I want you to look at him in all of his glory: “Larry the Liquidator.” The entrepreneur of post-industrial America, playing God with other people’s money. The robber barons of old at least left something tangible in their wake- a coal mine, a railroad, banks. This man leaves nothing. He creates nothing. He builds nothing. He runs nothing. And in his wake lies nothing but a blizzard of paper to cover the pain.
Other People’s Money (1991)
Norman Jewison’s production “Other People’s Money” is a dramedy about personal greed. Corporate raider Larry Garfield (Danny DeVito) targets a small but very successful cable and wire company run by chairman of the board Andrew Jorgenson (Gregory Peck). At first, Jorgenson and the employees are elated, believing investment by Garfield’s equity company will lead to continued growth. Until he realizes Garfield’s end game is to shut down the business and sell off its assets.
Which brings me to the Trump crisis du jour. When I saw the headline in this morning’s New York Times that Donald Trump had ordered a massive attack on Iran, it was the subhead that caught my attention. “Trump Calls for Overthrow of Government.” Then I read the transcript of his eight-minute video announcing the attack. The last paragraph contained the following.
Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.
America does not need another Lawrence Garfield when we have our own “Donald the liquidator.” Except, in his case, there is a major difference. He satisfies his greed, not only with other people’s money. He also deals in other people’s live. Just as Garfield assured the stakeholders at New England Cable and Wire he had their backs, Trump has promised Iranians a better future. Knowing that thousands of protesters have already died, he sends them into the breech again. Trump demands regime change, but at the cost of other people’s lives. Unless you believe, when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard retaliates, Trump will send in U.S. troops to support the rebels. Or is it more likely, the commander-in-chief will develop more bone spurs?
Perhaps there is some argument to be made that simply clearing a path for disaffected Iranians to fight for a new future as a non-nuclear member of the international community makes sense. But, once again, Trump proves he is the world’s worst poker player. At 4:35 am, in the middle of a major military operation, he posts the following on Truth Social.
Iran tried to interfere in 2020, 2024 elections to stop Trump, and now faces renewed war with United States.
The post references an article in an alt-right website “justthenews.com.” In other words, the attack was not about Iran’s nuclear capability. Or freedom for the Iranian people. As always, the driving force is Trump’s ego and personal humiliation, having lost the 2020 election. For this, he once again puts other people’s lives at risk.
I wish this was a one-off, but it is not. He abandons the Ukrainian people to maintain some unholy alliance with Vladimir Putin. He does not care that the people of Cuba do not have access to food or medicine in hopes they too will overthrow their government. He freezes Medicaid funding for Minnesota because residents dared challenge his mass deportation strategy. He puts the health and lives of African children at risk shutting down USAID so he can brag about cutting government spending. He even thinks Greenlanders will be better off under American ownership and lies about sending them an out-of-commission hospital ship even though they already have a better health care system than we do in America.
Donald is Lawrence Garfield on steroids. In business, he used other people’s money to finance his Trump-branded ventures. And like Garfield, all that was left was a blizzard of bankruptcy papers. As president, he uses taxpayer’s money for Trump-branded accounts and monuments to himself. He uses other people’s lives to achieve political goals. And he uses other people’s dignity (cabinet members, members of congress, corporate executives, university presidents, lawyers and faux Christian clergy) to feed his ego.
Although he thinks he could, Trump cannot compromise our dignity It does not matter if you always saw what Donald Trump represented or only now realize “enough is enough” and are shedding your addiction to his promises and bravado. Let me paraphrase Trump to explain why the November mid-terms are our watershed.
Finally, to the great, proud people of America, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Do not stay sheltered. Leave your home. Although it may be dangerous outside. There may be chaos everywhere. Get out on the streets and raise your voice. Make sure you register to vote. Exercise your franchise in November. That is the way a democracy takes over its government. It will be ours to take. This will be, probably, our only chance for generations.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
Sobering reality. Sobering truth.