Coming to grips with Trump

Donald Trump's resume is quite remarkable. As a real estate developer, he reshaped Manhattan's skyline and built a global network of hotels and golf courses. For 14 seasons, he hosted The Apprentice, a very successful reality TV show. Then, in 2017, he became the 45th president of the United States. His credentials are impressive. Yet, for over a decade, the media has fixated on his perceived deficiencies-his vulgarity, his moral failings, his combative rhetoric, his unpredictability.

But Donald Trump is no longer the Apprentice. He is now the Master Craftsman. He takes the helm as President for the second time with the benefit of the previous four-years' experience. His team is better prepared, better aligned to his vision, and more qualified than many critics would care to acknowledge. The time has come to set aside entrenched prejudices and give credit where it is due. Trump's bold plans for America deserve our attention. His team is about to embark on a political revolution-a reshaping of America's political landscape.

This revolution is not without risk. Undoubtedly, some initiatives will falter. But there is the potential to reinvigorate American society. Moreover, what unfolds in the U.S. may set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Resistance will come from those who have thrived under the status quo. Expect their objections to be loud and insistent. Expect their opposition to be full of falsehoods and personal attacks, similar to the smear campaign against Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court nomination. (Kavanaugh's Trial by Ordeal, Peter Murphy, Quadrant, Dec 2018). In contrast, it's essential that we approach this revolution with discernment and a willingness to look beyond the cacophony.

Barry Jones, writing in The Saturday Paper (November 23, 2024), asked :

"Will Trumpism survive Trump? I expect it will damage the moral and intellectual authority of the US for a generation, perhaps longer. His resurrection demonstrates the insufficiency of reason, which often lacks the psychological carrying power needed to effect far reaching reforms and take people with them".

In similar vein, Kim Williams, Chairman of the ABC, speaking at the National Press Club, (November 27, 2024) slammed successful podcaster Joe Rogan as "deeply repulsive" and accused him of "preying on people's vulnerabilities, fear, and anxiety".

Rogan is known for his in-depth, three-hour interviews with prominent figures. His recent interview with Donald Trump attracted over 38 million viewers. Kamala Harris' team invited Rogan to interview her too, but only for forty-five minutes. Rogan declined. He reasoned that was not long enough to get beyond pre-prepared cliches.

Williams admitted he doesn't watch Rogan's show-a telling remark, given the ABC's shrinking audience across both radio and TV. The ABC could certainly learn from studying Rogan's success. Rogan's three-hour conversation with Trump offered more insight into the man than Australians have gleaned from a decade of ABC programming.

What we learn from these two examples is how easy it is for even clever people like Barry Jones and Kim Williams to get sidetracked by their prejudices and miss the point. Widely held erroneous doctrines dominate our politics making lives miserable. Errors are reality and must be dealt with as such. They cannot be ignored. In coming to grips with Trump, we must acknowledge the errors and be open to the possibility of change.

The criticisms of Trump the man distract us from the deeper issues. Yes, his character is far from perfect. Yes, his comments are often crass. Yes, his speeches are deliberately disjointed and chaotic, crafted to resonate with voters, to galvanize support. But, as I shall explain, there are profound ideas underlying the changes that the Trump Republicans intend.

The problems they are addressing are not unique to America. They are shared by nations across the globe. The time has come for us to confront the challenges, and to learn from the solutions Trump and his team are proposing to implement. This will require shedding long-held beliefs. But if we fail to appreciate what is at stake, we risk perpetuating our misery for years to come.