Trump Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Has the president tapped into a growing movement?

In the 1966 Jacqueline Susann novel Valley of the Dolls, the characters were driven by an addiction to fame and subsequently to drugs – called dolls. It was a depiction of desperation that still holds power today. Fast forward 60 years, and the legacy media seems to think President Donald Trump is locked into an addiction of his own when it comes to tariffs. The “dolls” in question may have changed, but is America along for the ride?

The End of the Consumerism Road

There is a growing movement in America – and the rest of the world – toward buying less but buying better. While it is still not the dominant habit of US purchasers, the trend is rocketing. Consider the minimalist surge that began quietly in the late ’60s and early ’70s; today – according to a Civic Science poll – “1 in 4 U.S. adults either want to become a minimalist one day or are actively working towards it now.”

Then there is the rise of handmade goods on marketplace sites such as Etsy, where sellers make high-quality products for discerning buyers who want to avoid the cheap plastics made in China. Or even artisanal food products that cost more but are fast becoming the consumption of choice for those who can afford the grass-fed beef or 100% organic vegetables.

Let’s not forget those folks who are wedded to the net-zero philosophy. It’s an uncomfortable truth that carbon production is not going down but is being exported to countries such as China and Vietnam, where environmental concerns are at best secondary – essentially, the United States is exporting its carbon to another country that is almost certainly dirtier in its manufacturing practices.

So, America is on a lower consumer trajectory, and this is why talks of “dolls” are both timely and likely ahead of the curve.

Doubling Down

During a discussion with NBC’s Kristen Welker, the president answered a query regarding price hikes that come hand-in-hand with tariffs: “You know, somebody said, ‘Oh, the shelves are going to be open.’” He retorted, “Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls. So maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more than they would normally.” And like a dog with a particularly juicy bone, the press has decided that this is an issue to pursue to the end.

Aboard Air Force One, answering questions, Trump explained:

“All I’m saying is that a young lady, a 10-year-old-girl, 9-year-old girl, 15-year-old-girl, doesn’t need 37 dolls … She could be very happy with two or three or four or five.”

Strategist Karl Rove on Fox News said that Trump sounds like “Mr. Scrooge” when he talks of fewer toys for kids. And, unsurprisingly, much of the left-leaning media has decided that this fits right in with its criticism of the president’s global trade war. But does Trump have a good point?

How Many Dolls Do You Need?

A growing number of invites for kids’ parties contain the postscript “No Gifts, Please!” After all, what family with children needs another 30 pieces of plastic detritus from people who don’t even know what their child likes? For those with youngsters in the home, or even grandparents, who see the ever-growing mountain of cheap junk that has begun to dominate whole rooms, the idea that a five-year-old would be better off with just two dolls rather than 30 is a tempting proposition.

President Trump may not be addicted to tariffs, but he has staked his reputation as a canny dealmaker on the notion that he can rebalance global trade to a position where America is not bearing the burden of other nations’ more positive positions. He has openly stated that there will be “pain” on this road. Yet, on the way, he will almost certainly meet fellow travelers (and a growing number of them) who – whether they agree with Trump or not – are making consumer decisions that closely align with his warning that, sometimes, less is more.