Let’s not use the term ‘Trumpism,’ please. That gives it too much dignity

A piece by Ruth Marcus in The Washington Post today began:

We’re going to have Donald Trump around for a while, which prompts the question: What is Trumpism? Or, to put it more tartly, is there a coherent political philosophy underlying his candidacy?

Spoiler alert — no…

Please, let’s not use that word. “Trumpism.” It suggests that there is a system of thought lurking nearby, and that is an insult to everyone who values thought, or for that matter has ever had a thought.

Like Ferris Bueller, I don’t think much of -isms. But I think enough of them not to have them dragged down to this extent…

6 thoughts on “Let’s not use the term ‘Trumpism,’ please. That gives it too much dignity

  1. Bryan Caskey

    Trump is a big blinking red light telling the GOP to “CHECK ENGINE”. A great deal of the support for Trump is simply a punishment to the GOP from conservative voters who feel like they’ve been taken for granted. Here’s a timeline that may help illustrate some people’s frustration.

    2010: Hey, voter! Vote for us and let us control the House of Representatives so we can act as a check on President Obama. We can’t do anything for you without that.

    2014: Hey, thanks for the House control four years ago. Sorry for not doing anything, but we can’t really do anything without control of the Senate. Please vote for us so we can really advance our cause.

    2015: Hey, we need one more thing before we can really do anything. I promise this is the last time…

      1. Kathryn Fenner

        Me….my parents–who finally resorted to a piece of black tape over the Check Engine light in their Volvo that was always on, no matter what, unless they drove to the other side of Augusta to get it turned off….

    1. Kathryn Fenner

      Just because candidates overpromised, doesn’t mean Trump can do any better. I wish people had to pass a civics test before they were allowed to vote. Nothing too strenuous, of course—just concepts like “checks and balances” and “basic constitutional rights”….

      1. Brad Warthen Post author

        Or, more than anything else, they need to be schooled in the concept that everybody else gets a vote, too — that’s the way it’s SUPPOSED to be.

        Far, far too many people think government is broken or useless because it doesn’t do exactly what THEY want it to do…

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