Donald Trump and Bilking the MAGA Base©

Donald Trump and Bilking the MAGA Base© 

Twenty minutes after court was dismissed last Monday in the first day Donald Trump attended the civil lawsuit against him for fraud and other associated crimes in New York, his campaign team sent out a fund-raising email.(1) I’m not telling anyone who is paying attention anything new when I call attention to the fact that every time the former president has been in court in recent months he immediately uses the opportunity to raise funds. We already know he is a con man, he has been found liable for business fraud in New York. So would-be donors must consider the high degree of probability that they are being suckered. Trump’s constant pleas for money are perverse. To begin with, he claims he is very wealthy man. He never tires of boasting about his wealth. If he is so wealthy, why does he come with open hand every time he comes out of court?  Here are a couple of possible answers to this question. First, maybe he is lying about how wealthy he really is. Given his innate mendacity, that is also a distinct probability. Second, he doesn’t want to use his own money and knows he can bilk his MAGA base. In either case, as always, Trump constructs his fantasy world to have it both ways to his benefit. In the Good Book, the Apostle Paul teaches Timothy “the love of money is the root of all evil.”(2) Donald Trump is Exhibit A in the evidence for Paul’s case; meanwhile the dupes in the MAGA base pay his bills.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:

1.  Many commentators and pundits note that Trump’s non-mandatory appearance at this trial is indicative of where his values really are. He is most concerned, they say, about his pocketbook and the superiority, fame, status, and power he believes wealth gives him.  He sees his court appearances as an opportunity to bilk–or maybe more accurate–filch the MAGA folks.

2.  1 Timothy 6:10.

“Breaking News! Former Chief of Staff Says Trump Has No Idea what America is About and Has Contempt for the Constitution.”©

 “Breaking News!  Former Chief of Staff Says Trump Has No Idea what America is About and Has Contempt for the Constitution.”© 

Just this afternoon (2 October 2023), CNN’s Jake Tapper disclosed an on-the-record-statement from John Kelly, Donald Trump’s longest serving Chief of Staff, critical of his former boss. This is noteworthy not only for the length of time Kelly served Trump and therefore knows whereof he speaks, but heretofore Kelly has been somewhat reticent to speak out against the former president.  Kelly had many scathing things to say about Trump, but I am concerned with and will only publish one brief excerpt.  He said Donald Trump is:

“A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior [General Milley] who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason – in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”(1)

On 21 June 2023, I wrote a blog here titled “Donald Trump: An ‘Enemy to the Constitution” in which I quoted Trump’s own words on Truth Social that he felt that the circumstances of an alleged stolen election “allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” I also cited Liz Cheney’s statement at the end of the House Investigation of Trump that “No honest person can now deny that Trump is an enemy of the Constitution.” [My emphasis in both quotations.] And General Milley referred to the former president as a “wanna be dictator” in his exit remarks as Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff.

The point I’m making here is that Kelly’s remarks very strongly sustain and confirm what I wrote three months ago. I’m not crowing here. I’m simply trying to keep my eye and your eye on the ball. Tapper appeared to be more offended by Kelly’s revelations that Trump dissed dead or wounded veterans than of his “contempt” for our institutions and the Constitution. On January 6 the man broke his oath to sustain the Constitution, and probably many other times previous to that. Those who know him by serving with him or closely investigating him keep warning us that he does not uphold the Constitution nor the institutions, rights, and freedoms it provides for, that he does want to be a dictator.  

Tapper is right in one other statement he made: “No other presidential candidate in history has had so many detractors from his inner circle.” [My emphasis.]  The “tell all” and books warning us about Trump by former members of his administration has no equal in our history and the list continues to grow.  Yet, apparently 20 to 25 million of the so-called Trump base, ostrich-like, hide from, simply ignore, or believe Trump contra these assertions. They are like the proverbial guy who says, “Don’t confuse me with facts, my mind is already made up!” It is inexplicable, but sane voices need to keep resisting the totalitarianism Trump and the MAGA base would impose upon this country.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:

1.  Jake Tapper, “Exclusive: John Kelly goes on the record to confirm several disturbing stories about Trump,” CNN, 2 October 2023.  See it online @:  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/exclusive-john-kelly-goes-on-the-record-to-confirm-several-disturbing-stories-about-trump/ar-AA1hBaQp?cvid=47d629c459ba46d1a808a22e922200b8&ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&ei=17#image=AAUU2x4|1