Dear Commons Community,
Two days ago during a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Donald Trump commented that he does not want poor people in key cabinet positions. Instead he wants “brilliant business minds.” His disdain for poor people has been his trademark for years. Yesterday the New York Daily News reviewed several of his choicer comments regarding the poor.
“President Trump does not want poor people in his cabinet. Or running for office. Or playing golf. But he does want their votes. In fact, he expects poor people to vote for him because they are poor.
This is the worldview we know from Trump’s public statements about America’s struggling class — the same group that helped propel his populist campaign into an unprecedented presidential victory.
Despite riding to office in large part thanks to blue collar anger at elites, the self-proclaimed billionaire businessman who used to live in a golden Manhattan penthouse has rarely even attempted to hide his disdain for people who aren’t rich like him.
America, here are some choice words from your people’s candidate:
“These are people that are great, brilliant business minds, and that’s what we need, that’s what we have to have so the world doesn’t take advantage of us. We can’t have the world taking advantage of us anymore. And I love all people, rich or poor, but in those particular positions I just don’t want a poor person. Does that make sense? Does that make sense? If you insist, I’ll do it, but I like it better this way.” (Cedar Rapids, Iowa presidential rally remarks about his cabinet, June 21, 2017)
“What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump? What do you have to lose? You’re living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?” (Dimondale, Mich. campaign rally remarks focused on black voters, Aug. 19, 2016)
“Let golf be elitist … Let people work hard and aspire to someday be able to play golf. To afford to play it. They’re trying to teach golf to people who will never be able to really play it. They’re trying too hard. Because of the expense of playing, and the land needed, golf is never going to be basketball, where all you need is a court.” (Fortune magazine interview, July 1, 2015)
“My entire life, I’ve watched politicians bragging about how poor they are, how they came from nothing, how poor their parents and grandparents were. And I said to myself, if they can stay so poor for so many generations, maybe this isn’t the kind of person we want to be electing to higher office. How smart can they be? They’re morons. There’s a perception that voters like poverty. I don’t like poverty. Usually, there’s a reason for poverty. Do you want someone who gets to be president and that’s literally the highest paying job he’s ever had?” (New York Times interview, Nov. 28, 1999)
Trump’s comments in Cedar Rapids were met with applause!
Tony
