Posted on 06/27/2022 9:35:19 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
Analyzing Trump's presidency, a fascism expert argues he tried to use the office to make money. The historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat described Trump to Insider as a "dedicated" and talented "grifter."
When looking back on President Donald Trump's time in office, Ruth Ben-Ghiat sees someone who pursued a unique goal among his predecessors, one requiring extreme discipline and dedication from the unlikely leader.
"Trump's aims as president were totally different from any other president, Republican or Democrat," Ben-Ghiat, a historian at New York University who is an expert on fascism, told Insider. "His aims were autocratic in that he wanted to turn public office into a vessel of making money for himself — to have private profit off of public office."
With the House committee hearings over the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot prompting renewed scrutiny over Trump's final days in office, Ben-Ghiat spoke with Insider's Charles R. Davis about the insurrection, its ongoing aftermath, and the divisive former president at the center of it all.
This week, in the congressional committee's second televised hearing, lawmakers focused on Trump's massive fundraising efforts following the 2020 US presidential election, in which his campaign sent emails to millions of supporters claiming "the left wing mob" was threatening the integrity of the election and encouraging people to "step up" and "fight back" by donating.
Investigators say Trump's lies about voter fraud ultimately resulted in $250 million in donations from Trump supporters following Joe Biden's victory. Ben-Ghiat said, "He was extremely disciplined in grifting and in trying to use the presidency to make money."
"Autocrats despise their followers and they use them. And that's where him grifting off of his followers — because he is not grifting off of Democrats, he's bilking his own followers."
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Expert on fascism, eh?
What fascists in history (or those of similar mind) reduce their own power.
What fascists for example, support the arming of the citizenry, as Trump did (and does)? What fascists reduce regulations, reduce taxes and support de-centralizing power from a central authority to state legislatures and the people.
This “fascism” talk has been bull from the start.
The historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat should study more history and maybe understand economics 101 a little better.
I would say that Obama was a real grifter given that he has made millions since taking office. On the other hand, Trump has lost billions since becoming President.
The writer apparently is just another leftist taking a pot shot at President Trump.
He looked into the bidens but they were as squeaky clean as the Ozzie and Harriet Nelson’s.
.
Biden sucked up money from every country and entity out there.
Unions, former FBi put $$$ in a trust for his grandkids. He got over a million for a no-show job as a professor from a large donor who he then appointed as an Ambassador.
The whole Biden drug clan lives off of DC, Hollywood, China, Ukraine and every lobbyist out there.
Biden approved Putin’s pipeline after getting about $1 Million from a lobbyist Russia hired that used to work for Biden.
President Trump took a salary of $1 per year.
Doesn’t sound like a grifter to me.
5.56mm
Gee, I don’t think that ever occured to Biden! /s/
Get back to me when they bill Pelosi for all her military aircraft flights.
Now there's a credible, unbiased source! /sarc
The only people making profit from their gubmint positions are the dimocraps. Of course, they will deny it.
Trump forego his salary as President, accepting only $1.
Trump made $4 for his efforts as President.
Funny how people don’t remember that.
I’m less worried about a billionaire becoming president than I am about a bunch of grifters becoming millionaires after getting elected.
LOL - Trump didn’t even take a salary while he was in office.
Stop projecting, Erin Snodgrass and Charles Davis.
“His aims were autocratic in that he wanted to turn public office into a vessel of making money for himself — to have private profit off of public office.”
—
That’s why Trump didn’t take a salary during his presidency, right?
Omg! This is series!
So we have one New Yorker from Queens talking to a liberal Jew from Brooklyn. Talk about projecting onto others what you believe.
And their worldview is ... so ... correct.
BI started as a rag for Columbia J students to get some experience writing and getting published online. Almost all research was done by our trusted friend Goog. The entire site was eventually bought by Yahoo I think.
They actually wrote a story about driving to Alabama to see if they would live through it. Yes, the rag traded away some advertising for a gas auto and let two nerdy dudes drive all the way to Huntsville or Mobile.
And they writers were shocked that they were never accosted, that people were polite and helpful and that Yankees were not immediately abused and made to recite Trump propaganda.
a man who gives away a presidential salary is accused of using the office for profit???
to ‘staying at his own place’:
Kennedy had the family house in Hyannisport.
Teddy Roosevelt had the family house in Oyster Bay.
Here is a quote from the “expert’s” twitter account:
“ Never forget: Nonviolent mass protest is an effective tool against creeping autocracy. The 2017 Women’s March influenced the 2018 midterms and the BLM protests helped to remove Trump from office. ”
The BLM protests were nonviolent according to this blithering idiot.
I fully expect the January 5th committee to make criminal referrals against him to the DOJ (thus the break, fabricating evidence takes time), and Merrick Garland WILL pursue them.
I guess that’s why Trump donated his paycheck 🤪
Try again you ding dong
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