@rbreich
You say, "When I say trickle-down economics is a hoax, this is what I mean."
The Democratic Party & Republican Party are also a hoax.
Trickle-Down Economics, Weaponized Law & Order of Democratic/Republican Party Fascist Duopoly/US Fascist Ruling Class, implemented by US Fascist Ruling Class against Working Class. US Fascist Ruling Class uses Weaponized Law & Order to deny Working Class Labor a SEAT AT THE TABLE, a legitimate Working Class Political Party.
@rbreich
His ghost writer said he has no interior life. He has never shown any interest in anything but "winning", anyone else but "strong leaders" (despots).
Given that he and his team use the court cases to drive his fund raising and political campaign, maybe they see it as simply another cost. In much the same way as some have been known to factor in corporate fines as a cost of doing business rather than a deterrent.
I hesitate to give complete "credit" for his actions and decisions to the former president. I wonder if he realises how much he is also manipulated by others. Trumpism would not end with the retirement of Donald Trump.
@rbreich I think this is mostly accurate, but fwiw, let's not hype his conman skills. He gets away w it in no small part bc he was born into offensive levels of wealth, and NOBODY does class solidarity like the disgustingly rich. Other rich ppl, mostly white men, are easily conned by him bc they assume he must be right bc they think rich = right. There's a structural problem, here, far more than there's a problem that Trump has a super power. He doesn't. He'd be a petty conman if he were poor.
@rbreich Without intending to dip into conspiracy theorizing, it might not necessarily be stupidity, per se. It is certainly ill-advised, but we have to remember that this is a man who considers himself above the rules and above the law. He clearly has impulse control issues, his degrading speech patterns suggest possible mental decline, and I don't think anyone could argue that he's been a narcissist for most of his life.
But one alternative explanation could be that he knows how to sell. What he's selling right now is hatred and victimhood to his base. "Look at how they're treating me!" is what he howls to the press and on social media every chance he gets. His base eats it up. He doesn't need to convince the entire nation, he just needs to convince the enough people in the right places to attempt another electoral win like he did in 2016.
Here's hoping the American people won't fall for it again.
@rbreich You're saying in more detail what Naomi Klein said more pithily some time ago (approx quote) "Yes, Trump is dumb, but beware, he's very good at it". Both of you are dead right.
@rbreich One reason that I was thrilled to hear that he has taken over the GOP offices and filled it with his own people. Let's see if he can win without institutional knowledge of a party behind him.
@rbreich
"“Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart,” he tweeted. As he recounted, “I went to an Ivy League college … I did very well. I’m a very intelligent person.”"
I just happened to mention this to someone the other day too - people who actually are intelligent don't go around saying "I'm a genius!" - they're usually quite humble about it, as opposed to narcissists trying to claim they're greater than they really are...