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The Neoliberal Bait and Switch


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2016 Aug 13, 11:54pm   9,657 views  44 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (55)   💰tip   ignore  

Here is the core of Trump's support explained reasonably well. All manufacturing jobs were outsourced to China to boost profits for both Hillary's friends and for the Republican establishment, at the expense of many millions of workers in "flyover country".

That's really why both of those establishment sides hate Trump with such epileptic fervor. Trump is the only one talking about how most Americans got screwed by globalization.

Hillary means America's continuing decline. Trump actually has a shot at making "America great again", seriously.

In simplistic, Lexus-and-Olive-Tree terms, the neoliberal economic argument goes like this: Tariff-free trade policies are great because they increase commerce, and we can mitigate those policies’ negative effects on the blue-collar job market by upgrading our education system to cultivate more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) specialists for the white-collar sector.

Known as the bipartisan Washington Consensus, this deceptive theory projects the illusion of logic. After all, if the domestic economy’s future is in STEM-driven innovation, then it stands to reason that trade policies shedding “low-tech” work and education policies promoting high-tech skills could guarantee success.

Of course, 30 years into the neoliberal experiment, the Great Recession is exposing the flaws of the Washington Consensus. But rather than admit any mistakes, neoliberals now defend themselves with yet more bait-and-switch sophistry—this time in the form of the Great Education Myth.

No doubt, you’ve heard this fairy tale from prominent politicians and business leaders who incessantly insist that our economic troubles do not emanate from neoliberals’ corporate-coddling trade, tax and deregulatory policies, but instead from an education system that is supposedly no longer graduating enough STEM experts. Indeed, this was the message of this week’s New York Times story about corporate leaders saying America isn’t producing “enough workers with the cutting-edge skills coveted by tech firms.”

As usual, it sounds vaguely logical. Except, the lore relies on the assumptions that (1) American schools aren’t generating enough STEM supply to meet employer demand, (2) the education system—not neoliberalism—is driving this alleged STEM drought and (3) if America came up with more of such specialists, they would find jobs.

To know these suppositions are preposterous is to consider a recent study by Rutgers University and Georgetown University that found colleges “in the United States actually graduate many more STEM students than are hired each year.”

That debunks the supply-and-demand canard. But can we still blame the jobs crisis on schools failing to deliver more STEM graduates?

Nope.

As researchers discovered, many students are pursuing finance instead of STEM careers because Wall Street jobs “are higher paying” and offer “employment stability” and “less [susceptibility] to offshoring.”

This is the truth that the Great Education Myth aims to obscure. It’s not that schools are ill-equipped to train STEM specialists. It’s that the additional students who might boost our STEM workforce are choosing to avoid STEM majors because they see an economy that is more hospitable to careers in Wall Street casinos rather than in high-tech innovation—a financialized economy based less on creating tangible assets than on encouraging worthless speculation.

This doesn’t mean that our education system is perfect. But it does mean that without reforming the trade, tax and regulatory policies that reward high-tech outsourcing and incentivize careers in finance, our schools can never be an engine of value-generating information-age jobs.

Why, then, do neoliberals nonetheless press the Great Education Myth? Because it deliberately distracts from a situation that enriches neoliberals and the powerful interests they rely on.

Tariff-free trade pacts inflate the profits of transnational businesses by helping them troll the globe for cheap exploitable labor. Loopholes exempting foreign earnings from taxes encourage companies to move jobs overseas. And both deregulation and bailouts disproportionately balloon financial industry revenues.

The neoliberal corporate class makes big money off this status quo and neoliberal lawmakers get their cut via campaign contributions. The last thing either wants is an honest debate about neoliberalism’s downsides. And so they play to our lust for silver-bullet solutions, endlessly telling us that everything is the schools’ fault.

As mythology goes, it’s certainly compelling. If only the facts didn’t get in the way.

David Sirota is the author of the best-selling books “Hostile Takeover” and “The Uprising.” He hosts the morning show on AM760 in Colorado and blogs at OpenLeft.com. E-mail him at ds@davidsirota.com or follow him on Twitter @davidsirota.

#globalization #politics #trump

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1   Rew   2016 Aug 14, 12:20am  

Patrick says

Hillary means America's continuing decline. Trump actually has a shot at making "America great again", seriously.

While I agree Hillary doesn't "fix" anything, Trump has no chance against the establishment: underfunded and too divisive to get the type of broad national popular support required. The populists will have better luck in 2020 when the economic situation has soured even more.

If I take the good pieces of what Trump supporters believe ...
http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-supporters-2016-5
... that's not a bad set of issues (Caveats : not what I'd put at the top of the list. The physical wall, which any border enforcement officer, or recent border project around the world can show you, is completely asinine. Finally, many of the ways those issues are framed, and could be addressed, are fraught with abusive and bigoted/racist pitfalls in policy implementation. Devils in the details and we really have none from Trump.).

The problem is Trump will NEVER frame an argument from a pure economic policy angle. He is going to name call and whine about conspiracy theories. That's his go to. That won't gain him any ground and any would be establishment powers start to have to choose whether it is worth being associated with the baggage Trump brings politically ... at all.

When you see an actual serious candidate that will create an even more progressive tax scale, and decrease taxes on the middle class ... I mean more than just words ... AND they have funds and broad backing ... that's when the establishment poops itself. But right now those at the top with the $ still win.

Trump isn't it: too easy to provoke, too careless in speech, and while a smart guy, he isn't a political heavy weight at all. He is so out classed and out gunned right now it's kind of ugly.

2   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 1:11am  

Patrick says

Here is the core of Trump's support explained reasonably well. All manufacturing jobs were outsourced to China to boost profits for both Hillary's friends and for the Republican establishment, at the expense of many millions of workers in "flyover country".

That's really why both of those establishment sides hate Trump with such epileptic fervor.

Really ? It's not because he's a douchebag ?

70% of what he says is total bullshit, and many people think he's a national security risk and would lower our reputation in the world drastically, but the reason the establishment doesn't like him is because he's talking about how the establishment intentionally hosed American workers with globalization ?

Really Patrick ?

The excerpt you posted from wherever makes a lot of sense about how globalization didn't work out as planned (so far). Although it's not clear what the future holds. Technology is marching along faster than we realize.

Still I don't see how one gets from criticism of how globalization has affected American workers to the notion that Trump really could make America great again. That's quite a leap.

3   theoakman   2016 Aug 14, 5:41am  

marcus says

Still I don't see how one gets from criticism of how globalization has affected American workers to the notion that Trump really could make America great again. That's quite a leap.

Because, he's the only politician willing to entertain the idea that "free trade" agreements were bad for the American public. The last one to also admit it was Ross Perot but Clinton sicked Gore on his ass and labeled him as a "greedy billionaire". So that's what....2 in 30 years? Hillary Clinton has nothing to offer this country. Trump may not have anything to offer either...but he's really good at pissing off all these useless politicians that had a stranglehold on Washington. That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

4   missing   2016 Aug 14, 8:35am  

marcus says

It's not because he's a douchebag ?

No! He is a douchebag, but it is not why the establishment hates him. However, it is the story that is being sold to shallow-thinking liberals.

5   Shaman   2016 Aug 14, 10:14am  

anonymous says

Interesting that many of the same people who support Trump also dislike labor unions and yet a lot of those millions of workers were employed in good paying jobs with benefits were in Automobiles, Steel, Manufacturing, Mining, and all of the related industries etc. that were also unionized.

This is because of the myth that Republicans have been selling workers for decades, telling them that unions are bad and free market is a better model for higher wages and fair employment.
The reality of 30 years of this is lower wages and completely unfair employment standards. And unions are weaker now than they've been since 1920. But the Trump-induced GOP take-over is attempting to reform the party as pro-worker. In time this may change attitudes to being pro-Union once again. Someone has to represent workers!

6   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2016 Aug 14, 10:48am  

FP says

No! He is a douchebag, but it is not why the establishment hates him. However, it is the story that is being sold to shallow-thinking liberals.

And it doesn't get more shallow thinking than racist Marcus.

7   Patrick   2016 Aug 14, 11:02am  

theoakman says

Trump may not have anything to offer either...but he's really good at pissing off all these useless politicians that had a stranglehold on Washington. That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

Yes!

8   MisdemeanorRebel   2016 Aug 14, 11:21am  

rando says

theoakman says

Trump may not have anything to offer either...but he's really good at pissing off all these useless politicians that had a stranglehold on Washington. That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

Yes!

Yep, I dream of November 9th. Bill Gates, Andres Oppenheimer, Tom Friedman, Wolf Blitzer, Bill Kristol, Jeff Bezos, Mark Werner, Terry McAuliffe, Mitch McConnel, Anne Applebaum, Andrew Cuomo, David Brooks, Tim Cook, Richard Cohen, Glen Beck, Ross Douhat, Jonah Goldberg, all wailing and gnashing their teeth.

All the "Very Serious People". The Neoliberals, Democrat or Republican.

It's time to repo the Lexus and cut down the Olive Tree

FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP.

I'll make a list at some point. Oh, the crazy feminist at Salon, Amanda Marcotte.

9   gsr   2016 Aug 14, 12:25pm  

thunderlips11 says

rando says

theoakman says

Drumpf may not have anything to offer either...but he's really good at pissing off all these useless politicians that had a stranglehold on Washington. That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

This is delusional beyond any stretch of imagination. Most of you guys, those cheerleaders of protectionism do *not* understand that we already do have protectionism in certain industries and we whine about them all the time.

For example, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical professions, and even the insurance industry are heavily under protectionist policies. The NAFTA completely imposes those protectionist policies. And so far as the insurance industries are concerned, forget about national boundaries. They are even protected across the state!

Now see which costs more here. Do you really think it will be utopia when refrigerators, TVs etc. will cost similar to what we pay for medical bills? Best of luck with that.
The nature does not care about petty nationalism, racism or nativism. The nature is about cause and effect.

10   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 1:09pm  

theoakman says

That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

I've heard this from other republicans, although most admit they detest Trump. They can't see the insane risk that comes with Trump or what this does to the US reputation globally or the probable deep depression he would cause. All they can see is that they hate Hillary, and that's due primarily to right wing media programming and doesn't even have a basis in reality.

11   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 1:12pm  

gsr says

Do you really think it will be utopia when refrigerators, TVs etc. will cost similar to what we pay for medical bills? Best of luck with that.

Yes, my thinking exactly. We aren't going to undo globalization. But we might effectively limit our already weak ability to export, while raising our prices drastically.

I think what the Donald wants is to destroy the dollar, because he has so much of his wealth tied up in leveraged real estate.

12   MisdemeanorRebel   2016 Aug 14, 1:18pm  

gsr says

For example, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical professions, and even the insurance industry are heavily under protectionist policies.

The latter two are non-outsourceable, local services. You're not going to fly to Shanghai or Mumbai to get a routine checkup, or bunyon treatments, or ask about covering your teenager under your auto policy in Sandusky, Ohio. The former is price gouging: the medicines we're told cost so much to make are far cheaper elsewhere.

gsr says

And so far as the insurance industries are concerned, forget about national boundaries. They are even protected across the state!

And Trump's proposed policy is to tear down inter-state insurance barriers.

gsr says

o you really think it will be utopia when refrigerators, TVs etc. will cost similar to what we pay for medical bills? Best of luck with that.

The nature does not care about petty nationalism, racism or nativism. The nature is about cause and effect.

TVs, Computers, etc. weren't outrageously expensive before. Not long ago, Wally the Welder and his stay at home wife with two kids had televisions, telephones, baseball bats, stereos, two cars, etc. and all of them were made in the USA. The iron costs of living and the entrance costs to the middle class (college) are skyrocketing. It doesn't matter if a TV is 15% cheaper if we import them from Chinese 19th Century Working Condition Factories where they have nets to stop all the suicide jumpers, it's not something you buy each month.

Rents, College Loans, etc. are paid regularly by many.

We have ~350M people. The idea that we can maintain them all without high pay, low entrance barrier Manufacturing Jobs in a middle class lifestyle is absurd. As is the new neoliberal talking point, "maybe we'll have a basic income or a $15/hr wage for starbucks.", which will simply go straight to landlords in rent. The rich avoid taxes and it means the top 30% of wage earners with the handful of non-outsourceable jobs like teacher and dentist will be paying for it all.

As a counter example, I give you the Credit Card Industry - all located in the Dakotas to avoid NY, CA, OH, and many other states' usury laws.

Just like US plants go to Mexico and China to avoid labor and environmental laws.

Finally, Caterpillar plants in the USA can go from making Tractors to Tanks. The Caterpillar subcontractors in China won't be making Abrams Tanks if the USA and China goes to war - and the plant machinery is over there, no longer here. And Goldman Sachs and RE/MAX financial paper can't be turned into uniforms or M-16s. Nor can Starbucks Talle Grande Coffee Cups, Intellectual Property Lawsuit Filings, or some English Lit. PhD's dissertation "Taming of the Shew: Homosexual Subtext and Othering in Stale Pale White Male Shakespeare" .

Not only is losing all manufacturing - and subsidizing it by allowing tax write-offs of the moving costs - bad for the economy, it's dangerous for national security.

13   indigenous   2016 Aug 14, 1:48pm  

thunderlips11 says

The latter two are non-outsourceable, local services. You're not going to fly to Shanghai or Mumbai to get a routine checkup, or bunyon treatments, or ask about covering your teenager under your auto policy in Sandusky, Ohio. The former is price gouging: the medicines we're told cost so much to make are far cheaper elsewhere.

gsr says

Economic illiteracy again. The reason for this is government meddling in medicare and now Obama care.

14   Rew   2016 Aug 14, 2:09pm  

theoakman says

I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

The opposition of the USA would like nothing more than prolonged ineffective governance and divisive civil unrest. I agree that that is exactly a good a prediction of a Trump administration. To me, that is the antithesis of making America great.

One has to wonder about the motivations of a voter that would seek such a thing. Looks based in spite and pretty childish to me.

15   turtledove   2016 Aug 14, 2:24pm  

Rew says

While I agree Hillary doesn't "fix" anything, Trump has no chance against the establishment: underfunded and too divisive to get the type of broad national popular support required. The populists will have better luck in 2020 when the economic situation has soured even more.

If I take the good pieces of what Trump supporters believe ...

http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-supporters-2016-5

... that's not a bad set of issues (Caveats : not what I'd put at the top of the list. The physical wall, which any border enforcement officer, or recent border project around the world can show you, is completely asinine. Finally, many of the ways those issues are framed, and could be addressed, are fraught with abusive and bigoted/racist pitfalls in policy implementation. Devils in the details and we really have none from Trump.).

The problem is Trump will NEVER frame an argument from a pure economic policy angle. He is going to name call and whine about conspiracy theories. That's his go to. That won't gain him any ground and any would be establishment powers start to have to choose whether it is worth being associated with the baggage Trump brings politically ... at all.

When you see an actual serious candidate that will create an even more progressive tax scale, and decrease taxes on the middle class ... I mean more than just words ... AND they have funds and broad backing ... that's when the establishment poops itself. But right now those at the top with the $ still win.

Trump isn't it: too easy to provoke, too careless in speech, and while a smart guy, he isn't a political heavy weight at all. He is so out classed and out gunned right now it's kind of ugly.

I don't always agree with you, but I think you really hit the nail on the head with this one. The issues are real. I wish to no end that Trump had the temperament to be the guy to change things, now. I just don't understand why he cannot STFU and let Hillary unravel her own campaign. I remain aghast by either his complete lack of social grace or his inability to listen to his own image advisors. The fact that people are willing to look the other way at Hillary's SERIOUS issues just goes to show how much people would rather have a polished crook than an ignoble loudmouth as President of the US. On the good side, if people are pissed now, they will be downright riotous by the time 2020 nears. A 3rd Obama term will ensure that.

16   gsr   2016 Aug 14, 3:35pm  

marcus says

I think what the Donald wants is to destroy the dollar, because he has so much of his wealth tied up in leveraged real estate.

I have no idea, but he might end up doing so by implementing outrageous policies.

17   gsr   2016 Aug 14, 3:39pm  

turtledove says

The fact that people are willing to look the other way at Hillary's SERIOUS issues just goes to show how much people would rather have a polished crook than an ignoble loudmouth as President of the US.

Why is this a prevalent myth that Donald is no crook? Is it simply because he acts like a fourth grader? He has lied more than most politicians, including Hillary. So I don't understand why people think he is more honest.

18   justme   2016 Aug 14, 3:54pm  

Patrick, good thread, but I am very concerned that will really happen is rather what amounts to a different slogan than the official slogan, Namely:

"America, make Trump great again".

(how I wish was the first person to make up that slogan, but google says I am not).

19   justme   2016 Aug 14, 3:58pm  

By the way, Trump is starting to sound more and more like a corporate Republican every day. His tax plan this last week follows the standard trickle-down economics template that the Republicans have been espousing for over 30 years now, with tax-cuts for the rich under the guise of "simplification", and higher deficits.

And the infrastructure plan will be a massive waste of money, probably mostly remodeling of airports, which is the LAST thing we should do.

20   justme   2016 Aug 14, 4:05pm  

Another one: Do not ask what Trump can do for America, ask what America can do for Trump.

21   neplusultra57   2016 Aug 14, 4:07pm  

rando says

theoakman says

Trump may not have anything to offer either...but he's really good at pissing off all these useless politicians that had a stranglehold on Washington. That's good enough for me. I can deal with 4 years of absolutely zero legislation and him pissing people off.

Yes!

Patrick, think long and hard at what would have to transpire in order for "four years of absolutely zero" to result. You're not one of the simple-minded burn-it-downers, but you're presuming, as many of them are, a low-odds condition to indulge a disgust we all have for politics as usual. Trump is so woefully unprepared. Period. Full stop. What are you willing to risk in the lives of others in order to have this satisfaction? Begin your answer with the SCOTUS and work down through the consequence tree. I don't think you're serious, at least I hope you're not serious.

22   Patrick   2016 Aug 14, 4:26pm  

I'm serious. I think Trump is far less of a threat to everyone's lives.

Hillary is going to start a war with Iran, because her Saudi masters want her to. Just like Bush started a war in Iraq for them.

23   neplusultra57   2016 Aug 14, 4:53pm  

rando says

Hillary is going to start a war with Iran, because her Saudi masters want her to. Just like Bush started a war in Iraq for them.

No, she won't because it's too recent in the political mind, and it was too disastrous in outcome. It led to too much travail in the Obama administration dealing with the bullshit fallout. She's nothing if not observant.

But you're not even part of the way there. You'll trade all the cultural gains from gay marriage and equal protection under the law to Roe V. Wade, and keep Citizens United in a gambit that Clinton is more bellicose than Trump? Really? The guy who had to ask three or four times why we mustn't use Nukes?

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/290217-scarborough-trump-asked-about-adviser-about-using-nuclear

Really? You think he is less of a risk to domestic and international violence? Based on what? Please don't just bash Clinton....that's easy, too easy. For once, address Trump qua Trump and give some reason how he will handle complexity and nuance when he has never shown that ability.

It's one thing to say the current system sucks. No one disagrees. But when you're forced to say something dispositive about Trump....qua Trump.....all you really have is a burn-it-down nihilism that is beneath you and a standard of presumption about Clinton you won't apply to Trump.

24   Patrick   2016 Aug 14, 5:05pm  

www.youtube.com/embed/rTt-xhF02Gg

Sure, if Iran attacks Israel. That can be arranged.

Trump is rather isolationist. In terms of defense, I like that. Much better than Hillary/Bush warmongering.

25   Dan8267   2016 Aug 14, 5:09pm  

rando says

Sure, if Iran attacks Israel. That can be arranged.

"We will be able to totally obliterate them." - Hillary Clinton

So, she's talking genocide by means of nukes, right?

26   theoakman   2016 Aug 14, 5:17pm  

The opposition of the USA would like nothing more than prolonged ineffective governance

They've gotten that for about 50 straight years

27   lostand confused   2016 Aug 14, 5:19pm  

Is there even a single poll where trump leads?? If Hildebeest wins ,w e are doomed to neoliberal fascism.

28   neplusultra57   2016 Aug 14, 5:40pm  

rando says

Sure, if Iran attacks Israel. That can be arranged.

Trump is rather isolationist. In terms of defense, I like that. Much better than Hillary/Bush warmongering.

OK, we'll just have to agree to disagree. What about the rest. Why so quiescent? None of it matters? It's outweighed by speculation of warfare?

29   MisdemeanorRebel   2016 Aug 14, 5:47pm  

rando says

Trump is rather isolationist. In terms of defense, I like that. Much better than Hillary/Bush warmongering.

The way Hillary has been carrying on about Russia, it's like another McCarthyism, except Russia isn't a Communist Country anymore.

I also worry that most of the Cold Warriors are dead or retired - not just the generals, but the diplomats, intelligence guys, etc. Hillary's generation entered the national stage after the USSR was kaput; their experience has been pushing around Serbia, Syria, Iraq, etc. The fear is that they approach a country with thousands of nukes the way they bully around dictators, we are going to have trouble.

What's ironic is that demographically, materially, scientifically, China is likely the main Rival of the 21st Century, and there the US seems to be much more cautious if not downright helpful with our Trade Policies. They're claiming those islands (many of which ROC/Taiwan also claims, btw), they're building big airfields with hardened hangers and SAMs, and they are blowing off US Objections. Unless the US is willing to use the trade weapon, I don't see any way short of war we can stop China from expanding into the South China Sea.

Don't think the Filipino 1940s WW2 USCG cutters armed with only twin .50 cal are going to put a clamper on China's doings. Malaysia certainly won't. Vietnam can't, because China can retaliate way too easy.

Imagine if the US went to War FOR Communist Vietnam.

30   Rew   2016 Aug 14, 5:51pm  

turtledove says

I remain aghast by either his complete lack of social grace or his inability to listen to his own image advisors. The fact that people are willing to look the other way at Hillary's SERIOUS issues just goes to show how much people would rather have a polished crook than an ignoble loudmouth as President of the US. On the good side, if people are pissed now, they will be downright riotous by the time 2020 nears. A 3rd Obama term will ensure that.

You are very right. Hillary has major issues, but comparatively, I think the nation takes her.

2020 could be even more ugly than this year. Yes indeed. There is an even higher potential for a Trump like authoritarian demagogue to take the reigns.

I'm not going to hold my breath, but all it would take to capture the presidency in 2020 would be: an unknown outsider, that could stand the vetting, running on the single issue of fighting for the middle class and restoring balance to the economy. Big establishment money would poop themselves to watch a crowd funded candidate rise and unseat them. The trick would be to get enough initial notice, but Trump and Sanders are proof that the public is so ready ... and it can be done.

An outsider can point to how politics is being captured by dollar interest, and there isn't anything really the establishment has to fight that. The fact that that is becoming a unifying issue (right and left actually agree on) will clinch it.

I just fear a little bit, that we last in relative good order, to allow someone to be able to come in and actually address that. Does the world economic situation, war, a deflationary recession, or something else come and knock that off the table? Bush was the most popular president ever, for about two weeks, post 911. If something like that occurs under the next administration ... all bets are off on domestic economic issues getting addressed. Nothing unifies a tribe like an enemy.

31   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 6:00pm  

Rew says

You are very right. Hillary has major issues

Yes, there is the email server thing. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out her criminal treasonous intent there. Also let's remember Bill BJ in the whitehouse. Thank god we were all informed about that.

And the Clinton foundation ? Give me a break ! As if an ex-President would actually have an interest in using his post Presidential power to do good in the world ? We all know it's just about him lining his pockets. C'mon people ! This is America ! People don't do things for altruistic reasons of thinking they made a difference, no, no ! It's always about putting money away for you know, yachts, third homes, and trust funds for their descendents. Those big speaking fees (for being intelligent high level wonks) were never going to be enough for the Clintons. They wanted to disgrace Bill Clinton's foundation and go down in history as criminals.

It's all so obvious.

32   turtledove   2016 Aug 14, 7:01pm  

marcus says

Give me a break !

Why don't you give everyone else a break? We're trying to have an actual conversation about things. If you want to sit there and pretend that Hillary doesn't have a serious lying problem then don't expect to be taken seriously. She has, in fact, lied about several serious issues, under oath, no less. Hillary will say anything to win. And Trump will just say anything... Hillary will do anything to win. God only knows what Trump would do -- that's kind of the problem. We're well beyond "lesser of two evils." Hillary is a pathological liar, and her history of such behavior extends decades. Trump says outrageous things that make him look crazy. He has a long history of dropped-ball undertakings, to put it kindly. He reminds me of my grandfather who would say things that were anachronistic to say the least. I have greater faith that Hillary won't make a habit of saying things that will make me cringe in embarrassment about being a US citizen. I can't say the same thing about Trump. Trump, on the other hand, voices many of the concerns that many citizens have these days... I personally, would like to see these issues addressed. Unfortunately, you just have to pick those statements out of diatribes consisting of a great deal of flotsam. If you think there's a simple answer here, you aren't paying very close attention. Are you capable to looking at your candidate honestly, at all? I forgot... There's nothing to see, there.

33   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 7:11pm  

turtledove says

Why don't you give everyone else a break? We're trying to have an actual conversation about things. If you want to sit there and pretend that Hillary doesn't have a serious lying problem then don't expect to be taken seriously. She has, in fact, lied about several serious issues, under oath, no less. Hillary will say anything to win.

Examples ? Evidence ?

turtledove says

Hillary will do anything to win.

Examples ? Evidence ?

turtledove says

Hillary is a pathological liar, and her history of such behavior extends decades.

Still waiting. Great assertions. Just like mine, but without the sarcasm.

turtledove says

Are you capable to looking at your candidate honestly, at all?

I think so. And I keep waitng for the compelling arguments that must be there somewhere behind those emotions. Why don't you get busy on the internet right now and see what you can find. I know you don't have any examples burned in to your memory becasue they were so flagrant.

Email server ? Official story (speculation) about the causes of Benghazi attack (for the first couple days). Yes, I get it, in a republicans fantasy filled mind these are criminal beyond belief.

I'll keep waiting.

I'm sure you can come up with lies, where she changed her mind, or misspoke. But are they really of a different magnitude than other politicians ?

Trump is at a different level. People that try to quantify these things say he lies 5 times as much as Hillary.

34   marcus   2016 Aug 14, 7:24pm  

turtledove says

We're trying to have an actual conversation about things

Btw, you should be able to EASILY translate my hyperbolic and sarcastic comment into part of the conversation, and what I wanted to say. I don't always love Hillary's voice. She lacks charisma. I doubt I'll be replaying her speeches or correspondence dinner remarks the way I do Obama's because of how awesome he is. And yes there are some things I'm not thrilled about with HIllary. She's not nearly progressive enough for my taste, and she is a little bit on the hawkish side. But that might be good in terms of keeping some international tensions in check.

Hillary is a very serious person. I have never seen her characterized as a clown, not even by her detractors. Whereas even many many many highly respected republicans see Trump as a clown.

35   lostand confused   2016 Aug 14, 7:27pm  

But polls are moving away from the margin of error range and into strong leads. He still has time to right the ship, but it is getting late in the game. egads-another neoliberal feminazi, free trade, SJW lover is all this country needs.

36   junkmail   2016 Aug 14, 7:31pm  

marcus says

I think what the Donald wants is to destroy the dollar, because he has so much of his wealth tied up in leveraged real estate.

Oh wow! Who knew you knew DT's holdings.
How much is DT in debt?
How exposed is he to a dollar decline?
What are the LTV ratios on his properties?
I've heard he's invested overseas... if the dollar falls will his wealth increase or decline?
What is the proportional weighting of DT's investments? Overseas vs. domestic?
What is DT's stock equity vs debt ratio?
What are the chances a broken down maths teacher here on PatNet can answer these questions?

BTW. I know one of these answers. Wanna guess which one? (While you're guessing on the others)

P.S. Even though you blocked me, I can still grab the source and see your posts.

37   mell   2016 Aug 14, 7:35pm  

Rew says

You are very right. Hillary has major issues, but comparatively, I think the nation takes her.

I agree with your assertion here, it's just inconceivable why the nation would prefer a major criminal over a hip-shooting, brash business man. I wish Perot would have won back then and set a precedent.

38   Shaman   2016 Aug 14, 7:38pm  

I think it will come down to voter turnout. Whichever party is more energized by their candidate will go to the polls in greater numbers resulting in a win for that candidate.

39   lostand confused   2016 Aug 14, 7:38pm  

mell says

I agree with your assertion here, it's just inconceivable why the nation would prefer a major criminal over a hip-shooting, brash business man. I wish Perot would have won back then and set a precedent

I still think he has time, though it is getting short. Are there that many SJWs in this country? I shudder to think of the day when the welfare freaks become the majority-I guess communism -we are here!

40   Robert Sproul   2016 Aug 14, 8:02pm  


turtledove says

Hillary is a pathological liar, and her history of such behavior extends decades.

Still waiting. Great assertions. Just like mine, but without the sarcasm.

Dude, do you even Google? Everybody knows this bitch lies:
http://www.politifact.com/personalities/hillary-clinton/statements/byruling/false/
The Atlantic sez she is a liar:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/08/why-hillary-clinton-keeps-lying/493841/
Politico agrees:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/hillary-clinton-emails-history-214095
The Observer:
http://observer.com/2016/08/short-circuit-damage-to-us-security-hillarys-lies-and-amiris-execution/

Or....just look up Lying Bitch on the urban dictionary:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lying%20bitch

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