The TV series “Sopranos,” about a gangster family, is fiction and hopefully didn’t inspire copycats.
Donald Trump is a serial liar with a gangster mentality whose aberrant behaviors include seeking revenge against anyone who criticizes him. No one should copy him, either.
But New York GOP congressman-elect George Santos (photo, left) did just that. It’s clear Santos admires Trump, and thinks his way of doing things is worthy of being emulated. See tweet and video clip here, and read story here.
He tried. His glowing resume is a fabrication; journalists and a watching public now wonder if there’s anything Santos didn’t lie about. When he ran for Congress and lost in 2020, he emulated Trump’s election denial and lies; and this year when the media began exposing his lies, he attacked them. He apparently thinks copying Trump’s character flaws and bad behavior is a ticket to success.
The problem is Trump didn’t succeed in his business enterprises, didn’t succeed at getting re-elected, isn’t succeeding at protecting his reputation, and may not succeed at avoiding bankruptcy or staying out of prison.
Many Americans admire success. Pursuit of success has been drilled into them. But there’s legitimate and illegitimate success, and some people can’t tell the difference. They’re impressed by trappings of wealth, and don’t give much weight to character or honesty when they judge others. They don’t ask, “Would I buy a used car from this man?” At some risk of generalizing and stereotyping, these people tend to be Republicans.
A slim majority of Americans have their feet more firmly on the ground. They’re not hung up on flashy material displays, and put greater value on things like educational attainment and knowledge, professional competence, and moral values like integrity and compassion for others. Again at the risk of generalizing and stereotyping, these people tend to vote Democratic. Not very much about the GOP would attract them these days.
It’s obvious which basket Santos, who self-identifies as a Republican and material-success worshipper, puts himself in. He fabricated his educational credentials, faked his professional resume, put on phony wealth airs, and insists it’s all perfectly okay because “everyone does it.”
Everyone doesn’t do it. Only people who think like him do it. He may not notice, but he has few admirers. Trump isn’t doing well in public opinion, and neither is he. When he chose a mentor, he chose … poorly.