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Letters/Discussion Forums

Trump has no redeeming factors

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In response to Sachs and Fisher’s “The case for Trump in 2020”, (SA Jewish Report, 30 October), let me say I’m neither ill-informed, malicious, nor a follower of fashion (as the authors characterise those who object to Trump), but rather believe, unlike the authors who discount Trump’s well recorded character flaws in favour of his policies, that there can be no redeeming factor (however superficially appealing) when a person in high office who is granted enormous power is so glaringly unfit for the office.

A useful way to test one’s own view is to see the situation in a different light or to apply an analogy. So, when Harvey Weinstein was fired by Miramax, nobody said, “but he made great movies and profits for us”, which he did. And this is because no self-respecting business wants to be associated with a moral reprobate, regardless of his so-called value. That’s because reputation affects value, and in the end, having such a person in charge leads to tears. If true for a company, how much more true is it for a country which is the leader of the Western world?

In another analogy: how would you react to a South African president removing officials who are there to hold ministers to account? (Trump dismissed the inspectors general of five cabinet departments because of ongoing investigations.) How about firing the head of the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] and installing his own man (as Zuma and Trump did)? What of profiting from his position by renting his own properties to the government, or employing his daughter and son-in-law in senior state positions? How about his instruction to his justice department to prosecute a political opponent on his say so, or obstructing voting and openly stuffing the highest court with political judges? What about not only lying every day, but insulting you by making assertions that your own eyes tell you lies.

They write that “Trump hasn’t abused power”, but that assertion is false because these actions are factual examples of abuse of power.

To conclude, let me return to the thrust of my response, which is that a principled person should set aside any personal, political, or transactional benefits of a candidate when that person has no respect for the rule of law, the norms demanded by secular society, or Jewish moral laws such as derech eretz

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