“Are American Companies Dismissing President Trump?” read the headline in The New York Times Magazine over the weekend. In it, staff writer Jonathan Marler discusses how wealthy business executives, many of whom distanced themselves from Donald Trump after his coup attempt, are now turning to the current presidential campaign. It explains in detail how the government is persuading people to support. Marler noted that the volatile nature of far-right leaders is often destabilizing, and warned that authoritarian leaders have “disastrous effects not only on democracies but also on corporations and business leaders.” did.
Trump went there with a flashy fundraiser because the crowd boycotting Bud Light at the rally may be racist, but among the people on his private jet, his outspoken “whites only” He believed he would find an audience that would appreciate his message even more.
Marler's article is a useful read, especially in explaining the likely dire consequences for the economy of Trump's second term. But it is built on questionable premises. In other words, business leaders are smart enough to hate President Trump in their hearts, yet they are putting aside their reservations to curry favor with the next presidential candidate.
The myth that wealthy people are inherently rational is sewn into both the article and its reporting. MSNBC host Nicole Wallace, for example, was frustrated Monday that “smart” people don't recognize the dangers here. But I want people to consider another possibility. That means many wealthy people support Trump because they agree with his unpleasant views. Not only do they think Trump's racist rhetoric is a convenient way to trick working-class whites into voting for him, but they also hold that view. Behind the expensive clothes and luxury cars, many of America's top economic figures have attitudes about race and gender that are no different from what we hear from President Trump's beloved “low schoolers.” is.
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In fact, consider the possibility that the super-wealthy, who rest in a world of luxury and privilege, are actually more racist than the fanny-pack crowd sitting in the cheap seats at a Trump rally. Indeed, Donald Trump thinks so, too, suggesting so at a recent fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida. The New York Times reported that the event was held at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson in an effort to absorb President Trump's promise of further tax cuts for the wealthy, with only the ultra-wealthy was in attendance. It was a safe gathering place for other wealthy people that escalated the already appalling level of racist language that President Trump used at his rallies.
President Trump whined, “Why can't we allow people from good countries to enter?” “These are wonderful countries. Have you heard of Denmark or Switzerland? Is anyone coming from Denmark? What about Switzerland? What about Norway?”
It's easy for middle-class retirees to soak up right-wing propaganda all day long, but it's even easier for rich people.
Sadly, President Trump's latest comments were not adequately covered by the media because they consider his white nationalism to be “old news.” His rants depicting Latin American immigrants as criminals are now standard Trump rhetoric, but that doesn't make him any less wary. And this was a further step by President Trump, articulating his own vision of America as a place where only white people should be welcome.
Settings are very important. Trump went there with a flashy fundraiser because the crowd boycotting Bud Light at the rally may be racist, but among the people on his private jet, his outspoken “whites only” He believed he would find an audience that would appreciate his message even more. His assumption appears to be correct, as New York Times reporters had no complaints about David Duke-style talks at high-end stores. Instead, wealthy attendees opened their wallets and rewarded President Trump with a large check.
Racism is ignorance, and because wealthy people have access to expensive education and worldly experiences, economic elites often exploit the suspicion that they cannot “really” be racist. and make a profit. When billionaires like the Murdochs broadcast racist propaganda onto the airwaves on Fox News, they believe none of it and sneer at working people to get them to vote against their economic self-interest. There is a belief that they are simply manipulating people. But I would argue that the flip side of that is often true. Money isolates people from the outside world and intellectual challenges. It's easy for middle-class retirees to soak up right-wing propaganda all day long, but it's even easier for rich people. They don't need to get a job that requires them to talk to people different from them. They are surrounded by yes-men and rarely encounter evidence that overturns their prejudices. And because they are constantly told that their wealth means they are smarter than everyone else, they get to enjoy the smell of their own farts.
We can see this happening in real time with Elon Musk, head of Tesla and bad advisor to Twitter. Mr. Musk may be the single best example of an executive whose entire business model depends on the continued stability of American democracy. Musk has become a billionaire largely thanks to government contracts. Whatever benefits he gains from the Trump tax cuts pale in comparison to the risks to his business of having to cater to an emotionally volatile would-be dictator like Trump.
Nevertheless, Mr. Musk has escalated his public endorsement of racist conspiracy theories aimed at stoking MAGA fears that “their” country is being taken over by “illegals.” I'm letting you do it. He continues to ignore the fact that non-citizens cannot vote in order to push his “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. This conspiracy theory falsely claims that Democrats are intentionally “importing” non-white immigrants to “replace” white voters and win elections. The conspiracy theory originally originated with neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups and has been used by terrorists to justify multiple mass shootings.
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Musk is not only extremely wealthy, but also has a top-notch education, having graduated from an Ivy League university. None of this prevented him from falling down an internet rabbit hole of racist paranoia based on laughably obvious falsehoods. Maybe he's not stupid enough to believe the lie that illegal aliens vote. However, like most of the people who spread this misinformation, he may be doing so primarily to demonize Latino immigrants and promote the view that the United States should be a “white” country. Highly sexual.
None of this is in Musk's economic interest, especially since it would create political instability that could hit him again. No, the most likely explanation is that he throws himself into racist propaganda because he likes it and likes it to flatter his own prejudices. The biggest difference between Mr. Musk and his less-paid MAGA brethren is that he's less used to having his nonsense challenged. Witness how he responded to Don Lemon's rather mild question about a “great replacement.” He flipped and canceled the former CNN host's Twitter-based show before it even started.
When it comes to “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling, this process has been witnessed very publicly around the world. Her favorite poison is transphobia rather than racism, but it's the same basic principle. Years of incredible wealth and celebrity flattery appear to have led Ms. Rowling to mistake her insensitive reactions for fact. She can't accept the possibility that she's wrong, and she's spent years doubling, tripling, and quadrupling her ugly opinions, and now downplaying the crimes of the Nazis, as any smart person would. We are in a position that no one wants to be in. None of this is rational behavior, much less economically prudent. I probably just lost book sales and movie tickets. Still, she keeps going. It's proof that money doesn't stop you from being a full-fledged bigot.
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