Security and Healthcare and Education. Oh My!

Last night, CNN held another Townhall with the Republican Presidential candidates. This is what they’re doing now instead of debating each other.

During the Trump Hour, Donald Trump was asked by an Iraq War veteran what he believed were the top three functions of the Federal Government.

The preamble to the Constitution gives a pretty good idea of what the purpose of Federal Government is supposed to be:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Of course, that isn’t the top three functions of the Federal Government, but it at least gives you an idea of what the Founders believed was the purpose of establishing a Constitutional Republic.

But, let’s be honest, Donald Trump doesn’t really know much about the Constitution except that there’s a Second Amendment and he’s the biggest supporter of the Second Amendment. Nobody is a bigger supporter of the Second Amendment than Trump.

Instead, this is what Donald Trump believed were the top three functions of the Federal Government:

TRUMP: Well, the greatest function of all by far is security of our nation.

So far so good. After all, “provide for the common defense” is the security of the nation. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll say secure our Liberty and establish Justice…

Who am I kidding?

TRUMP: I would also say healthcare. I would also say education.

Security and healthcare and education? Oh my!

This from a guy who supposedly wants to abolish the Department of Education and repeal Obamacare.

Of course, he clarified by saying the top three are “security, security, security.”

That’s one thing three times, but let’s not pick nits.

Anderson Cooper, the host of this Townhall actually tried to clarify Trump’s answer.

COOPER: So, in terms of Federal Government role, you’re saying security. But you’re also saying healthcare and education should be provided by the Federal Government?
 
TRUMP: Well those are two of the things, yeah, sure. There are, I mean there are obviously many things: housing, providing great neighborhoods and safe neighborhoods.

Security and healthcare and education and housing and neighborhoods… Oh My!

See, this is the problem when a man running for President does not understand the role of the Federal Government. It’s also the problem when a Democrat is running for the Republican nomination. He tends to have trouble remembering that Republican voters don’t want the Federal Government involved in education, healthcare, housing and neighborhoods.

Something tells me Trump is hoping to secure the Democrat vote in Wisconsin’s Open Primary since he’s pretty much losing the Republican vote.

COOPER: Because aren’t you against the federal government’s involvement in education? Don’t you want it to devolve to states?
 
TRUMP: No, I want it to go to states, yeah, absolutely. I want, right now–
 
COOPER: So, that’s not part of what the federal government’s role should be?
 
TRUMP: No, the federal government, but the concept of the country is, is the concept that we have to have education within the country. And we have to get rid of Common Core and it should be brought to the state level.

“But the concept of the country is…” We’re talking about the primary role of the Federal Government, not the country, you dimwit. So, in other words, Trump conflates “Government” with “Country” much the same way Bernie Sanders does.

Or, he’s just talking out of his ass because he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.

“We have to have education within the country?” What the hell does that mean? Is there some federal push to educate all American children in Zimbabwe?! Is there a call to abolish education from the country entirely?! What the hell is this guy going on about?

COOPER: And federal health care, run by the federal government?
 
TRUMP: Uh, health care. We need health care for our people. We need a good–Obamacare is a disaster. It’s proven to be–
 
COOPER: But is that something the federal government should be doing?
 
TRUMP: The government can lead it, but it should be privately done. It should be privately done. So that health care, in my opinion, we should probably have–we have to have private health care. We don’t have competition in health care.

If healthcare should be privately done, it is not going to be one of the TOP THREE FUNCTIONS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!!!

Government already has its grubby fingers all over healthcare. That’s a large part of the reason healthcare in this country is so bleeding expensive.

“The government can lead it?” You mean through regulations? Democrats love regulations, don’t they?

Oy, the stupidity.

I know. I know.

Trump supporters don’t care. He could call for the dissolving of Congress and the repeal of the Constitution and they would squeal with delight. Because … WALL!!!

But something tells me if Donald J. Trump can’t get his head out of his ass long enough to know that the Federal Government has no business in the education business or the healthcare business, he’s probably bullshitting everyone on his supposed “tough stance” on immigration too.

When any of my friends start dating a guy, one of the things I always tell them is don’t rush into a serious relationship until you’ve really gotten to know him. Any man can pretend to be something he is not for a short amount of time. If he is the man he seemed to be when you first started dating, he will still be that man many months later, and a year later, and ten years later. If he’s faking it to win you over, it won’t take long before cracks in the façade begin to appear, and you will start to see him for who he really is. By taking your time before getting overly invested in the guy, you can avoid the crushing disappointment and regret women always feel when his true colors begin to show. You can avoid that disheartening feeling when you discover, “He’s just not the guy he was when we started dating.”

The same can be said about choosing a presidential candidate. Any candidate can come off sounding like a rock-ribbed conservative and solid policy guy. But over time, if he’s faking it, the cracks will begin to show and it will become crystal-freaking clear that he’s not the candidate you thought he was.

This past week, there have been so many cracks in the Trump façade, he looks like a shattered window.

We’re seeing the real Donald Trump. And he isn’t the guy he pretended to be last summer. He isn’t this solid, small government conservative who wants to get the Federal Government the hell out of our lives and put power back into the hands of the people.

He’s just another Big Government Liberal Democrat with a potty mouth and a hair-trigger temper.

Hat tip Washington Free Beacon.

—

If you like the work at Patriot Retort, please consider contributing

Hit the tip jar DONATE button in the side bar. Even a few bucks can make a world of difference!