Descolada: Trump, the KKK, American Ills and Leadership

Donald J. Trump 

✔‎@realDonaldTrump

"@ilduce2016: “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” – @realDonaldTrump#MakeAmericaGreatAgain"

6:13 AM - 28 Feb 2016

 
•  4,0404,040 Retweets
 
•  8,9758,975 likes

Trump and the KKK.  It makes for a very tempting target.  Finally, Trump's multiple foes (most of whom have been attacked by him) say, we've got him.  We can give him a taste of his own medicine and expose to the world what he really is.

Don't do it.

Donald Trump is better at the attack-and-deflect game than you are.  That, and the public doesn't trust most of you - the GOP, the Democrats, the media and many pundits - anyway.  To put him in your crossfire is to feed into his game, to bring the war to his ground.  You won't win.

Instead, take a look at what happened in Canada's recent federal election.  Divisivenesses became a wedge-tool on the side of the governing Conservatives.  The new government rejected divisiveness and kept the focus on something else; a vision of what the country, at its best, can be.

Justin Trudeau didn't strike back at Stephen Harper, positioning himself as the guy to beat the incumbent (though that was part of his team's messaging).  Instead, everything the Conservatives through at him became a contrast, a teachable moment about why that vision was necessary.

It ultimately doesn't matter who Trump associates with.  He is a symptom, not a disease.  To make him your enemy is to play to his strengths, and to your weaknesses.

That's not how you will beat him.

Donald Trump is the embodiment of what is wrong with the system, but the problem is the system itself.  Politicians win by picking fights and building coalitions - all politicians do this.  It doesn't matter whether it's one celebrity, or one interest group, or a nation like Saudi Arabia - ultimately, it's variations on a theme.  It's this strategic opportunism that people mistrust.

Trump claims to say things like they are, and that's where his appeal lies - he is not beholden to interest groups, the refrain grows.

By demonstrating how the system has let the American people down, has marginalized their voice and give rise to wedge-politics, strategic funding and strategic partnerships instead of true democracy, you have the power to show the American public that Trump is really no different than any other politician.

The challenge, if you choose this approach, you are creating a set of expectations no one believes you to be prepared or even willing to meet.  They need to believe that you are there for them, all of them.

If you cannot defeat Trump, the symptom of America's deep-rooted societal illness, then that says something about your place in the American ecosystem as well.

Leadership isn't about strategy and it isn't about winning.  It's about empowerment.  Trump cannot understand this.  

It'll take a great deal of bridge-building and trust-nurturing, but Americans will rally to the person who does understand leadership.

And that person will have faith in them.

My reply to JT

I cannot stress enough -- Canadians are sick of band-aid solutions. They voted for real change on October 19, 2015, and they’re counting on us to get the job done modernizing the economy. Four years from now, they want to see the foundation rebuilt. Not the same cracks patched over and over. That was the Conservative approach and it failed.

Craig, we would never have this opportunity to help revitalize our economy without the energy, time, and generosity of thousands of Canadians like you.

I’m so thankful for everything you’ve done to make it possible. And I hope I’ve made you proud so far.

Because my promise to you is that I will work hard every day as my way of saying thank you for your support -- past, present and future.

Thank you,

Justin Trudeau 

Prime Minister (I know you want me to call you Justin - sorry!), I agree, 100 per cent.  Structural change, a peaceable revolution, a new way for Canadians to engage with their government - and vice versa.  A truly Open Government requires a Responsible Society.  

And I know you want to help us maximize our potential for collective impact, building together that Canada we all long to see.  It's appreciated.

Here's a direct way you can help.

The WelcomeHomeTO project has really taken off - our little team has build bridges, started conversations and hopeful has people at all levels thinking of the applicability of constellation governance models where it comes to setting up new Canadians for success.  It's a beginning, but one that's growing faster than we could have anticipated.

We want to do this right, and with your help we can.

Katie always said, "end on a call to action" - so that's what I'm going to do.

Our team is entirely volunteer, many of them students working endless days on thesis in addition to endless days on WelcomeHomeTO.  They believe in what they're doing, but it always helps to hear from someone else that they respect that they are believed in.

If you could do that one thing for me - call up the team members, tell them you've heard about the project and you can't wait to see it come to fruition, I would be grateful.

Thank you in advance.

And yes - so far, you've done us proud.  

Now let's see what we can do together.