The Cruel And Unusual Trump

[Ed. note: We often hear that progressives recycle the same manner of arguments against neo- fascist pig Donald "Rump" Trump over and over (bo-ring!):  that he's a sexist, racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, know- nothing, tax evading, lying, cheating (in more ways than one) sociopath -- and that's the short list.  We're no doubt guilty of that on this blog.  While we know most of you who visit here share in our revulsion of this orange sh*tgibbon, there's a large segment of the population that will always put party above country and vote for this monster (let's call them "deplorables"). There's also a segment that is unsure or wavering or that plans to throw away their vote on a third party. Our hope is that if any of you who come here know someone in the latter category, please talk to them and make sure they understand what's at stake, and that their vote is either for Rump or Secretary Clinton.  Staying home or voting third party is a vote for Rump.  We all need to do our part to save this country from a catastrophe. Thirty- nine days until the election.]

Here's some food for thought this morning:

-- Keep in mind, this was written before the "fat- shaming," misogynist example of Rump's treatment of former Miss Universe Alicia Machado during and after last Monday's presidential debate (nor does it include a recent statement by former Miss Australia that Rump "fat shamed" her as well, or this).  There are enough examples of Rump's cruelty to make any normal person gag, and Conor Friedersdorf has compiled a few.  Here's his conclusion:

People disagree about the ideal traits to have in a leader. But almost no one wants a president who has proven himself an addict to being cruel, mean-spirited, and spiteful. For decades, Trump has been deliberately cruel to others, often in the most public ways. 

He behaves this way flagrantly, showing no sign of shame or reflection. 

What kind of person still acts that way at 70? A bad person. 

It is that simple. 

Giving a cruel man power and expecting that he won’t use it to inflict cruelty is madness. To vote for Trump, knowing all of this, is to knowingly empower cruelty. 

Better to recoil in disgust.

-- Rump also got the Steven Colbert treatment on his "fat- shaming" (view the clip here).  Raw Story has some highlights:

Trump explained to his supporters that he’d gone easy on Clinton during Monday’s debate because he didn’t want to embarrass her. 

“Yes, and it’s true — he did nothing to embarrass her,” Colbert said, pausing ever-so-slightly before the last word. “Trump is always acting like such a gentleman. He holds doors for women, gives them the seat on the bus, does no debate preparation. You might call it the addled ramblings of a delusional demagogue, Trump calls it chivalry.” 

Clinton reminded voters that Trump had called a former Miss Universe fat when he owned the beauty pageant, and the Republican doubled down on his insults — which Colbert said might hurt him with the “small special interest group of Americans who gain weight.” 

He suggested Trump’s new campaign slogan could be: “Seriously ladies, you could lose a few pounds.” 

“That kind of brutal honesty takes courage, because Trump weighs 236 pounds, which at his height is technically obese,” Colbert said.

-- Rump does have his deplorable followers, though, who certainly aren't offended by his cruelty:

Not since Southern segregationist George Wallace’s failed presidential bids in 1968 and 1972 have white nationalists been so motivated to participate in a presidential election. 

Andrew Anglin, editor of the Daily Stormer website and an emerging leader of a new generation of millennial extremists, said he had “zero interest” in the 2012 general election and viewed presidential politics as “pointless.” That is, until he heard Trump. 

“Trump had me at ‘build a wall,’” Anglin said. “Virtually every alt-right Nazi I know is volunteering for the Trump campaign.”   (our emphasis)

Thirty- nine days.