I'm from Atlantic City. I've seen how Donald Trump's false promises devastate a community.
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If you didn’t grow up in Atlantic City, Donald Trump is probably still, to some degree, a punchline for you.
He’s a Young Jeezy lyric. He’s a reality television star famous for capriciously firing people. He’s a public figure so riddled with tics and catchphrases you’re not sure where he ends and the Darrell Hammond impression begins. He’s a Twitter iconoclast, or he’s the guy who had a cameo in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
But if you did grow up in Atlantic City — like I did — you know there’s very little that’s funny about Donald Trump.
Atlantic City is a giant bubble that was blown into existence by the pursed lips of the GOP nominee. Entire communities were convened around his empty promises; the region experienced rampant growth that banked on his assurances. But that bubble has burst, and today, thousands are left jobless and flailing in my hometown. Trump, meanwhile, has moved on.
Six bankruptcies. Three failed casinos, as of next week, when the Trump Taj Mahal will shutter its doors. $69.5 million in defaulted payments to small-business subcontractors. These are the legacy that he left in my home community.
So it’s been a long, strange year of watching, baffled, as Trump riles up millions of American voters on the platform that he’ll use his business acumen to bring economic success to our nation.
I know what Trump’s version of success looks like.
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