No body in history past or future would take 2 days off immediately after becoming the most powerful leader in the west.

Fred99:

 

 

 

GW Bush did it in 2002 with steel.  That was taken to the WTO who found against the US, Bush ignored the ruling.  It was reversed only when the EU threatened retaliatory tariffs against the US - those targeted specifically to disrupt US exports from marginal Republican states.

 

What stops countries doing the same thing to the USA under Trump if he tries to impose unfair penalties in trade?

Bottom line is that the USA needs trade.

If BMW had 25% additional taxation on cars entering the USA, they would increase their prices 25% and Trumps friends would all be screaming. 

For every action, there can and likely, would be an equal opposite reaction. He might get away with a bit for a while, whilst people see if "his way" works, but it doesn't work, expect dissatisfaction.

Pumpedd:

 

No body in history past or future would take 2 days off immediately after becoming the most powerful leader in the west.

 

 

 

When I read that this morning, I just about choked. It's a shocker. 

blakamin:

 

freitasm:

 

Donald Trump tells Times of London his first "work day" will be Monday after the Inauguration. He's taking the Saturday and Sunday off. 

 

The guy is a joke.

 

 

 

 

And now terrorists and North Korea know he's a 9-5, 5 days a week president. 

 

I bet they're stoked!  *groan*

 

 

 

*Russia probably already knew.

 

Russia *installed him.

Fred99:

 

tdgeek:

 

 

 

I dont get your point. My stance is that he is all talk and no action. He can talk and cause shareholders to sell up, thats fine. Not great, but its not the end of the world. His stance on taxes isn't new. There will be stocks that rise on the coat tails of his ranting. My issue is action. Not talk. He is just talk. My stance is he has no action to offer.

 

 

 

 

He can absolutely do what he threatens - impose tariffs on imports - without congressional approval.

 

GW Bush did it in 2002 with steel.  That was taken to the WTO who found against the US, Bush ignored the ruling.  It was reversed only when the EU threatened retaliatory tariffs against the US - those targeted specifically to disrupt US exports from marginal Republican states.

 

You underestimate the danger Trump poses IMO, and given his petulant vindictive nature, perhaps overestimate the ability of the GOP to rein him in.

 

When (I think it's inevitable) they do try to curtail his extremes - then IMO that's when he's going to be most dangerous - a spoiled child used to getting his own way facing discipline.  Tantrum time.

 

I'm happy to be proven wrong, although if I am right that's preferable as the farce will be less harmful to the world, more harmful to the US and entertaining

Anything that harms the US will harm us....fact!

Reading the Trump / Putin versions of the news this morning, and Trump's twitter feed, there's no sign whatsoever that sanity is going to prevail.

I came across this though:

 

A Narcisist's Prayer.

 

That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
And if it is, that's not my fault.
And if it was, I didn't mean it.
And if I did
You deserved it.

 

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2017/images/01/16/trump.2.pdf

In my opinion, the results of the poll are remarkably good news for Trump.  Despite being on target for being the most unpopular president, to the US public he's still more popular than Putin, Theresa May, Angela Merkel, Melania Trump.

Most popular of all seems to be Queen Elizabeth II.

Pumpedd:

 

Anything that harms the US will harm us....fact!

 

We performed extremely well when the GFC hit. We are less exposed than many nations. I am sure we can manage when Corona shares dropped by 10%, BMW dropped, the big beautiful wall gets built, riots become a daily feature there, and we along with other nations start trading more with each other and reduce dependence on the US. 

I'm more worried about effects on China and subsequent implications for NZ exporters.

I am worried about escalation. Trump is so pig-headed I think he could actually start a war without intending to.

Rikkitic:

 

I am worried about escalation. Trump is so pig-headed I think he could actually start a war without intending to.

 

 

 

by Twitter!!

 

 

 

I just saw on RNZ that Obama has commuted the prison sentence of Chelsea Manning! Also an item that Wikileaks has said Assange would agree to extradition if this happened! I don't mean to hijack this thread but I feel these events are now intertwined with Trump's presidency. Does anyone know more/have comments?

Rikkitic:

 

I just saw on RNZ that Obama has commuted the prison sentence of Chelsea Manning! Also an item that Wikileaks has said Assange would agree to extradition if this happened! I don't mean to hijack this thread but I feel these events are now intertwined with Trump's presidency. Does anyone know more/have comments?

 

The latest tweet from Wikileaks suggests to me he may actually make good on his promise to allow the US to extradite him. It seems insane to me to volunteer to do this, unless of course there is some agreement in place whereby he is guaranteed presidential pardon by Trump.

Perhaps Wikileaks has serious dirt on Trump they are willing to withhold in exchange for full presidential pardon. Maybe it's the rumored video takes, if they do indeed exist. 

 

Assange is confident of winning any fair trial in the US. Obama's DoJ prevented public interest defense & fair jury. https://t.co/Mb6gXlz7QS

 

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 17, 2017

In which case it shows Wikileaks is not there for the moral obligation of truth but only for self-interest.

That is a concern I have but for the moment I am reserving judgement out of respect for all the good they have done in the past.