US Election Week 2020

[Sheilbh]

I think some of the money was transferred in a different way to avoid tax - I think the NYT did an investigation on this.

Also - and I can't remember where I read this - but I swear he doesn't like buying or holding shares (except, presumably, in his own companies). I swear I've read somewhere that in all of the information about his finances he just doesn't really seem to own many which is weird for rich person behaviour.

[The Brain]

Any business achievements of his pale into nothingness compared to his political achievement: he became President of the United States. Many people with quite serious credentials have tried and failed, he succeeded. Did he succeed because he is a skilled politician? My impression is that no, he was simply the wrong guy at the wrong time. "You can't argue with success" is a valid argument and deserves thoughtful consideration, but taken too far it makes you worship lottery winners.

[grumbler]

I think some of the money was transferred in a different way to avoid tax - I think the NYT did an investigation on this.

Also - and I can't remember where I read this - but I swear he doesn't like buying or holding shares (except, presumably, in his own companies). I swear I've read somewhere that in all of the information about his finances he just doesn't really seem to own many which is weird for rich person behaviour.

Trump does not own a lot when you consider what he owes on what he "owns" and how much he is losing on most of his assets.  It's questionable how much he is in the black, wealth-wise and while he is above water he might not even be a billionaire.  His biggest single asset (according to his own accounting) is his name, and that's going to take a plunge in value as the truth comes out.

[Sheilbh]

So legislators have to seat electors of the winner of the popular vote in their state, right?
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1326635693825617920?s=20
John Roberts (not that one) on Fox News: "The anger out there in these red states is so deep and palpable that GOP legislators may have a difficult time seating Biden electors."

[HVC]

I think we have to be careful not to overcook the incompetent businessman narrative.  He got something like 100 mill from his pop and turned it into something like 2 and a half billion.  Sleazy, tacky, unscrupulous, dishonest, etc., etc., but not completely incompetent.

Maybe i misremember, but wasn't it a thing that if he had just put the money his dad left him in some mutual funds he'd be richer now?

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe i misremember, but wasn't it a thing that if he had just put the money his dad left him in some mutual funds he'd be richer now?

If you want to earn points for rebuttals you need to stop operating on Portagee time Hillary.

Breaking news!  A MONSTER block of 8 votes just broke 5/3 for Trump! He only needs 124% of outstanding ballots to reclaim his rightful electoral votes!

[HVC]

Maybe i misremember, but wasn't it a thing that if he had just put the money his dad left him in some mutual funds he'd be richer now?

If you want to earn points for rebuttals you need to stop operating on Portagee time Hillary.

Breaking news!  A MONSTER block of 8 votes just broke 5/3 for Trump! He only needs 124% of outstanding ballots to reclaim his rightful electoral votes!

its been a long day at work, but i wanted to contribute to the trump bashing

[The Minsky Moment]

Trump is far from the success he makes himself out to be and yet also not the business black hole disaster his detractors claim.

His core business as a commercial property developer has been run very similar to the standard NY family real estate company model - basically build-build-build and cash in while the market booms and leave the banks holding the bag during the bust.  He's done Ok by that model, managing to hold on to the core Trump Tower property even while losing equity in others. He also did quite well selling his name on licensing deals that gave him modest but steady income for no risk. 

With one huge exception, his non commercial RE investments have been pretty dire, in particular the casinos were disasters and the golf courses seem to be following that example.  The one huge exception is the Apprentice TV show, which was a big money maker for him.

While it may be true that a good money manager would have given an equivalent return for no work, I don't think he should be criticized for trying to work for a living and matching the market return is far from failure.

[Eddie Teach]

So legislators have to seat electors of the winner of the popular vote in their state, right?
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1326635693825617920?s=20
John Roberts (not that one) on Fox News: "The anger out there in these red states is so deep and palpable that GOP legislators may have a difficult time seating Biden electors."

The anger would be a lot more palpable if state legislatures ignore the actual votes.

[crazy canuck]

Trump is far from the success he makes himself out to be and yet also not the business black hole disaster his detractors claim.

His core business as a commercial property developer has been run very similar to the standard NY family real estate company model - basically build-build-build and cash in while the market booms and leave the banks holding the bag during the bust.  He's done Ok by that model, managing to hold on to the core Trump Tower property even while losing equity in others. He also did quite well selling his name on licensing deals that gave him modest but steady income for no risk. 

With one huge exception, his non commercial RE investments have been pretty dire, in particular the casinos were disasters and the golf courses seem to be following that example.  The one huge exception is the Apprentice TV show, which was a big money maker for him.

While it may be true that a good money manager would have given an equivalent return for no work, I don't think he should be criticized for trying to work for a living and matching the market return is far from failure.

I seem to recall that it was the Apprentice that set him up to make the lucrative licensing deals.  Basically without that TV show he would have gone under from his bad casino deals.

[Admiral Yi]

A good size block in AZ broke mas o menos even; Trump needs 68.3% of 35,599 remaining, has been breaking 56% Trump.

[OttoVonBismarck]

That is a 35 point swing in a single district. I doubt that was projected by a computer model in 2010--I'm sure the district mappers assumed this would be a safe republican district through 2020. The further out you get from redistricting the less effective a gerrymander is going to be. The 35 point swing to the democrats in this district is offset by swings to republicans in other districts--I don't see why a 2020 redistricting can't account for these changes and move georgia back to a 9-5 congressional delegation.

Mainly because the more Democrats there are the harder it is to do this, it's not actually that complicated.

[grumbler]

Trump is far from the success he makes himself out to be and yet also not the business black hole disaster his detractors claim.

His core business as a commercial property developer has been run very similar to the standard NY family real estate company model - basically build-build-build and cash in while the market booms and leave the banks holding the bag during the bust.  He's done Ok by that model, managing to hold on to the core Trump Tower property even while losing equity in others. He also did quite well selling his name on licensing deals that gave him modest but steady income for no risk. 

With one huge exception, his non commercial RE investments have been pretty dire, in particular the casinos were disasters and the golf courses seem to be following that example.  The one huge exception is the Apprentice TV show, which was a big money maker for him.

While it may be true that a good money manager would have given an equivalent return for no work, I don't think he should be criticized for trying to work for a living and matching the market return is far from failure.

I seem to recall that it was the Apprentice that set him up to make the lucrative licensing deals.  Basically without that TV show he would have gone under from his bad casino deals.

NYT has a radio show on NPR and they had the reporter who was digging into Trump's finances on a couple of weeks or so back.  He basically said what you are saying, though it was the Trump name recognition that got him the The Apprentice deal.  His TV appearances then went on to increase his name recognition.

As a celebrity, Trump has been quite successful.  As a businessman, not so much.  Despite this, his own claims are that he is a brilliant businessman and only incidentally a celebrity, and that's what his followers seem to believe.

Time to jump on the Trump Shuttle to go to the Trump Plaza Hotel and buy some Trump Steaks.

[Razgovory]

A good size block in AZ broke mas o menos even; Trump needs 68.3% of 35,599 remaining, has been breaking 56% Trump.

Biden might actually be able to win even if it is a small margin.

[Razgovory]

Another good thing about Biden winning is that the Bernie Bros can't say "I told you so".