Originally Posted By: Owain
I haven't been paying much attention to the political forum before, so I don't know anything about that.

In all things, we have to wait to see what actually happens before judgement can be rendered. Probably 95% of the things people worry about never come to pass, which is why one should never take counsel of their fears.

What exactly do you fear and what justification do you have to fear that. Specifically.


Referring to the past, I was thinking of discussions we had (you and I, among others) about various topics - from the looming Iraq war, to the way we were financing govt, and the wisdom (or lack thereof) or massive deficit spending, and of artificially flooring interest rates while printing money in order to service said debts which led directly to the bubble, and housing crisis. Though to be fair, although I specifically said that the policies and massive excess of free capital would result in a bubble that would create a massive financial dislocation somewhere, I was unable to predict at the time exactly where, and said as much. Seeing a massive pipe pouring millions of gallons per second makes it easy to predict a flood, knowing exactly where the runoff will land is quite a bit harder. (With Vydor, on this topic, for the most part)

For one specific example, I recall a discussion you and I had, where I warned of the collateral carnage the Iraq war effort would bring, and amidst the Cheney jingoistic hubris of the time, how we needed to approach the prospect of war with both eyes open. (and how we would not be seen as heroic liberators, for that matter) You replied that US Pilots and such took great pains to avoid collateral damage, act responsibly - which I granted as true, but was not the primary issue I was trying to touch upon. Of course we now know of the massive civilian death tolls due to our intervention there. Just as one example.

This was prior to even having political topics sequestered to a specific forum, actually. But in any case.

Unfortunately, a lot more than 5% of my fears do come to pass, politically and financially speaking.

--

As far as Trump specifically, there are enough concerns to fill a large tome.

The first and foremost being a complete disregard for Constitutionally granted individual rights, and the rule of law itself. Compounding this lack, is the lack of any cohesive political worldview at all - instead, replaced by a narcissistic need for self-gratification via showboating.

In similar vein, Trump has a great faith in his own capability, and seems unwilling to acknowledge issues that might be beyond him, or anyone. But, given his history, he seems unlikely to care about anything other than being able to stand behind a podium and spin out a claim of victory. I mean, he talked up his defunct packaged steak business while campaigning - replete with sticking a fake label on a different brand of steak. The man is simply a walking, talking absurdity.

Trump has specifically spoken out against due process, and in favor of "watch lists"

He has specifically spoken out against First Amendment rights on multiple occasions.

He advocated building a wall on the Mexican border. Which not only addresses the wrong problems, but is absurd in of itself. Israel is one of the most militarized states in the world, and cannot even keep people from trafficking around and under their walls, which are heavily guarded and monitored with sensitive equipment. As if a several thousand mile wall could or would do anything. In short, a silly suggestion befitting a silly person.

His cabinet picks thus far have been a whos-who of some of the worst actors - particularly Goldman Sachs, which thrives entirely due to cronyism between Federal and psuedo-Federal institutions. His picks thus far are not pro-market, but rather pro-certain-businesses.

Much like most of W's tenure, where W knew or cared little about much of what his cabinet was doing, so too does Trump seem primed to sit back and talk up a spiel while his govt acts entirely in the interests of their various cronies, to the detriment of the rest of us.


For who could be free when every other man's humour might domineer over him? - John Locke (2nd Treatise, sect 57)