4 ms·

I have never caught even the slightest whiff of Trump knowing what he's doing on any topic. I'm genuinely not trying to be glib either, this is a sincere observ

by tootie 2y ago

I have never caught even the slightest whiff of Trump knowing what he's doing on any topic. I'm genuinely not trying to be glib either, this is a sincere observation. When has he publicly or privately intimated that he understands how tariffs or trade work? Or energy or immigration or infrastructure or technology? His public persona gives facile and misleading explanations that are ostensibly just politicking, but every tidbit of leaked insider accounts or hot mics or unguarded moments don't show anything more than the same persona.

ggm 2y ago
This tariff plan isn't Trumps. He co-opted Robert Lighthizer last time round, He was a trade negotiator, who believes strongly in protectionism.
- threeseed 2y ago
  It is Howard Lutnick's plan who is the Secretary of Commerce. Has been widely reported that there was conflict amongst the inner circle about the extent of the tariffs and that it was Lutnick pushing for the most extreme version which is what we ended up with.
  - ggm 2y ago
    Thanks for the correction. I had trouble remembering the name and when I went searching Lighthizer came up first.
  - tootie 2y ago
    Is there a cite for that? I believe it just haven't seen it. Very worrying because Lutnick was Musk's guy and that puts him at least adjacent to Thiel and his cult of monarchy.
lurk2 2y ago
> When has he publicly or privately intimated that he understands how tariffs or trade work? He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics.
- avgd 2y ago
  >He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics. Must have been worth as much as toilet paper considering his history of bankruptcies. I would be highly suspect of every person involved in letting him earn a degree in anything. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/general-election/real-time-fact-checking-and-analysis-of-the-first-presidential-debate/fact-check-has-trump-declared-bankruptcy-four-or-six-times/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/ge... Trump's greatest talent is in lying with a straight face, then finding explanations for the lies: >Why the discrepancy? Perhaps this will give us an idea: Trump told Washington Post reporters that he counted the first three bankruptcies as just one. His failed businesses include money printing machines aka casinos.
  - briandear 2y ago
    How many successful business founders have never failed?
  - john_texas 2y ago
    [dead]
- spacechild1 2y ago
  Sadly, this doesn't say much. He was a terrible student by all accounts.
  - lurk2 2y ago
    >by all accounts Which accounts?
    - spacechild1 2y ago
      For example: https://studyinternational.com/news/trump-student-wharton/ https://studyinternational.com/news/trump-student-wharton/ https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/09/14/donald-trump-at-wharton-university-of-pennsylvania/ https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/09/14/donald-trump-at-wh...

by tootie 2y ago

ggm 2y ago

This tariff plan isn't Trumps. He co-opted Robert Lighthizer last time round, He was a trade negotiator, who believes strongly in protectionism.

threeseed 2y ago
It is Howard Lutnick's plan who is the Secretary of Commerce. Has been widely reported that there was conflict amongst the inner circle about the extent of the tariffs and that it was Lutnick pushing for the most extreme version which is what we ended up with.
- ggm 2y ago
  Thanks for the correction. I had trouble remembering the name and when I went searching Lighthizer came up first.
- tootie 2y ago
  Is there a cite for that? I believe it just haven't seen it. Very worrying because Lutnick was Musk's guy and that puts him at least adjacent to Thiel and his cult of monarchy.

lurk2 2y ago

> When has he publicly or privately intimated that he understands how tariffs or trade work? He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics.

avgd 2y ago
>He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics. Must have been worth as much as toilet paper considering his history of bankruptcies. I would be highly suspect of every person involved in letting him earn a degree in anything. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/general-election/real-time-fact-checking-and-analysis-of-the-first-presidential-debate/fact-check-has-trump-declared-bankruptcy-four-or-six-times/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/ge... Trump's greatest talent is in lying with a straight face, then finding explanations for the lies: >Why the discrepancy? Perhaps this will give us an idea: Trump told Washington Post reporters that he counted the first three bankruptcies as just one. His failed businesses include money printing machines aka casinos.
- briandear 2y ago
  How many successful business founders have never failed?
- john_texas 2y ago
  [dead]
spacechild1 2y ago
Sadly, this doesn't say much. He was a terrible student by all accounts.
- lurk2 2y ago
  >by all accounts Which accounts?
  - spacechild1 2y ago
    For example: https://studyinternational.com/news/trump-student-wharton/ https://studyinternational.com/news/trump-student-wharton/ https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/09/14/donald-trump-at-wharton-university-of-pennsylvania/ https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/09/14/donald-trump-at-wh...