Linda Barton

State College

Donald Trump has been described as a present-day Svengali, using his impressive skills of persuasion to control the thinking of gullible voters. Another literary analogy is the Pied Piper of Hamelin, who charmed the rats of Hamelin and led them into the Weser River where they all drowned.

The meaning of “pied piper” today is any person who amasses a blind following through charisma and/or false promises. Like the rats of Hamelin, the unsuspecting followers often reach a tragic end. How many of Trump’s blind followers have ended up in disgrace, in jail or in bankruptcy?

The legend tells that the Mayor of Hamelin promised to pay the piper for ridding the town of the rats, but then reneged on that promise. In retaliation, the piper led the children of the town into a dark cave. How much of America will be led into a metaphoric dark cave if we believe Trump’s rosy promises and give him another term?

Ironically, Trump resembles both the piper and the mayor who reneged on his promise of payment. Promises that Trump has reneged on include payment to workers (just like the Mayor of Hamelin), “infrastructure week,” lower drug prices, release of his tax returns, a better health care plan than Obamacare, higher taxes on the wealthy, federal deficit reduction, paid maternity leave, ending the opioid crisis, keeping manufacturing jobs at home and many more too numerous to mention here.

Like the Mayor of Hamelin, he just can’t be trusted.