America is Now Awash in Grift
America is within the grip of grifters. Grifting is so ingrained within the public psyche that it’s usually ignored or neglected with out ever analyzing the extent to which it subtly undermines the expectation of fact in public discourse. If Trump, his household, and buddies had been to seek out themselves in a society the place information are the forex of public discourse, they’d have been laughed off the stage as a parody many years in the past. “You’re fired” was Trump’s catchphrase on his program, The Apprentice. This from a person who has by no means been employed by anybody besides the dregs of the leisure trade, which itself traffics in illusions.
The nation is so awash in grifting that the majority refuse to see it for what it’s. Merely put, to grift is “to acquire cash or property illicitly.” Whereas this notion can have a sure appeal to it, as we envision a petty criminal at work, it has at its core the intent to defraud. And that fraud can typically be on a grand scale. By its very nature, grifting is insidious. The grifter all the time places his/her pursuits first and all the time on the expense of others. Immediately, it’s usually disguised as entitlement.
We not too long ago watched a hurricane rip by means of components of Florida with tragic penalties. Even because the hurricane made landfall and earlier than harm assessments could possibly be began, Florida’s Governor DeSantis was begging the federal authorities for catastrophe aid. This is identical governor who routinely rails in opposition to federal authorities interference within the affairs of the state of Florida and is a partisan hardliner for restricted authorities and states’ rights. Nevertheless, as quickly as their proverbial arms are out, DeSantis and others like him all the time fail to say their dogma that their entitlement to federal funding is unencumbered by any duty. That’s the grift.
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Florida has all the time had hurricanes and has by no means had a state or native earnings tax. Floridians are all the time being flooded out, however the state doesn’t require or present reasonably priced flood insurance coverage choices. As quickly because the hurricane is about to hit, the grifter governor and his brethren transfer in. You possibly can see their opening pitch: “we’re as prepared as we could be and Floridians have been right here earlier than and know learn how to climate the storm.”
The issue is that they know that each assertions are merely unfaithful. Florida was not prepared for the hurricane and they didn’t know learn how to get by means of it. Most significantly, the grifting governor knew that the federal authorities would bail him out. That’s an instance of unconscionable entitlement with out duty. And the remainder of us fall for it each time. Within the blink of a watch, the grifter governor has moved the shells round and located his mark. And the mark is us. Subsequent up, you should definitely watch that very same grifter governor rapidly pivot to bashing the federal authorities to attain political factors in his current reelection bid.
Massive Pharma’s grasp class in grift
One other fertile floor for the grand scale grift is the pharmaceutical trade’s promoting of prescribed drugs. This one implies the potential for severe public hurt. Simply in case you suppose that no person has found out that greed and deception are on the coronary heart of this promoting, it’s instructive to know that the US is one in every of solely two nations on the planet that even permits direct-to-consumer promoting of prescribed drugs (together with New Zealand).
But when this had been only a usually dangerous concept for medical causes, we’d hardly know of it. What makes it so particular is that that is such a good suggestion for the pharmaceutical corporations that they don’t care if it’s a actually dangerous concept for determined individuals searching for pharmaceutical treatments for severe circumstances. In America, the massive pharma grifters are instantly advertising and marketing their product to numerous individuals determined to beat the ravages of most cancers, schizophrenia and bipolar despair, debilitating pores and skin circumstances, autoimmune illness, and each number of intestinal dysfunction, to call just some.
Massive pharma’s technique is evident. Establish a severe medical situation, goal determined individuals with the situation, after which present the chemical repair, replete with photographs and staged footage of previously determined individuals now fortunately cured. Oh, and don’t neglect to inform them about all of the issues that may go improper, to not take the repair if you’re allergic to its components (unimaginable), and to verify in along with your physician to get that prescription that can absolutely restore your well being despite the dangers. Keep in mind, as nicely, that the determined shoppers pay for the promoting aimed toward getting them hooked and that none of this comes with a a reimbursement assure. Is there a extra insidious grift possible?
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Grand-scale scams just like the Florida grift and the massive pharma grift are sustained by the regular drumbeat of grifts from advertisers, leisure and sports activities “celebrities,” self-promoting “influencers,” and actual and pretend docs, cooks, attorneys and the like pushing services for his or her revenue. And with out regard for the illusions and deceptions wanted to get there.
When you’re American you ought to be conscious of the method. Flip in your tv for 5 minutes or perform a little on-line analysis about one thing you may wish to purchase. Earlier than you’ll be able to tune it out, it’s there, the grift. One telltale signal is a “movie star” promoting one thing for the frequent man, one thing they’ve virtually absolutely by no means used, eaten, placed on their toes, used to disguise physique odor, or soothingly rubbed on themselves. If not a star, how about an actor enjoying a honest smiling everyman able to share the secrets and techniques to the success he solely obtained as soon as he began utilizing some beforehand unknown product.
Grifters within the client’s paradise
Attorneys shilling court docket instances and supposed docs and dentists shilling every little thing are ubiquitous. Your tooth could be white and your pores and skin could be wrinkle free, if solely…. “However wait, order now and you’re going to get a second tube completely free,” and they’ll throw in a toothbrush and free transport. All it’s a must to do is order now as a result of the particular provide gained’t final endlessly and oblige you and pay some further and unspecified “dealing with” price.
To pay for this and to get that completely unimaginable set of coveted non-stick pots and pans, you want solely “name now” and pony up along with your bank card. Or if a lawsuit’s pot of gold is your weak point, simply signal on the dotted line with some honest or offended “lawyer” who will certainly get you your very personal entitlement from the settlement fund that this explicit “lawyer” is uniquely positioned to safe for you after which share with him. And don’t neglect cryptocurrency, bank cards, apps that do every little thing for “free,” and pet food that can make you and your canine salivate.
One grift builds on the following. American society is saturated with these items. A lot in order that when the grand grifters come alongside, we’re exhausting pressed to see the fraud inside. And this brings us to the grandest grift of all, the Trump grift. With Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka, the My Pillow man, Kanye West, and a band of sycophant Republicans by his facet, the sky has been the restrict.
To present Trump his due, he’s actually good at one thing. Now it’s well beyond time to make him pay a steep value for the harm completed, the lives misplaced, and the beneficial properties fraudulently acquired. Additional, the steepest value needs to be reserved for his corrupt assault on the institutional framework of presidency that the nation requires to fulfill the wants of its communities and its individuals.
*[This article was first published on the author’s blog, Hard Left Turn.]
The views expressed on this article are the writer’s personal and don’t essentially mirror Honest Observer’s editorial coverage.
