patrick.net

This post is also quite good:

http://www.ianwelsh.net/the-role-of-politicians-in-an-oligarchy/

"How one president saddled future generations with $10T dollars of debt"

"Make America Indebted Again"

"$10 Trillion in 8 Years - the Principles of Inefficiency and Malinvestment"

They are real, but the only difference is that he’s getting paid now as opposed to later.

Expand that. The major difference is that those conflicts of interest can influence policy and direction of the whole country, because he is the acting President, and could act for personal benefit instead of national benefit.

The amount of justification being extended to Trump is titanic.

Ironman says

Do you ever STOP with your hyperbole?

I guess there would only be one way to know for sure where his potential conflicts of interest are, so we could remove "can" and "could" altogether.

Trump has nothing to hide, right? ;)

jazz music says

Trump would never agree to not cashing in now, later, or wherever possible.

So suck it up buttercups.

Rew says

Expand that. The major difference is that those conflicts of interest can influence policy and direction of the whole country, because he is the acting President, and could act for personal benefit instead of national benefit.

What personal benefits? $50 million more? Multi billionaires at age 70 don't care for more money. They want fame and power.

Strategist says

What personal benefits? $50 million more? Multi billionaires at age 70 don't care for more money. They want fame and power.

I'm sure Trump has no fatherly motivations to cement his legacy for his children/grandchildren and doesn't have any desires to ensure they are well looked after, right?

Edit: I mean he has been great at drawing a clear line between family influence and the political governance of the nation so far. ;)

Come on Strategist, it's just like spying on Mosques. Trump has nothing to hide, so let's investigate. No biggie. Hillary has been through a gazillion of them. Surely Trump can undergo one to help dispel all the nay-sayers and doubters like me. ;)

Rew says

Come on Strategist, it's just like spying on Mosques. Trump has nothing to hide, so let's investigate. No biggie. Hillary has been through a gazillion of them. Surely Trump can undergo one to help dispel all the nay-sayers and doubters like me. ;)

Go ahead, investigate all you want. You will not find any motivation for Trump to personally profit from his job as President.
HE ALREADY HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO BURN.

FP says

This post is also quite good:

http://www.ianwelsh.net/the-role-of-politicians-in-an-oligarchy/

Yes, has lots of good points:

Politicians wrangle voters for oligarchs, who pay them well for the service. They then pass bills and regulations which help those oligarchs, because it is those oligarchs who give them almost all their money.

If a politician does not do this, and gets into a position of potential power, the attacks are unrelenting.

Like we see how with Trump?

Ironman says

Trump has been in the public spotlight for decades, just what do you think he's "hiding"?

Did the same logic apply to Hillary?

I think he is hiding lots. Let's start with taxes. We can go from there.

rando says

Like we see how with Trump?

You think Trump has no oligarch backing, by those definitions? That's pretty funny.
Who is is his cabinet again? Who and what is he promoting?

Rew says

I think he is hiding lots. Let's start with taxes. We can go from there.

The worst case......he paid nothing. Wish I was that smart.

Ironman says

Do you really want to compare the level of scrutiny Trump got versus Hillary in the year and a half before the elections?

Hillary v Trump in scrutiny, investigation, and known background? OMG. LOL

Ironman says

What would they tell you?? He release like 100 pages of financial documents during the election. What's missing, except more of your hyperbole?

Don't know. Let's find out. ;)

FP says

Obama starts to cash in

The solution is simple. If you want to be president, a senator, a representative, or a governor, your income is capped to three times the median income of the United States for the rest of your life. It would eliminate a lot of greed in Washington. There are plenty of good people who would gladly have a cushy legislative job for a mere three times the median income.

Ironman says

Study Confirms Trump Has Received Vastly More Negative News Coverage Than Clinton.

Negative news coverage form July to October is what you believe vetted Trump and exonerates him from possible corruption and conflicts of interest? That is what was considered scrutiny? That's critical observation and examination? Uhhh, no.

Hillary is probably one of the most known, vetted, and investigated politicians we have ever seen ...

https://www.quora.com/How-much-money-has-the-U-S-Congress-and-Senate-spent-investigating-Hillary-Clinton-and-what-has-the-country-gained-from-these-investigations
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/tracking-the-clinton-controversies-from-whitewater-to-benghazi/396182/

... I'm not a huge fan of hers, but Donald is a black hole compared to Hillary.

Odds are I think the taxes will get Trump under investigation, once the establishment forces have him on something they know is impeachable and can stick.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/sep/07/donald-trump/donald-trump-says-his-financial-disclosures-more-m/

"He clearly has something to hide."

Yes ma'am. He does.

Trump is the least known, and therefore most likely the most corrupt politician in office since Nixon. It would be easy to remove the noise around Russia and his taxes for Trump, but for some reason, he doesn't seem to be able to. Lots and lots of smoke. Some unjustified, but my gosh, there is a lot of smoke smoke smoke here.

Ironman says

Seriously dude, have you considered some mental health counseling to help you through this difficult time of your life.

Awww, am I and the news being unfair to poor Donald? :( Are the anti-englihtmement national populists in a tizzy for being seen as the knuckle dragging anti-intellectuals they are?

Just wait until the intelligence community is done with Trump. LOL The buffoon started a two front war in under 60 days. One front being against his own branch of government even! Ha.

Rew says

Expand that. The major difference is that those conflicts of interest can influence policy and direction of the whole country, because he is the acting President, and could act for personal benefit instead of national benefit.

If there is personal benefit, whether he gets paid right away while being a sitting president, or later after serving his term, it can affect his decisions in both cases.

Dan8267 says

FP says

Obama starts to cash in

The solution is simple. If you want to be president, a senator, a representative, or a governor, your income is capped to three times the median income of the United States for the rest of your life. It would eliminate a lot of greed in Washington. There are plenty of good people who would gladly have a cushy legislative job for a mere three times the median income.

They will still find ways to pay the politicians - indirectly through relatives, or by means other than salary/speaking fees,etc.

More realistic - change comparing finance laws as a first step.

jazz music says

Trump would never agree to not cashing in now, later, or wherever possible.

The article isn't really about Trump.

The only political discourse many people nowadays are capable of is either "attack Trump" or "praise Trump".

Ironman says

Oh no, now what will Trump bashers have to complain about??

PErhaps how stupid that comment was. You call a blog post an article ?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/03/02/just_how_outrageous_is_the_obamas_alleged_65_million_book_deal.html

Obviously OBama's agent did a good job running a bidding war for the deal. Obama is by far the most popular President worldwide in decades. The idea that this is some kind of after the fact bribe is stupid. They wanted it, wither becasue of the potential profit or for other PR sort of reasons.

When it was Hillary, you guys would argue it was what they hoped to get from her in the future when she's PResident. You think this is a thank you gift from a pulbisher, becasue he didn't stop the Penguin -Randon House merger ? Really ???

marcus says

You think this is a thank you gift from a pulbisher, becasue he didn't stop the Penguin -Randon House merger ? Really ???

It is just how the game is played. You serve the interests of the rich, then when your term is over they make your rich. Those who play it know what is expected from them. The details are irrelevant.

So now a book deal is a conspiracy theory payout to funnel money from rich people to the Obama's as payback for something they did during the last 8 yrs? This is even though they have no real ability to set policy moving forward?

This has nothing to do with any of Trump's conflicts of interest. It's not splitting hairs. It's not in the same ballpark.

YesYNot says

So now a book deal is a conspiracy theory payout to funnel money from rich people to the Obama's as payback for something they did during the last 8 yrs?

Not a conspiracy theory but a way (one of many) to pay back politicians for their service.

YesYNot says

This is even though they have no real ability to set policy moving forward?

It sets an example for the next guy, to maintain the trust.

FP says

Obama starts to cash in

Starts!? What about the 8 year vacation he just finished taking?

No he's Fi'in too cash in.
He's gonna git that papah playah.