DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... This Trump Administration Is Brought To You By Goldman Sachs

Debt is a tool to be used for growth and improvement..

I don't agree with everything Donald said but in one of his speeches he said something to the effect of... yea, we are $20+ trillion in debt, which is bad but it doesn't have to be so bad but look what we have to show for it.. failing infrastructure, poor education, outrageously expensive healthcare, inner city poverty.. where is the return on that investment? What are we actually improving with all of that money?

Which is a perfectly valid point.

Trump once said that he was the Middle Classes best friend. Fine, but will someone explain to me how filling his cabinet with uber wealthy business types that probably had a hand in causing the very plight that many middle class Americans are in.

It's like saying, the Lions are coming to eat us and instead of going another direction, you rush right into the Lion Den. Not sure that makes a lick of sense. Guess we'll find out.

To me, it's more of Donald Trumps "The Big Lie".

Unless your name is Daniel! Sorry, could t pass that one up!

I know it doesn't work like this, but how much does the world owe us? I've read conflicting reports. If you subtracted the difference, wouldn't that be a more accurate representation of what we owe....?

It would but I would have no idea how or where to get accurate information on that kind of stuff... I also don't know why we can't just say, we owe you $3 trilling, you owe us $1.5 trillion.. so let's just say we owe you $1.5 trillion and call it done.

Possibly.

But, lost in all of this is the simple "debt service" numbers. How much are we paying in interest alone?

I understand debt can be a good thing. IF one goes into debt for an asset that will make them money in the long term.

Debt is okay if it takes care of issues/eliminates issues, AND is affordable over a longer term.

But debt can be extremely dangerous as well.

The country simply can't afford to be adding trillions in debt each year/term in the hope or belief that someone else will pay it back later.

As dc mentioned: where is the payback on our current debt?

Filling those positions with attorneys, career politicians, and academics hasn't done much for us so why not try something different?

Those uber wealthy business types are the very ones who know exactly how and why businesses exploit the laws that the politicians before them have created. They have the opportunity, now I'm not saying they will but they do have the OPPORTUNITY, to fix them in a practical way that can help everybody... Only time will tell whether or not they make the most of that opportunity.

The country owed 3 trillion probably makes more off of interest than we do. However, why the hell don't we do what you suggest?

So what your saying is, the only choices we have are career political hacks that allowed us to be in this pickle, or the billionaire business leaders that paid the political hacks that allowed us to get in this pickle.

I respectfully submit that they are NOT the only people that are worth a look. Scholars, econ professors, how about a professional educator or two, how about some small business people that have to fight everyday to survive instead of a big business person that wants them out of business so they can take over the world.

Pivoting to alternatives but then limiting those alternatives to make your point doesn't seem smart to me.

None of the people you mentioned have the funds or the backing to be able to afford being elected.. Unless you're able to get the support of a lot of very wealthy people, you can't afford to compete in elections on a national level.

Most wealthy people aren't going to support someone who doesn't serve their interests.

No, I'm saying those are the only choices that will likely ever be used.


I said academics.. the left loves them because all of their theories work on paper... Unfortunately many of them don't recognize that these theories will not work in the real world even though they have been tried repeatedly and have failed because they never account for human nature.


Saying you want to take a small business person and put them in a cabinet position is like saying you want to take QB from Allegany Community College and put him the NFL because he understands the challenges of overcoming odds to succeed.

I have no problem with small business participation and input when it comes to making laws and trade deals that will impact them but they are not in a position to be cabinet members.

How many "ordinary" people understand the intricacies of a multi-trillion dollar economy? We have had tons of political and scholarly types, and we have ..... this economy, with massive trade deficits and money flowing out of the country. It was clearly time to try something different, but it has to be something with a chance of success. An accountant, a restaurant manager, and an Uber driver aren't prepared to understand the way an economy the scale of ours runs, except in a very general, perfunctory manner.

These people who will run the economy also need to know how to look at trade deals and find the strengths and weaknesses, and to be able to take a huge amount of data and offer the President advice for setting a course forward. They also need instincts to see when something appears to be a good deal, or maybe seems to be too good to be true.

I think that business, specifically billion dollar experience, lends itself to this type of work. Sure we have to be aware that some might try to use their office for their own gain, but that is something we have to be aware of anyway.

I don't have a problem with using rich to help run the economy, because anyone who is put into that position is going to face temptations. Also, I would think that a multi-billionaire would be less susceptible to petty bribery. A guy with billions in the bank probably isn't going to be swayed with a European vacation, or a secret check.

Plus, what we're doing now has failed, so it's time for something new. If it fails, we can always vote Trump out in 4 years.

Wow... we're judging people and their civic capabilities by the size of their business's now?

Not now, we always have. If a person was an expert in national and international economies, they wouldn't be running a small business. That's why the owner of Dave's Hardware has never been given a cabinet position.. that's why nobody has ever gone from office secretary to CEO in one step.. that's why the QB at Podunk Community College isn't drafted and turned into a day 1 starter.. that's why the Mayor of Hickory, NC has never successfully run for President.. That's why no corporal has ever been promoted to general.

You work your way up and prove yourself along the way.

Are you surprised?

They honestly think government can be operated like a business.

Let me bro. When crap tanks, I don't want to hear any complaints from conservatives. This is what they want to country to look like.

Like Kansas trash ass economy right now. So if they want it to look like that, then let them.

I wasn't speaking of being elected, I was talking about Trumps appointees.....

And that makes it right and smart? I really thought/hoped that Trump wouldn't do exactly what he's doing.



Wow, how did it ever get to be "All or Nothing"? Can't an academic be paired with a strong business man for balance instead of being ALL billionaires? Man, I can't believe this.



Again with the over the top comments.

Look, Small business people have a perspective that a big business guy doesn't have, or at least hasn't had for a while. It's needed input. and it's worthwhile. Again, put a small business guy in the cabinet sitting right next to a big business guy..... learn and accept info from both.

He's not doing that.

I don't know the answers to your questions, but I will say that if you have only people coming at things from the same perspective, you will get concensus but you may not get the right answers. Or answers that help more than the top 1%.

It's that simple.

Trump is setting up to RUIN the middle class..

What is gov't.'s typical response to any issue? "We need more money."

It's not "hey, let's cut this wasteful spending, reduce that as it's not doing anything it was designed to do." It's always "we need more money, so we can hire a new tier to oversee what we thought was the overseeing tier before."

I'll still stick with one of the lines in my pervious post.



Now I don't wish for that to be taken the wrong way. Trump is a billionaire. How much of a billionaire we have no clue since he hides his tax returns, but a billionaire none the less. His career is in business.

Now someone with such a background, who would you think he believes would be best suited to solve problems? Don't you feel that he would think that people much like himself and those who have supported him would be the best possible candidates to serve with him?

Now I'm not saying I agree with Goldman Sachs and Exxon ties in our nations cabinet, in fact I loathe the idea. Yet at the same time, I understand the logic of how and why it's happening. I believe some people are having voters remorse and as things unfold I believe more people will.

But let's face it, he was elected president and all we can really do at this point is sit back and watch it all unfold. As we see on this very board, some people will make excuses for every move he makes. Some people will attack him for every move he makes. I'm trying my best to take a wait and see approach to it.

So far I've only seen two moves which I feel are worthy of complaint.

1. Instead of appointing a great surgeon to the surgeon general position, you put him in charge of housing and urban development. Something he has zero experience at. That makes zero sense.

2. Having Steve Bannon anywhere near your ear.

I believe things will get really crazy before this whole thing is over, but I'm still willing to take a wait and see approach.

I found this interesting: https://gma.yahoo.com/donald-trump-advis...opstories.html#


Hillary was taking millions in donations from "wall street" to benefit her, and her foundation.

Trump is tasking some of these rich people with helping the U.S.

I can agree with those for sure... I would like to add in the guy from Infowars.. Keep forgetting his name.. Anyway, he's another one that shouldn't be anywhere near the oval.

And I also get that Trump is going to do what serves his best interest and in this case, he will surround himself with virtual clones.

That may serve him, it doesn't serve us.

Someone explain to me how pivoting to what "hillary or Bernie" would have done means a damn thing at this point?

I mean, does it make anyones point more or less valid?

I find it funny that people who thought that they need to 'drain the swamp' only want alligators in their now.

Good God. How more elite can you get by saying your neighbors are too stupid to discuss 'multi national' issues. I'm disgusted.

Ah, you learned a new word?

While, in swish's terms, "you liberals and your squad" are harping about Trump, you're ignoring what could've been happening. And yes, I said "could have" been happening.

Dude's not even in office and some on here are griping about everything about him:
-how much it will cost for his wife and son to stay in N.Y. to finish a school year. (ignoring costs of other presidents for their "travel")
-Appointing wealthy people to his cabinet.

-Already griping about everything he's doing and not even giving anything (or him) a chance.

-making ultimatums to/about him and or his supporters.

It goes on and on.


I suppose you'd be happier if he were appointing tax cheats to his cabinet and other high level positions? Would that make you happy?



Here, how's this for the final answer: He has an R behind his name. That's where most of the hate comes from.

He beat the lady that felt she was entitled to the presidency - the lady with a D behind her name.

He's literally a tax cheat. What would be wrong with him appointing some?

He's not a tax cheat .... thats a FLAT OUT LIE ...

Let me get this straight ONE MORE TIME. I'm not a Liberal nor am I a Conservative. I'm really more of a hybrid of those two and you have to throw in a little independent in there.

I believe in fiscal responsibility but I also believe we need to take care of our own first.

Having said that, Just take it for what it's worth, I don't like Pivoting when where you pivot to doesn't mean anything.

No it's not. He literally created a new precedent in a tax code that was 200+ years old. It may have been legal, but it was a gigantic loop hole cheat that the government had to close a decade later.

It bothers me how many people worship rich people. A bit against the ideals of a self purported Christian nation, eh?

of course not. you know the bible is just a guideline.

He's a tax cheat? Why wasn't he in Obama's cabinet?

Why didn't Charlie Rangel hire him?

I love how you fancy yourself as an independent. It's very classy.

Highlighted the important part. Legal.

And you think rich dem's don't do the same thing?

You own a house? Do you deduct your mortgage interest, according to the tax code?

Do you write off anything when figuring your taxes? Or, do you just pay based on your gross income?

Because Obama wanted his own tax cheats in his cabinet. And Trump would think it would be underneath him to work for a black Muslim.

Weird how you got that statement.

Who is "worshipping" rich people? I'm not.

Sounds like envy on your part. Envy is wrong also.

I know and work for many rich people. I don't worship them, nor do I envy them, or their tax breaks.

It used to be legal to own black people and kill jews. Must mean both things are right!!!

I'm fully aware that you do not know how Trump worked the tax code, but do you? You look ridiculous comparing it to taking deductions from your home mortgage.

Is it legal to own blacks today?

Is it legal kill jews? (seems the blacks think it's fine to kill their own - but it still isn't legal)



Now, for the gist of your argument: How did trump work the tax code, and what was he found guilty of?

Perhaps I'm missing something, I'll grant you that. I do know he contributed an illegal amount to, I think, the AG of florida.

This coming from the man who defended his LIE by making the case that he LIED!!! *LOL* ...

Witch is it ... u can only choose one ... u know what mutually exclusive means preppie ...

He either:

A. Cheated on his taxes ...

OR

B. Took advantage of a HUGE LOOPHOLE in the tax code as it existed when he did it that has since been closed ...

U said both preppie ... everyone knows witch ones right ... question is .. are u so entrenched in your stance that u can't admit whats as plain as the nose on your face? ..

Just wish more business people used their wealth to benefit the common man. Not sure how purposely slashing hours to avoid paying out healthcare, refusing to reinvest into the country through wanting to sustain a free post-secondary education option (trade schools), and ship away American jobs due to a greed for higher profit margain.

All these go against what many claim as their morals. Capitalism has as many problems with democracy as it does with Christianity.

There are good business people, but they're rare.