Trump and The Market

[EdEarl]

Has Trump sold stock, increased tariffs to drive the market down, now will buy low, and remove tariffs again, in response to complaints about the bear market?

[swansont]

His buddy Carl Icahn sold off a bunch of stock, right before the announcement.

[EdEarl]

I heard. Do you think family members or Trump could hide such transactions?

Maybe he had excess cash or got a loan and wanted to buy stock, so imposed the tariffs.

[Phi for All]

He seems to view this as his right as a ruthless businessman, like he'd be an idiot not to take advantage of this priceless opportunity to gather favors and turn a profit. I always thought this was more or less illegal, but it seems presidents before him merely avoided conflicts of interest unnecessarily. 

Odd, isn't it, how folks would have screamed bloody murder if good guy farmer Jimmy Carter hadn't sold his peanut business, but ruthless landlord businessman Trump gets to keep it all. 

[Ten oz]

12 hours ago, Phi for All said:

I always thought this was more or less illegal, but it seems presidents before him merely avoided conflicts of interest unnecessarily. 

It is illegal: Title 18 Section 208 of the U.S. code https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/208

With his party and his nominees in control of all branches of govt the law simply isn't being enforced. Highways have speed limits and State Police to patrol them but those State Police aren't required to catch everyone who speeds. There is some discretion allowed in enforcement of all laws. Trump flexes that discretion to what was previously believed impossible. The words constitutional crisis were tossed around a bit prior to Trump's inauguration and since that time things have only gotten worse. 

[Strange]

"Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal."

Richard M Nixon

[StringJunky]

1 hour ago, Strange said:

"Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal."

Richard M Nixon

This is consistent with our monarch as well... she's technically above the law.

[Sensei]

Playing on indexes, up/down,, or short-selling stocks that you don't own doesn't require revealing your strategy to the world..

I said it week ago, that's their aim

https://www.scienceforums.net/topic/113669-trade-wars-are-good/?tab=comments#comment-1041234

ps. Somebody saw "Trading Places".. ?

History likes to repeat.. If somebody is smart enough..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_squeeze

 

[EdEarl]

4 hours ago, Ten oz said:

It is illegal: Title 18 Section 208 of the U.S. code https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/208

With his party and his nominees in control of all branches of govt the law simply isn't being enforced. Highways have speed limits and State Police to patrol them but those State Police aren't required to catch everyone who speeds. There is some discretion allowed in enforcement of all laws. Trump flexes that discretion to what was previously believed impossible. The words constitutional crisis were tossed around a bit prior to Trump's inauguration and since that time things have only gotten worse. 

It seems to me there is only one party, taking PAC money and dancing to the tune "Money is our Savior."

[iNow]

2 minutes ago, EdEarl said:

It seems to me there is only one party, taking PAC money and dancing to the tune "Money is our Savior."

https://www.vox.com/explainers/2018/3/6/17081532/republicans-dodd-frank-financial-regulations

Quote

12 Senate Democrats are backing a Republican bill to weaken parts of Dodd-Frank.

In the next week, the Senate is expected to pass the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, a bill that rolls back some of Dodd-Frank’s financial regulations and widens existing loopholes.

Republicans drafted the bill. But it has 12 Democratic co-sponsors, giving it a filibuster-proof majority.

The legislation exempts banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the Volcker Rule (which bars commercial banks from some speculative trades) and various mortgage requirements; allows banks with between $50 billion and $250 billion in assets to operate with less regulatory scrutiny; and directs the Federal Reserve to tailor regulations to the specific balance sheets of the bigger banks, rather than enforcing rules equally across the board.

 

[EdEarl]

2 minutes ago, iNow said:

https://www.vox.com/explainers/2018/3/6/17081532/republicans-dodd-frank-financial-regulations

 

It makes one fear leaving money in a bank.

[Phi for All]

We seriously need to stop playing pool with these people who can afford all the lessons and equipment in the world, but still insist on cheating by blocking our shots, changing the rules, and leaning on the table while we're trying to make a living and enjoy the game while we do it.

[EdEarl]

15 hours ago, Phi for All said:

We seriously need to stop playing pool with these people who can afford all the lessons and equipment in the world, but still insist on cheating by blocking our shots, changing the rules, and leaning on the table while we're trying to make a living and enjoy the game while we do it.

Unfortunately, it seems we must play and win or let them have their own way. I'm old and may at any time stumble and break my queue, but will, as long as possible, protest injustice and try to sneak a win sometimes. Support from the audience is welcome and essential to victory.

[Phi for All]

On 3/5/2018 at 6:48 AM, EdEarl said:

Do you think family members or Trump could hide such transactions?

He and his kids are still running so many business deals, this stock shakeup could be used as payback for favors, like the deal he got for Ivanka's trademarks in China while on state business, or the fast-tracking his resort permits got in foreign countries as soon as he was elected. He's got a license to steal now, and it's clear he's been planning lots of ways to capitalize on it. I'm not sure how payback like that could be traced back to him.

[EdEarl]

5 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

He and his kids are still running so many business deals, this stock shakeup could be used as payback for favors, like the deal he got for Ivanka's trademarks in China while on state business, or the fast-tracking his resort permits got in foreign countries as soon as he was elected. He's got a license to steal now, and it's clear he's been planning lots of ways to capitalize on it. I'm not sure how payback like that could be traced back to him.

He is a fox in the hen house.

[John Cuthber]

I think Trump is "channelling" Wally.
http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-08-04

[Phi for All]

10 minutes ago, EdEarl said:

He is a fox in the hen house.

Much worse than that, since ALL the chickens would object to a fox. Almost half of the cluckers over here let him in and think he's doing swell.

[EdEarl]

2 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

Much worse than that, since ALL the chickens would object to a fox. Almost half of the cluckers over here let him in and think he's doing swell.

That's true. It's like many chickens are deaf and blind.

[iNow]

5 hours ago, EdEarl said:

That's true. It's like many chickens are deaf and blind.

And lobotomized... 

[EdEarl]

8 minutes ago, iNow said:

And lobotomized... 

LOL, a bit harsh. They are living a delusion that few talk about.

[iNow]

It’s not so bad. They go in through your nose, and they let you keep the piece of  brain they cut out. 

 

[Ten oz]

2018 was the worst overall year for the U.S. stock market since the economic collapse of 2008. The tax cuts and deregulation put in place by Republicans were meant to be a stimulus but that doesn't seem to have panned out. 

Quote

 

6.2 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, for 2018. Both indexes logged in their biggest annual losses since 2008, when they plunged 38.5 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively. The Nasdaq lost 3.9 percent in 2018, its worst year in a decade, when it dropped 40 percent.

The S&P 500 and Dow fell for the first time in three years, while the Nasdaq snapped a six-year winning streak. 2018 was a year fraught with volatility, characterized by record highs and sharp reversals. This year will also mark the first time ever the S&P 500 posts a decline after rising in the first three quarter

 

s. Link

[J.C.MacSwell]

With division in the country, he is dealing with a polar(ized) bear market...