Among the political headlines that screamed from the shameless
ramparts of social media over the past few weeks, one news story that added to
the four-year hate on Donald Trump was his switching his address to Florida from New York. It was a minor note that
was lost in the partisan volleys regarding impeachment, with Trump complaining
via Twitter that he has been treated unfairly by New York City and State
leaders.
Donald Trump became a household name in the U.S. with his
television show, “The Apprentice.” But New York has been familiar with Donald
Trump much longer than the rest of America. For most of my adult life he’s been
a tabloid figure, a willing mouthpiece for morning radio and other fodder for
the endless chatter and ego jousting that hangs thick in the atmosphere of the
city.
New York politicians were happy to take jabs at Trump’s
repudiation of his home state. “Good riddance,’ said Governor
Andrew Cuomo.
There are three reasons driving the move and Trump’s timing
of it.
Distracts from the
latest circus. Trump made the move during the week when several career,
nonpartisan government officials were telling Congress about Trump’s conduct
related to the Ukraine, the impetus for the current impeachment effort. Trump
found an alternative instance to claim that Democrats were treating him
unfairly, helping him construct the conspiratorial framework he’s hanging his
entire anti-impeachment platform on: that the system is corrupt and everything
is being driven by political machinations on the part of Democrats.
Helps with reelection
in Florida. Trump did not win New York State and has little hope of doing
so, but Florida is up for grabs and is a much needed piece of his reelection
puzzle. His move aligns himself with the large population of transplants who
fled to Florida from the Northeast.
Saves him money on
taxes. This is probably the most important factor driving Trump to the
Sunshine State. He’ll save significant money on taxes. New York State has a
much higher tax rate than Florida, and if you can pick an official residence
between the two, New York will lose out every time on tax considerations.
New Yorkers who don’t like Trump would like to disown him,
and act as if he is some rare aberration who does not reflect at all on the
five boroughs, but we can’t.
We can’t act like we’re the trendsetter and the capital of
the world and then pretend that the leader of the free world, a native of our
city, is somehow not a part of us. Yes, New York is more diverse and the focal
point of a lot of worldly art and culture, but human nature doesn’t change, and
New York is every bit as tribal and parochial as the rest of America. The
partisan divide that creates ugly scenes across the country is present here
also.
Landlords like Trump are slightly less revered than rats and
muggers in New York. Trump’s rise in presidential politics is an indication of
the complete dysfunction and utter detestability of our political class, not
from any sheer genius on his part.
Atop of all the other controversies surrounding the Trump
administration at the time, his moving his official residence to Florida is
small potatoes. It was in the media for a day or two and wasn’t even the lead
story those days; then it was gone. There are more important stories to chase
during this absolutely bonkers administration, and political griping and
standard tax dodging would just don’t fit the bill in these strange times.
No one can honestly say Trump is not a New Yorker. He’s one
of us, and we can’t brush him off like yesterday’s news. The city helped create
him; it was our tabloids that made him a celebrity and grew his name
recognition for decades. It was our political leaders that constantly sought
his donations and took their picture with him.
President Trump is thoroughly ‘Florida Man’ now, but he’ll
always come stamped with the “Made in New York” label.
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