So Donald Trump has justified his tariffs and the difficulties that they may bring to ordinary citizens with one of the most clueless and least compassionate comments that he might have made. He opined that maybe children “will get two dolls instead of thirty at Christmas” but it will be worth the sacrifice in the long run. 

Don’t get me wrong. It is possible, but not too probable, that his tariffs will work out much better than most economists believe. That’s not the point I want to argue at this moment, but rather the crassness of his assumption about how the not so rich live. It’s obvious that it has never occurred to him that most children only get one doll and if times get hard they may not get a doll at all. 

I realize that Donald grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He never really had to work too hard to enjoy the pleasures of wealth. He had a head start that few of us ever enjoy. I understand that because of his experience he may not fully appreciate the struggles of the ordinary everyday American. I can actually relate to his lack of insight because I was once like that in the long ago. 

I lived the high life of a most fortunate little girl. My father was an engineer and everything about my life was several notches higher than the reality of my cousins. We always had a custom built home filled with gorgeous furniture, china, crystal, silver. We had books and records and one of the first televisions. Our car was never more than two years old and we travelled all over the United States on vacations. At Christmas time I might actually get numerous dolls. I took it all for granted even as I noticed that things were not quite so luxurious for my cousins. I made assumptions about people based only on what I knew. 

Of course all of that changed when I was eight years old and my father died. The world as I had known it tumbled down around me. We moved to a smaller home that was the definition of ticky tacky. Our car was not something that was not going to impress anyone. Everything about our lives became more measured. We had to adhere to a strict budget and my brothers and I learned to appreciate whatever we had without wanting more. My mother was masterful at working with an exceedingly tight income and she taught me all of the tricks for getting by on a thread. My whole worldview changed and it was as though scales had been lifted from my eyes. I began to realize that even though my family struggled there were others having an even more difficult time of just surviving. I learned how to see things through the eyes of others and to consider how my own decisions might help or harm my fellow humans. I was enlightened by my experience. Some might even say that I became woke.

I suppose that we each view the world according to our own experiences but we would do well to learn more about those in different situations. I know that having my father-in-law at my dinner table everyday for three years has shown me just how much we make choices and say things based on what we have known in our lives. He speaks often of the perks of being the son of a doctor. During the Great Depression when my mother was lucky to get a nickel for her birthday he was receiving gifts of electric trains and toy cars that he could ride around in. I don’t think my mother ever went to see a doctor until she was expecting a baby but my father-in-law enjoyed regular visits and exceptional care. Sometimes because of his lifestyle that has followed him all the way to his ninety sixth birthday he seems as unaware as Trump to the needs of others. I have had to do a great deal of educating of him and in some ways my influence has indeed changed him. 

Sadly Trump does not seem to have any advisors who do anything but praise him for his every remark and action. They seem to be afraid to explain how hurtful some of his remarks might be for ordinary people who have never had two dolls on Christmas day much less thirty. He would do well to find such a person to explain to him what it is like to struggle even while working and scrimping and saving. Being poor is not always a sign of laziness. Sometimes it is just a matter of circumstances like what happened to my mother and me and my brothers. 

I have adjusted to my father-in-law over the years. I have enough confidence in myself to know that I did not need to purchase my clothing at an expensive store like he always did when there were bargains to be found at a low end outlet. I am proud of being the daughter of an industrious and creative woman who somehow managed to get by on an income so meager that most people would not believe how little there was if I told them. I learned from my mom how to survive in times when little girls may get only two dolls instead of thirty like Trump predicts may happen. I know the joy of inheriting her skills. I can make a pot of soup with leftovers and run down a bargain when I need to purchase something. I’m ready for the sacrifices that Trump is predicting that we must all make but I would sure appreciate it if he actually understood what it will be like for us rather than making ridiculous remarks from his gilded castles. Some Americans don’t have a private plane or the ability to celebrate a birthday with a ninety million dollar parade. Maybe just maybe Trump would do well to get out more and find ways to spread the wealth to those who actually need it instead of giving massive tax breaks to billionaires. The American people deserve so much more.