What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Eddie Teach]

It feeds into the Trump victimization narrative that some right-wing media have.

[Zoupa]

It feeds into the Trump victimization narrative that some right-wing media have.

No one cares.

[The Minsky Moment]

I wish they mocked and criticised him for proper things, god knows he makes enough of those, and not a badly constructed sentence.

If a 22 year old copyist did this in a normal business, they'd be out of a job.  He's the President, if he going to do official national communications by tweet, he should assign staff to make sure it's done properly.  It is disrespectful to the nation and the people who elect him to do otherwise.

And let's be real - this was not a badly constructed sentence.  He is just a complete ignoramus.  And that is a big, legitimate criticism of him in this job as well.

[Tamas]

I wish they mocked and criticised him for proper things, god knows he makes enough of those, and not a badly constructed sentence.

If a 22 year old copyist did this in a normal business, they'd be out of a job.  He's the President, if he going to do official national communications by tweet, he should assign staff to make sure it's done properly.  It is disrespectful to the nation and the people who elect him to do otherwise.

And let's be real - this was not a badly constructed sentence.  He is just a complete ignoramus.  And that is a big, legitimate criticism of him in this job as well.

Sure he is an idiot but quite clearly no remotely sane person thinks the Moon is part of Mars. He quite clearly meant that the grander space plans aiming to Mars have Moon stuff included. He just can't construct a proper sentence.

Yes, it is a pretty horrible situation that the POTUS' writing must be read like one reads a little child's, but I still thought the ridicule was overdone.

[grumbler]

I wish they mocked and criticised him for proper things, god knows he makes enough of those, and not a badly constructed sentence.

If a 22 year old copyist did this in a normal business, they'd be out of a job.  He's the President, if he going to do official national communications by tweet, he should assign staff to make sure it's done properly.  It is disrespectful to the nation and the people who elect him to do otherwise.

And let's be real - this was not a badly constructed sentence.  He is just a complete ignoramus.  And that is a big, legitimate criticism of him in this job as well.

Sure he is an idiot but quite clearly no remotely sane person thinks the Moon is part of Mars. He quite clearly meant that the grander space plans aiming to Mars have Moon stuff included. He just can't construct a proper sentence.

Yes, it is a pretty horrible situation that the POTUS' writing must be read like one reads a little child's, but I still thought the ridicule was overdone.

He said something stupid and got ridiculed for it.  I think it is pretty clear that not even Trump knew what the hell he was trying to say, and that there was no reason for him to say anything at all on the topic.  I don't think the ridicule was covfefe at all.

[mongers]

I wish they mocked and criticised him for proper things, god knows he makes enough of those, and not a badly constructed sentence.

If a 22 year old copyist did this in a normal business, they'd be out of a job.  He's the President, if he going to do official national communications by tweet, he should assign staff to make sure it's done properly.  It is disrespectful to the nation and the people who elect him to do otherwise.

And let's be real - this was not a badly constructed sentence.  He is just a complete ignoramus.  And that is a big, legitimate criticism of him in this job as well.

Sure he is an idiot but quite clearly no remotely sane person thinks the Moon is part of Mars. He quite clearly meant that the grander space plans aiming to Mars have Moon stuff included. He just can't construct a proper sentence.

Yes, it is a pretty horrible situation that the POTUS' writing must be read like one reads a little child's, but I still thought the ridicule was overdone.

Oddly I intuitively got what he meant, so initially was confused about the criticism; I don't know what that says about me. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Trump and Ross were crowing that the trade deficit with China is down after the record numbers in 2018.

Measuring through April 30, imports from China are down $20 billion from the prior period in 2018; at the time  exports to China are down by about $10 billion.

Meanwhile, US imports from Vietnam alone are up 35% in the quarter- over $5 billion -  while exports to Vietnam are up only $500 million.  Vietnam is relevant to this inquiry given widespread reports that Chinese goods are being repackaged and relabelled as Made in Vietnam.

Looking at US trade globally, the trade deficit through end of April is the same as in 2018.  Total exports and imports are almost exactly the same.  So the China trade war has had zero impact on the overall composition of US trade; it has just shifted imports and exports to other countries.

In one sense that is good news as it suggests at least in the short term the economic impact of the conflict is being contained, albeit in part through smuggling and rule-breaking.  On the other hand, it shows up the incoherence and pointlessness of Trump's mercantalist policy.

[derspiess]

I've lost a lot of patience with Trump and his trade deficit crap.  If he'd focus on the actual trade barriers and other shenanigans the Chinese and others are pulling, and address those issues specifically, I could go along with trying to play hardball.  Try to even the playing field as much as possible-- then if we can't compete on an even playing field, suck it up and enjoy the cheap imported goods while they last.

[Admiral Yi]

I've lost a lot of patience with Trump and his trade deficit crap.  If he'd focus on the actual trade barriers and other shenanigans the Chinese and others are pulling, and address those issues specifically, I could go along with trying to play hardball.  Try to even the playing field as much as possible-- then if we can't compete on an even playing field, suck it up and enjoy the cheap imported goods while they last.

Kind of agree.  All the bullshit could be worth it if there is real movement on intellectual property, state subsidies, etc., but not if the end result is some promises to buy more soybeans.

[Admiral Yi]

Just read in The Economist that betting sites have the odds of a Trump victory at 49%.

[Valmy]

Just read in The Economist that betting sites have the odds of a Trump victory at 49%.

So...you're telling me there is still a chance he loses?

[Zoupa]

Isn't that exceptionally low for an incumbent?

I don't see any sure bets on the Dem side. It's still early I guess, but odds are for a cheetos reelection.

[Barrister]

Isn't that exceptionally low for an incumbent?

For an incumbent with a strong economy it's very low.

But a Democratic victory in 2020 is far from a sure thing, precisely because Trump is an incumbent and the economy is strong.

[merithyn]

Help me understand how this works. Like, can he seriously just claim executive privilege on anything?

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/12/trump-asserts-executive-privilege-to-block-access-to-census-documents-1361784

President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to block Congress' access to documents about how a citizenship question was added to the 2020 census.

Trump claimed executive privilege over subpoenaed documents at the urging of the Justice Department, as the House Oversight and Reform Committee was beginning proceedings Wednesday morning to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with the panel's subpoenas, which the committee issued in April.


"These documents are protected from disclosure by the deliberative process, attorney-client communications, or attorney work product components of executive privilege," Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote in a letter to House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).

[Valmy]

To be honest I do not have a very firm grip on the extent of the President's authority and powers these days. I mean Nixon had to turn over his tapes but that was almost 50 years ago now.