15 Days to Go

At a recent campaign rally in Montana, Donald Trump said:

A lot of money’s been passing to people to come up and try and get to the border by Election Day ... there are those that say that caravan didn’t just happen.  It didn’t just happen.  ... I’m willing to send the military to defend our southern border, if necessary ... because of the illegal immigration onslaught brought by the Democrats ... They like it. They also figure everybody coming in is going to vote Democrat.

Merriam-Webster defines delusion as a persistent false belief; that fits Mr. Trump and his base like the proverbial glove.  The only thing I'm uncertain about is, which is scarier - that Trump believes his own fear-mongering, or that he doesn't but is happy to use it as red meat for his supporters.  The caravan to which he alluded is made up of thousands fleeing life-threatening violence in Central America.  Turning them away at our southern border would be disastrous, as would Trump's threat to use our military to control immigration.  That last brings to my mind images of small ships near Ellis Island, preventing steamers from disembarking immigrants like my grandparents.  So much for Give me your ... huddled masses ... yearning to breathe free ...

Mr. Trump is correct in one regard.  It's estimated that 80% of all naturalized citizens register and vote as Democrats.  Certainly my grandparents, and most of my students from foreign countries, did.  That fact is probably what prompted Mr. Trump's most recent jeremiad.

Vote on November 6 ...