US Politics/2016 Election Pick Your Poison Master Thread

[aygart]

[Dawie]

That's just noise. The real story is CHAOS.

he letting the media do the vetting

[Yehuda57]

i don't think it's wrong and it isn;t wrong because it's not illegal
Just like proper tax planning (and bad investments) will get you a $900million NOL that you can use to offset your tax bill
to quote Judge Learned Hand (yes a real name)
"Over and over again courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging one's affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so, rich or poor; and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands: taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions. To demand more in the name of morals is mere cant."

Without veering off into a tax discussion which wasn't the topic of discussion;

The problem is the conflicts of interest that Trump has. Aside from this story, (which the Argentinian PM has denied) there are other reports alleging Trump to have tried to further his businesses using his position as president elect.
Further: he is not placing his businesses in a blind trust, but rather giving them to his kids.
Further: his kids are involved with his cabinet, on his transition team, already sitting in on meetings, and reported to be requested to be cleared to sit in on nat sec briefings.

Even unintentionally, there are conflicts of interest, with foreign diplomats already saying they would stay in the Trump Hotel in DC, and bring it up to him in meetings, hoping it will curry favor.

Now, you say it's hypocritical to bring it up because Hilary would have done worse? But that's *exactly* why Trump won. People hated Hilary because of the corruption and scheming. It's part of why I didn't vote for her, despite my absolute steadfast #neverTrump stance. Instead of draining the swamp, he is muddying it further by not placing his businesses in a blind trust.

As to your comments about it being legal, that may be true, but it is still a most egregious breach of ethics, and could be subject to impeachment (see here) though that is unlikely with a GOP Congress.

[Dawie]

Without veering off into a tax discussion which wasn't the topic of discussion;

The problem is the conflicts of interest that Trump has. Aside from this story, (which the Argentinian PM has denied) there are other reports alleging Trump to have tried to further his businesses using his position as president elect.
Further: he is not placing his businesses in a blind trust, but rather giving them to his kids.
Further: his kids are involved with his cabinet, on his transition team, already sitting in on meetings, and reported to be requested to be cleared to sit in on nat sec briefings.

Even unintentionally, there are conflicts of interest, with foreign diplomats already saying they would stay in the Trump Hotel in DC, and bring it up to him in meetings, hoping it will curry favor.

Now, you say it's hypocritical to bring it up because Hilary would have done worse? But that's *exactly* why Trump won. People hated Hilary because of the corruption and scheming. It's part of why I didn't vote for her, despite my absolute steadfast #neverTrump stance. Instead of draining the swamp, he is muddying it further by not placing his businesses in a blind trust.

As to your comments about it being legal, that may be true, but it is still a most egregious breach of ethics, and could be subject to impeachment (see here) though that is unlikely with a GOP Congress.

WHO'S ETHICS?
the self righteous left? who have no moral compass left (no pun intended)
The reason it's not illegal is because its nearly impossible, especially when you have such broad business interests, to not have conflicts. the question is is he actively courting business and changing US policy (ala HRC in Haiti and the Congo) or in the context of an hour phone convo stick in at the end a PS about building permits

IMHO also a blind trust is BS, Michael Bloomberg had it and i dont believe for a second he didn;t still enrich himself in his position

[Super Speed]

WHO'S ETHICS?
the self righteous left? who have no moral compass left (no pun intended)
The reason it's not illegal is because its nearly impossible, especially when you have such broad business interests, to not have conflicts. the question is is he actively courting business and changing US policy (ala HRC in Haiti and the Congo) or in the context of an hour phone convo stick in at the end a PS about building permits

IMHO also a blind trust is BS, Michael Bloomberg had it and i dont believe for a second he didn;t still enrich himself in his position

Careful what you say they may accuse you of voting for Trump
*Insert sarcastic emoji here*

[JTZ]

Careful what you say they may accuse you of CD voting for Trump

FTFY

[ExGingi]

I'm posting this link here rather than "interesting articles" because it has specific reference to DJT appointments and rhetoric.

http://www.mauldineconomics.com/this-week-in-geopolitics/islam-and-terrorism

[Yehuda57]

WHO'S ETHICS?

Common sense ethics, and accepted behavior from BOTH parties for decades - at least.

the self righteous left? who have no moral compass left (no pun intended)

Again, this is an issue coming up from right wingers also. You can be a Trump supporter and still recognize when he is doing something blatantly unethical. Not everything is about partisan politics.

The reason it's not illegal is because its nearly impossible, especially when you have such broad business interests, to not have conflicts. the question is is he actively courting business and changing US policy (ala HRC in Haiti and the Congo) or in the context of an hour phone convo stick in at the end a PS about building permits

So you agree it could be a problem, it's just an arbitrary matter of scale in your mind? Where do you draw the line? (Did you read the piece I linked to?)

IMHO also a blind trust is BS, Michael Bloomberg had it and i dont believe for a second he didn;t still enrich himself in his position

Well, I'm glad you think that. Personally I'll defer to decades of accepted ethical behavior, and the fact that not so much of a hint of such corruption has come up about Bloomberg - your humble opinion notwithstanding.

[JTZ]

I'm posting this link here rather than "interesting articles" because it has specific reference to DJT appointments and rhetoric.

http://www.mauldineconomics.com/this-week-in-geopolitics/islam-and-terrorism

To do this, the US must first avoid alienating all Muslims, and second face the obvious – that the terrorism being fought is Islamic. Without understanding the enemy, it cannot be defeated. But the only hope of some type of victory is that all Muslims do not belong to this movement. Denying that Islamic terrorism exists will cost the war. Arguing that all Muslims are Islamic terrorists means accepting the war can’t be won at all.

[aygart]

WHO'S ETHICS?

Ummm like the entire civilized world?

[Dawie]

Well, I'm glad you think that. Personally I'll defer to decades of accepted ethical behavior, and the fact that not so much of a hint of such corruption has come up about Bloomberg - your humble opinion notwithstanding.

I get my ethics from our honourable President Zuma

[Dawie]

Ummm like the entire civilized world?

Like Italy's berlusconi?

[Yehuda57]

I get my ethics from honourable President Zuma

Well, that explain it! H/T to Trevor Noah - the only funny Daily Show bits I've seen since he took over have been his comparisons of Trump to Zuma.

[aygart]

Like Italy's berlusconi?

What are you trying to say, that he is unethical?

[Dawie]

Well, that explain it! H/T to Trevor Noah - the only funny Daily Show bits I've seen since he took over have been his comparisons of Trump to Zuma.

Trevor, used to be funny, imitating the Cape Coloureds etc. Now he's just a democratic shill. i was a huge fan, now not so much
Right up there with Cory Booker who is going to be President in 2020 (you heard it hear first) who used to be IMHO a moral forward thinker, now it's all party lines pandering to the base (and it will work)

[Dawie]

What are you trying to say, that he is unethical?

i'm trying to figure out where and who the civilized world is
dont tell me Canada
and who Kennedy? FDR?

[aygart]

http://blog.dilbert.com/post/153480921421/persuasion-versus-populism

The biggest demographic group opposing Trump – including the ones on the street – are young people. Objectively speaking, young people are the dumbest people within every demographic group. I was dumber when I was younger. So were you. So is everyone else. Ask yourself if it is a coincidence that the dumbest people within every demographic group lean in the same direction.

LOL

[JTZ]

http://blog.dilbert.com/post/153480921421/persuasion-versus-populism

LOL

The only problem is Trump got the dummy vote this time. So what does that tell you?

[aygart]

The only problem is Trump got the dummy vote this time. So what does that tell you?

source?

[aradisc]

Only the beginning!
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/after-trump-victory-attendance-rises-at-annual-white-nationalist-conference-in-dc/ar-AAkvFVl?li=BBnb7Kz

Sounds like a rollicking good time.

“Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!”

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/richard-spencer-speech-npi/508379/