GOP candidates, wealthy donors, student protests

Candidates are human, not saints

There may be a good explanation as to why GOP presidential candidates are gathering such strong support. It lies in a quote made in the 1820s by a Democratic senator. He observed that “the large masses act in politics much as they do in religion. Every doctrine is with them, more or less, a matter of faith; received, principally, on account of their trust in the apostle.”

Nearly 200 years later and you see the same thing happening today. Carly Fiorina and Donald Trump have followers who think their every word is the truth. Unfortunately, it is difficult to separate truth from fiction for their believers.

That there are those who put these flawed human beings on pedestals and give them credulity frightens many of us. Our parents and grandparents witnessed such idolatry with Hitler. Hopefully the GOP will see what is going on before it is too late.

Who is fooling whom in GOP race?

When many of the candidates competing to become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee are criticized by the media – news anchors, political analysts and party partisans – for making condescending statements, unsupported claims and inaccurate descriptions of past events, their constituents immediately portray these sources as biased and unworthy voices favoring Democratic candidates.

They also use these opportunities to raise unrelated issues they have with statements and actions of Democratic candidates and leading Democratic officials, especially President Barack Obama. Nevertheless, these responses make no attempt to rebut the statements and characterizations of a candidates’ behavior and mirror the language and exaggerated accusations of these candidates.

The anger displayed by the leading candidates and vocal constituents is identical. Someone is fooling the other; I wonder who?

What do wealthy donors expect?

Re “L.A. donor cuts off Democrats who voted for more vetting of refugees” (Capital & California, Nov. 25): A wealthy, retired television executive, Blake Byrne, is “greatly disappointed” with the Democrats who voted with Republicans regarding Syrian refugees. He said he will no longer donate to their campaigns.

If that’s the case, are politicians supposed to vote according to their constituents’ requests or according to a wealthy donor’s request? Punishing politicians by not donating points to Bernie Sanders’ campaign finance reform platform and Donald Trump’s not being beholden by taking donations platform.

The action of Byrne illustrates the fact that at least one large donor expects something in return for his money. How many other large donors expect something in return?

Students are right to protest

Re “Cry havoc, then milk and cookies” (Viewpoints, Nov. 25): Kathleen Parker’s dismissal of college students protesting racism as coddled brats upset over nothing is an example of the patrician, racist indifference students are protesting. Though Parker thinks there’s nothing to protest, the fact remains that black and Hispanic students are substantially less likely to graduate and to earn advanced degrees. Even fewer enter academia.

Students who have the deck stacked against them from Day One, and those who stand in solidarity with them, do well to protest the structural racism that mars American education, including calling out schools for the sort of casually racist remarks that Parker would dismiss.

It’s those offhand remarks that reflect the corrosive racial indifference that prevents progress. Despite Parker’s sneers, students’ brave stands are not constitutional ignorance; they’re in the best American tradition.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 4:00 AM with the headline "GOP candidates, wealthy donors, student protests."