The Trump Crime Family

[sambuca]

Since supporters of Obama and Trump brag about the economic growth achieved under their tenure, I found the Federal Reserve's announcement yesterday telling. The Federal Reserve has a lot of, and sometimes more, impact on short-term trends than the President. Politicians and the parties of course can't resist taking credit for every positive trend. You see that with Harper vs. Trudeau discussions.

All I can conclude is that the Fed wants to normalize (increase) interest rates. What should be considered normal is up for debate. It's odd that the Fed thinks growth will slow in 2019 and still be so hawkish. The global economy is also weakening. Perhaps they see asset prices (stock, real estate) and speculation at high levels and want to get in front of it.

Does the Fed want to engineer a soft-landing recession in late 2019/2020? Traditionally, the Fed does not raise rates in an election year. Could they be positioning themselves so they don't have to raise rates in 2020?

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Since supporters of Obama and Trump brag about the economic growth achieved under their tenure, I found the Federal Reserve's announcement yesterday telling. The Federal Reserve has a lot of, and sometimes more, impact on short-term trends than the President.

Totally agree. The President can, however, can have some influence. For example, if you have a President who is extremely stupid and for no good reason whatsoever decides to start a trade war, crippling many US industries as a direct effect, it's not at all surprising that the stock markets would tank as well in the wake.

 

[sambuca]

I support the trade war. I don't care if Trump initiated it or Bernie Sanders initiated it. I hope a 2020 Democratic President would continue this battle. China is a very serious military and economic threat to our country. Stealing American technology for years has been an inexcusable, long-term problem.

The trade war has been going on for months now. The Fed's inexplicable hawkishness and the weakening Euro economy have the stock market unnerved. "Don't fight the Fed" is a stock market axiom that can't be reinforced enough.

 

[jalimon]

so Jim Mattis gone who at Fox news will replace him now?

 

[cloudsurf]

Whomever its is their title will have to change from Secretary of War/Defence to Secretary of Surrender/ Betrayal .

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Whomever its is their title will have to change from Secretary of War/Defence to Secretary of Surrender/ Betrayal .

I'll go with betrayal.

Trump's enablers in the Senate seem to be waking up. They helped create this mess. Let's see what they plan to do to get us (ie the entire western world) out of it.

The sooner Trump is hauled off to jail, the sooner the world can be made safe again.

 

[sambuca]

I'm trying to sift through the media's anti-Trump rhetoric and really try to understand what is actually happening in terms of military policy. I'm not sure we want to be in Syria for years. I'm hopeful this may signal an exit from Afghanistan (17 years, $6 trillion and no end in sight).

While Trump seems to be a pain in the ass for a boss, we've had many Presidents criticized for their advisors having outsized influence. Cheney and Rumsfeld who seemed to control Bush gave us the Afghanistan quagmire. Some thought Valerie Jarrett had Obama's ear and too much influence.

The turnover in the cabinet is certainly excessive, but a few departures like Cohn who represented moneyed interests didn't bother me a bit. In the case of Mattis, we'll see how this plays out. If there is one thing we should learn is that Generals like conflicts and military intervention. Military budgets expand and promotions proliferate during these campaigns. The Generals in Afghanistan have been promising progress for years with no progress or an exit strategy in evidence.

 

[cloudsurf]

Sambuca your sentiments appear to be anti main stream Republican and more Rand Paul type isolationist with a tinge of Anarchy.

 

[jalimon]

Whomever its is their title will have to change from Secretary of War/Defence to Secretary of Surrender/ Betrayal .

Just read the job description they mention that the candidate must be an expert of the new US main line of communication. A top secret messaging system called Twitter.

 

[sambuca]

Sambuca your sentiments appear to be anti main stream Republican and more Rand Paul type isolationist with a tinge of Anarchy.

That's the nicest thing anyone has said about me on this thread.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Sambuca your sentiments appear to be anti main stream Republican and more Rand Paul type isolationist with a tinge of Anarchy.

...with a heavy dose of apologist.

 

[sambuca]

But seriously cloudsurf, I'm cynical about both parties so I don't always align with the establishment Republicans as they are called. I like to hear Rand Paul's views because he's articulate and has an interesting take on things. However, Libertarianism is not a practical governing philosophy in all societal matters. Perhaps the tinge of anarchy comes from the cynicism of government, the established parties and certainl of the media. It's much more healthy to question what you hear from any media outlet and political party to sift the facts from the manipulation.

I said much earlier in this thread foreign policy (and thereby military policy) is so complex. One day the U.S. can be on one side of an issue and without our intention the next day we find we're on another side of the issue.

 

[sambuca]

...with a heavy dose of apologist.

The simple, but important questions are:

Do you think we should have troops in Syria? How long?

Do you think we should still be in Afghanistan?

 

[sambuca]

so Jim Mattis gone who at Fox news will replace him now?

Hopefully, one of those hot, blonde news anchors. :hail:

 

[Valcazar]

Well, it's been a week. (Sorry all, Xmas - things to see, people to do.)

Too much to go through. (That Flynn hearing was devastating, especially since that was the Federal judge people were citing as questioning the indictment. And the foundation. And the NY state AG following up on the other financial crimes. )

sambuca - That is a remarkably conspiratorial take on the Fed. While I think they should have left the interest rates as is given the <2% inflation and evidence of encroaching weakness, unemployment <4% usually is a sign they will raise rates, plus they have been slowly moving back up for a while since they were trapped at nothing for so long. The announcement that they would only consider raising them twice in 2019 also seems like a signal for "we don't want to be too aggressive here". The whole thing sounds like they kind of reached a wishy-washy compromise, honestly. No need to posit weird urban legends like they don't raise rates in an election year or are planning a recession. Ockham's Razor.

As for the Syria thing, getting out is basically good and something I can support. That he is going to do it in a deeply stupid way makes it harder to root for, of course.

 

[cloudsurf]

As for the Syria thing, getting out is basically good and something I can support. That he is going to do it in a deeply stupid way makes it harder to root for, of course.

I agree that its a good thing but only under favourable conditions....not as they are now.
Leaving Syria in the hands of mostly anti-democratic forces like Russia, Iran and that madman in Damascus. Betraying the Kurds , the only democratic group in the region that was willing to support the US effort against ISIS. And worst of all leaving the job unfinished....ISIS has a small territory left in Syria.... so its not been totally defeated. The Kurds may be wiped out by the Turks and no US ally will trust them in a coalition again.

Now after Putin takes over all of Syria he is free to start marching into Africa.


Leaving Syria and doing it by twitter and surprising even his own security staff and generals is Trumps most dangerous and idiotic move to date. I hope that enough level headed Republicans will now support his impeachment. He is also inviting the Taliban to take over Afghanistan with his decision to remove half the US troops before they finished training the Afghan national security forces..

BTW Jalimon I`m having my coffee so no smelly pussy jokes please.

 

[cloudsurf]

More idiotic moves...

He is willing to send 6000 troops to the border with Mexico but is unwilling to keep 2000 troops in Syria to train and arm Kurds to finish the fight against an ISIS resurgence, as well as serve as a deterrent to Russian, Iranian and Turkish expansion into northern Syria.

 

[sambuca]

Leaving Syria and doing it by twitter and surprising even his own security staff and generals is Trumps most dangerous and idiotic move to date. I hope that enough level headed Republicans will now support his impeachment. He is also inviting the Taliban to take over Afghanistan with his decision to remove half the US troops before they finished training the Afghan national security forces..

You have a lot going on in your post cloudsurf. The Mideast never works out the way you have conveniently planned it all out in your head. Obama learned that lesson too. I don't think Americans can have a productive discussion with the media's knives out for Trump. Much of the media didn't want us in Syria and wanted us out. So now they'll criticize the President on how and when.

We have been training Afghan security forces for 17 years. Vietnam should have taught us that we can't fight for someone indefinitely. If they aren't capable or interested in standing up for themselves, we have to pull back.

And again when I remember all the advice from Generals on the ground in Afghanistan over the past years, I see deep conviction and confirmation bias. There has been some more honest assessments coming from the military the last two years.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...s-commander-in-afghanistan-reveals-pessimism/

 

[Doc Holliday]

Everything you said is true, Cloudy. However you forgot one thing: Vladimir Putin is calling the shots when it comes to whichever orders given by Trump. He's clearly Putin's puppet and feels he has no choice but to follow his orders or else Putin will release whatever he has on Trump, which is likely quite a lot. Sex crimes, money laundering, sex tapes, you name it!

The Russians have clearly won the Cold War thanks to the Russian asset which they managed to put in the White House. Donald John Trump has literally Made Russia Great Again (#MRGA).

On another note if anyone here has any $$$ invested in the US Stock Market i'd seriously advise them to cash out & get out a.s.a.p.

Trump's disastrous economic policies & the tariffs wars he started with various countries have led to the stock market's worst december performance since 1931 (during the Great Depression) and markets continue to tumble day after day. The deficit is climbing at an alarming rate thanks to the Republicans' disastrous tax breaks to the mega wealthy and by 2020 the deficit is expected to triple.

A depression is on the horizon folks and i really feel for some of my American friends depending on their 401K for their retirement. Trump has failed in nearly everything he's started & touched and the presidency is no exception. There is no more Fred Trump around to bail him out of another disaster with another $400 million hand out.

So word of advice: reconsider your upcoming sex excursions to Montreal and stay home and look after your money since there'll likely be a lot less of it in the future thanks to Trump killing the stock market and jobs thanks to his disastrous and foolish economic decisions.

p.s. Another top senior administration official resigned this morning. More are likely to come in the next few weeks thanks to Mr. Trump.

 

[jalimon]

The Russians have clearly won the Cold War thanks to the Russian asset which they managed to put in the White House. Donald John Trump has literally Made Russia Great Again (#MRGA).

On another note if anyone here has any $$$ invested in the US Stock Market i'd seriously advise them to cash out & get out a.s.a.p.

Good word of advise I think. Even tho Trump tariff will end up very bad for the economy and even if I hate Trump because he is a liar and a bully I think we would have had a recession anyhow. Seems we have one every 10 years. It will be a good time to buy.

BTW Jalimon I`m having my coffee so no smelly pussy jokes please.

Haha understood cloud!...

Cheers,