The terrifying prospect of Trump winning US presidency
15 February 2016(Reprinted from The Edge – Options pullout, 15 February 2016 issue)
Dear Kam,
Is Donald Trump going to be the next US president? How far underground will I have to live to be safe?
Trumped-Out
Who wins the American presidency is important, so the idea of Donald Trump as the US president is an utterly terrifying prospect for the world, unless you’re into golf courses and New York real estate. Actually, maybe there are some world leaders who would like a President Trump. A long time ago, I used to watch his TV show, The Apprentice, and I was struck by two things. Firstly, his secretary’s surname was Himmler, which must be a very rare surname these days. Secondly, his vetting process appeared to only select aggressive yes-men. The show painted a picture of corporate success being based on aggression, bullying and a complete lack of humility, which is surprising because Trump is not a self-made man. His great wealth came from a huge inheritance from his father and grandfather (neither of whom Trump ever appears to mention). In fact, Trump’s inheritance was so large that a calculation has been made that if the inherited money and real estate assets had been invested in the most boring mutual funds, then he would be worth even more than he is today.
The calculation has its detractors, who argue that Trump is indeed a “Uuuge” success, and I’m sure that if I had inherited US$40 million in cash and a New York real estate empire in 1984, I would still be broke today. A large part of Trump’s current wealth is based on his constant trumpeting of his name in the media. If you pay him enough money, then he’ll let you put the name of Trump on your project and there’s a good chance it will be a success because, astonishingly, there are people who enjoy a design aesthetic that even some of our finest Mak Datins would say is a bit too much. I sniggered when the story came out about the head of US FIFA who caught the attention of the FBI because he had an apartment in New York’s Trump Tower just for his cats. For his cats! If you’re going to buy a huge New York apartment with ill-gotten gains, then you should at least fill it with expensive modern art.
Trump may or may not be a truly successful businessman, but thanks to reality TV, he gives the impression that he is and voters seem to love that. I don’t understand why politicians feel the need to prove that they are good at business (they never are), but business seems to be much more sexy than government these days. In 1936, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a campaign speech where he attacked “the old enemies of peace: business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering”. He said big business was united against him in his bid for re-election: “They are unanimous in their hate for me — and I welcome their hatred.” Voters loved his words and FDR won the election. Now Trump (who likes to refer to himself in the third person) says, “Somebody made the statement that Donald Trump has built or owns the greatest collection of golf courses, ever, in the history of golf. And I believe that is 100% true.” Times have changed. Or have they?
In the race for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton’s procession to gaining the candidacy has hit a bump with Bernie Sanders, who is the polar opposite of Donald J Trump. The passionate support for the very left-leaning Sanders shows that the Occupy Movement lives on. Clinton seems to spend so much energy in not saying the wrong thing that she ends up not saying anything meaningful at all whereas Sanders has been forthright in his condemnation of the greed and incompetence of big business. Obviously, both Clinton and Sanders have been clamouring for my endorsement, but although I like what Sanders is saying, I’m not sure if he can win against Trump. And a President Trump would be a disaster as he would make the simpleton Bush look like a genius.
Fear seems to be making western democracies lurch both to the left but mostly the right with a resulting ugliness of language. The only bright spot appears to be Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who seems to be speaking a quietly confident language of understanding. It would be great to have some of that here. But leadership must be good because it’s making headlines around the world.
Reprinted with the kind permission of
