donald trump (*) lies as easily as actual humans breathe. One particular type of lie he uses quite effectively is “the check is in the mail” — meaning, he makes whoever he is talking to feel good at the moment — and then he doesn’t deliver. Examples are myriad: a real President’s birth certificate (“somebody is coming out with a book in two weeks, it’s going to be very interesting”, taxes (“I will release my tax returns, absolutely”) etc etc. The sheer number of these kinds of lies makes it impossible to keep track of them.
The psychology of these lies is fascinating. I think the psychological impact of these kinds of lies on a gullible listener is the same as if he had actually followed through on them. (Tax returns? trump isn’t hiding them! he will be releasing them next week!) And trump is all about the psychological effects — roiling his base so they will adore him. He isn’t reaching them through logic or reason. Why use logic and reason when making sh*t up is just as effective (probably more)?
I expect (though this is pure speculation and probably not completely kind on my part) that there is a high correlation between fans of professional wrestling and fans of donald trump.
I just wish that for once, we could hold onto one lie — just one lie — and not let go of it — and bash his supporters (figuratively of course) over the head with it.
Here is one that I would suggest. On July 19, donald trump said in a televised interview that he would be signing a "full and complete health care plan." Two weeks from July 19 is August 2. Is there anyone, anywhere, that actually believes he will be signing a new health care plan on or before Aug 2? Do any trump supporters actually think he will?
I propose the following line of questioning for any trump supporter (futile though logic and reason might be):
Q. Do you truly believe that trump will sign a full and complete health care plan by August 2?
Q. So you are telling me that you think trump will sign a full and complete health care plan by August 2? (I have seen some instances where this phrase “so you are telling me” can make trumpists really squirm — it’s like they suddenly realize they are lying.)
Q. If you do think he will, what will you do if he doesn’t? Can I bet you $1,000 (even odds)?
Q. If you don’t think he will, how do you explain that promise? Why would you support someone that you know is not reliable? What other promises has he made that he hasn’t (and won’t) come through on? Do you think it is good for an “exceptional” country to have an unreliable president?
And, after August 2:
Q. trump promised in a televised interview on July 19 that he would sign a full and complete health care plan within two weeks. Two weeks have come and gone. Did you really believe there would be one?
Q. If you did think there would be one, how do you feel now?
Q. If you didn’t think there would be one, why do you think he made that promise?
It’s actually pretty amazing the sh*t that comes out of his mouth at times. In the interview he made all kinds of promises about the next two to four weeks: “on immigration, on health care, on other things that we've never done before. And you're going to find it to be a very exciting two weeks."
(I'm still waiting for the excitement. Did I miss something?)
I know it’s somewhat a fantasy, but I just wish he would be pressed on these lies more. And to press on them, we have to focus on just a few of them, because as soon as we move on from one, that lie becomes active again in some sense.
(*) I won’t dignify his name by capitalizing it, even to start a sentence.