Duplicitous Donald

Donald Trump seems to remain popular with some American voters because he has made it a point to monopolize off of their fears and concerns. His seemingly pure unadulterated take on politics and how the world works in general has resonated with his supporters. He portrays himself as being anti-establishment, anti-politician and a true outsider. However I would contend that in reality Donald Trump is more of a politician than most career politicians.

Can someone who says they are anti-establishment truly be anti-establishment or an outsider if they openly brag about how they pay politicians to do what they want? Is that not the epitome of why Americans do not trust the government in the first place? Are pay to play politics not at the heart of big business and big government corruption? I just do not think you can say you are part of the answer when you have consistently been a part of the problem. While I do not harbor any resentment towards anyone that does well for themselves no matter how obnoxious, confident or cocky they are, I do not like people that say one thing but do the complete opposite.

I am going to start this whole thing off with the main reason of why I deeply do not like the idea of a President Donald Trump. I have seen many in the media pass off eminent domain as a null issue. However having experienced it first hand and having fought and thankfully having successfully won against it, it is for me the biggest issue I have with him. Besides all of his lies, flip-flops, inconsistencies and in general revolting behavior.

The issues of eminent domain, big business and government overreach is what sparked my interest in politics and the news. During this arduous and nerve-racking 4 year long ordeal, I had the great opportunity of working with almost all of the politicians, both Republican and Democrat, in New York State at the time along with many news networks.

However, it also showed me just how devastating eminent domain can be. Several years ago my father and I spearheaded the fight against a Canadian company that was funded by overseas investors. This company wanted to install a 200 mile long power line through New York State and had tried to use eminent domain to obtain properties that were key to their project. In some cases this project was literally going to wipe out some small towns completely.

All of it started with us just trying to save our own home and business from being taken away because some business man/corporation decided their project was more important than the people standing in their way. Very much mirroring how Trump operates with his business aspirations. As our fight grew, many people along this 200 mile stretch would call our house and plead their plight, asking us to please help them save their homes. I am not sure how many of the people in the media would react if they were suddenly faced with losing everything but it should not be passed off as inconsequential when a Presidential candidate supports what I would argue is big business and big government strong-arming.

For those of you who think it's a silly issue to bring up I want you to try and imagine how it feels to have someone come to you and say that they are going to take everything that is dear to you because it is in the best interests of someone else. Then add onto that feeling, people pleading with you in agony and worry, asking for your help. Have others look to you for help and depend on you to save their livelihoods, their memories, their homes--all while your world is being turned upside down. I want you to try and imagine how we felt when a fight that started out of necessity just for our family ended up being a fight for hundreds if not thousands of families. I promise you, if you had to face this like we did you would be just as passionate as I am on the issue of eminent domain--and just as critical of the man that supports it.

So when Donald Trump says he is for the little guy and says he is against big government, I see that for what it really is--a bold face lie. When you actively use and support the use of eminent domain you are not for the "little guy". Not only does it prove that he cares more about his power rather than the people but it also shows that he is for big government as well. Which in turn goes against the very conservative values he is trying to convince the American people he now abides by.

The last "business man" who espoused the same sentiment of caring about the little guy, while also supporting the use of eminent domain like Trump--was trying to take my home and business away. If I go by Trump's logic I guess it was because he cared so much about me, right? Well I fought against that man and won, that is why I will fight now too. I will fight to show people the hypocrisy of Donald Trump.

Now onto the "self made man" issue. Trump would like everyone to believe that he started from the ground up and became the billionaire he is today because of his genius, his savvy business deals and good ol' hard work. When in reality he was set up for success as a child by his father and has been helped with the most gracious and convenient of bailouts by the people, his father and the government throughout the years.

His father, Fred Trump was a tycoon of real estate and provided him with abundant comfort and security while growing up and continued to do so throughout his life. Trump's father gave him an estimated $1.5 million right out of college and left him with an estimated $40 million to $200 million inheritance. Not exactly chump change. And as far as his business model goes it has not always been peaches and cream.

Trump has filed for bankruptcy four separate times for his businesses since 1991. They were all Chapter 11 restructurings, which Trump constantly brushes off as commonplace in the business world and does not reflect bad business operations. But let's remember, you do not file for any type of bankruptcy unless you are in trouble in the first place. And although he claims that every successful company does it all the time, the facts do not support that. He is the top filer for the last 30 years. Previous to those filings, in 1990, Trump was on the verge of losing everything due to excessive leveraging.

In 1990 The Trump Organization revealed that it was over $5 billion in debt.  If it had not been for a bailout pact agreed upon by some 70 banks, which allowed him to both defer on his debt and let him take out second and third mortgages on almost all of his properties, Donald Trump would have gone completely bankrupt and failed. Not to mention the surreptitious loan from his father which violated casino regulations and resulted in a $65,000 fine.

In 1995 Trump took his Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc. Public. He received a substantial amount of funding from the people. At first he sold 10 million shares at $14 per share and then in 1996 turned around and sold 13.25 million shares at $32.50 a share, that is quite a profit. Without the all of those people that bought into his company, it wouldn't have been such an easy task. They are the ones that made it a successful and stable business venture for him. Once again, someone else gave him the comfort and security to thrive.

So although he likes to think it was all him all the time--he owes an incredibly large part of his wealth and success to those who took the risk of their own money and to the government. Which he consistently seems to ignore or just doesn't care enough to be grateful for. Whatever the case may be, Donald Trump has cost taxpayers, lenders, and share holders millions if not billions of dollars because of his "successful" business deals.

Trump continually says that everyone always got paid when he made his business deals. In essence that may be true, however, the little secret he conveniently forgets to mention is that in many cases the people that invested in him didn't get anything near what they put in back out. It would be more accurate for him to say that he always got the best end of the deal but many times it was at the expense of the "little guys" the "average Americans" he says he cares so much about now.

Another huge problem I have with Donald Trump are his manners. Although it may sound inconsequential to most, for me it is extremely telling of his morals. This is a man that lashes out at other people worse than a child throwing a tantrum. Are we really OK with a man that verbally destroys anyone that doesn't appease his ego?

Trump is famous for being a cut throat guy. You go after him he goes after you, fine--I get that. I own my own business and I tend to be the same way. I defend myself, my brand and my business with vigor. However, you do not get to just spit out ridiculous absurdities about other people first, then get offended when they come back at you, because you are either severely thin-skinned or just a drama queen.

Take the tiff he had with Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Trump had made some  harsh comments about women that Megyn called him out on. Most of these women were verbally demeaned simply because they disagreed with what Trump touts and pretends to be reality. So because of nothing more than a differing point of view, Trump thinks it is justifiable to call women dogs, fat pigs, animals and other crazy things. Is that who we want "negotiating" on behalf of the United States of America? I would hope not.

It did not stop with those 7 women either. After Megyn Kelly called him out, Donald Trump then continued an onslaught against her on twitter. He had also gone after other women like Michelle Malkin and made snide remarks about Carly Fiorina's face. It is simply ridiculous! I do not care what any of them said to him--none of it justifies the utter disrespect and lack of class he chooses to show. Once again, that is not who I want leading my country!

This is a man that is wrought with contradicting principles. He touts hard immigration policies and deportation of illegals--while just last year he had hundreds of illegals working for him on his newest hotel. It wasn't just a one time thing either. There is a history of it. Back in 1990 he had illegals working for him and because of his money troubles, he was not paying them regularly and had threatened them with deportation if they did not continue to work.

Trump always says he wants to bring jobs back to America because all the jobs are going to China and Mexico. Then why in the world would he not lead by example and have his merchandise made here in the United States? Once again he says one thing and does another. His merchandise is made in China, Mexico, Vietnam and other places because it is more profitable for him. That is all he cares about--what is best for himself.

Donald Trump has praised both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the work they were doing. He said Hillary has done great things as the Secretary of State. He even called himself one of Obama's biggest cheerleaders and in 2009 praised Barack Obama for all that he accomplished with so much opposition in his first year in office. Trump even endorsed the Socialist New York Mayor Bill De Blasio--does any of that really seem like he identifies as a conservative?

Then in 2011 Trump supported a nuke deal with Iran.  He says he is against the nuke deal today but back then his only criticism was that he was afraid that Obama wouldn't get it done fast enough. Trump also said he wanted to negotiate the deal himself because he knew he could get it done. He actually said he would use military threats against Iran to get the deal done. Does that really sound like great "deal making" for a president?  The guy literally said he would bomb another country to force them into a deal--I want you to just marinate on that for a moment.

The list of discrepancies goes on and on with Donald Trump. He has continually identified himself as a Democrat right up until he decided to run for President. His track record speaks for itself, it is one of progressivism not conservatism. He claims that he is beholden to no one and criticizes Ted Cruz for a loan from Goldman Sachs but Trump himself has taken out gigantic loans from every bank on wall street. By his own logic he must be owned by all of the big banks. 

The reality is we already have a narcissistic, egotistical President that does not listen to anyone, tries to destroy the people that oppose him, lies and is not held accountable for his actions and thinks he is good at "making deals".  In my view Donald Trump is the same as Barack Obama only running under a different political moniker. As a 25 year old, conservative business owner I am not willing to gamble on the future of my country, not even for just one term of a man that has proved to be as consistent as a tornado. We need a change in this country and I firmly believe Donald Trump is not that change.