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President Donald Trump and former chief strategist Steve Bannon. (Photo: Getty)
Following Bannon's Lead, Trump Goes Cannibal on 'Total Joke' Koch Brothers--Fellow Billionaires 'With Bad Ideas'
Of course the president—also a billionaire with a thick catalog of terrible ideas—has a history of projecting.
Jul 31, 2018
Following the lead of his former top political advisor Steve Bannon--who earlier this week told billionaire right-wingers Charles and David Koch to "shut up and get with the program"--President Donald Trump went after the billionaire industrialists (and major GOP donors) on Tuesday morning by calling them a "total joke in Republican circles" and declaring that he never sought "their money or bad ideas."
Of course, Trump--also a billionaire with a thick catalog of terrible ideas--has a history of projecting. But there's nothing like a couple of out-of-touch billionaires with tremendous power and influence eating one another.
Off the bat, many noted that Trump's tweet--whether intentionally or not--offered a rare and truthful admission by the president that the tax bill he signed into law last year was designed to make billionaires like the Koch Brothers (and himself) much richer.
But as The Independent notes:
Mr Trump's outburst came after the Koch brothers' political arm declared it would not help elect a Republican senate candidate in North Dakota, partly over his failure to challenge the White House's trade tariffs.
The decision sent a strong message to Republican officials across the country unwilling to oppose the spending explosion and protectionist trade policies embraced by Mr Trump.
But even before Trump spoke out, Bannon--who the president once accused of having "lost his mind"--was the first to fire back on his former boss's behalf on Sunday.
"What they have to do is shut up and get with the program, OK?" Bannon told Politico in an interview. "And here's the program," Bannon said. "Ground game to support Trump's presidency and program; victory on November 6."
Trump's description of the Koch Brothers as "globalist"--a frequent and derisive moniker used by Bannon to describe the kind of global elites he targets as the supreme enemy within his right-wing worldview and which many interpret as an anti-semitic dog-whistle--appeared as a clear signal that the president believes his attack will receive political approval on the pages of Breitbart and among his base.
Oh. And don't forget all those bad ideas.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Following the lead of his former top political advisor Steve Bannon--who earlier this week told billionaire right-wingers Charles and David Koch to "shut up and get with the program"--President Donald Trump went after the billionaire industrialists (and major GOP donors) on Tuesday morning by calling them a "total joke in Republican circles" and declaring that he never sought "their money or bad ideas."
Of course, Trump--also a billionaire with a thick catalog of terrible ideas--has a history of projecting. But there's nothing like a couple of out-of-touch billionaires with tremendous power and influence eating one another.
Off the bat, many noted that Trump's tweet--whether intentionally or not--offered a rare and truthful admission by the president that the tax bill he signed into law last year was designed to make billionaires like the Koch Brothers (and himself) much richer.
But as The Independent notes:
Mr Trump's outburst came after the Koch brothers' political arm declared it would not help elect a Republican senate candidate in North Dakota, partly over his failure to challenge the White House's trade tariffs.
The decision sent a strong message to Republican officials across the country unwilling to oppose the spending explosion and protectionist trade policies embraced by Mr Trump.
But even before Trump spoke out, Bannon--who the president once accused of having "lost his mind"--was the first to fire back on his former boss's behalf on Sunday.
"What they have to do is shut up and get with the program, OK?" Bannon told Politico in an interview. "And here's the program," Bannon said. "Ground game to support Trump's presidency and program; victory on November 6."
Trump's description of the Koch Brothers as "globalist"--a frequent and derisive moniker used by Bannon to describe the kind of global elites he targets as the supreme enemy within his right-wing worldview and which many interpret as an anti-semitic dog-whistle--appeared as a clear signal that the president believes his attack will receive political approval on the pages of Breitbart and among his base.
Oh. And don't forget all those bad ideas.
Following the lead of his former top political advisor Steve Bannon--who earlier this week told billionaire right-wingers Charles and David Koch to "shut up and get with the program"--President Donald Trump went after the billionaire industrialists (and major GOP donors) on Tuesday morning by calling them a "total joke in Republican circles" and declaring that he never sought "their money or bad ideas."
Of course, Trump--also a billionaire with a thick catalog of terrible ideas--has a history of projecting. But there's nothing like a couple of out-of-touch billionaires with tremendous power and influence eating one another.
Off the bat, many noted that Trump's tweet--whether intentionally or not--offered a rare and truthful admission by the president that the tax bill he signed into law last year was designed to make billionaires like the Koch Brothers (and himself) much richer.
But as The Independent notes:
Mr Trump's outburst came after the Koch brothers' political arm declared it would not help elect a Republican senate candidate in North Dakota, partly over his failure to challenge the White House's trade tariffs.
The decision sent a strong message to Republican officials across the country unwilling to oppose the spending explosion and protectionist trade policies embraced by Mr Trump.
But even before Trump spoke out, Bannon--who the president once accused of having "lost his mind"--was the first to fire back on his former boss's behalf on Sunday.
"What they have to do is shut up and get with the program, OK?" Bannon told Politico in an interview. "And here's the program," Bannon said. "Ground game to support Trump's presidency and program; victory on November 6."
Trump's description of the Koch Brothers as "globalist"--a frequent and derisive moniker used by Bannon to describe the kind of global elites he targets as the supreme enemy within his right-wing worldview and which many interpret as an anti-semitic dog-whistle--appeared as a clear signal that the president believes his attack will receive political approval on the pages of Breitbart and among his base.
Oh. And don't forget all those bad ideas.
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