Civic discomfort zone: Amanda and I attended a Donald Trump rally

That's Trump on stage, believe me.

That’s Trump on stage, believe me.

Yesterday Amanda and I attended the Donald Trump rally in Colorado Springs. Since announcing his presidential bid in June 2015 we’d heard much about his candidacy, as all other non-cave dwellers probably have.

But we wanted to hear him, unfiltered. And we wanted to better understand his supporters, which in a few weeks will constitute 35 to 40 percent percent of our fellow Coloradan voters (per recent polls). Plus, we thought this might be our last opportunity — Election Day is rapidly approaching, and a Trump rally in Boulder is, well, improbable.

In a break from backpacking gear lists and poop tutorials, I’d like to share some thoughts about the event. It will be apparent where I will come down this Election Day, although with a different candidate I might have checked a different box. I first registered to vote as a Republican. As a small business owner I regularly encounter state and federal regulations that discourage me from growing it. I believe that free markets are best for economies and public policy. I’m a hunter and a gun-owner. And in my twenties I took several long walks through what is now known as Trump country, like Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and the rural West.

If you’d like to watch the full event for yourself, go for it:

Expectations mostly met

Little about Trump or the crowd surprised us. His speech was a compilation of lines that I had heard previously in the news or on the debate stage. And his supporters were almost entirely white and working class; we saw just one black guy, although he seemed like he was there to spectate, like us.

The event was more subdued than I thought it might be. The crowd moved quietly through security beforehand, and dispersed peacefully afterwards. There were no altercations with the half-dozen protesters, and no mob-cheering while I was there. Trump stuck to his teleprompter, with a delivery that seemed half-hearted relative to the fiery riffing from earlier in the campaign. I can sympathize with how he might be feeling at this point — I, too, have spent months on the road as a lonely entertainer.

A handful of protesters outside. I might know the stylishly dressed woman on the left.

A handful of protesters outside. I might know the stylishly dressed woman on the left.

The media: Public enemy #1

On multiple occasions Trump slammed “the dishonest media,” which elicited boos from the crowd every time. Overall, I think he spent more time talking about the media than about the woman who stands in his way of the White House, Hillary Clinton. This odd behavior seems better explained by TrumpTV theories than conventional campaign wisdom.

The right’s media-bashing has always sounded whiney to me. When the Big Three broadcast channels dominated American televisions, this may have been a more valid case. But cable television and the internet have allowed new outlets to flourish, and Americans can now pick the sources that best fit their narrative, fortunately or unfortunately.

Hyperbole, half-truths & credibility

I like facts and data. I appreciate counter arguments. And I’m comfortable with nuance and complexity. So when Trump speaks in hyperbole, half-truths or conspiracies, and overly simplistic terms, I struggle to take him seriously.

For example, he described his campaign as “maybe the greatest movement in the history of our country,” (16:15). But I think most would hesitate in putting it on par with Civil Rights, the New Deal, or the original Tea Party. He alleged voter fraud — and specifically referenced Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis — (18:10) without any evidence and despite assurances to the contrary by Republican officials.

And he described NAFTA as “the worst trade deal ever signed, ever made, by anybody in the world” (19:55). No doubt, it has ravaged parts of our country, especially the Rust Belt, but repealing it would hurt industries in Colorado and elsewhere. Colorado exports $1+ billion in goods to Mexico, including $350 million in agricultural products; Mexico is our second biggest export market behind Canada. Plus, I’ve never heard Trump mention any other trade deal besides NAFTA and TPP, so I wonder if he really has the context to make such a statement.

Self-funded campaign

Trump pointed out that he is self-funding his campaign. That’s not entirely true, but he has contributed much more to his campaign than other presidential candidates did or have.

When you look at the treatment of special interests in our tax regulations and appropriations bills, it’s difficult not to conclude that campaign contributions at least buy access, if not outright legislation. Self-funded campaigns could be part of the solution. Although I’m pretty sure that I don’t want all of our elected officials to be billionaires, either.

Controversies

There was no mention of a Muslim ban, a fat Miss Universe contestant, a biased federal judge from Indiana with Mexican heritage, a loser Vietnam POW, or a weak and ineffective House Speaker. He avoided locker room talk, and he didn’t tell the crowd that he’d pay their legal bills if they beat up protesters. If he’d been able to avoid the most offensive statements and controversies of his campaign, I wonder if Colorado would still be considered a battleground state.

America First nativism

Besides his criticism of the media, the largest applause lines had nativist (aka “America First”) themes. To paraphrase: “Build the wall and make Mexico pay for it. Renegotiate our awful trade deals and bring our jobs back. Keep out Syrian refugees. Prohibit lobbying by foreign countries and firms.”

The crowd clearly believed that they have been hurt — their jobs, their culture, their safety — by an increasingly global world. Unless we want another divisive campaign like the one we’ve had, our next round of elected officials should try to address some of the issues that have caused these feelings.

Campaign t-shirt, available for sale outside the event. Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say.

Campaign t-shirt, available for sale outside the event. Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say.

Cause for economic pessimism?

Claims that “the economy is a disaster” and that there are “no jobs” and “no growth” sound particularly out of place in Colorado. Our state unemployment rate is 3.8 percent, as of August; the economy has added 1.1 million new jobs since 1990, an increase of 70 percent. And the median home price in the state has increased 37 percent since 2007 in the depths of the housing crisis, and increased 11 percent last year alone.

I understand why Trump’s economic pessimism resonates elsewhere, like my wife’s hometown in rural northern Michigan. There is always room for improvement, but in Colorado the future looks very bright.

Short on details

If Trump has specific policy plans to accomplish the laundry list of things he claims he will do as President, he did not share them. He said, for example, that he will create 25 million new jobs in 10 years. That’d be awesome! But how? Reforming the tax code, eliminating or rewriting regulations, opening up new international markets, increasing infrastructure spending? Crickets. Thankfully, his website has a few more details, shorter in length than a term paper I may have written for a public policy class in college. Still, the man on the stage gave me nothing to think that he cares about these finer points or that he thinks it important to educate his electorate on the issues.

Ethics reform

This was a new proposal, to me and the campaign (which announced it a day earlier). Its proposals — which would ban Congressional members and executive branch officials from lobbying for five years after they leave office, among other things — seem intuitive, and I’d love to hear this debated more. In a campaign speech that was otherwise devoid of details, this tangent was refreshing.

When is Clinton coming?

Election Day is less than three weeks away. If HRC gets back to Colorado, I suspect that Amanda and I will have a shorter drive to see her.

Posted in on October 19, 2016
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28 Comments

  1. Connie Dodson on October 19, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    I have been looking at both sides, for and against, and doing my own verification of facts if I didn’t know in advance.

    Trump has said, renegotiate NAFTA or a better trade agreement, not sever trade with Mexico.

    If you think the wall threatens that, he said he would confiscate money wired to Mexico by illegals: heads-up illegals. He will use ordinary tariffs for the remainder. He did not use the word tariffs. I did. That is the usual words for it. The contracts to build the wall would not be padded.

    National broadcast network tv and media is only 6 corporations, key executives and staff family and spouses are Hillary and Obama paid ‘appointees. It is documented.

    He announces speeches where he provides detail, and he has. I have had to find the unedited speeches at Facebook and YouTube. It isn’t easy, because there are edited YouTube speeches.

    It isn’t economic pessimism. In Montana, we know public land will be privatized and sold and to foreign countries interests for taking and exploiting our natural resources. The oil and natural gas and even water pipelines end at foreign shores. They are not for us. They are not “energy independence” used here. I know this first hand.

    Obama has made loans no one authorized, and spending no one authorized. In two terms, he doubled the national debt of all of the years of the entire existence of the United States.

    The IMF has been collapsing national governments in Europe. Brexit is to pull out.

    Trump is all there is, for us to pull out of IMF calling in the loan, because he will replace Obama ‘appointees FBI Dir Comey, AG Lynch, ODNI Dir Clapper preventing law enforcement. Each one in the crimes prosecuted, started with the contempt charges and/or obstruction of justice charges will turn the situation around because we are a nation of law: we do not elect dictators.

    Trump elected, gets to bring qualified and best support personnel to government spending for value per dollar. as an individual, he could do only so much. He has everyone wanting a “good job” as President of the United States.

    This, alone, demonstrates fiscal responsibility, and stops foreign takeover of our land and resources. Stopping TPP stops foreign countries deciding our labor, business and manufacturing, and products sold to us here. We do not decide. Really.

    Trump has endorsement fully qualified general officers, Generals and Admirals, not yes-men. He prefers surgical action, not all-out war. If you have not been paying attention, we are back to brinksmanship right now, thanks to Hillar Obama and Kerry Obama.

    Really, Hillary ‘donor bribes and Obama really really propped up Al Qaeda leftovers, and equip and arm and finance disaster in Egypt, Libya, and Syria resulting in destabilizing 32-countries in the mid-east.

    Hillary blames Russia for problems of her own making. Hillary is known for tirades both in and out of The White House. Hillary and Kaine and Obama have made avowed ‘radical Shari’a law Islamists ‘appointees, as part of the ‘donor bribes and getting loans.

    Hillary was an Alinsky “Rules for Radicals” radical since college. Bill, as a student, got an expense paid trip to Moscow during The Cold War. The Clintons have had Comey prevent prosecution of The Clintons since Arkansas.

    They have no loyalty, or concern as liberals or as democrats.

    There are so few people making this happen, it is sickening to find out we could lose our country, our freedom, and our lives.

    The choice, this election is nationalism v globalism.

    Instead of “think globally – act locally” we have very few “acting globally” without regard for the rest of us.

    My brother is Precinct Captain in one of the wealthiest democrat precincts. He said, we don’t know where Obama got his backing. That was then, this is now.

    He is a U.N. community organizer propped up as a U.N. ‘puppet President of the United States.

    Bill Clinton remarked, “He would be bringing us coffee”.

    Hillary admires Margaret Sanger. Look it up.

    Trump has endorsement of MLK family and association, law enforcement, military general officers Generals and Admirals, and “the silent majority” of former military, civil service, and people that have held a national security clearance, their families and friends and others, not only the families and friends that have had their their employers hand over their highly skilled jobs to foreigners. It isn’t minimum wage. It is agreements, because the few are selling-out to the arrangements made for our country by these few, and their sponsors.

    It is so simple to overturn, if they are out of Executive Branch of our government.

  2. Randall on October 19, 2016 at 2:20 pm

    Well – that was an interesting secondary trail. Typical Skurka. Facts. A nice photo or two. Some lessons. A bit of history. Then a void in which we must decide. Hike or stay home. Always fun!

    • Abrazos on November 6, 2016 at 7:13 pm

      Disappointed I am in Andy. But why should he be any different from the general mindlessness that pervades one-half of our nation?

      In his profession Mr. Skurka is fact driven, and as a result is a wonderful success. But his article is full of narrowly based facts and weak opinions. This is representative of the kind of thought that is leading our nation away from right-minded eternal values, democracy and liberty to socialism, unconstrained government, decline and suffering.

  3. Ray Rippel on October 19, 2016 at 2:40 pm

    You are braver than I am, Mr. Skurka, but I guess your trekking odysseys already established that. In a sane world, just about everyone who reads what you wrote above would say to themselves, “Sounds like he painted a pretty good picture. I don’t agree 100%, but seems like a good guy.”

    Instead, I fear you have alienated nearly half of the population by failing to adhere to the “all Republicans are racists and fascists” line, and another third who think Mr. Trump is just about the best thing going.

    Perhaps I’m wrong. Wouldn’t that be neat?

    On a different note: I’ll bet the conversation you had with your wife on whether to publish this was interesting!

  4. Scott on October 19, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    Congress appropriates $’s not the President. Congress establishes tax policy, the US has the largest and most complicated tax code of any nation, hello lobbyists, someone say campaign finance reform. Extensive tax cuts and increased spending for the war effort, simple math says it doesn’t work. Two ways to tackle overspending and the growing debt, spend more or make more. Do one, the other or both. Talk is cheap, raise taxes, then enough people will get behind the good spending reductions, except setting ashide more public land before it is forever lost. I spent my entire caree as a CPA working with small business owners and in general don’t see the over regulation, but know regulations can be improved and better targeted. But let’s be careful, I like that our air and water is cleaner today, cars are safer, Wall Street has some accountability. Glad I didn’t invest in junk mortgage backed securities. Should I carry a framed backpack, what size, color, etc, no guns in my home yet I feel no fear that my neighbor has many. Get them registered, all of them and fear not the government taking them away, for we are the people but get them away from the bad people.

    As a Texan I’ll vote for the candidate with the best plan to improve our great nation.

    Now for something very, very serious, spoken from a Colorado expatriate, Owselier returns . . . . Texans 31, Broncos 24

  5. Douche P. on October 19, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    His disgusting treatment of women and minority groups is enough for me to say hell no. Not even worth a look.

    • Doug McCowen on October 29, 2016 at 10:59 pm

      Are you talking about Bill Clinton and his abusive wife? And look what their socialist policies have done to our minority communities.

  6. Vic on October 20, 2016 at 1:55 am

    Enjoyed the thoughtful approach. It’s refreshing, actually. Keep it up. It is more likely I will be able to join you on multi-state adventure through the wilds of politics than on a wilderness trail. The former only requires strength in my stomach.

    PS: neither candidate will create good jobs. Government is not built for innovation. It is inefficient by design. Let’s keep it that way. With these two candidates, I’ve never been so thankful for two houses of Congress. Lovin’ me some constitution

  7. Billy on October 20, 2016 at 4:57 am

    George Will, a former Republican now a registered independent wrote in a recent column of Trump being chemotherapy for the Republican Party, adding that next time “Perhaps it is imprudent to nominate a venomous charlatan.”

    Any Republican candidate since Barry Goldwater would easily beat Clinton in a general election. Anyone except a “venomous charlatan.”

    Never Trump.

  8. Rob on October 20, 2016 at 7:53 am

    I really don’t like either candidate and am sad that it come down to Dumb and Dumber. I don’t think a president has ever had that large of an effect on the country…and certainly cannot “save” us from anything.
    What disturbs me is that so many people want to vote along party lines for certain causes, like abortion. But since Roe V Wade in 1973 we have had 5 republican presidents to 3 dems. So i’d ask if voting R is supposed to help that cause, why hasn’t it yet?
    If the trends of economic swings are aligned along presidential party occupancy…that doesn’t look good either. It’s down during the Rs and up during the Ds…during my lifetime anyway.

    My point is that we never really know how it’s going to turn out until it’s turned out. I know our economy is booming comapred to 9 years ago…but i certainly don’t credit that to Obama. But if your’re trying to make the argument that he’s ruined the economy then that’s just idiotic.

    We’ll just have to deal with who is elected. We’ll all fuss and moan but it won’t help. Just GET OUT THERE in the woods and let out your emotions. See you there and we’ll blast whoever is in office.

  9. Jeff on October 20, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    Thanks for your honest evaluation of the Trump rally. Looks like you stirred up the pot a bit. I can understand folks voting for HRC because they hate Trump, and folks voting for Trump because they hate HRC. What I can’t understand (sympathize with) are people who actually fully support either of these two candidates.

    For the record, this registered Republican will be voting for Jack Kemp!

    Until then ,and probably even more so after the election, the peace of the woods awaits.

  10. Connie Dodson on October 20, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    I tried to buy a new truck, and no one would sell it. I had the cashier’s check in my hand for more thsn enough. The dealership woukd rather lease it. I trued three dealerships, then I asked around.

    It is almost all credit.

    70,000 business and manufacturing have left USA, to foreign countries, and we have “flight of capital” because practically aspect of our lives is propped up with doubling the national debt, this is to say, twice the borrowing of our entire 134 years of our nation’s history.

    Hillary promised to raise taxes on thd middle class and the rich pay “their fair share” only iur taxes are already among the highest taxes on business and industry in the entire world, and so, they are leaving to foreign countries.

    Our public lands natural resources are being claimed by foreign countries to repay loans, 32,000 miles roads on public lands are closed in Montana alone in preparation for privatization, if Hillary is elected because Hillary will keep spending borrowed money.

    Trump argues fiscal resoonsibility, and both parties has politicians that hate it. It is either call in loans or demonstrate fiscal responsibility: his plan has been accepted, if he is elected because he will replace or remove Obama’s ‘appointees and czars.

    It is desperate for Hillary, so Clinton Foundation moved 1.8 Billion USD to Qatar to avoid seizure of assets.

    It is more desperate for Hillary because only three Obama ‘appointees are protecting her from prosecution.

    Trump elected, Hillary will have to run to a non-extradition country like Qatar, or get prosecuted.

    Funds have been sent ahead.

    In the real world, you do not bring ‘refugees from the countries you made enemies by destroying their home.

    Europe did not, Hillary and Obama did and Kerry and Obama have kept it going.

    There is an effort to get them to The World Court, The Hague to be tried as war criminals.

    That is not so farfetched, as one might think, because Idi Amin was a Head of State. He was deemed a war criminal, in spite of the fact there was an effort to blame his health.

    • Packman Pete on October 20, 2016 at 10:32 pm

      You’re very astute Connie. I’m glad to see that. There is a reason Trump beat all the other republicans and it’s because of people like you. Trump must be doing something right if both Cons and Crats hate him. RINOs and Dems are really the same now except for a few social issues. They are the Totalitarian party. The sellout party. The baby boomers are a disaster, and I’m embarrassed to say, I’m one of them. We are the first generation in our nations history to pass on a worse country to our children than what was handed to us. One in five now depend on food stamps. 50% of the population have less than $1000 to their name. Student debt up the ying yang. Low paying jobs. Highest medical costs in the world. Sky high rent, and sky high debt. SS, medicare and pensions going bust. The end result of globalization is lower wages for advanced economies and higher wages for new economies. And no, they are not free or fair trade deals. I won’t even talk about all the proxy wars that Obama and Hillary have started around the world. I don’t even recognize this country anymore compared to 40 years ago. Paying back this debt through higher taxes, less benefits and inflation is going to be hell. And there is no end in sight. I say enough is enough ! It is time for a major political revolution., and that includes sate politicians also.

    • Billy on October 24, 2016 at 10:01 am

      Connie, Connie, Connie,

      Couldn’t buy a truck with cash? You must not live in the USA. Come to Michigan. We sell trucks to anyone with money.

      Hill promised to NOT raise taxes on the middle class unless you include people making $250,000 or more in the middle class. Where I live people with that kind of income are called “RICH.”

      The Clinton foundation moved only a billion to Qatar? Wow. Where do you find this stuff? Last I checked, this kind of information was stored in Area 51 and not that available.

      Hill and Barry being tried as a war criminals? I guess they’ll be in good company with Dick, and Dubya, and the rest of the D.C. crowd.

      I like your style Connie. What’s your opinion on the moon landings?

      • Connie Dodson on October 24, 2016 at 10:31 am

        I think you are a jerk, but I will respond:

        Hillary said it, I saw the video at Facebook. It was a rally, Warren Buffett was right there smiling and clapping his hands.

        Hillary lied, in the nationally televised debate, with a lidt of other lies.

        I don’t need Snopes fact check, that has been debunked.

        Even Google had the unprecidented $1.8 billion transfer by Clinton Foundation to Qatar, that has no extradition.

        The countries affected have been to the U.N. and are they one deaking with tge war crimes.

        I have no political party claim, a politician of either political party should be excluded.

        I looked at the ‘sanctuary cities FOR vote, to decide not to vote for my state senator.

        I was in California, where I tried to purchase a new Chevy’ van, a new Chevy’ Blazer, and Montana where I tried to purchase a Dodge 1/2 truck.

        I had a cashiers check for more than enough to purchase, and more than enough cash in the bank.

        The dealerships want the 2-year lease.

        No, most do not own their car or anything else, and many purchase everything they have on credit.

        Uh, Area 51?

        I had a top secret security clearance, and a Presidential order had to criss my desk.

        I would say, Trump supporters are, in large numbers, military, former military, government employees, firmer government employees, civil service employees, former civil service employees, law enforcement, former law enforcement, and their families and friends.

        We don’t need tv to tell us what we know or what we should believe.

        • PS on June 2, 2019 at 8:57 am

          Interesting to read this post and comments 2.5 years later. That first comment is a doozy in retrospect.

          • Billy on June 2, 2019 at 6:00 pm

            The real gift has been a profound understanding of the German people. One third were hunted. One third did the hunting. One third were silent.



  11. Andrew Priest (Aushiker) on October 20, 2016 at 6:21 pm

    As an Australian looking in from the outside this has been an most interesting post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

  12. kief on October 23, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    No mention on a site concerned with outdoor recreation that the candidate in question believes climate change to be a Chinese hoax?

  13. Connie Dodson on October 23, 2016 at 3:56 pm

    At second La Niña, we started a 30-year drought, reported by HCJB Ecuador because the studies are done off the Gallapagos Islands. HCJB got new management, and shut down.

    30-yaer drought means some places get more rain, other places get “dust bowl” drought.

    The numbers were ‘fudged to work a carbon tax scheme and help shut-down industry. There were climate scientists, who spoke up, that lost their funding.

    Who cares, really? Canada Radio 1 bragged Canada would finally find The Northwest Passage.

    China made the most of the shut-down, by putting up coal-fired plants and buying up world-wide natural resources, as fast as possible, reported in Mining Times and manipulated currencies to further bring down our country USA.

    Did Al Gore invent it? Haha, he invented carbon-tax.

  14. Connie Dodson on October 23, 2016 at 3:59 pm

    ..to answer your question, it is reasonable to believe China started the hoax because China benefitted most.

  15. Stephen Kundell on October 24, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    Wow Andrew, you must have felt like you needed to throw a fire cracker in the tent (or tarp). Politics can bring out so much negativity. I have my own strong liberal feelings, but one my best Sierra trips in the last few years was with a politically conservative friend. We both love the mountains so much that our political differences were irrelevant. In fact, as I think about it, most of my other hiking buddies fall to the right of me, but we would all trust each other with our lives. Reading this blog really makes me want to go to the mountains, and get away from the politics.

  16. Connie Dodson on October 25, 2016 at 10:04 am

    I have never considered politics in my wirk, my life, or relying on who I mountainclimb with or go ocean sailing or do mountain rescue before there was an organization.

    I have been left of center all my life, not only embracing liberal causes but working hard, accepting risks, and following thru.

    The radicals of the 60’s are working all the old slogans, while the liberals of the ’60’s are in their 60’s have supplanted the RNC because compared to the ‘radicals of the ’60’s we are conservative.

    ..and that is the political spectrum.

    It explains why we care not for the lawyer-politician born ‘establishment, and if Obama and Bush both are held accountable by other countries for war crimes, we will feel that it the right thing to do.

    If those wars were a declared war, we would support it. This is a ’60 liberal: patriots, not murderers.

    The 60’s ‘radicals thrived on divisiveness and were hired provocateurs.

    I was brought to Berkeley, and asked to stay in the Berkeley Hotel suite with The Weathermen.

    I know first hand, about the difference between 60’s liberals and 60’s ‘radicals.

    I have been invited into the homes, of both sides, all my life.

    Here is a video about the liberal patriot candidate: https://www.facebook.com/theviewersview/videos/708466395969143/

    The world of politics, today, isn’t the old dichotomy, but it has all of the old “dirty tricks” of slander and scandal plus all the ‘radical methods of the failed Kremlin-era.

    Hillary is an Alinsky “Rules for Radicals” ‘radical of that era. Bill Clinton, as a student, had an all expenses paid vacation to Moscow during The Cold War.

    Obama was a community organizer in Chicago, his only employment, sponsored and funded by the U.N.

    It wasn’t the Democratic Party.

    They took the money, after the nomination, that’s it.

    I was a United Nations Special Assistant, but only for the 1980-81 United Nations Special Session on Peace, working at the request of the Hopi.

    If you read the United Nations human rights all the way to the end, it is not the “inalienable rights” of the U.S. Constitution.

    Another time, I will comment on United Nations sanctioned genocide of targeted groups: Hutus, Tutsis, for example. Who cares? Ethiopia, who cares?

  17. Francisco De La Serna on October 30, 2016 at 9:59 am

    Andrew, as usual your post is thoughtful, well articulated, even keeled, and based in the available data. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to read that kind of analysis in politics. It is clear that your comments are not surging from a well of raw emotions, that dreadful mix of fear and anger skilfully stoked by politicians to overwhelm our cognitive capacity and cloud our judgment. Unfortunately such emotions have been light up in a sizable portion of our countrymen this election season (or I should say during the last eight years) and I’m afraid you’ve made yourself the target to receive some of it’s fury. But then, you knew this well in advance of publishing this post and decided these truths needed to be said. I appreciate your courage man.

    • Andrew Skurka on October 30, 2016 at 10:33 am

      I wasn’t too concerned about making myself a “target.” But I do wish that a rational, not emotional, discussion about our politics would prevail. Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case.

      • Terry McCollough on November 1, 2016 at 8:36 am

        Andrew,

        You are a brave soul for trying.

        All the best to you and yours this election season and into the future.

  18. Andrew C on November 6, 2016 at 10:50 am

    Andrew, Thank you for sharing your perspective in a civil way. I wish our broader society could do the same. Its easy to let emotions get in the way of making good decisions, albeit difficult ones …

  19. Billy on November 9, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    Let them eat cake.

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