The media battle between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has sidetracked the impact of an unusual congressional campaign and diluted its essential meaning — voter dissatisfaction. In the democratic primary race for Washington’s 7th congressional district, State Senator Pramila Jayapal’s victory relates an important story of this election year — the public favors a new Democratic Party, which is partially guided by the objectives and politics of Senator Bernie Sanders. State Senator Jayapal, founder and executive director of OneAmerica, a pro-immigration advocacy group, was one of the first 2016 congressional candidates to earn an endorsement from Senator Sanders. “When you think of the political revolution, I want you to think about Pramila,” hailed Bernie Sanders.
Both the major political Parties have been unwillingly to admit their organizations, policies and leaders have lost favor, that global economics, global terrorism, and global conflicts have shaped a generation with new thoughts, new wants, new actions and a demand for new directions. The feeling that, despite constant affirmation of the status quo, something is not right has provoked an alienated part of the electorate to seek credible leaders and an ignored part to find a rejectionist to elevate their appearance. Ignoring the pleas of a new constituency has led the major Political Parties to Political Suicide. By adhering to the nominations of Hillary and Donald, they are heading themselves and the nation to an abyss. How careless can an establishment be?
The emotional address from Khizr Khan, who spoke of his son, a Muslim American soldier who died in the Iraq war, highlighted the extent of Democratic Party carelessness. By allowing Khan to rebuke Trump as unpatriotic and selfish, the convention managers almost lost the election for the Democrats. Trump could have turned the attack to his advantage by claiming a misunderstanding, that Khizr Khan and his family are the Muslims we welcome, that he hoped to gratefully filter their type for entrance to this nation and above all, he would make sure that no Muslim nor other American family would be notified of a child’s death in an unnecessary war, such as the one that Secretary of State Clinton supported and in which Captain Humayun Khan died.. With those few words, the Donald could have reshaped his image and helped his election. But Trump had to be Trump and deceive himself once again.
Efforts by GOP leaders to contain Donald Trump’s counterproductive rants highlight their foolish approach to the topic. Basic psychology indicates that Trump suffers from an anxiety neurosis and obsessive compulsion — his mind cannot rest until he refutes attacks upon his persona and feels relief he is correct and victorious. The Republicans chose a candidate with severe emotional problems and they want the nation to accept a damaged psyche for President of the United States of America. Guaranteed that if a President Trump received a negative statement from German Chancellor Angela Merkel he will call her an ISIS agent who allowed terrorists to enter Germany and cause havoc.
By not being able to sink by at least 20 percentage points the GOP candidate who shows no qualifications for the highest political office, no depth of knowledge for the tasks, no political savvy for cooperating with others, and treats mendacity as factual the Clinton campaign has shown itself to be inadequate. Just properly using to advantage Trump’s outlandish description of the relationship between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and Senator Cruz’s father should have been sufficient to push Trump to the bottom of the polls. Presidential hopeful Trump started by distorting the situation and maligning an innocent person. “His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald’s being – you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous. I mean, what was he doing – what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death? Before the shooting?”
After being challenged, Trump later replied with, “All I did is point out the fact that on the cover of the National Enquirer, there’s a picture of him [Rafael Cruz] and crazy Lee Harvey Oswald having breakfast,”
The picture in question clearly shows Oswald distributing pro-Castro literature in New Orleans several months before Kennedy’s assassination and standing apart from a man whom Trump claims is Senator Cruz’s father. There is no indication that the person is Cruz’s father, they definitely are not having breakfast and it is doubtful that the two men, standing several feet apart in the picture, even know one another. Clinton’s campaign may use an excuse that Trump’s supporters overlook his damaging remarks. No go! Competent handlers find a way to use the opponent’s severe gaffes to effectively dethrone the opponent and advance their candidate. Trump injured himself with a multitude of self-inflicting wounds and all the Clinton camp has done is to let his wounds heal.
The Republican candidate is running against a candidate who is rejected by a portion of the electorate that is so large, it seems improbable she can win. Yet, the Trump campaign cannot turn the Clinton negative into a Trump positive. Actually it is simple — Trump’s positions on the issues resonate with the electorate. Neither Clinton’s approach to the issues nor her character resonates with voters. If Trump kept quiet, he would probably win.
The Democrats have ruined their Party by remaining loyal to a controlling element. The Republicans have ruined their Party by giving it to an outsider. Both political Parties are supporting candidates who will create huge constituency losses. Both parties have committed political suicide and are leading the nation toward a chaotic situation. No matter who wins, the American public loses.