Year Two

Year Two:

The Once and Future King

In many regards, the person of the year (2017) should be Donald Trump. Virtually overnight, he changed the status quo of American society by promoting a revolution of the so-called overlooked, disenfranchised, and dissatisfied. A year into the revolution has revealed few benefits for this group, but it has revealed that Trump's fog horn reached deeper into other quarters than previously disclosed.

The overlooked, disenfranchised, and dissatisfied have proven to be pawns in the rise of a king. This king is only a king to this group, to others he is simply a prince trying to be a king.  However, the goal of King Trump is to become an emperor!

During the presidential campaign, candidate Trump promised the overlooked, disfranchised and dissatisfied more jobs, better wages, border protection, better health care, and tax reform.  On paper President Trump and supporters have suggested he has tried, but in reality many of the promises are unfulfilled and left lacking.

In September after it appeared that the attempts to "repeal and replace" of Obamacare had died, the administration moved to tax reform. Administration representatives told the press that this was a middle class tax cut, not a program for the wealthy. When questioned on tax reform, President Trump told supporters, on November 29th, that the proposed tax bill would harm him but benefit the less fortunate. He said: This is going to cost me a fortune, this thing, believe me. This is not good for me... I believe my accountants are going crazy right now."  

Privately, and out of earshot of the overlooked, disfranchised, and dissatisfied, the president was already admitting to conservative minded journalists that he would also benefit from the plan. Even Fox News reported that some in the middle class would suffer from the tax plan. And, in the face of contrary evidence from economists, politicians, and think tanks, the administration and many in Congress continued to lie about the true beneficiaries of the tax cut.

On December 22nd, not even a month later, President Trump informed members of his Florida club that they "...all just got a lot richer." Days later he also admitted that his wealth had also increased as a result of the new tax bill. By New Year's Eve, as Trump and his colleagues celebrated , it was clear that the pawns had made many princes believe they could be kings. And as President Trump watched the fireworks provided by David Koch, it is pretty clear that he saw himself as a king among kings!

Years ago, in the second half of the nineteenth century, there was a similar imagery of wealth and power. There were bosses, kingmakers, and kings. Many desired to be kings, because kings had uncontrollable power and could do whatever they pleased. A king was the ultimate level of American manhood, and America reveled in the stories of kings because it rivaled their senses of European nobility.  Such men, including Rockefeller, Carnegie, Gould and Vanderbilt, eventually became known as "Robber Barons" as they gained unimaginable wealth during the Gilded Age.

In subsequent eras, being a king was not enough. During the 20th century, men strove to become immortal. For example, there were political kings who strove to be larger than life and desired to be titans.  Such men were solely recognized by their initials or simply by their last names.

They would be joined by kings of industry and commerce, often self-made men who made fortunes from novel ideas or collaborative inventions.  Sports heroes and entertainers, after the 1960s, became millionaires and some of them sought similar lasting legacies. And ultimately, there were kings who gained fame by social dominance.

The very idea of being a king was intoxicating.  Being a king fulfilled notions of sexual prowess and fantasy, ultimate levels of entitlement and privilege, and access without cost. At the close of the twentieth century, America had many kings.  By the beginning of the twenty-first century, the nation was overflowing with kings. The majority of these kings were known in some circles and dozens were better known than others. Donald Trump was and is one of these kings. His exploits were frequently captured in the news and periodicals dating back to the 1970s. 

Yet, for all of his self-promotion, Trump is a pretty old king with a limited resume.  Before 2016, he was just hanging on to his title as a king.  The title was somewhat tainted, like the retired boxer who has won multiple belts but did not retire on top. He was more like a character in a popular story than a model for one's financial rise.  Until he ran for president! Then everything changed!

Tragically, Donald Trump can only be an emperor in his own mind. And it is apparent that he will not be seen as a king in the eyes of the other princes and kingmakers. His wealthier supporters are the kingmakers, the American nobility that can make and break rulers. For the present time, President Trump is working for them and they are letting him believe the opposite.

One can only summarize if the president is playing along with the kingmakers, or if he truly believes that he is a king.  Regardless, he is maintaining his wealth and stature, and the nation's wealth inequality is increasing.  The rich are greeting richer! Republican interests have found the vehicle to dismantle the New Deal Roosevelt, Truman, and Johnson safety net.  Their pawns are the millions who continue to believe that President Trump is their hero.

We often talk about American individuality.  It's every man, woman and child for themselves. So, Donald Trump should not have to apologize for wanting to be a king, remain a king, or for trying to elevate his status.  Nor should he be faulted for trying to become an immortal or a titan. He is solely trying to fulfill the American Dream and create royalty status for his children. However, he should be chastised for making those who believed in him the pawns for his rise. 

However, as we begin the second year,  Trump's election and agenda should force the overlooked, disfranchised, and dissatisfied to look inward. Where is the president taking us and how will it help us?  Why do we (Americans) want kings and what purpose does it serve? If the Founding Fathers broke from the ideas of royalty and monarchies, why do we so desperately want to recreate them?  Should we have a distrust of the wealthy?  What messages have we imparted on our children? Have we not created the environment which is elitist, sexist, arrogant, and confrontational?  Do we expect the new American royalty to actually share any of their gains with the peasants?

The Gilded Age came to an end when members of the wealthy joined with the less fortunate to establish regulations that would protect them and provide for the common good.  The Progressives saw dangers on all sides and decided that Americans needed to unite.  The wealthy did not abandon their wealth, in fact they remained very wealthy.   To the contrary, many Progressives feared the masses and used reforms as a method of social control.  Some of those wealthy and elite Progressives like Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson and Roosevelt became effective national leaders and served the nation as presidents.

America needs new progressives!  Contemporary Progressives are emerging as the educated and women.  This group is fighting to minimize the extreme conditions that can be caused by the new Robber Barons to maintain the structure of the old order.  It is yet to be seen if they can foster a significant counter-revolution.

History shows that kings constantly work to maintain power.  In fact, they tend to seize more power as time progresses.  And when they fear the masses, they limit the mobility of their subjects to minimize their chances of overthrowing the government.  When the masses realize they have been overlooked, disfranchised and disappointed they usually rebel. Examples of this have been seen throughout the twentieth century and in all quarters of the world. This trend is exemplified by current protests in Iran.

Will the sole exception to these rules of history be discovered in the United States?