After a year-long fiasco of a campaign with little more sophistication than a third grade student council contest, it’s no surprise that the kick off of the Republican Trump National Convention was another clown car of chaos, featuring a heated rules fight and even some plagiarism. The GOP’s disunity is on full display, instead of “Making American Safe Again,” the theme of the night seemed to be “Make America Isolated Again.”
Day two’s “theme” is “Make America Work Again,” but with Donald Trump at the helm it would be better named “Make America Unemployed Again.” Trump staked his campaign on his financial savvy and business record — a record he built by outsourcing and conning small business owners, single parents, seniors, and everyday working Americans out of their hard-earned money.
In addition to Trump’s unethical deals and sketchy business connections, economists predict that his policies will devastate the American economy. Trump’s economic plan would kill 3.5 million jobs and his tax policies would increase the national debt by $11.5 trillion.
But Trump could not care less if the economy faces turmoil — he regularly welcomes it. In 2006, Trump excitedly awaited the crash of the housing market: “I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy.” As the world economy suffered after Brexit, Trump callously asserted that “If the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry, frankly.“
Take a look at who will take the stage tonight:
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — if he doesn’t get booed off — and House Speaker Paul Ryan will join Trump in Cleveland this evening. They presumably have plenty of time to chat about working since they aren’t. The GOP-led Congress is currently on a seven week long vacation, the longest recess in 60 years, leaving important decisions like addressing the Zika virus, until the fall.
- Ryan will likely talk about his “better way” for the GOP, which is really just a dressed up version of the Koch agenda. His proposal to root out poverty has been called “laughable,” instead of helping the poor it actually gets rid of “basic consumer protections” and helps big finance. Similarly his plan for taxes embraces “trillions of dollars in tax breaks for the wealthy, including the total elimination of the estate tax, but it doesn’t include any meaningful accounting.”
- The man who wrote the GOP’s guidebook on obstructionism, Newt Gingrich will take the stage as well. He may not be second on Trump’s ticket, but he has plenty to offer to the misogynistic and racist platform. Gingrich has earned himself in a spot in the Republican Hall of Shame for shutting down the government, alienating women
and minorities, and peddling conspiracy theories such as orbital death rays and Kenyan worldviews. - Tonight, Governor Chris Christie will apparently be letting bygones be bygones (while also causing traffic problems for Trump Tower?) and speaking despite being passed over for vice president. Under Christie, New Jersey’s credit rating has fallen nine times, but as long as he doesn’t tell anyone “sit down and shut up” or to “go *%$# yourself”, the RNC seems to think he’s a great choice to feature while focusing on economics.
- Governor Scott Walker, who dropped out of the GOP primary after being dogged by his state’s economic crisis and multiple scandals including a failed tax payer-supported jobs program, will be on stage to shore up the GOP’s status as anti-union and anti-worker. He won’t be talking foreign policy, but don’t put it past him to once again compare teachers protesting “right to work” to ISIS.
- Don’t worry though, there will be at least one dream coming true tonight. Vulnerable Senator Ron Johnson will fulfill his dream of “the Ronald and the Donald.” Johnson has made a point to focus on his support for Trump’s economic message and wanting “better opportunities for the American public.” Apparently he missed Moody’s Analytics prediction that Trump will cause the loss of 3.5 million American jobs and would cause the U.S. economy to be “more isolated and diminished”.
The GOP used to be the party of business, but with Donald Trump as its nominee and more business leaders are abandoning the GOP. The RNC is already on a crash course after day one with no signs of letting off the gas — has Donald Trump put on his oxygen mask yet?
Published: Jul 19, 2016