The Truth Behind the Trump Brand, by Bill Bonner

Trump has expertly branded himself, and brand loyalty is far stronger than people’s affinity for a particular product. From Bill Bonner at bonnerandpartners.com:

ÎLE D’YEU, FRANCE – Today, we climb a hill and have a look around.

Down below is a hidden cove on Île d’Yeu:

The hidden cove on the French island of Île d’Yeu

But let’s get serious…

$700 Billion Boondoggle

Out to our left, under dark clouds, is the political situation.

For the first 16 years of our daily commentary (in these pages and in The Daily Reckoning), we hardly bothered to look.

Through the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations, nothing much changed.

Then Donald J. Trump brought fresh air… or an ill wind… depending on how you looked at it.

We guessed (but were unsure) that this new breeze would be little different from the prevailing winds of the previous 20 years.

It took a few months to tell the tale, but now we know: We were right. Instead of draining the swamp, as promised, the Trump team adds more slimy liquidity.

For example, the junta generals – Mattis, McMaster, and Kelly – and their cronies got a big payday this week. Seven hundred billion dollars went into the swamp. Reports The New York Times:

The Senate has overwhelmingly approved a sweeping defense policy bill that would pump $700 billion into the military, putting the U.S. armed forces on track for a budget greater than at any time during the decade-plus wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. […]

The 1,215-page measure defies a number of White House objections, but President Donald Trump hasn’t threatened to veto it. The bill helps him honor a pledge to rebuild an American military that he said had become depleted on former President Barack Obama’s watch.

That’s right: 1,215 pages of boondoggles, designed and written by industry lobbyists.

Secretary of Defense Mattis wanted to save a paltry $10 billion by closing unneeded bases.

No way!

Every puddle of the swamp will be treated like an endangered wildlife habitat – preserved, protected, and promoted.

To continue reading: The Truth Behind the Trump Brand