No one has been more mystified by the rise of
Donald Trump than yours truly. As soon as he slurred the war record of
John McCain, I thought he was toast. Clearly, that wasn't the case. The best explanation of the Trump phenomenon is laid out in
The Atlantic by
David Frum (
The Great Republic Revolt). He postulates that middle-aged, middle Americans are fed up with seeing their country turn into something they don't recognize. He sums them up nicely as
"people who are irked when asked to press 1 for English and who wonder how 'white male' became an accusation rather than a description." It is
this angst that Trump is exploiting. But it is a
real angst—and the Republican Party ignores it at their peril. On top of this anger is the Republican Party's "evolution" on immigration. No matter what you think of the issue, it is 'pissing off' the great American Middle. Obviously, it is the centerpiece of Trump's rise as well. And yet, 60% of Republican primary voters are uncomfortable with the idea of a Trump Presidency—not to mention the even higher level of unease among the
rest of the voter population. So, what could erase this 'Trump Trepidation'? How about a pledge of
one term? This would play nicely into the nearly unanimous distrust of the political class and its endless lust for perpetual power. It would also send a signal that Trump just wants to get the job done in four years—build a 'great America again' then head back to the proverbial plow. It might just be enough to turn 'Trump Trepidation' into 'Trump Triumph'. Let's hope he doesn't read this!
