8 ms·

As interesting as this is, it isn't really news. The US is going to be stuck in stagnation unless it can solve its structural problems and the solution to that

As interesting as this is, it isn't really news. The US is going to be stuck in stagnation unless it can solve its structural problems and the solution to that will take decades plus political sanity. Political sanity is something we are very much lacking. :/

collyw 11y ago
"Political sanity is something we are very much lacking" You got Trump going for president though!
- krapp 11y ago
  Case in point.
- theseatoms 11y ago
  Honest question: Do people think that Trump believes the ignorant (and racist) rhetoric he spouts? Isn't it clear that he's just doing what it takes to get elected?
  - jonsen 11y ago
    Do you think he believes it will get him elected?
    - ferentchak 11y ago
      The odds makers are giving him a fair shot at it next best after Hillary. If you disagree that he has a shot against her you can make some cash from it. http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics/other-politics/us-politics?ev_oc_grp_ids=791149 http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics/other-politics/us-pol...
    - theseatoms 11y ago
      Good question. I think he's doing all he can to become president, while knowing that his presence in the national spotlight is only benefiting his career as a television personality. I think he's well-informed enough, behind his political facade, to look at the polls and prediction markets to see where he stands in the running. How does this differ from the consensus view?
  - mikeash 11y ago
    Every single Trump supporter I've heard from says that they admire the way that Trump speaks his mind and says what he thinks, rather than lying and pandering like normal politicians. I don't know about the rest of us, but do we matter for this? The only redeeming thing about this whole Trump fiasco is that his apparent popularity is highly misleading, since he's merely the frontrunner of a completely awful field.
    - theseatoms 11y ago
      So by being politically incorrect, he "proves" that he "just speaks his mind," and ends up gaining voter trust! I do think he's an expert salesman, something I've only recently grown to admire. His book might actually be worth reading...
  - ArkyBeagle 11y ago
    I think attributing it to real ignorance and racism is .... misdirected. YMMV, but Scott Adams ( the Dilbert guy ) is calling Trump like I see him. He's just a phenomenal salesman. I am especially loath to call some of the simply tone-deaf things he says "racism". After all, it might be technique at play, modulating your willing suspension of disbelief. If he is any racist at all, it's probably that annoying residual racism that comes from being older but is hard to characterize.
  - lawpoop 11y ago
    I don't think he believes it, really. Not to the extent that he spouts; there are though charges of racism stemming from his time as primarily a landlord in the 80s and 90s. What I think rather is that this is just another reality show for him. He loves being in the spotlight. In his biography, he said as a kid he admired Broadway musicals and wanted to grow up to be a producer. This is a man who loves show and spectacle. Remember, he was in the WWE (the phony wrestling organization) for a time. No billionaire needs to do that. He did it just because he wanted to be part of the show. He doesn't really care about becoming president or fixing the country, either. It would be nice for him, a bonus, but it wouldn't be his life's crowning achievement like it would for the other politicians in the race. It's more about the process for him. So to answer your questions, 1. No, he doesn't believe it, but 2. No, he's not just doing what it takes to get elected; he's doing what it takes to _stay in the spotlight_. That's more important to him than being elected.
malchow 11y ago
I think we have the potential to have the best period of structural reform in the postwar period. The Speaker of the House is one reason why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwv5EbxXSmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwv5EbxXSmE
- fweespeech 11y ago
  His "reforms" are the exact opposite of a solution. Improving GDP is largely about removing barriers to trade, improving infrastructure, and improving human capital. Paul Ryan is in favor of 0 of those things.
  - lintiness 11y ago
    long-term viability of the enterprise is about DEBT. representative democracy is off the rails as electability is determined by promises to spend on things (look at the above list). when are we going to start electing people who can do basic financial math?
    - danharaj 11y ago
      Care to elaborate?
    - ch4s3 11y ago
      That's not at all how national economies work, especially when debt is denominated in the nation's own currency. You simply can not compare a national economy to a single household's finances. At present, the US is incentivised to borrow, because the cost of borrowing in nearly zero. When you compare paying down debt with an interest rate of nearly 0%, to almost any other investment, paying down debt loses. Or put another way, any expenditure that has a return greater than the cost of borrowing is a better investment than paying down debt.
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
    - 11y ago

collyw 11y ago

"Political sanity is something we are very much lacking" You got Trump going for president though!

krapp 11y ago
Case in point.
theseatoms 11y ago
Honest question: Do people think that Trump believes the ignorant (and racist) rhetoric he spouts? Isn't it clear that he's just doing what it takes to get elected?
- jonsen 11y ago
  Do you think he believes it will get him elected?
  - ferentchak 11y ago
    The odds makers are giving him a fair shot at it next best after Hillary. If you disagree that he has a shot against her you can make some cash from it. http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics/other-politics/us-politics?ev_oc_grp_ids=791149 http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics/other-politics/us-pol...
  - theseatoms 11y ago
    Good question. I think he's doing all he can to become president, while knowing that his presence in the national spotlight is only benefiting his career as a television personality. I think he's well-informed enough, behind his political facade, to look at the polls and prediction markets to see where he stands in the running. How does this differ from the consensus view?
- mikeash 11y ago
  Every single Trump supporter I've heard from says that they admire the way that Trump speaks his mind and says what he thinks, rather than lying and pandering like normal politicians. I don't know about the rest of us, but do we matter for this? The only redeeming thing about this whole Trump fiasco is that his apparent popularity is highly misleading, since he's merely the frontrunner of a completely awful field.
  - theseatoms 11y ago
    So by being politically incorrect, he "proves" that he "just speaks his mind," and ends up gaining voter trust! I do think he's an expert salesman, something I've only recently grown to admire. His book might actually be worth reading...
- ArkyBeagle 11y ago
  I think attributing it to real ignorance and racism is .... misdirected. YMMV, but Scott Adams ( the Dilbert guy ) is calling Trump like I see him. He's just a phenomenal salesman. I am especially loath to call some of the simply tone-deaf things he says "racism". After all, it might be technique at play, modulating your willing suspension of disbelief. If he is any racist at all, it's probably that annoying residual racism that comes from being older but is hard to characterize.
- lawpoop 11y ago
  I don't think he believes it, really. Not to the extent that he spouts; there are though charges of racism stemming from his time as primarily a landlord in the 80s and 90s. What I think rather is that this is just another reality show for him. He loves being in the spotlight. In his biography, he said as a kid he admired Broadway musicals and wanted to grow up to be a producer. This is a man who loves show and spectacle. Remember, he was in the WWE (the phony wrestling organization) for a time. No billionaire needs to do that. He did it just because he wanted to be part of the show. He doesn't really care about becoming president or fixing the country, either. It would be nice for him, a bonus, but it wouldn't be his life's crowning achievement like it would for the other politicians in the race. It's more about the process for him. So to answer your questions, 1. No, he doesn't believe it, but 2. No, he's not just doing what it takes to get elected; he's doing what it takes to _stay in the spotlight_. That's more important to him than being elected.

malchow 11y ago

I think we have the potential to have the best period of structural reform in the postwar period. The Speaker of the House is one reason why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwv5EbxXSmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwv5EbxXSmE

fweespeech 11y ago
His "reforms" are the exact opposite of a solution. Improving GDP is largely about removing barriers to trade, improving infrastructure, and improving human capital. Paul Ryan is in favor of 0 of those things.
- lintiness 11y ago
  long-term viability of the enterprise is about DEBT. representative democracy is off the rails as electability is determined by promises to spend on things (look at the above list). when are we going to start electing people who can do basic financial math?
  - danharaj 11y ago
    Care to elaborate?
  - ch4s3 11y ago
    That's not at all how national economies work, especially when debt is denominated in the nation's own currency. You simply can not compare a national economy to a single household's finances. At present, the US is incentivised to borrow, because the cost of borrowing in nearly zero. When you compare paying down debt with an interest rate of nearly 0%, to almost any other investment, paying down debt loses. Or put another way, any expenditure that has a return greater than the cost of borrowing is a better investment than paying down debt.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
  - 11y ago