John Dahlia – Preston County News & Journal
The past seven days have been quite remarkable in the world of presidential politics. Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has certainly become a lightning rod of sorts. First, he lumped most Mexican illegal aliens together as criminals, and then he attacked Arizona Sen. John McCain by questioning his status as a war hero and service in Vietnam. And just a few days ago, the boisterous Trump criticized South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in his home state. The real estate mogul and reality television star even called Graham an “idiot,” and then he actually read out loud the conservative senator’s cell phone number.
The national media, the political pundits and those who would be considered party leaders have been on a rampage, fumbling over one another claiming Mr. Trump is a horrible candidate for president. The left-leaningHuffington Post went one step further. They decided to relegate Trump’s coverage to the online media’s entertainment section. The statement posted at the top of the Huffington Post’s politics page read, “A note about our coverage of Donald Trump’s ‘campaign.’” Below the title, a long statement was added, explaining why they made this controversial decision.
“After watching and listening to Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy for president, we have decided we won’t report on Trump’s campaign as part of the Huffington Post’s political coverage. Instead, we will cover his campaign as part of our Entertainment section. Our reason is simple: Trump’s campaign is a sideshow. We won’t take the bait. If you are interested in what The Donald has to say, you’ll find it next to our stories on the Kardashians and The Bachelorette,” the Huffington Post stated.
Ironically, despite so much angst and dismay about Donald Trump, he remains the highest rated candidate in every national poll being taken today. The question we all have to ask is why? How could someone so anti-establishment, outspoken and, in many ways, mean-spirited, be leading the more than 15 people running for the Republican nomination for president? The answer, I believe, can be found in rural America.
There is an angry, frustrated sector of our society that has been steadily growing for the past eight years. They are the thousands of forgotten coal miners and their families left unemployed and without hope. They are the recent college students who are being forced to continue their education and take out more loans because they cannot find a job. They are the small family farmers who are fighting a losing battle against endless federal regulation. They are the teachers forced to follow unreasonable, out- of-touch rules to the point where they are unable to do their job effectively. They are the young and old veterans who fought and served with honor, only to be forced to wait months for the medical care they have earned. And they are the men and women working in law enforcement who live under the horrible pressure of constant public scrutiny.
Donald Trump is a reflection of this outrage. He, in a very real sense, is the candidate borne out of frustration and disdain for the traditional politician. He’s a perfect fit; the angry, opportunistic businessman with the flamboyant voice.
There is no question, the United States is at a critical turning point. There are real problems happening every moment that are being neglected. Is Trump the fixer America needs? Maybe it’s too soon to tell. But whoever moves into the White House next had better deal with the growing, angry masses of American society.