WHY DOES 1/3 OF OUR NATION STILL SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP? Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

In my last post, a number of followers soundly disagreed with my criticism of Donald Trump. Some disagreements came from groups that I belong to, and some from blog followers. Many of the comments focused on how Hillary and Obama are both liars; others focused on how I am out of touch with what is happening out there in the real world and am simply another left-leaning liberal. All the negative comments came from bright, articulate people.

Criticism isn’t fun, but part of my job as a psychiatrist is to really listen and do my best to set my own beliefs and prejudicial thinking aside. It’s also what I try to do when I’m just hanging out and living my life.

So; here’s what I think and why I think it.

Recently, I travelled down south and had the opportunity to visit Memphis, Tennessee and Natchez, Mississippi. Two things struck me. ONE: There are no jobs outside of the tourist industry! People are sick with worry about how to support themselves. TWO: The Bass-pro-sport hotel devoted to hunting and outdoor sports in Memphis is amazing. Shooting ranges, little ponds with boats on them and a whole indoor forest of trees would make most anyone consider learning how to shoot a gun. The NRA is VERY POWERFUL. The lure of the outdoors and our “call-of-the-wild” roots is alive and strong.

Survival and passion are deep-rooted and for most people inviolate. Donald Trump heard these people and his words reverberated. A pro-business and pro-NRA president is what they believe in and are willing to fight for.

Also, there are millions of people who absolutely hate the Clintons and the Obamas. They fear that Hillary’s lies about Benghazi and the Clinton Foundation are examples of who she is as a person, and that Obama’s negative stance on Israel was a horrible mistake and would be repeated by Clinton.

They felt and still feel that Trump will help business and his shaking up of Washington is a good thing.

I agree that we need change.

Please consider that the way Trump is handling security, his impulsive behavior and arrogant, omnipotent views are very dangerous for us as a nation. It doesn’t mean that you have to agree with Clinton or Obama. It only means that you observe that the current person, Donald Trump, who was elected to foster change is not going about it in an adult manner. He is endangering our country by his belief that he knows more than our intelligence agencies and military. He said these things — They are not fake news.

Thank you for reading my blog and offering your comments.

If you enjoyed reading, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist, you might also enjoy Dr. Smukler’s novels, 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.

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PREY: Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

Donald Trump’s greatest skill is destroying his enemies and competitors. He has an uncanny ability to intuit a person’s weakness and do whatever is necessary to destroy him (or her).

He brings to mind the sense of smell that dogs and other carnivorous mammals have — 1 million to a thousand million times greater than humans have. Think bomb smelling and drug smelling dogs.

We have a president who has the ability to decipher an opponent’s weakness and then go in for the kill — name calling, devaluing or outright bullying. He’s really a winner at what he does because he lacks what most of us have — a conscience.

His lies and clever smoke screens are better than most of us can muster because he doesn’t feel guilt or the sense of responsibility that honesty demands.

What’s the answer? It’s the same answer that a deceived spouse acts upon quite often — if a spouse constantly lies and is incapable of change, divorce him.

How can the American people divorce a president who has no respect for the truth; who attacks people at a whim, including heads-of-state?

If our elected officials don’t do what they should, we need to speak out until they finally listen. It happened with the Vietnam Nam war and Richard Nixon’s lies and there is no rational reason it can’t happen now.

If you enjoyed reading, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist, you might also enjoy Dr. Smukler’s novels, 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.