Republican Party Presidential candidate Donald Trump has amassed a surprising number of followers. He interrupts opponents, accuses moderators of being unfair, and once he might have used an old school “L” for loser sign during a debate. Yet his antics haven’t scared away many of his supporters.
Trump was born on June 14, 1946, and gained his fame as a businessperson. He opened a multitude of hotels, casinos, and golf courses. His fame catapulted further after hosting reality TV shows, “The Apprentice” and “The Celebrity Apprentice.”
Trump’s success during his years as a real estate mogul has not been without controversy. His businesses filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy four times in the past 25 years. His first business to file for bankruptcy was Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, which he referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world.” The casino accumulated an over $3 billion debt and was filed for bankruptcy to stay open.
One of Trump’s biggest problems is his consistently brazen lies. Politifact, a fact-checking website that takes statements made by politicians to see if they are true, analyzed Trump’s statements. Out of the 284 statements that Trump has made, 201 of them have been rated “mostly false,” “false,” or “pants on fire!”
The New York Times printed a controversial story calling Trump a liar, something journalists tend to avoid so they don’t influence how people think.
Trump’s political career was launched by “the birther movement.” He believed that President Obama was not born in the U.S. and led a movement demanding for the release his birth certificate.
He recently held a press conference outside of his newest hotel, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., where he said he would denounce the birther movement. Trump said, “President Obama was born in the United States. Period.” He did not apologize for heading the movement. Instead, he shifted the blame to Hillary Clinton, claiming her campaign team in 2008 started the movement. This was one of the 201 claims proven to be false by Politifact.
A large criticism of Trump has been his refusal to release his tax records. He said that he has been audited by the IRS and will release the tax records as soon as they have finished. The IRS said there would be no problem with Trump releasing the forms while under audit, but Trump won’t release the records.
The New York Times recently released a few pages from his 1995 tax records. It showed Trump claimed $916 million in losses, which would allow him to avoid paying Federal taxes for almost two decades. When he was asked if he used this loss to avoid paying taxes, Trump said, “Of course I do, of course I do.”
After talking to a handful of Bucks students, none seemed to be excited about the prospect of a Trump presidency. Joey Ginaldi, secondary ed. History major, said he won’t vote for Trump because, “Because I’m a compassionate human being that cares about other people and their right to be
treated like human beings.”
Donald Trump on the issues:
The Economy
Trump said that for each 1 percent in added GDP growth, the economy adds 1.2 million jobs. He claims he will create a dynamic booming economy that will add 25 million new jobs in the next 10 years. He will also cut down regulations on business, which he believes will allow business to thrive.
Taxes
Trump said he will reduce taxes across the board, especially for working and middle class Americans. He also said he will ensure that the rich will pay their fair share. He claims he will remove special interest loopholes.
Trade
Trump has a seven-point plan to rebuild our economy by fighting for free trade. Big points include withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, have China labeled as a currency manipulator and bring trade cases against the country, and to negotiate better terms for our workers.
Terrorism
Trump plans to reduce terrorism by working with our Arab allies in the Middle East to fight ISIS, defeating ideology of radical Islamic terrorism just as we won the Cold War, and suspending immigration.
Immigration
Trump has a ten-point plan to “put America first” in terms of immigration and immigrants who are already here.
Foreign Policy
The center of Trump’s foreign policy is “peace through strength.” He hopes to rebuild our military and enhance our cyber capabilities. He also plans on ending the current strategy of nation-building and regime change.
On Nov. 8, the nation will vote for the next president. Bucks County is an important district in an important battleground state, and we highly encourage Bucks students to go out and cast their ballot.