Why #NeverTrump Is Wrong: A South Bay Republican's Perspective

This is a great country. For too many Americans, though, they are not feeling it: sluggish economy, rampant terrorist attacks, defeated morale, both here and abroad. Corrosive, subversive scandals have engulfed the Obama administration (IRS, DOJ, Fast and Furious). Special interests are gaming the system in an unprecedented, disturbing fashion. Look what happened to Bernie Sanders during the Democratic Primary. The DNC (with disgraced Chairman Debbie Wasserman-Schulz) was actively—illegally!—colluding to ensure a Hillary Clinton coronation.

Despite these trying times, we should still share our differences and be civil. And yet, the slow erosion of our social order should concern us. The President has systematically attacked and sought to limit the First Amendment. He has refused to enforce our laws on firearms and immigration. He minimizes terrorism and maximizes micro-aggressions.  Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was right: “President Obama does not love America.” We need a President who does, and that man is Donald Trump.

Let me provide some background.  As a conservative Republican, I stood behind other candidates besides Trump. Scott Walker? Dropped out. Bobby Jindal? Bye-Bye. Ted Cruz was my last hope. Trump crushed him in Indiana.

I resisted supporting Trump, but I knew that I was going to vote for him. He may be a rodeo clown, but at least he’s bad-ass, not afraid to ruffle feathers, not afraid to make the liberal media look like the fools they are. Political correctness is hurting our country, and Donald Trump is the epitome of political incorrectness. Trump is not a perfect candidate, but at least he’s candid.

I do not think Trump is racist, either. I support a ban on Muslim immigration until we “figure out what the heck is going on.” Islamic affiliation is not a race, but a religion, and if we want to avoid the mass murders that have exploded all over Europe, then we need to start telling it like it is in regards to Islam and radical Islamists.

Then there’s “the wall.” One friend of mine actually compared the construction of a wall along our southern border to the Berlin Wall! What?! I believe that we would eliminate a lot of crime with a big beautiful wall along the border.  We need to secure our borders. Deportation orders have to stick. We do not need amnesty, and we need more elected officials both in Washington and Sacramento to stop the amnesty-pandering.

For South Bay residents, illegal immigration is not as immediately detrimental to our quality of life, but the lawlessness along our borders will not stay there. How many of our South Bay youth get pushed aside or forced out of job opportunities and college courses because of legislation which puts illegal aliens first? Do we have to witness our own Kate Steinle murder along the Redondo Beach pier before South Bay residents take illegal immigration seriously?

Bad trade deals have not hurt South Bay communities as they have decimated the Rust Belt. Silicon Valley has remained immune to these distorted trade deals, and in many cases profits from them. However, a free market does not mean throwing your own country under the bus and allowing companies to abuse the H-1B process. I wonder how aerospace employees would feel if thousands of illegal alien engineers were crossing the border? Bad news: it’s already happening.

National security matters, and not just against international terrorism. Crime rates are up all over the country, including California. We do need a Law and Order President, someone who will put Americans first, not criminals, illegals, and dubious refuges.

Donald Trump has sacrificed key business contracts and taken other hits to his brand for speaking the truth on three issues: illegal immigration, imbalanced trade deals, and national security. These are the bread and butter issues which propelled an unknown Virginia professor over House Majority leader Eric Cantor in 2014. These are the same issues which will help Trump win the White House and restore the United States to a proper footing. The coalition of minorities and blue-collar voters which Trump is amassing across the country is just the strategy which California’s Republicans need to win, and can win if they focus on these goals: secure the border, improve the state’s economy, safeguard the homeland.

Is this an offensive and illogical platform? I think not.

I have grave concerns when elected officials declare outright #NeverTrump, even when they are Republicans. All the NeverTrumpers are wrong. I am voting for Donald Trump, and I hope you do, too.

Arthur Schaper is the President of the Beach Cities Republicans (http://www.lagopclubs.com/beach-cities-republicans.html). The views expressed in this column are Schaper’s and not the club's. Write to him at arthurschaper@hotmail.com.