Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 12:27:57 PM
No it isn't.  My house is NOT worth what I "think" it is worth.  It is worth what a real estate appraiser says it is worth based upon myriads of factors including recent sales of similar properties.   It is not a phantom number.

The bottom line is the bottom line. It's up to the bankers to raise those questions.
One thing we infer about Donald Trump is that he does not keep a lot of cash on hand. I'm sure he sets up his deals in a way that limits risk. Hillary Clinton can't run a family foundation for a year without a felony violation.  Trump has been in the belly of the beast doing billions in real estate deals and nary a charge stuck on fraud or anything close to it. That's a difference between public, scrutinized, business, and public, under the table, transactions.

I'm backing Ted Cruz, but if the Donald can bring it off, I'm in. Far as I am concerned, he is another Winston Churchill, minus the whiskey habit.

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 12:47:40 PM
I remember the savings bonds days.... but that was long ago.  They paid the lowest returns on your investment.

Back when we had faith in our government we were more inclined to sink a few bucks into bonds but as our confidence wained..... so did the bonds.  Even munis are taboo because of bankruptcies!   

Diversity is always a good idea!   

Cayman accounts and dual citizenship with Belize are also nice. As you say: diversity! 

My point to youngsters lurking in this thread is that as kids my own Followed-the-Greatest-Generation pack of Baby Boomers were brought up by people who DID have the guts to storm Normandy Beach and Anzio and Guadalcanal. To them it mattered, even only a quarter a week until you got your bond. You owned a piece of America.

Our movie childhood still loved America. Yours fears it yet declares you cannot change it. You need to lay down the game-controller and find your way to make that idea a lie.

Quote from: quiller on June 16, 2015, 12:58:08 PM
Cayman accounts and dual citizenship with Belize are also nice. As you say: diversity! 

My point to youngsters lurking in this thread is that as kids my own Followed-the-Greatest-Generation pack of Baby Boomers were brought up by people who DID have the guts to storm Normandy Beach and Anzio and Guadalcanal. To them it mattered, even only a quarter a week until you got your bond. You owned a piece of America.

Our movie childhood still loved America. Yours fears it yet declares you cannot change it. You need to lay down the game-controller and find your way to make that idea a lie.

We did own a piece of America but it was embezzled!

The government worthy of trust and investment must be rebuilt from the ground up.  The youth would do well to embrace this task and run the pooper scooper behind those of us who failed to carry the baton of the greatest generation.  We dropped the ball and there is much work to be done to recover!!!!

Trump is a joke who won't even make the first debate - UNLESS he's voted in as a protest candidate. With the number of GOP candidates, that isn't much of a possibility.

Quote from: mdgiles on June 16, 2015, 01:24:46 PM
Trump is a joke who won't even make the first debate - UNLESS he's voted in as a protest candidate. With the number of GOP candidates, that isn't much of a possibility.

Did you happen to catch his speech?   Just curious.

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 01:25:53 PM
Did you happen to catch his speech?   Just curious.

Not this one. I've heard him speak before and he never had said much I wanted to hear. His constant place on the NY Post's Page Six, interfered with the audio.

Quote from: tac on June 16, 2015, 09:57:37 AM
Someone should toss the hat back, with a brick in it. 

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 12:27:57 PM
No it isn't.  My house is NOT worth what I "think" it is worth.  It is worth what a real estate appraiser says it is worth based upon myriads of factors including recent sales of similar properties.   It is not a phantom number.

It's what the bank and buyer(s) thinks it worth.  I got 50.000 more then what two real estate appraiser said I could get.   

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 09:12:43 AM
With a boisterous and flamboyant speech..... trashing fellow conservatives....... the Donald throws his hat into the ring.

Interestingly this article lists him as a TEA grassroots favorite and big contributor to democrats!  Is that an oxymoron or what?   

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-donation-history-shows-democratic-favoritism/2011/04/25/AFDUddtE_story.html

Let the fireworks begin....

It's the Washpo,  it's not even worthy of lining a birdcage with.

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 12:25:26 PM
One reporter likened Trump's candidacy to that of Ross Perot... hmm...   

Yeah, dead.

Quote from: Solar on June 16, 2015, 01:44:45 PM

Yeah, dead.

I am NOT a Trump fan at all.....

.... but I will say that his speech struck a chord with many because of the fire in his belly and the attack on Obama's Administration.  He talked straight to middle America.  AND, the big thing that impressed many voters was the fact that he will not take any campaign contributions from anyone!  He promised to be beholden to none!  He would take office with no obligations to any except the voters.  And he would run America like he runs his own empire.......   

That fact that he will self fund was unique.  However, he cannot self fund the U.S. Government.  He must be able to work with Congress.  That may be difficult for Donald.  He is about as arrogant as Obama!  And he probably lies about as much as Obama.... 

Quote from: mdgiles on June 16, 2015, 01:24:46 PM
Trump is a joke who won't even make the first debate - UNLESS he's voted in as a protest candidate. With the number of GOP candidates, that isn't much of a possibility.

I don't think he's going to run.  He doesn't want to release his financials.  If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but I bet he won't go that far.

Quote from: taxed on June 16, 2015, 02:32:23 PM
I don't think he's going to run.  He doesn't want to release his financials.  If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but I bet he won't go that far.

Where were you today?   

He announced his candidacy today and released the first of his financial records..... more to come.

Quote from: kroz on June 16, 2015, 02:34:27 PM
Where were you today?   

He announced his candidacy today and released the first of his financial records..... more to come.

Oh, damn.  Well, that surprises me...

Quote from: taxed on June 16, 2015, 02:32:23 PM
I don't think he's going to run.  He doesn't want to release his financials.  If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but I bet he won't go that far.

Trump's financials are completely above board. That's part of being in the real estate business. People who cannot lay all their cards on the table, face up, don't last long.

Now, that is not to say that Donald is obliged to make public every dime he has ever made. He's entitled to a private estate, same as anyone else. At least, so far.
But when he goes into a deal, he had better have his bases covered.  The reason people are so freaked out about Donald Trump is not on account of his practices, to the contrary, people have become so accustomed to Washington's sleight of hand, they are shocked at the contrast. Stockholm Syndrome.

If the banks ever caught Donald juking the numbers, they'd be ticked. They catch Bill or Hillary faking the stats, they re-elect them. Go figure that.