J. Michael Jones

Disclaimer, this is not a rant against Donald Trump. It is simply an attempt to mark out the boundaries of both sides in a fair way and to look at the barriers to bringing those groups together.

I recently had yet another discussion with a Pro-Trump friend. In the midst of this discussion, I realized (once again) how we not only have different opinions, but live within bubbles of different realities. If you watched the movie, The Truman Show, it is a lot like that, but where we are living in completely separate worlds, not just cohabiting Truman’s with different opinions. In this posting, I will not attempt to describe which “reality” is closer to actual reality. I mean, Truman did eventually escape from the manufactured reality and into the real world. I just want to lay out the boundaries of those worlds in as fair terms as I can. Feel free to correct me via the comments if I did not capture it correctly. One caveat, there is a spectrum of perspectives within each buble, neither pro or anti Trump worlds are a monolith.

What I know about Trump is not “what the liberal media has brainwashed me” as one Trump supporting friend said. I have followed Trump since the 1970s. In the very beginning, I liked him as I (and I was an evangelical at the time) thought that he was a good role model of being very successful and having values such as not drinking alcohol. But that fondness quickly waned as I observed his narcissistic and womanizing behavior. I became much more opposed to him when I thought he was very dishonest and racist. I have watched almost every Trump rally, press conference from start to finish. I follow him on Twitter. I watched the impeachment hearings from gavel to gavel via C-span (no commentary, just the objective hearing). And, I have spoken to countless Trump supporters. So, while my description of the Trump world may not be completely accurate, it is informed. Again, you are welcome to correct any of my mis-statements via the comments.

Welcome to the Trump World

Within this world, Donald J. Trump is the greatest president in the history of America. He has “worked his ass off” for Americans, giving them (pre-COVID) the greatest economy in America’s history. He is not a politician, which works in his favor. He is brutally honest, the most honest president we have ever had. This rubs many people the wrong way because he pulls no punches but tells things like it is. That’s one reason he is hated by the establishment.

Donald Trump profoundly loves this country, more than any other president. He fights hard to put America first. He’s pulled us out of all the treaties and agreements that were taking advantage of America. He has fought hard to throw out illegal immigrants who have come here only to mooch off our society.

On the Economy

Donald Trump has ushered in the greatest economy America has ever known. Prior to COVID, we had one of the lowest unemployment rates in history. The stock market was soaring to record heights. He was able to do this because he is a very smart business man and knows how the economy works. He is also a tough negotiator and has gotten much better deals for America than any other president.

On the Environment

Trump has given us the best water and air in the history of our country. Climate change is not real but only a lie by the liberal elitist to destroy businesses.

On Society

He is a bulwark against the rising tide of radical socialism of the left. The agenda of this radical movement is to take away ownership, first of guns, then businesses and etc. This radical movement is anti-American and anti-Christian, run by the socialist elites in Hollywood and media. Trump wants to lead America back to its patriotic and Christian roots as we were in the 1950s.

On Race Relationship

Donald Trump has done more for the black community than any other president by giving them jobs, growth in their 401 Ks and business opportunities. The Black Lives Matter movement, was instigated by the far left (mostly white) liberals with a Marxist agenda and most blacks know that there is no racism in America.

On Christians

There has never been a president that fights for the Christians like Trump. He has fought to bring back Christian values in a growing secular nation. That liberal society was trying to ban things like prayer in schools, flags, church gatherings, saying the pledge to the flag, and general religious freedom. No other president has supported Christian values so fervently. He has also appointed conservative judges and will the one leader who will eventually stop abortions in this country and end the countries devaluing of heterosexual marriage. Donald Trump is God’s chosen man for president ot led us back to being a Christian nation.

Donald Trump could have achieved even more but has a profound resistance from the Washington establishment (deep state or “swamp”) and the mainstream media. The mainstream media is liberal and have a coordinated effort to turn our country into an anti-Christian, even communist or Muslim country. The media and radical left Democrats have attacked him without cause since he was elected. The Muller Report was proven to be a farce. The impeachment found nothing.

Not only should we re-elect him, but if we don’t, America is in peril and if the radical left wing gets into power, the economy will be destroyed, guns will be taken away, abortions will soar, and we will be drifting towards a socialist, godless country.

Welcome to the Anti-Trump World

Donald Trump has a serious mental health problem, a narcissistic personality disorder. In this disorder, the self becomes the center of the universe and all actions and thoughts are self-serving towards self-elevation alone. However, Donald Trump is a very gifted man in persuasive speech and charismatic persona. That combination, narcissistic personality plus a persuasive personality are the basic building blocks of a cult leader and that’s what we have now. The first steps of any cult leader is to make you doubt all your sources of information, except what comes from him or his supporters. Then, the information from him and his supporters (right wing TV and media sites) help him to spread lies to demonize anyone who does not support him. He is profoundly dishonest, spinning false narratives that always make him out as the hero. These are some of the hallmarks of all religious cults.

In reality, Donald Trump does not give a damn about America, Christians, or anything outside of himself. He uses this projection of himself (patriotic Christian) to win support from those who do take patriotism and faith seriously, while in his private life, he mocks these people. He has attempted to destroy all good American institutions for the sake of self elevation, this includes our Justice Department, intelligence community, FBI, military, education and etc. There has never been a more anti-American president than this one.

On the Economy

In this narcissistic quest, he has opposed anything that could hurt his goal of making the economy look (artificially) good. The stock market rise is his greatest yardstick as is the unemployment rate. The quickest way to make these numbers (only a pinhole view of the real economy) is to cut the taxes of the wealthy company owners and to end all regulations. That is exactly what he has done. It is like a sugar high for an economy that has no lasting benefits. Regulations, while some are extraneous and hinders business growth and should be cut, many are there for good reasons; for example, to protect the workers, the consumers, and the environment. If you look at other indicators of the economy (eg. GNP, national debt, trade imbalance) it does not look so good even before COVID.

On Society

There is no liberal conspiracy to; take away guns, take government control of businesses, to ban religious freedoms, to introduce communism as a form of government, to elevate abortions as a stand method of birth control.

On Race Relations

Black Lives Matter is a legitimate movement started by and led by blacks. It is in response to 400 years of racism in America that still exist in our institutions. Rioting and violence is not condoned by the majority of the left and virtually all of that was done by opportunists (wholesale looting just for the selfish material benefit) or even right wind instigators.

On Christians

If you ever wanted to know what the real (un-Americanized) historical Jesus was like, look at Donald Trump. He is the absolute opposite to Jesus in every way. Trump is self-centered, arrogant, money hungry–full of greed, extremely sexually promiscuous, incessant liar, igoronat, racist, hater of the poor and downtrodden and with a total lack of intellectual curiosity. He spouts hate of all people who are not his supporters (and even despise them behind their backs). Think of the opposite, and then you have the real Jesus.

Those Christians who told me that they recognized Trumps faulty behavior, but held their noses and voted for him anyway because he opposes abortion, are, to use Biblical terms, straining at a gnat but swallowing a camel. While claiming to want to reduce abortions, they are actually increasing them by cutting funding to basic women’s health (including access to birth control) but far beyond that, they are condoning dishonesty, which is the greatest of all sins. All evil begins with a lie.

Conclusion

This is what we are up against, the two diabolically opposed worlds in which people live. How do we bridge this gap? How do we create a constructive dialog? Many say we can’t. But do we have a choice if we want to survive as a nation?

We need to find the exit door from the Truman’s Shows that we live in, and find factual truth, not information that just supports our own bias. Real truth should be the meeting ground. Conservative and Liberal “news outlets” and websites are dens of lies. The more we go there, the more we will be entrenched within our bubbles. For Christians, the real Bible paints a picture of a God who is obsessed with truth (not some religious truth but factual truth) and love for the real world he has created. Let’s go there.

Mike