Trump Didn't Become President to Enrich Himself

For the past few years the peeping-toms in the press have spent vast sums of cash and manpower to sift through distant moments in Trump’s life in order to give the busybodies among us a voyeuristic glimpse into his private affairs. Whether it was his sex life, his finances, or his crass choice of words, many were as disgusted by what they learned as they were eager to lap it all up.

Even so, they were never unable to uncover anything we didn’t pretty much know already, or at least suspected. Yes, the man with the golden toilet was materialistic and gluttonous. Yes, the billionaire playboy had a seedy and sordid love life. Yes, the man who made his fortune doing real estate in one of the most corrupt cities in the country’s history acquired a few unethical business practices and connections. Yes, the guy from Queens had a foul mouth. In retrospect, we’ve seen far worse come from people that Trump's enemies once held on pedestals, except that their indiscretions occurred after they occupied public office and not before it.

As the most reputable papers quickly devolved into little more than gossip columns, and their outrage resembled reactionary snobbery than anything like a valid concern, the voyeurs took it even further. They mistook Trump’s sparse and often disparate indiscretions while as a private citizen as evidence of his future motives in his role as the president. Thus, various pieces of fiction, like how Trump only became president to enrich himself, were born.

The problem with this method of analysis, apart from the obvious presumptive nature, is that every motive must hitherto be questioned, every stated intention must be impugned, and every action, however beneficial to the country or even the world, must be met with unbridled cynicism, even if there is no evidence to do so. This cynicism and species of bad faith negates the faculty of forgiveness, makes one susceptible to group think, and turns hatred into a habit rather than an emotion governed by reason. Through malice and malice alone, they eliminate any chance for Trump's redemption in their eyes.

It's a good thing history is not up to them.

***

The haters do have a point. The President might actually be in it to enrich himself. It would be naive to say otherwise – no man operates on pure altruism. But perhaps the enrichment he is after isn’t purely self-concerned.

He still makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year from his properties. He'll never be poor. But in comparison to a few of the preceding presidents, Trump’s net worth seems to be the only one to see a decline. He stepped away from his role as a multi-billionaire playboy to become the top civil servant in the country, which seems to me a demotion, not a get rich quick scheme. He also donates his presidential salary, which is odd considering the accusations we’re discussing. Add on top of that the negative press, the growing list of accusations, investigations, boycotts and enemies – the lawyer fees alone must be horrendous – it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain this cynical piece of fiction.

He should probably cut his losses now, otherwise he’s at risk of impoverishing himself further. But, no, his reelection campaign has already begun while his opposition still scurries to find a candidate that might beat him.

I don’t think the idea that Trump ran for office in order to increase his net worth holds any water anymore, and is in fact a cynical lie and piece of propaganda. Perhaps, as his own words testify, he actually loves the country, wants to see it and its people prosper, and is tired of the same ruinous policies, the same political correctness, the same flouting of American sovereignty and greatness that he has been criticizing for much of his life.

Whatever the results of his presidency and how history will remember his legacy, the cynical piece of fiction that he did it to enrich his fortune will die with those who once believed it.

Donald Trump is not my cup of tea personally.

But the nation is better off with him than without him. He actually cares. Hes not perfect, neither am I. I don't want another smiling politician. The Bush/Clinton/Obama/McCain fakery of the past had to be relegated to the dust bin of political history. The Progressive Era 2 must end.

a reply to: MadLad

I heard an interview with his daughter once.

She said that when he decided to run for President, he gathered the family around and told them what he was going to do.

Then he pointed out that if he tried this that the media, the left and everyone else would accept nothing less than the complete destruction of himself, his wealth and by extension his family.

Then he asked them to vote on whether or not he should, because it was going to make everyone's lives harder and he wouldn't do it without the family's approval.

His son asked why he even wanted to do it.

Trump replied that the country needed fixing and he thought he could do it.

So they voted yes.

Tell me that this man wanted to run for selfish reasons.

He already had everything.

Listening to that interview made me see him in a whole new light.

He KNEW what he was getting into and did it anyway.

a reply to: MadLad

I'm in total agreement with your post, very well written and expressed.

I think too, that Americans see their president as a direct reflection of who they are. When they see someone that has odd behavior, acts egotistical, doesn't "play the game", is blunt, makes blunt remarks - they are personally offended and embarrassed. My own opinion is he seems to be able to charm people one-on-one (most of the time, when it comes down to the final hour) and I don't care what he does in his personal life or how he says things - if he can do the job then all the more power to him. And that's what he is doing. I think he's on the "spectrum", ie: Asperger's.

I'm not an American, but that's my thought on it.

originally posted by: projectvxn
Donald Trump is not my cup of tea personally.

But the nation is better off with him than wothout him. He actually cares. Hes not perfect, neither am I. I don't want another smiling politician. The Bush/Clinton/Obama/McCain fakery of the past had to be relegated to the dust bin of political history. The Progressive Era 2 must end.

I certainly wouldn't leave him alone with my wife. But his intentions towards the country are, I believe, genuine.

I believe anyone who wants to be President of the United States has a screw loose. Democrat, Republican, whatever. Nobody but someone with a huge ego or messiah complex would want to put themselves in a position where they're primarily a target. Any rational person would see that they could accomplish a whole lot more good as a private citizen than they ever could as President.

That's why all the really smart people, the ones who actually can figure out how to run things correctly, stay in private business and every four years we're stuck with a parade of oddballs so heinous that it's always a matter of trying to figure out who is the lesser of evils.

It's sad, really. But don't count on election reform happening anytime soon. It would be like trying to convince all football quarterbacks to agree to a rule change where you can't throw the ball.

They have discovered, through many man hours of intense research, that a billionaire playboy business tycoon acts like a billionaire playboy business tycoon.

And they honestly believe this makes them ‘clever’.

Everything you mentioned, and more, has done NOTHING but drive support away from the left, away from the dems, away from the Libs.
They know this. Yet they keep it up. The hivemind allows no other thought process. It’s stuck on a loop of Orange Man Bad and we have the moronic displays of that loop here on a daily basis.

Six more years of this to go. And it gets more enjoyable by the day. Every time any single one of them is given a platform, they slide further into obscurity.

The death of the ‘left’ seems more inevitable now than ever before.

And that’s not President Trump’s fault.

a reply to: MadLad


One of the best things to come out of a Trump Presidency is that
the vileness of the left have taken center stage and it is no longer
hidden that the far left control the Democratic Party.

Irony and hypocrisy is all that's left, of the left.

The Irony are the screams of racism that comes from the party established by racists.

The hypocrisy are the screams for the children of other nationalities while killing our own, in and out of the womb.

He's got millions of people pretty much worshipping him as if he's the Second Coming and can do no wrong. I'd say that's payment enough in his eyes. Those in power gave him decades of fame and fortune in return for his act today. 😂

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
He's got millions of people pretty much worshipping him as if he's the Second Coming. I'd say that's payment enough in his eyes. Those in power gave him decades of fame and fortune in return for his act today. 😂

Conservatives don't worship someone who is making the country better.

We just like that he is making the country better... I can't stand him on a personal level, for instance.

But I'll vote for him next time because our country is getting better under his leadership.

As opposed to the left, who appear to worship someone "on their side" who makes the country worse.

Google "Obama Halo" for fun.



Edit to add.. the media fawned on him for decades before he did one thing: change his job title.

He lost the positive media attention by becoming President, so your logic is a little faulty there.

a reply to: MadLad

You never know what spider lurks above your face when you sleep, till you shine the light on it.

And then when you go to swat it, it yells "NAZI!!"

true story!

In the minds of the moronic left. Not opppsing his every move is called ‘worshipping’.

a reply to: Lumenari

Making the country better how? By giving the people who are buying our politicians and our government a trillion dollar permanent tax break? Maybe it's by selling terrorists a hundred billion dollars in weapons? Oh I know, he's making it better by throwing fuel on the partisan fire along with the media and other bought and paid for politicians? Yeah, for sure! 😂

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
He's got millions of people pretty much worshipping him as if he's the Second Coming and can do no wrong. I'd say that's payment enough in his eyes. Those in power gave him decades of fame and fortune in return for his act today. 😂

That says more about his competition, than himself.

Imagine, if his opposition was not a murderous, self service bunch of miscreants who have been in power for decades, thinking they have it in the bag, because their culture club was not so infested in politics.

Don't make me cry..

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: Lumenari

Making the country better how? By giving the people who are buying our politicians and our government a trillion dollar permanent tax break? Maybe it's by selling terrorists a hundred billion dollars in weapons? Oh I know, he's making it better by throwing fuel on the partisan fire along with the media and other bought and paid for politicians? Yeah, for sure! 😂

Partisan triggered rant noted and giggled at.

If THAT is all you believe he has done in the last two years then your programming is complete darling.

Have a nice night.

originally posted by: Breakthestreak
In the minds of the moronic left. Not opppsing his every move is called ‘worshipping’.

Shhh, don't talk like that.. You have to hate even his best of moves, or you're a sinner. And their god Hates sinners..

a reply to: Lumenari

Yes.. he went from business darling who could shine around those seeking the light, to the racist evil creep who can never do good, as soon as he disrupted the political ground around them.

this we have all seen.. before anything else, he was an icon.

now he is a beacon.. of the leftists hate.

Shows just how it all works, "Be like us, or we will destroy you!" politics.

a reply to: Lumenari

Those are the most important ones. At least you agree that's what he's done.

He ran on the platform that he wasn't in the back pockets of special interests, then he goes on to give those special interests a permanent tax break! But hey, I got maybe a month's mortgage payment less in taxes taken out of my paycheck so who cares? You can't make this stuff up. 😂

He also ran on the platform of defeating ISIS and terrorists in general, then goes on to sell terrorists a hundred billion in military weapons. But hey, the media says mean things about him, so that makes him A-OK in my book. 😂

Hilarious. Guess who will take full advantage of that tax break once they're out of office? I'll give you a hint, he has yellow hair and is the very best at everything, believe me. 😂

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: Lumenari

Making the country better how? By giving the people who are buying our politicians and our government a trillion dollar permanent tax break? Maybe it's by selling terrorists a hundred billion dollars in weapons? Oh I know, he's making it better by throwing fuel on the partisan fire along with the media and other bought and paid for politicians? Yeah, for sure! 😂

He has also legitimised and praised a rogue dictatorship that has been thorn in the western worlds side for decades.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: Lumenari

Making the country better how? By giving the people who are buying our politicians and our government a trillion dollar permanent tax break? Maybe it's by selling terrorists a hundred billion dollars in weapons? Oh I know, he's making it better by throwing fuel on the partisan fire along with the media and other bought and paid for politicians? Yeah, for sure! 😂

How about this for starters. You might not agree with them, but his supporters like them.

1) He got conservative judge Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.
2) The stock market is at an all-time high.
3) Consumer confidence is at an all-time high.
4) He created more than a million jobs by undoing Obama’s regulations.
5) Mortgage applications for new homes is at a 7 year high.
6) Unemployment rate is at a 16 year low.
7) Signed the promoting women in entrepreneurship act.
8) Gutted 800 Obama era regulations thus freeing up companies to hire again and get the economy moving once again.
9) Ended the war on coal and caused a new mine for coal mining to open that will mine clean coal. He also put the miners back to work.
10) Weakened Dodd-Frank regulations.
11) Promotes buying and hiring American.
12) Investments from major businesses such as Foxconn, Ford ,Toyota, Intel amd others will build here now.
13) Reduced illegal immigration by over 70%.
14) Bids for the border wall are underway.
15) He’s fighting back against sanctuary cities.
16) Changed the rules of engagement against ISIS.
17) Drafted a plan to defeat ISIS.
18) Worked to reduce the cost of the F-35 fighter jets.
19) Imposed a five year lobbying plan.
20) Sanctioned Iran over its’ missile program.
21) Responded to Syria’s use of chemical weapons.
22) Reduced tax reform plan.
23) He’s renegotiating NAFTA.
24) He withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership thus keeping jobs here.
25) He pulled us out of the Paris Climate Accords thus saving us millions of dollars every year.
26) Created a task force to reduce crime.
27) The DOJ is targeting dangerous gangs like MS-13.
28) Signed independence and economic growth law.
29) Signed an executive order to protect police officers and target drug cartels.
30) Signed an executive order for religious freedom.
31) His administration is working on sending education back to the states.
32) He’s fixing the dept. of Veterans affairs so now vets can choose their own doctors and be covered. This also protects whistle blowers and allows VA to terminate bad employees..
33) Authorized construction of the Keystone and Dakota pipelines. The Dakota pipeline is up and running without harming the environment.
34) Created commissions on election fraud and opioid addiction.
35) Food stamp use is the lowest level in seven years.
36) Reduced the White House payroll saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
37) He’s donating his salary to various causes.
38) Signed 52 pieces of legislation.
39) Cut 600 billion from UN peacekeeping mission.
40) Gas prices lowest in more than 12 years.

www.quora.com...

ETA- That was just 2017