Donald Trump

[jason_c]

So it looks as though the Wall may be paid for via an import tax on Mexican goods:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38766662
However, that means, contrary to Trump's numerous promises, ultimately it is the American taxpayer who will pay for it via higher prices on imported goods. I mean, an import tax is basically equivalent to a sales tax, which is one of many reasons why protectionism doesn't work.

Trump is probably convinced that consumers will stop buying products coming from Mexico because of the increased price. It won't be the case. At best, a short term reaction.

It's Donald Trump we are talking of here, this is no more than an opening gambit. Trump's critics ought to read The Art of the Deal.

It is interesting to note Trump's critics admit increased costs are ultimately paid for by the consumer(this is not aimed at the posters I am quoting). Far too often Dems advocate higher costs on businesses but rarely admit consumers are the ones to pay the price.

I suspect IF a tax is placed on Mexican exports to the US(though it has to be admitted Trump has other ways of making Mexicans pay) Trump would expect some of the cost to be borne by the consumer and some to be borne by the producer. As Hercule Poirot says, the risk of placing the entire cost on to US the consumer is a loss of market share.

[Hercule Poirot]

The use of import taxes can work both ways and I don'think the american companies would like to see this happening. When you look at the various USA to Mexico exportation categories(https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/mexico), one can quickly figure out that suppliers from other countries could easily fill the gaps in Mexico, Canada being one of them.

Mexico and Canada already stated what they think about the whole deal and were wise in not teliing how they could response.

"You see that big dust cloud over ther at the end of the dirt road, son."
"Yeah! It's got to be something really big," the son said.
"Nope, just a guy on a bycycle pretending he's driving a truck! His name is Donald Trump."

[Mayerling]

It's Donald Trump we are talking of here, this is no more than an opening gambit. Trump's critics ought to read The Art of the Deal.

You mean that swindler's book, "The Art of the Steal". He can write a second one on how to misuse the bankruptcies laws to rob investors for his own aggrandizement, and a third one on how to steal Federal elections.

[Karl]

I think it is only reasonable to assume he is going to run the country the way he has run his businesses, after all you do what you know. And for Trump that means high-risk ventures, paying with debt (or not at all), misinformation and strong-arming lesser players. This tends to build a structure on debt which will eventually collapse under its own weight (as indeed it did), and there is no reason to think this strategy will be any more successful when applied by the government rather than a private business.

Trump criticised Obama for increasing the national debt, yet he has also called himself "the king of debt", boasting "I’ve made a fortune by using debt, and if things don’t work out I renegotiate the debt." That is playing a very dangerous game, because if things go bad, and keep going bad you will lose credibility - other businessmen won't give you the time of day. The same dynamic exists between nations: eventually whatever sanctions you can threaten to make other nations toe the line, will not outweigh the cons of working together under such conditions.

[ChrisGeorge]

Roughly Speaking podcast. Breaking down Trump's baseless assertions of voter fraud. Baltimore Sun, January 26, 2017. Go to --

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-trump-fraud-claims-story.html

[Pcdunn]

I looked at some articles about that today, and was amused to read that one woman voted twice for Mr. Trump, once by mail and once at a polling place. She admitted she hadn't planned to, but she was passing the polling station, and "just went in" on impulse. Her lawyer says she shouldn't be charged with fraud, as she has problems with concentration and understanding things.

[Hercule Poirot]

... she has problems with concentration and understanding things.

The female version of DT. LOL

[GUT]

Two items here today....

1. He wants to change visas for Aussies, making it harder to visit

2. Signed an order today stopping refugee intake for four months.

[Karl]

Roughly Speaking podcast. Breaking down Trump's baseless assertions of voter fraud. Baltimore Sun, January 26, 2017. Go to --

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...ims-story.html

It's not enough for him to win the election, he can't stand the thought of losing the popular vote, even though it had no actual impact. This is not a mentally mature individual.

[Magpie]

[Hercule Poirot]

Johns Hopkins’ Top Psychologist Releases Terrifying Diagnosis of President Trump

This article might interest some of you.

http://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2017-01-27/does-donald-trumps-personality-make-him-dangerous?src=usn_tw

[Limehouse]

I don't think you need a professorship in psychology to recognise that Trump is a dangerous lunatic. However, I am a Brit and the people of the USA have made their choice so who am I to contradict those who chose him? However, I feel deeply sad for the Americans who did not vote for him and who have to endure his mad policies and be judged by them.

Currently, he is turning away (temporarily, at least) law-abiding people who have chosen to lawfully live and work in the USA, some of whom have families and jobs there. These are people who, have left the states to visit family, make business trips or take a holiday, are being prevented from returning (or are being held in detention centres). Precisely how is this going to prevent terrorism?

[ChrisGeorge]

I don't think you need a professorship in psychology to recognise that Trump is a dangerous lunatic. However, I am a Brit and the people of the USA have made their choice so who am I to contradict those who chose him? However, I feel deeply sad for the Americans who did not vote for him and who have to endure his mad policies and be judged by them.

Currently, he is turning away (temporarily, at least) law-abiding people who have chosen to lawfully live and work in the USA, some of whom have families and jobs there. These are people who, have left the states to visit family, make business trips or take a holiday, are being prevented from returning (or are being held in detention centres). Precisely how is this going to prevent terrorism?

Hi Limehouse,

As an immigrant myself and a holder of a green card for a large number of years until I became a U.S. citizen in December 1994, I can feel for those individuals who hold green cards or visas and now find they are being turned away once they land in the United States. Obviously we all need to be vigilant against possible terrorists but this abrupt and ill thought out executive order by Trump is causing inordinate and unnecessary problems for numerous innocent people.

Best regards

Chris

[Pcdunn]

Thank you, Limehouse, for the astute observation.

I saw a piece on the news about a Middle-Eastern man, returning home from a visit abroad, who was vouched for by a government representative because he has worked for the United States.

I also saw that several peaceful protests have broken out at American airports, including Denver International, with people holding signs urging that we welcome immigrants. At DIA, they were escorted outside, as protests indoors are against local laws, but continued to gather. Police seemed uninterested in arresting anyone.

I think Trump is interested in keeping out refugees, thinking that terrorists are sneaking in among them. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea.

I think most Americans believe in basic human rights and will demonstrate for them. I do worry that President Trump will get irritated as he sees more protests, and I'm not sure what he will do then. It's all very well to sign executive orders, but he has yet to pass a law via negotiation with the House and Senate (as every eighth-grader should know from Government classes), and that will be the real test of him as a leader.

[ChrisGeorge]

John D. Gartner, a practicing psychotherapist who taught psychiatric residents at Johns Hopkins University Medical School here in Baltimore, provides his professional assessment of President Donald J. Trump. And it's a scary diagnosis --

http://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2017-01-27/does-donald-trumps-personality-make-him-dangerous