Now, give me money, that’s what I want

THE EDITOR, Madam:

During his election campaign, President Donald J. Trump promised the MAGA movement affordability of gasoline and groceries, etc. His message was repeated ad nauseam to huge crowds of supporters from mainly lower-income levels of American society. His message to “Make America Great Again” was tailored to get the vote of working-class patriots, and it certainly worked to his advantage in 2016 and 2024. Some voters may feel somewhat betrayed today to find the cost-of-living indices rising on a weekly basis. Broken promises about definitely avoiding more Middle Eastern wars have resulted in global energy price rises, thus causing inflation everywhere.

Many of his MAGA supporters seemed utterly entranced by what their leader had to say, but are slowly realising that there were just too many unfulfilled pledges. New Ipsos/Reuters polls show only 33 per cent of Americans approving of his overall performance in the White House, while 64 per cent disapprove. This is coupled with 80 per cent who believe that the Iran war will drag on, making economic conditions even worse. His low polling numbers are reminiscent of President Jimmy Carter in 1979 during the Iran hostage situation, coupled with an energy crisis, and President George W. Bush in 2008 with his prolonged conflict in Iraq and the financial crash.

With congressional midterm elections looming, things could get even worse for Mr Trump, but Democrats don’t seem to be able to provide a united front, with so many schisms in their party. On the very day these poll results were published, an American consumer advocacy group called Public Citizen issued some fascinating figures of its own. With affordability dominating the news, Public Citizen revealed that 57 of President Trump’s hand-picked officials are worth more than US$100 million each. They include 17 ambassadors and 40 in senior posts in the executive branch, including eight in the Cabinet. By comparison, only five members of the George W. Bush and Joe Biden administrations reached this lofty threshold, and only three of Barack Obama’s.

So the Trump administration has four times more than the combined administrations of the 21st century. I can hear strains of the Beatles’ music echoing around the White House, and, closing my eyes, I can imagine myself back at the Cavern Club in Liverpool and the Star Club in Hamburg, with John Lennon bursting his lungs singing: “Now, give me money, that’s what I want”.

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada