The truth is that for many of us, it doesn’t matter what Donald Trump’s stance on the political issues might be. What matters is that Donald Trump shows no respect or sensitivity towards others. He is a “shock-jock” who takes pleasure in humiliating and devaluing anyone who doesn’t kiss his ring. Even more shocking is the fact that millions of Americans have voted for him.
They voted for a name-calling, misogynistic, bully and they are proud of it. He mocked the men who served our country and said he doesn’t respect men who were captured. I just wonder how this bully would have behaved if he were imprisoned by the Viet Cong. Bullies often turn into sniveling babies. That would be my guess.
Can you imagine how this will affect how children behave with other children? Children never learn by being told what to do, they learn by example — the example their parents, peers and elders show. Then they will grow up to continue to emulate what they have learned.
So often, it isn’t what a person says, it is how he says it.
Yes, Trump is entertaining, but so is professional wrestling and visiting the zoo.
Donald Trump has said on dozens of occasions how smart he is. Is a smart man a person who is never wrong, who never apologizes, who publically devalues women and then in the next breath says how much he loves women? He is incapable of seeing the contradictions he presents on a daily basis.
The fact that the Republican Party let this man represent them is a disgrace to the party and our country. At least Jeb Bush came out and said he wouldn’t support him. Too little and too late? It’s never too late to do the right thing.
Why is a psychiatrist writing all this about Donald Trump?
No one lives and works in a vacuum. I don’t want this man representing our country, my patients or me. He is hurting all of us.
Art Smukler is an award-winning psychiatrist and author of Chasing Backwards, a psychological murder mystery, Skin Dance, a mystery, and The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. All are available as paperbacks and eBooks
Tales from Smukler's Couch 
Hi Art:
I wonder if your post misses the point…I suspect some are fascinated with Mr. Trump for the same reason they’re fascinated with train wrecks & auto accidents. They have this fascination with wrongness. But that does not explain the millions who voted for him in the primaries. Should we be wondering not about Mr. Trump & more about what his ascendance says about us collectively? I think a lot of us would like to believe we’re better than this. But does the vote count say otherwise, perhaps? Just wondering out loud.
D
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You make an excellent point. What is happening to us collectively? It almost seems like the revolution that Bernie is advocating is already happening, in both parties.
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You don’t sound like a psychiatrist (however, I was a psychology major and you know how psychologists view psychiatrists) in your assessment of Trump. The Republican “establishment” hates him, the Democrats hate him, conservatives hate him–and yet he’s a winner. Maybe people are sick of political correctness and he’s one not to buckle under to it. People are sick of insiders of both parties teaming up against the people and screwing us all. He’s a true outsider. The beltway needs shaking up. He’s right about our borders. And as for the opposition–Hillary and a socialist–only an idiot or an anti-American or a person with no moral compass could vote for either. Hillary doesn’t possess a genuine truthful cell in her body and protected Bill’s exploitation of women to advance her own power opportunities. She belongs in an orange jumpsuit. And socialism? You mean that political system Nazi Germany adopted in the thirties? How did that work out? You sound more like a simple bleeding-heart liberal with “progressive” nonsense agendas. Heaven help us. The old saying that it’s better the devil we know than the devil we don’t know. Well in this case, I’ll take the devil we don’t know, Trump, over the devil we know, Hillary, any day. He just might be able to accomplish some good. She never will.
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So what does a psychiatrist sound like? Good question. Like I said, there is certainly value in many of Trump’s ideas. The way he presents his ideas is disgusting(using Trump’s manner of speech).
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I’m disappointed in this rant, as I was expecting more of psychologist examination. You started off well with the bully comparison, however, all campaigns have some bullying because how can we campaign without discouraging the our opponents point of view? (Ex Trump didn’t like John McCain so he pointed out he was captured, but he also recommend that a Republican Debate’s profits be donated to war veterans to prove he may disagree with some veterans but still supports them.)
Many believe the term “racist” is used to suppress unpopular speech so when we are told we can’t have free speech, we feel the need to protect the worst of us (EX the people VS Larry Flint). Imagine if we only focused on when democrats are “racist”: like Hillary’s support for war on drugs that put several African American youth in jail or the grave. Or Sander’s claim that, white’s don’t know what its like to be poor or live in the ghetto ( but some Holocaust survivors might disagree with him). Its really not that hard to take one quote & use it to “shock jock”; but is it the Trump campaign or the media / opposing campaigns, that are trying to use the quotes raise awareness that we should be offended?
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Your blanket statement, Art, is just as demeaning to the people who understand why a person other than a ‘hope and change’ politician can serve the needs of our country as it is to Trump..Not all Republicans, women or children are hurt or mislead by Trump. Foolish hypothesis. He has a strong background: education and business. Strong family ties. Strong world wide associations. He knows the government should be run like a business…not a tax machine or a means to the end for greedy politicians who want to be extremely rich. Clintons—think Clintons. Compare the recent President: a good education without any records to back the info spewed by Democrats. Drug user, A man raised by white grandparents, a white mother–50% white yet chooses to call himself black to attract Democratic voters which have not prospered one iota during his administration. He’s had a minimal political career where he served a specific area because of his race not because of his intelligence, his success record or his achievements. A part time professor (?) at University of Chicago of constitutional law and he has usurped it so many times, real legal experts head’s are spinning. Compare Obama to the American Colonel from Florida, Allen West, of the same race who did exemplary work, a very strong ethical background but decided to serve as a Republican. Oh..the Dems, the racists, how do they deal with fixing an election for a man of character and honor? Compare Trump to Bill Clinton—real substance and moral character?…introduce him to your wife (of course she has to be younger) or your daughters. There’s your measure of respectability. We the people, who are not on your couch, know politicians are not serving us well. The Democratic party, as you must know, has done nothing to help treatment centers for mental illness since the Kennedy years..a real shame for those really in need. It is time for a change…a real change! And to slander a man whom the people want to elect doesn’t serve as an intelligent reflection of what is occurring in this country. Why minimize the voters? Because you want a Democrat at all cost? Read about the Clinton foundation, the background of how they funnel money into this ‘so called’ charitable organization that takes money from contributors who are expecting favors and gets them…it might help understand the mockery behind her campaign that’s she’s for the people. Time to get off the couch and deal with the reality that the odds are Trump will be the next president. I’m going with the real people for real change.
We need border control, we need to limit the influx of MiddleEastern immigrants–look what’s happened in Europe, we need to improve the economy so people of all races can work and we need to treat our Veterans better than we treat illegals. The facts are there…..they shouldn’t be denied by emotional whims….or slander..
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Much of what you say is correct. It’s his abusive, devaluing, bullying style that makes me cringe. The way he talks and addresses people who disagree with him is abominable. Remember Megan Kelly, Jeb Bush, John McCann, Carly Fiorina, etc.?
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Good point on his impact on children
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Hey–impact children? That’s what Bill Clinton is famous for….his sorry ‘I never had sex with that woman (23 yrs old) caused a flash all over American schools. Oral sex became the vogue activity for teenagers…Check with middle school and high school educators or better yet, listen to the kids.
Now that’s impacting children and that is deplorable…
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True! You are absolutely correct. Thanks.
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Art, here in Scotland we gaze in wonder, with some sympathy, at the state of the US at present. Donald Trump was at one time actually an international ambassador of some sort for Scotland, but has been stripped of all titles, honorary doctorates and so on, because of recent comments and behaviour. By the way, I’m aware 50% of the US population will throw their hands up at this, but in the eyes of western Europe, Obama has been an outstanding representative for your country. I can think of no previous President whose every word is comsidered. You have a genuine star there, but I suspect many Americans won’t appreciate that until he’s gone. So many US voters have been desperate to see the back of him, but this could genuinely be a case of “be careful what you wish for”. Let’s hope it all turns out OK for you.
In the meantime, I post regularly on a LinkedIn flash fiction thread (Friday Flash Fiction, we’re always looking for new blood), and I posted this story – then deleted it again as too cruel for American readers. It probably belongs here instead. Just 100 words, like all the others. If it’s too cruel for your taste as well, please let me know.
WHAT IF? – AN IMAGINERY PRESIDENTIAL DINNER (MAY 2017)
…See, you wouldn’t believe me, but I was right. So I wanna thank all my voters for realising that I’ve got billions of dollars to spend and that I’m always right. Don’t you wanna President that’s always right? And let’s be honest, those previous guys weren’t right for the White House – I mean, listen to its name… Once again I wanna thank all those people who voted for me, especially the women. I love women, especially ones that look great and keep their mouths shut.
…Hey, you guys heard the one about the prostitoot, the Muslim and the Mexican? Well…
(PS There are thousands more like this – literally – at http://www.fridayflashfiction.com/)
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I like it! Thank you.
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You say, “The fact that the Republican Party let this man represent them …”. First of all, they have no choice if he wins the delegates and secondly, there appears to be a lot of back room wheeling and dealing to try to avoid letting him win the nomination, but if he gets the 1237, then he is in and there is nothing they can do about it. I am definitely not a Trump fan, but what he has done is amazing, considering the total absence of party backing. OTOH, look at his competition on the Republican side, a bunch of fools who don’t believe in evolution, think that we must start every day on our knees (direct quote from Cruz) and on and on. But clearly, the mood of many in the country is anger at the politicians (well-deserved anger!!) and thus they turn to Trump. Of course, Hillary aint no gem either. I pity us!!!!
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You’re right, but… Any Republican with a sense of decency and morals should come out against this blowhard. Just sayin…
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Art, I can’t believe that you said anyone with morals should come out against Donald Trump. Are you forgetting about Clinton’s Whitewater episode or her being fired from the Watergate investigative team for lying, Benghazzi, the fact that she stole $200,000 worth of furniture from the White House that she had to return etc. etc. If you have any moral compass at all, you could not possibly vote for Hillary Clinton. The reason all members of Congress are afraid of Trump has to do with their cushy jobs and misrepresenting their States and districts. Greed and power is what Congress represents and they are afraid their jobs are in jeopardy.
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I appreciate you response to Art S’s comments. It is about the process and the people have voted. They obviously want change..they have not been served well. I think we will be just fine if Trump is elected president. He will be accountable, not like the routine politician who has their party covering every serious mistake they make—Trump won’t have all the corrupt, self-serving party people behind him and they will hang him high and dry if he strays to far. They’ll try that is and he’ll be keenly aware of that. So this time, the check and balance system might really work. No more unrealistic hope and change….there’s a real chance we can forge out a business plan that works for our economy, treat our veterans well and quit making career politicians extremely wealthy at the detriment of the public welfare.
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Though I agree with you entirely, I have to confess I’m still glad Trump will be the GOP nominee. What he represents has become a target for ridicule, satire, and an opportunity for people of conscience, courage and creativity to oppose and repudiate several kinds of bad behavior.
Trump is George Amberson Minafer, ripe for his long overdue “comeuppance”. I’m going to help make sure he gets it, and I’m excited. I haven’t had such a clear “bad guy” to throw pies at since Nixon! His billions won’t grant him cover, and he has no idea (being poorly educated outside of real estate transacting) what’s coming.
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