Much has been said today about President Trump’s ban on transgenders in the military. I have been listening to NPR and it seems to be the only story worthy of coverage. I want to call in and suggest that, in their own best interest, they just stop.
In the six months leading up to the last election, it seemed that the top story that liberal politicians or the left-leaning media wanted to cover was which bathroom transgenders can use. While the Republicans were acknowledging the loss of opportunity, shrinking family buying power, and fears of national security, the Democrats were myopically focused on bathrooms for less than 0.3% of the population.
Before I continue let me say that I believe that transgenders deserve the exact same rights as all Americans, and if they are competent and wish to serve their country, they should be allowed to do so. But my point isn’t one of rights, but rather how political parties accomplish their objectives.
The simple fact is that issues around transgenders hurt Democrats. The press has been quick to point out that the amount the military spends on healthcare for transgenders – Trump’s reason for banning them – is really small. Yet they fail to acknowledge that part of the reason it is small is that there just aren’t many of them in the military. In fact, there aren’t many of them anywhere. This group isn’t getting anyone elected. Meanwhile, the really really big group that the Democratic party counts upon, middle-America union workers, lower-middle-class families, and veterans, simply isn’t supportive of this issue.
But the intellectual liberal protectors of the Democrat party see this as an attack on their interpretation of the Democrat ideal. Equal rights are not negotiable, and when given the opportunity to stand self-righteous, they will rise to the call even if it puts them at odds with the majority of their party.
Trump didn’t put a ban on transgenders in the military because he thinks it makes the military better. He did it because he knows that it further fractures the Democrat party and distracts American voters away from the things they care about – like the President’s own failed promises on health care and immigration.
It’s bait, people. Don’t be stupid.
A Card Carrying Centrist 