counterpunch | Last night’s FOX News GOP Presidential Debate Extravaganza featured
the most riveting two minute political exchange ever heard on national
television. During a brief colloquy between Republican frontrunner
Donald Trump and Fox moderator Brett Baier, the pugnacious casino
magnate revealed the appalling truth about the American political
system, that the big money guys like Trump own the whole crooked
contraption lock, stock, and barrel, and that, the nation’s fake
political leaders do whatever they’re told to do. Without question, it
was most illuminating commentary to ever cross the airwaves. Here’s the
entire exchange direct from the transcript:
FOX News Brett Baier (talking to Trump): Now, 15 years
ago, you called yourself a liberal on health care. You were for a
single-payer system, a Canadian-style system. Why were you for that then
and why aren’t you for it now?
TRUMP: As far as single payer, it works in Canada. It works
incredibly well in Scotland. It could have worked in a different age,
which is the age you’re talking about here.
What I’d like to see is a private system without the artificial lines
around every state. I have a big company with thousands and thousands
of employees. And if I’m negotiating in New York or in New Jersey or in
California, I have like one bidder. Nobody can bid.
You know why?
Because the insurance companies are making a fortune because they
have control of the politicians, of course, with the exception of the
politicians on this stage. (uneasy laughter) But they have total control
of the politicians. They’re making a fortune.
Get rid of the artificial lines and you will have…yourself great plans…
BAIER: Mr. Trump, it’s not just your past support for single-payer
health care. You’ve also supported a host of other liberal
policies….You’ve also donated to several Democratic candidates, Hillary
Clinton included, and Nancy Pelosi. You explained away those donations
saying you did that to get business-related favors. And you said
recently, quote, “When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them
to do.”
TRUMP: You’d better believe it.
BAIER: — they do?
TRUMP: If I ask them, if I need them, you know, most of the people on
this stage I’ve given to, just so you understand, a lot of money.
TRUMP: I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many
people, before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give
to everybody. When they call, I give. And do you know what? When I need
something from them two years later, three years later, I call them,
they are there for me. And that’s a broken system.
