Lately there has been a buzz about the name: Donald Trump. I have yet to see an article or piece of unbiased information about this man, and that is a problem for voters. Some people support the candidate, thinking he is the change our country truly needs, as a strong leader. Others are on the opposite end of the spectrum, claiming that they will move to Australia if he is elected. Maybe it’s time to take a step away from the media and look what this man’s political beliefs actually are, seeing the facts as facts. Every following piece of information comes directly from Trump’s mouth, from his campaign website, or from undeniable historical facts.
Immigration:
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best... They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Trump wants to expand the wall to keep undocumented immigrants out of America, and he wants Mexico to pay for this wall. His website claims that America will increase fees or even cancel temporary visas for Mexicans, entering legally into the U.S., if Mexico does not meet this demand. America will also increase fees on crossing cards and entry ports. Trump also wants to end birthright citizenship, which means children soon to be born in America will not be considered citizens unless their parents are also citizens.
Abortion:
After looking for this issue on his website, I realized it is not represented. So I did more research. It is a fact that Trump has been rocky on this issue. He has claimed to be pro-choice at one point, changing his views to pro-life later in his life. He has said that he would support a ban of abortion, but he has also said that he supports a woman’s right to choose. Therefore, Trump has no true, substantial stance on abortion in terms of politics (at least that I could find). He personally does not like abortion.
Gun rights:
Trump says that owning guns is a right in the constitution, "period." He says that citizens should be able to carry the weapon of their choice. Trump supports programs like Project Exile. In terms of mental health programs, he says the systems are broken and need to be fixed: “We need to expand treatment programs, because most people with mental health problems aren’t violent, they just need help. But for those who are violent, a danger to themselves or others, we need to get them off the street before they can terrorize our communities.” By "getting them off the street," Trump claims that gun violence will go down. But it is unclear what he means by getting them off the street and how this new system will work.
Tax reform:
Most of his policy deals with getting rid of loopholes in the system. “If you are single and earn less than $25,000, or married and jointly earn less than $50,000, you will not owe any income tax.” He claims we will have the lowest tax rates since WWII. No businesses (big or small) will pay more than 15 percent of their business income in taxes.
Terrorism:
"The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families, when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families.”
Trump believes in making a strong, powerful military so that other countries will not mess with America, implying he wants to expand our military. He wants to “knock the hell out of ISIS,” but does not give further explanation or means of how to do so in this statement.
His success as a business man:
There is no way to find unbiased information about Trump’s success as a businessman. However, it is true that the American people think that Trump is a great businessman. It is true that he is very rich, a billionaire in fact. It is also a fact that at least three of his companies have failed: Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, and Trump Magazines. There has also been much speculation and claims that Trump’s company has been sued (more than once) and gone bankrupt. While there is no credible way to prove these speculations, this is something to keep in mind and research more if you are curious, since I could not find solid evidence for these accusations.
Character:
Pros:Trump seems to be a good leader. He is confident and resilient. His speeches are like rallies. He is unafraid to speak his mind, and he is strong in (most) of his beliefs. Trump is very nationalistic and believes in making America great again.
Cons: Donald Trump has twisted the truth more than once. One such example was when a reporter asked him if he would condemn the racism of David Duke (leader of the KKK). He refused to condemn David Duke, claiming that he “doesn’t know anything about him.” However, in 2000, Trump referred to Duke as “a Klansman…a neo-Nazi.” Another example was when Trump spoke about 9/11. He said, “I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down and I watched in Jersey City, N.J., where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering.” This has been disproved by the police and mayor of New Jersey. Another con is that Trump seems to have a very racist attitude through his comments, and this is hard to deny. He talks about minority groups as a whole, grouping them into a category. One such example is when he said, "I have a great relationship with the blacks. I've always had a great relationship with the blacks.” Another is in the first quote above about Mexicans coming into America.
I respect every citizen’s right to vote and stay informed on their candidates without bias. Hopefully this article has provided an unbiased source of information where information has come from his website and his own words. I beg of you as citizens to make an informed decision. Look at the true stances of all the candidates, just as I have presented for Trump. But also remember to look at their character, their honesty, and their values.
My personal opinion:
So who I am voting for? What is my bias? I have looked at his policies, his character, and his ability as a leader. I have given him a fair chance, looking at his platform as a whole. But I cannot get past the way he treats people. He has made very disrespectful comments towards disabled people and minority groups. He truly does have a passion for this nation, but it only seems to be for one part of the nation -- those whom he deems worthy. I am honestly scared to have a leader who hesitates to condemn the KKK, says he will deport thousands upon thousands of people at once, and is so vague on the actions he will take to make change that I had trouble even writing this article. As a person who has studied a lot of history, his plans and opinions feel wearily familiar to some political leaders who have caused true turmoil. Personally, I would say save me a spot in Australia.
