From the beginning of the Trump Presidential effort in 2015, until today, it is generally agreed that his supporters have been primarily motivated by two key factors: ignorance and racism. The paucity in obtaining a college education by so many members of his base, as well as their readiness to swallow the stupidest of conspiracy theories, provides substantive evidence of this lack of knowledge. Significantly, the racism in Trump and his admirers has been evident since day one; comments and policies attacking Muslims, Hispanics, African-Americans et al, are almost too numerous to mention.

But, it was recently suggested to me that a third motivation, greed, is probably the dominant factor in  guiding the actions and beliefs of his followers.

Throughout Trump’s “Businessman” career, he would attempt to accrue as many dollars out of a building project or investment as possible. When many of these undertakings failed, he would declare bankruptcy (four times) and/or not pay his creditors and employees for money owed them. He would then move on to the the next effort, never caring about anyone but himself. In the political realm, as President, Trump patterned his behavior on his businessman past, even retaining ownership of his corporate entities while remaining President. He has also hidden his tax returns from public scrutiny, received millions of dollars from foreign governments and entities by way of ownership of the Trump Hotel in Washington, and has repeatedly sought to further enrich his wealthy friends and business partners.

Because the American economy remained in good shape until the pandemic began, too many ignored this ongoing corruption. Yet his lack of leadership and incompetence in handling the virus should remind us all how treacherously dangerous this man is to our future. He has, for example, purposely attacked scientific experts rendering information regarding the pandemic, when their collective advice conflicts with his political and economic goals. His political acolytes in Texas, Arizona, and Florida only now have begun to recognize the costs in sickness and deaths that have been the result of their own blindness to science and devotion to the personal and political whims of Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Pence and the Republicans in Congress remain largely silent (a notable and solo exception being Senator Mitt Romney), as the President tinkers with the life and death of fellow Americans. These Trump Enablers are greedy above all, especially when it comes to  their own political benefit. Unfortunately, we are all paying the price for their avarice.