Some things are driving me crazy. I’ll share them with you in no particular order while we await the New Hampshire primary results. Why shouldn’t you lose some sleep, too? 

When Ron DeSantis entered the presidential race, Trump denounced him as disloyal. After all, he endorsed him for Governor, so he owes him loyalty forever. Tim Scott, whom Nikki Haley appointed to a vacant senate post, supported him over Haley and declared that he thought it was terrific. Trump’s allegiance only travels in one direction to him. Who has Trump been loyal to? What an example for our children.

How many times do you see the fearful term genocide used in articles about Israeli operations in Gaza? It’s on signs of the pro-Palestinian marchers. Progressives around the world use the term to attack Israel to justify their anti-Semitism. 

Long associated with the holocaust, the murder of six million Jews, this horror-engendering term is now widely used against Jews. Employing this term to describe the situation Palestinians find themselves in is wrong. 

The BBC defines Genocide this way, “Genocide is understood by most to be the gravest crime against humanity. It is defined as a mass extermination of a particular group of people – exemplified by the efforts of the Nazis to eradicate the Jewish population in the 1940s.”

 Since 1948, the Jewish-Arab conflict has had many ramifications, but the Palestinian Genocide isn’t one of them. Since that time, the number of Palestinians has multiplied over eight times. The 1.67 million in 1948 expanded to approximately 12 million today. The one thing you can’t say is the Jews are exterminating the Palestinian people. 

So, how did a term widely associated with an enormous tragedy for the Jewish people come to be used against them? In Rule #4 of his “Rules for Radicals, ” Saul Alinsky, who inspired the Obamas,” a community organizer, suggested, “Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.” If Jews are justifiably against Genocide, then claim they, too, practice it. Just because it isn’t true doesn’t bother radicals. 

Call me old-fashioned, but you have a victory when you win something. Success in a qualifying round for the Olympics gives you a chance at the gold but no medals. Winning primaries accomplishes nothing if you don’t win elections. Getting on the ballot only gives you a chance, but again, no cigar.

How, then, can you explain the constant victory celebrations of Trump and his supporters? Even if he gains the Republican nomination, he still has to win, or it’s pointless. He won the 2020 nomination but not only lost to Biden but also managed to lose both houses of Congress. After three straight election losses, a little humility is in order. 

Remember, if, in 2020, the Republicans won even one house of Congress, they could’ve stymied the Biden agenda. Elections are what counts. Stop dancing and tell us how you will win over the independents you’ve lost. What’s your appeal to suburban women now voting Democrat? 

According to the polls, Nikki Haley attracts these voters and has a better chance of beating Biden. In a statistical dead heat with Biden, Trump has to win over Haley’s backers to ensure victory. Demeaning your opponents and their supporters doesn’t contribute to this end.

Even if Trump says some nice things about them from here on, nobody believes him. Such a wide personality swing is Jekel and Hyde, not encouraging.

I watched Trump media supporter Laura Ingram threaten Haley with political death unless she got out of the race and kissed Trump’s ring. This attitude permeates the Trump camp. Deriding anyone not in the tank for Trump as a RINO (Republican in Name Only) suggests Trump is pursuing a pup rather than a big tent strategy.

Even if you say Trump has 65% of Republicans, that is less than 20% of the electorate. Where is he going to get more votes? Haley scores with independents and college-educated suburbanites. Trump hasn’t.

Haley and other candidates may endorse the Republican nominee out of party loyalty. Still, their supporters are under no illusions, especially for a candidate believing loyalty is a one-way street.

Trump, who has never received majority backing, must show if he plans to expand his appeal. So far, his plan seems limited to he’s not Biden. This plan has only gotten him even with the highly unpopular Biden. It’s not a lock Trump faces the current President. He might find himself up against a likable young opponent. What then? Stop celebrating. You haven’t won anything. 

So here we have three words, Loyalty, Genocide, and Victory, perverted to fit certain narratives. It used to be academia, and the press respectfully guarded words and their meaning. They pointed out improper use. Having become partitions, they no longer provide this service. George Orwell warned us of this danger. Maybe we all should read or reread “1984” and “Animal Farm.” before words lose all meaning.