Sound The TRUMPets! A Thread for Presidential Pondering 2016-2020(?)

[zamyrabyrd]

Feel the Bern:

"People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids - all while the very rich become much richer...To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him...To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him. "

OK, fair enough!

[71 dB]

He´ll go down as an absolutely iconic figure in early 21st century Western history, as the most important promoter of post-factual politics.

Can post-factual politics work? How could anything not based on facts work in real life? The presidency will change Trump as a person more than he can change the country.

[Turner]

Can post-factual politics work? How could anything not based on facts work in real life? The presidency will change Trump as a person more than he can change the country.

Politics in the sense of political debate, based on emotional manipulation and skipping or denying facts/rational analysis.

[Turner]

As opposed to the educated, autonomous, immaculate, benevolent and honest "liberal" elites who are nothing to be blamed for. Their only problem is that they should dissolve the people and elect another...

I was pointing to the increased level of television entertainment in the political debate, and the rather extreme level of everyday television consumption in the US - that could have had the effect of seeing politics as a superficial show.

[Turner]

No, it wasn´t. Nigel Farage and the Brexit gang were at it before him.

There were similar traits, yet they were not on the same extreme level.

But:


Trump tower yesterday, Farage meeting Trump before Theresa May.

[EigenUser]

Feel the Bern:

"People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids - all while the very rich become much richer...To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him...To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him. "

OK, fair enough!

In some respects, I actually think that Sanders and Trump could make a good "odd-couple" team, assuming that Trump isn't used as a puppet by the GOP (which is wishful thinking based off of who Trump seems to be surrounding himself with in the past few days). They have very different styles and disagree on several things, but both seem to share concerns about working-class Americans. Unfortunately, Trump has no political record so he is basically one big wildcard. Who knows if he will actually deliver?. I just hope to god he doesn't run America like he ran his campaign.

[Wendell_E]

And possibly one of the hottest, if not thee hottest first lady...

I'd say Michelle Obama, but Melania's really the only competition for the spot.  Jackie was beautiful, but not really hot.  I'm appalled that we'd discuss this totally irrelevant subject at all, of course.   

[James]

[Turner]

Gingrich apparently refuses to be Secretary of State, "because I don´t want to be".
Says he wants to be in charge of some "strategic planning".

https://twitter.com/DavidCornDC/status/797797210457075713

[Mister Sharpe]

Gingrich apparently refuses to be Secretary of State, "because I don´t want to be".
Says he wants to be in charge of some "strategic planning".

https://twitter.com/DavidCornDC/status/797797210457075713

Too much real world work for him; he'd much rather impress us (and himself) with his idle pronouncements.

[Parsifal]

In some respects, I actually think that Sanders and Trump could make a good "odd-couple" team, assuming that Trump isn't used as a puppet by the GOP (which is wishful thinking based off of who Trump seems to be surrounding himself with in the past few days). They have very different styles and disagree on several things, but both seem to share concerns about working-class Americans. Unfortunately, Trump has no political record so he is basically one big wildcard. Who knows if he will actually deliver?. I just hope to god he doesn't run America like he ran his campaign.

His team is populated by lobbyists and corporate consultants. Wall street is euphoric.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/11/11/if-you-voted-for-trump-because-hes-anti-establishment-guess-what-you-got-conned/

His working class supporters will be feel betrayed, is 0.1% supporters will be very pleased.

[James]

(which is wishful thinking based off of who Trump seems to be surrounding himself with in the past few days). Trump has no political record so he is basically one big wildcard. Who knows if he will actually deliver?. I just hope to god he doesn't run America like he ran his campaign.

Many Americians liked the fact that he isn't a career politician leeching off of the system (something many despised about Hilary, and despise in general). And campaigning to get the job is a tough, nasty game .. Trump even said that himself during his victory speech. He's only got 4 years, which is such little time to get major change done. And I knew there wouldn't be much change once he got Pence .. it doesn't get more Republican or inside than that. I know Trump is his own man, and doesn't like being bullied .. but he'll be influenced no doubt.

[Todd]

Gingrich apparently refuses to be Secretary of State, "because I don´t want to be".

Great.  Hopefully Corker gets the job.

His team is populated by lobbyists and corporate consultants. Wall street is euphoric.

Of course he is bringing in the standard types of people.  He has to.  A neophyte president is bad enough.  The cabinet and presidentially appointed offices cannot be filled with neophytes as well. 

[EigenUser]

His team is populated by lobbyists and corporate consultants. Wall street is euphoric.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/11/11/if-you-voted-for-trump-because-hes-anti-establishment-guess-what-you-got-conned/

His working class supporters will be feel betrayed, is 0.1% supporters will be very pleased.

You are probably right. I wouldn't ever vote for Sanders OR Trump (though I do have great respect for Sanders), but it just would be nice if we could see two people who "should be" opposing each other work together. If we go by Trump's word (how he vehemently opposes TPP, how he would never approve the merger AT&T and Time Warner, offshore banking, etc.), then it might actually work since it would appear that they have a surprising amount in common. But, sadly, that is a big "if".

Many Americians liked the fact that he isn't a career politician leeching off of the system (something many despised about Hilary, and despise in general). And campaigning to get the job is a tough, nasty game .. Trump even said that himself during his victory speech. He's only got 4 years, which is such little time to get major change done. And I knew there wouldn't be much change once he got Pence .. it doesn't get more Republican or inside than that. I know Trump is his own man, and doesn't like being bullied .. but he'll be influenced no doubt.

I pretty much agree with you. Trump has little experience and, as loud as he is, I actually think he is a pretty weak person when it comes to government and he will be easily persuaded.

[Todd]

One thing I've noticed in the television press, in particular, and in a few other outlets, as well as forums, is the mention of stock markets.  On election night, there were the direst warnings about the tanking future markets.  A CNBC analyst very sternly warned that 401Ks would drop, and she made the erroneous assumption in her figures that 401Ks are fully invested in stocks (that is, post-truth politics), but of course that has not happened.  I've seen mostly stories about how strong the stock market has been since.  But the bigger story is getting much less coverage in the mainstream press, though the business press is obviously covering it.  Bonds have taken a big hit, Treasuries particularly.  The bond market is reacting to expectations that Trump will make good on his word to pour money into infrastructure, and the supply of debt will balloon.  With that major upward pressure on rates already showing, what happens if or when the Fed raises rates?  Oh, yes, a bubble bursts, or at least can burst.

Trump from the first debate:

"Now, look, we have the worst revival of an economy since the Great Depression. And believe me: We're in a bubble right now. And the only thing that looks good is the stock market, but if you raise interest rates even a little bit, that's going to come crashing down.

"We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we better be awfully careful. And we have a Fed that's doing political things. This Janet Yellen of the Fed. The Fed is doing political — by keeping the interest rates at this level. And believe me: The day Obama goes off, and he leaves, and goes out to the golf course for the rest of his life to play golf, when they raise interest rates, you're going to see some very bad things happen, because the Fed is not doing their job. The Fed is being more political than Secretary Clinton."

Of course, if the Fed only raises by 25 basis points next, as I suspect will be the case - what possible justification would there be for a half-point or higher hike? - the market will probably not be rocked.  I'm placing some faith in Yellen here.  I don't see 1994 redux, but keep your eyes on bonds, I say.

[James]

I pretty much agree with you. Trump has little experience and, as loud as he is, I actually think he is a pretty weak person when it comes to government and he will be easily persuaded.

I wouldn't say Trump is a weak person, clearly he's not, he stuck it out and won after-all .. but it doesn't even matter who becomes the president if they are apart of either of the 2 major political parties. In many ways they are like a puppet. The system is so corrupted by both parties and based on bribery that little if any change will occur by just one guy stepping into all of that.

[Todd]

Corbyn loves Trump?

[Turner]

I am just curious, which one of these talking points is Trump going to take action in? Forget accomplishing it:

1) Build a wall (and make Mexico pay for it)
2) deport 11million illegals
3) stand up to Putin
4) bring manufacturing jobs back
5) Achieve 6% (or is it 10%) GDP growth every year

In the upcoming "60 Minutes" (tonight?), Trump will claim that 3 million illegals are to be deported, and a wall will be built, albeit as a fence in certain places.

3 million - that´s a lot of people anyway.

[Todd]

In the upcoming "60 Minutes" (tonight?), Trump will claim that 3 million illegals are to be deported, and a wall will be built, albeit as a fence in certain places.

3 million - that´s a lot of people anyway.

Damn, that beats the 2.5 million deported by Obama.  Wait, is Trump really that different?

[Turner]

Correction: Trump says 2 - 3 million.

Damn, that beats the 2.5 million deported by Obama.  Wait, is Trump really that different?

It seems that according to Trump, these people are to be deported quickly, due to criminal records.
Paul Ryan however wants to focus on "securing the border":

http://time.com/4569034/donald-trump-undocumented-immigrant-deportation/