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Queen Ivanka

Is there any evidence yet that supports he now cant do whatever he wants?
Again, with asking people to prove a negative? What's got into you, Darat? :confused:
What constraints is he now feeling?
Good question. Mind reading didn't used to be believed by skeptics. Have you turned in your card? Almost seriously, who are you and where did you hide the real Darat's corpse? :confused:
You've got to the root of the matter, Trump simply cares not one jot about anyone else and is so self centred and egoistic that he seems actually incapable of shame.
My read as well. He's in it for him, which is consistent with his life to date.

The question is: will the job change the man? It takes a toll on most, and is much harder than any of them who want it understand until they are in it.

TA's rants aren't of interest to me, but the potential for conflict of interest, given the man's wealth, are. Why?

We had experience at the micro level here just under a decade ago. A local developer ended up getting elected mayor. All in all not a bad guy, but he had to recuse himself on over half of the issues at city council due to conflict of interest that he was aware of, and got accused of a number of cases of the same by his political opponents ... last I recall none of them had substance.

But that's micro level.
Trump's a few orders of magnitude up the scale. The conflict of interest is of concern, since the media nowadays are far less cordial then when, for example, the Kennedy family showed up in the White House. If you read any in depth coverage of people who knew and worked with Kennedy, you find that JFK had a very small group of people he consulted with and trusted, and his family were his closest confidants/advisers on a variety of topics.

Think about this: when the Cuban Missile Crisis was going off, JFK spent a lot of time talking with ...RFK. FFS, with a cabinet full of the so called best and brightest, his closest adviser was an inexperienced political hack.

I smell the same sort of problem with Trump. He's not a insider, and he won't trust anyone, and barely listen to anyone he has to appoint. (And seriously, who'd work for the man? No record for listening).

So in a round about way, TA's thread offers me an opening to vent: conflict of interest is likely Trump's Achille's heel.
 
I can only guess that you're delighted Ivanka ranks in front of FLOTUS in talking to foreign dignitaries. And not just any foreign dignitary, the Prime Minister of Japan, which I'd say in 2016 is USA's second-best friend and second-most important ally after the UK.

Interesting. Where do you rank the United States largest trading partner - Canada?
 
Interesting. Where do you rank the United States largest trading partner - Canada?
Does it matter where TA assesses that?

It is worth considering that TA might look at things in a Pacific Rim or Pacific centric way, as he's a Kiwi.

Thus, China is big issue, and US relations with Japan, trade and otherwise, are more important than stuff out of area.

Just a thought, from someone who learned how to look at the world from the center of the Pacific Rim about 25 years ago.
 
Interesting. Where do you rank the United States largest trading partner - Canada?

Canada is hardly a player on the world stage in the way that UK and Japan are, and in terms of strategic importance, Canada wouldn't make the radar, although there's undoubtedly some benefit in having all the land mass to the north being an ally.

I guess you could make a case that Canada is USA's best friend, but I've yet to meet a Canadian who thought that, so I'm happy with the statement.
 
Does it matter where TA assesses that?

It is worth considering that TA might look at things in a Pacific Rim or Pacific centric way, as he's a Kiwi.

Thus, China is big issue, and US relations with Japan, trade and otherwise, are more important than stuff out of area.

Just a thought, from someone who learned how to look at the world from the center of the Pacific Rim about 25 years ago.

No - it does not matter where TA assesses Canada. I was just curious as to his reasons. I did consider his position in the world and that was why I asked.
Our politicians like to tell us that the US is our best friend and vice versa - but the reality of the situation is much different - IMHO.
 
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Canada is hardly a player on the world stage in the way that UK and Japan are, and in terms of strategic importance, Canada wouldn't make the radar, although there's undoubtedly some benefit in having all the land mass to the north being an ally.

I guess you could make a case that Canada is USA's best friend, but I've yet to meet a Canadian who thought that, so I'm happy with the statement.

Thank you for your opinion.
I have to agree that we are only convenient to the US because of our proximity and natural resources.
We are certainly only a strategic ally because of our ability to provide airspace to the US to shoot down ICBMs over our country before they arrive in US airspace.
We have no armed forces to mount anything other than a possible invasion of Iceland - but only if we arrive in Iceland while they are all in some other country watching their team play in the World Cup (assuming, of course, that the few remaining people will be hungover from their World Cup celebrations and in no condition to fight).
The only thing that may be essential to the US in the future is our water.
So no - I have never considered Canada as the United States' best friend. However - our politicians seem to think we are - or should be -but that is another story.
 
Canada is hardly a player on the world stage in the way that UK and Japan are, and in terms of strategic importance, Canada wouldn't make the radar, although there's undoubtedly some benefit in having all the land mass to the north being an ally.

Gee, thanks. We'll remember that if you ever need our help. ;)
 
Which still leaves me wondering why you assume she's a bimbo.

Maybe because sometimes when a misogynist sees an attractive blond girl they naturally assume she is a bimbo.

BTW what is the definition of a bimbo?
 
On planet meXico Bimbo is a brand of bread.


In the US as well.
Though... it's a East coast thing so I've never seen it IRL.


And anyone seeing Ivanka as a bimbo, may actually be thinking of the other, rarely talked about daughter... Kelly Bundy Tiffany. :p
 
In the US as well.
Though... it's a East coast thing so I've never seen it IRL.


And anyone seeing Ivanka as a bimbo, may actually be thinking of the other, rarely talked about daughter... Kelly Bundy Tiffany. :p

I guess it's further south than Boston. Never heard of it.
 
It's the most common sliced bread in Spain and Portugal, from what I've seen.
 
She's not a bimbo, she's an accomplished and charming woman. BTW the bread brand Pan Bimbo is pronounced "Pahn-BEEM-bo. A top brand in Mexico, Spain, Portugal and other countries.

I notice that plans to auction Ivanka off for a 45-minute coffee date have been scrapped. The Poor Little Rich Girl is seeing her credentials disputed even as she strives to benefit working moms. I don't think she's insincere, but she's definitely sheltered.

Melania is probably thrilled at the turn of events, and having Ivanka on board is probably OK for the country. Still, her insider status adds to concernes about conflicts of interest. IMO, Melania is doing herself a favor staying out of D.C., while Ivanka steps in as a "first lady" who will be under the microscope as the Trump team moves forward.
 
Incidentally, Ivanka would not be the first non-spouse to serve as White House hostess, or First Lady. Bachelor James Buchanan's niece served the role and the term First lady was actually coined for her. By all accounts, she was as charming and generous as Buchanan was inept.
 
It's not a blind trust. There's nothing independent about a family member managing your assets. They're just showing off the massive conflict of interest the situation represents.

For all the complaining I heard over "Crooked Hillary", I've heard barely a peep about Trump's rather blatant conflicts of interest being a concern.
 

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