Strange Politics: From Wall Street to hat salesman

REMEMBER that Trump-lovin' buzzard Senator Cory Bernardi making headlines after wearing a Make Australia Great Again cap a fortnight ago?

Coalition backbencher George Christensen may soon be sporting a Make Australia Great Again cap, but in blue. Only time will tell. Picture: Digitally altered

REMEMBER that Trump-lovin' buzzard Senator Cory Bernardi making headlines after wearing a Make Australia Great Again cap a fortnight ago?

It seems his ultra-conservative stablemate, Dawson MP George Christensen, may soon be sporting one as well.

My cousin Luke Thorburn is firmly lodged in that "basket of deplorables" Hillary Clinton referred to, but in spite of his wonky politics he is apparently a savvy businessman.

Really good at catching snakes too, if my memory serves me.

He and model/TV presenter girlfriend Dakota Konstas predicted a Donald Trump win back in December and quickly registered domains for MakeAustraliaGreatAgain.com.au along with 26 other countries, 38 US states and two separatist enclaves, Quebec and Catalonia.

Back then Luke was an investment banker with Goldman Sachs on Wall Street, but that all went spectacularly skew-whiff once the finance giant learned about his and his girlfriend's association with making stuff great again.

According to the New York Times, my cousin was the company's only employee who donated to Trump's campaign - a whopping US$534.58.

"Goldman employees are allowed to pursue outside business opportunities, but they first must get clearance from the company," the NY Times article stated.

Make Australia Great Again pic.twitter.com/hL595FI59S

— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) November 6, 2016

I am not entirely sure exactly how it happened, but Luke was placed on administrative leave and lost his working visa.

He is now fundamentally in exile, working all over South America for a private equity firm alongside a chap who, funnily enough, once dated Ivanka Trump.

As a side note, CNN reported Goldman Sachs had banned its top officials from donating to Trump ahead of the election, but flicking bad investments to Clinton was hunky-dory.

Sales for my cousin's caps were steady in the lead-up to the election, but since Trump's victory they have gone gangbusters.

I am not sure where Cory Bernardi bought his, but the photo he posted to Twitter was a brilliant (and free) advertisement.

I received word a few days ago about another happy customer from Australia - one George Christensen with a post office box in Walkerston, about an 18-minute drive from Mackay.

Smack bang in the guts of the Dawson MP's electorate.

The PR person for former US astronaut and Buzz Aldrin's good buddy Terry Virts, who is on a speaking tour of Australia, ordered one for him as well.

Luke tells me this Christensen character's cap (fittingly, the royal blue version) was shipped from the US and should arrive in Walkerston in a week or so.

And that is my cousin's story so far; from the high life of Wall Street to a travelling hat salesman catering to right-wing Australian politicians and astronauts.

Families, like politics, can be bloody strange.

PS Luke, Trump talk is banned from the dinner table if you end up home for Christmas. Just trying to keep things civil.

ARM NEWSDESK

Originally published as Strange Politics: From Wall Street to hat salesman