From the Federal Reserve:
Beige Book – March 2, 2016 – Second District–New York
Economic activity in the Second District has remained generally flat since the last report, while labor markets continue to tighten. Selling prices were little changed, while service-sector firms report continued upward pressure on wages and other input prices. Manufacturers report further weakening in activity, and service-sector firms also note some recent contraction. Consumer spending has been steady to up slightly in early 2016, while tourism activity has remained sluggish. Residential real estate markets showed scattered signs of softening, while commercial real estate markets were little changed. Multi-family residential construction has held steady at a high level, while commercial construction has weakened. Finally, banks report a pickup in loan demand from the commercial sector but further weakening in household loan demand, and little change in delinquency rates.
…
Construction and Real EstateThe District’s housing markets were stable to slightly softer in early 2016. In western New York, housing activity has reportedly slowed somewhat, in line with normal seasonal patterns, while contacts are optimistic about the outlook for the upcoming spring season. Statewide, sales activity was steady at an elevated level, while selling prices remained flat and little changed from a year earlier. Similarly, home resale prices are reported to be essentially flat in northern New Jersey, while both sales activity and inventory levels are characterized as low. One building industry contact notes that home renovation activity has been increasing, and that sub-contracting business seems to be robust.
New York City’s co-op and condo sales market has slowed somewhat since the beginning of the year, with both prices and activity down modestly from late-2015 levels. The city’s residential rental markets have also been somewhat softer. Rents on Manhattan apartments have been steady to somewhat lower so far this year, while rents in Brooklyn and Queens have increased at a slower pace than in 2015. A major New York City appraisal firms also notes that the high end of both the purchase and rental markets has been particularly sluggish, reflecting excess supply; a similar pattern prevails for high-end rental markets across the District more broadly.
Office markets have been stable across the District, with both availability rates and asking rents little changed since the beginning of the year. New office construction has weakened further; a good deal of new office space is under construction in Manhattan but little is in the works across the rest of the District. Single-family construction has generally remained sluggish, while multi-family development has been robust. In northern New Jersey, most of the recent apartment construction has been rental buildings, whereas in New York City, it has been largely condos.
Good Morning New Jersey
@michaelcrowly
neocons declare war on Trump
@daniellarison
Considering the results of the wars they’ve supported,
Trump doesn’t have much to worry about
Still, it’s clear one group has overwhelmingly benefited from free trade, more immigration and technological change: top corporate executives and some entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and big investors, and their bought-and-paid-for think tanks, lobbyists and politicians.
No wonder they regard these questionable notions as Eternal Truths, while so many who have been hurt are rejecting them and reaching for the pitchforks instead.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-elites-are-wrong-about-immigration-free-trade-and-innovation-2016-03-03?page=2
The media created Trump. For every half a second ad they buy,Trump is in the news 4x or more for free. I would say he is a smart guy. A playbook from the Kardashians
Why don’t the Republicans just appoint somebody. What the fcuk is the point of holding primary elections if you’re going to do everything you can to boot the chosen candidate using some “brokered convention”.
More people have figured out that you get to choose the candidate during the primaries and they sure don’t like it.
@pourmecoffee
Romney’s anti-Trump speech should be filmed by a waiter through a napkin and released by @DavidCornDC,
like all his most impactful ones.
so we bomb countries to make them free and democratic, i.e. “brokered convention” style
D-FENS says:
March 3, 2016 at 7:43 am
Why don’t the Republicans just appoint somebody. What the fcuk is the point of holding primary elections if you’re going to do everything you can to boot the chosen candidate using some “brokered convention”.
More people have figured out that you get to choose the candidate during the primaries and they sure don’t like it.
Carson out?
Democracy is not freedom. It is mob rule.
That’s why nation building fails anon.
The United States is not, and never has been a democracy.
The media created Trump. For every half a second ad they buy,Trump is in the news 4x or more for free. I would say he is a smart guy.
The difference between a businessperson and a politician. A politician only knows how to spend other people’s money. It doesn’t matter the efficacy of the investment, the return, if it’s prudent. They just know they need to spend it, because it’s there. That kind of wanton recklessness with money only works in the public sector.
Media created him? Sorry, but he played the media like an orchestra conductor.
Conditions are better up here. In my immediate area, prices have never been higher.
The for-sale inventory of both single-family homes and condos decreased on a year-over-year basis in every state in the First District. Both supply-side constraints (limited construction) and healthy demand contribute to this. This is an issue particularly in Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area, where demand is robust; a contact in Boston notes that realtors are “desperate for listings.”
Vincente Fox (former president of Mexico) calls the Sean Hannity show and calls Trump a white supremacist and a nazi
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QtR-c_m1oFI
I don’t care what your opinion of Trump is, good or bad, what you can not argue is that he has run the most cost effective presidential campaign in recent history. I would love to know what his to-date campaign spending has been, probably a drop in the bucket compared to anyone else. ROI through the roof.
The people of Florida and Ohio are going to determine if Trump gets the nomination, If he wins those states he’s basically unstoppable, If he loses one he still may make the 1237 delegates , If he loses both it will probably end up a brokered convention. Did you see the GOP is thinking of bringing Romney back into the mix just to try to steal delegates to force the convention. The GOP is sending the message that the voice of the people does not matter, Last night on fox they were basically saying “Screw you” To the american people. If they don’t get “THERE” guy, they will not support the peoples choice, One senator said he would hold his nose and vote for Clinton before Trump. In true hypocritical fashion the GOP”$ talks of Trumps ethics, Ethics? whats that in congress or the senate, we have seated felons, (Hillary?) Inside trading(Bohner, Pelosi), Special family favors (Rubio’s Drug addicted cousin), the waste, ( 55million dollar gas station) bribes and pay-offs, ect ect ect (with a little research you can find many examples). The GOP however, (not to fully exclude the Dems” as noted”) has the audacity to claim that they are the poster children of ethics, The guardians of our constitution and the saviors of true democracy, and that my friends is bullsh*t, for as much as the Dems (having Robin Hood syndrome) Want to rob from the rich and give to the poor, The GOP calls that transfer of wealth> The GOP allows corporations, wall street, to big to fail Banks and politicians to Rob from the middle class to give to the elites (CEO”S, politically connected) and they call That good business, For years the working middle class has overlooked the stealing from the elites because they still were able to have a reasonable standard of living, decent benefits and a retirement, but the corporate greed has gotten so prolific that we are losing the middle class standard, And the republican base (Middle Class Non Executive Workers) do blame the GOP for allowing this to happen. End result Trump Nomination. If the GOP had told CEO”S to leave some crumbs for the little guy, (health care, pensions ect) this would probably not be happening>
Say, why hasn’t Hillary released the transcripts of her dozen off-the-record, $225,000-per-hour speeches to Wall Street banksters yet? Maybe after her 2020 re-coronation she’ll be more “flexible”?
Total Raised
Hillary Clinton – $188m
Jeb Bush – $158m
Ted Cruz – $104m
Bernie Sanders – $96m
Marco Rubio – $85m
…
Donald Trump – $27m
Total Super Pac Funds – Criminals
Jeb Bush – $124m
Hillary Clifton – $57m
Ted Cruz – $49m
Marco Rubio – $34m
…
Donald Trump – $1.8m
Trump may very well be the most effective politician in the history of presidential primaries.
Well, if you’re talking about Iraq and Syria, Trump should just wait for the next D administration, who will easily get rolled by the people D’s called “the JV team”.
Grim
I agree Trumps spending is effective because he is spending “his money”
All other candidates are spending “other peoples money” old saying, Money is no option when somebody else is paying the bill
Clintons spending boggles my mind.
Although maybe it shouldn’t.
Getting back to real estate — Here we go again, kids!
House ‘Flipping’ Skyrockets, Sparks Concern Over a Housing Bubble
Wait until Kanye runs.
Trump may very well be the most effective politician in the history of presidential primaries.
Trump doesn’t equal the voice of the people, or even the voice of most Republicans on the ground. More than 50% of Republicans want someone other than Trump. Note that Trump does best when non-Republicans are allowed to vote for him.
Almost every Republican and quasi-Republican I know is desperately looking for a way for their opposition to Trump to be reflected in future outcomes, because for a lot of Republicans, that’s what they now want.
Trump is like a guy who came uninvited to your party, then called up a bunch of his dumb friends to come over, and neither you nor any of your friends know him or his friends, then they start shouting and fighting, complaining that you didn’t provide the kind of drinks or music they like and ruining your party. Why are you even here? We don’t even know you arseholes!? Go start your own party.
Trump was a clinton doner. Pictures of him with them makes me believe they were pretty chummy at some point.
I wonder what kind of dirt he has on them…and vice versa.
Oh, and by the way, here’s a photo of what’s under Cankles’ pantsuit.
http://tinyurl.com/Canklephatelegs
grim,
The free advertising the media gives him is amazing.
Even Putin or Xi cannot get as much coverage from their controlled media as our media gives Trump. And they don’t call him out on his constant repeated lies and empty claims. Didn’t journalists once do that? Now they make half-hearted attempts to wave at one of his 100 contradictory statements, and when he just lies again and says “I’ve always been perfectly clear, it will be wonderful, we have something very special here”, the “journalist” just rolls over and says “great, thank you very much, see you or your son again tomorrow for more free advertising”
Trump is absolutely right about Mexico shltting all over us. They dump their drugs and non employable over our borders. They make a very weak hearted attempt at slowing illegal immigration from their southern border. And anyone who is employable their is working to either sell products back to us.
Vincente Fox would be best suited to keep his mouth shut and out of the press in the states. Every time he opens his mouth he’s shining light on the terrible NAFTA deal that Clinton signed and on his government’s corruption and ineptness.
Vincente Fox must be the sucking sound that Ross Perot warned us about.
For that matter, I think Romney voicing his opinion is at best moot. He’s a great paper pusher and a quality politician and manager but he’s now remembered best for losing an election. I don’t think his message will be all that well received among undecided voters and is yet more free press for Trump, the establishment is certainly aligning against him.
re# 24 – “More than 50% of Republicans want someone other than Trump.”
Latest talking point from the old Republican guard.
Since when is it a two person race? The others like Carson and Rubio need to drop out and then we will see who really wants someone other than Trump.
re # 30- “Romney voicing his opinion is at best moot.”
He is a loser. Lindey Graham is a loser too. The old Republican guard sees themselves as losing power and influence that is all. It is pretty simple folks the whiners and losers of the party can all go cry to mommy while Trump walks away with the nomination, and if they try and steal it? Well then we will have a 3 person presidential race and Hillary waltzes into the Whitehouse just like her husband did in 1992 with only 43% of the popular vote.
Recall the opening of the very first GOP debate – The moderators asked all candidates to raise their hand if they promised to ultimate back and support the GOP nominee if it was them personally. Every candidate raised their hand except Trump.
Fast forward and the GOP seems to be quite happy with not supporting the candidate that wins their party’s nomination. Really extreme hubris from the GOP – “All you boys fall into line when we pick are candidate and don’t run a 3rd party to screw us up” But if our guy doesn’t win, we will do whatever we can to screw you over.
On the radio, on the way into work this morning, it was call after call of people swearing at the “republican establishment” saying they better not steal the nomination in an effort to block Trump.
The only callers who hoped that they did split the party were Democratic callers.
Carson is gone, you have to figure that Kasich is just hanging in there at this point to win Ohio and deny it to Trump, which would damage his changes of securing the nomination prior to the convention.
If that’s what happens, it will be interesting. And Trump said he would support the nominee if the process is fair. Brokering the convention and giving the nomination with to someone with a low delegate could probably would not be considered fair.
Do you hear that giant sucking sound? Damn, Perot was dead on.
https://youtu.be/KhogWKlm-c0
Kasich could also be pulling a Christie…where he’s conspiring to hurt Cruz and Rubio, in order to get a position in a possible Trump administration.
Paul Mulshine has been no friend of Christie…just look at his previous editorials. He’s been highly critical of Christie.
However, I think he has a point here….
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/03/post_157.html#incart_most-comments
Wrong. The Republicans created Trump by pandering to all the baths!t crazy right wing lunatics for votes. Just look at the thousands of bills and laws every year that republicans pass to restrict abortion and even just women’s access to healthcare. Religious freedom bills against gays, Christian based laws agains Muslims, voter restrictions against blacks, etc. This is what they’re busy doing.
Trump isnt saying anything that tons of other republican leaders in the house and senate haven’t been saying for years. Build a wall, restrict Muslims, no equal rights for gays, America is a Christian nation.,,, you reap what you sow.
“The media created Trump. For every half a second ad they buy,Trump is in the news 4x or more for free. I would say he is a smart guy. A playbook from the Kardashians”
16 grim
The numbers are worse. From that John Oliver piece I posted. He has loaned his campaign $17 million, he’ll get that back if he gets the nomination. $7million from donations, so he has put up just $250k of his own money.
His spend has mainly been hats and events. No ground game and little advertising. He truly is all hat and no game. Running on name alone. Also I think he is leasing the plane to the campaign.
Good quote. The quick changes that globalization brings to the economics of each and every nation is very dangerous to the social fabric of these nations. The social stability is the most important cornerstone of a society, without it, it crumbles and ceases to exist. So is it worth chasing economic efficiency to the point where it brings harm to social stability? Globalization can be a very good thing for economics, but economics is not everything, social stability is. The globalization advocates must not take on a tunnel view of the issue and only focus on theory of efficient economics. They must focus on the globalization impacts, esp the impact on the the biggest consumer market in the world, the U.S.A. You destroy this market, and you might set back global economics for a long long time.
““However, globalization’s advocates have plainly overstated its benefits and underestimated its hazards, including social upheaval.”….the biggest UNDERSTATEMENT yet.”
of course, it’s Americans that are paying the “Mexican unemployables” as you call them but Mexico is the problem. Also legalizing and taxing all these drugs that people are taking anyway would solve that problem too, and reduce lots of crime. But then how would our for profit prison system survive?
Trump is absolutely right about Mexico shltting all over us. They dump their drugs and non employable over our borders. They make a very weak hearted attempt at slowing illegal immigration from their southern border. And anyone who is employable their is working to either sell products back to us.
Otto,
Your analysis of Republican party inner dynamics is about as accurate as if I were trying to explain the connection between vanden Heuvel, Occupy, Black Lives Matter and the Sanders/Clinton race.
But Trump is a pretty good caricature of the evil Republican businessman fascist thug that you imagine all Republicans to be. Which is why so many are trying to come up with an alternative.
Romney made being a “Republican businessman fascist thug” a bad thing.
Trump makes it look cool. He wears it like a badge of honor.
Get with it guys. It’s cool this year.
Well said!
homeboken says:
March 3, 2016 at 10:26 am
Recall the opening of the very first GOP debate – The moderators asked all candidates to raise their hand if they promised to ultimate back and support the GOP nominee if it was them personally. Every candidate raised their hand except Trump.
Fast forward and the GOP seems to be quite happy with not supporting the candidate that wins their party’s nomination. Really extreme hubris from the GOP – “All you boys fall into line when we pick are candidate and don’t run a 3rd party to screw us up” But if our guy doesn’t win, we will do whatever we can to screw you over.
So Romney has become the RNC puppet because:
1. He is being paid
2. He is being threatened/blackmailed
3. He’s just a dick with special underwear
Pick up to three answers.
Agree with his opinion in this piece. Christie def sees the writing on the wall. This is what happens when you have a govt in place over the past 40 years that has been selling out the working population in favor of a few. You have a full on rebellion against the establishment. People no longer believe in or trust the govt. If the establishments ignores this, it will only get worse. Social revolution by force is not too far away.
D-FENS says:
March 3, 2016 at 10:53 am
Paul Mulshine has been no friend of Christie…just look at his previous editorials. He’s been highly critical of Christie.
However, I think he has a point here….
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/03/post_157.html#incart_most-comments
I think Romney will drive up both Trump and Clinton’s numbers.
They played the “sit down go back to univision” audio quote from Trump every time Romney came up in conversation on the radio.
Trump should be thanking Romney for the PR boost.
To me, this entire election is proof that clot is probably right
Trump to Christie,
“Get on the plane and go home.”
What a hoot!. Wonder if he left a couple of bucks on the nightstand for him…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E6mkY5OnGo
flipping channels had the kids watch Channel 13’s Scott Kellys year in space last night. The kids are under 10 and sat up straight on the couch mesmerized for an hour watching the show. I realized kids don’t really see that these days besides 20 seconds news clips. Unlike what I remember watching the space shuttle flights in school.
We looked like a family watching the moon walk circa 1969. One of the interesting questions from the kids “why is the space station such a mess inside, with wires hanging everywhere? It looks very disorganized” Ahh the apple generation where technology should have beautiful form. If they could only have seen the ugly beige computers we had back in the 90’s.
Nom [50];
[sheepishly nods]
Trump is a fascist demagogue. Clinton is a carpetbagger and she will be a politician, dagnabbit, no matter what because in her twisted mind she deserves it. Oh and she is a fascist too. Neither one is what this country needs, but with nearly half of the citizens receiving some sort of government assistance and as placid sheep what can you expect? I am waiting for interplanetary travel so that I can pull a Huck Finn and light out for the territories – the Republic is dead.
[43] rags
Why are you arguing with Otto? One doesnt reason with his type, that can’t be done. No, the proper responses to kill him before he kills you.
Romney seems to believe his ‘words’ have a special gravitas. Sure Bain is a great company, but he failed to convince Americans that he should/could lead. Whereas the Donald, is energetic. Very energetic.
Essex, would you pull the lever for him at this point?
I wish I could find someplace on the web where they’re not talking about Trump. Maybe a scrapbooking blog? I thought the ’08 Obama coverage was excessive but that was nothing.
57. He’s got my vote.
My folks also like Trump. My wife, Trump. All for very different reasons.
To me it seems like every politician, pundit, and media d0uche is just…so…offended… that Trump has leap-frogged their entire profitable infrastructure to the point that now they are making the case, obliviously nonetheless, that they absolutely don’t care how the people vote. Because, after all, it’s not about the people.
I’ve got 99 problems but The Donald isn’t one of them.
Now, where’s that scrap booking blog?
I’m no fan of Romney, but it’s a fact that Romney scored a higher percentage of Super Tuesday votes in 2012 than Trump did in 2016 (38% vs 34%). And Romney wasn’t disliked by as high a % of Republicans at that time as Trump is now.
56 Trump practices some type of mind of control, he always has. I’ve seen people do it, hitler did it, obama does it,and so does trump. If he gets the nomination I think he’ll win.
Trump is basically Berlusconi 2.0, he was a convicted criminal running in elections getting a shocking number of votes for a guy who had been a very ineffective leader. Yet the people came out and voted for him. Trump=Berlusconi
most people feel they know Trump. Admit it, there is some part of that guy you envy jst a lil bit.
F’ing guy is a badass.
P.S. he’s essentially the only candidate that doesn’t want to hammer big pharma.
Great post.
These people calling trump an idiot need to take a deep breath and realize who the idiots really are. If this so called “idiot” is beating your golden boys, what does it say about your golden boys?
The Original NJ ExPat says:
March 3, 2016 at 3:11 pm
To me it seems like every politician, pundit, and media d0uche is just…so…offended… that Trump has leap-frogged their entire profitable infrastructure to the point that now they are making the case, obliviously nonetheless, that they absolutely don’t care how the people vote. Because, after all, it’s not about the people.
That’s where he is dead wrong. Pharma industry is supposed to be helping people, not sucking them dry like the parasite they have become.
Essex says:
March 3, 2016 at 3:46 pm
P.S. he’s essentially the only candidate that doesn’t want to hammer big pharma.
70- Just explain to me how they charge Americans at such a higher rate compared to other nations? What excuse?
Guess it’s American’s duty to not only police the world from bad guys, but also to supplement their cost of healthcare costs.
Rags – Nom might like this one. Bill Buckner was a talented, polished, and vaunted all-star and Kevin Millar was the “Cowboy up” guy. I distinctly remember Millar saying, “I’m no 5 tool player, I’m just a guy with a like a pair of pliars in my back pocket.” Interestingly, Buckner had a .989 fielding percentage at first base in 1986 and Millar had an identical .989 fielding percentage in 2004. Despite the obvious gap in their skill sets and talent level, who got the best result for their team and who failed when they should have easily won?
I’m no fan of Romney, but it’s a fact that Romney scored a higher percentage of Super Tuesday votes in 2012 than Trump did in 2016 (38% vs 34%). And Romney wasn’t disliked by as high a % of Republicans at that time as Trump is now.
70- we ‘ll just agree to disagree.
Essex, take a look at this piece from 1991. Same old nonsense being tossed around.
25 years later, same bs being tossed around and the problem is only getting worse.
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/24/business/why-drugs-cost-more-in-us.html?pagewanted=all
75. dude /
75- I love how they paint it as the U.S. subsidizing the world as opposed to U.S. citizens getting ripped off. Wording is everything, when you are selling someone a con.
If another business, say Ford, was practicing this model, what would you say? You pay for a Ford in America at multiples of cost to other nations because “obviously, we subsidize the world”. I f’en hate the healthcare industry. All about helping people my a$$. It’s all about the money.
They will take down our economy with their uncontrollable costs and ineffective business model. If your business model relies on insurance, it SHOULD NOT EXIST. Insurance is a complex way of ripping people off, esp when you lobby the govt to force people to have it by law.
“Economists and Federal regulators are concerned that companies are agreeing to sell their drugs cheaply elsewhere, while piling research and development costs onto their prices in the United States. “Obviously, we subsidize the world,” said Richard Zeckhauser, an economist at Harvard University.”
77. ur unhinged.
Maybe, but just looking for some explanations? Nothing personal against you, I’m just trying to figure out why the same product can cost this much in one country, and this much in another?
Essex says:
March 3, 2016 at 4:44 pm
77. ur unhinged.
You must be joking. Just like every candidate before them saying they were going to do this and that, they are lying.
I don’t believe for one second Trump will do or wants to do the following, but it is something he just released:
“Remove barriers to entry into free markets for drug providers that offer safe, reliable and cheaper products. Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America. Though the pharmaceutical industry is in the private sector, drug companies provide a public service. Allowing consumers access to imported, safe and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more options to consumers.”
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform
Sorry, but you’re wrong on both counts.
Essex says:
March 3, 2016 at 3:46 pm
P.S. he’s essentially the only candidate that doesn’t want to hammer big pharma.
You’ll have to because you’re both wrong for different reasons.
Essex says:
March 3, 2016 at 4:02 pm
70- we ‘ll just agree to disagree.
80- Is that too much to ask? To have a private industry placed in a competitive market? I should be able to shop and compare costs; is that too much to ask for?
Trump = Berlusconi? More like Mussolini, especially when he mugs for the camera.
News outlets are reporting that trump is cozying up to the KKK on one hand then report that Lois Farakkan praised him at a sermon on the other hand. Wtf is going on?
“He who does not love his mother more than other mothers and his country more than other countries, loves neither his mother nor his country.” -Charles De Gaulle
83
Il Douche’?
News has everyone all wound up. They’re just selling crap.
Well they certainly have Rubio staffers wound up.
Rubio Adviser: I’d Rather Vote For Stalin Than Trump
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/03/rubio-adviser-id-rather-vote-for-stalin-then-trump/#ixzz41syCiP6d
Dude knows you couldn’t vote in Soviet Russia right?
Trump staffers are tweeting that we are hearing the death screams of big money and the donor class.
85 – That is a fantastic quote.
#mitteomneysextape is top trend on Twitter now. I’m out. Switching to watching the Kardashians or something.
“The first thing I saw when I woke up this morning was a one-sentence Facebook post from a mid-twenties Republican friend of mine: “I don’t understand how Republicans can support Trump!” So I spent 45 minutes banging out a way-too-lengthy response, as follows.
Several factors combined to produce Trump.
1. The GOP outsourced its communication strategy to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and the like. Those people and corporations are in the business of selling fear. For 20 years, they’ve been telling people that the only reasonable response to any event is fear — fear of terrorism, of moderate Democrats like Obama, of losing their guns, of black people, of economic calamity, of homosexuals, of the rise of other countries, of disease, of Obamacare, etc. They’ve created an entire fear-based culture. Reagan, for all his many faults, was a sunny, optimistic fellow who told us it was morning in America. Now the message of the GOP (crafted by Fox/Limbaugh/Beck) is that America is a shithole where you are in terrible peril. So along comes Trump who cynically exploits those fears, fashions himself as a classic authoritarian strongman who promises to keep everyone safe by being “tough.”
2. The GOP allowed itself to become, in Bobby Jindal’s apt phrase, the party of stupid. It denied evolution. It denied global warming. It denied geology. It denied the need for any education beyond what might be needed to get a job. It kept returning to the theory that tax cuts would produce a booming economy, despite the fact that there was no evidence that that was so. (Kansas, anyone?) It denied the importance of facts themselves. Some Republicans even denied Enlightenment principles of scientific inquiry and discourse and embraced theocracy. And there was no intellectual enforcer like a Buckley who was willing or able to call out such stupidity. Stupid people are easy for carnival barkers like Trump to manipulate.
3. The GOP was infiltrated by and is now heavily dependent on religious literalists. As Barry Goldwater pointed out years ago, those people are impossible to work with in a democratic government because they refuse to compromise. If you are acting in accordance with God’s law, then even the smallest deviation from that (i.e., the compromises democracy relies on for its very survival) becomes heresy. Though Trump is far from religious, he promises no-compromise tactics in defeating ISIS, in keeping Americans “safe.”
4. The GOP became the party of the Lost Cause, the party of the south. Though it drives some of my Republican friends crazy to hear this said, the party went out of its way to embrace bigoted voters. And the party encouraged their racism, especially when Obama won the presidency. But for years, Republicans thought they had to couch their racism in dog whistles and cutesy allusions. Now comes Trump who proudly disdains polite speech and openly expresses his bigotry. And the reaction is delight and relief: finally, we can say what we really think and express our prejudices — by voting for a man who does just that.
5. The GOP adopted Leninist tactics. “No enemies to the right” became its electoral message. No matter how kooky, antidemocratic, or reactionary you were, the GOP was willing to embrace you. And so unsurprisingly, the party moved right. Far, far right. Fear of being called a RINO drove party members to extreme positions. And at the extreme end of every ideology is authoritarianism (which is true of both left and right). Today the party bears almost no resemblance to the one my parents supported. So along comes Trump, whose ideology (to the extent he has one) isn’t conservative, but is authoritarian. His very campaign slogan is revanchist: Make America great again. While his policies are not in line with past GOP policies, his tone and his authoritarian style are the inevitable result of the Republican’s embrace of more and more extreme ideas.
6. Trump is a celebrity. He’s best known as a reality TV personality, not a politician. We live in a culture that glorifies celebrities, but for years few celebrities have identified as Republicans. The entertainment industry is overwhelmingly moderate to liberal. For years, Republicans had to make do with C-list celebrity endorsements (Ted Nugent?). Suddenly, here comes an A-list guy and the Republican faithful are delighted. Finally, a celebrity who isn’t a Democrat!
There are many other factors, of course. But these, I think, are a good starting point. As a liberal, I cop to feeling some schadenfreude at seeing the GOP in a Trumpian dilemma. But as an American, I am dismayed. Our democracy needs a principled, intellectually coherent, forward-looking conservative party. It doesn’t have one now. And that’s dangerous.”
-Jim Trumm
(original author of this rant, which I wholeheartedly endorse)
Trump will just run 3rd party and the democrats will win. Dumb tactic.
Very powerful post. Well said!
Funnelcloud says:
March 3, 2016 at 8:50 am
The people of Florida and Ohio are going to determine if Trump gets the nomination, If he wins those states he’s basically unstoppable, If he loses one he still may make the 1237 delegates , If he loses both it will probably end up a brokered convention. Did you see the GOP is thinking of bringing Romney back into the mix just to try to steal delegates to force the convention. The GOP is sending the message that the voice of the people does not matter, Last night on fox they were basically saying “Screw you” To the american people. If they don’t get “THERE” guy, they will not support the peoples choice, One senator said he would hold his nose and vote for Clinton before Trump. In true hypocritical fashion the GOP”$ talks of Trumps ethics, Ethics? whats that in congress or the senate, we have seated felons, (Hillary?) Inside trading(Bohner, Pelosi), Special family favors (Rubio’s Drug addicted cousin), the waste, ( 55million dollar gas station) bribes and pay-offs, ect ect ect (with a little research you can find many examples). The GOP however, (not to fully exclude the Dems” as noted”) has the audacity to claim that they are the poster children of ethics, The guardians of our constitution and the saviors of true democracy, and that my friends is bullsh*t, for as much as the Dems (having Robin Hood syndrome) Want to rob from the rich and give to the poor, The GOP calls that transfer of wealth> The GOP allows corporations, wall street, to big to fail Banks and politicians to Rob from the middle class to give to the elites (CEO”S, politically connected) and they call That good business, For years the working middle class has overlooked the stealing from the elites because they still were able to have a reasonable standard of living, decent benefits and a retirement, but the corporate greed has gotten so prolific that we are losing the middle class standard, And the republican base (Middle Class Non Executive Workers) do blame the GOP for allowing this to happen. End result Trump Nomination. If the GOP had told CEO”S to leave some crumbs for the little guy, (health care, pensions ect) this would probably not be happening>
Trump Trump Trump!
……………………- *” \ – “::*’\
………………„-^*” : : „” : : : :: *„
…………..„-* : : :„„–/ : : : : : : : ‘\
…………./ : : „-* . .| : : : : : : : : ‘|
…………/ : „-* . . . | : : : : : : : : |
…………\„-* . . . . .| : : : : : : : :’|
…………/ . . . . . . ‘| : : : : : : : :|
………./ . . . . . . . .’\ : : : : : : : |
……../ . . . . . . . . . .\ : : : : : : :|
……./ . . . . . . . . . . . ‘\ : : : : : /
……/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . *-„„„„-*’
….’/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘|
…/ . . . . . . . ./ . . . . . . .|
../ . . . . . . . .’/ . . . . . . .’|
./ . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . .’|
‘/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .’|
‘| . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . .|
‘| . . . . . . \„_^- „ . . . . .’|
‘| . . . . . . . . .’\ .\ ./ ‘/ . |
| .\ . . . . . . . . . \ .” / . ‘|
| . . . . . . . . . . / .’/ . . .|
| . . . . . . .| . . / ./ ./ . .|
‘| . . . . . . . . .’\ .\ ./ ‘/ . |
| .\ . . . . . . . . . \ .” / . ‘|
| . . . . . . . . . . / .’/ . . .|
| . . . . . . .| . . / ./ ./ . .|
‘| . . . . . . . . .’\ .\ ./ ‘/ . |
| .\ . . . . . . . . . \ .” / . ‘|
| . . . . . . . . . . / .’/ . . .|
| . . . . . . .| . . / ./ ./ . .|
‘| . . . . . . . . .’\ .\ ./ ‘/ . |
There is no avoiding Trump. There are too many angry hardworking citizens that are searching desperately for an answer to their problems of being raped by both the bottom and top. The “American Dream” has become nothing more than a literal dream for a good majority of the population. Did you expect anything less when you take away pensions, good paying jobs, and raises from hard working individuals? And on top of that, you totally throw them under the bus with healthcare by increasing the costs (way past the rate of inflation) and at the same time lowering the value of the service provided? I’m surprised the pitch forks haven’t come out yet.
grim says:
March 3, 2016 at 8:14 pm
Trump will just run 3rd party and the democrats will win. Dumb tactic.
Speaking of, Sports Authority was doomed when the first Dicks opened in this area.
How Modells can stay in business, I have no idea, that place is a dump. Maybe that’s why.
They should just beat trump with chains and bats.
Nah won’t work he has WWE Experience.
http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/07/09/donald-trump-wwe-wrestling-being-moody-origwx-bw.cnn
I explained it all yesterday. Trump and Sanders are protest votes. Whichever parties embraces the protester wins. And Otto, your explanation was textbook doodie. If more people thought like you, the Barnum & Bailey Circus would be today’s Google. The protest vote on the R side is not a knock on their social stances ya dolt. It’s exactly the same thing that the Berners are looking for. People want a frickin’ raise after both of their parties sold the middle class down the river in free trade agreements that exported our jobs so the plantation owners (that top 1%) could fulfill their need for greed. Wow…reading your poppycock Otto, is like listening to the devout ramblings of a Muslim extremist. You think we all live for social issues, but ultimately people vote with their wallet. It’s simply amazing to me how poor of a candidate Cankles is. With that war chest and both union and corporate investment, it must kill you how ineffectual of a campaigner she is. Trump is going to kick her ass without spending a dime by simply blaming everything on Mexico. It’s rich, I tell ya. Rich!
I explained it all yesterday. Trump and Sanders are protest votes. Whichever parties embraces the protester wins. And Otto, your explanation was textbook doodie. If more people thought like you, the Barnum & Bailey Circus would be today’s Google. The protest vote on the R side is not a knock on their social stances ya dolt. It’s exactly the same thing that the Berners are looking for. People want a frickin’ raise after both of their parties sold the middle class down the river in free trade agreements that exported our jobs so the plantation owners (that top 1%) could fulfill their need for greed. Wow…reading your poppyc0ck Otto, is like listening to the devout ramblings of a Muslim extremist. You think we all live for social issues, but ultimately people vote with their wallet. It’s simply amazing to me how poor of a candidate Cankles is. With that war chest and both union and corporate investment, it must kill you how ineffectual of a campaigner she is. Trump is going to kick her ass without spending a dime by simply blaming everything on Mexico. It’s rich, I tell ya. Rich!
Grim,
Modell’s is the dollar store of sporting goods stores. Besides the personalized jerseys which is their bread and butter, everything else is garbage. It’s the same quality as those t-shirts you can buy at the dollar store for 4 for $10. Even their sporting goods are garbage. It’s the cheapest entry level cr@p. Consumers are just imbeciles (as are most voters).
Post 100 beyatches.
99. I dunno man. What I think you meant to say was that Modell’s – an institution mind you — have the same brands others have. Just not the merchandising. For the Higher end, mostly Dick’s — but Dick’s has also scaled back. Punting their PGA pros, pairing down.Who knows. Oversaturation. and the internet.
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-position-on-visas
– March 04, 2016 –
Donald J. Trump Position on Visas
“Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements. I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions.”
You have to be kidding me with this nonsense. So not only a free education, but now we have to pay this punk $195k for going to school because his feelings were hurt? Let me guess, single mother household and the family is poor just doing their part to take advantage of the system. Should be ashamed of themselves. Well guys, nj taxpayer on the hook for some bs.
Town to pay student $195K in desk-flipping suit
http://usat.ly/1oTlOhf
102- I really hope he follows through on everything he says. If he follows through, he is a true American. If he doesn’t follow through, he has officially gone from businessman to politician.
http://tinyurl.com/Otto-s-nightmare
So no-one but me felt a chill when Trump said about the military and war crimes?:
“They won’t refuse. They’re not going to refuse me,” “If I say do it, they’re going to do it.”
I’m sure he has the same attitude toward the constitution and what he’s going to tell the police, CIA, FBI, etc, to do to American citizens and their rights.
How did that “non-career politician” failed painter work out for Germany? Anyone running for President is a politician. The key question is what they plan to do based on which principles.
102,
Really, funny because last night Trump said something I agree with that entirely contradicts his H1B website statement. Namely that we need to keep highly educated foreign students working in the US rather than making it so difficult to stay and work.
Moreso than most politicians, Trump actually talks out of both sides of his mouth, letting his fans hear what they want to hear and run with it in their fantasies of how very special things will be under his leadership.
Trump last night:
“I’m changing. I’m changing. We need highly-skilled people in this country. If we can’t do it, we will get them in. And we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have. So we do need highly-skilled,” Trump said. “One of the biggest problems we have people will go to the best colleges, they’ll go to Harvard, they’ll go to Stanford, to Wharton, as soon as they are finished they get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately. They are not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.”
I guess he will call these the Trump1B visas.
108 Ragnar, it is about abuse of the visa’s as far as I’m concerned anyone who is earning in major markets(NYC,LA,SF,CHI) 200k a year is worthy of a visa, bringing in 60k workers on an H1B is about cost savings at the expense of the american worker.