What Trump DIDN'T do in 2017
- Thread starter Guard Dad
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Far West
Pursuit Driver
I was reading one news article on the internet, then clicked on another about Trump at Mar-a- Lago. I did not look at who the source was until I was reading the comments ...a WA Po article..... (The article was fine- who knows now how much was made up. 
)
I like reading comments. The comments were vicious. Then I got to one, I thought they were being ironic, and I was waiting for a punch line on 0bama, but the more I read, I realized their reality was very different than mine:
Remember the good old days (a year ago) when most people felt safe, government worked as it should (except for the obstructionist Republican Congress), the Constitution was respected, the USA wasn't threatening war with multiple countries, and we had a sane, mature President who wasn't saying and doing stupid/insulting/mean-spirited things, constantly lying, bilking the American taxpayers for staying at his own properties, and blowing hot air up his own derrierre everyday?
And when the President actually put in a full weeks work and wasn't continually golfing or holding campaign-style rallies?
And the President and his family weren't being investigated for treason?
I very much miss those days!
I very much miss President Obama!
People may have had their reasons for not liking Secretary Clinton, but at this point it is pretty obvious that she is a gem compared to Trump!
Sad, so sad!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...rid_collaborative_1_na&utm_term=.dc3d798c8dbc
)I like reading comments. The comments were vicious. Then I got to one, I thought they were being ironic, and I was waiting for a punch line on 0bama, but the more I read, I realized their reality was very different than mine:
Remember the good old days (a year ago) when most people felt safe, government worked as it should (except for the obstructionist Republican Congress), the Constitution was respected, the USA wasn't threatening war with multiple countries, and we had a sane, mature President who wasn't saying and doing stupid/insulting/mean-spirited things, constantly lying, bilking the American taxpayers for staying at his own properties, and blowing hot air up his own derrierre everyday?
And when the President actually put in a full weeks work and wasn't continually golfing or holding campaign-style rallies?
And the President and his family weren't being investigated for treason?
I very much miss those days!
I very much miss President Obama!
People may have had their reasons for not liking Secretary Clinton, but at this point it is pretty obvious that she is a gem compared to Trump!
Sad, so sad!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...rid_collaborative_1_na&utm_term=.dc3d798c8dbc
Far West
Pursuit Driver
From ACE:
2017 is going out with a bang...Global Warming is currently freezing the snot out of the Northeast and, for that matter, much of the rest of the country.
The people of Iran are hinting that maybe, just maybe, they are tired of almost 40 years of a repressive dictatorship and are ready for something different.
America's deep state is pulling out all of the stops in its attempt to destroy a legally elected president, and he is standing tall and proud in defiance, laughing in their faces, and is systematically dismantling the power structures that they have so carefully built since the Wilson administration.
The "Palestinians" have just been very publicly punched in the nose by the United States of America, and the only people to come to their aid have been the neutered apparatchiks of the UN.
The U.S. economy is doing well, and looks to do even better.
Perhaps it isn't "Morning in America," but it sure does look brighter.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2017 is going out with a bang...Global Warming is currently freezing the snot out of the Northeast and, for that matter, much of the rest of the country.
The people of Iran are hinting that maybe, just maybe, they are tired of almost 40 years of a repressive dictatorship and are ready for something different.
America's deep state is pulling out all of the stops in its attempt to destroy a legally elected president, and he is standing tall and proud in defiance, laughing in their faces, and is systematically dismantling the power structures that they have so carefully built since the Wilson administration.
The "Palestinians" have just been very publicly punched in the nose by the United States of America, and the only people to come to their aid have been the neutered apparatchiks of the UN.
The U.S. economy is doing well, and looks to do even better.
Perhaps it isn't "Morning in America," but it sure does look brighter.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
lotstodo
aka "The Jackal"
Things are better than I would have predicted. There are still promises broken and promises left to do, and frankly, some of them are better left undone.
The economy worries me, because the fundamentals are shaky. Corporate debt bubble, college debt bubble, the Fed still hasn't grown any balls and the longer they wait, the worse it's going to be. Trump hasn't done anything to disrupt the economy though, like trade wars, which he practically promised, and that's a good thing. Housing starts are up mostly on the back of cheap money, and as long as people can borrow at a rate near inflation, and beat that rate easily in the markets, mortgages are going to originate. That is a double edged sword. The tax bill was a real aid to businesses both large and small, but increasing the debt is quite troubling from a long term perspective. Spending is still completely out of control.
The military arm of ISIS, such as it is/was is back underground mostly on the air power surge started by Obama and continued by Trump. However we are still in quite a few places around the world where we don't belong, Syria being #1 on that list. We are still funding NATO and the UN, although the UN perspective is hopefully about to change. I really like what Haley has done, but I'm completely unimpressed with Tillerson, he needs to go. North Korea is troublesome and I sincerely hope that Tillerson is replaced with someone who understands the gravity of the situation and has both the balls and negotiating skills to walk that minefield. Trump himself is unsuited for that job and he needs to keep his twitter hole shut on this, and well, everything else for that matter. He really needs a strong competent statesman for SOS.
A lot of judgeships have been filled and Goresuch will be a great addition when he gets his sea legs. I think he will probably suit me more than he does Trump. Maybe the old bat will retire or forget how to find the courthouse, and we will have another seat to fill. That would be awesome.
I get an "I told you so" on domestic spying though. I really can't blame all of that on Trump, but the Republicans have to do much better on that front.
Obamacare is here to stay in one form or another. While ending the individual mandate was a sly end-around, it will have massive (unintended?) consequences. It will, in my estimation at least, just lead to single payer which seems to not be the political evil that it was in Washington when the Dems were in charge. Believe me, a lot of Republicans would vote for it in a heartbeat because it's the Big Government Holy Grail, and the current crop on the hill are not fiscal conservatives, nor are they libertarian. I can't wait to see the spin.
Immigration is one of those promises that will probably go undone, as Trump is already offering DACA up in exchange for the wall. We will quite possibly get both just like we did with Bush. Remember that deal? This one will go as well. In other words, we will get half a wall, the Dems will get amnesty, and comprehensive immigration reform will once again go undone. We can hope otherwise, but I don't see the resolve in congress or the White House.
Anyway, anytime Krugman and Pelosi looks like fools, it's a good thing. Certainly we are better off than if Clinton was in the seat, but we all knew that.
The economy worries me, because the fundamentals are shaky. Corporate debt bubble, college debt bubble, the Fed still hasn't grown any balls and the longer they wait, the worse it's going to be. Trump hasn't done anything to disrupt the economy though, like trade wars, which he practically promised, and that's a good thing. Housing starts are up mostly on the back of cheap money, and as long as people can borrow at a rate near inflation, and beat that rate easily in the markets, mortgages are going to originate. That is a double edged sword. The tax bill was a real aid to businesses both large and small, but increasing the debt is quite troubling from a long term perspective. Spending is still completely out of control.
The military arm of ISIS, such as it is/was is back underground mostly on the air power surge started by Obama and continued by Trump. However we are still in quite a few places around the world where we don't belong, Syria being #1 on that list. We are still funding NATO and the UN, although the UN perspective is hopefully about to change. I really like what Haley has done, but I'm completely unimpressed with Tillerson, he needs to go. North Korea is troublesome and I sincerely hope that Tillerson is replaced with someone who understands the gravity of the situation and has both the balls and negotiating skills to walk that minefield. Trump himself is unsuited for that job and he needs to keep his twitter hole shut on this, and well, everything else for that matter. He really needs a strong competent statesman for SOS.
A lot of judgeships have been filled and Goresuch will be a great addition when he gets his sea legs. I think he will probably suit me more than he does Trump. Maybe the old bat will retire or forget how to find the courthouse, and we will have another seat to fill. That would be awesome.
I get an "I told you so" on domestic spying though. I really can't blame all of that on Trump, but the Republicans have to do much better on that front.
Obamacare is here to stay in one form or another. While ending the individual mandate was a sly end-around, it will have massive (unintended?) consequences. It will, in my estimation at least, just lead to single payer which seems to not be the political evil that it was in Washington when the Dems were in charge. Believe me, a lot of Republicans would vote for it in a heartbeat because it's the Big Government Holy Grail, and the current crop on the hill are not fiscal conservatives, nor are they libertarian. I can't wait to see the spin.
Immigration is one of those promises that will probably go undone, as Trump is already offering DACA up in exchange for the wall. We will quite possibly get both just like we did with Bush. Remember that deal? This one will go as well. In other words, we will get half a wall, the Dems will get amnesty, and comprehensive immigration reform will once again go undone. We can hope otherwise, but I don't see the resolve in congress or the White House.
Anyway, anytime Krugman and Pelosi looks like fools, it's a good thing. Certainly we are better off than if Clinton was in the seat, but we all knew that.
Trump has done a few good things. His rolling back of regulations his policies being generally pro business has business expansion in high gear again.
But frankly, just the very fact that the Democrats, with their business hostile policies, are out of power did as much good as anything. Venture capital has been anxious to turn loose the money, they just needed the government to step out of the way a bit. The change in administrations has provided that step out of the way.
But frankly, just the very fact that the Democrats, with their business hostile policies, are out of power did as much good as anything. Venture capital has been anxious to turn loose the money, they just needed the government to step out of the way a bit. The change in administrations has provided that step out of the way.
lotstodo
aka "The Jackal"
I left money on the table this year because of my fear of a steep correction. Being retired, it's hard to recover from those because contributions are no longer an option. I'm about 25% underweight on domestic stocks and overweight on short term bonds and cash. My surprise winner this year was international stocks and convertibles. I had bought just as a hedge, and they did pretty well.
I used to try and beat the S&P on the up. Now I try to beat the crap out of it on the down while still generating income. That's a tough nut with low interest rates and oversold bonds, so I have to be more selective in my stock and bond funds.
A correction is coming, and like always, being the last man out before it dives is where most want to be. I just can't afford to be the guy holding on the Tuesday after another Black Monday.
MacDaddy
Training wheel examiner
Agreed. Keeping fingers crossed it will hold off just a while longer. Planning to do it, just need to decide how much and which funds to cash (all or some) in.
I didn't do as well in 2017 mainly because I made two mistakes early in the year and was too stubborn to "recognize" the losses from the ill-timed picks. Instead I sat on them wayyyyyyy to long then finally dumped for tax planning purposes since I don't see them recovering anytime soon. Basically I broke two of my investing "rules" and as predicted paid the price for it. The positive news is that I'm "playing with house money" and still had just short of a 13% total return which is much more than I would have got from any bank or CD. The negative news is 13% didn't beat the markets and I take pride in trying to outperform the markets each year since mine is primarily from single stock picks instead of mutual funds or ETFs.
lotstodo
aka "The Jackal"
I used to try and beat the S&P by at least 2% before I retired. When you have a few years to recover a downturn doesn't really matter, it even gives you a buy opportunity if you play contrarian.
Now if I lose it affects my draw. I could adjust my lifestyle, but there is a limit to that, and if I were to exceed my planned draw, it would really shorten how long I could last this early in retirement. I'm using Guyden with guardrails as my draw plan.
I have to say that being retired is more stressful investment wise than it was when I was working and building a nest egg.
I wanted to retire at 55 but I just won't be ready in 2 years. I'd be too bored anyway.
TRUMP from the beginning....TRUMP to the end.
He is the polar opposite of pretty much every president in my lifetime and that's exactly why I like him.
He is the polar opposite of pretty much every president in my lifetime and that's exactly why I like him.