Posted on 01/28/2016 5:41:31 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
The Tea Party movement began as a response to federal bailouts of Wall Street and auto makers in 2008 and 2009. These unprecedented government interventions in the economy padded the wallets of special interests by privatizing profits and socializing losses.
Where was Donald Trump on this? As it happens, he appeared on television more than once to discuss what was happening. And when he did, he came in favor of the bailouts that soured conservative voters, especially Tea Partiers, on both George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Of the auto companies, which were failing because of years of union intransigence and incompetent management, Trump said: "I think the government should stand behind them 100 percent...You cannot lose the auto companies. They're great. They make wonderful products."
Of the Wall Street bailout, Trump said on CNN: "I do agree with what they're doing with the banks. Whether they fund them or nationalize them, it doesn't matter, but you have to keep the banks going."
Keep this in mind when you hear Trump complain about how bad George W. Bush's presidency was; he supported some of Bush's worst policy decisions.
Yesterday, we looked at Donald Trump's sudden and convenient conversions on issues dear to conservatives, especially on abortion and gun control, but even on his signature issue of immigration. He makes even fewer pretenses about his lack of conservative beliefs on the topic of fiscal and economic policy.
For those intent on defending Trump no matter what, those who would vote for him, he boasted, even if he shot someone on the street, there might be some way of defending his advocacy of government bailouts of failing businesses. Some might argue that Trump is a changed man.
But Trump's current economic platform, if such a thing can be discerned from his statements and promises, is consistent overall with his past. There is a reason conservative economists such as Thomas Sowell strongly oppose Trump. Like President Obama, Trump believes the commander in chief should have the power to reshape private industries to fit his own vision.
Here's just one recent example: Trump recently said he would force Apple to move its manufacturing operations to the United States. For any conservative, that should be a decision Apple's management makes. It is not for Washington to dictate such things. Private control of private business is a big part of what made America great. But Trump, who says he will make America great again, wants the feds to interfere even more than they do now. And Apple isn't the only company he believes he is entitled to control.
Whatever means Trump deploys to force private businesses to do his will, it will prove costly to taxpayers and consumers. They will be forced either to subsidize industry, pay sharply higher prices for commercial goods, or (most likely) both. All that, in exchange for (at best) a few thousand jobs, none of which will pay as well as those in the glory days of American manufacturing. In practice, though, Trump probably cold not force even a single job to return to the U.S.; his promise was just good campaign fodder.
Trump also talks a big game on the national debt. At the turn of the century, he advocated a 14 percent wealth tax as a means of reducing it, a measure more socialistic and redistributive than anything the Democrats proposed then or since.
On the other hand, it's easy to conclude that he doesn't care much about debt any more. The tax plan he's campaigning on, even when scored dynamically to account for growth, would increase debt faster than everything President Obama has.
Trump also had some comments about the national debt when he was confronted in the October CNBC debate about his four business bankruptcies. "I came out great," he said of the bankruptcies. "That's what I'm supposed to do for the country. We owe $19 trillion. Boy, am I good at solving debt problems. Nobody can solve it like me."
This is the answer of someone who has not thought about the issue, an important one, and certainly not an answer the voting public should want to hear. The United States cannot just declare bankruptcy as if it were a failing business. Sovereign nations either pay their debts or default. There are several recent examples of banana republics doing just that. A sovereign default can be crushing for a nation's citizens, especially for the middle classes that Trump claims to represent. Default would not make America great again.
Americans have first-hand experience of life under an administration that believes debt doesn't matter and that government officials should manipulate private business decisions. They don't need four or eight more years of that, and that's just another reason they don't need Trump.
When did Trump ever vote for a taxpayer funded bailout? Link please.
Larry King Live: Trump on real estate investment, propping up and/or nationalizing banks and Barack Obama...
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0904/15/lkl.01.html
April 2009:
Trump: This is the best time to think like a champion. As an example, the house is being foreclosed. You go see your bank - maybe you can make a deal, maybe you can’t. But you can make a deal with a bank on another house, and much better than the one you’re living in. ... They’ll do any deal to get rid of their product.
They have houses by the thousands. And you go see that bank and you make a deal.
King: How do you assess [Barack Obama]?
Trump: Well, I really like him. I think that he’s working very hard. He’s trying to rebuild our reputation throughout the world. The previous administration was a total disaster, a total catastrophe.
And, you know, the world looks at us differently than they used to. ... He was handed a pretty bad deck of cards. And I’m not saying I agree with everything he’s doing. ... I do agree with what they’re doing with the banks.
Whether they fund them or nationalize them, it doesn’t matter, but you have to keep the banks going.
King: Do you assess him as a champion?
Trump: Oh, yes, he’s a champion. I mean, he won against all odds. When he first announced, people were giving him virtually no chance. And he’s just done something that’s amazing....”
all of a sudden everybody’s worried about poor Apple being forced to make things in the US?
can’t force them, so that’s a lie.
none of these writers were crying when H1B killed American workers.
they can go to hell.
they dnot care about trump, they dont care about me or you.
they care that the political gravy train in place might come to a halt.
trumpees have fallen for DT like the left fell for Obama. They will be as sorely disappointed if DT were to win the presidency. Hopefully none of his will get to see that play out.
YOU will be the one who pays.
... When did Trump ever vote for a taxpayer funded bailout? Link please.
Please, don’t pretend all of the film, articles, tweets etc do not show your guy’s support and love for all on the left.
We already know you don’t care what he has ever done or said.
Cruz stood on the debate stage and said NEVER AGAIN to too big to fail government bailouts. Your guy did not.
What are you going to do after Trump wins the Republican nomination? Will you go cast a vote for him in the general election?
yeah, ok.
Trump is the next president and he’s a much better choice than those two insane nuts. i want cruz to win, but it’s not gonna happen, and i will back trump in the generals.
i never see you backing anyone.
do you even want republicans to win?
[SNIP]
“...How can Trump fans think, based on what he’s saying at the moment, that they know what a President Trump would do a year from now? The truth is: No one knows whether what he just said is what he’ll be saying five minutes from now. And that is because Trump is a calculating showman. What he says in the moment is based on expedience, not rooted ideas. That’s why, if you stick around long enough, he will get around to saying everything: advocating abortion on demand and, eventually, the sanctity of life; professing admiration for Bill de Blasio and, eventually, Clarence Thomas; gushing praise for Megyn Kelly and, eventually, savaging Megyn Kelly. Irrational, mercurial, draconian, solipsist - all wrapped up in a neat little persecution complex. I wouldn’t put him in the Oval Office, but he has the makings of a fine Saudi sheikh.”
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430393/donald-trump—thin-skinned-tyrant
When did trump ever vote on any legislation?
Link please.
Talk is cheap.
(Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savan)
Excellent tagline. What happened to your objectivity? Anything trump has ever said or done, so what?
Rubio changed on amnesty? Will never vote for him.
Cruz? He is a Canadian stealth supporter of all NWO who never wanted a wall til donnie said so, despite it being well documented Cruz supported the wall while trump promoted amnesty in 2012. But then trump is trying to win so all us lies are now your memes.
Objectivity where?
Quoting National RINO-Review. That’s telling.
22 sell outs all getting together to try and trash Trump, and his numbers just keep going higher.
It’s true: you sound like a low-rent Peggy Noonan.
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