Now that Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump have secured the position of presumed nominee of their political parties for the U.S. presidential election in November, they are turning to speaking out against each other. Donald Trump is repeatedly referring to the past First Lady, Secretary of State, and now the first woman to win an election by either party in our two-party political system for U. S. president, as “Crooked Hilary.” So far, it’s mostly because of her inadvertent “mistake,” which she has now admitted, in using her personal cell phone for government business as Secretary of State. The problem was that she, apparently unknowingly, exposed her private conversations as an important federal government official to hacking. An FBI investigation into it is still pending. Then there is a question about her disclosure regarding the Benghazi, Libya, incident.
But I think the criticisms to be lodged against these two candidates weighs much more heavily against the arrogant, egotistical Donald Trump, who is constantly trumpeting his own self. Wisdom says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth” (Proverbs 27.2). It also says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace” (Proverbs 11.2). (Scriptures from NRSV.)
If Trump keeps on with this “Crooked Hilary” line, I think she should call him “Chump Trump.” The word chump means “a foolish and deceived person.” It is such a person who constantly assesses his or her self as much more highly than they are. Again, wisdom also says, “one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29.23). I wonder if Jesus had such things in mind when he repeatedly declared, “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Matthew 19.30; cf. 20.16).
It looks as though this campaign for chief of the White House is going to have more mud-slinging than any in my lifetime, unless Hilary refrains from engaging in such tactics. We can sure The Donald will. But such a strategy on his part could boomerang and bite him in the butt.
Last week, US TODAY newspaper had a feature, investigative article about Donald Trump’s long history as a contractor and business entrepreneur of not paying contractors resulting in many lawsuits, significantly hurting their businesses, and causing some to go out of business. Today, the New York Times newspaper upped the ante by publishing a more thorough and devastating feature article on Trump’s overall business dealings entitled “Trump in Atlantic City: Bankrupting an Empire, But Pocketing Millions.”
It is well known in the U.S. business world that Donald Trump is very litigious and has declared bankruptcy four times. I think this alone bodes ill for him being U.S. president. And he constantly borrowed from Peter to pay Paul, that is, borrowing money for one project to pay debts on another project. Moreover, he sometimes did it no less by issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in junk bonds at up to 15% interest! That’s risky business. But is it ethical? A lot of people lost a lot of money on investing in Donald Trump’s outlandish businesses while he kept stashing it away.
Yet the NYT article says in late 1990, as all of Trump’s business “ventures neared collapse, Mr. Trump’s lender . . . put him on a $450,000-a-month budget for personal and household expenses.” Ouch! What did he live on before that stringent budget?
Donald Trump’s business empire centered mostly on Manhattan real estate in New York City and three gambling casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mr. Trump eventually established The Trump Organization as a holding company of all his properties, including those casinos which he now no long owns. Trump constantly, even now, brags about how much money he made from his gambling casinos which now are pretty much defunct.
Donald Trump’s longtime investment banker has been Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. According to this NYT article, after many years of doing business together their lawyers said, “The Trump name does not connote high-quality amenities and first-class service in the casino industry. . . . Rather, the Trump name is associated with the failure to pay one’s debts, a company that has lost money every year, and properties in need of significant deferred maintenance and lagging behind their competitors.”
America, do we want a businessman like this running this country as head of the White House? Wake Up, America! The supposed Crooked Hilary will not be as bad for this country as Chump Trump!
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