President Trump is an entrepreneur, not a politician. He spent most of his life in real estate and business enterprises with a large-scale, worldwide view of enterprises. He’s met with powerful people worldwide and negotiated and conducted business. He approaches the job of President as a businessman, not a politician. That background has its challenges in a political position, but I think it’s mostly a major strength.
I’m aware of President Trump’s shortcomings, but I won’t criticize him here. (If you want criticism, you’ll find all you need in the popular “news” media.) Based on his actions in his first term as President, I judge that Donald Trump’s assets far outweigh his liabilities. He significantly lowered taxes, maintained relationships around the world resulting in no wars under his administration, curtailed the regulatory state, and planned a rational withdrawal from Afghanistan. On the whole, his track record as a former President indicates that he significantly improved the individual freedom of Americans to pursue their goals with less government hindrance.
I support most of President Trump’s policies, but not his proposed tariffs and some of his economics. I especially like that President Trump wants to work with Elon Musk to reduce spending, regulations, waste, and fraud in the federal government. As Mr. Musk predicts, it will lead to an era of great prosperity. I agree. (You can also get Mr. Musk’s negatives from the “news.”)
In contrast to Donald Trump, Kamala Harris is a career politician. The primary goal of career politicians is to sustain and advance their positions of political power, not so much to release Americans from the chains of government. Kamala Harris’s track record as a California prosecutor and AG, US Senator, Presidential candidate (in 2020), and Vice President clearly confirms that she does not value individual freedom for her fellow Americans. Among other insults to individual freedom, Kamala Harris is an avowed enemy of private career colleges and boasts about closing them. Her boasts reveal her disregard for the schools’ students and teachers, as well as the entrepreneurs and investors who created the schools.
Kamala Harris’s actions in various offices and her statements as a 2020 presidential candidate indicate that she holds the anti-freedom values common to radical leftists. These people hate profit, business, and businessmen. They think the government should take over and run everything. The premise for that is: We are smarter than anyone else, and therefore we should use threats of government brute force to run everything.
Kamala Harris has confirmed her support for the Biden/Harris foreign policy blunders, including the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and blaming Israel, rather than Hamas, for the continuing war in Gaza.
Kamala Harris has been trying to obfuscate her radical values by offering mindless platitudes such as, “I grew up in a middle-class home full of aspirations, unburdened by what was.” Mostly she is avoiding and evading questions that would reveal her radical leftist values. WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan powerfully revealed Harris’s evasions in the presidential debate and interviews. See: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/kamala-harris-is-an-artless-dodger-she-evades-every-question-of-substance-7cd0d26b.
Harris has also been obfuscating by blatantly flip-flopping on various political positions. For example, she now loves fracking even though she has often stated that climate change is our greatest threat. She has also contradicted her flip-flops by publicly admitting that “my values have not changed.”
Since my contribution to President Trump will be public, I know that I will become more of a political target than I’ve been over the last 10 years. I’ve been a target of trolls, lawfare, and political operatives who finally destroyed my beautiful colleges. I know they will now target me with renewed force and energy. That’s something I will have to confront.
With this post, I’m letting my friends know why I’m massively supporting President Trump. I hope you too will join me with this.
I have a great respect and affection for America, particularly its founding principles and ideals, and I know my friends do too. If anyone sees something wrong with Making America Great Again (MAGA), then they’re not friends of mine, nor of yours. Yes, let’s work on making America as free and prosperous as it used to be.
Carl Barney
September 26, 2024
No mention of Trump’s attempt to illegally stay in office by having Pence not certify the election results, or mention of the violence that followed Trump’s extensive lies about the 2020 election. Disgraceful for someone who claims to follow a philosophy that is focused on reality.
In politics, reality is constantly manipulated by the media. By the pole. By social media. In my opinion, Mr. Barney personal view of things in this election is highly accurate. It shows courage and objectivity. His position is essentially base upon his own virtues, values and self-interest. In that regards, one must look at both candidates carefully to objectively choose the one who corresponds to our own values and objectivism Mr. Barney is an entrepreneur. He is an Ayn Rand advocate. You would not expect him to vote for Miss Harris in this election. First, because the democratic party is not the same party anymore. Second, because Miss Harris, who by the way was entirely dress in black the day of the election as if she was going to a funeral, is an advocate of Marxism. A little research would prove that. Her father teaches Marxism in the United States. Such an important election requires individuals to think carefully before making a decision. Objectivist must be able to look at things objectively enough so one can find the candidate whose most inline with objectivism. Voting democrats would signify that you are not an objectivist but rather someone who flirts with it. Someone who never understood objectivism to its core preventing you right now to understand Mr. Barney’s position. One must be able to look at the big picture to understand Mr. Barney post. Of course, he does not agree with everything Donald Trump represent. But the summary was a testament to reason. I could go on, but I don’t think you will understand my position. There is no such thing as a lefty objectivist. If you can’t understand Mr. Barney summary, you are not an objectivist. What you did is pine point a past event which was irrelevant at that point. I continue to believe Mr. Barney post was objectively the right position to adopt and that his vote was used properly. It shows character, integrity and honesty. Not voting would have been irresponsible, in my opinion. Not voting is political nihilism. Voilà
Thank you, Mr. Barney. I concur with your stance and appreciate your courage in making it publicly.
Sincerely,
Sandra Brents
In case you missed it, Leonard Peikoff agrees with us on the question of voting for Trump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFSlFyfL_AQ&t=1290s
Thank you for writing this Carl. Could not agree with you more. It was a no-brainer the last two times and even more of a stark choice this time. Can’t imagine how any American (let alone any Objectivist), could vote for these raging woke totalitarians. With the support of figures like Elon Musk and the team Trump is building around him this time, it’s a historic opportunity to finally move in the right direction in a meaningful way.
I wish we had more perfect candidates to support, but we must be realistic about recognizing and confronting genuine threats to our well-being. As you explained, Kamala Harris is a serious threat. So thanks very much for your courage in articulating and confronting the threat.
I join you in your thoughts and opinions on President Trump. I could not agree more.
Kamala Harris has shown support for government-paid gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates and immigrant detainees, and this decision raises serious concerns. Taxpayer money should be used responsibly and allocated to the pressing needs of the public, not funneled into programs that many Americans don’t see as a priority.
While ensuring humane treatment for all is essential, government-funded gender-affirming surgery for incarcerated individuals and immigrant detainees is a step too far. Our hard-earned tax dollars should be spent on education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security—the things that benefit society as a whole.
Many taxpayers struggle to meet their own healthcare needs, pay bills, and support their families. Why should they be asked to foot the bill for costly surgeries that are not considered essential by many? This isn’t about human rights—it’s about fiscal responsibility and prioritizing where public funds are best spent.
This policy sends the wrong message. At a time when Americans are facing inflation, housing crises, and healthcare challenges, we need leaders who will focus on helping the people, not creating unnecessary expenses. Kamala Harris and others in Washington must be reminded that taxpayer money is not unlimited, and it should be spent on what truly matters to the majority of citizens.
I’m an Objectivist who disagrees with you. I don’t think that makes you bad, just wrong. I would be very interested in debating the issue with you. Please let me know if you’re interested. Thanks.
I fully concur, Carl, and recognize the courage it takes for you to say (and explain) this publicly. Kudos. Your stance is principled, contextual, and courageous not only because there are so many Trump haters out there, but so many in powerful positions who are able and willing to inflict harm. Sadly, many such haters also exist in our own beloved Objectivist movement and advise voting for Harris-Walz.
Ever since the appearance of Leonard Peikoff’s 1982 book, THE OMINOUS PARALLELS: THE END OF FREEDOM IN AMERICA, we’ve known that it’s necessary and proper to genuinely worry about a coming despotism in America. But from the early 1980s onward, I’ve judged that danger as coming mainly from the left and from hundreds of power-hungry, censorious Democrat politicians and regulators. For those genuinely concerned, D’Souza amply debunks the “Trump as would-be dictator” conspiracy theory — here:
https://www.frontpagemag.com/trump-and-the-absurd-accusation-of-dictatorship/
Well said, Carl.
Kudos for your bravery in being objective and making it public!