Trump Reinventing Himself As Populist Falls Flat

by Stephen Lendman

Trump didn't become super-rich by being anti-establishment and populist. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, he wants voters to believe otherwise.

He justifiably blasted Colorado's rigged " 'election' without voters," party bosses handing Cruz all state delegates, shutting out the will of the people.

"Let me ask America a question," he said. "How has the 'system' been working out for you and your family?"

During years growing super-rich, Trump never spoke out publicly for the rights of ordinary people. Has he turned a new leaf? Don't bet on it.

"I, for one, am not interested in defending a system that for decades has served the interest of political parties at the expense of the people," he blustered.

"Members of the club - the consultants, the pollsters, the politicians, the pundits and the special interests - grow rich and powerful while the American people grow poorer and more isolated."

He failed to mention his longstanding "club" membership, accumulating super-wealth while ordinary Americans "gr(ew) poorer and more isolated."

Trump's op-ed was largely outrage over Colorado GOP bosses' swindling him, not a sudden awakening of concern for the needs and rights of ordinary Americans - class war ongoing for decades.

Words like the following rang hollow, saying "(t)he only antidote to decades of ruinous rule by a small handful of elites is a bold infusion of popular will."

"On every major issue affecting this country, the people are right and the governing elite are wrong. The elites are wrong on taxes, on the size of government, on trade, on immigration, on foreign policy."

"Why should we trust the people who have made every wrong decision to substitute their will for America's will in this presidential election?"

Trump blasted Cruz for "rak(ing) in millions from special interests." His $4.5 billion net worth, according to Forbes, is its own special interest, easily able to self-fund his campaign while claiming he's beholden to no one.

He's right, saying fed up Americans want change. He's wrong, saying "political insiders have had their way for a long time (so) (l)et 2016 be remembered as the year the American people finally got theirs."

Campaign pledges are made to be broken. America is a one-party state with two wings, each like the other on issues mattering most - the system far too corrupted to fix.

Dirty business as usual is institutionalized. Elections are money controlled exercises, serving wealth, power and privilege exclusively. 

Things are getting worse, not better. America never had a true populist president. It won't get one in 2017 no matter who succeeds Obama. 

A previous article said Trump's sole redeeming virtue is he's not Hillary Clinton. 

The scourge of global war would be less likely on his watch. He'd rather make money.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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