my Trump Q&A

Okay, I finally got some clarity on the Trump thing right before his last debate of 2015.

I've been chronicling Trump's craziness this year, then realized people were believing his crazy and taking him seriously.  So I needed to get serious, too.

Here were my serious questions, and my reasoning in parenthesis. (Not trying to provoke Trump fans. These were my honest thoughts):

• Why is Trump still around? (He can't win.)
• Why do self-proclaimed conservatives like him? (He's not conservative.)
• Why do Bible-believing Christians like him? (He's putting Americans in danger, including American Christians working among Muslims. And he's not even in office.)
• Why did other Republican candidates call him out, then back down?  (His Muslim ban statement earned a rebuke from all but one candidate. And that's it. No one has dismissed his candidacy or addressed any other statement he's made. He's treated as an equal.)
• Why wouldn't Cruz, widely considered a top evangelical candidate, not call him out at all? (There are many reasons for a person of Cruz's faith to express concern.)

​Finally, the week of that debate, some conservative pundits did get mad at Trump. On an issue that I didn't know was an issue. They're mad at him because he attacked Ted Cruz.

Answers to all my questions were hidden within the sub-culture of the Republican party.  I used to be part of that sub-culture but have moved on (from parties to people), so I'm trying to piece this together.  Here is how I understand it:

• Many Republicans see America as a country in decline.
• They see this decline, partially or completely, as the fault of Democrats, particularly Obama.
• Republicans have not been able to defeat Democrats for the presidency because their last two candidates (McCain and Romney) were weak.
• The Republican party establishment is responsible for those weak candidates.
• Donald Trump is not weak, because he says things like, “You're fired” and “We're gonna build a wall.”
• Ted Cruz is not weak because he led a fight that shut down the government.
• Donald Trump is not establishment.
• Ted Cruz is not establishment.
• Donald Trump called Cruz a maniac for shutting down the government.
• Republicans got mad that Trump was negative about the only other anti-establishment guy.
• Trump took back his maniac comment during the fifth debate.
• The debate moderator said Trump had previously mentioned Cruz as a possible running mate. Trump confirmed.
• Then Trump turned to Cruz and added that he better not say anything bad about him.

Does that sound accurate?  Here are my thoughts: 

• America is not in decline.
• Doom is a product sold by cable news.
• No one outside the Republican bubble understands what's going on inside it. Nor do they care.
• To people outside, Trump is insecure because he is a bully. He is weak.
• To people outside, Cruz is weak because he won't stand up to Trump.
• Neither Trump nor Cruz can beat Clinton or Sanders because Trump and Cruz are seen as weak.

What the Republicans think they are conveying (strength) is the exact opposite of how they are perceived.  What then? Who are we when our views oppose?  Do we draw lines or open up?

Subcultures may make us feel smart/loved/affirmed but they don't help us connect with people outside. Take it from one who knows. People outside your worldview don't value what you value. And until you can honor what they value (whether you agree with it or not) you will never find a listening ear for whatever it is you want to say.

To be continued...

[UPDATE 12-26-2015]  I have completely lost my sense of humor on this site!  And I don't like that.  But all the Isaiah 58 in me (help the helpless, lift up widows and orphans) will not let me ignore the refugees.  And the Trump thing is related to that because his success among church people is pointing to the dark truth that as a whole, we do not practice Isaiah 58.    

So I want to understand where his supporters are, and the party dynamics driving them.   Not just for me but for my international friends, too (though often they get better information than I do!)  I'll update what I learn here, to keep heavy political posts from clogging the feed.  Here's the latest:  

It has been explained to me that the reason Republicans fear refugees is less ISIS and more Democrats.  Because:

• Refugees will come here, be improperly vetted (if at all), and therefore remain as not-quite-citizens.
• Based on history, quasi-citizens tend to vote Democratic.
• After the refugees flood here, all illegals will be given amnesty (a magic wand making everyone citizens), and they will be able to vote.
• The sheer number of new citizens voting for Democrats will leave Republicans out of office forever.
• Socialism ensues.

For me, the weakest link in that chain is the assumption that they will all vote Democrat. If I'm from Mexico or Syria, I'm likely quite devout in my faith and generally conservative. If I don't vote for the party that calls itself conservative, it is because its members are not speaking to me.

If I've left everything and come to this country, I need some hope from you. If all I hear is hate and fear and “we don't want your kind around here,” I'm not voting for you.  The Republican party has to look up from that chess game they're playing with the Democrats (and that in-house D&D tourney, or whatever it is they're playing amongst themselves) and learn how to just talk with people.  They need to offer something positive, do something real, overcome the perception that they're the mud the government's trapped in.  They'll keep losing 'til they do.  

Maybe they could learn something from Microsoft who pulled this corny yet effective stunt, which basically said "Hey, Apple, we might be losing this game, but we're gonna try being winners in life."     

more from this series: Beyond Our Tribes