https://www.profitableratecpm.com/f4ffsdxe?key=39b1ebce72f3758345b2155c98e6709c
This article is part of the TPM Café, the TPM opinion and news analysis site.
Americans are facing a cost-of-living crisis, and in this month’s landslide Democratic election, they have sent a wake-up call to President Trump. Utility rates have increased 11% since he took office, health care premiums are about to rise for millions — and, just as food prices were finally stabilizing after pandemic inflation, Trump’s tariffs have driven them up again.
But you wouldn’t know it by looking at our president, who has barely uttered a word about it since the start of his second term, seemingly lost in a gold-plated version of the White House bubble that traps so many presidents.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
A Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, when all this was happening, proved that Trump’s golden bubble had cut all contact with reality.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
The contrast between “let them eat cake” is shocking, even grotesque. First, Trump’s stubborn refusal to resolve the health care crisis by at least renewing health care subsidies for millions of Americans led to a government shutdown. The administration then actively chose to cut SNAP benefits, weaponizing hunger and leaving millions more to starve before the holidays.
A Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, when all this was happening, proved that Trump’s golden bubble had cut all contact with reality.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
While every president struggles with the White House bubble, this one is unlike anything we’ve seen before. While Americans were furious about rising costs, Trump was tearing down part of the White House to turn it into a gilded “ballroom of corruption,” financed by giant corporations with tens of billions of dollars in federal contracts and major enforcement actions on the federal government. He announced his intention to grant himself $230 million from taxes from the Department of Justice. And he pardoned his criminal business partner in a presidential crypto scheme that enriched him by billions.
The contrast between “let them eat cake” is shocking, even grotesque. First, Trump’s stubborn refusal to resolve the health care crisis by at least renewing health care subsidies for millions of Americans led to a government shutdown. The administration then actively chose to cut SNAP benefits, weaponizing hunger and leaving millions more to starve before the holidays.
A Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, when all this was happening, proved that Trump’s golden bubble had cut all contact with reality.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
The brutal election results, with voters citing affordability as their top concern, bounced right back into Trump’s bubble: “Our energy costs are down. Our groceries are down. Everything is down,” Trump falsely said. “So I don’t want to hear about affordability,” Trump added in all honesty.
While every president struggles with the White House bubble, this one is unlike anything we’ve seen before. While Americans were furious about rising costs, Trump was tearing down part of the White House to turn it into a gilded “ballroom of corruption,” financed by giant corporations with tens of billions of dollars in federal contracts and major enforcement actions on the federal government. He announced his intention to grant himself $230 million from taxes from the Department of Justice. And he pardoned his criminal business partner in a presidential crypto scheme that enriched him by billions.
The contrast between “let them eat cake” is shocking, even grotesque. First, Trump’s stubborn refusal to resolve the health care crisis by at least renewing health care subsidies for millions of Americans led to a government shutdown. The administration then actively chose to cut SNAP benefits, weaponizing hunger and leaving millions more to starve before the holidays.
A Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, when all this was happening, proved that Trump’s golden bubble had cut all contact with reality.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
The brutal election results, with voters citing affordability as their top concern, bounced right back into Trump’s bubble: “Our energy costs are down. Our groceries are down. Everything is down,” Trump falsely said. “So I don’t want to hear about affordability,” Trump added in all honesty.
While every president struggles with the White House bubble, this one is unlike anything we’ve seen before. While Americans were furious about rising costs, Trump was tearing down part of the White House to turn it into a gilded “ballroom of corruption,” financed by giant corporations with tens of billions of dollars in federal contracts and major enforcement actions on the federal government. He announced his intention to grant himself $230 million from taxes from the Department of Justice. And he pardoned his criminal business partner in a presidential crypto scheme that enriched him by billions.
The contrast between “let them eat cake” is shocking, even grotesque. First, Trump’s stubborn refusal to resolve the health care crisis by at least renewing health care subsidies for millions of Americans led to a government shutdown. The administration then actively chose to cut SNAP benefits, weaponizing hunger and leaving millions more to starve before the holidays.
A Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, when all this was happening, proved that Trump’s golden bubble had cut all contact with reality.
But this is more than just an accusation against Trump personally. To create a bubble of golden corruption, this soundproof bubble, enriched with cash and gifts approaching $2 billion since Trump’s re-election, takes a village.
Trump’s authoritarian corruption thrives by making it clear that the path of least resistance is to kneel and pay the protection racket. And he methodically, often illegally, wields his powers to make the alternative path virtually untenable. Far too many people are now taking the easy way out.
During Trump’s first term, his excesses were reined in by a constellation of senior administration officials with a glimmer of independence, big voices from the private sector, and our international allies willing to come together to have tough conversations.
Today, virtually all of these numbers enable Trump and help build the golden bubble around him – and it puts us all at risk.
The cabinet meetings of Trump’s first term had already set new standards for submission. But while Jeff Sessions has rightly recused himself from the Russia investigation and Bill Barr has rightly indicted corrupt Republican officials, no one is even raising the question of whether Attorney General Pam Bondi will act to ensure that politically motivated prosecutions of Trump’s enemies continue.
And while first-term chief of staff John Kelly — no friend of progressives on policy — saw it as his responsibility to provide Trump with accurate information and filter out self-serving nonsense, Trump’s current cabinet is doing the opposite. TV host turned Medicare and Medicaid director Dr. Mehmet Oz said the result of the Affordable Care Act’s premium increases would be that “the average American on the ACA is going to pay $13 more than this year. That’s not a big deal.” In fact, the average cost of monthly premium payments is expected to more than double, increasing by 114%.
When it comes to the private sector, what was a nearly united front in opposing political violence and subversion of our democracy after January 6 has turned into a race to the bottom for favor. Look no further than the list of donors to Trump’s gilded ballroom — a who’s who of major corporations with $279 billion in revenue before the federal government, despite the fact that many of them previously halted their political donations in the wake of the Capitol attack.
Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chip company whose official stance is “do not make [political] contributions of all kinds,” boldly defended their contribution and the entire ballroom enterprise, and days later he was delighted to learn that Trump planned to authorize the sale of their AI chips to China — much to the shock and concern of senators from both parties who called the move a national security disaster.
On that same trip to Southeast Asia, many of our allies leveraged their obvious intelligence assessments of Trump, recognizing that in negotiations with Trump, flattery and personal advantages can be traded for much greater diplomatic gains. Perhaps the most egregious example is South Korea, where Trump received an oversized gold crown to celebrate his “golden age.”
Whether it’s subservient collaborators, corporate donors, or international allies, the American people need the strengthening of the golden bubble to end – the consequences are too severe.
For President Trump, it is time to wake up and listen to the outrage of the American people. This can start by stopping health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, ending attacks on America’s energy supply that drive up utility rates, and ending attacks on proven programs like SNAP, Medicaid, disability benefits and many others that vulnerable American children depend on.
Back to top button
