The Great Con Man and His Make Believe Plan

CharlatanHere is  Donald Trump’ speech if you have the time to read it. It is the one he gave along with the one that was leaked to the press before he made it.

He started by saying: “We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order.” He added: “I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon — and I mean very soon come to an end.” He did not tell how that would happen.

He then put out a number of problems he believed America is facing both at home and abroad saying: “Tonight, I will share with you my plan of action for America.” He had would never tell us of his plan.

I thought finally we will hear some substance and not a litany of complaints.

He went on: “our plan will put America First.” Great, I thought, let’s hear it.

He went on:My plan will begin with safety at home . . . On the economy, I will outline reforms.”

A bit later he said: “The first task for our new Administration will be to liberate our citizens from the crime and terrorism and lawlessness that threatens their communities.”

He added:When I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order to our country.” How I wondered. He said: I will work with, and appoint, the best prosecutors and law enforcement officials . . . .” That is at least part of a plan but what exactly will he do that isn’t being done now?

There was no more on that. He moved into saying: “I will work to ensure that all of our kids are treated equally, and protected equally.”

Good idea, I thought. What is your plan. He offered none other than saying he will ask himself if he is doing enough.

We then ended up in foreign lands. He said: “we must also address the growing threats we face from outside America: We are going to defeat the barbarians of ISIS. And we’re going to defeat them fast.”

I have been urging that all along. I waited for his plan. He had one. He said:we need to focus on three things.”

He went on: “We must have the best intelligence- gathering operation in the world. We must abandon the failed policy of nation- building and regime change . . . “ Good ideas I thought but how are you going to do it.

He had an answer: “we must work with all of our allies who share our goal of destroying ISIS and stamping out Islamic terrorism. . . .”  That’s what we have been doing, I thought, what is his plan.

He had none other than to say the usual convention talk of working:with our greatest ally in the region, the State of Israel.

He then talked about how he said NATO was obsolete “because it did not properly cover terror, and also, that many of the member countries were not paying their fair share.” He added: “Shortly thereafter, it was announced that NATO will be setting up a new program in order to combat terrorism . . . “  I guess the idea he wanted us to believe is because he said it was obsolete it changed. That isn’t the case – NATO has been contemplating that role for a long time.

I also thought, speaking of countries not paying their fair share, what were his plans for Israel that gets billions of cash from us each year. You have to know he has our NATO allies worried America’s unprecedented turning away from a long-term alliance.

But while I was thinking he told  us about the third thing we had to focus on: immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism.” To which he added: “We don’t want them in our country.”

Wow, that was weird, I thought. He had no plan for fighting ISIS – his three things – better intelligence, stopping nation building and regime change, and keeping them out of our country is no plan to defeat ISIS .

He said: We are going to have an immigration system that works . . . “ but never said what that was; he talked about illegal immigrants and how some have murdered Americans and how he could solve it but offered no plan other than to say, “We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, . . . . “

Going on he said:  “On January 20th of 2017, the day I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced” but said no more about it.

He told us: “My plan is the exact opposite of the radical and dangerous immigration policy of Hillary Clinton” but did not tell us what it was. He continued: “I have a different vision for our workers. It begins with a new, fair trade policy . . . “  Here is a plan at last. He is going tomake our country rich again. Using the richest people in the world which our country has, I am going to turn our bad trade agreements into great trade agreements.”  He can do that because he says: “I have made billions of dollars in business making deals.”

Earlier in his speech he said: “Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place.” His plan is to bring those same people, the richest in America, in to do our trade deals. The average American Joe and Sue are supposed to believe the people who made the most money in the country during the time when they were falling behind are now going to do deals that will help them.

He went on saying he’s going to tear up the multi-nation trade deals and “make individual deals with individual countries” which is nonsense talk in a world so interconnected. If he doesn’t get what he wants he says he will walk away from the deals which is also nonsense talk – America is not a business it is a country that needs to work with and compromise with others unlike businesses. But I have to admit in this one area he had a plan as unrealistic as it is. even though it is more a nostrum than anything that will work.

He then tells us “I have proposed the largest tax reduction of any candidate . . .”  That is true. It is outlined here.

The problem is according to those who studied it is: “the fundamental concern the plan poses is that, barring extraordinarily large cuts in government spending of future tax increases it would yield persistently large, and likely unsustainable budget deficits.” That, of course, you would expect from a plan where everyone’s taxes are cut.

While cutting taxes he says: “We will build the roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, and the railways of tomorrow. . . . We will rescue kids from failing schools by helping their parents send them to a safe school of their choice. . . “ and help the students drowning in debt and “We will completely rebuild our depleted military  . . . We will take care of our great veterans” who will be able to visit the doctor or hospital of their choice. While cutting back on the money available he is going to spend more. He sounds more like a liberal democrat with his largesse.

The big problem is he has no plan of action for America which he promised to tell us about at the beginning of his speech. More than ever he has shown himself for what he is which is a tabula rasa on which you can write anything you want and believe that is what he stands for.

Stop fooling yourselves! The man has no plan. He is a charlatan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 Comments

  1. Having Hillary forced upon us is like “having the coach’s son being named starting quarterback even though he doesn’t deserve it, and it increases the chances of losing by ten.” —EB3, while endorsing Hillary nonetheless.

    What are these people afraid of…………..?

    http://bluemassgroup.com/2016/07/gearing-up-for-an-election-pitting-cops-cops-wives-cop-wannabees-cop-sniffs-and-trump-people-v-america/

  2. Bill Clinton’s image was sinking faster than Mike Dukakis’ (see tank ride and the Willie Horton incident), after his snoozer of a speech at the 1988 DNC.

    Thanks to the late PR-man David Horowitz, may he rest in peace, who put him on Carson with his saxophone, his image was restored as the next Democratic up-and-comer. Then four years later in 1992 , he puts him and Hillary on Arsenio Hall (shameless courting minority votes) following the California primary, when Clinton was running third behind GHW Bush and ………………..
    MATT CONNOLLY NOW HERE THIS……an outside the box, Republican ultra-successful businessman candidate with no foreign policy experience and sweeping rhetoric and a message of frustration and change that tapped into a nerve in Americans…………sound familiar???????

    https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2016/07/23/david-horowitz-helped-make-bill-clinton-media-darling/sPxwwphbs20YoRkpgoBBZO/story.html?p1=Article_Recommended_ReadMore_Pos5

  3. But at least Hillary has chosen another Irish VP candidate who went to Harvard Law.

    “Athraíonn na rudaí níos mó, an níos mó a fhanann siad mar an gcéanna.”

    (The more things change, the more they stay the same.)

    http://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/niallodowd/The-secret-life-of-Tim-Kaine-harmonica-player-Irish-genealogist.html

  4. Matt, I’m happy that Clinton supporters, like yourself, are adamant that Clinton will win by a landslide. That will allow her voters to remain at home instead of voting. “Trump is a joke”,” Trump has no plan, no experience”, keep shouting it out loud and clear. He has proven that the more he insults you democrats the more voters he lands. Trump has discovered the weakness in your democrat party and what it takes to defeat the Clinton machine. Today, democratic party emails were released that showed, in black and white, how mean and deceitful the Clintons were about dealing with Bernie Sanders. The Clinton mafia is crumbling and please keep writing that Trump is a joke, that he hasn’t got a clue and hasn’t ever done anything in his life. Your writings enlighten people as to how out there the democrat thought actual is. The democrats are on another planet. Enjoy the weekend!

  5. Matt:

    I’m surprised at your column. Here’s why.

    For a man of your age and intelligence, who better would know that the system is totally and completely rigged? Not only have you seen it firsthand in court rooms and court decisions, but you have written many columns on the subject. Trump wants to fix it and he “will deliver.” If you need evidence to prove he will deliver, take a look at the New York skyline and his other successful projects.

    I used to teach “Management By Objectives” “also known as management by results.” Trump’s results speak for themselves and are plain to see.

    Despite your numerous columns on how the court system and the DOJ is rigged, for you to still look for a “plan” when you know or should know that plans take shape when you know what you’re dealing with.

    Based on my direct knowledge on a rigged court system, both state and federal, your comments are inconsistent with what is. Using the court to commit crime is, perhaps, the lowest you can go in any society, especially in America.

    Trump’s goal setting and choosing the course of action by obvious leadership will take shape starting on January 20, and he’ll fix what needs fixing. The children are counting on it.

    My prediction: Trump will win by a landslide.

    [email protected]
    Sworn & Commissioned Officer, Massachusetts Trial Court (Retired)

  6. Matt: Trump is not only going to solve our problems, he’s going to do it quickly! No waiting, no explanations, and no sacrifice from Americans, evidently.

    On Wednesday, Ted Cruz obligingly committed political suicide. On Thursday, Trump was shooting bullets into Ted’s corpse instead of relentlessly attacking Hillary.

    Now it’s her turn. Should be interesting. Personally, I don’t believe a man who denies America’s greatness can be elected president of the United States.

  7. When MacArthur fled the Philippines he said ” I shall return”. No details. No specifics. No plans.What a charlatan.

  8. Matt: I watched Hillary and Tim today (closed captioned); both said that we will be stronger together and that they are going to bring us together, but neither said HOW they were going to do that. Charlatans! No Plans!

  9. BillC over-delivering, making 12 points with 10 numbers. I like that!

  10. Well put, gents. Stay cool.

  11. Well, it’s a ton better than Michelle Obama – “I’m ashamed of my country”

    And it’s a ton better than Obummer – “I’m sorry for everything my country has done or is about to do”

    And it’s a ton better than Killery – “what difference does it make that I commit crimes – give me money – we came, we saw, he died – I’m for illegal Latinos and Muslims”

  12. Matt, you are fooling us. Anyone’s speech can be nitpicked. Do the same to Hillary’s platitudes or Obama’s State of the Union.
    1.Campaign speeches are Aspirational, they set forth Goals and Objectives, Directions, General Policies, Broad Outlines. They are not Planning Documents. Even Planning Documents first set forth Goals and Objectives. You are asking for minutia, the Details of Implementation, the nuts and bolts. Presidents and CEOs set forth Goals and Objectives.
    2.Hillary proposes “free college”; Barack says “the seas will stop rising”. Churchill said “we will fight them in the street and hills.” Did people call them “charlatans” because in their Speeches they did not detail “How”? Churchill was a “Charlatan” because he spoke broadly, with inspiration, and omitted the details of implementation?
    3. Have you ever seen a Corporation’s or Federal Agency’s Annual or Five Year Planning Document? The first few pages contain a Summary, setting forth broad Goals and Objectives. The next one thousand pages contain the Details of Implementation. Political speeches are the Summaries. The Chief Executive gives the Summary and sets forth the Goals and Objectives. The Staff writes the details of implementation. Together, over the course of years, the Plans are implemented. At least you admit you like a lot of Trump’s goals and objectives.
    3. Trump criticized NATO’s lack of a Terrorism Plan before NATO formally announced one. At least, Trump was prescient; and who knows whether his criticism effectuated or hastened its public formalization?
    3. Arthur Laffer, Milton Friedman, Larry Kudlow and many other economists, predominantly of the Chicago School, say lower tax rates stimulate growth, creates jobs and will increase revenues. I was very impressed reading and listening to Friedman some decades ago. I learned this, at least. Economists disagree, as do sociologists and politicians. Cal Coolidge, JFK, Reagan and George W gave us tax cuts, and economists still debate their effect.
    4.. Trump, you omitted to say, also proposes cutting the size of the government, eliminating waste, fraud, red tape, excessive regulation: He said this, “We are going to ask every Department Head in government to provide a list of wasteful spending projects that we can eliminate in my first 100 days.” Very specific!
    5. Trump said, “The replacement for our beloved Justice Scalia will be a person of similar views and judicial philosophies.” Very specific, wouldn’t you say?
    6. More specifics in his speech: “Repeal Obamacare”, “Reducing taxes will cause new companies and new jobs to come roaring back into our country . . . we are going to deal with the issue of regulation, one of the greatest job-killers of them all. Excessive regulation is costing our country as much as $2 trillion a year, and we will end it very, very quickly. We are going to lift the restrictions on the production of American energy. This will produce more than $20 trillion in job-creating economic activity over the next four decades. My opponent, on the other hand, wants to put the great miners and steel workers of our country out of work and out of business — that will never happen with Donald Trump as president.” Very specific!
    7. Cutting Government’s size and cutting regulations and cutting red tape (Trump proposals) will reduce revenue needs and stimulate the private sector.
    8. Trump is setting forth a new direction. Less taxes, less government regulation, unleashing the power of the private sector, stronger control of immigration.
    9. When Trump says we don’t want “them” in our country, he is referring to terrorists. He wants more stringent vetting. He specifically is opposed to sanctuary cities, carte blanche amnesty and open borders.
    10. Many of Trump’s proposals were specific and substantive. In general, Trump’s proposals are clearly distinguishable and often diametrically opposed to Hillary’s philosophy and stated approach.

    • Bill:

      1. Trump said he was going to tell us his plans and he didn’t. You seem to love to excuse his failures.
      2. I repeat Trump said he had a plan which he was going to tell but he didn’t.
      3. Yes, I have seen planning documents which sets out plans. Trump had no plans so I fail to see how they are relevant. I also like pie and ice cream but liking something and looking for a plan are two different things
      3. Trump is doing away with estate and gift taxes. I wonder who that will benefit.
      4. Everyone is going to eliminate waste and fraud but to be truthful that is as much a part of government – look at the military – as breathing. Tell me where in his speech he talked about department heads? Also tell me what department head thinks he has wasteful spending projects?
      5. Scalia reference was specific. Little else was.
      6. Did he tell you how he would repeal Obamacare? Did he tell you how he would get the votes to do this? Did he tell you what would replace it? Reduce excess regulation means nothing. What is it he plans to change? Lift the restrictions on production of American energy. What restrictions is he going to lift? His trillion dollar amounts “over the next four decades” (until 2056) is nothing more than babbling. If you think those general statements are specific I can understand why you think he laid out a lot of specifics.
      7. I’ve heard that before but Trump talked more about increasing spending than cutting. Isn’t he the guy who wants to rebuild the military?
      8. That’s no more a new direction than any other presidential contender set out. They all are going to do this. Have you ever heard any president say: “There will be higher taxes, and more regulations, and more red tape, and we’ll tie down the private sector and lessen control over immigration.” Trump know nothing about governing and his promises are written in the wind.
      9. Trump knows how to say terrorist. He is quite adept at saying radical Islamic terrorist. If he was referring to terrorists he would have said so. You are again offering excuses. He wants people to think Muslims or immigrants by using the word them. Sure he is opposed to amnesty cities but so what – how will he change them? He has no idea.
      10. You already told us you think general proposals are specific so obviously you think he gave a lot of specific proposals but he really didn’t. He gave us no idea how he will accomplish these things. Drink the cool aid if you want but most Americans will come to their senses by election day, as they have in the past, and Trump will lose by a big margin.

      • Matt, Trump stated his Plans in summary fashion. He outlined his Plans. If a person says, “I’ll tell you my plans for the summer: I’m going to Europe, I’ll visit Paris and Rome, then I’ll spend a few weeks down the Cape.” He’s told you his plans. You don’t criticize, “You didn’t tell me what you”ll be wearing, what you’ll be eating for breakfast, how you’ll be getting there, whose going to pay for it?” You may be curious to know the details, but you must admit he’s told you his Plans.
        2. I quoted some specifics. I used POLITICO’s full text of Trump’s speech, not the Washington Post’s version.
        3. It’s been noted that Campaign speeches use generalities and employ rhetorical flourishes: “free college” “landing on the moon” “reduced taxes.” People may scoff at the goals, but they understand the speaker’s Plan.
        4. Trump clearly articulated his Plans for America. He spoke broadly, at times, he gave specifics, as I quoted.
        5. I try to offer “reasons” not “excuses”.
        6. Yes, many politicians promise similar things. Like I said from the get-go, Campaign speeches express aspirations.
        7. No one can doubt that Hillary and Donald have different visions for America; they propose different paths. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the one less traveled by,” wrote Robert Frost. Which path will America choose? The new unknown path? or the same old well-worn Big Government path of the Clintons.

  13. Some other President with a goal but no -plan:

    “We choose to go to the Moon! We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.

    Of course that doesn’t negate the ‘charlatan’ sobriquet. But ‘Charlatans’ have visions too.