President Donald Trump is not known to be a devout reader, but he must have read at least one author during his lifetime: H.L. Mencken.
Mencken’s most famous quote is this: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” This was the hidden basis of the Trump campaign, and it has been exposed during the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency.
Trump promised that his entire focus would be on what is good for the American people. Voters bought this fantasy hook, line, and sinker.
But instead he has proposed replacing Obamacare with a health care plan that will push many of his loyal but low-income supporters off Medicaid and government-subsidized health care plans.
Even his own party rejected this plan. He promised to “drain the swamp” in Washington, D.C., but instead has loaded his Cabinet with billionaires who cannot possibly understand the struggles of the common man (or woman).
He hired a National Security Adviser (Gen. Mike Flynn) with known ties and payments from foreign governments, Turkey in particular, which is a felony. I have not heard a drumbeat from Red State voters to “lock him up.”
Trump nominated an attorney general who had to recuse himself from an investigation of Russian influence in our presidential election.
His latest folly is a tax reform plan that promises to benefit himself, his family business, and that of many other extremely wealthy benefactors, while piling trillions of dollars on the national debt and offering little or nothing of benefit to middle-class or low-income citizens.
All of this has happened while his loyal supporters stick with him. If there is one example of his policy that actually will improve the life of common folks, and our stature in the world, it is hard to find.
H.L. Mencken is chuckling in his grave.
