This is the first in a series of three articles. I explain in the first why I didn’t support Trump. In the second article, I’ll explain why the Left are wrong to react so badly to his election, and in the third article, I’ll look at the silver linings to the cloud – how we should be seeing the opportunities for Britain. The three articles should be read together.
I didn’t support Donald Trump. That doesn’t mean I supported Hillary Clinton. When I didn’t vote Blair in 2001, I wasn’t supporting William Hague. I haven’t supported Hague, Howard, Cameron, Brown or Miliband either. If all UKIP supporters had voted tactically for one of the above, there wouldn’t be a UKIP today. We vote for what we believe in; that’s what made UKIP a force in British politics in the first place. Nobody is forced to support the ‘big two’, and it’s fundamentally UKIP not to.
The mainstream media doesn’t like Trump. That isn’t in and of itself a reason to like Trump though. We judge him, like everyone else, on his merits. So, without further ado, here are the Top Ten Reasons I didn’t support Donald Trump:
1) I didn’t want to be accused of hypocrisy. When Barack Obama came to the UK and campaigned for Brexit, we told him that it’s none of his business. We were right to do so, but I wasn’t about to support any American candidate. The most I said was I don’t like either.
2) I already had a negative opinion of Trump before he became a candidate. Despite medical quarantines and the highest of standards in place, despite medical evidence, he wanted to leave American hero Dr. Kent Brantly to die of Ebola in Liberia and unnecessarily cancel flights, stoking fear unnecessarily.
3) Trump has zero relevant political experience. Ronald Reagan was a great President. Everyone remembers that he was a former actor, and forget that he also had 8 years’ experience as Governor of California. Trump will, quite literally, be learning the basics – ‘on the job’. Electing someone so inexperienced is a huuuuuuge risk.
4) Trump’s economic background is borderline-Communist. Donald Trump has one thing in common with the Greens. He once demanded a ‘wealth tax’ to confiscate the property of rich people. The Greens want to steal 2% of every rich person’s assets every year; Trump proposed a one-off 14.25% steal. I’m not a Communist, I’ve never been a Communist, and I have a fundamental mistrust in that philosophy.
5) His rapid changing of policies – you don’t know where you stand. He’s said that the minimum wage (for example) shouldn’t be raised at federal level, and that it should. He’s said that it shouldn’t be raised by the States themselves, and that it should. It’s impossible to know where he actually stands on this and many other issues.
6) Trump’s comments about sexually assaulting women. I’m not writing an article on the Clintons, because I think most UKIP members – like me – dislike Clinton anyway. So the fact that there are also accusations against the Clintons doesn’t make me like Trump. It just (and there’s a theme here) makes me dislike Clinton. I’m not sure that ‘locker room talk’ really covers “I better use some Tic Tacs in case I start kissing her. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful – I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Whatever you want. Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.”
Even in the best-case scenario for Trump, if this was mere talk and allegations against him all ‘trumped-up’ and politically-motivated, it’s not what I’d be looking for in a President.
7) I just don’t like nasty politics. The mocking of a disabled reporter, telling his opponent she should be in jail, attacking his Republican opponents, etc. The defence of Trump over his hand-waving mockery of a disabled reporter – I’ve seen the video – is that he also mocked others in the same way. It seems that his voice and waving were more over-the-top when referring to the disabled reporter than his mockery of others. Never, ever, ever, would you find Nigel Farage doing something like that. Nigel knows where to draw the line. Trump’s ‘blood coming from her wherever’ comment is just crude. I don’t like his constant bullying references to ‘lying Ted Cruz’, ‘he’s a nasty guy’ and others during the primaries.
That kind of nastiness just isn’t my politics. I don’t like it, I don’t support it, and I don’t want to see it creeping in to UKIP. Even if it wins votes, it’s not for me.
8) His comments about Mexicans. He described an American judge born in Indiana as being unfit to hear a case he’s defending because the judge is ‘of Mexican heritage’. Not mainstream media manipulation, but Trump’s actual words. Likewise, his comments about Mexican immigration: “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Just because he said that ‘some’ are good people, ‘Mexico aren’t sending their best people’ and not saying ‘all’ Mexicans are rapists doesn’t, in my view, make it okay. Trump isn’t merely supporting – as we all do in UKIP – control over immigration, he’s singling out people because of their race.
9) Trump’s business record. Not totally a self-made man, he started off with substantial financial help from his father. He’s had four business bankruptcies, faced multiple lawsuits, claims that he’s treated his staff badly, allegations against the ‘Trump University’ (not a university) (his lawyers are asking for the trial to be delayed until after he’s sworn-in…not a good look for a new President). Yet he’s paid very, very little in tax. Finding legal ways to avoid paying tax makes him ‘clever’ according to Trump. Perhaps, and it’s legal – but hardly Presidential.
10) I just personally don’t like his style. Maybe it’s just a personal reaction, but watching Trump in the Presidential debates and watching his speeches, I get the impression that he’s all style and no substance. He comes across as arrogant and makes wild, fantastical claims without being able to back them up. The whole package just makes my skin crawl.
I don’t like Donald Trump, but as you’ll see in my next two articles, that’s no longer relevant. I don’t like him, I didn’t want him to win (or Clinton to win either). You might agree or disagree with every word I’ve said here, but all of us – unlike the Left, as I’ll point out in my next article – accept the election result.
[Ed: the second and third articles in this series will be published tomorrow and Wednesday.]
He is not all bad. I believe actions speak louder than words https://www.reddit.com/r/WomenForTrump/comments/4d03qn/lets_compile_a_list_of_prowomen_prominority/
The newness of our impending leader is one thing; more important for the short-term and long-term are his quality of intellectual sagacity; capacity to sieve and sift value judgements and priorities, ability not to succumb to surrounding himself/herself with too many sycophants; personal control of self-promotion, ETC. Wish us LUCK.
It was disappointing to see the superficial criticism of Trump by Jonathan and the avoidance of support by Paul Nutall, who instead said he would support Gary (what is Aleppo?) Johnson. I saw that interview live and it came across as a feeble swerve. If senior UKIP members cannot see and articulate the bigger picture which has been emerging in the US for some time then there is not much hope for us. Even if you do not like Trump surely you can support the political sea change which has propelled him to victory. His voting support came from a much broader cross section then the media tried to paint. Surely the key policies of immigration control, tax reform, re-examination of one sided trade policies, a re-fashioning of broken political structures in national government, and a better way to deal with the forces of globalisation than just handing everything over to corrupt crony corporates are all things which UKIP should be happy to champion. A political philosophy that all UKIP supporters can rally round is very much needed. Does UKIP not have any political thinkers at senior level?
Thanks for your explanation Jonathan, and well done for providing it. I look forward to the other installments.
There is a lot to pick the bones out of in what you write above. Too much for a below the line comment, but I think you, as an elected representative were correct in not formally backing either candidate.
We both wrote articles for UKIP Daily that were published on the 8th of November, giving differing views of the US election – we have different sources of information, different occupations and different social circles – I think it is these differences rather than any difference in our values and principles which led us to foresee different outcomes. I applaud you for engaging on this forum Jonathan.
James Dalton
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/ukip-am-invited-donald-trump-12174926
Demdyke has got into the ss,s sorry about that .that guy can and will appear .
brexit forever.
Donald Trump has the vote of nigel .Who we all respect.Donald trump respects ukip .What does being president of the united states mean to the british .i have an archive of books .one in particular .THE FAMILY FRIEND .published in 1881 .in this book .Emma Raymond Pitman wrote an article on Celebrated mothers..The Mother of George Wahington .
I will take some parts of this article .and put into words what being president means both to us and to president donald trump who in my opinion will follow george washington to greatness .
George Washington was frequently accustomed to say that he owed his fortune to his mother`s wise training .And it is no light matter to train a son who shall hold in his hands the fortunes of a vast and mighty nation.
The young american republic owed much or its renown and nearly all its success to the genius of the noble man who stood at the head of its armies’ fought for its freedom from what was deemed by the colonists to be an offensive yoke, and safely guided the ship of state into calm waters.
It is no wonder that americans look back with loving reverence upon the memory of George Washington for to him they owe much; still amid all his successes,and not withstanding all the renown of his brilliant achievements let it never be forgotten that among the guides and advisors of his youth stands his mother.she imprinted the mark of her sterling honest,noble nature upon the mind of her son,and he in his turn his footprint in the sands of time .President donald Trump will rise up to an equal level and lead america just the same as george washington did so many years ago.
Have faith in the man and he will not let anyone down .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqD8lIdIMRo
Once you have watched the above video you may realise that we were on the verge of an Nuclear War due to the insanity of American Foreign Policy towards the Middle East.
This policy was forged so as to gain cheap oil from Iraq, Libya, Syria, and finally Iran. At the same time provide work for US Engineering particularly the armaments industry. This policy was laid out in the Plan for America in the New Century. Here is the late Michael Meacher talking about it.
Michael Meacher MP – 9/11, The PNAC & Peak Oil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0atrw3640yo&t=8s
Trump says that he will speak to anybody including Mr Putin.
It is a far safer world under Trump than under Mrs Clinton.
While I respect Mister Arnott’s decision to sit on the fence as it is an American election I can only assume his liberalism engenders also a strong dislike (or worse) for European heroes such as Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen.
If you dont support the FN for power in France – with their imperfections – then you support by default the EU shills and stooges in the respectable parties approved of by the MSM and of course the lying bbc,
Trump was our only hope and I knew that the positive message he gave at his rallies would win the day despite the MSM lies and damned lies.
What is your response to the gang rapes and sexual slavery in Rotherham of 1400 children Mister Arnott? You come from a middle class Sheffield family so maybe you dont care about the white working class. Maybe you object to the term white.
You were wrong about Trump in the GE and you are wrong about Trump in office. He will be every bit as good as Ronald Reagan and you really must stop believing the bbc lies and spin…(in Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday where Ed Balls was again given a free ride we had a Mexican mariachi band. Now as a bilingual spanish speaker I adore charro music but the symbolism of the pointless band presence was political),
I’ve just read that Suzanne Evans was on Peston yesterday, saying that UKIP is ‘.. miles away from Le Pen’.
No wonder people don’t know what we stand for any longer.
One of the curses of fringe politics is wanting big change(what else is it about?)but only if the changes are exactly what the fringies want. If not we’ll have nothing thank you. And wait forever for perfection.
The flaw here is making the perfect the enemy of the good. Whatever you think of Trump he’s nailed radical change in the West to the wall with the approval of the voters. That is the big significance and without that you can’t do anything.
Oh and change is inherently nasty. People want the result without the commotion.
I remember when someone said let’s stop living in caves and build houses. What a fuss! All the bother of moving, the work involved building them, lots of faults in the new properties. Not to speak of the psychological effects as people were ripped from their familiar caves. I think we’ll stay in our cave my mum said.
Change is trouble!
90% regurgitated media reports that were written to damn him.
You could find probably find media reports saying much the same about Farage.
‘Mocking disabled reporter’? What disability did the reporter have? Do you know? Well heres a debunking of that one… it’s very foolish to trust the media – any UKIPper should know that…
https://www.catholics4trump.com/the-true-story-donald-trump-did-not-mock-a-reporters-disability/
You’re absolutely right.
The remarks of Jonathan Arnott, and several other senior members of the party, during the presidential election have been very disappointing, and surprisingly naive; particularly in the light of their experience of the serial misquoting, factual distortions, and downright lies suffered over so many years by Nigel Farage and UKIP from a largely dishonest and politically biased MSM.
Can’t argue with much here. Trump was the guy elected and the one we have to work with, we need to get on with it. There are vast numbers of better people in America they could have chosen and it’s strange they ended up with these two. I can’t say that we do better here though, the quality of politicians these days is just terrible.
I guess money ( you need a lot to get elected) and risk may be the reason why more suitable people did not stand.
Nigel called the result correctly and the US election demonstrates a world wide dissatisfaction with establishments that bodes well for UKIP once we have a new leader in place.