Rewarding Bad Behavior: Retrumplicans Finding Their Voice

When deciding where to go for dinner Tuesday our daughters' main criteria was finding a place with televisions so they could watch the election returns. They are, at eleven, actively engaged in the entire political process and eager to absorb as much of this election as possible. 

Name calling, bullying, lying; it's been quite educational thus far. 

Trump's behavior belies everything we teach our children about being good people. But that isn't the most concerning aspect of this campaign, it's the amazing amount of people who continue to support him.

What concerns me is not Trump's refusal to dismiss the endorsement of a KKK leader, or even his inability to accept responsibility for his misstep. What is truly concerning is that there is an entire population of people who have found their voice in this racist bully and that is much harder to explain to children.

Trump continues to offend. His debate behavior is patronizing and boorish. The list of people he has insulted, mocked or threatened is extensive. And yet, it doesn't matter. With each profanation his support grows, and that is what is most disturbing. At this point the truth doesn't matter and sadly Trump is correct; it seems he could fire a gun down Fifth Avenue and not lose any votes.

Trump wants to build a wall to keep out others; he may need to build a wall to keep in Americans. Living in a country where a majority of people support this kind of tyranny undermines the objectives of the founding fathers. Dismissing the behavior of one is much easier than accepting the racial, economic and social divide supported by the once silent majority of Trump supporters. Trump's unearthing of hatred is terrifying and in sharp contrast to the message of kindness and inclusion we are teaching our children.

Make certain there is always room at the lunch table for someone who hasn't anywhere else to sit. 

Cartoon, David Sipress, The New Yorker

He'll Say Anything To Get That Dog

He wants this so bad. He really, really wants this. And he's willing to say just about anything to get it.

Which is what happens when you really want something and you are willing to try every angle, without thinking through the entire argument. My ten year old children, who really wanted a dog, promised to always feed the dog. They would walk him every day, I would hardly know there was a dog in the house. They were even willing to find a way to fund the health care, if we would only get them a dog.

We got them a dog. But we knew that they would not always remember to feed the dog, and they would not always be able to walk the dog, and they certainly were not able to fund the dog. Children who really want something are willing to say just about anything to get it, but we, as parents, know that those promises made in the heat of the ask are not going to always be fulfilled. That's all right. We make the decisions based on reasonable expectations and facts, aware that they are emotions at work as well.

The problem here is that the facts seem not to be in play at all, and reasonable expectations are being cast aside en lieu of emotions. Mr. Trump has promised to overturn marriage equality, which he can't do. He is going to pack the court with the kind of justices that believe, as he does, that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Except that isn't going to work because there aren't enough liberal justices in the queue to retire to change the vote, at least not now.

But he's saying what he thinks the voters in Iowa want to hear, because he wants this so very badly. I'm just worried that they are listening, and not thinking through how badly he wants this dog.