Just what are Donald Trumps politics. OK he seems to be a Republican and a conservative but what does that actually mean. What are fascists, Marxists, socialist or anarchist? If you don’t know you are not alone. These names are thrown about but very few really understand them or Trump. Politics today is a confused mess. Here in Austria the ruling conservatives believe that socialism is over, but the citizens of Vienna seem to disagree, electing a socialist government for the city with an even bigger majority than last time. And Vienna is constantly voted by business magazines as the best city in the word in which to live. In the USA on the other hand, Socialism and Unions were crushed in the 1930’s and now it’s really a dirty word used to smear political opponents.
But ‘ I think there is a much easier way to understand Trump’s thinking and that is, as my cousin would say, follow the money.
After quite a long life, and a great deal of experience, I think I can answer some basic questions which might help put things in perspective. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to refer a little to history in order to explain. But stay with me.
For a very long time, in fact through most of human history, the money was gained in the zero-sum game. Sounds complicated but it is quite simple. It means that in any deal there can only be a winner and a loser. Until recently warfare was a good example of this. The winning army looted and plundered the defeated territory taking all that was valuable. Perhaps a better example are pirates. Pirates captured ships and took everything uable. A clear winner and a clear loser. When William the Conqueror invaded Britain in 1066 his military support came from people who knew that, if they won, they would get the most valuable asset available at that time, land. Sometimes this “land grab” was dressed up as something else.vFighting for God was always a good excuse but though the mass of the army might think that they were fighting for a place in heaven, those at the top know that the result would be land. Land would be taken from the losers and given to the winners. Winners and losers, the zero-sum game in action.
Businesspeople will be familiar with an alternative to this. It’s know as the Win-win situation. The object here is that both parties can gain, there are no winners and losers. For some people, particularly children, this concept is difficult to understand. They like things simple and winner takes all is simple to understand. Win-win is different though. Trade is a good example of win-win. You have something I want, and I have something you want, so we trade and both of us are happy.
How does this apply to Donald Trump? Unfortunately, it would seem that due to his lack of education and a rather poor home life he does not grasp the win-win idea. He believes that winning is everything so he will do everything possible to win, and that includes telling obvious lies. Don’t pay taxes? A win. Avoid the military? A win! In the Trump universe those who don’t win are losers. Unemployed? Loser. No health insurance? Loser. Died fighting for American? Loser. How do I know this?
After all I haven’t met Donald trump so how can I have an opinion.
Well I think the first thing to do is listen to his victims. There are many, and many are on YOUTUBE. So let’s us look at one of the first, J. Michael Diehl. This man delivered pianos to a Trump casino and, rather than pay him, Trump offered 70% of the sum he owed. Same with architect Andrew Toroso who is quoted as saying “Trump’s way of managing relationships with professionals, contractors, vendors – is driven by an aggressive machine – motivated by an infatuation with money (holding greedily onto every dime, often deceitfully) to squeeze every possible dollar without regard for the value of the work, the responsibility to honor agreements, or fairness to those who worked hard on Trump’s behalf.
All the facts are there on Youtube. As a businessman this is dishonourable and not how people should behave. But for Trump and his zero sum game it’s ok because he won. But if we actually look at Trumps businesses we don’t find a winner, we find a loser. Yes, in business, Trump is a loser. Companies which he controlled have been bankrupted six times. six times! With this record it is amazing that he tells us he is a winner , but he does, time and again.
Now we have to consider the opinion of people who actually know him. Perhaps the most qualified to speak is his older sister, Maryanne Trump Barry. Clearly not a stupid person, she was, after all a federal judge, she described him as a “cruel” man with “no principles”. Cruel and with no principals! Is this really the man who Americans wanted as their President?
Well let’s look at what an informed outsider said about him. Tony Schwartz is a well-known journalist who spent 18 months with Trump in order to write the book The Art of the Deal. Schwartz thinks that the book should have been called the psychopath and said that it was impossible to keep Trump focused on any topic for more than a few minutes. In fact he said that Trump had, “a stunning level of superficial knowledge and plain ignorance.” And went on to say that “I seriously doubt that Trump has ever read a book straight through in his adult life.”
During the eighteen months that Schwatz observed Trump, in his office, at meetings, weekends at his house, he said he never saw a book on Trump’s desk, anywhere in his office, or in his apartment and believed that Trump seemed driven entirely by a need for public attention.
“Lying”, said Schwartz, “is second nature to him. He has a complete lack of conscience about it.”
You may doubt what I am saying here so I would urge you to check this for yourself with interviews with Schwartz on YouTube.
But what of those who voted for Trump. Can so many people be so wrong? Of course they can. People fall for con artists every day of the week, Enron, Wirecard, Madof, Ponzi, Theranos, the list is endless. All it needs is a good looking salesman, or woman, with charisma who makes life changing promises. Almost everybody falls for it time and time and time again. And when it comes to promises, Trump makes the biggest, “To make America great”. Well America was great, the only thing that stops America being great is Donald Trump.
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