Here's what Trump gets wrong

CNBC ^ | 2016 March 14 | Ron Insana

[CutePuppy]

In many ways, Donald Trump's political talking points are Orwellian at best. His constant insistence that the U.S. is not "winning" is being repeated with such pneumatic regularity that voters believe it. Or if they don't yet, they may soon.

Whether we are getting killed on trade or being flooded with illegal immigrants, Donald Trump has been making arguments that were, in part, true thirty years ago, but most certainly not today.

The "INGSOC" slogans in Orwell's epic dystopian novel, "1984":

• "War is Peace"
  
• "Freedom is Slavery"
  
• "Ignorance is Strength"
  

Would fit nicely among Trump's litany of incongruous phrases:

• "The U.S. Doesn't Win Anymore."
  
• "China and Japan are killing us on trade."
  
• "Illegal Immigrants are pouring over the border."
  

Trump's "truths" are easy to debunk.

For starters, the U.S has the largest economy in the world, 50 percent bigger than China's in nominal terms, roughly equal to that of a combined Europe and considerably larger than Japan's.

U.S. per capita income is roughly $50,000, or 10 times that of China, while our debt-to-GDP ratio is considerably smaller than those of China, Japan and many other developed nations. ..... < snip >

..... U.S. exports have hovered near record levels, a fact that few bother to point out to Mr. Trump. ..... < snip >

..... As for overall trade, which by the way, represents 23 percent of economic activity in the U.S., America's position is getting stronger every day.

..... the U.S. current account deficit with other nations, the broadest measure of trade, is at its lowest levels in decades, only 2.2 percent of GDP. ..... < snip >

[Fai Mao]

“I should also add military hardware to our exports.”

Computer soft ware and airliners

But that is about it

Trump is talking about basic industry, iron steel and manufactured goods.

I think Trump is wrong on automobiles. There are fewer Chevrolet, Chrysler and Ford cars but that is made up for at least in part by Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes and Volkswagen having US plants. The Toyota Camry and Tacoma have a higher percentage of US parts than a Ford Taurus.

That said Trump’s basic point is true and this article parses word to hide the truth.

[freedom1st]

Ron Insana - Loser

[ShadowAce]

Your three statements, taken together, are very contradictory.

If we export food (#2), then #1 is false ("we produce nothing")

#3 posits that we are the largest economy. That cannot happen just by exporting food, and it definitely cannot happen if we produce nothing.

Let's try to ratchet down the rhetoric a notch and think before we post.

[econjack]

Donald Trump has been making arguments that were, in part, true thirty years ago, but most certainly not today.

What planet is this clown from? Thirty years ago Reagan had pulled us back from the Carter brink and we had prosperity for the next 15 years. Indeed, the impetus was strong enough to last through the Clinton years. That said, to say Trump's message is out of date is to ignore the economic doldrums Obozo has put us in, our borders are like a sieve, and 51% of the population is living off the other 49%. SOme will argue he has lowered unemployment, but only because 1) so many have given up finding a job and dropped out of the labor force, and 2) those who remain are working less than 30 hours per week and/or are working jobs for which they are over-qualified. That has not been the case for 30 years, you idiot.

[tacticalogic]

What Trump gets wrong is his embrace of Obama’s use of Executive Orders and intent to follow that lead, and putting his faith in DC bureaucracies over the States and the People.

[econjack]

I looked up this clown to see who he is and found:

Ron Insana is a Senior Analyst and Commentator at CNBC. He was Managing Director of Insana Capital Partners from inception to collapse.

I have a suspicion why it collapsed...

[cp124]

Largest economy fueled by debt.

[AndyJackson]

What about that 19,000,000,000,000 national debt? How’s that compare?

And that is only the public debt. What about household and business debt.

[cp124]

Things are looking good on Fraud Street. They may need a bail out soon, but don’t worry about it.

[Caipirabob]

Here is what obama gets wrong: everything - where have you been the past 7 years?!?

[Happy Rain]

Cruz would make the best president but Trump would certainly make the most exciting.

Do Americans agree with the Chinese who consider living in interesting times a curse?

Sometimes I believe the vast majority of Trump supporters are aggressive and incorrigible gamblers...they sure behave that way.

[central_va]

Looks like CutePuppy (since 1999) is a Manchurian Freeper. A drive by post.

[central_va]

Looks like CutePuppy (since 2006) is a Manchurian Freeper. A drive by post.

Fixed

[McCarthysGhost]

“And that is only the public debt. What about household and business debt.”

And the cumulative debt of the states like California, Illinois etc.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

“The U.S. Doesn’t Win Anymore.”

“China and Japan are killing us on trade.”

“Illegal Immigrants are pouring over the border.”

Trump’s ‘truths’ are easy to debunk.

[snip]

[Hah! Impossible to debunk.]

[central_va]

The truth can’t be debunked.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

A barf alert would have helped. Great exposure of media bias.

FRegards ....

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

We need more threads like these. They help Trump.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I think CutePuppy did some good work for Trump just now.

[central_va]

How about looking at reality. We are $19 Trillions debt. Do you think we as a nation would have run up debt like that if we hadn’t passed NAFTA and artificially created China’s economic miracle?