The Trump Presidency – 2016

[Kodos]

Mueller: The gloves are off, l'm playing hardball. lt's fourth and fifteen, and you're looking at a full court press.

[Thomkal]

I'd pay good money to be able to watch that testimony

[rjolley]

So, Bannon says disparaging remarks before he's brought in to talk about Trump. Think Trump's team can now make a play that Bannon's testimony is full of lies because he's got a beef with Trump? Sounds like a smart way to let Bannon tell the truth but have Trump say it's retaliation for the fallout...

[JPhillips]

The only thing that matters is Mueller's ability to bring indictments and/or plea deals. All the spin in the world won't make any of that go away, and anything short of that will be ignored by the GOP.

[Noop]

I got to say this is all crazy. There is a strong possibility we have a resignation or impeachment of POTUS.

I wonder if Trumps fall from grace will eventually force the Republican party to break from the religious and fringe right.

Anyone want to guess how long before Mueller finally brings charges?

[stevew]

Trump will have to be escorted out of the white house in handcuffs or will fall victim to one too many cheeseburgers. no way he resigns.

[NobodyHere]

So according to the WH Doctor President Trump has been found mentally competent to stand trial.

[Edward64]

What the CFO's said about the Corporate Tax cuts.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/22/cfos...edium=exchange

A majority of North American CFOs (54.2 percent) say they support the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which the Senate is expected to vote on Friday, but they also revealed a truth about the limits of trickle-down economics that won't make American workers happy: If tax reform passes, don't expect a raise.

Only one-third of CFOs (33.4 percent) said they think corporate tax reform will lead to increased wages for workers. Twenty-one percent of CFOs said the tax-reform plan will not lead to higher wages, while 45.8 percent were ambivalent or were uncertain of the bill's effect on worker pay.

CFOs are confident that the bill's reforms will have a positive impact on U.S. economic conditions. In addition, 70.9 percent agree (29.2 percent strongly) that corporate tax reforms will create more U.S. jobs, while 83.3 percent agree (20.8 percent strongly) that corporate tax reforms will stimulate U.S. economic growth.
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Roughly 46 percent of CFOs in the survey group said their company's effective tax rate won't be lower in 2018 compared to 2017, a sign that some are unsure about tax reform passing, while other companies already may be paying lower effective tax rates.
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Now just under 46 percent of U.S. CFOs say they would take advantage of the tax plans reduced rate to repatriate some or all of their repatriated cash. And 8.3 percent say they would not take advantage, while another 37.5 percent say their firms are not holding a significant amount of cash overseas.

Asked what they would do with the repatriated funds, 29.2 percent say they would buy back stock, the most popular response. The percentage of those who use overseas cash to invest in new plants, equipment or technology: 20.8 percent, compared to 12.5 percent who would raise dividends. Only 8.3 percent plan to use repatriated cash to increase headcount.
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While 20 percent of respondents answered "tax reform" to the open-ended question, "What is the biggest business news story of 2017?," another said "euro strengthening" is the biggest story alongside tax reform.

Brexit was the next most common answer among the global council and, not surprisingly, the most common response among EMEA CFOs.

Other CFOs cited a wide range of stories as the most important business news story of the year, including multiple responses about Trump, ranging from "Trump impact on financial markets" to "Trump presidency and resulting uncertainty" to "Washington dysfunction."

The CNBC survey of CFOs across the globe found that chief financial officers think bitcoin "is for real," but many also think the digital currency is in a bubble.

[RainMaker]

That's not really a surprise. If you feel hiring an employee for $50,000 will make your company $100,000, you don't need a tax cut to do it.

The money was just going to end up going to shareholders or top execs.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

That's not really a surprise. If you feel hiring an employee for $50,000 will make your company $100,000, you don't need a tax cut to do it.
The money was just going to end up going to shareholders or top execs.

I believe the tax cuts will provide some (and I stress 'some') stimulus for the economy and jobs - just not in the way its being presented by Trump.

What will happen is that a large proportion of companies will buy back stock, that will push up the stock market which will increase consumer confidence and allow a proportion of 'normal' people to spend money in the same way the real estate bubble did.

This gives Trump a 'win' as he uses the stock market as 'proof' that the country is doing well, it will also increase the confidence of the retired community watching their 401k's (one of Trumps key bases).

The rich on the other hand will sit on this increase and continue to look pretty as do corporations.

[Ben E Lou]

Big day today!

The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018

Or will the Fake News Awards turn out to be just......fake news??? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Kodos]

It'd be great if the news did not cover his little awards show.

[Thomkal]

So you've heard of the grumblings of California wanting to secede when Trump was elected right? But have you heard about the right-wingers who want to secede from California?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...te/1036681001/

[nol]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

So you've heard of the grumblings of California wanting to secede when Trump was elected right? But have you heard about the right-wingers who want to secede from California?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...te/1036681001/

The first time around it was pretty strongly linked to Russia, and I’d suspect that’s the case this time too.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.the...rticle/517890/

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by nol

The first time around it was pretty strongly linked to Russia, and I’d suspect that’s the case this time too.

Is Russia Behind a Secession Effort in California? - The Atlantic

interesting article, thanks. Former Republicans with ties to Russia? Shocking

[albionmoonlight]

I'm trying to picture the media moving on this quickly if credible allegations came out that President Obama paid 6 figures of hush money to a porn star.

[CrimsonFox]

I'm really confused. And all along I thought the shithole was on the bottom of Trump's face. Now I don't know where it is.

[lungs]

Some hope?

A Wisconsin State Senate district that went to Trump by 16% and hadn't been blue since the 20th century had a special election last night and the Democrat won.

The GOP even finagled a way to get the special election to occur when the University (my alma mater) in the district was on winter break.

I'd love to see the Republican party pay the price all the way down the ballot in 2018 for getting in bed with the devil that is our President. With census coming up in 2020, the next two elections are going to be to set things up for the next ten years.

[Thomkal]

Still waiting on those Fake News Awards. C'mon Mr. President don't let me down!

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Still waiting on those Fake News Awards. C'mon Mr. President don't let me down!

I'm betting on Trevor Noah winning the night because he's not an American and he's not white.

[Thomkal]

I think you are on to something there...

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by lungs

Some hope?

A Wisconsin State Senate district that went to Trump by 16% and hadn't been blue since the 20th century had a special election last night and the Democrat won.

The GOP even finagled a way to get the special election to occur when the University (my alma mater) in the district was on winter break.

I'd love to see the Republican party pay the price all the way down the ballot in 2018 for getting in bed with the devil that is our President. With census coming up in 2020, the next two elections are going to be to set things up for the next ten years.

2018 by itself ain't enough. It'll be the winners of the 2020 elections who redraw those boundaries, largely (a few states don't permit their legislatures to handle that).

Even if the GOP gets drubbed this year, two years is plenty of time for the narrative to reverse itself (although at least this time around the census is in a Presidential election year, so the Democrats should be able to turn their base out).

[lungs]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

2018 by itself ain't enough. It'll be the winners of the 2020 elections who redraw those boundaries, largely (a few states don't permit their legislatures to handle that).

Even if the GOP gets drubbed this year, two years is plenty of time for the narrative to reverse itself (although at least this time around the census is in a Presidential election year, so the Democrats should be able to turn their base out).

I should have been more specific.

2018 will be huge in states like Wisconsin that are electing their governors that will be sitting 2020-2022.

[QuikSand]

Reuters Politics on Twitter: "EXCLUSIVE: Trump deviates from Netanyahu, saying U.S. embassy won't be moved to Jerusalem within a year https://t.co/oAbzfAY3fC https://t.co/R4J4YJ1FDU"

Your routine reminder that everything is a con.

[Thomkal]

Trump’s ‘Fake News Awards’ are shaping up to be a total flop - The Washington Post

[stevew]

there's no way trump only weighs 239 pounds. I'd have said 265-280 at the minimum

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by stevew

there's no way trump only weighs 239 pounds. I'd have said 265-280 at the minimum

I saw a pretty exhaustive comparison of photographs of Trump & Obama (who is 6'1") and Trump & Jeb Bush (who is 6'3") which also questions his height being 6'3".

As someone in that thread said, it speaks for itself that 6'3" & 239 is exactly 1lb below the medical definition of overweight.

[JPhillips]

This might be the funniest thing he's said:

He blamed his three immediate predecessors, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, for failing to resolve the crisis and, a day after his doctor gave him a perfect score on a cognitive test, suggested he had the mental acuity to solve it.

“I guess they all realized they were going to have to leave it to a president that scored the highest on tests,” he said.

That's a test where anything but a perfect score may indicate oncoming dementia.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

there's no way trump only weighs 239 pounds. I'd have said 265-280 at the minimum

Approaching peak North Korea.

dola: fully expecting the next release from the White House to be 'The Nativity of Donald', a 3 page release on the extraordinary circumstances involving his birth.

[jeff061]

Yeah, I'm 6'3" 280. Not a chance in hell Trump is under 260.

[cartman]

I'm gonna need to see the Long Form Girth Certificate

[Thomkal]

And the winners are:

Trump gives out his 'Fake News Awards' to CNN, N.Y. Times, Wash Post, others - POLITICO

And now we know why he released it when he did-an event on press freedom was taking place-and it was disrupted when everyone started getting alerts he had announced them.

[molson]

I could see maybe 5'11 240. He's really doughy, has no muscle mass, and the weight hangs on him terribly, but he really doesn't look that large. Most say, 6'2 250 lb guys look stronger, like they could help you move furniture. Trump has that tallish man girth but without the strength.

[Julio Riddols]

That "doctors diagnosis" was beautifully grotesque.

[Edward64]

Its reported the guy was Obama's WH doctor. Unless something really turns up, I'd take him at his word on weight.

Now there is discussion about how good the cognitive test is. I'm not qualified to say how accurate it is but its still a good thing he passed it.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Now there is discussion about how good the cognitive test is. I'm not qualified to say how accurate it is but its still a good thing he passed it.

From what I read earlier, it's not a question of passing it - it's a question of you should get 100% or you have some problems. I saw some sample questions (can't vouch for how accurate they are, or even remember which site I was on), and it was basically problems you'd expect an 8 year old to not struggle with.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

From what I read earlier, it's not a question of passing it - it's a question of you should get 100% or you have some problems. I saw some sample questions (can't vouch for how accurate they are, or even remember which site I was on), and it was basically problems you'd expect an 8 year old to not struggle with.

But lets be fair. I'm willing to bet many of us would have said he wouldn't have passed a "basic" cognitive test. I know I feel a little better.

Let's give him some credit for passing (unless the Dr. is really lying to us).

[Edward64]

Oh, wonder how Melania is taking the news about the porn star.

It'll be like NK, analyzing pictures of the "dear leader" and who is around him and how they are acting.

[Buccaneer]

So, no response to Apple’s and Chrysler’s big news? Instead, you would rather play in the same crap that Trump wallows in. It is that arrogance that is partly the reason that bastard got elected in the first place.

[larrymcg421]

Teacher is back. Everyone sit up straight.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

So, no response to Apple’s and Chrysler’s big news? Instead, you would rather play in the same crap that Trump wallows in. It is that arrogance that is partly the reason that bastard got elected in the first place.

My take on it is that they're bringing money back into the US which is 'good' as some tax is paid on it, however the bulk is going into stock buybacks which has only limited value to society (ie. it'll help shareholders however how much actually gets pushed back into the economy through liquidation is nominal).

Apples proposed investment into ventures sounds very promising as does their talking about job generation, however I'm waiting to see something come to fruition before getting excited as I've seen a lot of similar announcements in the past which have come to nothing and purely acted as smoke and mirrors to cover for them benefiting financially from things (I'm thinking of the plants which were said be be built or 'not closed' early on with Trump which then didn't happen or quietly closed a little later on anyway).

If this can translate into pushing the economy then that'd be fantastic - but I'm expecting even if Apple build factories they'll be mainly automated and as such not huge job creators (which would make total sense, the tax rate in the US for corporations is now ludicrously low, wages are still higher here than many other countries but for low manpower ventures that isn't a big issue).

Both news items are potentially good news - but I'm cynical on the basis given above and because Trump is fantastic at PR to promote the slightest 'win' in a way which previous politicians haven't been ... to listen to him the US growth is accelerating at an previously unknown pace in reality its 3.2% GDP growth which is great (most recent high was 2.8% in 2014 previously with the Q3 growth in that year being 5.2% far above anything this year) but it's still a far cry from the 4-7% which was seen back before 2005. It'll be interesting to see if this can be pushed further up, but importantly also whether this actually translates into a 'win' for the average citizen or just the people with investments.

[mckerney]

So, no mention from Buc about the tens of thousands of layoffs from Carrier, AT&T, GE, Walmart...

[whomario]

Found this ... "funny" isn't the word, but it'll do in a pinch:

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by whomario

Found this ... "funny" isn't the word, but it'll do in a pinch:

Much as I detest Trump and the GOP - both sides do this, along with trying to extort money from voters through repeat 'subscriptions' if you donate and such.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by molson

I could see maybe 5'11 240. He's really doughy, has no muscle mass, and the weight hangs on him terribly, but he really doesn't look that large. Most say, 6'2 250 lb guys look stronger, like they could help you move furniture. Trump has that tallish man girth but without the strength.

He's got a 42" waist. No way he's 240. I know I'm taller than the president and bigger, but I'm not 55+ lbs bigger. I usually buy 44-46" pants.

[digamma]

Not sure. He's got a lot of flab and skin that isn't as heavy or dense as muscle. 240 could be right, but his body fat % has to be sky high.

[CU Tiger]

Age also plays a factor in his weight.
Muscle atrophy and bone density denigration are very real from the late 50s onward.

Originally Posted by stevew

He's got a 42" waist. No way he's 240. I know I'm taller than the president and bigger, but I'm not 55+ lbs bigger. I usually buy 44-46" pants.

And for comparison Im 6'0 295 and wear a 38 or a 40 waist.
There are a myriad of body comp types

[Thomkal]

Geez all you people need to lose some weight

[Edward64]

Regardless of what you think about the whole Tax legislation, I do think this specific incentive is good. Kudo's to Apple and new repatriation rules. Hopefully more companies will follow.

Apple: We'll pay $38B in taxes and add 20,000 jobs in the U.S. - Jan. 17, 2018

The company said Wednesday that it will pay $38 billion in taxes on cash it has been keeping overseas. It also pledged to create 20,000 jobs and invest $30 billion in U.S. facilities over the next five years.

The $38 billion tax payment from bringing home overseas profits "would likely be the largest of its kind ever made," Apple said in a press release.

New U.S. tax rules mean companies like Apple can no longer avoid paying taxes on past international profits by holding the cash outside the United States. They must pay tax whether they bring the money back to the country or not.

American companies with global operations are now expected to pay hundreds of billions of dollars on the overseas profits they've amassed in recent decades.

Apple also informed employees worldwide on Wednesday that they would receive a $2,500 stock bonus in response to the new U.S. tax code, according to a source familiar with the matter. Bloomberg, which reported the news earlier, said the bonus would be available to employees below a certain senior level.

Apple employs about 123,000 full-time workers around the world. About 84,000 of those employees are based in the United States.

[Thomkal]

Well this is an interesting twist in the Mueller investigation if true:

FBI looking into whether Russian banker gave money to NRA to support Trump: report | TheHill