Opinion: Maybe Trump is not as terrible as we think

By Rami Gruman, 10th Grade

In recent years, American politics has been defined by absolute partisanship. Left- and right-wing politicians seem to clash on every issue, and proponents of each party never seem to agree on anything.

However, this year’s election brings an exception: the candidacy of Mr. Donald J. Trump. Predictably, Trump has drawn criticism from left-wing political pundits, who have called him a racist and a tyrant. What is surprising, however, is that right-wing pundits feel this way as well.

GOP strategist Rob Jesmer referred to the prospect of a Trump nomination as a “disaster,” conservative leader David McIntosh has campaigned ads against him, and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney referred to Trump as, “a phony, a fraud.”

The fact that he garners bipartisan opposition is reflective of the view held by most Americans that Donald Trump would be the worst thing that could happen to America, or as Reverbpress writer Matt Terzi put it, “Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, belligerent, bullheaded big-mouth.” But is he really deserving of such harsh criticism?   

Firstly, let’s look at Donald Trump’s stance on one of the most important political issues, but one that is often ignored: tax policy. Like many fellow GOP candidates, Trump favors cutting corporate taxes. Lowering the corporate tax rate has the potential to discourage tax inversions, which could actually save the government money in tax revenue while discouraging corporations from relocating overseas, where they contribute less to the American economy.

Trump also advocates for tax breaks for lower- and middle-class Americans, and would take an estimated 73 million American households off the income tax rolls, which, while increasing the national deficit, aims to promote economic growth and ultimately help pay off the deficit in full. He has also vowed to simplify the tax code, saving the average American household what he estimates would be $110 per year in tax preparation costs.

While some may disagree with some of his tax positions, his proposed tax cuts across the board and corporate tax reform are not out of place in the Republican Party, and simplifying the tax code as he has proposed is something both parties have been clamoring at for a while.

Next, let’s examine the claim that Trump is a racist. It seems undeniable, given the outlandish proposals he’s made, including banning all Muslims from entering the US and making Mexico pay for a border wall.

However, this overt racism, while distasteful, actually presents far less of a danger to the United States than subtle racism might. Since all legislation in the United States must be passed and approved by Congress, Donald Trump’s proposals only pose a danger to the country if he can get them through Congress.

A bill banning Muslims entry to the US will never pass the House or the Senate. But more moderate bills that do similar things to what Trump has envisioned but on a smaller scale — such as those that have been proposed by several of Trump’s fellow candidates — might.

So if one is opposed to restrictions of immigration, Trump is actually a preferable option to other GOP candidates. His uncensored rants may characterize him as a bad person, but they also render him powerless to actually do anything detrimental to society, as with every rant he becomes less and less likely to be able to push his ideas through Congress.

So while Trump may not be the best choice as the next president of the United States, he certainly is not the threat to American society that pundits would have you believe he is.