Here’s an idea Donald Trump might want to consider for his economic stimulus plan, an idea perfectly suited for his experience and temperament.
With so many millennials graduating from college with fewer prospects than their parents had, perhaps Trump can suggest a helping hand program similar to the one he received from his father, namely, a low interest million dollar loan. In honor of Trump’s father, we’ll call the loans the Freddys.
Now, not just anyone would get a Freddy. To secure a million dollar jump-start loan, applicants would have to participate in a televised competition (this is where Trump’s reality show experience comes in). Similar to the Shark Tank TV show, would-be billionaires (no reason to set our sights low for these budding entrepreneurs) would present their ideas to Trump. Proposals would be judged on viability with particular emphasis on the number of employees each anticipates to hire and where workers would be located, with special emphasis placed on the Rust Belt.
Giving away $1 million per winning entry (by the way, Fred’s loan to Donald would be valued today at $3.6 million) may limit how many winners are chosen each year, given Trump’s desire to reduce the national debt. If each week’s show picks five winners, that’s 260 per year, or $260 million. Chump change in a federal budget of $3.8 trillion.
Perhaps there are a few kinks in the Freddy program that need to be worked out. After all, I’m no Mark Burnett. But it’s a sure-fire way for President Trump to keep his toe in and face on TV each week without having to console the nation after another mass murder, another terrorist attack, another country that imposes high tariffs in retaliation to his trade wars, another invasion of an Eastern European country by one of Trump’s admired world leaders, Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
So let’s all tune in to the Freddys. It’s the least we could do in Trump’s dyspeptic and dystopian world.
