Mona Charen: Trump — The Anti-Business Businessman

Started by expat_panama, January 21, 2017, 02:19:05 AM

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expat_panama

We've been instructed not to take our new president literally but instead seriously (in the felicitous phrasing of Salena Zito). As I write, there are hints that the inaugural address will focus on the theme of "America First." President-elect Trump may or may not be familiar with the historical taint of that phrase, but in any case the meaning he attaches to it has been clear enough.

Throughout his career, Donald Trump has been consistent on two issues: trade and admiration for strong men. He departs from the consensus about American leadership in the post-World War II era. Rather than seeing the United States' security guarantees and promotion of trade as providing the means through which the world (and the U.S.) has seen unprecedented growth, peace and prosperity, he thinks we've been chumps.

"America First" is a declaration of "No More Mr. Nice Guy."...  ...there is reason to doubt that Trump's comments are simply veiled threats...


...Trump's views on trade have been consistent since the 1980s. In 1987, he bought a full-page ad in The New York Times denouncing trade with Japan...


...Manufacturing jobs are being lost to automation above all. Also, commerce (another word for trade), unlike war, has winners on both sides...


...possible ironies here are voluminous.

1) The people who will suffer from trade protectionism are the poor and working classes...


2) China is benefiting even now from other nations' fear of U.S. retrenchment on trade...

3) The U.S. is the world's largest trading nation. Protectionism is a punch in our own eye...

The president has a great deal of independent power on trade matters. Here is something for Republicans in Congress to mull: If President Trump, the great businessman, ignites a trade war and tanks the economy, voters will draw the lesson that "those free-market Republicans have done it again. Capitalism equals depression."

source:   http://www.investors.com/politics/columnists/mona-charen-the-anti-business-businessman/

Solar

So I take it you have an opinion on the article? That's how it works here, you post something, give your opinion on it or a specific point and we discuss it.
So what's your point?
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expat_panama

Quote from: Solar on January 21, 2017, 08:09:49 AM
So I take it you have an opinion on the article? That's how it works here, you post something, give your opinion on it or a specific point and we discuss it.
So what's your point?
Dang! they need to put a sign up tell first time posters whatsup, and here I thot I was supposed to be polite and let others go first. 

NP; imho she raises some good points that T's a businessman (good) and rants like he hates busienss (bad) but what she left out (again, mho) was that the official word on the PE websites is that "renounce NAFTA" has been morphed into "revise NAFTA and make new trade pacts" (OUTSTANDING).

Then again, all this was writ before the Inaug. Speech which drove home the BIG POINT.  Namely, policy schmolicy --everyone's been pi$$ed like crazy entirely too long that the evil empire of the press/altleft/Hollywood/academia have had their way far too long and "AMERICA FIRST" really means that getting our house in order is job #1.

But that's just mho; let me know if I ranted too long or is this what u wanted (remember I'm the new kid on the block).  btw, what the heck's ur take?

Solar

Quote from: expat_panama on January 21, 2017, 11:10:34 AM
Dang! they need to put a sign up tell first time posters whatsup, and here I thot I was supposed to be polite and let others go first. 

NP; imho she raises some good points that T's a businessman (good) and rants like he hates busienss (bad) but what she left out (again, mho) was that the official word on the PE websites is that "renounce NAFTA" has been morphed into "revise NAFTA and make new trade pacts" (OUTSTANDING).

Then again, all this was writ before the Inaug. Speech which drove home the BIG POINT.  Namely, policy schmolicy --everyone's been pi$$ed like crazy entirely too long that the evil empire of the press/altleft/Hollywood/academia have had their way far too long and "AMERICA FIRST" really means that getting our house in order is job #1.

But that's just mho; let me know if I ranted too long or is this what u wanted (remember I'm the new kid on the block).  btw, what the heck's ur take?
That's a good start.
Myself, I never supported Trump, but now that he's POTUS, I'll take a wait and see attitude.
I too am a bit skeptic, because unless he can kill off lobbyists, hang Marxist dims and RINO in public, I don't see how much will change, the money changers will simply put on different hats, paints the house and puts up new drapes but the pimps and pushers still know the address.

But like I said, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt and see if he can make serious changes in DC because if not, the next phase involves pitchforks and axes and lots of gasoline.
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supsalemgr

Quote from: expat_panama on January 21, 2017, 11:10:34 AM
Dang! they need to put a sign up tell first time posters whatsup, and here I thot I was supposed to be polite and let others go first. 

NP; imho she raises some good points that T's a businessman (good) and rants like he hates busienss (bad) but what she left out (again, mho) was that the official word on the PE websites is that "renounce NAFTA" has been morphed into "revise NAFTA and make new trade pacts" (OUTSTANDING).

Then again, all this was writ before the Inaug. Speech which drove home the BIG POINT.  Namely, policy schmolicy --everyone's been pi$$ed like crazy entirely too long that the evil empire of the press/altleft/Hollywood/academia have had their way far too long and "AMERICA FIRST" really means that getting our house in order is job #1.

But that's just mho; let me know if I ranted too long or is this what u wanted (remember I'm the new kid on the block).  btw, what the heck's ur take?

If you stick around you will determine most of us here were not Trump supporters due to his lack of conservative credentials. However, now it is a wait and see what he does. So far, so good, but sooooooooooooooo early.

Welcome.
"If you can't run with the big dawgs, stay on the porch!"

walkstall

Quote from: expat_panama on January 21, 2017, 11:10:34 AM
Dang! they need to put a sign up tell first time posters whatsup, and here I thot I was supposed to be polite and let others go first. 


It could be just me.  But I find if you read a new board for two weeks to a month before posting .  You get a good feel about posting.   But then I am a very shy person.   :rolleyes:   :lol:

Did not vote for Trump or Hillary.   I voted for Ted in disapproval of the two running.  Trump could be a RR light, but he has a lot of show and tell over the next 4 years that he must do.
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.- James Freeman Clarke

Always remember "Feelings Aren't Facts."

expat_panama

Tx guys so much for the welcome; after a couple decades off and on w/ another forum it turned out that constantly being called a traitor for wanting import tax cuts finally got to me.   My hope is that y'all will find my posts useful and not be offended.

imho we really don't want to think of political figures as being our leaders, they're our hired help and they're supposed to serve us and we're supposed to tell them what to do --and it's also our job as employers to praise their accomplishments and see to it that they have what they need.

Way back when we were picking candidates I also had preferred Cruz but then he dropped out of my consideration when he failed to be nominated.  We can work w/ Trump, he does show a lot of promise, but we can all agree that he definitely will need to be closely supervised.

walkstall

Quote from: expat_panama on January 22, 2017, 01:37:53 PM
Tx guys so much for the welcome; after a couple decades off and on w/ another forum it turned out that constantly being called a traitor for wanting import tax cuts finally got to me.   My hope is that y'all will find my posts useful and not be offended.

imho we really don't want to think of political figures as being our leaders, they're our hired help and they're supposed to serve us and we're supposed to tell them what to do --and it's also our job as employers to praise their accomplishments and see to it that they have what they need.

Way back when we were picking candidates I also had preferred Cruz but then he dropped out of my consideration when he failed to be nominated.  We can work w/ Trump, he does show a lot of promise, but we can all agree that he definitely will need to be closely supervised.

I have no problems putting a cow bell around his nick.
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.- James Freeman Clarke

Always remember "Feelings Aren't Facts."

Solar

Quote from: expat_panama on January 22, 2017, 01:37:53 PM
Tx guys so much for the welcome; after a couple decades off and on w/ another forum it turned out that constantly being called a traitor for wanting import tax cuts finally got to me.   My hope is that y'all will find my posts useful and not be offended.

imho we really don't want to think of political figures as being our leaders, they're our hired help and they're supposed to serve us and we're supposed to tell them what to do --and it's also our job as employers to praise their accomplishments and see to it that they have what they need.

Way back when we were picking candidates I also had preferred Cruz but then he dropped out of my consideration when he failed to be nominated.  We can work w/ Trump, he does show a lot of promise, but we can all agree that he definitely will need to be closely supervised.
We don't offend, ever. We're the old Conservatives, the ones that want a return to our Founding ideals, even if you wanted to offend us, I doubt you could. After 30 years of leftist GOP and 8 years of Marxist idiocy, not much effects us anymore, now we shoot first and ignore the questioning process altogether.
All we ask on this forum is full use of English and proper grammar, as to the best of your abilities, opinions are your own and never represent the forum as a whole. Be prepared to back up any claims when challenged and opinion pieces are never considered a resource, just entertainment.
So welcome to the forum and try some of the other forums we have listed, most popular being the main page poli forum.  :cool:
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