Staff Ed: Trump’s golden ticket

As America’s capitalistic tendencies grow more prevalent, so do the people who orchestrate and/or benefit from it. Now, under President Donald Trump’s second administration, the United States has seen one of the biggest shifts toward America’s continuing commodification — the “Trump Gold Card.”

For the measly price of $1 million and a $15,000 processing fee, any person outside of the U.S. can immediately buy their way into “the land of the free.” According to the card’s official website, the definition for the card is simple and hinges on the financial abilities of the applicant.

“The Trump Gold Card is a visa based upon an individual’s ability to provide a substantial benefit to the United States,” the website reads.

The White House’s new immigration policy is: If you’re rich enough to make the United States even richer, why should the U.S. try to keep you out?

Even crazier, corporations have the ability to apply for the same card under a $2 million price tag. Once applied for and approved by the government, applicants will have permanent U.S. residency during Trump’s term, giving them free reign to work and live in America under a simple investment.

The sales give much-needed money to the U.S. Treasury to help combat the government’s spending, which is already up to $1.2 trillion since October 1, according to the U.S. Treasury.

For an administration that is so transfixed with the idea of closed borders and stricter immigration rules, the reality is they are simply picking and choosing who has the right to enter.

President Trump also plans to release a “Platinum Card” for $5 million, giving cardholders new ways to manage their money.

“Foreign nationals will have the ability to spend up to 270 days in the United States without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income,” according to the synopsis of the Platinum Card on the government website.

The new program makes this administration’s goal even clearer to the American people — they want the rich to get richer, and maybe, by some miracle, trickle-down economics will finally leave the realm of pure imagination. As government departments and programs like the Department of Education and Affordable Care Act subsidies are dissolved and immigration enters a pay-to-win system, it seems that in order to be an American, you need to be rich.

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