EDITOR, The Tribune.
The Republican Party’s standard bearer President Donald Trump only secured 217 electoral college votes compared to President-elect Joe Biden’s 290, paving the way for the former Delaware Senator to become the 46th president of the United States. Obviously upset at the election results, the Trump camp continues its stone walling tactics, not willing to concede defeat to Biden.
During the first presidential debate on September 29 at the Samson Pavilion of the Health Campus, Trump pretty much sidestepped Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace’s repeated questions about denouncing the Proud Boys, a group labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre and the Anti-Defamation League.
In addition to speaking out against the desecration and removal of Confederate monuments, Trump’s refusal to condemn far right groups suspected of being white supremacists, I believe, is the main reason he lost to Biden.
Left-leaning social analysts have alleged that the alleged murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Eric Garner are violent reactions to the presidency of Barack Obama, the first Black man to sit in the Oval Office. The Proud Boys seemed to have interpreted the Trump 2016 campaign slogan, Make America Great Again, as a rallying cry to reintroduce government sanctioned Jim Crow policies.
With the murder of George Floyd on May 25 over an alleged fake $20 bill in Minneapolis, in addition to violent protests across the United States over police brutality and systemic racism, the Trump campaign was unable to overcome the propaganda by Black Lives Matter spin doctors that he is prejudiced against African Americans and other ethnic minorities. And making matters worse were African American conservatives Candace Owens and Jesse Lee Peterson airing George Floyd’s dirty laundry in public, with the apparent aim of rationalising bad police behaviour towards African Americans. Both Lee and Owens have repeatedly expressed condescending views about the African American community, with the latter publicly refusing to acknowledge Biden as the president-elect. I think this was a turn-off to many ethnic minorities who otherwise would’ve supported Trump due to the phenomenal job he did in growing the American economy and defending his country.
As a Black Bahamian conservative, I supported Trump wholeheartedly, notwithstanding the many gaffes he committed. With his selection of Amy Coney Barrett for the US Supreme Court, I was hoping that Trump’s re-election would bring about the toppling of the 1973 Roe v Wade legislation, which is responsible for the murders of over 50 million babies.
I don’t believe Trump is a racist. After all, retired neurosurgeon Dr Ben Carson was a member of his Cabinet. Trump was probably pandering to far-right racist groups as a tactical political strategy to win the election when he defended white Americans who took umbrage to the desecration of Confederate monuments. It backfired.
Trump could’ve easily won his re-election bid had he publicly distanced himself from the Proud Boys and condemned racism.
By refusing to do so, he unwittingly played right into the hands of Black Lives Matter – an organisation that skillfully played the race card in the lead up to Election Day.
KEVIN EVANS
Freeport,
Grand Bahama,
November 12, 2020.
Comments
Porcupine 3 years, 5 months ago
Kevin,
Despite the shallowness of your analysis, I would say only one thing. No decent person backs Trump. As many intellectuals have said, the Republican Party is now a cult, with Trump as cult leader. You made a wrong turn, Kevin. Turn off your TV. I will say it again. No decent person supports Trump.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
Do you know that more people voted for Trump than for Obama?
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 5 months ago
In my experience most people vote just to keep the other team out of office and not because they like a particular candidate. All Biden supporters are Democrats, but not all Democrats are Biden supporters, they just can't stand the thought of the other party winning so they vote for the lesser of the two evils. Hence, I think it would be more accurate for your statement to say that more people voted Republican in this election than they did democrat when Obama won
joeblow 3 years, 5 months ago
...I guess 72 million Americans are not decent people.
It is never a good sign when one person can elevate their opinion so far above the opinions of others in disputable matters, that they become judge jury and executioner! Very fascist!
Porcupine 3 years, 5 months ago
Not very fascist. I am educated, open minded and thrive in a diverse, yet civil discourse. What is not a good sign joeblow is when so many people the world over start believing in cults, divorced from reality, increasingly tending towards the true authoritarians. Yes, as a US citizen, I can say that 72 million is on the low side. Jury, yes, executioner, you don't know me. I would add delusional to the list of things which trumpies exemplfy.
C2B 3 years, 5 months ago
I believe educated opinions over uneducated opinions. Hence I go to a Doctor when I need medical advice and not my barber. So I want to know educational level, experience, and wether you are successful yourself or just talk. So we are all entitled to our opinions but only an idiot holds them in the same regard without consideration to the underlying basis of that opinion. By that yard stick, most people are too poorly educated to opine and that includes a large minority of the American public.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 5 months ago
I have long argued that a civics test should be mandatory before being allowed to vote. It would certainly clear up a lot of problems with the electorate here and in the US.
Universal suffrage played a key part in the fall of Rome, and we are seeing history repeat before our very eyes.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
Universal suffrage at the time of the Romans? Do you really believe everyone could vote in Rome to elect the emperor?
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 5 months ago
The Republic eventually morphed into the Empire. Before Julius Caesar assumed power, yes, voting did occur.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 5 months ago
Lol. This aint a shock...
Nothing dumber than a trumpie...
themessenger 3 years, 5 months ago
How do you define a Bully, Liar, Cheat, and a morally and ethically bankrupt individual? Trump!
moncurcool 3 years, 5 months ago
I have heard stupid things before but this takes the cake. While I support free speech, I don't support the Tribune printing garbage. Some things just do not need to be published. For someone to try and paint Trump in such a glowing light with all his race baiting, deliberate lies, division tactics and treatment of women shows clearly they have intelligent ignorance.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
So basically you support free speech, except when people disagree with you. You sir are a true Liberal!
C2B 3 years, 5 months ago
There is a difference between free speech and having your article published by a news source. Presumably, the latter requires a higher level of intellect and analysis. So write what you want and opine as you will, but let's not pretend that everyones opinion is of worthy of being published. It does reflect poorly on the Tribune as they are judged by the quality of the writing.
moncurcool 3 years, 5 months ago
Exactly.
joeblow 3 years, 5 months ago
... C2B, but opinions though not agreed with are worthy of some modicum of respect! That allows tolerance without being autocratic or elitist!
moncurcool 3 years, 5 months ago
Everyone is entitled to free speech. However, everyone is not entitled to have stupidity published.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
Yes, Trump did not start any catastrophic wars like his predecessors, he signed historic peace treaties, he did not bully the Bahamas into giving up banking secrecy with blacklists like Clinton and Obama, he donated his entire salary to charity, he acted in the best interest of his country, he confronted the Chinese on IP theft etc. what a horrible President! Oh and BTW Mr. Evans according to Biden you ain't black! Biden who in In 1994 signed into law a reform bill that opened the door to an era of mass incarceration that devastated US African American communities. Thank god we have him as next US President.
C2B 3 years, 5 months ago
Trump believes in laundering money and hiding stolen National resources in offshore entities. He has been laundering for Russians for decades. You don't really believe he flipped that palm beach property for a $50MM profit to Putin's friend because of his business acumen; do you? So the inaction on offshore banking is expected. He is on those lists. There is also the small matter of the 250k dead Americans and cratered economy due to his denial of a catastrophe. Her stole $60MM from the inauguration committee, forced the taxpayer to pay $130MM for his golf outings!!!!!~ Giving his salary back? What a joke. Why don't you try and read more. You could use it.
C2B 3 years, 5 months ago
There was this pandemic Kevin...... it was mismanaged in a way that only a Knox college dimwit could have pulled off. Redefining incompetence, mismanagement, and stupidity, he could not have killed more Americans if he tried. He hates black people; like YOU. Was charged for discriminating against them in his rental business by marking their applications with a "C". Don't talk about Ben Carson.....he let Herman Cain die after his rally. I see you are religious and believe in fairy tales? What is your educational level and where did you achieve this? Abortion is murder like you are a genius. He lost the election because he left Country poorer, sicker, and less secure than when he was in office. That is a fact. I am an Economist so if you want to make comments like "the phenomenal job he did growing the American economy...." you better back them with DATA and FACTS. GDP - Down, Unemployment - higher, poverty level - higher, National debt - much higher, Yearly deficit - off the charts. Should I continue Kevin? Actually forget it. My mother told me never to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
Too many inaccuracies to go though them all here. For your information the only effective way in the US to fight the pandemic is at the state level, which some states failed miserably (usually Democratic run states) like New York that ranks second to the worst out of all 50 states in deaths per million residents. And you have Governor Andrew Cuomo bragging that his administration “tamed the beast.” And he gets praises from the media like his brother at CNN. But hey it’s all Trumps fault right?
C2B 3 years, 5 months ago
Don't take the easy way out. Refute me with DATA. Can you? I am an economist, graduated from the 14th ranked University in the World, and I will patiently argue every point with you. For your information; you are wrong. The only way to fight this pandemic is with a Federal approach that makes sense like Canada or Germany or Taiwan. Think of it as a foreign invader. Would you leave National homeland defence up to individual states? Sound silly doesn't it. Your argument lacks cogency but I invite you to make it so with reasoned facts. So please, have at it. We both know you have time.
Proguing 3 years, 5 months ago
Sorry, I don't have time to argue endlessly with someone who can't stop talking about his credentials. And comparing Taiwan to the USA is just foolish.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 5 months ago
Not trying to harp on you, I just find it nice to hold discussion with posters here who are at least aware of what is going on outside of the country, but surely you must realize that the 10th Amendment comes into play when discussing how the federal government can respond to the COVID crisis in the United States? For all of the hypothetical Biden's administrations huff and puff, a national mask mandate would easily be challenged within the court system; there would be a very good argument for it being overreach by the federal government.
In addition, I think you might be misunderstanding Canada's response to COVID. Sure, the federal government implemented the Quarantine Act and created CERB, etc., but the bulk of the response is left up to the provincial governments. Some provincial government's have mask mandates, some have different curfew times, etc. Restrictions can often vary depending on which province you are situated in. It is not too different from how the individual states have authority to decide/implement their restrictions in the United States.
I am not trying to be pedantic, but the National Guard does exist to this day. I get your point, but both the American Revolutionary War and the American Civil War had state militias playing a prominent role in the fighting. Things have certainly changed, but the existence of the National Guard is reminder of that legacy.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 5 months ago
Your statistics lack the context of taking COVID-19 into account.
Unemployment Rate : Dec. 2015 - 5.0% Dec. 2016 - 4.7% Dec. 2017 - 4.1% Dec. 2018 - 3.9% Dec. 2019 - 3.5% Dec. 2020 - TBD (probably around 8%ish, more lockdowns are going to put a greater number out of work)
https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymo...">https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymo...
GDP : https://tradingeconomics.com/united-s...">https://tradingeconomics.com/united-s... https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/...">https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/...
Poverty Rate : 2019 : 10.5% - https://www.census.gov/library/public...">https://www.census.gov/library/public... 2018 : 11.8% - https://www.census.gov/library/public...">https://www.census.gov/library/public... 2017 : 12.3% - https://www.census.gov/library/public...">https://www.census.gov/library/public... 2016 : 12.7% - https://www.census.gov/library/public...">https://www.census.gov/library/public... 2015 : 13.5% - https://www.census.gov/library/public...">https://www.census.gov/library/public...
When it comes to the national debt, Trump's numbers are not far off from Obama's. We are not in the era of balanced budgets, and I doubt that we will ever be for a long time at least.
https://www.polidiotic.com/by-the-num...">https://www.polidiotic.com/by-the-num...
You can not like the man, but to state that Trump was not doing an excellent job with the economy prior to COVID-19 is untrue. It would be very misleading to base an assessment of Trump's handling of the economy off of the past 6 months, which have been disastrous for everyone thanks to COVID-19.
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