Donald Trump's filthy mouth
If you think Trump gains even one single vote by being as hateful, vindictive and sadistic as possible, you are deluding yourself.
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. -- Proverbs 15:2
The primary reason I will not vote for Donald Trump in 2024 - after voting for him in 2020 - is the depraved way he uses his mouth. If it was only Trump, I might be able to look past his behavior, but he has infected large swaths of the Republican Party and has corrupted much of the conservative movement. Much worse, many self-professed Christians have followed Trump's example. We must not continue acting like this once Trump is out of politics.
Respectful disagreement is seen as a sign of weakness, so emulating Trumpian nastiness is the only proper way to engage politically. If you argue for any respect for the office of the President, and that chanting "F*** Joe Biden" is not something conservatives should be doing, you are a "sniveling faggot" who does not care about the future of the country and are only interested in virtue signaling. We have to "fight fire with fire," and the fact that Republicans have not done so is "why we lose."
Donald Trump's gleeful sadism in tormenting a man who had tragically lost his wife nearly twenty years after her death, and celebrating the tragic divorce of George and Kellyanne Conway after 22 years of marriage are only two examples of the raw sewage that comes out of Trump's mouth on a daily basis.
If Trump was merely a rampaging fool incapable of controlling his emotions, that would be bad enough. However, Trump has proven he can be statesmanlike in the rare occasions when he wants to be. He does not deserve praise for these moments, as they should be the norm - especially for a President of these United States.
Trump apologists argue that he is merely "fighting fire with fire" and that conservatives need to wake up and do the same before we lose the country. This is utter foolishness. If you think Trump gains even one single vote by being as hateful, vindictive and sadistic as possible, you are deluding yourself. Trump's nasty personal demeanor is why he lost the 2020 election. Trump turned out millions more people in 2020 than 2016, sure, but millions more turned out to vote against him due to the personal animus Trump himself stirs up and encourages with his antics.
There is a place for harsh rhetoric, but ultimately you have to persuade, not troll and taunt. Motivating the Left hurts you politically, no matter how many "lulz" you get from your own side. Being hateful and vindictive does not win moderate voters, but it does stir up and motivate the opposition. The people who love Trump's endless trolling are people who are going to vote for him anyway. The goal should be turning out "soft Rs," persuading moderates, and not going out of your way to energize the opposition the way Trump did in 2020 and likely will do in 2024.
Donald Trump only cares about real or perceived personal slights against him, and constantly plays the victim. Far from being an "alpha male," Trump's total lack of discipline and professionalism shows he is extremely weak and effeminate. Trump is a city that is broken down and without walls. It is one thing to tolerate Trump's behavior as part of a bargain that gives us solid policy. It is another thing entirely to encourage and imitate his deplorable behavior. This is not how conservatives should behave, and that is infinitely more true for self-proclaimed Christians.