I so enjoy the Saturday Coffee Klatch!! Thank you, Professor Reich and Ms. Lofthouse for your discussions that help me see things a bit clearer. The question about trump being broke was difficult and I say that because he has always slithered his way through and manages somehow to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last moment!! His propaganda social merger will get him through this bond thing and he will continue to flaunt his ability to fool some of the people all the time!! A lot of the American people are fully aware of what these mega corporations are doing. I, for one, do not have any idea how this can be reversed!! I feel that it is so huge, it will take a Democratic president, Democratic Senate, and Democratic House to break it up and fix it for the middle and lower classes. Not just for four more years, but for however many years we need to bring our country back and make it as strong as it once was. I am not saying the same president, but after President Biden concludes his second term, we need another strong candidate waiting to take over and continue what he has started. Vote Blue, America!!
Is this a question? For years, I’ve told anyone who would listen that Trump will do to America, what he did to his businesses; make America insolvent.
Trump didn’t manage to completely destroy America, although not for lack of trying. I guess we were built to withstand at least one Trump term.
That said, he did manage to add $8.2 trillion in debt (more than any president before), and increased the deficit from $536 billion to almost $2 trillion a year.
Not to mention his mishandling of the COVID virus which killed almost 1.5 million Americans, leaving this country in a recession and the loss of seven million jobs.
And I wasn’t entirely wrong about Trump destroying America. He turned the RNC into a third rate boiler-room operation, and itself insolvent. And he destroyed the Republican Party, turning it into a dysfunctional mental facility, run by the same people who manage gay conversion therapy clinics in red states.
So to answer your question, Trump won’t pay himself. Either donations pay for his legal fees and fines, or he covertly gets Russia or Saudi Arabia (using straw-men) to make an investment (overpay) in one of his failing properties or businesses to foot the bill.
That said, if someone asks you what will a second Trump administration look like, it’s best to say, “is it worth the risk finding out?” Just saying?…:)
The Truth Social thing is most disturbing, and if it all comes true for DJT, it shows how severely messed up things are in America. I read a BBC-linked article on it, and it was gut-wrenching how someone whose middle name should have Greedy will stand to profit off what many feel is often, if not always, commentary, written to inflame, damage or even destroy all those involved with it. On Substack, many of us try our best to keep it as neutral as possible and hope everyone understands that what is stated is an opinion and everything is taken with a block of salt if applicable. If Truth Social becomes a windfall for DJT, it represents a clear signal that bad behavior is to be rewarded and signals to perhaps many that it's fair and legitimate. The common good could not be more distant to social media like Truth Social.
One of the most important points that Robert and Heather raised today was the problem of private equity buying up housing. How is a household going to compete against an investor offering all cash and promising to close in "just eight days"? Fortunately, our HOA just passed a deed restriction limiting these purchases to 10% of the houses in our neighborhood. (That means that there is only one more that they can buy.) Housing values in Columbus, Ohio, where I live, have been skyrocketing, and City Council is looking into the impact of investors and how to blunt it.
I answered ‘Other’ b/c I think it might be a mix of all of the above. He will try not to pay the portion he can’t get from the RNC and hopefully the NY AG will thwart his effort not to pay by seizing proceeds from his media merger and assets.
Considering there’s no chance that any of the criminal cases against Trump, possibly barring the violations of federal election laws, will be tried and adjudicated by Election Day, I fear that efforts to confiscate Trump’s properties, his things, instead of hurting Trump, will help fuel a sizable aggrieved swath of the country who themselves feel victimized by a system they believe is rigged.
Thank you, Heather and Robert, for another great Coffee Klatch! It is nice to see you together! This was a little less dark, even though the subject concerned tRump and his donors, and the Chaos cult, and how it rules with money. I agree that it would be an improvement if the truth of just how much we are owned by big money was emphasized by President Biden. He has done a lot more than recent presidents to boost unions and talk about taxing the wealthy. His megaphone could get the word out more clearly!
I, too, greatly enjoy the Saturday Coffee Klatch and always find it interesting and provocative. But, Dr Reich and Ms Lofthouse, I urge you to broaden your coverage. If the sole source of one's information were this weekly conversation between you, one would never guess that 96% of the world's people live outside the United States or that anything that happens in the rest of the world has any significant effects on America. Specifically, there is never a word about what is happening in Israel-Palestine, the Ukraine, or in Africa, Asia or South America. Nor is there ever a mention about climate change, which does indeed pose an existential threat to our civilization (if not quite our species' existence), which, of course, includes America and its society. To be clear, I am not asking that you abandon your focus on American politics and economics, just that you expand the scope of what you review. It would be absolutely fine if in doing so, you always brought back such discussions to the consequences for America. This American, who lives in Europe, would be grateful but I am certain that many other listeners, who reside in the US, would too.
I fear that tRump will sell some secret documents to the big money interests, if he hasn't already. It may take time to launder his ill gotten gains, though. How long will it take before the obscenely rich figure out that the road to heaven is not paved with gold? Do they know what they are buying/stealing? What happened to the idea of stewardship? Their security could be compromised, too! "What goes around, comes around"!
Does it matter? The RNC is paying his legal bills. He is financially disabling his own party and yet the Republicans continue to support him. Where are all the right-wing nut job billionaires like Elon and Harlan? They don’t seem willing to put their money where their mouths are either.
Trump’s own anointing by God is not raking in the money either. He was a losing bet before the primaries, yet he keeps on winning them and most Republicans are so far gone up his ass they can no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m sure there’s a psychological term for this behavior. I just don’t know it yet.
The Republicans have made Trump the man he is today. Unfortunately, for all of us, they’ve lost all control over their monster creation. He’s off the rails and so are they. They have all sown their chaos and don’t know how to put Pandora back into Pandora’s box. So, they persist with their knowing lies unashamedly. Look at Biden’s impeachment hearing this past week where we got proof that Russian agents using propaganda and lies got our fellow Republicans to do the same all the while knowing none of their bullshit was true.
Where is Russia, China, or even Jared Kushner’s $2 billion deal with the Saudis? Trump is already compromised (that Chubb money makes me nervous). Do Republicans want a presidential candidate beholden to foreign adversaries? I hope this is not a possibility with Engoron’s new ruling making Trump’s benefactors known and the financial monitor he has installed within the Trump organization overseeing his business shenanigans.
The saddest part of all of this, and the most infuriating and disturbing, are the people who continue to defend his unhinged behavior and illegal actions. These individuals irrationalization of Trump astounds me. Logic, reason, and truth have long been dumped by the wayside replaced by hate, ignorance, and smoke and mirrors. I’m living at the circus surrounded by clowns. Clowns terrify me.
I so enjoy the Saturday Coffee Klatch!! Thank you, Professor Reich and Ms. Lofthouse for your discussions that help me see things a bit clearer. The question about trump being broke was difficult and I say that because he has always slithered his way through and manages somehow to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last moment!! His propaganda social merger will get him through this bond thing and he will continue to flaunt his ability to fool some of the people all the time!! A lot of the American people are fully aware of what these mega corporations are doing. I, for one, do not have any idea how this can be reversed!! I feel that it is so huge, it will take a Democratic president, Democratic Senate, and Democratic House to break it up and fix it for the middle and lower classes. Not just for four more years, but for however many years we need to bring our country back and make it as strong as it once was. I am not saying the same president, but after President Biden concludes his second term, we need another strong candidate waiting to take over and continue what he has started. Vote Blue, America!!
“Trump is broke!”
Is this a question? For years, I’ve told anyone who would listen that Trump will do to America, what he did to his businesses; make America insolvent.
Trump didn’t manage to completely destroy America, although not for lack of trying. I guess we were built to withstand at least one Trump term.
That said, he did manage to add $8.2 trillion in debt (more than any president before), and increased the deficit from $536 billion to almost $2 trillion a year.
Not to mention his mishandling of the COVID virus which killed almost 1.5 million Americans, leaving this country in a recession and the loss of seven million jobs.
And I wasn’t entirely wrong about Trump destroying America. He turned the RNC into a third rate boiler-room operation, and itself insolvent. And he destroyed the Republican Party, turning it into a dysfunctional mental facility, run by the same people who manage gay conversion therapy clinics in red states.
So to answer your question, Trump won’t pay himself. Either donations pay for his legal fees and fines, or he covertly gets Russia or Saudi Arabia (using straw-men) to make an investment (overpay) in one of his failing properties or businesses to foot the bill.
That said, if someone asks you what will a second Trump administration look like, it’s best to say, “is it worth the risk finding out?” Just saying?…:)
I would say Trump won’t pay what he owes, but
his finances are now being monitored. It looks like
he’s going to make some money on Truth Social,
but it’s probably a drop in the bucket of what he owes. His fans will keep throwing money at him
for awhile longer, but I just read that he’s lost a lot
of grass roots donors.
As commenter Trudy said, he doesn’t pay his bills
and it looks like karma will have its way with him at last.
The Truth Social thing is most disturbing, and if it all comes true for DJT, it shows how severely messed up things are in America. I read a BBC-linked article on it, and it was gut-wrenching how someone whose middle name should have Greedy will stand to profit off what many feel is often, if not always, commentary, written to inflame, damage or even destroy all those involved with it. On Substack, many of us try our best to keep it as neutral as possible and hope everyone understands that what is stated is an opinion and everything is taken with a block of salt if applicable. If Truth Social becomes a windfall for DJT, it represents a clear signal that bad behavior is to be rewarded and signals to perhaps many that it's fair and legitimate. The common good could not be more distant to social media like Truth Social.
I was out of work for 5 months because he never pays his bills. My company was irreparably harmed.
One of the most important points that Robert and Heather raised today was the problem of private equity buying up housing. How is a household going to compete against an investor offering all cash and promising to close in "just eight days"? Fortunately, our HOA just passed a deed restriction limiting these purchases to 10% of the houses in our neighborhood. (That means that there is only one more that they can buy.) Housing values in Columbus, Ohio, where I live, have been skyrocketing, and City Council is looking into the impact of investors and how to blunt it.
I answered ‘Other’ b/c I think it might be a mix of all of the above. He will try not to pay the portion he can’t get from the RNC and hopefully the NY AG will thwart his effort not to pay by seizing proceeds from his media merger and assets.
Trump will get bankrolled by someone who ultimately wants favors!
Considering there’s no chance that any of the criminal cases against Trump, possibly barring the violations of federal election laws, will be tried and adjudicated by Election Day, I fear that efforts to confiscate Trump’s properties, his things, instead of hurting Trump, will help fuel a sizable aggrieved swath of the country who themselves feel victimized by a system they believe is rigged.
Thank you, Heather and Robert, for another great Coffee Klatch! It is nice to see you together! This was a little less dark, even though the subject concerned tRump and his donors, and the Chaos cult, and how it rules with money. I agree that it would be an improvement if the truth of just how much we are owned by big money was emphasized by President Biden. He has done a lot more than recent presidents to boost unions and talk about taxing the wealthy. His megaphone could get the word out more clearly!
Other: Getting money from Russia and/or Saudi Arabia
I, too, greatly enjoy the Saturday Coffee Klatch and always find it interesting and provocative. But, Dr Reich and Ms Lofthouse, I urge you to broaden your coverage. If the sole source of one's information were this weekly conversation between you, one would never guess that 96% of the world's people live outside the United States or that anything that happens in the rest of the world has any significant effects on America. Specifically, there is never a word about what is happening in Israel-Palestine, the Ukraine, or in Africa, Asia or South America. Nor is there ever a mention about climate change, which does indeed pose an existential threat to our civilization (if not quite our species' existence), which, of course, includes America and its society. To be clear, I am not asking that you abandon your focus on American politics and economics, just that you expand the scope of what you review. It would be absolutely fine if in doing so, you always brought back such discussions to the consequences for America. This American, who lives in Europe, would be grateful but I am certain that many other listeners, who reside in the US, would too.
I fear that tRump will sell some secret documents to the big money interests, if he hasn't already. It may take time to launder his ill gotten gains, though. How long will it take before the obscenely rich figure out that the road to heaven is not paved with gold? Do they know what they are buying/stealing? What happened to the idea of stewardship? Their security could be compromised, too! "What goes around, comes around"!
Do you think that very wealthy Trump funders are using the sale of Truth Social as a back-door to fund Trump's campaign for President?
And if yes, what will they expect in return?
Great job guys! Look forward to the Coffee Klatch every Saturday morning.
Does it matter? The RNC is paying his legal bills. He is financially disabling his own party and yet the Republicans continue to support him. Where are all the right-wing nut job billionaires like Elon and Harlan? They don’t seem willing to put their money where their mouths are either.
Trump’s own anointing by God is not raking in the money either. He was a losing bet before the primaries, yet he keeps on winning them and most Republicans are so far gone up his ass they can no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m sure there’s a psychological term for this behavior. I just don’t know it yet.
The Republicans have made Trump the man he is today. Unfortunately, for all of us, they’ve lost all control over their monster creation. He’s off the rails and so are they. They have all sown their chaos and don’t know how to put Pandora back into Pandora’s box. So, they persist with their knowing lies unashamedly. Look at Biden’s impeachment hearing this past week where we got proof that Russian agents using propaganda and lies got our fellow Republicans to do the same all the while knowing none of their bullshit was true.
Where is Russia, China, or even Jared Kushner’s $2 billion deal with the Saudis? Trump is already compromised (that Chubb money makes me nervous). Do Republicans want a presidential candidate beholden to foreign adversaries? I hope this is not a possibility with Engoron’s new ruling making Trump’s benefactors known and the financial monitor he has installed within the Trump organization overseeing his business shenanigans.
The saddest part of all of this, and the most infuriating and disturbing, are the people who continue to defend his unhinged behavior and illegal actions. These individuals irrationalization of Trump astounds me. Logic, reason, and truth have long been dumped by the wayside replaced by hate, ignorance, and smoke and mirrors. I’m living at the circus surrounded by clowns. Clowns terrify me.