants make America great again? Or will it make America a police state? Imagine what will it take to find and deport eleven millions illegals.
Ah, maybe building a wall, even if paid by the Mexicans, will make America great again?
Repeal Nafta? Ok do it. Will it provide more employment in the USA?
Are our wages competitive? If not, how would our economy do?
Stop corruption? That sounds like a great idea but how specifically does he intend to fight corruption? Good luck. There is no nation without some corruption and all efforts throughout history to eliminate corruption failed. Didn't Jesus fight corruption too? Did he succeed? There was and there will always be some corruption unless you create a dictatorship of unprecedented proportions. For instance Trump claims the media is corrupt. How will he uncorrupt it? Muzzle it? Censor it? Is that what we want or maybe he has a secret plan he does not want to reveal yet. Are we willing to chose a president without knowing what might be the collateral damage of his enlightened plans?
It is so easy to be against something. We know plenty that he will change. But what will he change America into, so far it does not look very promising. Are we willing to take the risk?
Ah, maybe mandatory imprisonment of repeated illegals will make America great.
We already lead the world with number of imprisoned per capita. Our prisons are over flowing as is, and judges are giving early releases to reduce prison congestion. To fulfill Trump's plan, we will need to build new prisons and have several million more prisoners. Will that make America great?
Can Trump implement his plans democratically or is he assuming America is another corporation he is the ceo of and all he needs to do is decide and things happen. If the congress does not vote for his plans does he fire those that do not heed his decisions?
America is not a corporation. Can he fire congressmen or senators who do not agree with his "plans"? Or maybe destroying the democratic process of decision-making and implementation, will make America great again?
People that will vote for Trump want to change from what is, without fully having a clear picture of what they want to change to, or if they do, I wonder if they have analyzed the collateral results of the changes he recommends they make. All they know is what they do not want how America is run today and they do not want Hillary.
So this is all a vote against something, not in favor of something. And something is so nebulous, foggy, inarticulate, that I am not sure it will make America great at all. On the contrary.
What America needs is first-of-all a new vision. With a new vision maybe we can develop a plan, not just a bunch of knee-jerk reactions to what we do not like; a vision we understand that will make America great. Without such a unifying comprehensive vision we are shooting in the dark and most probably our foot.
Let me make it clear. I am not enamored with Clinton either but if I have to choose even between a probable disease of Aids or an assured disease of pneumonia, I choose the latter one...
Just thinking
Ichak Kalderon Adizes