No matter the current polls and rhetoric about the Republican race and ongoing surprise about the early and ongoing dominance of Trump, there should really be no surprise.  It isn’t really about Trump the man – who in reality is pretty much a know nothing, self centered, bullying narcissist.  Sadly, it is really about the people who make up a good deal of our country. A sad commentary indeed.

The vehemence shown by his supporters is driven to a great extent by those who represent the worst of who we, as a country, pretend to have moved past as a people and society.  In many ways we are less prejudiced, more tolerant, more accepting but it is really more generational than anything else.  However, we still maintain a large contingent of racists, bigots, haters and uneducated slow thinkers who feel that anyone on whom they can trounce only makes their squalid existence look more palatable.

Trump has zeroed in on the same people who drove the Tea Party phenomenon several years back (take a look at some of my earlier posts to get a better look at that crew).  It is a group of people who want everything  for themselves (because they are the only ones who really work hard and deserve it) and nothing for anyone else who disagrees with their views.  He feeds on those who, not surprisingly, are led around by many of the those religious giants such as Jerry Falwell, Jim Bakker, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen and Pat Robertson – all (including Trump) willing to live a life of luxury on the backs of the ignorant and stupid.   They all prey on the unquestioning among us.  They all throw around sound-bytes, little snippets of “wisdom” that hook into people’s doubts and insecurities.  The one group continually cites the Bible but does little that really demonstrates they live it.  They make these unimportant people feel important and that their wants and desires will be answered despite the evidence to the contrary that those like Trump are really taking it to the bank.  I strongly doubt that Trump (or any of those beacons of religion I cite) have ever stepped foot in a Walmart or a McDonalds.  Not likely any of them ever had to put Christmas purchases on layaway because they were living paycheck to paycheck.  But this is only evident to those who aren’t among this group – not that we are necessarily better (although we really are) but we are definitely smarter.  We see the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes.

The good news – many of these people are the elders among us so they have a limited shelf life.   In reality it has already begun to impact the religious institutions in our country.  Look at the numbers of those who consider themselves aligned with a religion and the future is pretty obvious.  For those who will be around for awhile longer, since they aren’t really the movers and the shakers, their influence, like sound-bytes, have no real depth or longevity.  They will continue to make news as the next Trump shows up because we are always looking for the next flavor of the day but at the end of it all, they add no value and only detract and diminish what we want to be as a country.  Time cures all ills.