Donald Trump is hawking Bibles. Michael Harris writes:
It wasn’t cologne.
It wasn’t those $399 Never Surrender gold high-top running shoes.
It wasn’t a T-shirt featuring Teflon Don’s mugshot.
It wasn’t even dubious steaks, or third-rate wine.
It was the Bible. And Pastor Trump was making it available in Holy Week.
I doubt Mr. Trump has spent much time in its pages. But Donald's legal bills are piling up. And now that his daughter-in-large is in charge at the Republican National Committee, she's made it clear that any funds the organization raises will go first to pay those bills. But that will not be enough:
The quadruple-indicted presidential candidate, facing 88 felony counts, has exhibited his endlessly imaginative financial genius yet again. He has figured out a way to monetize God.
Only one thing was missing from his greasy sales pitch. Anyone who really wants a Bible can go online and get one for free. Mind you, it won’t be endorsed by Pastor Trump.
No one should be surprised at Trump’s latest display of scuzzy fundraising for his favourite cause: himself.
This is the guy who dipped into his own charity for personal expenditures, including money to buy his own portrait. The Donald J. Trump Foundation was closed down by court order in 2018. A year later, Trump was fined $2-million for misusing charitable donations.
This is the guy who had to fork over big bucks in damages after the Trump University fiasco. Trump University promised to teach students the “secrets of success” in real estate. Instead, the students were fleeced. A federal court finalized a cash award to the students of $25-million. Trump University is now defunct.
This is the guy who solicited money for his official legal defence fund after losing the 2020 election. It turned out that the fund never existed. But that didn’t stop his Save America political action committee from raking in millions of dollars by “hitting up” what Amanda Carpenter of the bulwark.com called Trump’s “gullible admirers.”
Mark Twain knew a lot about con men. He knew that the most successful among them posed as men of the cloth -- and that they became rich because, as he wrote in Huckleberry Finn, "the fools are the majority in any town."
Image: The Hill Times
14 comments:
The Bible offer is small potatoes and likely a diversion from the real con:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/03/29/the-trump-media-stock-bubble/
"I am sure among the angel investors (who put up the seed money for Truth Social) there will be some bitterness when Trump’s forced sale of his shares tanks the company, rendering their stakes worthless.
Keep in mind too that Trump views public companies as vehicles that exist to absorb his debts, not to share his gains, and he will do his best to turn TMTG into a private overdraft checking account.
Given Trump’s controlling 58% shareholding in DJT, chairmanship of the board filled with yes men and family members, and presidential candidacy, you might well think that regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission would open an inquiry into the propriety of these “pump-and-dump” arrangements, although for the moment the SEC seems to be blessing all this celebrity stockjobbing."
He's been a fraud all his life, PoV. And the fraud continues.
When people like Trump triumph through their disreputable schemes, Owen, it leaves me with little hope for our species. As I was saying to my wife last evening, it seems we now live in a world where good is evil and evil is good. For example, when Trump's public abuse of judges and their daughters is cheered on by the rabble, I see little reason for hope. George Orwell certainly knew of what he spake.
Orwell knew how willingly people defended the indefensible, Lorne.
He's(Trump)more like Elmer Gantry everyday. A Confidence man selling religion.
The author of Elmer Gantry -- Sinclair Lewis -- is supposed to have said "When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross," zoombats.
Stephen Harper a founder, and leader of the world wide authoritarian movement. Of course Trump now proudly talking his place in the leadership. See Orban at Mara Lago.
Harper I think must pretty much control Poilievre.
Today (Mon) Poilievre seems to getting the old freedom convoy team back together.
John W.
.
What would the court normally order as a punishment for 88 felony counts, if he was found guilty?
Poilievre would be a step backward, John.
It depends on the crime, hels. The document counts carry sentences of ten years or more for each count.
Poilievre is the book jacket version of Stephen Harper.
Precisely, John.
Thanks for bringing Sinclair Lewis to my attention that he was the author of Elmer Gantry, a very powerful movie and I'm sure an equally good read. I was familiar with Lewis and his quotes regarding Fascism and we might remember that Trump has been kissing and wrapping himself in the flag. With respect to Pollievre maybe we should read Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here" for another parallel route to avoid.
Trump doesn't read much, zoombats. Something tells me that Poilievre doesn't read much litrature.
Post a Comment