Dump Trump

Republicans and Democrats rarely find common ground, but this week most of them seem to agree that Donald Trump is a dangerous demagogue.

He has given them plenty of supporting evidence by way of racist rhetoric during his campaign for president, but Trump hit one out of the park on Monday by calling for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States. That is, this candidate for president of the most powerful nation in the world advocated for a policy that would apply a religious test for entry into this country, a nation of immigrants who, under the U.S. Constitution, have the right to practice any religion they choose as well as to practice no religion at all.

Trump has been roundly criticized for his latest xenophobic take on addressing the threat of domestic terrorism. House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Vice President Dick Cheney denounced the billionaire’s comments. Barring entry to the United States based on religion runs counter to the values of the United States, they said.

Jeb Bush responded by calling Trump “unhinged,” but let’s not forget that Bush himself said American aid for Syrian refugees ought to focus on those who are Christian. Sen. Ted Cruz has been more overt about wanting to bar Muslim refugees and is backing legislation to do just that. Moreover, last month, the Republican-controlled House voted in favor of legislation that would stop the resettlement of refugees, a majority of whom are Muslim.

The question remains: Has Trump has finally gone too far for the general public? We hope so. We fear the presidency of a man who we believe is a danger to our national and financial security, as well as our long-held identity as a nation. It’s time to dump Trump, but it’s also time to dump the other candidates who continue to cater to the lowest common denominator within the conservative base.