Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?

[ldrews]

Fact check #70043

 

GDP is reported quarterly as annualized, meaning that the quarter being reported is quadrupled. A 3% annualized quarter means that the quarter growth was 0.75%. Seeing that the first quarter of 2017 was 1.2%, it will be next to impossible to end 2017 with a true annual 3.0 growth rate.

 

There were many quarters of 3.0 annualized growth during the Obama presidency.

 

End fact check.

 

Editorial: Empty-headed partisan proclamations about Trump's accomplishments may sway simpleton dunderheads - some posters prove that case - but most posters in the WC are made of sterner stuff and require actual real-world data to be convinced.

 

Here's a better source for Trump's GDP boast, Fortune:

 

I believe that your statement above is in error and misleading. Was that intentional? A quarterly GDP growth figure of 3% is either a year-to-year comparison or an indication that if the same growth rate were maintained for all 4 quarters the annual growth rate would be 3%.

 

First quarter 2017 was 1.2%, second quarter was 3.1%, third quarter was 3.2%. Notice the sudden jump after Trump was inaugurated. If the 4th quarter comes in at 4% or greater I believe on a compounded basis that the annual figure will be 3+%. You might check my math. 4% for the 4th quarter is not impossible given that the 3rd quarter was hampered by various national weather disasters. But we will see.

 

But in any case, the GDP growth since Trump was inaugurated has been significantly higher than during Obama's last year. In fact, GDP growth was significantly slowing down during the last two quarters of 2016 and first quarter of 2017, in contrast to a significant uptick during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2017.

 

You may continue to wave your hands and claim that it has nothing to do with Trump, but shift is a bit startling to say the least.

[Winstonm]

Guess some people don't like facts.

[Winstonm]

Maybe a bedtime story or some smoke up your ass instead?

[Winstonm]

I wonder if Kushner might be considering being the next guilty plea and that's why he's still walking around free on Christmas?

[Zelandakh]

Guess some people don't like facts.

For those that do, some basic information. Not included here are the reasons why growth stayed lower than it might have been at the tail end of Obama's presidency, such as the austerity measures imposed by Congress and reduced demand in China and Europe.

 

The truth is though that in many respects 2% annual growth is better than the 4-6% growth that DT has announced. If the US economy could manage 3% that would be just about perfect. More than that and you create a boom that will in time turn into a bust. This is one occasion when we can all be thankful for DT's word being essentially meaningless.

 

For the record, the prediction for the US economy is about 2.5% growth through 2018, then decreasing down to about 2%. 6% growth is the typical fake news joke we have come to expect. The exact quote is

 

So we're at 3.3 percent GDP. I see no reason why we don't go to 4 percent, 5 percent, and even 6 percent.

Seriously, if the POTUS cannot understand basic economics that one would hope his advisors are capable of explaining in terms suitable for a 6 year old, we should all be worried. Who knows what other basic concepts have not yet seeped in.

[ldrews]

Wow, Zelandakh, you are a class act. Apparently because of our disagreements on this forum you have attempted to damage and disrupt my bridge playing partnerships. Way to go!

[Zelandakh]

Wow, Zelandakh, you are a class act. Apparently because of our disagreements on this forum you have attempted to damage and disrupt my bridge playing partnerships. Way to go!

I told youalready, you will receive precisely the respect from me that your repeated trolling has earned.

[hrothgar]

Can you point me to any plan that the Democrats in Congress have put forward?

 

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/economics_and_public_finance/5978#sponsor_party=Democrat&terms=__ALL__

[diana_eva]

Stop the personal attacks. Zel, you're starting to sound like Richard.

[andrei]

Wow, Zelandakh, you are a class act. Apparently because of our disagreements on this forum you have attempted to damage and disrupt my bridge playing partnerships. Way to go!

 

This is interesting, tell us more.

[ldrews]

This is interesting, tell us more.

 

Check out the Partnership/Teacher forum.

[diana_eva]

Check out the Partnership/Teacher forum.

 

I removed the post you're referring to.

[ldrews]

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/economics_and_public_finance/5978#sponsor_party=Democrat&terms=__ALL__

 

That is just a list of legislation, not a plan. What is the Democrat's vision? How do they plan to address problems with education, inner cities, jobs, prosperity, North Korea, etc. What is their game plan? What are they for? How do they want to attempt to improve US society/economy?

[ldrews]

I removed the post you're referring to.

 

Thank you.

[hrothgar]

That is just a list of legislation, not a plan. What is the Democrat's vision? How do they plan to address problems with education, inner cities, jobs, prosperity, North Korea, etc. What is their game plan? What are they for? How do they want to attempt to improve US society/economy?

 

Larry, you seem to believe that its my job to write reams worth of information that is readily accessible on the net.

 

I have better things to do...

[hrothgar]

Stop the personal attacks. Zel, you're starting to sound like Richard.

 

I fail to see how providing basic information about Drews character constitutes a personal attack.

 

He admits to being a troll.

 

If we had real moderation of these forums, he would have been booted long long ago.

[awm]

That is just a list of legislation, not a plan. What is the Democrat's vision? How do they plan to address problems with education, inner cities, jobs, prosperity, North Korea, etc. What is their game plan? What are they for? How do they want to attempt to improve US society/economy?

 

Seriously? We just had an election where the Democratic candidate had detailed plans and policy positions for basically everything, and the Republican candidate was running on slogans and put-downs. Here's a summary of Hillary Clinton's economic plan. Here's the Democrats in the Senate.

 

Obviously you can disagree with aspects of the Democrats' plans, or say that you don't think they would work. But claiming there isn't a plan is just utter nonsense. Finding the plans linked above took me all of 30 seconds on Google.

[diana_eva]

I fail to see how providing basic information about Drews character constitutes a personal attack.

 

He admits to being a troll.

 

If we had real moderation of these forums, he would have been booted long long ago.

 

The water cooler is largely unmoderated. Calling someone a *****head is not providing basic information about his character. Taking water cooler disputes into the bridge forums is not allowed.

[barmar]

First quarter 2017 was 1.2%, second quarter was 3.1%, third quarter was 3.2%. Notice the sudden jump after Trump was inaugurated. If the 4th quarter comes in at 4% or greater I believe on a compounded basis that the annual figure will be 3+%. You might check my math. 4% for the 4th quarter is not impossible given that the 3rd quarter was hampered by various national weather disasters. But we will see.

Did the weather disasters really hamper the economy? I thought they actually had some positive effects, because of all the spending to repair and replace.

[ldrews]

Larry, you seem to believe that its my job to write reams worth of information that is readily accessible on the net.

 

I have better things to do...

 

So you have nothing. I understand.

[ldrews]

Seriously? We just had an election where the Democratic candidate had detailed plans and policy positions for basically everything, and the Republican candidate was running on slogans and put-downs. Here's a summary of Hillary Clinton's economic plan. Here's the Democrats in the Senate.

 

Obviously you can disagree with aspects of the Democrats' plans, or say that you don't think they would work. But claiming there isn't a plan is just utter nonsense. Finding the plans linked above took me all of 30 seconds on Google.

 

Seriously, Clinton is not longer a candidate or spokesperson for the Democratic Party, so her plans are no longer pertinent.

 

I do concede that the Democratic Party website has a rough plan. I notice the premier talking point is rebuilding the US infrastructure. It will be interesting to see if they participate in the upcoming Republican effort to initiate an infrastructure rebuilding effort. I would bet not, but I am quite willing and hopeful that I am wrong.

 

But still, I have not heard any of the Republican leaders, Pelosi, Schumer, et. al., talking about what the Democrats can do for America. They still seem to be stuck in resistance mode. I would think that "We are not Republicans!" would not do well in the upcoming elections.

 

But we shall see.

[ldrews]

I fail to see how providing basic information about Drews character constitutes a personal attack.

 

He admits to being a troll.

 

If we had real moderation of these forums, he would have been booted long long ago.

 

I find it fascinating that someone with a different viewpoint, who attempts to remain civil in the midst of insults and namecalling, is considered a troll.

[Winstonm]

People who have been conned admit they were conned and feel anger when the truth is explained; those who have been hustled, though, refuse to accept it and instead double-down on duplicity.

 

Donald Trump is a hustler. What does that make his supporters?

[ldrews]

People who have been conned admit they were conned and feel anger when the truth is explained; those who have been hustled, though, refuse to accept it and instead double-down on duplicity.

 

Donald Trump is a hustler. What does that make his supporters?

 

It may be a "long con". You know, Trump cons us for 8 years, brings huge prosperity to the US, solves all kinds of societal problems, all so that at the end he becomes filthy rich. Damn him! We must be stupid to let that happen!

[hrothgar]

I find it fascinating that someone with a different viewpoint, who attempts to remain civil in the midst of insults and namecalling, is considered a troll.

 

What does any of that have to do with you or your posting style?

 

You openly stated that you aren't participating on the forums to engage in any kind of a discussion, rather you're acting like an asshole and trying to get a rise out of people.

 

As for "remaining civil". You aren't courteous or polite.

You continuously post bullshit, refuse to engage on substance, and gish gallop like mad.

 

That matters a hell of a lot more than a using a bit of blue language...