Trump's Bonkers Idea of Being Popular: Shortages and Higher Prices


Everyone here and around the world thinks they can understand what is in the mind of Donald Trump. It seems none of us really know, not even his children. Why would he think he could stare down Xi of China when he, Trump, needs political victories in the upcoming midterms Xi has no such pressure. Trump seemed to think Xi would be under pressure when goods could not be sold in the U.S. Trump was wrong about that. Xi correctly predicted political pressure would force Trump to fold and Trump folded. Why didn't he see it coming?

I have my own theory about Trump's mind. He is a very slow learner so much of his behavior goes back to the only experiences he has had in life. One was buying and selling real estate. There, he got by by overstating value when selling and understating value when buying. We see him doing these two things almost daily. 

The other was his experience in show business as a character on The Apprentice. Elvis Presley mastered is bit of show business marketing when still very young. He said later in his life that local people buy tickets to local shows if the show and the star were talked about. Thus, his over the top hair and on-stage gyrations. Cashus Clay the teenaged boxer noticed the same thing. If he said things in public that were outrageous, people would buy tickets to see him get beaten up.  

Trump learned in The Apprentice if the show was talked about viewership went up. Be outlandish and you make more money. He took this theory to politics and feels he needs to the main subject of every news cycle. Invading Canada, buying Greenland and raising tariffs will each dominate the news for a few days. When the cycle for each is over a new one is started. Trump is really good at this.

While I do not expect Trump to learn or improve or think about the consequences of his news cycle theory, I think part of his supporters will come to see his inability to think of consequences. Just because his experience in real estate and show business blocks any ability to see consequences does not mean all Trump voters will also suffer from this weakness. 

Let's hope for beams of light.

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