Things Donald Trump and Donald Duck share in common: 1) They are both comedy sideshows 2) They have cartoon-worthy hair 3) They are both unnecessarily loud and 4) They are both equally qualified to run for president.
This statement (while intended with a dose of humor), is something that should give one pause, when considering the fact that Donald Trump has a chance of becoming our next president. We, as voters who wish to exercise our privilege with due diligence and care, should be asking ourselves who we would want in the Oval Office, with access to state secrets, and the nuclear launch codes. We should carefully consider whether Donald Trump has what it takes to be not only commander in chief, but PR director in chief. Does he have the composure and maturity to be the leader of the free world? Would his brash style get us into trouble abroad? One needn't look too far to see that politics in the United States has become comedic to the point of absurdity. It was a few short years ago, when Sarah Palin was on the Vice Presidential ticket alongside Senator John McCain. We all know how that turned out! If the GOP intends to be taken seriously as a national party, they must seek candidates who are electable. While birtherism and petty insults will buy Donald Trump popularity with his base, I do not believe this will play well in a GOP primary, or against a popular incumbent president. When "The Donald" (not the Duck) jumped on the birther bandwagon, his obsession with the birthed issue should have immediately raised red flags within RNC leadership, and folks should have immediately sought to dismiss these claims (and his presidential aspirations). Soon after Trump's tyrades began, President Obama released the "long form" birth certificate that Trump and others had sought. Rather than admitting that the "facts" of the Birther movement were a mere figment of his overactive (and over-wigged) imagination, Trump proceeded to congratulate himself several times on forcing the release of the birth certificate:
"I am so proud of myself because I've accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish,"
"I want to look at it, but I hope it’s true so we can get onto much more important matters, so the press can stop asking me questions. I am really honored, frankly, to have played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully, getting rid of this issue,"
"We have to look at it, we have to see is it real, is it proper, what’s on it, but I hope it checks out beautifully. I am really proud; I am really honored."
So, where do we go from here? For starters, we need to stop giving the microphone to provocateurs like Donald J. Trump. Trump (and those like him) are in it for the recognition, and for the spotlight. The man is a professional showman, a marketeer, a money-maker, and a charlatan. If there is an opportunity to make more money, or to gain the spotlight even for a minute, Donald J. Trump will be there as fast as the birds nesting in his hair can fly him there. We need serious candidates, who are willing to push aside the urge to live and thrive off empty rhetoric, absurd soundbites, and who are truly capable of engaging in sound policy debates.
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