Why Donald Trump Should NEVER be President (HINT: He's an all-American racist boor with no emotional intelligence)

Donald Trump is the worst kind of American: the kind who thinks he can do and say anything he wants just because he has money.

Step away from the Rose Garden, Mr. Trump — Now!

What’s really frightening is how so many voters at various income levels are actually buying into his shameless self-promotion as a Presidential candidate. Almost as though an entire spectrum of US citizens now believes that having a lot of money will somehow qualify a racist boor like The Donald to live in The White House. It can’t. It won’t.

Remember, money is merely a tool that can help us achieve goals more easily and more effectively. It’s not some kind of magic wand that can turn thoughtless mortals into compassionate Gods overnight. It’s not an enchanted talisman that can give anyone the essential expertise, necessary fortitude, and emotional intelligence to become President of the United States. It’s only money, after all. But too many people are starting to equate personal wealth with personal integrity.

Too many people have become so impressed with his capitalistic ventures that they’re accepting his personalized brand of fascism as a solution to America’s problems. Bad idea. That kind of acceptance goes beyond UN-democratic thought into the realm of UN-American ideology.

Oh, in case you skipped Civics class, the dictionary defines fascism in this way:
“…a philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism.”
Kind of like Nazism without all the swastikas and hate speech. Kind of like what Donald Trump evokes when he tries to convince everyone that his business experience alone qualifies him for the Presidency. Of course, it doesn’t.

He just doesn’t understand that all the money in the world isn’t going to help him once he opens his big mouth. Latest case in point: his unmitigated attacks on Pope Francis.

Thanks to the corporate media, though, and those gutless, clueless wonders who call themselves journalists, we’re not getting any real news about it. No intelligent discussions, no thoughtful analyses about it, either. Just sensational, inaccurate hype:

* “TRUMP FIRES BACK AT SHARP REBUKE BY POPE FRANCIS — A CLASH ON IMMIGRANTS” (The New York Times)
“Pope says Trump border stance is ‘not Christian’” (Mpls. Star Tribune)
“Trump fires back over the pope’s criticisms: Pontiffs’ charge that he ‘is not Christian’ inflames Trump” (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
“Trump, Pope Spar Over Faith (USA Today Weekend)

Unfortunately, the media egregiously misrepresented both The Pope’s remarks and intent. Journalists who should have known better took his remarks out of context. They also failed to recognize that Pope Francis was speaking figuratively, as well as literally. The wall he spoke of wasn’t just a physical barrier built to keep Mexican immigrants from illegally entering the United States. It was also an symbolic obstruction that blocked the flow of understanding, compassion, and communication. This wall, then, referred to both a literal and figurative division.

Let’s put that another way. Martin Luther King Jr., once said, “I refuse to accept the notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of nuclear war.” Nobody criticized the Pentagon for spending all our tax dollars on that war-mongering stairway. Nobody launched any personal attacks against MLK for being so anti-military, either.

That’s because Americans used to be smart enough to know about figurative language in communication. They understood that effective public speaking often meant taking departures from the literal meanings of words in favor of more imaginative comparisons of different objects or ideas. They realized that communicators, especially religious or spiritual leaders, often would use similes, metaphors, and allegories to get their points across in a colorful, memorable way.

Another effective tool, no doubt, like money.

Apparently, The Donald was so busy “making money” his dad gave him that he skipped both Civics and English classes. This intellectual liability didn’t stop him from hurling invective at The Pontiff, however. He launched his abrasive attacks without even knowing what The Pope actually said — and meant. Mature, real mature.

Does anyone even know the circumstances under which Pope Francis made these remarks? Does anyone even care anymore?

This writer certainly does. For the sake of accuracy and clarity, I began researching this incident to find out what really took place. The Catholic News Agency offered the best online narrative in terms of factual information and explanation. In case you’re too busy to delve into CNA’s comprehensive account, I’m giving the shorter version here.

After visiting Mexico, Pope Francis made his — now controversial — remarks during a night flight back to Rome. Reporters on the plane (NOT the clueless, gutless wonders) had the opportunity to ask him 12 questions — in English, Spanish, and Italian. The Pontiff obliged, discussing everything from abortion to the Zika virus. He not only gave specific answers, he also added other observations and reflections.

Phil Pullella, of Reuters, asked the fateful question about Trump during this hour-long news conference. “I would like to ask you,” he wondered, “what do you think of these accusations against you and if a North American Catholic can vote for a person like this?”

Of course, Pullella did preface the question with a long, detailed lead-in:

“ Today, you spoke very eloquently about the problems of immigration. On the other side of the border there is a very tough electoral battle. One of the candidates for the White House, Republican Donald Trump, in an interview recently said that your are a political man and he even said that your are a pawn, an instrument of the Mexican government for migration politics. Trump said that if he’s elected, he wants to build 2,500 kilometers of wall along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, separating families, etcetera. I would like to ask you, what do you think of these accusations against you and if a North American Catholic can vote for a person like this?”

Wait a minute. So Donald Trump — not Pope Francis — fired the first shot. Donald Trump dissed The Pope first. Donald Trump said The Pope was “a political man.” Donald Trump called The Pope “a pawn.” Donald Trump called The Pope “an instrument of the Mexican government for immigration politics.” And what did The Pope say about Donald Trump?

Well, The Pontiff never did specifically criticize him directly. He was much more diplomatic than Trump — or the media — portrayed him to be.

“Thank God he said I was a politician because Aristotle defined the human person as ‘animal politicus.’ At least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn, well, maybe, I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to your judgement and that of the people. And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I’m not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.”

More importantly, Pope Francis did something Donald Trump never bothered to do for him or anyone else. He gave Trump “the benefit of the doubt.” That’s intelligent, diplomatic, and very Christian — not at all like The Donald.

Trump’s irrational diatribe reminded me of something I once heard about businessmen. There’s not much physical difference between the brain of a businessman and the brain of a sociopath. In fact, they’re remarkably alike. It’s just that the businessman can find other ways to use his talents and intelligence. You know, doing things like making money with real estate and not doing things like messing with other people’s heads.

At this point, though, we can only pray that this egotistical capitalist/fascist won’t keep messing too much longer with our heads before the November election.