Trannies for Trump

[broncofan]

If military might is always the answer then what happened in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan? Did you learn nothing from those debacles?

[Nick Danger]

You're ignoring his point though. So I'll repeat it. Steel will be more expensive for U.S. manufacturers. This makes these manufacturers less competitive. Other countries place tariffs on our goods which will close off markets to our industries. How is this good and are their right wing economists who think trade wars are good for the economy?

You're engaging in some of the same bluster as Trump. I don't accept that he's a great negotiator, I don't think he's an exceptional businessman, and I'm not opposed to playing hardball or being tough but it doesn't justify being stupid. So how is he not doing something counter-intuitive and destructive?

I'm not a professional economist like Flighty, Bronco. But the math seems pretty simple to me - American steel will not be more expensive for American manufacturers - well, maybe a little, I'm sure American commodity suppliers will jack their prices up in light of new tariffs, that's the American way. But it will be cheaper than imported steel.

If manufacturing suffers a little, commodities will prosper a lot. And remember, Bronco, foreign countries dependent on American military protection for their continued prosperity are not in a position to play hardball with us. They may very well institute tariffs of their own, but they won't be enough to piss us off; whereas we, of course, needn't care whether we piss them off or not. That's what I meant in an earlier post when I said President Trump will be leveraging America's military might into dollars and cents.

You are not required to accept all this, Bronco. I encourage you to give all the credit for the pending American economic boom to Obama. He deserves it, he's a hell of a nice guy.

[broncofan]

I'm not a professional economist like Flighty, Bronco. But the math seems pretty simple to me - American steel will not be more expensive for American manufacturers - well, maybe a little, I'm sure American commodity suppliers will jack their prices up in light of new tariffs, that's the American way. But it will be cheaper than imported steel.

If manufacturing suffers a little, commodities will prosper a lot.

Well, American steel may not be more expensive than it would be but it will be more expensive than the foreign steel without tariffs. Our manufacturers will end up subsidizing our steel producers. I thought we were going to make America great again. Instead we're going to get better at furnishing raw materials at the expense of our competitiveness in making finished goods. Doesn't sound great. That kind of protectionism sounds like a step backwards.

We don't know what's pending as we haven't seen the results of the trade wars he seems intent on starting. I have no dogma here. If you can make it convincing I can be convinced.

[Nick Danger]

"Consciously ignoring the truth so you can keep pretending" You really have no sense of irony at all, do you Dangler?

You think Trump is going to send warships to China to force them to make trade concessions? This is not the 19th century.

If military might is always the answer then what happened in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan? Did you learn nothing from those debacles?

Military-Industrial Complex, Flighty. Our economy is dependent on the constant research, construction, destruction, and re-supply of ridiculously expensive military hardware. I thought everyone knew that. It was pretty much the only reason we were in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Central America, Lebanon, and the list do go on. Maybe I've over-estimated the collective intelligence of the current generation. Far from being "debacles," the wars you mentioned all fulfilled their function perfectly. In fact, look for a new, unnecessarily-prolonged, unwinnable war, probably with Iran, during Trump's second term. Second term is always the best time to start one.

But that doesn't relate in any way at all to the matter at hand. I'm talking, once again, about realpolitik, i.e., the negotiations that don't get reported on the evening news, conducted by people who know exactly where they stand militarily.

America is a bully. Were you really not aware?

[filghy2]

Military-Industrial Complex, Flighty. Our economy is dependent on the constant research, construction, destruction, and re-supply of ridiculously expensive military hardware.

America is a bully. Were you really not aware?

Military spending is good for the military-industrial complex, but not for the rest of the economy because it diverts resources that could be used for more productive things. The US spends 3.5% of its GDP on the military, so it would need to gain more than 3.5% from this just to come out ahead.

You really need to read more history - great powers in the past have been ruined by military overstretch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ri...e_Great_Powers What do you think happened to the previous great power, the British Empire? It was exhausted after fighting two world wars, even though it was on the winning side.

Are you not aware that they have politics in other countries? Most foreigners cannot stand Trump, so do you think their politicians are more likely to give in to his bullying or stand up to it? The Chinese, in particular, are very motivated to avoid any repeat of the humiliations of the 19th C when they were pushed around by foreign powers.

It's pity somebody else already took the username 'dreamon'. It would have been perfect for you,

[Nick Danger]

Military spending is good for the military-industrial complex, but not for the rest of the economy because it diverts resources that could be used for more productive things. The US spends 3.5% of its GDP on the military, so it would need to gain more than 3.5% from this just to come out ahead.

You really need to read more history - great powers in the past have been ruined by military overstretch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ri...e_Great_Powers What do you think happened to the previous great power, the British Empire? It was exhausted after fighting two world wars, even though it was on the winning side.

Are you not aware that they have politics in other countries? Most foreigners cannot stand Trump, so do you think their politicians are more likely to give in to his bullying or stand up to it? The Chinese, in particular, are very motivated to avoid any repeat of the humiliations of the 19th C when they were pushed around by foreign powers.

It's pity somebody else already took the username 'dreamon'. It would have been perfect for you,

Meh, pretty naive outlook IMO, Flighty. World War II was when the sly businessmen of the USA figured out that war is profitable business, Korea was when they tested the theory, and Vietnam and everything since has been pure profit.

"3.5% of the GDP" is a misleading statistic though, so I will give you credit for finally showing up with some gamesmanship. A more telling figure is % of total spending, which was 16% during Obama's last year and 18.6% this year. That is, by far, the biggest kitty on the planet that's open for bidding to private (American) contractors. That's what keeps the economy in motion, take that away and you're pulling $700 billion or so straight out of the American economy and putting it into wasteful government giveaways or worse.

By current American economic standards, the greatest sin in war is to win it.

[buttslinger]

The truth is going to come out that Trump is a complete sham, the majority of people will suffer financially from Trump, just like they did with Bush. The true horror in the USA today is not an ISIS tank on every corner, it's NICK DANGER in every other house!!!
OK Nick, let's play....
1) who's the best leader, Adolf Hitler, or Nancy Pelosi???
2) this whole Russia thing, fake news?
3) Try some new clothes, man, maybe some L L Bean. People might take you more seriously......

[Nick Danger]

The truth is going to come out that Trump is a complete sham, the majority of people will suffer financially from Trump, just like they did with Bush. The true horror in the USA today is not an ISIS tank on every corner, it's NICK DANGER in every other house!!!
OK Nick, let's play....
1) who's the best leader, Adolf Hitler, or Nancy Pelosi???
2) this whole Russia thing, fake news?
3) Try some new clothes, man, maybe some L L Bean. People might take you more seriously......

1. Adolf Hitler was a magnificent leader, which is how he convinced an entire nation of seemingly-sane people to buy into his insane ideas. Nancy Pelosi is a decent saleswoman who probably has to have 3 stiff drinks every time she steps up to a podium to lie to America.

2. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if Trump and Putin are in cahoots, and if you’re one of those morons who believe Russia is a threat to the USA, I can definitely understand why that upsets you.

3. My usual wardrobe is Levi’s 505’s and one of my many ancient rock concert t-shirts. Is L.L. Bean country? I fucking hate country.

Game over, Buttslinger. You should try jacks, it’s more about reflexes than intellect.

[buttslinger]

....Game over, Buttslinger. You should try jacks, it’s more about reflexes than intellect.

Ouch, you got me good,
1) What percentage of local patrons are white at your local Walmart?
2) Who was the intellectual superior, Trump or Obama?
3) Who are your top 3 favorite conservative spokespeople?

[filghy2]

1. Adolf Hitler was a magnificent leader, which is how he convinced an entire nation of seemingly-sane people to buy into his insane ideas. Nancy Pelosi is a decent saleswoman who probably has to have 3 stiff drinks every time she steps up to a podium to lie to America.

You don't see any similarities? I'm afraid you don't qualify as 'seemingly-sane' though. Your hero certainly doesn't need any stiff drinks - lying comes so naturally I don't think he even knows he's doing it.

Mention of Hitler is fitting because your insane logic seems to imply that Nazi Germany was the ideal state. After all, Hitler took militarisation to the nth degree and he certainly put Germany first and made the country great again by making other countries afraid of it.