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It's the Economy, Stupid* And Other Aphorisms

I'd like to say it's all over but the shouting** but it appears that there will indeed be a great deal of shouting before it's really over.

I am among the group that has wondered, from the time he first burst on the scene, how is it that people (and so many of them) are taken in by this person?

I do have at least one family member and several friends who remain Trump supporters. They say it is what he has done for the economy. Some of these people obviously enjoy a very good income but others don't have the proverbial pot to piss in. Hope springs eternal?

Now I am not fabulously wealthy but I have enough for a comfortable retirement. I really didn't start thinking much about my financial future until the 1990 when my aunt gave me a small amount of stocks. I did have a retirement fund from my employment so my contribution and social security were taken out before I could even miss it, but that gift, as my aunt had hoped, got me interested in being more vigilant about such things. According to my memory, my money was growing in what seemed amazing ways during the Clinton years. Hasn't done that since.

I hesitate to show this because it is CNN and many will dismiss it as fake but it does confirm my memory:

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/10/business/us-economy-trump-vs-other presidents/

I have a portfolio and economic profile to look at and I count my blessings but I know plenty of people who don't have the opportunities I have had. 

I can't not care about those people, especially since one of them is my own child.



The rich (and the white) get richer and the poor get poorer.***


So my question is: 

How selfish are we as the people of this nation? And how is it working for us?



* This phrase is attributed to James Carville, a political strategist for Bill Clinton's1992 presidential campaign against George H.W. Bush.

** A phrase my father used often although I cannot say he was the one who made it up.

*** Percy Bysshe Shelley, A Defense of Poetry, 1840,"To him that hath, more shall be given; and from him that hath not, the little that he hath shall be taken away." 

Comments

  1. I have asked a t supporter why they like him. It always boils down to them hating the same people as him. He didn't build the wall and if they thought he should, they hate. He said it was Mexican tax dollars, it was not it was your and my monies that paid for the wall that fell down. Economy? What has he done? He came in to a thriving economy. He has done nothing but lie, use fear as a tactic, and rile up the racists. I will never understand. I know of not 1 person when I have asked what he has done they have anything to point to besides the hate. AND he didn't take my guns. He has done nothing. Europe hates us. Have you seen their newspapers re: trump losing. My God they are celebrating. Even Iran said, "Biden has to fix what trump has done and they have to believe it again" Germany's paper was my favorite.

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  2. Thanks for this, Olga.
    You may recall that my sister gave me a whole list of reasons why Trump is a good president, in her opinion. It was interesting to see that for her every point, I immediately thought of a counter point.
    I don't know it if is selfishness, or partly so, or defense of a long standing position of Republicanism versus Democrats, or conservative ideology that trumps character, or what.

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  3. I always wondered why they couldn't see what we saw. Why he would say something on tape, then deny it later. Some of my Republican friends are one issue voters. Right to life or guns. I guess loyalty to those issues makes them over look all the egregious lies he has told. Fortunately in 72 days, he will just be a smear in our history books.

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  4. Dear Olga, yep, receiving an inheritance - even a modest one - can sure provide a boost...paying off the house, and so freeing up funds to save for later on in life. Didn't receive one, but doggoneit, am determined to leave one - principle of the thing.

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  5. I used to like Trump though I voted for Hillary at the last minute and for Biden this time. He flaunts his wealth and that impressed me. He and his family wore beautiful clothes, which I liked. But, now I know better. He is such a sleazy man, cheating on his 3 wives and cheating those business contractors who worked for him.

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  6. "I can't not care about those people". This to me expresses the difference between Biden and Trump. What I have seen of Biden, it's clear he truly does care. On the other hand both Trump and Melania have demonstrated in many ways how very little they care.

    Take care, stay well.

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  7. Sue, In truth that gift of some stocks was entirely eaten up by my divorce but it served the purpose of waking me up to the need to be more aware of the need for planning ahead for the unexpected.

    ReplyDelete
  8. With the new administration comes lots of breaths of fresh air and lots less stress. We have many Trumpers around us, but we are not one of them. We are extremely glad with the election results. However, it is really important to not be judgmental on your neighbors with different opinions. -- We are smiling at our house! :-)

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  9. I know one friend who is only occupied with abortion. She is Catholic and feels any abortion is wrong. She also thinks Biden is going to let women have abortions at 9 months. I could not convince her otherwise. And THAT was her only thing. She thought Trump wrote some "not very nice" tweets and wasn't very nice, but Biden was all into abortion. And that's it. I couldn't move her.

    ReplyDelete

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