Cont: The Trump Presidency: Part 19

[a_unique_person]

Trump Tweets

Very good meeting on the Middle East, the Military, and Trade. Heading back to The Southern White House (Mar-a-Lago!).
Updates throughout the day.

Read the Transcripts!

Big branding exercise going on there for Mar-a-largo. When do the signs go up?

 

[Segnosaur]

"President Donald Trump signed a bill on Monday that increases fines on criminal robocall violations and cracks down on companies making the calls, as part of a federal push against telephone scammers."

Mmm. When I looked it up, it received near unaminous bipartisan support.

So in other words, if Trump didn't sign it, it would still get into law because the president wouldn't be able to veto it.

 

[The Man]

Funny story. About a decade or so back when the big internet/cable/phone bundles were at their peak I was in the same scenario, it was actually cheaper to get a phone/cable/internet then just cable/internet.

But I never actually bothered to buy a landline phone. There was an old regular POTS Line phonejack in the kitchen of my apartment but I never used. Hell I could even have told you what my phone number was without looking at my bill.

But this thing had this feature where called ID would show up on your TV screen for.. some reason. So I had this weird scenario where I had a home phone line, but no home phone, but would still at least once or twice a night have "CALL FROM NUMBER SO AND SO" appear on my TV Screen.

These days the on TV caller ID is better at tagging scam, robo and phishing calls. It will actually come up as "fraudulent caller" or "Robocall".

 

[Norman Alexander]

So in other words, if Trump didn't sign it, it would still get into law because the president wouldn't be able to veto it.

Let's be honest. Trump won't read two paragraphs of a daily briefing memo. So he has no idea what the bills are that he does sign. I'm sure if it was presented in the usual leather and ribbon folder, he would sign his own arrest and execution warrant. As this documentary shows.

 

[DallasDad]

Does anyone still use a landline?

I do. I'm visually impaired. I can use a huge computer screen, or a phone with big number buttons. The info displayed on a cell phone (I've tested dozens) is simply impossible for me to read. This means I can't use the directory, tell who's calling, or type in a number to call someone. SMS is even worse.


ETA: We also use a land-line for business. Customers who call from cell phones know any problems are their own. They most certainly don't want the dropouts/garbled words to be from our side. Even when we can't hear them well due to cell problems, they can usually hear us say, "You're dropping out. Please try calling back."

 

[bruto]

Does anyone still use a landline?

I do. Rural area with cellular dead zone and no cable. My landline provider is ISP too (dsl at least). Lots of land lines in Vermont, lots of dial-up internet too.

 

[tyr_13]

China doesn't need to steal tech much any more. The big US tech companies were more than willing to sell it to them for the last couple of decades - sales are good for business, don't you know!

And now China is starting to take the initiative in some tech areas. The USA is being deprived of tech wizards from within due to ongoing reductions in investment in education courtesy of De Vos. The scientific community is getting older and thinning out. The brain is not just draining overseas, what remains is getting decrepit and shrinking. And Trump could not care less about that because it doesn't affect him personally.

Not that I disagree with the suicidal short sighted stupidity of many US firms, China still very, very much steals tech. They don't only steal tech, but it isn't at the level of other countries there either.

China has become a leader in some fields, but has failed to do so in others despite massive investment (semiconductors for example). But because of a lack of competition for several reasons, it hasn't happened (unlike shipbuilding which, wow did illegal subsidization help that!). China's one party rule (on top of being, you know, actual communists) means that there isn't even much competition for their pork, let alone traditional market incentives to reward performance. This is a huge drag on their investments, and smaller promising companies struggle to get funding while the larger favorites of corrupt politicians are awash in government provided capital. If there was a viable political cost in the from of a challenge from another party, then maybe, but they don't even have a free enough press to get upset at this inefficient use of funds. Many of these mechanisms mirror the waste in US defense spending. Much of it is hidden, favorite companies get money despite failures, etc. This is appropriate as China is spending roughly the same percent of its GDP on these tactics as the US spends on defense. China not only subsidizes capital, but also land and utility costs for these companies.

Many of these industries have actually grown less profitable as they have gotten larger in China. Most return far below market rates. It should be a situation that mirrored the Soviet corrupt overspending that collapsed them. There are several factors that make that not the case, not the least of which is Trump seemingly playing right into their hands. Their markets actually recovered before the announced phase one deal (which frankly sucks). China needed taking on and the Trump GOP did it the dumbest way. Targeting steel and aluminum? It's not even an amateur move.

Beyond that, they have NO affirmative argument, no positive strategy, to actually help things here. As you say, they're actively making innovation incentive and factors worse. The anti-science GOP is immeasurably hurting the US and US business. They are negating the systematic advantages we used to have, and amplifying our weaknesses. It's madness.

 

[Aridas]

Not that I disagree with the suicidal short sighted stupidity of many US firms, China still very, very much steals tech. They don't only steal tech, but it isn't at the level of other countries there either.

China has become a leader in some fields, but has failed to do so in others despite massive investment (semiconductors for example). But because of a lack of competition for several reasons, it hasn't happened (unlike shipbuilding which, wow did illegal subsidization help that!). China's one party rule (on top of being, you know, actual communists) means that there isn't even much competition for their pork, let alone traditional market incentives to reward performance.

Err... to be clear, actual communism is classless, stateless, currencyless, etc. They aren't even remotely actual communists, as a general rule (nor is actual communism really even feasible yet at a large scale). There's lots of problems with both China and communism, but the problems really, really are not one and the same.

 

[acbytesla]

I find it amusing that China steals tech. They seem to do it almost with the aid of US corporations.

As someone who worked for a decade as a an IT broker. I had Chinese people calling me daily to purchase counterfeit computer equipment that was frequently manufactured in HP, Apple, Cisco etc factories running in China. They wouldn't say it was counterfeit. But when they offer to sell you new in box Cisco components that normally sell for $600 new and maybe $350 on the used market for $100 you know something is up. So you buy a couple to see what is up and then you receive pristine parts in Cisco boxes and you can't tell the difference in appearance or functionality.

I just bought a couple of cheap chinese diesel heaters for $150 each that look and operate exactly like the $1000 European models.

 

[Andy_Ross]

I just bought a couple of cheap chinese diesel heaters for $150 each that look and operate exactly like the $1000 European models.

Because they are the European models

 

[tyr_13]

Err... to be clear, actual communism is classless, stateless, currencyless, etc. They aren't even remotely actual communists, as a general rule (nor is actual communism really even feasible yet at a large scale). There's lots of problems with both China and communism, but the problems really, really are not one and the same.

Yeah, very poor wording choice on my part. They're...capitalism/communism with Chinese qualities as they like to put it. Functionally a pseudoe command/crony economy. The weaknesses and inefficiencies therein are not as bad as the oligarchy in Russia, but still has inherent weaknesses there. China moved a bit away from it, but Xi appears to be more adverse to capitalists/market based reforms as the reformers have basically all been silenced. In fact, the conflict with Trump seems to have cemented Xi's opinion and given him the internal political capital to 'win' that debate for now.

 

[SezMe]

Trump Tweets

California and New York must do something about their TREMENDOUS Homeless problems. They are setting records! If their Governors can’t handle the situation, which they should be able to do very easily, they must call and “politely” ask for help. Would be so easy with competence!

Part of me wishes Newsom (CA gov) would call his bluff and tweet him back, saying, "OK, come and fix the problem" except the ensuing cluster **** would harm real people.

 

[SezMe]

But if I am armed, I’ll do my very best not to screw the pooch and injure or kill an innocent bystander.

I believe every word you say but also remember that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[SezMe]

Does anyone still use a landline?

Yes. My home sits in a "well" of crappy to zero coverage so I use Skype.

Old people.

Hey, I resemble that.

 

[Stacyhs]

Regarding Trumps's tweets: does anyone outside his adoring idiotic base believe anything he tweets? His lying is so bad that anything he says, I immediately dismiss as likely false. It says a lot when the first reaction to anything a POTuS says is met with disbelief.

 

[Norman Alexander]

Regarding Trumps's tweets: does anyone outside his adoring idiotic base believe anything he tweets? His lying is so bad that anything he says, I immediately dismiss as likely false. It says a lot when the first reaction to anything a POTuS says is met with disbelief.

For about two years now I have been using Trump's twitter eructions as a guide to what is NOT the truth inside his administration. Whatever he says, the opposite is very probably true.

The other side to consider is that he almost certainly does not personally research or write the tweets for his channel. We all know that it is a curated concoction of Fox & Friends plus Hannity and Ingraham (i.e. Murdoch swill), a bit of Breitbart, a pinch of Trump rants, and a whole bunch of heavily-researched and misquoted piffle from neo-Nazi and NRA micro-sites. In short, it's ranting *****. SO presidential I just cannot begin to believe...

 

[Stacyhs]

For about two years now I have been using Trump's twitter eructions as a guide to what is NOT the truth inside his administration. Whatever he says, the opposite is very probably true.

The other side to consider is that he almost certainly does not personally research or write the tweets for his channel. We all know that it is a curated concoction of Fox & Friends plus Hannity and Ingraham (i.e. Murdoch swill), a bit of Breitbart, a pinch of Trump rants, and a whole bunch of heavily-researched and misquoted piffle from neo-Nazi and NRA micro-sites. In short, it's ranting *****. SO presidential I just cannot begin to believe...

I agree. Not even he could tweet all that crap. It's a combination of him and his sycophants.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Retweeted

Lindsey Graham
@LindseyGrahamSC
Very proud of President @realDonaldTrump acting decisively in the face of threats to our embassy in Baghdad.
He has put the world on notice - there will be no Benghazis on his watch.
(1/4)


To the Iranian government:
Be careful what you wish for — a country that depends on the ability to refine oil for its existence needs to be cautious.
(2/4)

President Trump, unlike President Obama, will hold you accountable for threats against Americans and hit you where it hurts the most.
Choose your battles wisely.
(3/4)

To our Iraqi allies:
This is your moment to convince the American people the US-Iraq relationship is meaningful to you and worth protecting.
Protect our American personnel. You will not regret it.
(4/4)

Just had a very good meeting with President @realDonaldTrump and his team regarding the situation in Iraq.
President Trump is determined to protect American personnel and expects our Iraqi partners to step up to the plate. No more Benghazis.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

One of my greatest honors was to have gotten CHOICE approved for our great Veterans. Others have tried for decades, and failed!

I am far better on HealthCare than the Democrats!

The Fake News said I played golf today, and I did NOT! I had meeting in various locations, while closely monitoring the U.S. Embassy situation in Iraq, which I am still doing. The Corrupt Lamestream Media knew this but, not surprisingly, failed to report or correct!

The Anti-Benghazi!

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is, & has been for hours, SAFE! Many of our great Warfighters, together with the most lethal military equipment in the world, was immediately rushed to the site. Thank you to the President & Prime Minister of Iraq for their rapid response upon request....

....Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!