Good move by the President elect

[GMDino]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2016/11/30/donald-trump-steve-mnuchin-wilbur-ross-treasury-commerce/94654806/

Quote:Trump picks econ team leaders, says he is leaving business world



While preparing to announce his economic team, Donald Trump said Wednesday that he and his children will hold a "major news conference" on Dec. 15 to discuss separation from his various business interests.


He plans to "discuss the fact that I will be leaving my great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump said during an early morning tweet storm.

Critics said his business interests run afoul of conflict of interest laws, but Trump said he is not "mandated" to dis-invest. "I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses," he tweeted.

The New York real estate mogul did not provide details about how his new business arrangement might work, and whether his children might continue to be in charge. He tweeted that "legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task!"

Trump made the announcement the same day he is expected to name key members of his economic team, tapping hedge fund manager and campaign aide Steve Mnuchin as secretary of the Treasury and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as secretary of Commerce.

Confirming his appointment in an interview with CNBC, Mnuchin said his priority is cutting taxes, particularly corporate taxes.

"By cutting corporate taxes, we're going to create huge economic growth and we'll have huge personal income," Mnuchin asid.

Mnuchin, 53, a former Goldman Sachs executive, worked this year as Trump's national campaign finance chairman.

If confirmed by the Senate, the Treasury secretary nominee would shepherd economic plans that include a reduction in government regulations and stepped-up infrastructure projects.

Ross, the nominee for Commerce secretary, co-authored an infrastructure plan that Trump aides are studying.

Trump is also expected to announce selection of a former critic to be deputy commerce secretary: Todd Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs and member of a Republican political family that financed attack ads on Trump during the Republican primaries.
[/url]

USA TODAY

Ethics watchdogs call on Donald Trump to sever business ties

The economy will also be front and center as Trump plans his first public appearance since the election more than three weeks ago: A trip to Indiana to celebrate Carrier's decision to keep 1,000 manufacturing jobs at its air conditioning plant in the state rather than move them to Mexico.

Carrier's decision came after negotiations with Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, that included new tax breaks for the company.

"Big day on Thursday for Indiana and the great workers of that wonderful state," Trump tweeted. "We will keep our companies and jobs in the U.S. Thanks Carrier."

Trump also plans to kick off a "thank you" tour of states that provided his margin of victory in the Electoral College, a series of rallies set to begin Thursday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In recent days, congressional Democrats and government analysts have questioned how Trump could conduct the presidency without violating conflict of interest guidelines involving his various global businesses.
[url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2016/11/15/ethics-watchdogs-call-donald-trump-sever-business-ties/93821292/]
Ethics watchdogs have urged Trump to abandon any plans to let his children run his real estate empire, and instead put all of his assets into a blind trust.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., plans to ask the Senate to pass a resolution that would require Trump to hand over control of his businesses.

“The American public has a right to know that the President of the United States is acting in their best interest, and not because he or she has received some benefit or gift from a foreign government like Russia or China or any other foreign entity,” Cardin said.

We'll see how it is set up and plays out, but at least SOMEONE got through to him that the optics of the situation were bad at the very least.

[BmorePat87]

(11-30-2016, 09:54 AM)GMDino Wrote: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2016/11/30/donald-trump-steve-mnuchin-wilbur-ross-treasury-commerce/94654806/



We'll see how it is set up and plays out, but at least SOMEONE got through to him that the optics of the situation were bad at the very least.

Until he says the businesses are out of family hands, I'll remain skeptical. 

[Benton]

ill believe it when it happens. His business runs through his entire personal life and the family he hasn't disowned. Going to be difficult to untangle that.

[Mike M (the other one)]

Glad to see you actually posted something positive about Trump for a change.

I think keeping those jobs (Ford, Carrier) in the US should be his number 1 job.

Of course, the media says it sets a bad precedence by negotiating 1 on 1 with a business. Do you think those people that got to keep their jobs care about the precedence? I think the job number 1 of the POTUS should be keeping Jobs in the US and getting the economy roaring, even if that means negotiating 1 on 1 with businesses. Congress can share the load by making laws that he wants done, so I don't see the big issue there.

As far as the COI stuff? That will always be lingering in the background. It's inevitable, even if he and his family give up 100% control to a non-family member to hold as a trustee. At least it will be a good start to shutting down the criticism.

I told you guys early on that he's got a lot on him plate and to give him a bit of time. He's still got what 50 days or so before swearing in? Still picking a cabinet, doing POTUS work and trying to disconnect from his business side.

[GMDino]

(11-30-2016, 12:24 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Glad to see you actually posted something positive about Trump for a change.

I think keeping those jobs (Ford, Carrier) in the US should be his number 1 job.

Of course, the media says it sets a bad precedence by negotiating 1 on 1 with a business. Do you think those people that got to keep their jobs care about the precedence? I think the job number 1 of the POTUS should be keeping Jobs in the US and getting the economy roaring, even if that means negotiating 1 on 1 with businesses. Congress can share the load by making laws that he wants done, so I don't see the big issue there.

As far as the COI stuff? That will always be lingering in the background. It's inevitable, even if he and his family give up 100% control to a non-family member to hold as a trustee. At least it will be a good start to shutting down the criticism.

I told you guys early on that he's got a lot on him plate and to give him a bit of time. He's still got what 50 days or so before swearing in? Still picking a cabinet, doing POTUS work and trying to disconnect from his business side.

He lied about the Ford deal, and the Indiana one is just another tax break from Pence.  When it ends we'll have the same problem again.

It is interesting though that the right suddenly has no problem with the President/government getting directly involved with businesses and how they run.  Whereas a bailout was the end of the free market as we knew it.

But I'll give credit when he appears rational and sane.  And then we'll see how long it lasts.

[Bengalzona]

He needs to announce this. If he doesn't, he risks losing some Electoral College votes on December 19 and possibly losing that election. It is no coincidence that they set up the official date for the announcement on Dec. 15.

But it may also be all show. He may announce that he has changed his mind on Dec. 20.

[Belsnickel]

(11-30-2016, 12:24 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I think keeping those jobs (Ford, Carrier) in the US should be his number 1 job.

Of course, the media says it sets a bad precedence by negotiating 1 on 1 with a business. Do you think those people that got to keep their jobs care about the precedence? I think the job number 1 of the POTUS should be keeping Jobs in the US and getting the economy roaring, even if that means negotiating 1 on 1 with businesses. Congress can share the load by making laws that he wants done, so I don't see the big issue there.

There are many things I could think of that, constitutionally speaking, should be roles of the POTUS that take precedence over focusing on keeping individual business in the country. You are also advocating for a stronger federal government than conservatism looks for.

[JustWinBaby]

(11-30-2016, 01:25 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: You are also advocating for a stronger federal government than conservatism looks for.

Well, Trump's not a conservative so....

[Belsnickel]

(11-30-2016, 03:01 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Well, Trump's not a conservative so....

But many people that support him claim to be. So if they support him, and advocate for a large federal government move that he makes, then they are abandoning their own conservative principles.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(11-30-2016, 03:27 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: But many people that support him claim to be. So if they support him, and advocate for a large federal government move that he makes, then they are abandoning their own conservative principles.

I don't know about you, but I prefer that my fellow American's keep their jobs. If it takes POTUS intervention then so be it. Once he's actually the Official POTUS, then maybe he can do more, but for now, he's doing what he can.

1k jobs might be a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things, but that's 1k families that can count on their job being there for a while longer now. Sometimes you have to work in baby steps to get to the big goal.

Seriously, how many times have you seen a foreign leader come to the US and not meet the President, but instead meets the President Elect? Asians in general are very strict about following proper protocols, so to not visit with Obama is equivalent to a slap in the face.

[GMDino]

(11-30-2016, 08:33 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I don't know about you, but I prefer that my fellow American's keep their jobs. If it takes POTUS intervention then so be it. Once he's actually the Official POTUS, then maybe he can do more, but for now, he's doing what he can.

1k jobs might be a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things, but that's 1k families that can count on their job being there for a while longer now. Sometimes you have to work in baby steps to get to the big goal.

Seriously, how many times have you seen a foreign leader come to the US and not meet the President, but instead meets the President Elect? Asians in general are very strict about following proper protocols, so to not visit with Obama is equivalent to a slap in the face.

So I'm sure you were 100% behind the auto bailout.  

Seriously though this was Obama's schedule as President Elect on November 7, 2008...three days after winning.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/7/obama-faces-economy-early-days/

Quote:After meeting with his Transition Economic Advisory Board, Mr. Obama will hold his first post-election news conference at 2:30 p.m. EST.


Those attending the meeting include Vice President-elect Joe Biden; Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers, both of whom served as Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration; former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker; Robert Reich, secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration; Laura Tyson, President Clinton’s first chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers; billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who will participate by telephone; William Donaldson, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Richard Parsons, chairman of Time Warner; Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google; Roger Ferguson, former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve; Jennifer Granholm, governor of Michigan; and William Daley, secretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration.



Mr. Obama, who spent part of Thursday being briefed by President Bush’s top intelligence officer and talking with nine world leaders, will hold a meeting with his transition team of 17 economic advisers, including billionaire investor Warren Buffett, and then publicly tackle bad financial news that has returned with a vengeance since his election Tuesday.


...


Mr. Obama’s schedule was announced as he locked down his first major White House staff position when Rep. Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois Democrat and former senior adviser to President Clinton, agreed to become his chief of staff, and Mr. Bush vowed to help his successor navigate the transition of power.



...


In Chicago, Mr. Obama spent his second day as president-elect much like the first: He worked out in the morning and then went to meetings, but kept a low public profile.


But unlike Wednesday’s powwow with campaign staff, Mr. Obama’s first round of meetings Thursday were with the nation’s top intelligence officer, Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell, CIA Director for Intelligence Michael Morell and at least one other career CIA employee.




The intelligence officials met with Mr. Obama at the FBI’s Chicago field office and gave the next president his first briefing on the full range of national security threats facing America. The briefing was delivered in what intelligence officials call a sensitive compartmentalized information facility.




Mr. Obama, like Republican presidential candidate John McCain, had been briefed by Mr. McConnell before the election, but had not seen the equivalent of what Mr. Bush sees six days a week, known as the president’s daily brief.




The range of issues discussed, which the DNI’s office would not discuss, was expected to include terrorist threats, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, growing Russian belligerence, tensions in Pakistan, and the issue of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.



Throughout the day, Mr. Obama returned congratulatory calls from leaders around the globe, including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, Prime Minister Taro Aso of Japan, President Felipe Calderon of Mexico, President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea and Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain.

President Elect Trump has tweeted more than he's received national security briefings.  


Just because one foreign leader met with him isn't necessarily a "slap in the face" and more probably because of business dealing than Presidential dealings.

[Belsnickel]

(11-30-2016, 08:33 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I don't know about you, but I prefer that my fellow American's keep their jobs. If it takes POTUS intervention then so be it. Once he's actually the Official POTUS, then maybe he can do more, but for now, he's doing what he can.

1k jobs might be a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things, but that's 1k families that can count on their job being there for a while longer now. Sometimes you have to work in baby steps to get to the big goal.

Seriously, how many times have you seen a foreign leader come to the US and not meet the President, but instead meets the President Elect? Asians in general are very strict about following proper protocols, so to not visit with Obama is equivalent to a slap in the face.

So you're in favor of big federal government? Gotcha.

[Benton]

(11-30-2016, 10:01 PM)GMDino Wrote: So I'm sure you were 100% behind the auto bailout.  

Seriously though this was Obama's schedule as President Elect on November 7, 2008...three days after winning.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/7/obama-faces-economy-early-days/






President Elect Trump has tweeted more than he's received national security briefings.  


Just because one foreign leader met with him isn't necessarily a "slap in the face" and more probably because of business dealing than Presidential dealings.

I have ad that earlier about the briefings. At first it made me concerned. But if he's turning security over to pence, that's a good thing.

[*bfine32*]

(11-30-2016, 01:25 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There are many things I could think of that, constitutionally speaking, should be roles of the POTUS that take precedence over focusing on keeping individual business in the country. You are also advocating for a stronger federal government than conservatism looks for.

Yeah, why waste time focusing on the economy when we have who uses what bathroom to sort out. 

[JustWinBaby]

(11-30-2016, 08:33 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I don't know about you, but I prefer that my fellow American's keep their jobs.

Democrats are kicking themselves for merely shaming companies for doing this, rather than negotiating incentives to stay.  That is, if they thought they could haven gotten away with doing it.

If it's a legit negotiation and not strong-arming, I suppose I don't have a problem with it.  We don't blink an eye when states do this and consider that to be a competitive marketplace to attract business.  So when you talk about jobs leaving the country, the feds can sweeten the pot with additional tax incentives.

But seems like a can of worms.  Not to mention impractical.

[GMDino]

(12-01-2016, 06:10 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Democrats are kicking themselves for merely shaming companies for doing this, rather than negotiating incentives to stay.  That is, if they thought they could haven gotten away with doing it.

If it's a legit negotiation and not strong-arming, I suppose I don't have a problem with it.  We don't blink an eye when states do this and consider that to be a competitive marketplace to attract business.  So when you talk about jobs leaving the country, the feds can sweeten the pot with additional tax incentives.

But seems like a can of worms.  Not to mention impractical.

Not to mention there wasn't anything the President Elect could do...but the Governor or their state (Pence) could.

Literally Trump has done zero to keep these companies (especially in the case of Ford which was never moving the jobs to begin with) but taken full credit for it.

Welcome to the next four years:  All successes will be the direct result of Trump and all failures will be because of what losers did.

It will make me miss all the right wing noise machine talk about how much of an ego Obama has.

[Belsnickel]

(12-01-2016, 12:19 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Yeah, why waste time focusing on the economy when we have who uses what bathroom to sort out. 

Snark aside, bathroom use is a civil rights issue, like it or not, and that is a role of the Executive to protect the civil liberties and rights of the people. I never said that the POTUS shouldn't have focus on the economy, though. A move like this, however, is an overreach by the federal government. Well, it would be if it was actually what it is being advertised as.

[BmorePat87]

(12-01-2016, 08:36 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Snark aside, bathroom use is a civil rights issue, like it or not, and that is a role of the Executive to protect the civil liberties and rights of the people. I never said that the POTUS shouldn't have focus on the economy, though. A move like this, however, is an overreach by the federal government. Well, it would be if it was actually what it is being advertised as.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/12/01/bernie-sanders-carrier-just-showed-corporations-how-to-beat-donald-trump/?utm_term=.5cf400a84ea3

Op Ed by Bernie

Quote:President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly announce a deal with United Technologies, the corporation that owns Carrier, that keeps less than 1,000 of the 2100 jobs in America that were previously scheduled to be transferred to Mexico. Let’s be clear: It is not good enough to savesome of these jobs. Trump made a promise that he would save all of these jobs, and we cannot rest until an ironclad contract is signed to ensure that all of these workers are able to continue working in Indiana without having their pay or benefits slashed.

Quote:Trump will reportedly give the company tax and regulatory favors that the corporation has sought. Just a short few months ago, Trump was pledging to force United Technologies to “pay a damn tax.” He was insisting on very steep tariffs for companies like Carrier that left the United States and wanted to sell their foreign-made products back in the United States.

Quote:In essence, United Technologies took Trump hostage and won. And that should send a shock wave of fear through all workers across the country.

Trump has endangered the jobs of workers who were previously safe in the United States. Why? Because he has signaled to every corporation in America that they can threaten to offshore jobs in exchange for business-friendly tax benefits and incentives. Even corporations that weren’t thinking of offshoring jobs will most probably be re-evaluating their stance this morning. And who would pay for the high cost for tax cuts that go to the richest businessmen in America? The working class of America.  



Let’s be clear. United Technologies is not going broke. Last year, it made a profit of $7.6 billionand received more than $6 billion in defense contracts. It has also received more than $50 million from the Export-Import Bank and very generous tax breaks. In 2014, United Technologies gave its former chief executive Louis Chenevert a golden parachute worth more than $172 million. Last year, the company’s five highest-paid executives made more than $50 million. The firm also spent $12 billion to inflate its stock price instead of using that money to invest in new plants and workers.

Does that sound like a company that deserves more corporate welfare from our government? Trump’s Band-Aid solution is only making the problem of wealth inequality in America even worse.

Trump specifically called out Carrier, said they would not move jobs if he were President, and threatened them with a tax if they did. Now they're getting tax breaks for keeping some of the jobs in the country.

That's like me threatening to write up a student if they cut class and then offering them an "A" if they stayed while they stood by the door.

[*bfine32*]

(12-01-2016, 08:36 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Snark aside, bathroom use is a civil rights issue, like it or not, and that is a role of the Executive to protect the civil liberties and rights of the people. I never said that the POTUS shouldn't have focus on the economy, though. A move like this, however, is an overreach by the federal government. Well, it would be if it was actually what it is being advertised as.

I consider any measures taken by POTUS to pursuade companies to keep job stateside to be a good thing. As to "overreach" I'm not sure. What is overreaching about telling a company to go wherever you want and build whatever you want; but if you want to sell it back to us, it is going to be heavily taxed.

But I can see this measure by Trump going the way of "not good enough"; like when he had the fund-raiser for the Vets. Everything he does over the next 4 years will be under a microscope just so some can say "See, told ya".

No different than many have done to Obama the last 8 years. I just see many becoming what they have hated for the last 8 years, but their justification will be "Well, I'm right to do it".

[GMDino]

(12-01-2016, 02:45 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I consider any measures taken by POTUS to pursuade companies to keep job stateside to be a good thing. As to "overreach" I'm not sure. What is overreaching about telling a company to go wherever you want and build whatever you want; but if you want to sell it back to us, it is going to be heavily taxed.

But I can see this measure by Trump going the way of "not good enough"; like when he had the fund-raiser for the Vets. Everything he does over the next 4 years will be under a microscope just so some can say "See, told ya".

No different than many have done to Obama the last 8 years. I just see many becoming what they have hated for the last 8 years, but their justification will be "Well, I'm right to do it".

More because that is what happens to the POTUS.

And his case is unique in that he has so many different business ties out there that he'll have to be watched closer to see how or if he's helping himself more than the American people.