President Donald Trump: The Thread

[BigSqwert]

Moron in Chief said it's cold outside on the east coast so climate change isn't real. Congratulations to everyone who voted for someone with the mind of a 4-year-old.

[BigSqwert]

Haha, Tony. You read my mind.

[Dick Allen]

He's like really smart. He went to Wharton.

[pettie4sox]

Never mind that I actually noticed more people saying merry Christmas this year. I'm uneducated and ignorant though. Oh well another issue I lose on the board

 

Greg, you are right in the fact that people cannot tell you what you have experienced. If you have noticed more people saying Merry Xmas, good for you. If you want to give Trump props for it, good for you too.

 

I don't even give a flying f*** anymore.

 

 

[pettie4sox]

I hope Trump's golf courses get destroyed by a global warming induced disaster. Wouldn't that be rich.

[RockRaines]

Greg - it's mainly that you think this is an important issue. The war on Christmas is a joke. There are Christmas trees everywhere, every year, there are Christmas lights and decorations all over the country, in stores and otherwise. TV shows have Christmas episodes. Networks still air Rudolph. Any "attacks" on Christmas are pushes for inclusion. Hey, in addition to a Christmas tree, let's have a Menorah! Instead of wishing a customer a Merry Christmas, let's wish them Happy Holidays in case they don't celebrate Christmas! Who is hurt by any of that?

 

There are people in this country who are actually discriminated against. The fact that you (a) think people couldn't say Merry Christmas before; (b) think now people can say Merry Christmas; and © that this is all a victory for Trump is mind boggling.

Literally nothing changed. It was a way to band together evangelicals against a common enemy.

 

Just wait until those people want business closed on sundays, I wonder if THAT will get as much support.

[Big Hurtin]

Ooof

 

 

Interview with Trump today (Michael Schmidt - NY Times)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/us/polit...w-excerpts.html

 

 

 

[greg775]

Greg - it's mainly that you think this is an important issue. The war on Christmas is a joke. There are Christmas trees everywhere, every year, there are Christmas lights and decorations all over the country, in stores and otherwise. TV shows have Christmas episodes. Networks still air Rudolph. Any "attacks" on Christmas are pushes for inclusion. Hey, in addition to a Christmas tree, let's have a Menorah! Instead of wishing a customer a Merry Christmas, let's wish them Happy Holidays in case they don't celebrate Christmas! Who is hurt by any of that?

 

There are people in this country who are actually discriminated against. The fact that you (a) think people couldn't say Merry Christmas before; (b) think now people can say Merry Christmas; and © that this is all a victory for Trump is mind boggling.

Not a bad post Illini. At least you are trying to get me. I do disagree with your opening and closing sentences though. You don't have my position down completely.

 

Greg, you are right in the fact that people cannot tell you what you have experienced. If you have noticed more people saying Merry Xmas, good for you. If you want to give Trump props for it, good for you too.

 

I don't even give a flying f*** anymore.

Thanks Kagaku. Finally somebody acknowledges Greg's point! Thank u sir. That's all I'm trying to say. I have noticed it more this year, much more in my experience. That's all. I did not try to make this a majestic issue for Trump. I've given Trump some props for it, yes. By doing that I'm now a Trump lover. Some people on this board are very intolerant of others' positions. Thank u for recognizing that greg actually MIGHT have noticeda difference this year. The others are very intolerant. They are calling me a liar at worst; a simpleton who is incapable of noticing differences at best. Thank u.

 

Literally nothing changed. It was a way to band together evangelicals against a common enemy.

 

Just wait until those people want business closed on sundays, I wonder if THAT will get as much support.

How do you know what I experienced in terms of noticing a change? Do you say I'm flat out lying? Why would I do that on a message board. Do u suggest I am incapable of observation? How come some of you don't like to discuss issues just jump on the person (me) with the non-majority viewpoint?

[LittleHurt05]

What do the year over year statistics look like here?

 

We better ask the Hall of Fame voters how many WAR Merry Christmas has lost over the years, it's gotta be more than Omar Vizquel.

[caulfield12]

I hope Trump's golf courses get destroyed by a global warming induced disaster. Wouldn't that be rich.

 

http://www.newstimes.com/technology/busine...is-12449774.php

 

Trump will build a wall in Ireland to protect his golf course from climate change...

Edited December 29, 2017 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

Not a bad post Illini. At least you are trying to get me. I do disagree with your opening and closing sentences though. You don't have my position down completely.

 

 

Thanks Kagaku. Finally somebody acknowledges Greg's point! Thank u sir. That's all I'm trying to say. I have noticed it more this year, much more in my experience. That's all. I did not try to make this a majestic issue for Trump. I've given Trump some props for it, yes. By doing that I'm now a Trump lover. Some people on this board are very intolerant of others' positions. Thank u for recognizing that greg actually MIGHT have noticeda difference this year. The others are very intolerant. They are calling me a liar at worst; a simpleton who is incapable of noticing differences at best. Thank u.

 

 

How do you know what I experienced in terms of noticing a change? Do you say I'm flat out lying? Why would I do that on a message board. Do u suggest I am incapable of observation? How come some of you don't like to discuss issues just jump on the person (me) with the non-majority viewpoint?

 

How many real hardcore Republicans do you know of in Kansas that were hesitant to say Merry Christmas when Obama was President...if there really was a war on Christmas, wouldn’t there have been at least one incident in a country of 300+ million over the period from 2009-2017 where a person who said Merry Christmas was attacked or even jailed???

Edited December 29, 2017 by caulfield12

[GoSox05]

Moron in Chief said it's cold outside on the east coast so climate change isn't real. Congratulations to everyone who voted for someone with the mind of a 4-year-old.

 

 

It's not just him when it comes to this. Every year when it gets cold outside some brain genius uses this.

 

 

[RockRaines]

How do you know what I experienced in terms of noticing a change? Do you say I'm flat out lying? Why would I do that on a message board. Do u suggest I am incapable of observation? How come some of you don't like to discuss issues just jump on the person (me) with the non-majority viewpoint?

I wasnt talking about you.

[Kyyle23]

There is no collusion(16 times)

 

Even if there was collusion, it isnt a crime

 

 

Things that innocent people definitely say over and over in between mumble mouth bulls*** deluded explanations of policy and international relations

[pettie4sox]

Trump is toast.

 

Innocent people just simply need to sit back and wait because they did nothing wrong.

[Big Hurtin]

There is no collusion(16 times)

 

Even if there was collusion, it isnt a crime

 

 

Things that innocent people definitely say over and over in between mumble mouth bulls*** deluded explanations of policy and international relations

 

Seinfeld - This guy -- This is not my kind of guy

 

 

[caulfield12]

http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/29/news/econo...vice/index.html

Trump still doesn’t understand how US Postal System works...seems mostly upset it’s enabling Amazon/Bezos to get richer and richer (and continue attacking him through WaPo.)

 

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump...-142233815.html

Or that dramatically and intentionally raising inflation won’t lead to a recession

Edited December 29, 2017 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump...-142233815.html

Or that dramatically and intentionally raising inflation won’t lead to a recession

I do not believe that dramatically raising inflation rates would lead to a recession and I think there's a strong economic argument for running it at 4% for the next 5 years. I believe that the Federal Reserve deciding to fight inflation too hard next year to avoid wages going up is what will cause the next recession - have the Fed cut back on that and I would call it an economic positive. It would lead to the first real wage growth since the late 1990s and counteract the fact that inflation was "Far under the 2% a year goal" for the last 5 years. It would also give the Federal Reserve more space above the "0 interest rate bound" that we hit during the 2009 collapse.

 

The fact that a run of inflation would directly and hugely benefit me as a new homeowner is worth adding.

[caulfield12]

I do not believe that dramatically raising inflation rates would lead to a recession and I think there's a strong economic argument for running it at 4% for the next 10 years.

 

The fact that this would directly and hugely benefit me as a new homeowner is worth adding.

 

It’s going to dramatically increase US debt payments/bond interest (one of the reasons $600-700 billion budget deficits have been sustainable for the last decade)...and hurt seniors who are living on fixed incomes if they don’t receive COLA increases (unlikely), and we know basic wages for workers aren’t going to keep up, either.

 

So if the middle class and poor are going to even worse off in terms of buying power, where’s that additional aggregate demand coming from when the corporations are getting 2/3rds of tax cut benefits?

 

And won’t some businesses also cut back employee numbers in reaction to increased minimum wages in 18 states...so that the net overall wage gains are muted? Will they cut back profits or simply pass on higher restaurant/food prices to consumers? And retail/shopping malls are already struggling without factoring in higher wages for workers.

 

It’s beneficial to borrowers with fixed lower rates, though.

 

 

You’re also assuming Trump won’t interfere with new Fed chair...many are predicting the stock market run can extend to 2020, like Mark Zandi. Trump’s only path to re-election is keeping that 3-4% gdp going through that time, in all likelihood. Anything to directly imperil that reality is going to be in jeopardy.

Edited December 29, 2017 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

It’s going to dramatically increase US debt payments (one of the reasons $600-700 billion budget deficits have been sustainable for the last decade)...and hurt seniors who are living on fixed incomes if they don’t receive COLA increases (unlikely), and we know basic wages for workers aren’t going to keep up, either.

 

So if the middle class and poor are going to even worse off in terms of buying power, where’s that additional aggregate demand coming from when the corporations are getting 2/3rds of tax cut benefits?

 

And won’t some businesses also cut back employee numbers in reaction to increased minimum wages in 18 states...so that the net overall wage gains are muted?

 

It’s beneficial to borrowers with fixed lower rates, though.

You are completely backwards. The US Debt is a certain dollar amount. If you allow a run of 4% inflation it actually cuts the net value of the US Debt.

 

Similarly, inflation reduces the total dollar value of a wage, so it would make higher minimum wages less of an impact on businesses.

 

You're conflating inflation due to a growing economy with "The Republican business tax cuts". The tax cuts will be one contributing factor to inflation but not nearly as large as "an economy close to full employment".

[caulfield12]

You are completely backwards. The US Debt is a certain dollar amount. If you allow a run of 4% inflation it actually cuts the net value of the US Debt.

 

Similarly, inflation reduces the total dollar value of a wage, so it would make higher minimum wages less of an impact on businesses.

 

You're conflating inflation due to a growing economy with "The Republican business tax cuts". The tax cuts will be one contributing factor to inflation but not nearly as large as "an economy close to full employment".

 

 

Yes, $20.6 trillion....more or less. And if we increase our inflation rate by a factor of 1.35, it’s going to become increasingly expensive to issue bonds to finance that debt. Why would foreign countries (35% of current bond holders) accept the same rate of return as they’re currently receiving, which is incredibly low? If inflation hits, it will also be seen through increasingly high interest rates on bank loans for mortgages/car loans/small business loans, which will serve to dampen the economy.

 

And we have been at around 4% unemployment for quite some time without appreciable inflation, but that’s largely due to wages not keeping up with productivity gains over the last 35+ years.

 

One could argue that increasing inflation would be used as an excuse for companies to lay off workers as they turn more and more to AI/AR/autonomous technologies in order to maintain profit margins. It will also make our exports slightly less competitive.

 

 

In summary, government debts and deficits do matter. The currently fashionable notion that government debts do not matter to inflation ignores the important role of expectations regarding the long-term path of real output and base money in the determination of the price level.

 

On a final note, the point that should be of most concern to policy makers is that once these long-term expectations regarding output and base money shift, it may be very difficult to bring them back to more previous levels and therefore difficult to control inflation.

 

While the current market view is that central banks are omnipotent in their control of the global economy, the fact is that it is almost impossible for a central bank, at least singlehandedly, to control an outbreak of inflation that is created by reckless fiscal policy. The only way to control this type of inflation once it occurs is for fiscal and monetary policy makers to work together. Inevitably, this involves an end of the “good times” as fiscal deficits are reduced, the monetary base is brought under control and interest rates are raised.

 

http://www.themoneyenigma.com/government-d...-fiscal-policy/

 

Another problem is assuming you can increase it by a factor of 1.35, from 1.7 to 4.0, then magically stop it there...instead of it continuing to spiral upwards.

 

In the end, the government always has tried to set that inflation band at 2%...doubling it to 4% would be a pretty radical departure and have mostly negative consequences for the economy.

Edited December 30, 2017 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

In the end, the government always has tried to set that inflation band at 2%...doubling it to 4% would be a pretty radical departure and have mostly negative consequences for the economy.

Seriously, you provided a bunch of random blurbs without numbers or support that didn't address my argument at all. I totally agree it would be a radical departure - in favor of workers and in opposition to the financial industry. And anything that is slightly in that direction is something I think would be a general benefit over the next few years.

[caulfield12]

Seriously, you provided a bunch of random blurbs without numbers or support that didn't address my argument at all. I totally agree it would be a radical departure - in favor of workers and in opposition to the financial industry. And anything that is slightly in that direction is something I think would be a general benefit over the next few years.

 

http://therealnews.com/c.php?c=171229&...7color:%20#000;

Obama chose Wall Street over Main Street

 

As long as the Democratic Party is controlled by the Obama/Clinton/Tom Perez wing, it likely won’t happen.

 

It would require a younger version of Sanders/Warren or a non-crazy Howard Dean...that would be able to beat back the combined might of Wall Street and Silicon Valley donations.

 

Or they would have to win a three way split vote as an independent, like Ross Perot threatened to do before imploding in 1992. The problem is you have to be in the very middle of the electorate or far to the left, peeling off enough Democrats and the Bernie Bros Millennial coalition. A centrist but populist campaign might not be enough of a draw to motivate the liberal/young voters unless that politician was incredibly charismatic.

Edited December 30, 2017 by caulfield12

[StrangeSox]

Papadopolous was more important within the campaign and his attempts to coordinate with Russia were more extensive than previously reported. And it wasn't the Steele dossier that kicked off the FBI's investigation in 2016.

 

How the Russia Inquiry Began: A Campaign Aide, Drinks and Talk of Political Dirt

 

If Mr. Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I. and is now a cooperating witness, was the improbable match that set off a blaze that has consumed the first year of the Trump administration, his saga is also a tale of the Trump campaign in miniature. He was brash, boastful and underqualified, yet he exceeded expectations. And, like the campaign itself, he proved to be a tantalizing target for a Russian influence operation.

 

While some of Mr. Trump’s advisers have derided him an insignificant campaign volunteer or a “coffee boy,” interviews and new documents show that he stayed influential throughout the campaign. Two months before the election, for instance, he helped arrange a New York meeting between Mr. Trump and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt.

 

The information that Mr. Papadopoulos gave to the Australians answers one of the lingering mysteries of the past year: What so alarmed American officials to provoke the F.B.I. to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election?

 

It was not, as Mr. Trump and other politicians have alleged, a dossier compiled by a former British spy hired by a rival campaign. Instead, it was firsthand information from one of America’s closest intelligence allies.

 

Interviews and previously undisclosed documents show that Mr. Papadopoulos played a critical role in this drama and reveal a Russian operation that was more aggressive and widespread than previously known. They add to an emerging portrait, gradually filled in over the past year in revelations by federal investigators, journalists and lawmakers, of Russians with government contacts trying to establish secret channels at various levels of the Trump campaign.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by StrangeSox

[caulfield12]

AT&T Credits Trump for Bonus Its Union Already Negotiated

AT&T promised $1,000 in bonuses because of the GOP tax plan on Wednesday. But the union representing AT&T workers bargained for that bonus earlier this month.

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/atandt-credit...eady-negotiated

 

In the meantime, they’ve made redundant thousands of workers, again.

 

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0SO8z7ZRUh...u09CHBIiDbJlEU-

 

And were just awarded the $46.5 billion First Responders contract...AT&T/Time Warner merger still pending.

Edited December 31, 2017 by caulfield12