Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Benggaul]

Ha ha just kidding remember how Sandy Hook happened and America still didn't give a shit about gun violence?

Unfair. Plenty of people gave a shit (and still do).

...Just not the ones in a position to do anything about it because they're being paid too well by the NRA. But I'll leave that "debate" up to the Gun Thread crowd.

I think the difference between this and something like Sandy Hook is that parents can often convince themselves "oh that can't/won't happen here" when it comes to a school shooting they read about in the news, but COVID-19 is hitting everywhere and will continue to do so for a long time to come. In September when all of the kids are going back to school the only places that aren't going to be hit hard are the ones where the schools have taken the necessary precautions to lessen the impact/spread as much as possible--and that's going to be precious few considering they're not getting any extra funds to do so from what I can tell.

[Rasulis]

Hey I mean we already have Disney doing "I'll kill a thousand children before I let this company die!" so why the fuck not?

Disney will be reclosing their Hong Kong Disneyland park on July 15 because of increased Covid-19 cases. I anticipate that they will have to do the same with Disney World.

Interesting article. The people that received the most benefits from Trump’s presidency want him gone. They consider him to be an “existential threat.”

“THEY’RE SAYING, ‘WE’D LIKE TO SEE BIDEN CRUSH TRUMP’”: FOR SOME ON WALL STREET BEATING TRUMP IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY

Most of Wall Street, it seems, is happily preparing for a Joe Biden victory in November. “The majority of my friends on Wall Street would like to see Trump lose to Biden,” one very senior investment banker tells me. “They’re saying, ‘We’d like to see Biden crush Trump.’” And that is without knowing exactly what Biden and the 117th Congress—to be elected on November 3—will do about such important economic topics such as the corporate tax rate, the capital gains tax rate, or taxes on the wealthiest Americans. The consensus on Wall Street seems to be that a Biden presidency will mean an overhaul of the Trump 2018 tax law. That means higher tax rates for the very wealthy, for corporations—likely an increase in the tax rate to 28%, from 21%—and on capital gains.

At a virtual fundraiser on June 29 with Wall Street types, Biden said he’ll likely roll back much of Trump’s $2 trillion tax cut “and a lot of you may not like that.” Interestingly, in my conversations with Wall Street executives, bankers and traders, higher taxes seems to be a small price to pay to be rid of Donald Trump. “Wall Street’s not this amorphous, unified blob,” the senior Wall Street banker continues, “but the majority of people I talk to on Wall Street think it’s worth taking the hit to get Trump out of office. They view him as an existential threat.”

Robert Wolf, the former head of UBS in the Americas who now has his own advisory and investment firm, 32 Advisors, concurs. Wolf, who was once described as Barack Obama’s favorite investment banker, says Wall Street understands the numbers: the multi-trillion-dollar annual federal budget deficits and a national debt at $24 trillion. “The numbers don’t lie,” Wolf says. “Those managers who are best on Wall Street are preparing for possible changes in tax reform, are preparing for how best to look at infrastructure, are preparing for what we’ve seen under this administration of more nationalistic policy that hopefully will change. People prepare for change. They don’t necessarily institute the policies, but they start preparing for change, and the good Wall Street firms, they look at where they think 2021 can be, and they look at the changes where each administration could have, and they start planning for that.”

He says he’s convinced if the election were held today, Biden would win, big. The election is “predominantly a referendum on Donald Trump,” Wolf continues. “He’s at his lowest approval polls to date. If the election was today, I think that the Democratic Party would win the presidency, the Senate, and the House.” He says Wall Street, while not monolithic in its voting patterns, looks “at the volatility and the lies that come out of this White House, and my gut tells me that they’re exhausted from it. The old saying that people vote with their pocketbook, I’m not sure I agree with that. I think there’s more to people. I believe that people are much more substantive than just the pocketbook.” He says that what has been revealed by the COVID pandemic and the faltering economy is “income inequality, health inequality, and racial inequality,” and voters are going to be focused on the candidate that is best able to articulate solutions to these serious problems. He thinks Biden is the best qualified to address these issues. “Biden is going to focus on how we can grow, and how we can grow in a fair and just way,” Wolf says. “I think you’ll see the corporate rate go up. You’ll see the highest earners’ income tax rate go up. I think it’s expected. I don’t think any of this is unexpected…I think there will be clear-cut disagreements between what’s the best way to take our country into 2021. Certainly, my view is that the Biden campaign is going to be able to show why they have the best case and the best person to lead.”

[Felya]

Trump is challenging the SCOTUS ruling on his taxes... with all the shit Trump gets away with and even admitting he pays no taxes, because he is smart... What the hell is in there? The more Trump is hiding it, the more tempting it is to buy into wildest conspiracy theories. Like... did he donate money to David Duke and than write it off? I can’t fathom what must be in those tax returns...

[Ursus]

Trump is challenging the SCOTUS ruling on his taxes... with all the shit Trump gets away with and even admitting he pays no taxes, because he is smart... What the hell is in there? The more Trump is hiding it, the more tempting it is to buy into wildest conspiracy theories. Like... did he donate money to David Duke and than write it off? I can’t fathom what must be in those tax returns...

How dare you accuse gentle Trump of misdeeds. He has clearly stated time and time again that he will happily release them once he is no longer under audit from the IRS, which coincidentally just happens to be the longest audit in the history of the world. /s

[Ivanstone]

I can't believe how many similarities the Trump administration continues to have to a dark comedy cartoon about a hilariously stupid and incompetent death metal band.

THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT! They make good music. I'm listening to "Murmaider" right now.

[solinari6]

How dare you accuse gentle Trump of misdeeds. He has clearly stated time and time again that he will happily release them once he is no longer under audit from the IRS, which coincidentally just happens to be the longest audit in the history of the world. /s

ACTUALLY, Guilliani had an interview the other day where he said that Trump's audits were over and he paid a fee, and since the IRS is happy about it, there's no reason for anyone to look at his taxes.

[Felya]

ACTUALLY, Guilliani had an interview the other day where he said that Trump's audits were over and he paid a fee, and since the IRS is happy about it, there's no reason for anyone to look at his taxes.

But... if there is nothing to see... why the fight to... what... the...

[Odinfrost]

ACTUALLY, Guilliani had an interview the other day where he said that Trump's audits were over and he paid a fee, and since the IRS is happy about it, there's no reason for anyone to look at his taxes.

Have the IRS confirmed Guilliani's statement? Cause I trust the bubonic plague more than I trust Guilliani

[Edge-]

Have the IRS confirmed Guilliani's statement? Cause I trust the bubonic plague more than I trust Guilliani

No, the IRS doesn't comment on that shit, he's just being your crazy uncle who's off his meds ranting for a bit.

[Elegiac]

No, the IRS doesn't comment on that shit, he's just being your crazy uncle who's off his meds ranting for a bit.

Yeah but imagine the look on Trump's lawyers faces when the judges deny the appeal on the basis that one of the President's representatives claimed that the audit (i.e. the stated reason for not releasing the returns) is over vis a vis Trump's tweets being used against him in rulings surrounding his immigration bans.

[Edge-]

GUYS I HAVE GREAT FUCKING NEWS, IVANKA FOUND SOMETHING NEW!



She's now a social media influencer, for canned beans. Her years working in government were all preparing her for this next step on her career path.

And yes, this violates ethics rules - https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status...79189232611330

[Thepersona]

GUYS I HAVE GREAT FUCKING NEWS, IVANKA FOUND SOMETHING NEW!



She's now a social media influencer, for canned beans. Her years working in government were all preparing her for this next step on her career path.

And yes, this violates ethics rules - https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status...79189232611330

You have to be fucking kidding me. Is this the contrarian Trolling that i've been hearing all about?

[Felya]

She's now a social media influencer, for canned beans. Her years working in government were all preparing her for this next step on her career path.

Something about apples and trees...

[Edge-]

You have to be fucking kidding me. Is this the contrarian Trolling that i've been hearing all about?

Yes. Trump and conservatives discovered Goya after their CEO was criticized for supporting Trump and folks voiced support for a boycott of the brand, and now it's their favorite store in the Citadel.

Somehow I don't think that if there's an actually meaningful boycott (I'm skeptical on that), that conservatives are going to buy enough canned beans to make up for it. Probably the first can of beans she's ever held in her life, but god damn is she Vanna Whiting the shit outta it like a champ.

[Elegiac]

GUYS I HAVE GREAT FUCKING NEWS, IVANKA FOUND SOMETHING NEW!

Yes I too like to prepare my black beans in an entirely white outfit with no apron. Live life on the edge, you know? No gods no frijoles.

[draynay]

Too bad Goya had to destroy their traditional market to earn this.

[Stormspark]

Too bad Goya had to destroy their traditional market to earn this.

Their stock is WAY down...here's hoping the company suffers massively.

[PACOX]

GUYS I HAVE GREAT FUCKING NEWS, IVANKA FOUND SOMETHING NEW!



She's now a social media influencer, for canned beans. Her years working in government were all preparing her for this next step on her career path.

And yes, this violates ethics rules - https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status...79189232611330

This...fine lady...never at a gahdamn black bean in her life, let alone anything Goya...or even from a can.

A Trump supporter starve before they a can of Goya beans because 'it ain't' Murican'.

Out of all the grifts this has to be the dumbest one.

[cubby]

No, the IRS doesn't comment on that shit, he's just being your crazy uncle who's off his meds ranting for a bit.

True. However, those statements can be used as evidence. Which might be interesting down the road. Probably won't be used, but....

[Benggaul]

Just FYI regarding Trump's attempts to muffle hospital information, the States report locally, for the most part, in addition to sending info on to the CDC, so regardless of what twisted figures Trump's admin is going to try to grind out the truth should still be reported daily (via JH and worldometers, among others).