Blog #63 What if Trump Suffers Cognitive Decline?

This is my answer to a long-time Democrat who has a terrible opinion of Trump. By the same token, I believe Harris and Walz are socialist morons who would change the fabric of our culture as America and must not be elected. But this blog has the specific question asked by my friend that I answered and now share with you…

FROM MY FRIEND:

Hi John –

I know the thought of the current VP winning the presidential race keeps you up at night but I have a question related to what keeps me up at night.

I can’t think of any of my friends who is supporting the former president who is wise enough and thoughtful enough to ask this. And I enjoyed our intelligent conversation on this topic at lunch.

One caveat. If you haven’t voted yet, don’t read any further. This discussion isn’t meant to influence a vote, it’s to get a thoughtful conversation going about a challenging question.

 HIS QUESTION:

So, the rhetoric on the Blue side has been about the former president not being “fit for office” and they’ve paraded generals and former cabinet members to support it. I think most of his supporters will say that’s not true. But what if it is? Maybe not now but in two or three years? Do you think we have a checks and balances system that is strong enough to remove someone from office in the future who may have diminished mental capabilities but has made it clear he will do anything to maintain power?

And if not, what can be done now before we get to that point, assuming he wins.

MY ANSWER:

From John Shoemaker:

  OK, I will address several questions raised. Before giving details, one must consider the type of person with the motivation, strength of character, emotional control and thick skin, aggressiveness, mental focus, intelligence, hard-nosed working ethic, drive, and relentless energy needed to pursue and keep the highest position in the land. Classic examples include Franklin Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Nixon, JFK, LBJ, Clinton, Reagan, and Trump. Note that most of them had troubled personal lives, and their intense sexual appetites were a given. These are Type AAA personalities. 

I would not include others like Carter, Obama, Ford, Bush one or two, or Biden. I consider them primarily weak or accommodating "politically correct" executive "managers" with poor strategic vision, flawed execution, and ineffective leadership, but certainly not superstar leaders.

Trump is a promoter, a grandstander, a business mogul, and a complex personality. He is both friendly and sympathetic and believes in the American system. Like most with such huge egos, he has an arrogant big mouth and persona that can survive constant negativity and personal attacks. Trump has proven to be effective even as he has failed at times, as most do, and has succeeded enough to achieve multi-billionaire status. It is common to see highly successful people with track records of failure multiple times before hitting it big.

Do I see the personalities of Trump, Bezos, Musk, Cuban, Jobs, or Gates as much different in that regard?  NO! They are all high-risk-takers who push hard -- no matter the obstacles. They are also a bitch to work for, but those who do and do it well are handsomely rewarded. This is something most people cannot do. Most people would never take the risks these entrepreneurs take multiple times and at the level they have done, such as gambling with hundreds of millions or a billion dollars with the potential to lose it all on a business venture.

Now for your questions: First, Trump believes in the capitalist system with assets around the world. He will not want to jeopardize that achievement but will work to continue its growth until he hands it over to his children. That has been his whole life. At 78 years of age, he knows his time is limited, and this is his chance to bring America back from a path he believes leads to socialist ruin. He wants to protect the concept of capitalism, which has given him the opportunity to succeed at unheard-of levels. He has no reason to seek an egregious power grab while in his 80's. I do believe he loves America and has not shown the kind of intention to change our Constitution and Government structure as the current Democratic party has demonstrated. 

As a businessman, he has no hesitation about firing poorly performing executives. Whether they are Vice Presidents or Generals, he will deal with it. Biden will not, as an example. Some would say Trump has no compassion, but that is his style -- deliver results.  Our military has poor leadership at the top. They have one focus: keeping their jobs, being politically correct, and supporting war. General Kelley was fired and is angry about it, just like General MacArthur was. You may remember how few loved working for Jobs. He was a brilliant visionary. It's the same with Musk. Not easy people to work for. 

Weak people, or those who lose competing against these AAA players, will get nasty to protect their own egos. Hillary is a perfect example. Over the past sixty years, the Democrat Party has had a habit of defaming their opposition with references to being dictators or calling them Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and more. It is all political dirt. When that route is followed, it generally is their last attack they can use in a losing political war.

Remember too, that it is the Democrats who accuse others of doing what they themselves are guilty of doing. Remember the famous hoaxes, lies, exaggerations, and deceptions that resulted in impeachments, fake charges, multiple legal proceedings, and $50 Million spent on investigations over the last decade to remove Trump from the election process -- all for naught.

Then you have the Democrats wanting to remove the Electoral College Process, reform the SCOTUS (add more justices, enforce new rules of conduct, force term limits -- but not on themselves as Congresspeople), re-write the Constitution, especially the first and second amendments, and ban the filibuster. Trump has made NO such suggestions. The Democrats routinely ignore the rule of law. Consider the Federal Immigration laws unenforced by Biden, ignoring SCOTUS rulings about forgiving billions in college loans, or laws affecting criminals, especially Federal laws committed by illegal aliens and their deportation, or the tax evasion and gun charges by the President's son while also finding cocaine in the White House. Remember, as shown on video, it was Biden who bribed Ukraine officials to fire a prosecutor coming after his son, or he would stop $1 Billion in US aid. 

I find it humorous about a concern that, at some point, Trump may have "diminished mental faculties" when it was known for years that Biden had obviously diminished mental faculties that the Democrats ignored or protected for selfish political reasons. -- even after a Special Prosecutor in his investigation admitted no jury would convict an old man with clearly diminished mental faculties. The Democrats ignored the 25th Amendment. But now there is a concern about Trump? That is rich.

I believe Trump will do what is best for America -- not necessarily Clinton's Globalist strategy that made China a powerful threat to America. He demonstrated in his first term in office a focus on bringing manufacturing home and fixing our trade agreements that have been terrible for the interests of the U.S., and he will fix the immigration problem. It is total nonsense that Biden/Harris could not have fixed it over the past 3.5 years, which has created hell on Earth for many families. As for tariffs, Biden kept all of Trump's tariffs in place. Tariffs are used as a negotiating hammer. The ignorant gadflies go around screaming the sky is falling with Trump tariffs. They typically have NO business background, experience, or success and obviously cannot understand the strategy. 

Lastly, this election has ridiculous rhetoric used by both sides. I believe in the checks and balances in place. I will not accept changes to our Constitution. All the blabber about Trump comes from losers trying to create last-minute fear, uncertainty, and doubt. In sum, it is political bullshit, unfortunately, part of the game. We know what Trump did as President. We also know what Harris did and did NOT do as Vice President.