Celebrating Everything "We" Stand For!

 

Right before his (indoor, possibly cursed) swearing in (as opposed to his cussing out, which is every day around here), Trump has launched a meme coin because "it's time to celebrate everything we stand for" which feels about right, depending on your value of what Trump stands for. He might not do anything about your grocery bill--he's VERY likely to make your fuel bills higher, but he definitely, with a raised fist no less, will fight to do this.

This always feels to me like the sort of obvious buck-raking activity that should counter the sort of wide-eyed Trumpstans who say things like, "He refused his presidential salary; look at all he gave up!" The office of the presidency shouldn't be a gold mine!

But this also leans into the notion of Trump's popularity is a sunk-cost situation: forget about hats and flags and "emotional investment". This is a political figure who has made his political persona also about a financial investment. 

This week, we heard that Trump's pick for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, made at least $3 million from the Trump Media merger. She has somewhere between $2 and $10 million in the stock. She says she'll divest and recuse herself from anything to do with supporting the Trump company--but? I dunno--great timing to divest, if you think about it. Trump is also looking to buy back the Trump International Hotel. 

I know--Trump is supposed to be divesting his interest in his different businesses. Sure, Jan! He's got his sons running it, and we all know better what that really means. 

Over the years (a lot of them!) Trump has demonstrated over and over again what he really stands for.  His billionaire buddies, his special guests at his inauguration, the whales who have made donations to his inauguration fund, will get tax cuts--and look for ways to slash benefits for the least among us.

I don't think MAGA has ever really recognized that the Trump "we" is more like a "royal we" than anything they really have a part in except to the extent that they empower him. And enrich him by doing so.