An Even Keel-What's With Donald Trump?

   I have somewhat admired Donald Trump ever since we started hearing about him many years ago. I bought his first book and read it enthusiastically. To me, at the time, as a young person starting out in the world of business he was an icon, idol etc. I hung onto every word he wrote and had it in my mind that I would like to be just like him; rich and successful.

   As the years went on, his golden aura started to tarnish in my mind. I didn’t really have anything against him but his boisterous self aggrandizing ways started to be just a tad too much in my mind. Years ago I spent a summer working in New Jersey. I had a lot more exposure to him through the local media coverage in NYC.

   From my time in New Jersey and over the years since I would see “The Donald”, or the “Trumpster” as Regis calls him, on various programs and news shows. I started to understand and appreciate his personality a bit more. He is the ultimate New Yorker. He’s “loud” because he has to be, that is the way it is in New York City.

   There is so much going on in the city that the only way you are noticed is to be the loudest. Picture an open air marketplace with rows of merchants hocking their wares to people walking by. They are all shouting out something about their product; the loudest and most interesting lines get you to stop and look. That is Donald Trump, the essence of an NYC merchant hocking his wares; he just does it on a different playing field.

   When The Apprentice was first being promoted by the NBC I couldn’t wait for the first episode, and it delivered, I was hooked. As the show evolved and the “Celebrity” version was introduced I continued to watch and we started to see a little more of the personal side of “The Donald”. We began to see his children, who appear to be very well rounded with very strong work ethics and no sense of entitlement. I also follow them on twitter and continue to have the same impression. Yes they were born with platinum spoons, but they work hard. They may benefit from daddy’s fortune but they don’t sit back expecting to live off daddy’s fortune.

   Donald continues being Donald, over the top and that is fine, I understand it now. He flirts with the idea of running for President only to back out at the last minute, while all the time generating great publicity for the latest version of “The Apprentice”. Four years later he pulls off the same tactic and quite successfully. You have to admire, even if you should feel disdain for him, his ability to promote himself.

   This time around in the political field he has taken things to a different level for which I applaud him. He is actively engaging about issues that he sees as a problem for this country. Some of the things he says I agree with, some I don’t. Like most people in this country, I am fed up with Washington politics. Our politicians for the most part do not act in the best interest of our country; they act in the interest of themselves and their party.

   Trump has been doing what he does best. Using his grandiose style he has been raising his voice about issues that he sees as being troublesome for the health of this country. I have no doubt that some of his issues would have a direct effect on his bank account; I also believe that he has a great love for this country. From his statements I believe he believes, as I do, that this country is really on the brink of serious consequences if our politicians don’t start addressing the hard issues at hand. There is a serious need for hard decisions to be made to strengthen this country rather than making decisions based on “party control” or short term individual/party benefit.

   The one thing I do not understand is why Trump has latched onto the “birther issue” as it is called. He is smart about it; he does not say that President Obama is not a natural born citizen. He just says we don’t know for sure, it needs to be investigated. Even the Republican Party has dropped this issue; the Romney Campaign is not using this issue. Why is Trump jumping on board it with such thunder? Ok, the thunder is Trump being Trump, but really, doesn’t he realize he’s loosing credibility with most people on this issue? He had gotten himself aboard the biggest stage in the country for the next 6 months, the Presidential race, and the thing he trumpets the loudest is the “birther issue”?

   You have disappointed me Donald. I thought you were going to help keep this election focused on some serious issues. Alas, you have jumped into the boat filled with politicians/political operatives, whose continued strategy is to throw as much crap against the wall as possible so that the real issues are covered up. The strategy that has brought our great country to where it is now.