Tag: Charity

Punching Back at the State-run Media

Last Tuesday, in a press interview at Trump Tower in Manhattan, Republican Party presidential candidate (and likely nominee) Donald Trump laid away the state-run media as the poseurs they are. (And please, let’s dispense forever with the notion of “mainstream media” – there’s nothing mainstream as to where the media sits on the American political spectrum.)

For decades, particularly the last two presidential contests and the prior two Republican administrations, conservatives and traditional Republican Party members have begged GOP leadership to defend themselves; return fire to the corrupt media.

At this “presser,” Donald called out one reporter as “sleazy,” and proceeded to knock down one accusation after another.

Unlike other Republican presidential candidates in recent primary seasons, Trump does not politely duck and cover under media pressure. He meets it head-on. There’s no Karl Rove slithering here; Donald is not afraid of the media, nor does he think he owes them explanations. If anything, he knows he builds their market share.

Confronting media accusations over his fundraiser for American military veterans, held during a skipped debate in Iowa earlier this year, he laid out the details of how much he collected and how much went where of the $5.6 million donated so far.

The unreported contrast is what Mr. Trump gives to veterans’ groups vs. what Mrs. Clinton and Senator Sanders give. This was not mentioned to any appreciable degree by the press in their coverage after the event at Trump Tower. The difference in charitable activity is so stark, in the interest of protecting their own, it went largely unreported. The state-run media simply whined at what they perceived was an unfair attack on them by Donald Trump. (The press should know by now that if it’s foolish enough to set a match to Donald’s tent, he will torch theirs with a flamethrower.)

Donald Trump’s personal contribution and those he solicited at his veterans’ charity event back in January went 100% to the veterans’ groups chosen for funding. Zero percent was eaten up by administrative cost; Trump covered that himself.

By contrast, the Clinton Foundation appears to give 0% of its vast wealth to veterans’ groups, as far as is known. (This may change to delay the inevitable, adverse exposure.) Broadly, however, the family’s money-laundering operation, known as the Clinton Foundation, donates roughly 10% of its funding to charitable causes, versus 90% that goes to “administration” (Bill & Hillary’s expenses, i.e., living, travel, etc.)

The Bernie Sanders Campaign has not stepped forward to offer an accounting of his contributions to charities (or veterans’ groups). Of course, ardent socialists, like most activists on the Left, do not support charities that hold traditional values, such as veterans’ organizations. The objective of Socialism is to create more need, not lessen it; they thrive on increasing dependency not alleviating it. So their lack of charitable conscience is true to form. They believe in government redistribution of wealth, not the selfless act of personal “giving.”

Donald Trump will make many more converts after his “return fire” last week. Now if the media chooses to scrutinize Hillary’s cash flow, like raking in $21 million in speaking fees in just two years, the playing field could be leveled. Until then, Trump should continue to question the media’s integrity, and gather more support.

Thankfully, he won’t listen to RNC or Romney advisors telling him to back off. And it’s refreshing to see a Republican who understands why it’s the “state-run media.”

Originally Published June 6, 2016