It is hard to imagine that a presidential candidate could be as oblivious as to what is going on in the world:

Putin isn’t going into Crimea (even though he’s already been there since 2014).

Mr. Trump is opposed to the Trans Pacific trade deal because of Asian currency manipulation (the Chinese, the prime manipulators, aren’t part of the deal).

He would get Germany and South Korea to pay for the American troops protecting them (they already do pay a share).

The list goes on. Is Mr. Trump really ill-informed or is this just part of his strategy? Some commentators like Joe Klein think his policy ignorance is a well-crafted effort to elicit a reflexive response from his supporters. His campaign is about fears that have existed since we became sapiens—fear of the other, the joy or martial triumph which he is revivifying. (Time, March 7, 2016)

Coupled with a steady stream of invective, Mr. Trump seems to think that lots of voters enjoy being a sub rosa bully themselves. Nobody is immune from attack:

The media is dishonest.

The election may be rigged.

The debates may be rigged.

“Little” Marco and “Little” Mike (Bloomberg).

‘She had blood coming out of her wherever.” (Kelly)

Etc.

But Mr. Trump is absolutely bonkers when it comes to Hillary Clinton:

Her bathroom break during the Democratic debate was “disgusting.”

Maybe “she’s the most corrupt person to seek the presidency.”

“She’s a world class liar.”

Personally, I think that Mrs. Clinton has only a passing acquaintance with the truth but Donald Trump is a prevaricator match for her. In fact, I think it is regrettable that the country has 2 ethically challenged candidates to lead this country.

The question for the reader is this: is the put-down and ignorance of facts a strategy which resonates with the American electorate? With you?

If so, it’s a sad commentary. Civil discourse has totally degenerated if we accept name-calling as the norm. The personal attacks have drawn other politicians into the fray, including U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani.

When you analyze this presidential race, how much of it has taught the voters what the respective positions of the candidates are? Citizens are hard-pressed to define the policies of the candidates. Even their few positions are burlesqued by the opponent. Mr. Trump’s recent assertion that Mrs. Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment is a gross exaggeration, as was her assertion that Mr. Trump when “asked about his foreign-policy experience” touted his hosting the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. He did not say that. The question to him was about whether he had talked to Vladimir Putin. The Republican challenger refused to answer and went on to say that he knew Russia well after visiting there several times.

The public should demand decorum from these candidates and a “Joe Friday” approach of “Just the facts, ma’am (and sir), just the facts." Otherwise, we are coming off more like a banana republic with each passing day. Truth has become a casualty.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.