I finally get it.
A few days ago, I bought some stuff from a new local bakery, not because I needed what I bought or even because I really wanted it, but because I wanted to support the business, I wanted to help the owner and her small staff stay in business, because so many local businesses in the area’s towns do not survive and our main streets look like ghost towns.
And so I finally got it. How buying something can be seen as supporting someone. Until just a few years ago, I either spent my money on stuff I needed or saved it—to later buy what I really wanted or for “a rainy day” (i.e., the day on which I was laid off from one of the many part-time jobs upon which I depend for self-sustaining income). But now that I have more income than I need and my savings account is reasonably robust, I can afford to do what I did, I can afford to make a purchase in order to support. And I realized that’s how rich people look at spending.
And so now I understand how/why Trump sees over-spending as being overly generous. Rather than, as most of us see it, as buying more stuff than you can afford.
And how/why he sees a trade deficit as charity. Rather than as just buying more from the other person than they buy from you.
