As the U.S. election progresses, Trump’s frequent appearances to “bring goods” in person have aroused considerable concern.
According to the website of the American Consumer News and Business Channel, sneakers, perfume, collectible cards, and Bibles are just the "tip of the iceberg" of products sold by Trump during his competition with Biden for the presidency. As a presidential candidate, he is so "not doing his job". What are the considerations behind it?
American Democrat Jesse Unruh once said that "money is the mother's milk of politics" to tell the truth about American politics. Money has always been a key factor in American elections, and it can even be said to be the "first need." The U.S. presidential campaign costs a lot of money, and campaign expenses have been rising year by year in recent years. According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission documents by the U.S. Political Contribution Database, total political expenditures on U.S. elections since 2008 have continued to hit record highs. Total U.S. election expenditures in 2020 reached $14.4 billion, more than double that of 2016, making it the largest expenditure in history. Expensive elections.
Money is particularly important for getting votes. Voters tend to choose candidates who hold the same values and policy tendencies as them. If you want to be "seen" and "understood" by voters, you need to spend more money on self-promotion and marketing. Biden's cash advantage over Trump can help him use more campaign ads to win over middle voters. Not long ago, Biden launched a TV and digital advertising "blitz" in key swing states with $30 million in an attempt to dissuade voters. Voters question their age.
For Trump, if he wants to win the showdown, he must seek more campaign funds. So far, however, Trump has raised only about half as much campaign money as Biden. Biden's campaign reportedly had $71 million in the bank as of the end of February, while Trump's campaign had only $33.5 million. To this end, Trump not only claimed that he "may" spend his own money on the campaign trail, something he has never done since the 2016 election; he was also willing to "stand up" for various products.
The financial dilemma caused by four criminal lawsuits, two civil lawsuits, and dozens of felony charges is also a "hole" that Trump must fill. In addition to campaigning, Trump also desperately needs funds for judicial battles. On the one hand, the rule of law in the United States has become a mature industry. Not only is the cost of hiring a lawyer high, but the cost of the entire litigation process is also increasing. According to documents submitted by the Federal Election Commission, the former president's legal expenses increased sharply from $1.9 million to $14.6 million in 2022. In the first half of 2023 alone, the legal expenses spent by political action committees supporting him exceeded $27 million. Dollar. To this end, Trump had to use political donations to "replenish blood" and increase the proportion of political donations used for legal bills from 1% in the past to 10%.
's lawsuit against Trump will not only bring sky-high bills, but also may bring sky-high compensation. In a civil fraud lawsuit, Trump and his two sons were accused of inflating their net worth by submitting financial statements and defrauding banks and insurance companies to obtain preferential interest rates. As a result, a New York judge ordered them to pay more than $364 million. According to data from the Attorney General's Office, the total amount of fines including interest even exceeds $450 million. Although the appeals court reduced the bond amount to $175 million, it was still a significant expense. The day after the verdict was announced, Trump launched a series of gold high-top sneakers worth $399, with an obvious intention to fill the financial gap. In March, Trump also promoted his social media platform "Real Social" to be listed for trading. Although he cannot sell his shares within six months, it can relatively alleviate his financial difficulties.
With funds "leaking everywhere", Trump also intends to associate "bringing goods" with his election strategy and integrate his campaign philosophy of "returning to American tradition" into the products he sells, so as to encourage voters and win for himself. obtain economic benefits. For example, it printed stripes and stars on the "Never Surrender High-Top Sneakers" it sells, imitating the American flag, and while promoting it, it called on voters to actively vote.In another example, two days after a New York appeals court cut his bail in a civil fraud case by 61%, Trump began selling a $60 "God Bless America" Bible that came with copies of the nation's founding documents, including the U.S. The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Trump has even used religion as a campaign "weapon", portraying his presidential campaign as a battle for the soul of the country, seeking to maintain the support of evangelical voters.
In the context of the "money politics" in the United States, Trump, who is facing various accusations and campaign financing difficulties, wants to use "bringing goods" to achieve a "win-win" of economic gains and electoral benefits. However, if money is exchanged for attention, the votes will follow the money, and if funds are raised to compete in the general election, the policies will inevitably follow the money. This kind of electoral system is destined to fail to give a voice to the people.
People pay for "bringing goods", but who pays for the interests of the people? This is an unavoidable problem in the American electoral system.
* Image source: Xinhua News Agency, Visual China
[Author's unit: American Institute of International Strategy, Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National School of Administration)]
Source Beijing Daily Client | Author Zhai Maiyun
editor Hu Yuqi
process editor Ma Xiaoshuang
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