Posted on 09/15/2015 10:11:29 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
In Jim Geraghty’s “Morning Jolt” email, he talks about the praise bestowed on Donald Trump by Rush Limbaugh:
Rush read aloud a good portion of last week’s article, “The Words Donald Trump Doesn’t Use,” and concluded . . .
I must say, as the Mr. Big of the vast right-wing conspiracy, the headline, the words Trump doesn’t use, in my humble — and I do have humility — opinion, misses the point about Trump. I will admit, Trump doesn’t talk about liberty. But he sure as hell practices it, doesn’t he? I mean, there doesn’t seem to be any limits or boundaries out there. He’s not constrained by political correctness. He has escaped the surly bonds of that. That’s liberty and freedom. He’s not constrained by onerous local, state, federal laws. He’s made billions of dollars despite them. He’s made millions of dollars with a reality TV show, which is the belly of the pop-culture beast. I mean, he’s swimming around in the bowels of it in there, folks, doing a reality TV show. I mean, that’s like living with Jerry Springer.
He doesn’t avoid the media. He goes wherever they throw a camera or microphone in his face. Rolling Stone, he’ll go anywhere. He engages when some would suggest that he head for the bunker. I think to his supporters — and I’m not trying to be contentious here — I think to his supporters, Trump embodies. I think people wish they had the courage and the guts or whatever to be as free as Trump is. Free to speak his mind. Free to do what he thinks. This is before people start judging it.
Limbaugh repeats the carefully crafted narrative about Trump — the fearless buccaneer tycoon, who through brains, skill, and sheer chutzpah has amassed a fortune that few can match.
In the immortal words of Defense Secretary Albert Nimzicki from the film Independence Day, “That’s not entirely accurate.”
In essence, Trump represents everything that’s wrong with capitalism today. He did not beat the market by means of his superior negotiating skills, or any gifted insights into business opportunities, although like all successful people, he lucked out on occasion.
He got rich by gaming the system, using government as club at times to destroy the competition, or remove obstacles to his goal. He is, like most of the rich today, a crony capitalist who uses rigged rules to play a game ordinary Americans aren’t even invited to.
Geraghty offers a few examples:
“He’s not constrained by onerous local, state, federal laws. He’s made billions of dollars despite them.” Some might say he made billions because of them. Trump tried to seize private property through eminent domain, working with the government to claim other people’s homes. As Ilya Somin put it:
Trump did not merely claim that the Kelo vs. New London decision was legally correct; he argued that it was “good” to give government the power to forcibly displace homeowners and small businesses and transfer their property to influential developers on the theory that doing so might promote “economic development.”
Trump lobbied hard to restrict the opening of new casinos in New York State, which would have competed with his Atlantic City casinos. Some would argue that’s using “onerous local, state, federal laws” to impede other people from opening up their own businesses.
Trump Tower is enjoying $163 million abatement on commercial property taxes, a deal that began in 2004 and ends in 2016. Some of his development projects thrived from earmarks from New York members of Congress. He received federal loan guarantees to underwrite what were planned as luxury apartments.
Does Trump’s record in the world of business count as “practicing liberty”? Or is it closer to what you and I would call “crony capitalism”?
Trump should not be singled out for using government to bend the rules in his favor. It’s how amassing wealth is accomplished these days. Very few entrepreneurs earn success based solely on their insights into providing a product or service that is better and at a cheaper cost than the other guy.
Instead, Trump has legions of lobbyists plying their trade in Washington and state capitols, giving him an advantage unknown to others.
Of course, these charges are nothing new. They’ve been part of the anti-Trump mantra since he announced he was running. The fact that it has had no bearing on his popularity and support shows how irrelevant the truth is when placed against the myth of Trump. People don’t believe because they don’t want to believe. It doesn’t help that the sources from which this damning information is coming have lost much of their credibility.
If Trump was upfront about how he really got rich, it wouldn’t matter. Instead, he has created a brand where he portrays himself as a swashbuckling king of the free market, his brilliance and daring the reason for his immense wealth. In truth, Trump has no more idea about how to ease the way for entrepreneurs and other small business people than the socialist Bernie Sanders.
And at least Sanders has the honesty not to pretend otherwise.
RE: I’ve been watching you.
You don’t appear to show any bias in your posting.
__________________
You are quite right in your observations. I also posted on another thread, an article CRITICAL of my favorite candidate — Ted Cruz.
The question is why did he support the Corker Bill?
Nobody is God here. Everyone has his flaws and they have to be vetted in the open for us to make the best decision as to who to support.
I disagree. Aside from belaboring the proverbial "gift horse," such a "plan" would be on the same plateau as the "new soviet man."
I have no doubt he will change part of the system.
Other things, I don’t think he will.
Bankruptcy. I believe that’s what you’re getting at. Do you think the other candidates would do away with it? I don’t.
What some folks look at as vile, can also be seen as something that is healthy. How can I say this?
Businesses that go through bankruptcy have gone through a process that was overseen and approved. They become leaner and more competitive. They keep their doors open (in the ones like Trump’s businesses) and remain a tax base for the community, state, and federal government.
Suppliers and other businesses with connections, get burned in these situations. They can also continue to do business with the company and make some or all of the money back.
If the business hadn’t filed for bankruptcy protection they would have been stiffed and not able to continue to do business with the bankrupt institution.
Bankruptcy is both bad and good. Many situations could be a lot worse without it.
Because none of them have the acumen to overcome the influence of the fourth estate that consistently gives its support to the democrat.
Me? Not completely sold on Trump. But the list, even if 100% accurate, does not make Trump a crony capitalist. A crony capitalist is much more direct: he gets people elected who craft laws that benefit their own firms. True crony capitalist: General Electric.
The GOP got historic wins in 2010 and 2014...and have done nothing to stop Hussein.
Nothing.
No. Thing.
Instead, the GOP has become lapdogs to the Crony Capitalists masquerading as the National Chamber of Commerce...promoting amnesty, cheap unskilled labor and the growth of the federal bureaucracy.
What kind of fight has the GOP taken to Obama? Very little--and the fight they HAVE taken has been because REAL conservatives (e.g. Ted Cruz, et al) have been the catalyst!
Grass roots people are SICK AND TIRED of supporting "R"s and not having their interests represented.
Chickens are coming home to roost.
Yep, government props up the stock market. Corporate welfare.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2013/05/02/can-fed-keep-propping-up-stocks/2129787/
“Quantitative Easing” and all...
So it's OK that he tried to use the oppressive force of the state in order to restrict the property rights of others, because he failed?????
Also, I thought people supported Trump because he WINS!!! Hmmmmm....
He didn't need to. He paid others to cast those votes for him.
The stock market and the market economy would do ever so much better free of government interference. As Reagan said, especially regarding the economy, government is the PROBLEM not the solution.
Damn straight. If you own a house on land that Trump wants, why SHOULDN'T he use the power of the state to force you to sell to him? It's just good business, dammit!
(do I even need the /sarc?)
>>I searched high and low, near and far. But nowhere could I find any evidence of Trump casting a single vote to give taxpayer money to himself or anyone else.<<
Um, yeah, but Trump is on the other side of the crony capitalist arrangement. He’s the capitalist and the guys whose votes he’s buying (by his own admission) are the cronies.
Trump epitomizes what is wrong with both politics and with civil society today. He buys politicians and is a social boor of the first order. And that is why no matter how much Trump’s followers continue to rationalize positions that they would condemn in any other conservative candidate, he has very low odds of achieving the nomination.
I can’t stand today’s political correctness atmosphere either, but nominating Donald Trump is the wrong way to address the problem. And that’s about the only position he takes that I believe he’d actually follow through on, at least by example. I mean, we should be able to say whatever we want about Carly Fiorina’s face in public, right? That way our kids and grandkids will learn to do it too and, poof, no more PC!
He doesn't think much of following the rules, either. Remember, when he tried to use eminent domain to seize property from a homeowner who didn't want to sell, he LOST. Because the court found that using eminent domain in that situation was ILLEGAL. So this "he was only playing by the rules" nonsense is bull***t.
We’ve got a corrupt socialist economic and political system and ANY one who participates in it is unacceptable.
I guess that explains Carson’s appeal... though he’s probably taken Obamacare money the dirty rat.
Over the years, my husband has learned how to speak with political correctness and how to play the game and has climbed to the top of his field.
Both of my kids have learned how to smile and play ‘the game’ in order to push forward with their lives in the grown up world. My son’s used labor and tax laws to help his company and get noticed.
They all see that the game is rigged and want to change it.
But they all see that, as of right now, thems the rules.
Trump Derangement Syndrome....
While unlimited immigration will destroy this country, there's a host of other issues that will contribute mightly to that as well. Where does Trump stand on these other issues? He's sure changed his stance on a host of issues important to conservatives of late. Doesn't that worry his supporters? It should. Doesn't it look like The Donald is saying what seems politically conservative p.c.? It sure does to me.
Gary Busey gif here...
And yet Trump has never been accused of any wrong doing or crime or fraud. His employees and previous employees are not coming forward to say how bad he is. No big business guys coming forward to say what a crum bum he is in business. No women coming forward with sexual harassment claims. Hmmmm!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.