Contrary to what Trump would like to have us believe, he is not an entrepreneur in the traditional sense. He was born extremely wealthy. He has led a life of privilege. His business dealings have a universal theme: they involve huge banks lending Trump money after big government has cleared the way for him. Last weekend I pointed out Trump’s fetish for eminent domain. (I was not the first, my colleague, Jay Caruso made similar observations back in October.) Not for public works but because Donald Trump has a greater need for your property than you do.
As Caleb and Leon have pointed out, Trump is in hock right up to the eyebrows to the biggest of the government sheltered “too big to fail” banks and financial institutions. His endorsement of Big Corn’s obscene Renewable Fuel Standard — something that only benefits huge agribusiness and hurts anyone who owns a car or buys meat — and his endorsement by the King Crony Capitalist in Iowa, Governor Terry Branstad, all point to his big government + big business impulses.
Now Ted Cruz has an ad pointing out Trump’s willingness to use the force of government to take what he wants:VO: Eminent Domain. A fancy term for politicians seizing private property to enrich the fat cats who bankroll them. Like Trump.
TRUMP: I think eminent domain is wonderful.
VO: It made him rich. Like when Trump colluded with Atlantic City insiders to bulldoze the home of an elderly widow for a limousine parking lot at his casino.
VERA COKING (the aforesaid widow): He doesn’t have a heart, that man.
VO: Trump won’t change the system, he’s what’s wrong with it.
These are the policy differences that Cruz talks about. Trumps woofs about making America great again, but if you look at his track record it isn’t so great for anyone who gets between him and what he’s trying to grab.
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