THE PHENOMENON THAT WAS TRUMP

Three hundred years from now historians will probably have this to say concerning a bid for the US Presidency by the bombastic billionaire, Donald J. Trump: His armor had a chink. He was another flash in the pan.

We cannot underestimate flamboyant Donald's mastery of showmanship in this made-to-order reality show dubbed the 2016 Presidential Race. Trump, whose real estate empire was built by finessing politicians, factoring in lawsuits as a necessary cost of doing business, and cajoling investors even as he was walking out of bankruptcy courts, is a seasoned carny who knows what it takes to get a joint full.

What matters most to Donald Trump is the Trump brand. His mission is to milk this election. Like every other success in his life,  he views any undertaking in terms of Return On Investment. He is a capitalist, first and foremost, not a politician. Even his carefully chosen slogan Make America Great Again smacks of marketeering. It telegraphs: this slogan was carefully selected to yield the greatest ROI. The Trump Matrix is creating a political tectonic shift reminiscent of Ross Perot's.

Does anyone who understands anything about Self-Promotion really believe Trump wants to be President of the United States, when he has alienated almost the entire Hispanic population and the GOP rank and file with his immigration policy of deporting 11 million people, a policy which if implemented would cost roughly $100 billion? Or will his remarks about lowering the minimum wage endear him to the entry level workforce? And lately, he has advocated taxing hedge funds - sealing his fate with Wall Street. Maybe he could suggest introducing a 2% stamp tax on every real estate transfer of deed.

And will aligning himself with Ted Cruz - the mouth of the south - possibly give him the southern vote? His strategy it seems is to alienate as many Americans as possible, but only those who can't afford his brand, and thereby become unelectable while maintaining a high poll rating which in turn gives him access to the media by which he can promote the Trump brand.

While Trump wants us to believe that he can get in the White House, I am convinced that in the darkest recesses of his heart Donald Trump not only does he not want to be President of the United States, but loathes the idea of being "handled" in the Oval Office as much as he loathes the incompetent leadership of this country. Even his body language communicates this fact. Being President is a burden far too great for a jet-setting operator. But like the veteran actor that he is, he has done a superb job of convincing the easily entertained masses who believe that building a business empire by inheriting $400 million from daddy is the hallmark of success.

The chink in his armor is the Trump brand.

He can dupe some of the public; he can even dupe the Republican party. Why should the Republican's fear Trump when he cannot possibly win the Primary after alienating such a huge demographic? And yet they do. Even Evangelicals are buying non religious Trump.

Is there not a conflict of interest when a candidate's business empire depends on cheap China labor? How does Trump bring jobs back to America when most of the manufacturing abroad is automated? Does Trump have any idea how low the minimum wage must go in order for American workers to be able to compete? He wants tariffs. Will not a 35% tariff on imported goods make them unaffordable to most US consumers, as the tariff must be passed on to the end buyer?

Many people still say Trump is the real deal. Is he really, now? He was good for TV ratings in 2011 and is even more so in 2015.  Everyone wants a piece of the Donald on their network before his meteoric rise reaches its zenith. This is one confidence artist who knows his part inside out. What we are witnessing is the same old Trump Pump and Dump: Here is the Donald back in 2011 selling us his vision of America with his usual blustering aplomb:

And below, at 36:20 we get to the Truth. Notice the smirk on his face.

How does the MSM weigh in on Trump? 

ABC News: The Summer of Donald Trump. The Biggest Winners and Losers.

They are letting out his hot air, slowly.

FOX News: The Trump Phenomenon: as old as the Republic.

Trump is seizing the moment as the pendulum swings towards Independent Anti-Establishment.

Is being clueless on Foreign Policy detrimental to a presidential candidate? Yes. Yes. Yes.

CNN:  Jeb Bush on Trump: 'You're damn right I'm going to fight back'

It's getting personal for Jeb.

The Telegraph:  Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are riding high on economic populism. They could both hurt America

Economic nationalism and populism are having a moment.

The New York Times: Talk in G.O.P. Turns to a Stop Donald Trump Campaign

The daggers are being honed.

The Wall Street Journal: Donald Trump  on Taxes: Keeping It Flexible

Trump is the Real Deal. 

CNBC: Here’s Why Trump Signed the GOP Loyalty Pledge

Donald Trump has a clear path to the White House and doesn't need the pledge. 

[Anyone who believes this, has bought into the soap opera hook-line-and-sinker. The truth is: He doesn't need to run independent if he loses the Primary anymore. Why? Because the Trump Brand will have won Big Time by then, irrespective of whether he wins or loses the Primary; and he has probably re-calculated that the Brand will win more if he steps down should he lose the Primary, as chances are he will be tapped for VP, which will catapult the Brand even higher, right through the Stratosphere. This way he won't need to be in the Oval Office dealing with the day-to-day minutiae, but will still have a pulse on everything as VP. This is how a marketing guru would think.]

Chicago Tribune: Trump's first foreign policy pop quiz goes badly (as they often do)

The flub is minimized.

FOX Nation: Poll: Trump Beats Hillary Head-To-Head

Fox is not a great Hillary admirer.

USA Today: This time Donald Trump says he is running. 

Recognition that Trump may be in it for Trump only.