Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Republican Idolatry in Action

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

Last year a family who lives down the road went on their idea of a "vacation of a lifetime."  They declared a home school holiday, packed a few bags, and headed east to New York City.  The purpose of their trip wasn't to see the Statue of Liberty or the United Nations, and they weren't interested in catching a Broadway play  or viewing the Big Apple from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.  My neighbors had one goal, and one goal only.  They were traveling, by car, to New York City so that they could look up in total awe at Trump Tower!

And sadly, folks, that is a true story.

To a certain segment of America Donald Trump is more than just a successful politician - he is a God - one who hurls threats and insults as he shuffles from one opulent palace to another.  He is who they would aspire to be if they could ever win that danged old Powerball.  Trump is cloaked in money and privilege.  He is their Golden Calf, and catching a glimpse of his Golden Tower is something akin to seeing Heaven itself.

The only thing that could make their trip more memorable would a an Ivanka sighting!

This morning National Public Radio ran a story about the Republican National Committee's spring retreat, an event that NPR described once during the story as being in "Florida," and twice as being in "south Florida."    The actual radio report sounded pained and stilted, as though the reporter was struggling not to say exactly where the event was being held.  It was obvious that some bit of "news" was being withheld.

The Republican National Committee's  current spring retreat is being held at Trump National Doral Miami, a hotel and golf resort in "south Florida" owned by the Donald Trump crime family.  Normal room rates begin at $282.50 per night, but the RNC has talked the Trumps into offering a special group rate of $189.   Golf packages range from $130 to $330 per person.

The Republican National Committee, being sensitive to the desires of the masses to get close to Trump, held a raffle for one lucky person (an adult citizen or permanent legal resident) to win a free trip to the spring retreat where the winner would have dinner with Trump and pose for a photo with the Orange One.  The total value of the trip was estimated to be $3,000.  Contest entrants were encouraged to make a donation to the RNC.

Last year the Republican Governor's Conference also held its spring gathering at the Trump National Doral Miami - and managed to drop more that $400,000 on that venue.

It's more than just a politician holding a position of public trust.  It's about getting close enough to Heaven or Valhalla to get an actual glimpse, or at least a whiff, of what life is like beyond the golden gates of privilege.  Donald Trump may be more bull than calf, but he is still golden, all two-hundred-and eighty-nine pounds of him, and his loyal followers want to stand in his big golden shadow as they gulp their kool-aid.

Perhaps it's just as well that my neighbors skipped the Statue of Liberty.   Its message of welcome and inclusion would have put a damper on their entire trip.

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