In 1976 the film Network featured a scene in which a fictional TV anchor, in response to the overall decline in America due to inflation, unemployment, crime and a recession, encouraged his viewers to stand up, go to their windows, stick their heads out and yell, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” While the movie was a fictional story, the plot highlighted the mood of a large number of Americans at the time. The relevant scene can be viewed here in case you’ve never seen it. (warning: some strong language)
Similar to the movie Network, if there’s one word that describes many voters 30 years later, it is anger. From the outset of this latest Presidential cycle, we’ve seen poll after poll affirm that voters are absolutely disgusted with politicians in Washington, and the sentiment isn’t limited to one party.
On the Democratic side, we have seen Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist, garner 41% of the vote to date, as democrat voters dismiss the heir apparent, Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, on the Republican side we’ve witnessed voters reject candidates who have any ties to the elite establishment, opting to support Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. In fact, these two candidates have garnered two thirds of the votes cast to date in Republican primaries and caucuses.
It’s understandable that voters have grown angry and frustrated with politicians, particularly on the Republican side. When candidates at all levels campaign on principles that support limited government, promote fiscal responsibility, and champion life and family, voters expect them to govern according to those values, which are affirmed in the Republican platform. Yet, it has become the norm for politicians, once elected, to quickly turn their backs on their campaign promises. Shamefully, these men and women chose the party elite, special interests and big business over the will of the voters who elected them.
While anger is an understandable reaction to these self-serving men and women, is anger in and of itself a reliable response to such betrayal by politicians? Should we trust anger to guide us in our selection of the individual who would lead our nation, and even the free world, in some of the most crucial matters of our time?
There is a proverb that states, “A quick tempered man acts foolishly” and another warns, “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” No doubt anger is a natural response when those who should be accountable to us show us such little respect while they trample our Constitution and seek their own self-interest. But it’s one thing to get angry and quite another thing to respond in anger.
Responding in anger leads to many unintended consequences, and as the verses above indicate, it places us in the company of fools, or at least leads to foolish behavior. Throwing a hammer after accidentally hitting your thumb might be a natural response, but it will likely damage a nearby wall. Likewise, choosing a presidential candidate who claims he’ll build a wall, just because we’re angry, without scrutinizing the substance of that candidate, borders on the same foolish behavior. Worse though, the repercussions of such an uninformed decision could prove catastrophic for our nation.
There are a host of decisions of much lesser consequence that we spend hours and even days, at times, deliberating over. When I recently purchased a television, I spent time on the internet researching which brand and features were the best and then made two trips to Best Buy before selecting the TV. And you no doubt have done the same when you purchased your last car, home or perhaps even a toaster. Yet it’s amazing, if not sad, that many in this election cycle are simply selecting a candidate that pushes all the right buttons and says all the right things, because they’re “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.”
The challenge for all of us who are angry over what is taking place in Washington is to use our logic rather than anger to make choices. Logic can guide while anger seeks to mislead. Reason will prevail while rage simply destroys. But will Americans discipline themselves to resist their inner urge to simply “burn it down and start over” as the mantra of some is these days? Will anger reign or reason prevail? The answer to this question may determine what kind of nation we have a year or two from now.
Amen!
Hello Mark,
While anger does play a part in Trump’s popularity, it is merely the cream on this delicious Sundae. As you note, conservatives have been lied to repeatedly by party leadership. We have been played like a fiddle. Our neighbors to the South have a term for it: Cabron. We used to say Cuckold, but the term cabron paints a picture of everyone having knowledge of the philandering. How much philandering can go on before the aggrieved spouse seeks a divorce? A proper Christian will counsel the aggrieved spouse to seek reconciliation (slight tongue in cheek); to forgive & seek to repair the relationship.
The professional Republican politician has proven himself to be without any redeeming qualities. His own selfish desires outweigh any promises that he made to his constituents. He is untrustworthy.
Which brings us to “Lying Ted”. He lied about Ben Carson to secure Carson voters to his cause. He lied about Marco Rubio to secure his voters. He lied about voters and their neighbors in an effort to shame them into his camp. He has demonstrated the same propensity to untruth that we have come to expect from the political class.
A simple Google search for ‘death’ & ‘undocumented’ should be sufficient to convince anyone that illegals should be deported. Every American life taken by an illegal is a failure by our elected representatives. We see daily evidence from Europe that their unfettered immigration policies are an open artery that is killing them.
Donald Trump is the only candidate who willingly came out screaming that the sky was falling. The other candidates laughed at him, knowing that his message would lead to his demise. But the sky is falling and the electorate knows it. When the rain started falling in Noah’s day, he was suddenly NOT an idiot. Islamic terrorism is just adding to the urgency of the immigration fiasco.
Are we angry? yes. Are we dissolving this ‘marriage’ because we are angry? no. The reason is because ‘he’ is a lying, cheating b*stard that will not change.
Donald may not be perfect, but he is WAY better than this filth we have been in bed with for too long. If you don’t want Donald, then give us a real alternative option. Lying Ted is not.
As always, I continue to look for your writing; your honesty & insight are refreshing.
David, my friend Joe does a great job of responding to a number of your comments so I won’t reiterate them here. But I will say that Trump suggesting Ted is lying all the time reminds me of the verse in the Bible that instructs us to remove the mote from our eye before we start focusing on the spec in our brother’s. Trump is the king of lies. In fact, we could nearly say if his lips are moving, he’s lying. I realize that’s an exaggeration but you should know this, or at least acknowledge the truth about your man. Joe has addressed the nonsense about Ted lying so let’s move off of that false claim.
But as to your comment about the establishment, Ted has spent his life fighting the establishment — hence they hate him. In fact, when Trump blasts Ted for not having more Senators endorsing him, Trump is in essence validating my point. So when you accuse Ted of being ” a lying, cheating b*stard that will not change” you could not be further from the truth and I have to wonder where you’ve been for the last number of years. Apparently your anger has so blinded you that you cannot even see that Ted is the guy who has been fighting the very people you say you despise. And now, a big mouth, self-absorbed, narcissist shows up and because he says what you want to hear, you’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for the man — ignoring his 40+ year track record of being everything you say you despise and fighting against everything you say you love.
Hello Mark,
I’d like to explain to David as to why I can’t align with Donald Trump as POTUS.
Donald has been a professed Democrat for 40 yrs and a Republican only since running for President. He exploits the fact that he does not want money from Super Pac’s and Special Interest Groups and condemns anyone that does. This is a campaign ploy to appear “Anti-Establishment” to the voters. And evidently its working. But the fact is Donald himself has said that for the past 40 yrs, he has given funds to both sides. So out of his own mouth, he has been a part of what has been going on in Washington for the past 40 yrs. Now lets focus on another reason why Donald Trump doesn’t need the money from SP’s and SIG’s..He’s a 10 BILLIONAIRE!!! He doesn’t need anyones money. It’s an investment for the Presidency as far as he’s concerned. I’m positive that if the other candidates were 10 BILLIONAIREs they wouldn’t need anyones money either!!! Another problem I have with Donald is that even after the video’s of Planned Parenthoods public exposure of illegally selling aborted baby parts, he said in a debate that he had no problem continuing to fund PP with 500,000,000.00 of tax payer dollars per year. He also supported the Left Wing attempted ban on Assault Weapons. He supports a Single Payer Healthcare System.. such is Obamacare. And as far as being trusted…just ask the 5000 people involved in a lawsuit, still pending in the courts, trying to get their $35,000.00 back from the Trump University scam. Donald says he’s not worried about losing the case because they all signed contracts. Really Donald!!! Most probably borrowed the money to further their education so they could better their lives. But instead are now having to deal with a Con-man that has more money than he or his childrens, childrens grand children will ever spend. Statements like that shows he could care less about those people that trusted him. He coined the phrase “Lying Ted”, but what about all the lies that he has been caught in, and then lies to try to get out of those lies. He’s changed his mind on so many issues, nobody really knows where he stands. He says whatever he needs to say for the moment. He wont release his tax returns even after the IRS says he can. And he wont reveal the “off the record” statement he made to The Washington Post about his true feelings on Amnesty. In one debate Donald stated that he would not stand unequivically with Israel. Which is the biggest mistake we could make as a Nation. In my opinion, Donald is the definition of RINO.
As far as what happened to Ben Carson in Iowa…CNN had posted that Ben Carson was leaving the race and Ted Cruzs’ Campaign Manager is the one that jumped the gun in Iowa. But Donald exploited it as being Ted’s fault and coined the phrase “Lying Ted”. Mark Rubio jumped on the “Lying Ted” wagon when the same thing happened to him in Hawaii. Media was again responsible for that misinformation and Cruzs’ Campaign Manager jumped the gun on that as well. In all incidences where Ted has been accused of lying, its been some other factor contributing to the misinformation. Even in the latest exploit by Donald to say “Lying Ted” is in the wives issue with Trumps wife being posted in an almost nude picture. He immediately blamed Ted Cruz when Ted had nothing to do with it. Donald has been exploiting the self coined fabricated “Lying Ted” like he’s exploited names he’s given to all of his opponents at some time or another. Ted Cruz is the only true Anti-Establishment candidate running. A true Conservative and always has been. Firm on Amnesty and defunding Sanctuary Cities. Deporting all illegal immigrants. Securing our boarders. Defunding Planned Parenthood and investigating and prosecuting the illegal acts of all involved in the selling of baby parts. Ted will destroy ISIS. He will stand for our rights to keep and bear arms…any arms. Donald states nobody likes Cruz, but thats because Cruz is anti-establishment in action, not in word only. Nobody is perfect but you can judge where a man is going by where he’s been.
The bottom line is this world is in trouble. And its going to remain in trouble. In fact the trouble is going to get worse. The Bible says…when they say peace and safety then total destruction will come on them. It will come like a thief in the night. But the only ones that will be taken by suprise will be those who aren’t watching. Jesus Christ is the only answer for this troubled world and He wins in the end.
Thank you for letting me explain why my conscience will not let me vote for Donald J.Trump.