Let’s get ’em out and vote
Is Donald Trump crazy? I don’t think so. But he is rather delusional and narcissistic. But these are personality disorders, not mental illnesses. Delusion is “a fixed belief that is resistant to fact or reason” and narcissism is “an excessive interest in oneself.” Sound like anyone we might know?
In his article “1988: The Year Donald Trump Lost His Mind,” Politico Magazine columnist Michael Kruse writes, “Trump’s response to his surging celebrity after his book was published was a series of manic, illadvised ventures that led to multiple bankruptcies and divorces, all signs of instability.”
But Kruse never implied that Trump was mentally challenged.
Only professionals can make such diagnoses, and only after thoroughly examining the subject. But it is rather obvious from his frequently disconnected discourse, erratic responses and incessant lying that Donald Trump harbors serious delusions and is narcissistic.
Former Duke University Department of Psychiatry chairman Allen Francis remarks, “Trump doesn’t qualify for a mental disorder, but he does present one of the world’s best-documented cases of a lifelong failure to mature.”
In addition to his carelessness with the facts, his knee-jerk reactions to certain situations might also indicate a serious instability. A striking example of Donald Trump’s impulsivity emerged after he watched heartbreaking TV news images of gassed Syrian children. With no consultation whatsoever with anyone, on April 7, 2017, he immediately ordered the launching of 59 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian dictator Bashar al-assad’s installations. This type of response is contrary to U.S. policy and was disconcerting to our allies. As one commentator put it, “A foreign policy based on Trump’s gut reactions to the images flashing before him on the evening TV news is dangerous.”
The president’s loose association with reality, his repeated lies (I’ve long ago quit counting), his disregard for the rights and feelings of others (the Trump University mammoth fraud case, multiple bankruptcies, two divorces, repeated sexual assault allegations and his constant demonizing of the press, minorities and anyone else who disagrees with him) are all indications of a compulsive personality disorder. We’ve had otherwise successful businessmen with similar symptoms and at least one governor, but never a president.
Since almost 80 percent of Republicans, while entertaining few illusions about Trump’s character, still support him, we can’t expect much independent statesmanship or concern from that sector. Why? Despite his aberrant and embarrassing behavior, Trump has kept his promises to his base and has largely fulfilled conservative expectations. He has dutifully lowered taxes for corporations and the superrich who needed it the least, weakened business regulations and restructured the Supreme Court and lower courts with conservative justices.
This keeps the wealthy and the evangelicals and fundamentalists happy and loyal. But this again reminds me that a high percentage of Trump voters in 2016 heartily disapproved of his character and behavior. But, nevertheless, they would vote for him again today.
It’s going to take a superhuman effort to unseat this bird in November. What elected Trump in 2016 was not a Republican last-minute surge at the ballot box, it was the senior, minority and lowerincome voters who for various reasons failed to show up at the polls. Many were victims of voter suppression who were prevented from registering and others with whom voter apathy has become a habit. All reasons aside, the Democrats will have to get these people out on November 3 if they plan on beating Donald Trump.
George B. Reed Jr., who lives in Rossville, can be reached by email at reed1600@ bellsouth.net.