If you are an open-minded person and have a good heart, and you believe that every human being is of equal value and deserves equal respect, you’re just the sucker President Donald Trump is looking for.

Chances are you are outraged (or at least disturbed) that Trump announced plans to ban transgender troops from the military, saying he would not allow them to serve in any capacity.

Perhaps you’ll respond like the LGBT congressional caucus, which tweeted:

Or like one of the dozens of Democratic members of Congress to condemn the decision. For example, Rep. Mark Pocan, who tweeted:

The critics of Trump's action are good, patriotic people who believe in the values embedded in the U.S. Constitution.

In other words … suckers.

Trump is losing, so he pulls an old trick

Trump is playing them. Playing you.

The president is losing on health care. He is losing in foreign policy. He is losing – bigly – in the investigation of the Russian connections to his campaign, his supporters, his family.

He needs something – anything – to fire up his most loyal supporters, who themselves have shown some recent signs of wavering. So he used what has worked in the past for him and that he knows will work in the future: Hate.

Prejudice.

Trump tweeted:

There are well over a million active-duty men and women in the U.S. military. A few thousand of them are transgender.

The cost to accommodate them is small and their willingness to serve – to risk their lives for their country – is huge.

Why would he sacrifice military careers?

But it has no value to a president who desperately needs a diversion.

Think about that.

MONTINI:Taxpayers spend more on golf and Viagra than transgender troops

The president of the United States is willing to sacrifice the careers of active military personnel because it will please members of his political base and might improve his opinion poll numbers.

And, based on all the news reports on the issue, it seems to be working. Even though there is truth in comments from politicians like Rep. Mark Takano of California, who tweeted:

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