A story of Trump business practices
"Mr. Trump's attorney said, 'If I would sue The Trump Organization I would probably get that money,' but he made very clear to me that it was his job to make sure that it took me so long and so much money that it was probably wise to accept this very meager sum of money. Which I did."
Andrew Tesoro, an architect stiffed by Trump
When I was starting junior high school, my father decided my brother and I should have a farm crop to sell. We planted a quarter acre of melons that first year. Our first regular customer was Blunt's Ranch Market, a bright orange fruit stand on Highway 99. In those days, melons were marketed in reusable wooden boxes that would hold 50 pounds of melons, a manageable weight for a 12-year old boy.
When we weighed out the melons, Dad said we would always add two pounds for the box and then another three pounds. Dad called those extra three pounds "giving good weight."
"Since Mr. Blunt is paying for 50-pound boxes it is important he always gets more than 50 pounds. Sometimes he will weigh a box or two to check on you. Or sometimes he will re-sell whole boxes to a restaurant and he will pull one out of the cooler and put it in the restaurant's truck. Later, when the restaurant weighs it, Mr. Blunt's reputation is on the line that that 50-pound box will weigh out at at least 50 pounds. You want a reputation for honesty. It is how successful people do business. Always give good weight."
My father rarely mentioned Bible authority. But he cited this one many times over the years:
You don't muzzle the ox that treads out the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his hire.
Dad explained: If an animal or a person works for you, you make sure he gets paid. It's wrong to cheat a worker.
The three-minute video below is not a one-off. Trump had a reputation for doing exactly this with vendors. He doesn’t pay the final invoices. He has leverage then. They have done the work and they have paid their subs and their own workers. They need money and they have nothing to withhold. They are in a weak position. He tells them he won’t pay. He tells them their recourse is to sue. They can’t afford to sue. He wins.
Hear his story:
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There is an idea out there among Trump supporters that Trump's me-first bullying behavior and mindset are exactly the kind of tough-mindedness we need to advance America's interests. As a businessman, he squeezed workers and vendors. The idea is that as president he will squeeze China, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Mexico, NATO, immigrants, bureaucrats, Congress, and Democrats. Mexico will pay for a wall. Chinese businesses will pay our taxes. He's a negotiator. As a tough negotiator he plays hardball and squeezes a little extra -- maybe a lot extra -- out of the loser on the other side. America comes out ahead.
It is immoral. It is also bad business. His companies have filed for bankruptcies six times. In the long run, bad behavior catches up with people, businesses, and governments. Cheaters never prosper.
If he will betray the people who did good work for him, why in the world would people presume he won't turn around and betray the American people, including the very people who are voting for him?
11 comments:
One time I was at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. It was always my favorite casino. I noticed that there was a lot of improvement to the place. They had portions blocked off to erect some very large chandeliers. They were beautiful. I saw other improvements all around. The place was looking nice. Then, shortly afterwards, he declared bankruptcy. What happened? Why would he improve the place and then go defunct? It turns out as a "smart" business play. When you go bankrupt, you don't have to pay your bills. But, because the business was improved, you can write off more. So, what happened to his vendors, the people who had done the work? The didn't get paid. The chandeliers weren't paid for. Nothing was paid for. The vendors couldn't sue because Trump had bankruptcy protection. Some of them went bankrupt, as well. All because they trusted him. He knew what he was doing and could care less how many people he hurt. I think it comes with no surprise to anyone anymore. That's his style. He doesn't care who gets hurt as long as he comes out ahead. Bastard.
I would think the word would get out and people wouldn’t work for him without up front money. I’m guessing lawyers are now on to him which is why some of his legal maneuvering has been so spotty. Cheaters cheat, liers lie and in the end being an untrustworthy person leads to an unhappy life, at least that is what I told inmates for thirty years. Will see if America wants criminal values leading the nation.
One remedy for this is that nearly every contractor, subcontractor and supplier can file -what's called a "materialman's lien" which puts an encumbrance on the property if the contractor or supplier isn't paid., It doesn't take expensive legal action unless the contractor chooses to pursue foreclosure. I've also seen a contractor come back and legally rip out their materials for non-payment (which the electrical contractor could have done with that chandelier Peter C) which damaged the project, but that's extreme.
The problem is that it only covers materials, so the labor to install them isn't covered - which means the little guy - the worker - is the one who doesn't get paid. Also Architects and Engineers are not covered so they get stiffed.
Some contractors simply add more margin into their pricing for developers who do this, or "front load" their progress payments to make sure they are cash-flow positive so they are never exposed, and can walk away if they don't get paid and leave the project unfinished.
Some may wonder why companies would regularly do business with someone like that? Or lend money like a certain German bank? For some it's probably that his "marquee" projects enhance their portfolio and reputation (which may not be so attractive these days). For others it's perhaps the same reason people stay with abusive partners - either they are vulnerable to "gaslighting" or the hope that "next time will be different". Most Engineering and Construction companies I worked for "fired" customers like this and refused to work for them.
I think Bob Sage lived biblical principles because he was a man of character in a time and place when character mattered. Trump not only practices but evangelizes (funny word for this) the idea that principled people are "losers". What's disheartening is that Trump's message and philosophy have taken root in such a large percentage of our country.
I remember another time someone built some furniture for his casino. Trump refused to him because he said it was shoddy work. That's what he said in court. However, on the next project, Trump invited him to bid.
My favorite story is about a guy who was pushing carts on the Boardwalk to earn money for the ride. I had the guy do that for me, although it was a little embarrassing because I was about 55 and he looked well into his 70's. Anyway, as we're walking along he told me he had worked for Trump building his new casino, the Taj Mahal. One time a chandelier came in that was not wired yet. Trump went crazy and demanded they send another one already wired because he didn't have time to waste figuring how to wire the thing. The chandelier was thrown into the dumpster. This guy saw that and took it home and figured out how to wire it and hung it in his house. He had the best dining room in the neighborhood. So, Trump did something good without knowing it. PS. Don't tell him.
Before the 2016 election, the public was made well aware of Trump's reputation for stiffing his workers. That’s his modus operandi. He’s a scam artist, but people voted for him anyway.
He was also found guilty and fined for his fraudulent “Trump university” and for spending donations to a Trump “charity” on himself. He’s on tape bragging about sexually molesting women. And, of course, there’s the little matter of his coup attempt, and stealing government secrets. But perhaps most chilling is the promise he’s made over 100 times on the campaign trail to use the DOJ and/or military tribunals to punish his opponents. He’s a pathological liar, but that I can believe.
Trump apologists like to blame his cult following on liberals, progressive, the “woke” or whatever, but the fact is they’re just crazy about Trump. In fact, they may be worse than he is because without them, he’d just be another common criminal.
I imagine that some people are attracted to the idea of Trump as president because they think he will be every bit as rough and unscrupulous with our adversaries (China, Russia, Iran) as he has been with his building subcontractors.
Trump may have won in 2016 because many people (including me) were fed up with Obama‘s supine foreign policy: the “red line” about poison gas weapons that he allowed Syria to cross with no consequences whatsoever; the nuclear deal with Iran that paid them billions of dollars for an insignificant delay in their nuclear weapons program, the “apology tour“ that he started his term inoffice with, etc.
If you remember the movie The Sting, the plot involved a long con. Trump has mastered the long con. We, the general electorate, are all his Mark. It would appear a core of TV hosts, social media influencers, and serving Republican Senators, congresspersons, and want-to-be-oligarchs are his cohorts. Putin couldn't harm the US more if he nuked it. The anti-democratic forces at play are hoping Trump is elected. But a caution, even if Kamala Harris is elected, Trump's legal maneuvering will cast further doubt on our system of government.
Did you know that 5lb bags of potatoes and oranges weigh more than 5lbs?
“Bad America, Bad Israel, Bad West” or somesuch has for some time been the Western left’s geopolitical shibboleth. Much of Trump’s original support (I hope) was based on general rejection of that nominally anti-imperialist but essentially anti-capitalist, anti-Judeo-Christian worldview. Interestingly, tellingly, the Cheneys for example would not necessarily disagree in substance, but certainly reject—correctly—Trump as any sort of principled standard bearer whatsoever. Ah, for better choices…..
His first (and only) disastrous term shows he's a patsy for Putin and others.
And he surrendered to the Taliban.
He wears makeup, elevator shoes and he watches men shower. He's a drag queen.
Losers like Trump because he's a loser, too.
He's so crooked they won't bury him, they'll just screw him into the ground.
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