Trump Using Mar-a-Lago As Pay for Access Scheme
Tim Carney at the Washington Examiner draws attention to the way Donald Trump has been personally profiting from people paying for access to him:
If you pay $200,000 a year to the company Donald Trump owns, you too can have access most weekends to the president and his top officials. As an alternative, your organization could cut a $150,000 check to bring in a couple of hundred people who will have a chance to schmooze with the president and cabinet officials. Foreign moguls and dignitaries welcome.
This isn’t Bill Clinton’s Lincoln Bedroom. This isn’t the Clinton Foundation during Hillary’s reign at the State Department. This is Mar-a-Lago.
Donald Trump, for the fourth weekend in the past five, has gone down to his Florida resort, and once again he is mingling with guests.
Carney makes the point that in the past, access to the President — a very, very valuable commodity — has been sold by associates of the President, such as Jack Abramoff. But now, it’s the President who personally profits:
Trump refused to sell his company or unload his properties. While he has given up management of them, he still owns them. That means he still profits when someone books a gala there or becomes a member. And if you’ve followed the lobbying game in Washington, you know that special interests are likely shelling out the cash to get a chance to be close to the president — not necessarily because they expect Trump to reward them as a quid pro quo for their membership, but because joining Mar-a-Lago is the best way to get close to him.
Mar-a-Lago doubled the price of membership in January, after Trump’s defeat of Hillary Clinton made access to him more valuable.
Trumpers will claim he has no choice but to retain an ownership stake in Mar-a-Lago, and to spend a lot of taxpayer dollars to move his presidency to a resort he owns every weekend. “What do you expect him to do?” they will cry.
But if Hillary Clinton pulled a stunt like this, Trumpers would be screaming. When you listen for their howling about this pay-for-access scheme, all you’ll hear from them is the relaxing sound of crickets.
[Cross-posted at RedState and The Jury Talks Back.]
so who has paid for this nefarious access
do i have to take a sabbatical and teach these propaganda sluts how to do the journalisms?
cause I’m not gonna
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:19 amIs there a difference in “donating” to a campaign,throwing $10,000 a plate dinners and visiting a President’s business?
BillPasadena (4901ed) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:38 amSo no more failamerica harvardtrash poopypants elitists blowing Bareassed Odildo in the Anal Office
only winnerThiels paying market rate in Make-a-lotta-dough
thats capitalism
happyfeet 2.0 (df82bb) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:41 amThiel’s making his money in Palantir no matter what.
If the quid pro quo of an Trump resignation is an Obama conviction, would you take it?
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:47 amSpeak for yourself. It’s an annoying habit of the neverr trumpers presuming to speak for us, what we would do and such.
What do you mean if Hillary Clinton pulled a cash for access? You figure she’ll stop soon?
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:53 amPatterico, why do you do this?! I would much rather fantasize about Barack Obama wiretapping Donald Trump than deal with the ugly reality of Donald Trump selling access to the Presidency from his goofy Florida palace.
Are you trying to get Hillary Clinton elected president in 2020? Cmon bro!!
LOLOLOL
Leviticus (685186) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:59 amT is for tastelessness.
R is for rapacity.
U is for unseemliness.
M is for mendacity.
P is for pimp.
What does it spell?
nk (dbc370) — 3/6/2017 @ 10:01 amhe is so good
i like how he does the deregulate and implements the straightforward policies
maybe that’s not everybody’s “cup o tea” as they say but I think it’s neato mosquito
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/6/2017 @ 10:14 amSo the initiation fee was restored to what it was up until 2012, when it was lowered to $100,000, reportedly in response to reduced demand following the Madoff scandal.
Alex (f15f55) — 3/6/2017 @ 10:45 amthat is of course precisely correct
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/6/2017 @ 10:46 amCan’t imagine why it was so restored? I’ve got an idea.
Leviticus (685186) — 3/6/2017 @ 10:55 amyou’re so cynical my heart hurts cause of how cynical you are
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:16 amWith empty barrels
https://pjmedia.com/rogerkimball/2017/03/06/russian-roulette/
narciso (d1f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:24 amHe was elected because a lot of people wanted him to clean up the political system. But you know Trump’s attention span. He only caught “to clean up”.
nk (dbc370) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:30 am@11 Leviticus
A tiny unseen hand of the free market at work?
OK, maybe not unseen. Maybe like Mene Mene Tekel Upsarhin but dainty.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:33 amBut if Hillary Clinton pulled a stunt like this
********
The Clinton Foundation.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:51 amIn politics, the term “access” is a euphemism. What it refers to is an arrangement to bribe an elected official without an explicit quid pro quo; it does not refer to the rubbing elbows with the hoi polloi. Even Carney seems to get this. Note the headline: “It’s literally pay to play” – I added the emphasis.
The other aspect to the unseemly sort of “access” that goes on in the political realm is that it is typically hidden from view. The Clinton Foundation, with its hidden private donor list, is an example of corrupt access. When our narcissist in chief is hob nobbing with sycophants on the veranda of Mar-a-logo, there is no suggestion of obfuscation or corrupt backroom lobbying.
Do we even want Trump to hole up in the White House or Camp David like so many former presidents? I prefer Presidents who leave Washington and make the effort to maintain apsects of their former lives. It’s one of the things I particularly liked about Reagan at Ranch de Cielo and Bush Jr. at Prarie Chapel Ranch. Would you prefer that Trump sequester himself in Washington? Is that the preference? I don’t think so. Mar-a-lago is the place for him.
Finally, being the good capitalist we know you are, what better mechanism to ration memberships at Mar-a-lago than the price mechanism? If the price hadn’t gone up, I’d question the independent manager’s competence. Besides, it is not difficult to imagine that having the sitting President on the premises pushes up the operating cost of Mar-a-lago, so why not use membership fees to help cover those costs?
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:55 amR.I.P. Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies
Icy (306742) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:56 amIt might be argued that precisely because he has given up management control, he can’t rescind the increase in the membership fee, or take other steps to prevent people from buying membership just to get access to him. You can’t say he shouldn’t go there. It belongs to him, it is a second or thid home, it was originally even supposed to be the winter White House.
You can’t say he should kick everybody else out of the dining room or off the golf course. They paid for it. But the way it is now, anybody who can pass the Secret Service screening can buy at least occasional access to Trump. Maybe not great access, but still something. The same problem would be if his wife taught, or his child attended a school, and he periodically went there, or had some other habits by which people could contrive to meet him.
The fact that he’s getting some more money from memberships is almost trivial, given the amount of money he has. The problem is not really that he’s making a few more dollars from the presidency. It’s a problem but one without too many ramifications. It’s the fact that people are spending money for the chance of seeing and maybe talking to him that is the possible problem.
Of course there were people who spent time and money a year and a half ago for the chance of getting close to a president. I don’t know how you would stop that.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:00 pmIt’s genuinely sad to me that a reader of this site would consider this to be an example of a free market mechanism. It makes me feel that any efforts I have made to teach economics have failed. A price increase caused by a desire to manipulate the levers of government coercion is the furthest thing possible from the workings of the unhampered market economy.
Patterico (574a19) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:11 pmYes: whether the money goes directly into the politician’s pocket.
Patterico (574a19) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:16 pmShameless apologists are gross. I’ll let people self-identify on that one.
Leviticus (685186) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:23 pmMay I have your attention please?
May I have your attention please?
Will the real Trump Haters please stand up?
We’re going to have some drama here
Y’all act like you’ve never seen corrupt officials before pearls all on the floor
Like Hillary and Bill just flew through the door started beating his a$$ like Little Rock
And they first got married tossing lamps at him
It’s a return to “Oh jeez, get out, you’re kidding. He didn’t just tweet what I think he tweeted, did he? And Dr Drew said…”
Dr Drew said nothing, you morons Dr Drew is dead he’s locked up in Adam’s basement
Feminist women hate Donald T chicka chicka chicka Trump Shady I’m sick of him look at him stalking around grabbing her you know what p*ssy flopping his arm “Dee Dee Dee”
Sure, he probably has a few Jews up in his head loose
But no worse than what’s going on in Ivanka’s bedroom
Sometimes he wants to watch The Apprentice and cut loose, but can’t
But it’s cool for Tom Freid to hump a dead goose
AC is on your lips, AC is on your lips and if you’re lucky he might give you a big kiss
And that’s the message we give journalists and expect them not to know who the leak is
Of course they gonna know what Deep Throat is by the time they get to DC
They got CSPAN don’t they?
They ain’t nothing but LARPers
well some of them are star f*ckers
who take people down at the Oscars
But if we can hump George Michael and Prince There’s no reason
Three Men and a Baby can’t get hitched
If you wanna repeat, then rinse
Trannies wave your genitals sing the chorus and it goes
I’m Trump Shady Yes I’m the real shady
All you other Trump Haters are just irritated
So won’t the real Trump Haters please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?
‘Cause I’m Trump Shady Yes I’m the real shady
All you other Trump Haters are just irritated
So won’t the real Trump Haters please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?
BO don’t cuss in his speech to sell policy
But I do, so f*ck him and f*ck you too
You think I give a damn about correspondents?
Half you haters can’t hinder me, much less afford the payments
“But Trump, what if you go, wouldn’t that be fun?
Why, so you can just lie about me? So you can just martyr me like Steven?
Sh*t, Ron Jeremy better come to the dais
So Jenna Jameson and Andrea Mitchell can lay us
and hear them argue about who was late
Little snitch put Top Secrets on NBC, Yeah it’s cute
But she’s married to the Deep State
I should deport her a$$ to Juarez
And show the whole world how sad I can be
I’m sick of all the One World pervs who adore you
I make it my business to ignore you
And there’s millions more
Just like me, who vote for me, who just don’t give a f*ck like me
Walk, talk and act like me it just might be the next big thing
But not quite me
And I’m Trump Shady yes I’m the real shady
All you other Trump Haters are just irritated
So won’t the real Trump Haters please stand up, please stand up, pleases stand up?
‘Cause I’m Trump Shady yes I’m the real shady
All you other Trump Haters are just irritated
So won’t the real Trump Haters please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?
I’m like a mind f*ck to DC
Pinandpuller (f69d16) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:32 pm‘Cause I say stuff you only hear in flyover country
Outside their comfort zone
The only politician with the balls to tell it to y’all
And I don’t gotta virtue signal at all
I just get on a mic in front of a crowd
I talk sh*t better than 90% of you players out there
Then you wonder how voters eat this up like oxy, it’s funny
’cause at the rate I’m going when I’m impeached
I’ll be the only guy on the Senate floor who’s not a virgin
Pinching lawyer’s a$$es while they jerk off with The Constitution
And I’m noting that bag of sh*t Graham ain’t voting
And every single voter is a Trump shady workin’
He could be lurkin’ at Cowboy Kmart carrying your feed to the car
Or at the laundry cycling screaming I don’t give a f*ck with his quarters out
And Rush Limbaugh riling
So will the Real Shady please stand up and put your Alt Right salute in each hand up
And proud to be outta your mind and outta control and one more time
Loud as can be how does it go???
1) Obama had his golf outings. What was the going price for a spot there? Or the Lincoln bedroom that is poo-pooed above?
1a) Even if the money went to the campaign, it gets spent on people like Obama.
1b) Can Presidents pocket unused campaign funds?
2) Trump is pretty Democratic about access. At $150K, (potential) access for 100 people of your choice seems really cheap. Most Presidents are far less accessible. Does anyone really think poor people get, or expect to get access?
3) I’m guessing that some would rather Trump holed up at Camp David and had no visitors. I’d like to know why this seems better.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:33 pmYes: whether the money goes directly into the politician’s pocket.
Eventually it does anyway.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:33 pmWhat do you mean if Hillary Clinton pulled a cash for access? You figure she’ll stop soon?
Where Trump’s BUSINESSES take in thousands, and some small portion of that goes to the bottom line, after a whole lot of workers are paid, Hillary rakes in millions to her “Foundation” which pays for all the living expenses of all the Clintons, down to Hillary’s Depends.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:36 pmKevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:33 pm
I think federal politicians used to be able to do this when they got out of politics, but it was abolished circa 1980, with current members of Congress grandfathered in, but even that expired circa 1992 and that’s why many retired that year. (I am not 100% sure the year was 1992, and even more uncertain just what was the year of election after which new members of Congress no longer could use this “severance payment.”)
Now they can only donate excess funds to other campaigns, or to charity or some similar purposes.
And if they loaned money to their campaign, they are prohbited from paying themselves bacl more than the cash on hand (or assets) the campaign had on Election Day, plus $250,000. Ted Cruz found himself out a lot of money after his election to the Senate in 2012.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:44 pmYeah, see, Hillary Clinton.
Trumpkins have turned political discussion into a alternative version of Being John Malkovich.
Leviticus (685186) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:48 pmMust be great to commute to your job at the White House each week from your home in Florida at the taxpayer’s expense. Remind me again why were so many were upset with Obama’s jet setting and non-stop vacation schedule these past 8 years?
Sean (1d5074) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:48 pmI wonder how many of the golf courses Obama owned raised their membership rates when he was elected president? Inquiring minds want to know!
Leviticus (685186) — 3/6/2017 @ 12:55 pmTeam R Guy: this is no different than that other corrupt thing Team D did, which I complained about.
Team R Guy: How is bribing government officials bad?
Team R Guy: How is the constitution’s rules about this important? Trump cannot possibly sell his property like the extremely wealthy presidents before him did.
Team R Guy: There is no truth and there is nothing a corrupt Team R president can do that I will not pretend is OK.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:04 pmIt wasn’t Chelsea’s wedding, it was a three million dollar stimulus project.
There’s something I can’t understand about democrats:
If I pay $250 bucks less in taxes that’s trickle down economics. If W and BHO cut up a trillion dollars and I get a Treasury check for $250 that’s Keynesian (?) Economics.
But the former is supposed to be bad and doesn’t work while the latter doesn’t work if you don’t spend enough. Is that the gist?
In 2008-2009 Limbaugh suggested putting half of the stimulus on each horse, but I didn’t understand how we were supposed to figure out which horse won.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:11 pmA word about the late Robert Osborne.
Was fortunate to have met and worked with Osborne professionally. A tall, dapper, eloquent and congenial man, Robert was in ‘real life’ as he appeared on television- a superb writer with the added gift of being naturally smooth on camera and a walking encyclopedia of information, big and small, about the entertainment industry. You always learned something new about the business after chatting with him and he’d light up when you’d share a fresh nugget of knowledge unearthed or a long lost item found. He would gladly offer access to names, numbers and addresses to reach those often thought unreachable. In an industry known for so many bad apples, he was, as they say, a very good egg.
Peace, Robert– go to the light. And fade to black.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:12 pmhow many people have joined since rate went up? did old members join thinking he would be prez one day?
fran (da3dfc) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:13 pmThe grandma who raised me taught me how to diversify my scratch off portfolio:
1/4th beer, 1/4th cigarettes, 1/4th white bread and or milk and plow 1/4th back into more scratch offs.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:15 pmIn politics, the term “access” is a euphemism. What it refers to is an arrangement to bribe an elected official without an explicit quid pro quo; it does not refer to the rubbing elbows with the hoi polloi. Even Carney seems to get this. Note the headline: “It’s literally pay to play” – I added the emphasis
*************************
Remember what Sid Blumenthal (not to be confused with Sen. Dick Blumenthal-Democrat who lied about his Vietnam service and is still a Senator) and Tyler Drumheller were after?
They were beseeching Hillary to back a military operation in Libya so that they could get the contracts for military hospital ships offshore of Libya. I’m not sure what else they were interested in, perhaps others remember better.
Trump is no where near this level of corruption, and yes–at a certain point the only alternative was Hillary–the crook we knew.
The Left is losing legitimacy by sheer fact that we are barely past 40 business days of the Trump administration and they’ve already been screaming Impeachment for several weeks. They should at least wait till after Easter. Republicans that are jumping on board with less evidence against Trump than we had on Hillary are also going to lose their moral ground.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:17 pmAlso–again–I was not a Trump supporter but at some point you have to recognize that he is our President of the United States and that we are trying to do something that makes democracies very vulnerable–we are trying to do a peaceful transition of power. Every damn time –recently–that a Republican has been elected The Left tries immediately to delegitimize that Presidency.
That has grave implications for national security. The military likes to see itself as providing some form of continuum between the political upheaval. Some consistency of defense policy that stops at the shores edge. A government is historically formed to protect the State–something that individuals cannot do for themselves and to insure its continuance–without that you have nothing. Its the very fundamental basis of civilization. This coup d’état via the The Leftist Media in the Court of Public Opinion is really, really dangerous and you should think twice before so cheapy jumping aboard.
I didn’t vote for this guy–but he is now my President.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:24 pmDustin
If Trump did sell out he’d likely either be paid fire sale prices and have even more incentive to be bribed; or he’d be bribed by being paid above market value for his property. Like $60 million for a book deal, for instance.
I’m sure a Hollywood guy like him knows about up front and back end.
Or Economists and Lawyers would endlessly debate about “depends on the definition of fair market value.”
If Mickey Mantle had become president I bet his baseball cards would have shot up in price.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:32 pm> Every damn time –recently–that a Republican has been elected The Left tries immediately to delegitimize that Presidency.
This goes both ways. A big chunk of the grass roots right spent years pushing the meme that President Obama was illegitimate because he wasn’t an American citizen.
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:34 pmWhere’s Obama’s birth certificate?
I guess this is different somehow?
Davethulhu (fab944) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:37 pmYes, Aphrael, Trump was probably the biggest birther of them all. In fact I suppose that’s why he’s a president now. He really has no room to complain about partisan witch-hunts.
Pinandpuller, what to you mean “if” he sold out? Seriously, how do you not recognize that he is selling right now? He used to bribe politicians, indeed he gave a lot to Hillary, and now he figures he’s on the other side and is deliberately and blatantly profiting from his presidency. He’s even doing it at considerable expense to the American people.
Stremmurd, You are 100% correct that the democrats are cynically delegitimizing this presidency just as they did with Bush v Gore. The problem is that Trump actually gives them some grounds to do so.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:40 pmIf Mickey Mantle had become president I bet his baseball cards would have shot up in price.
The market value for one-sheets of Bedtime For Bonzo ‘shot up in price’ after you-know-who became you-know-what.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:44 pmI always find it a little unsettling when they kick a founding member out of a band. Like Kevin Dubrow, Geoff Tate or Dennis DeYoung.
I would feel ripped off if I went to a Trump rally and it turned out to be his brother in a red hat doing the act. All so he would stay on the straight and narrow. Corruptible becomes uncorruptible.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:45 pmDCSCA
Fun fact: Jane Wyman was Spock’s mom.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:48 pmBilly Beer
mg (31009b) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:50 pmDustin
I’m talking about selling off his assets, not raffle tickets and bake sales.
There’s a certain amount of graft baked into the Trunp cake. It’s not going into the ditch that gets people hurt, it’s the overcorrecting.
Pinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:57 pmhttps://twitter.com/TheMarkRomano/status/838764788939427840/photo/1
Colonel Haiku (f2f14e) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:00 pmTrump has had a home at Mar-a-Logo for thirty years, where he has mingled with “guests”. But now he has been elected he is supposed to sell his home and isolate himself?
It’s becoming more apparent every day nevertrumpers are desperate to feel good about themselves. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4272716/Psychologists-say-moral-outrage-self-serving.html
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:16 pmWhere’s Obama’s birth certificate?
I guess this is different somehow?
Davethulhu (fab944) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:37 pm
**********
Yes. There was no broad basis of support for that in the legitimate Republican party. Unlike the Democrat hierarchy that attended the premieres of Michael Moore movies.
Also–one HUGE pivotal difference. The Democrat aligned media.
Guess what most of this IMPEACH TRUMP crapola and hysteria is trying to obfuscate?
The fact that the DNC conspired to elect/APPOINT Hillary. The hack of the DNC emails comes too late in the game to see what the Dems did to keep most serious contenders out of her way.
The Dem field–in a non-incumbent year–for the election of Leader of the Free World–didn’t that look unnatural as hell on it’s face? It defied the laws of “free competition”.
Then the huge media outlet CNN conspired with Donna Brazile the new DNC chair– not once –but twice–to defeat the intellectual giant–Bernie Sanders during the debates. Not once–but twice. Makes the Candy Crowley intervention in the Romney v. Obama debates all the grosser.
So again all of this drama being drummed up by the Democrats is to bury the fact that the Dems did not give their electorate any real freedom of choice. It was Hillary or Bust. What you could be witnessing is the violent death throws of a political party. And finally all this reveals that–the Dem electorate really has no self respect. They are desperate to change the subject.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:24 pmStremmurd, You are 100% correct that the democrats are cynically delegitimizing this presidency just as they did with Bush v Gore. The problem is that Trump actually gives them some grounds to do so.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:40 pm
******************************
I don’t see enough evidence of a real nature yet. However I am open to what might be found out through more legitimate means, and not the media’s arena of rule–The Court of Public Opinion.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:25 pmI’m no so sure. What’s always surprised me is not that politicians can be bought, but how cheap it is to buy them. By contrast, Gray Davis was well know for shopping around political favors. When a bill reached his desk, he’d wait and see which side – either for or against the bill – would cough up more money. The high bidder was then rewarded with a signature on a particular bill or a veto. I like the Davis approach: it provides a more economically efficient outcome.
Would you rather Trump sell favors for more or for less? That’s not a hard question. I think an economist would say that charging more is better. And the political outcome is better too: the more they charge, the fewer favors are needed to support a particular lifestyle, so we’d see less influence peddling.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:28 pmTrump was literally a banner carrier for birtherism. Is Trump not a “legitimate” Republican?
Davethulhu (fab944) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:31 pmDCSCA –
Thank you for your words about Robert Osborne. I always love watching the movies he hosted.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:34 pm@ papertiger, #5:
It’s an annoying habit of Trumpers presuming to tell us who we really support. Turnabout, baby.
I don’t think that Hillary has ever hosted people at a resort property she owns, no. Which is not to defend her, because she’s truly awful. But Trump ain’t much good, neither.
Demosthenes (09f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:38 pmYeah, we wouldn’t want to kill ourselves by demanding no graft. Such an over-reaction would have horrible effects on the poor downtrodden millionaires that rule the two parties. Jeez I feel kinda guilty now for even suggesting it.
And you’re right. Trump and graft are tied together, we all knew it, and when he won the election that meant the voter thought it was OK. It’s just democracy, man. It’s all good.
—-
Demosthenes, I think they think it’s a good way to muddy waters to insist that anyone who criticizes Trump is an hysterical left winger, or that there was something irrational about refusing to support Trump. To be a never trumper means that your mind is closed to supporting a corrupt cretin, and that means you’re unreasonable and the facts you present can be ignored.
What did Trump do to make America Great Again today? He cashed in, that’s what.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:43 pm@ ThOR, #51:
I’d rather he not sell them at all.
On what do you base this? Have you run it by a real economist? Try Dom Boudreaux over at Cafe Hayek.
Oh, this is so cute. You think that if a politician is dishonest enough to sell influence, they’re not going to be so greedy that they sell more than they need to. What adorable naivete.
Demosthenes (09f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:43 pmSorry — *Don* Boudreaux. Stupid tiny keys.
Demosthenes (09f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:45 pmTrump is a billionaire, and now we are supposed to think he’s selling out the presidency for the price of a club membership he would have collected even if he wasn’t president?
You guys are delusional.
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:52 pmYes. There was no broad basis of support for that in the legitimate Republican party.
Trump was literally a banner carrier for birtherism. Is Trump not a “legitimate” Republican?
Davethulhu (fab944) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:31 pm
**************
He was not an elected Republican at the time. And–he had no media support for his assertions. It completely pales in regard to Bush v. Gore, TANG–CBS– “fake but accurate” and John Kerry’s Ohio debacle–and now this current coup d’état attempt via the biased media elites. Notice that they want to decapitate the electorate’s President–but they don’t think that same electorate deserves real facts are the names of the accusers.
This is the very reason that this needs to be taken out of their Leftist’s hands. Trump and the electorate have every right to know who the accusers are, what their motivations might be, and what sort of “facts” and evidence they are basing their claims are.
How else is Trump suppose to defend himself?
Are we not a nation of laws, and doesn’t Trump have a right to know who his accusers are? Or is the media the ultimate arbitraries, who get to accuse while protecting the accusers?
TL;DR–you’re math does not balance or equate.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:53 pmAnyways–there is now this from the Judiciary Committee.
More at the link:
http://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/judiciary/upload/2017-03-06%20CEG%20to%20FBI%20%28Arrangement%20to%20Pay%20Steele%29.pdf?platform=hootsuite
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 2:58 pmThe ethics situation is a major disaster. I mean, not as big as Obamacare, the national debt, the Iran deal – it might not even be 1% of the size of those things combined, if even. But it is a major disaster.
The only reason I could justify voting for Trump is that Hillary was worse: equally corrupt, but instead of his sunny, charming disposition, and instead of his promises to give us the moon, she was a grim, humorless Dr. Evil type who promised to make us miserable, run roughshod over our rights, lock leftists into every branch of government, cover up all of Obama’s crimes, take away our healthcare system, and treat us like deplorables.
We made the right choice.
I don’t know how to fix this situation. It would be nice if Trump would commit to his presidency by divesting. In the past, he’s always made an effort to diversify, so that’s a big ask for him, but it’s the right thing for the country. It would be nice if Republicans in Congress would pass ethics reforms to force Trump to divest. But why would they? Most people either love Trump or hate him. There’s not a lot of votes to be had by taking the position that we need to keep Trump honest.
If Democrats took the House of Representatives, them putting him under ethical rules would be a silver lining. Relatively speaking, a very, very, very small silver lining, compared to all of the damage they would do.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:01 pmDemosthenes,
You think I’m making this stuff up? I only wish!
Your regard for economists is much too high. There is an entire literature on the economics of corruption. It’s been around for over 40 years, beginning with Yale’s Susan Rose-Ackerman’s seminal article The Economics of Corruption in the Journal of Political Economy (one of the profession’s most highly regarded journals).
I won’t argue with your final point: I am adorable.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:02 pmWe’d been noticing the slow degradation of Robert Osborne for some time.
My family are big TCM watchers and you could tell he was not doing well over the last 3-4 years.
RIP
Harkin (b9f2f5) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:03 pmPaper tiger: “Speak for yourself. It’s an annoying habit of the neverr trumpers presuming to speak for us, what we would do and such.
What do you mean if Hillary Clinton pulled a cash for access? You figure she’ll stop soon?”
Best comment so far.
The last time I had trouble with presidential access was when Nixon being in town (San Clemente) meant we had to sneak past the Marine guards to surf Cottons (Trestles).
Harkin (b9f2f5) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:11 pmYou’re typing pretty well, what with the pearls in the way.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:14 pmFun fact: Jane Wyman was Spock’s mom.
Icy (605293) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:15 pmPinandpuller (31a3f6) — 3/6/2017 @ 1:48 pm
— That was Jane Wyatt
Terribly saddened by Robert Osborne’s passing.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:16 pmHe was always so enthusiastic about each film he introduced.
#66 I thought Jane Wyatt’s son was named “Bud” Anderson!
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:17 pmWow — a substance free article at the link, and a wildly exaggerated headline.
See, when I read the word “scheme”, I always think in terms of things that are illegal or at least untoward.
Like if Bill Clinton rents out the Lincoln bedroom for campaign contributions, and then is in a position to meet PRIVATELY with the folks who are shelling out the big bucks to be there. And we know that the folks who were afforded opportunities to stay in the WH as guests were massive contributors to Clinton’s political career, and happened to do very well for themselves during the Clinton years.
But Donald Trump owned a private social club long before he embarked on a political career. And if you know the history of his purchase of Mar-a-Lago, you understand that he purchased the estate and turned it into a private social club after he was denied entry into the Bath And Tennis Club of West Palm Beach, which has been the social club for East Coast elites for a century.
But the Bath And Tennis Club has also been know historically for not allowing Jews or minorities to be members. Only Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, etc., need apply.
So Trump started his own club, and there were no membership restrictions if you could afford the fee.
So people join, and Trump wanders through the club facilities and dining room when he’s there.
And some people join in hopes of being able to talk to him.
Big Whoop.
One legitimate concern IMO however is the expense to the taxpayer of him repeatedly heading to Florida every weekend. I expect this will tail off a bit as it gets hotter in the summer months. But Trump’s desire to “live” away from teh WH is a signfiicant expense. Right now he’s willing to absorb the criticism. We’ll seee how long he’s able to do so.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:28 pmshipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:28 pm
This is one of the most reasonable comments I have read on this thread. Like other commenters on this site, I own a business. Profit is the name of the game. The POTUS owns a business that some People are patronizing -now- in hopes of access? Good luck to’em. Moral hazard on every hole.
felipe (023cc9) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:45 pm@65- major projection.
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 3:46 pmCongress can fix this. Pass a bill that has all politicians disgorge the profits of any business activities they engage in connected to their public service after assuming office forever or at least for a really long time. Real estate, stocks, book deals, speaking fees, etc. No speech about political insights gained in office is worth $250K and neither are the $30M book deals. Trump might surprise you and sign it if you think Congress had the guts to pass it.
crazy (d3b449) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:03 pmThis is in response to Dustin’s post in the previous blog posting:
Dustin – If Trump did as you suggest and just asked the Justice and Intel departments to hand over the information, what would be the next headline – Trump ruins integrity of agaencies.
Remember when Priebus ask the FBI to make public what they had already told the White House – there was no evidence of collusion between Trump campaign and Russia –
White House defends chief of staff’s contacts with FBI over Russia
FBI Denied White House Request To Downplay Russia Stories
White House Asked FBI To Publicly Refute Reports Trump Associat
Davod (f3a711) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:18 pm“Where’s Obama’s birth certificate?”
Started by the first Hillary campaign.
Davod (f3a711) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:30 pmDavod,
I like your inference about spying on Sanders. It would fit the pattern.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:40 pmDid Hillary make Trump run with it for years?
Davethulhu (fab944) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:49 pmHeh… Dave teh Squid.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:54 pmWell there’s literally no way to defeat this objection, that Trump will be criticized by the media. It’s up to Trump to find a way to explain his conduct and make his case. That’s just basic politics.
Interfering is different, as as you’ve shown Trump’s not above asking the FBI to contradict investigations, which does make me even more curious as to why they are that bold about Russia, but timid like kittens about merely asking a question. Using Breitbart.com to find out what Trump’s administration is doing just seems pretty ridiculous (if he was interested in the truth).
At any rate, the truth will come out. In time for elections, I imagine.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/6/2017 @ 4:55 pm“Trump ruins integrity of agaencies.”
Trump has a very real responsibility to peruse information garnered through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and every right to access it as he sees fit. It’s part of the job. Criminal investigations are a different matter.
The Dem propaganda organs are running the fog and smoke machines right up to the red line trying to conflate the two but the difference is very stark.
Rick Ballard (a1c54c) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:13 pm“Trump is a billionaire, and now we are supposed to think he’s selling out the presidency for the price of a club membership he would have collected even if he wasn’t president?”
That’s how crooks do it. They steal big and they steal small. Practice, practice, practice. They don’t leave money on the table. They take whatever they can get.
Selling out the presidency doesn’t necessarily mean giving nuclear weapons to Iran, or doubling our national debt, or some other incredibly damaging thing. Pay for play access is a problem when Clinton did it and it’s a problem now that Trump has the opportunity. Even if he never does it, the appearance of impropriety is there and it’s toxic.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:28 pmThat’s how crooks do it. They steal big and they steal small. Practice, practice, practice. They don’t leave money on the table. They take whatever they can get.
+1
nk (dbc370) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:30 pmWow — fortunately this is at least untoward.
That’s exactly how I expected you to react.
Patterico (115b1f) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:47 pmIt’s refreshing for you to say so, Daryl Herbert.
Patterico (115b1f) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:47 pmthe whoop, it is indeed a big one
we must all of us collectively endeavour to find some member of this club what has gotten a play for his pay
that’s the kind of evidence a pikachu can hang his hat on
happyfeet (28a91b) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:50 pmFor me, this was never the “Donald Trump is wonderful and he’s going to fix everything” election.
It’s the Flight 93 election, which Ace discusses here: http://minx.cc:1080/?post=368729
We are not safe. Trump’s election was supposed to protect us from political violence, but it’s only getting worse.
As long as I’m in physical danger of literally getting my head cracked in by antifa, corruption by someone fighting for me is just not all that important to me.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:50 pmLess refreshing!
Patterico (574a19) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:54 pmI thought the election was over but I guess we’re supposed to pretend it’s still going so that Mr. Trump remains beyond all criticism. My bad.
Patterico (115b1f) — 3/6/2017 @ 5:56 pmFlight 93 is about do some pilot Denzel on-coke maneuvers while some good grappling is going on. That piece was written by some dude named Michael Anton, who is now a mid level Trump advisor.
Oh,and TPS got extended for El Salvador for the millionth time https://www.google.com/amp/amp.dailycaller.com/2017/03/05/trump-admin-quietly-gives-illegal-immigrants-work-permit-extensions/
urbanleftbehind (847a06) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:00 pmAdverse media coverage is a “coup d’etat.” First-world problems.
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:00 pmhttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-01-06/dnc-refused-fbi-access-its-servers-%E2%80%A6-instead-gave-access-dnc-consultant-tied-organiz
narciso (d1f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:36 pmPatterico, you seem to be accusing Trump of wrongdoing, but what exactly is he supposed to have done wrong?
1. Continue to visit a summer home that he has been visiting for years?
2. Continue to interact with other guests at his summer home as he has been doing for years?
3. Allow a manager to raise prices with increasing demand?
If it’s number 3, then
3a: Do you expect a hotel manager to think, “Hey, this increase in demand is due to people seeking access to the president. I guess I shouldn’t raise rates and increase my profits then”?
3b: How would Trump prevent raising prices since he has given up management control?
3c: Would the situation be better if he kept the price the same and used some sort of rationing?
When people complain about pay-for-play schemes, they are talking about schemes specifically set up to move money from people who want something to the politicians who can give it to them. A real estate property that suddenly becomes more valuable because the owner wins an election is not the same thing.
Doc Rampage (338fac) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:39 pmMortimer Young from Forever Young Films #1 [YouTube]
Tribute to Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:43 pmPatterico wrote: “I thought the election was over but I guess we’re supposed to pretend it’s still going so that Mr. Trump remains beyond all criticism.”
On this larger question, for me it is not a question of whether Trump is beyond criticism but whether it is profitable to be looking for ways to criticize him. Seriously, I do not get your hard-on for going after Trump. I don’t like the guy either. In fact, think he’s a clown and an asshole. But he is in a position to fix a lot of the damage that has been done to our county by the last four presidents and I will do whatever I can to help him do that. What possible reason could you have to want to help get in his way, diminish his political clout, and help prevent him from fixing our country?
Doc Rampage (338fac) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:45 pmTeam R Guy: this is no different than that other corrupt thing Team D did, which I complained about.
More correctly, this is less of an issue than the glaring corruption today;s accusers turned a blind eye to.
Team R Guy: How is bribing government officials bad?
Now, wait. Buying a membership at a resort that normally has no problem getting members, is now a bribe? Even though almost all of the money goes to providing the services that the membership fee pays for, and not to Trump? This must be some new definition of “bribe” you hauled out of someplace dark.
Team R Guy: How is the constitution’s rules about this important? Trump cannot possibly sell his property like the extremely wealthy presidents before him did.
Which rule is this? Cite the line and provide precedent for your interpretation. And in any event a corporation (that Trump owns part of) is renting, not selling. Or is someone selling tickets to talk to Trump?
Team R Guy: There is no truth and there is nothing a corrupt Team R president can do that I will not pretend is OK.
Ad hominum attack with alternative facts. Bite me.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:51 pmSo it seems that raid had some use after all:
http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/06/former-gitmo-detainee-obliterated-in-us-airstrike
narciso (d1f714) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:53 pmBy the way, while there are perhaps some “Trumpists” commenting here, many of the people defending the president do not qualify for that term. I, of one, did not at any time support Trump in the primaries, wanted someone else clear up through October, and did not vote for him. I am almost positive that the true-blue Trump supporters do not count me among their number.
I say this because there are folks here who just sneer at anyone who disagrees with them, using whatever invective comes to mind. I don’t so much argue with applying terms to folks, just so liong as they are accurate and well-aimed.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:56 pmAdverse media coverage is a “coup d’etat.” First-world problems.
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:00 pm
________________
Well the leftist media is dropping the word impeachment and accusing the President of being “a Russian agent”. Where in hell do you think that road leads?
The accusations against Justice Thomas were referred to as a “high-tech lynching” by Clarence Thomas himself–and at least Anita Hill faced the accused and didn’t do it anonymously.
See here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egTyaIAaqz8
You’ve got even less than Anita.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/6/2017 @ 6:57 pmMy unwillingness to jump on the Democrat’s bandwagon wrt Trump, is that I know a seditious conspiracy when I see it, and have no wish to help it in any way.
Looking at the two major MSM newspapers (NYT, WaPo), I see a pattern. Front page assertions, with little evidence, of charges made by “some” against Trump. Later, when the charges are disproved, shown to have no basis, or made to appear ridiculous, these same outlets find some other swill to ladle out. Never is the refutation of last week’s garbage mentioned, at least above the fold.
Example: “Trump is a creature of the Russians.” Yet for some crafty double-twisty reason he is hell-bent on increasing US oil and gas production and increasing military readiness. What is Putin thinking with these orders?
Example: “Horrors! Some administration officials talked to the Russian ambassador during the transition.” Never mind that 1) this is common, as a get-acquainted thing; 2) the meetings were set up in some cases by the Obama folks; 3) nothing of substance was discussed — no one said something like “After the inauguration we’ll have more flexibility.” The RUSSIANS did try to get some sanctions talk going, but the answer was the correct “We’ll see.”
Yet anyone reading the WaPo would still have the impression that Putin’s spies changed all those votes in Michigan.
Sorry. This is a full-court attack by VERY EVIL PEOPLE to destabilize the American government, hoping for some Nixonian replay where they rescue their sorry asses from the dustbin of history.
I won’t play.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:07 pmI know that some are accustomed to government ethics rules and these seem normal to them. But I got say that, to people in the real world, those ethics rules seem completely paranoid and founded on the idea that everyone is a crook.
Projecting those bureaucratic rules onto people who come out of the business world is not only unfair, it marks one as out-of-touch, at best.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:21 pmThe left needs to pay attention to what their own media are writing and saying.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:29 pmIt’s telling who the real attacks are reserved for.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:34 pm“Even if he never does it, the appearance of impropriety is there and it’s toxic.”
And how toxic is it to accuse people of impropriety just because there is the possibility of impropriety? Do you make it a habit to prosecute people on that standard Mr. DDA?
Yes, yes on Trump you do.
It’s one thing to hold someone to ethical standards. It’s another to insist a person remove themself from the possibility an ethical standard could be broken. It’s like HR not only saying you shouldn’t sexually harass a woman, but that you should never have a co-worker of the opposite sex because there might be the appearance of sexual harassment. In your hate for the man, you are holding him to a standard you yourself could never satisfy. Which ends up revealing more about you than it does about Trump.
Think about it.
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:47 pmhttp://www.worldoil.com/news/2017/3/6/secretary-zinke-announces-proposed-73-million-acre-gom-lease-sale
mg (31009b) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:47 pmWith exxon pouring in 20 billion for new refineries, The U.S.A. is on a comeback.
Do you ever hang out after hours with other lawyers or, heaven forbid, judges? That may signal you all are making back room deals about cases that should be decided in the courtroom. How unethical! You should never be around other lawyers except in the courtroom, you know, ‘cuz of the appearances of impropriety.
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:53 pmCall me when he sells all our Uranium to the Russians.
steveg (5508fb) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:04 pmOh. Wait. None left to sell
17 days before Obama leaves office, he changes the way in which signal intel gets distributed… since the Reagan administration, it used to just go to the NSA and they’d decide where the raw data went. Obama changed it so that 17 additional agencies get it, which makes it difficult to determine where the leaks are originating.
Seems like there’s a story here… no?
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:05 pmThese analogies are so pathetically bad. Seriously, do you guys think these are good analogies? Maybe if judges charged prosecutors $200k a pop to “hang out” with them, Leon’s analogy would be remotely apt.
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:06 pmAnd said judges were, you know… President of the United States. Minor wrinkle LOLOLOL
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:07 pm“58.Trump is a billionaire, and now we are supposed to think he’s selling out the presidency for the price of a club membership he would have collected even if he wasn’t president?
You guys are delusional.”
I asked this question here during the election but nobody answered:
How do you bribe somebody who is worth $10 billion dollars (that’s $1,000,000,000 or 1000 million) and owns a Boeing 757 and a couple of helicopters with gold-plated ashtrays & light fixtures?
How much money do you have to slip him before he even notices? $100,000? As if!
fred-2 (ce04f3) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:08 pmAll this hoop-la — especially from “lifetime Republicans” (or former Republicans) is silly. And beside the point. Go watch Newt’s Heritage FOundation speech from last December.
“Trump once went bankrupt.” Aand the people would go, “Yeah, but he’s going to kick over the table.”
“Trump has been married three times,” “Yeah, but he’s going to kick over the table.”
“Trump said something about grabbing p*ssies.” “Yeah, but he’s going to kick over the table.”
Newt said: “The great challenge to the Trump-Pence administration was going to be to get up every morning and remember they’re not here to accommodate Washington. They’re here to kick over the table.”
That’s what is driving the left and the nevertrumpers crazy. They come up with the latest talking-point de jure that will surely be the fatal blow…and the people say, “Don’t care.”
fred-2 (ce04f3) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:09 pmTrump made a career of convincing chumps that he was worth way more than he actually is, then charging them for the opportunity to learn his secrets. Nothing to see here LOL
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:12 pmDoing all of the following:
1. Continuing to own Mar-a-Lago.
2. Doubling prices for membership there after being elected President.
3. Going there every weekend as President at great taxpayer expense.
4. Mingling with guests to provide them access.
Everyone defending this picks just one part of it to defend. And ONLY one part.
Easier than defending the whole thing.
Patterico (115b1f) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:17 pm“I thought the election was over but I guess we’re supposed to pretend it’s still going so that Mr. Trump remains beyond all criticism.”
The election is over, but that is just one battle in a never-ending war. The Left certainly isn’t acting like they just lost an election and need to let Republicans have a chance to govern.
Right now, the priority is to kill Obamacare. Between Trump, the congressional Republicans, the Tea Party, and the millions of Republican voters, we should be working together to get the best possible bill passed.
Obamacare is a piece of garbage trojan horse that was created for the sole purpose of failing: failing so that it would create a crisis that President Hillary could use to nationalize 1/6th of the economy by ramming through single payer.
This is from Instapundit:
There may be value, in this moment, in backing Trump regardless of his very deep flaws. His actions over the last 3-4 months have convinced me of that.
He’s going to kill the ACA dead. He’s going to slice open the ACA’s belly so its intestines fall out, cut off its head, boil its skull, and wear the skull like a hat.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:17 pmTrump is not doing a single thing to help get rid of ACA. If you haven’t noticed, it’s the GOP in Congress who are doing all the actual work. Trump is at best along for the ride. This of course will not keep him from claiming all the credit he can (and of course disclaiming all the blame if things don’t turn out as rosy as predicted).
kishnevi (55d84d) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:30 pmIf he didn’t care about money, why not sell his assets? If his only priority was to be the best possible president, he would.
Why run Trump University as a scam? He took money from people, as much as he could take them for, in exchange for snake oil.
Trump has a good brain for business. He diversifies. He runs lots of ventures. If he had enough money that he was satisfied, he would narrow his business interests. He wouldn’t need to run 10 or 20 ventures at a time if he wasn’t doing it to maximize profit.
He cares about money. He’s always acted like he cares about money. He’s famous for caring about money. He made a board game about making money. He made deals with the mafia so he could make money doing construction. He would have had plenty of money without getting in bed with the mafia. All his life he’s been willing to hurt people and break laws to line his pockets.
Let me put this another way: is George Soros above corruption? Surely, he’s wealthy enough to be the most principled man in all the world, if he wanted.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:30 pmOne time, I called Trump a two-bit hustler and he hit me with a sack of quarters.
nk (dbc370) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:41 pmHe said he would sign the repeal bill. He told Congress to give him a repeal bill. He makes speeches saying that it needs to be repealed. He has done a tremendous amount to kill the ACA.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:44 pmDaryl, Soros may not have your principles, but he has principles and is plowing great gobs of money into backing them up.
Likewise, many things you call deep flaws in Trump, others see as strengths. See, self proclaimed conservatives think they have a corner on principles and lack flaws, yet they have been losing for 30 years.
Turns out self-righteousness is not a winning strategy.
Leon (b3acf6) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:44 pmNot selling Maralago is very defensible. From Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar-a-Lago
Of course what he could do is find another place in Florida for the duration of his presidency, and not attend club events at Mara Largo.
kishnevi (55d84d) — 3/6/2017 @ 8:45 pmhttps://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2017/03/06/long-knives/
narciso (a08d6b) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:08 pm“RICHARD FERNANDEZ: KING VS. KING:
The most singular thing about Donald Trump’s wiretap accusation against Barack Obama is how he’s refusing to play the game of extremities –losing a Flynn here and getting a Sessions paralyzed there — and getting right into lethal range. Trump’s gone right past Schumer, ignored the surrogates and gone straight for the former president himself.
The Sunday Guardian writes some believe Trump’s key mistake was believing “in mid-November … that it would be a statesmanlike gesture to (in effect) pardon Hillary Clinton”. He must have expected a reciprocal courtesy. The next thing he felt were his digits being sheared away.
“Acting through their contacts in the incoming administration, the Clinton machine … ‘dismissed National Security Advisor Michael Flynn … [and] ensured that the green light got flashed to launch an attack on another known foe of Hillary Clinton’, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose sought after resignation would energize the Clinton machine to move on to their next targets, Counsellors Kellyanne Conway and Stephen Bannon.”
Trump’s response to the finger-lopping campaign was not to respond proportionately but to attack Obama himself. . . .
This escalation represents a real threat to Obama. Suddenly everything is out of control. Nobody would have minded much if Trump had gone after one of Obama’s henchmen — which is probably what was expected — but none can foresee how an exchange of blades between principals will end. It is safe to say however that unless the combatants disengage someone will get hurt. It will be a terrible moment for American political civility when a king lies on the political floor. The whole point of a peaceful transition of power is to prevent a clash between kings. Yet the very tragedy the electoral process is intended to prevent is happening before our eyes.
In such a fight anything can happen.
One of the ways American political culture prevents such a fight is to have only one king at a time. Former presidents are expected to retire and vanish. Obama, however, decided to stay in DC and try to destroy Trump’s presidency. That was a choice that showed little concern for America, but then, the lack of such concern has been a hallmark of Obama’s career.
And who was foolish enough to think that Trump would respond to attacks by playing small ball?”
https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/259092/
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:13 pmDang it, narciso!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:14 pmHahaha…
Leviticus (d4d726) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:49 pmi wish barack would just leave america alone to eat its waffles
he should play golf or host dinner parties for former domestic terrorists
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/6/2017 @ 9:56 pmKevin M (25bbee) — 3/6/2017 @ 7:07 pm
Actually Mike Flynn did say something like that to the Russian Ambassador, or more exactly something like;
“If you don’t retaliate for the sanctions Obama just put on you, we’ll have more flexibility in removing them.”
When Trump tweeted that Putin had made the right decision and was very smart, Obama and company found out, first, about the fact there was a conversaton between Mike Glynn and Ambassador Kisylak, and then got very curious about what Mike Flynn had said to Kislyak and the FBI or NSA dug up the recording and actually listened to it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/01/us/politics/obama-trump-russia-election-hacking.html
Later the fact of the conversation was leaked, and Flynn denied sanctions were discussed. Ever.
He repeated that to Mike Pence, who then went on TV to deny it, and Flynn also told others, and maybe had lied to the FBI too.
And then a claim was made by Sally Yates that Flynn could be blackmailed by the Russians and sent to the White House on Jan. 26.
Trump’s White House counsel read the transcript and concluded nothing untoward happened, even if he hadn’t consulted Trump.
Then the referral from DOJ was leaked, Flynn started to say he couldn’t remember, Flynn maybe still didn’t tell the truth to Trump’s people, and his reputaton was falling apart, and he was forced to quit.
In all this Flynn didn’t realize that a recording or a transcript existed, maybe because the FBI asked him questions that they knew the answers to.
It was probably a bit more than that. And even saying smething like “I can’t say anything now, but we’ll see later” is something.
Sammy Finkelman (3bf6ea) — 3/6/2017 @ 11:01 pmDoes Katy Tur
mg (31009b) — 3/7/2017 @ 3:49 amwork here
roflmao
Have another Billy Beer
mg (31009b) — 3/7/2017 @ 3:49 amSomewhere in New Mexico, a young coyote eats its scat…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/7/2017 @ 5:35 amWell if he relies on the Albuquerque journal, it can’t be hekpred
http://ww.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/03/former-guantanamo-detainee-killed-in-us-air-campaign-in-yemen.php
narciso (d1f714) — 3/7/2017 @ 6:24 amSounds like Sammy just indicted the ex-president.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/7/2017 @ 8:23 amStep 1: kill the ACA with reconciliation on a party-line vote
Steps 2-3: pass fixes, without reconciliation (but with the nuclear option, if necessary)
This is a good plan. As long as Obamacare is alive, some Republicans will be afraid to make the necessary changes/fixes/repeals. Once Obamacare is dead, we stop looking backwards (we stop thinking about how new reforms/fixes to healthcare affect rights under Obamacare, and instead we just look forwards, how would the new reforms/fixes change the post-Obamacare laws).
First we kill Obamacare dead, then we work out the details. This is the only way it could ever have happened.
If Congressional Republicans wait until they have the perfect bill, before they pull the trigger, we will be waiting for many, many years. First, kill Obamacare. Then, when Obamacare is dead, gone, the past, kaput, no longer an issue: then and only then can we start making real reforms.
Trump knows how to get stuff done. I will give him that.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/7/2017 @ 9:21 am1. Continuing to own Mar-a-Lago.
2. Doubling prices for membership there after being elected President.
3. Going there every weekend as President at great taxpayer expense.
4. Mingling with guests to provide them access.
Everyone defending this picks just one part of it to defend. And ONLY one part.
I will defend ALL of it.
1. He built it and unless you want to add to the Constitution that entrepreneurs cannot be President and the jobs are restricted to government apparatchiks and coupon-clippers, then I see no constitutional basis for your claim he should.
2. Demand went up. Expectations of service went up. Prices went up. So what? DO you really think that a guy who is a millionaire 10 thousand times over cares about the few thousands that might fall to his bottom line? I think he’s more concerned about what Melania spends on clothes (and he’s not).
3. A president can’t go to 7-11 without “great taxpayer expense.” And do you think Camp David trips are free? This is a nothingburger.
4. I think it’s GREAT that the president mingles with people. It’s an example that many should follow. Do you think that Trump, a man with a PERSONAL money-hose, is a naif when it comes to people looking for his favor? He is FAR more likely to learn what is important to people in general than he is to be horn-swaggled into some corrupt fleecing of the government.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:06 amPoint one above …. sell it.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:07 amIf he didn’t care about money, why not sell his assets?
This. Again. I am going to use easy words so you lot will maybe understand this time.
These are not “assets” like stock or bonds or gold doubloons. They are active businesses entities — that Trump created. They are part of a collection of interlocking businesses, which he also created, that are more than the sum of the whole.
They cannot be turned over to a committee of bankers, like a portfolio of passive assets can be. If sold individually, they would lose their synergy. At best they can be left to Trump’s second line managers to run in the interim.
But even if they were — if Trump spent his weekends at a Hilton resort — the same complaints as Patterico listed would be made, with a few changes (“Why is he trying to enrich Hilton?”).
In the end, it all depends on whether you want Trump gone, or not.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:31 amWhich brings up a good question:
Which is more important? That serious changes are made to the US government’s way of doing things, or that Trump be deposed?
The Democrat’s answer is obvious. The promise evidenced by [most of] Trump’s cabinet and court choices is also obvious.
Which side is all this pettifogging helping? At this point there are only two.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:36 am3. Going there every weekend as President at great taxpayer expense.
******************
Here’s the thing that is annoying as hell. It’s like some law of physics. Or–that line–“if a tree falls in the forest–does it make a sound if no one is there to hear it?”
Read in a damn “Ladies’ magazine” of this floor of suites that the Obama’s took up in China or Russia–really can’t remember–the price was through the roof. Thing is there was very little reporting on the Obama’s expenses anywhere else because Obama was their dreamy quarterback a la Tom Brady with more–“shade”–so dreamy, so cool, so hip!
“You don’t know what Obama spent–because you can’t handle the truth!”–Media press scum “covering” Obama in more ways than one.
I meant to type media press *scrum* but I’ve decided to keep the typo–for reasons.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:48 amAlso it’s cute. Ace tried to tempt NeverTrumpers back into his Rage Pool..and la voila today he is on the attack against the Trump he always knew was there but he’s hiding behind Susan Collin’s skirts to do it.
Time to entertain the fact that Ace is a Russkie–because nothing in life is free–friend.
Good thing he was lazy and never did the Breitbrat thang cuz Putin might have thought Ace would be more useful as a –martyr for the cause.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:51 amThis ace critique is mostly a joke but crrrripes there must be at least four aces and three of them are Democrats who know their only hope is to keep Republicans divided.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:55 amKevin M, all good points re the Mar a Lago, but I would add that Statewide Office in California is the one exception to Rule 1. of post #132. Its usually the self-made wealthy out there that end up having illegal nanny or housekeeper issues. I always felt a professionally competent but passed over for promotion mid-level Caltrans or Treasurer official would make the best R candidate for some offices if only to ensure that he/she cut his own lawn.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 3/7/2017 @ 10:57 am“If you don’t retaliate for the sanctions Obama just put on you, we’ll have more flexibility in removing them.”
But a day later, Mr. Putin said his government would not retaliate, prompting a Twitter post from Mr. Trump praising the Russian president
Trump was quite correct that Putin should not retaliate against a lame duck. Telling them that retaliation would tie their hands was also true, although it didn’t really have to be said — Russians aren’t morons. Any US diplomat would have said much the same thing, if asked.
Again, this is only an issue if you want it to be an issue. This, however, has nothing to do with Russian “hacking” (which is more correctly called “opportunism”) and is just thrown out to conflate and confuse.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:01 amThis is for nk.
A woman from Los Angeles who was a tree hugging, liberal Democrat and an anti-hunter purchased a piece of timberland near Colville, WA . There was a large tree on one of the highest points in the tract. She wanted a good view of the natural splendor of her land so she started to climb the big tree.
As she neared the top she encountered a spotted owl that attacked her. In her haste to escape, the woman slid down the tree to the ground and got many splinters in her crotch. In considerable pain, she hurried to a local ER to see a doctor. She told him she was an environmentalist, a Democrat, and an anti-hunter and how she came to get all the splinters.
The doctor listened to her story with great patience and then told her to go wait in the examining room and he would see if he could help her. She sat and waited three hours before the doctor re-appeared. The angry woman demanded, “What took you so long?” He smiled and then told her, “Well, I had to get permits from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management before I could remove old-growth timber from a ‘recreational area’ so close to a Waste Treatment Facility. And I’m sorry, but due to Obama-Care they turned you down.
Rev. Hoagie® (785e38) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:03 am4. Mingling with guests to provide them access
Also, at the group weekend rate, NOW or the Urban League could show up with 100 folks and not feel a pinch in their budget. The access is not as exclusive as some would make it.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:08 amHoagie–
You forgot her fine for endangering a spotted owl.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:10 amSorry, but I thought it is the Environmental Protection Agency that decides what is endangered.
Rev. Hoagie® (785e38) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:14 amYour basic problem with this issue is–relativity.
The Mara Largo issue–might be a cockroach infestation that I should be concerned with but–
This as stated by Kevin M. here:
This smells like a house fire that is flirting with becoming a constitutional crisis–and this needs to be fought–first.
Rae Sremmurd (2fd998) — 3/7/2017 @ 11:44 amPatterico writes:
Apparently there are some of us who will defend all of it. Here’s my defense:
1. Even if it were just an investment you would not be justified in demanding that he sell it, and it is more than an investment; it is a home.
Doc Rampage (338fac) — 3/7/2017 @ 1:29 pm2. It’s not clear that Trump had anything to do with doubling prices or could have done anything to stop it. And even if he could, you have not answered the question of why you think rationing would have been better. I suspect that if he used rationing rather than prices to limit access, you would have found that suspicious as well. What criterion is he using? What nefarious purpose does it serve?
3. He lives in a town where practically everyone hates him with a white-hot rage, so how is he going to relax at home? Everything he tries to do as part of his job becomes a war to the knife with the courts, the press, the opposition party, the entertainment industry, his own subordinates in the deep state, and even members of his own party. He desperately needs some time away to unwind and relax so that he can come back on Monday and renew the fight. If the situation ever calms down from constant war footing to merely tense, I’ll agree then that he needs to start rationing his weekend travel a bit.
4. “to provide them access” is your own cynical interpretation of his motives. Objectively, what you are objecting to is Trump having a social life.
Trump could sell Mar-A-Lago and shell out $200k to buy a membership there. Then he could visit every week. If he had sold it before the election, it would only have cost $100k for the membership.
I know. I didn’t say divesting would be painless. And it’s weird to think that someone else would pick up his personal “brand.” If the “Trump Organization” was divested, would it continue to market products under the “Trump” brand? That would be weird. Or would it drop the name? And if it did, would it lose some synergy?
Divesting just Mar-A-Lago would remove the most obvious potential for corruption or the appearance of corruption. I don’t know that Mar-A-Lago has synergy with any of the other pieces of his organization.
Daryl Herbert (7be116) — 3/7/2017 @ 2:40 pm