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"Donald Trump Reports He’s Getting Rich as President"

Jeremiahcp

Well-Known Jerk
President Trump says he’s received tens of millions of dollars in income from the golf courses and resorts whose profile he boosted during frequent visits since taking office, according to filings released Friday by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.

The 98 pages of financial disclosures offer a partial snapshot of Trump’s income and assets from January 2016 to April this year, as well as indications he’s reaped at least a partial windfall since his most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission last year. The filings offer less detailed information about his precise financial situation than would be obtained from his tax returns. Trump broke with modern precedents by refusing to release those returns on the campaign trail or during his presidency.

Trump has taken his leisure time to new levels both in volume and location. A May 5 analysis by The Washington Post found that Trump visited at least one of the properties he owned in 36 of his first 108 days in office, or one-third of his presidency to that time. The trips include almost weekly visits to Mar-a-Lago and his Florida properties, where he mingles with guests and club members as well as hosts foreign dignitaries.

Donald Trump Reports He’s Getting Rich Off the Presidency

Of course these trips are paid for by taxpayers.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Typically Presidents wait until they leave office to cash in. Given his track record, this story does not surprise me in the least.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
There are some who feel that his refusal to divest his business interests or at least put them under a third party may be the thing that could undo him in the long run as a violation of the Constitution. As Trump has shown over and over again, he believes he's above the law, and this was even clear during the campaign.

Former representative Joe Scarborough (R-Florida), who knows Trump personally, referred to him last week as a "sleazy businessman" on "Morning Joe"-- his words, not mine.
 

Falvlun

Earthbending Lemur
Premium Member
He gets paid no different than any others in office. Or did he take less than his predecessors.....
Don't be obtuse. Nobody is talking about his salary.

They are talking about the fact that he has not divested himself from his businesses. So if his businesses make money, he is making money. His businesses are making more money now that he is President because he is indirectly promoting them.

Or, more nefariously, people who want to gain access to the President or curry favor with him, including foreigners, are choosing his businesses to accomplish that.

Furthermore, because he chooses to vacation at his businesses, he is directly gaining taxpayer money, since the cost for his entourage to stay at that business is covered by taxpayer money.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Don't be obtuse. Nobody is talking about his salary.

They are talking about the fact that he has not divested himself from his businesses. So if his businesses make money, he is making money. His businesses are making more money now that he is President because he is indirectly promoting them.

Or, more nefariously, people who want to gain access to the President or curry favor with him, including foreigners, are choosing his businesses to accomplish that.

Furthermore, because he chooses to vacation at his businesses, he is directly gaining taxpayer money, since the cost for his entourage to stay at that business is covered by taxpayer money.
What? A president cannot be a businessman?

Like a lawyer would be less nefarious I suppose.

Yea. That's it.
 

Falvlun

Earthbending Lemur
Premium Member
What? A president cannot be a businessman?

Like a lawyer would be less nefarious I suppose.

Yea. That's it.
This is the 2nd time you have responded to a post without actually addressing anything in it.

Traditionally, businessmen or rich people who have become Presidents have put their holdings in blind trust. For instance, President Carter had to put his peanut farm under a blind trust due to Republican concerns. This assures the American public that the President is not making national decisions with his own business or financial prospects in mind. Trump has refused to do this, so he breaks with tradition, and we have no assurance.

So, to focus your reply, here's some direct questions:
1) Why is it ok that Trump breaks longstanding tradition? Do you disagree with the tradition or do you just think Trump is special?
2) Do you have any concerns that Trump will Use his position to benefit himself? If not, why are you so willing to trust him? By all accounts, he's a pretty sleazy businessman.
3) Do you think it appropriate for the President to promote his own business while in office?
4) Do you think it appropriate that the President's businesses are billing us, the taxpayers, for his and his entourage's use of them? How is this different than if, say, Carter had insisted that only his brand of peanut butter ever be stocked or used at White House functions?
5) Are you concerned that foreign dignitaries or agents could be using Trump's businesses as a way to curry favor with him, or to gain access to him? If not, why not?
 

Nietzsche

The Last Prussian
Premium Member
Redundant. Trump already is insanely wealthy. Figure of speech. People ought try harder in bashing Trump.

He gets paid no different than any others in office. Or did he take less than his predecessors.....

What? A president cannot be a businessman?

Like a lawyer would be less nefarious I suppose.

Yea. That's it.

Do you enjoy making these sorts of responses because it makes you laugh, or do you just genuinely lack anything of substance to defend Herr Trump here with?
 

VioletVortex

Well-Known Member
****. He can afford more. For what service exactly are taxpayers paying for? Shouldn't tax money go to healthcare rather than Trump?
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
This is the 2nd time you have responded to a post without actually addressing anything in it.

Traditionally, businessmen or rich people who have become Presidents have put their holdings in blind trust. For instance, President Carter had to put his peanut farm under a blind trust due to Republican concerns. This assures the American public that the President is not making national decisions with his own business or financial prospects in mind. Trump has refused to do this, so he breaks with tradition, and we have no assurance.

So, to focus your reply, here's some direct questions:
1) Why is it ok that Trump breaks longstanding tradition? Do you disagree with the tradition or do you just think Trump is special?
2) Do you have any concerns that Trump will Use his position to benefit himself? If not, why are you so willing to trust him? By all accounts, he's a pretty sleazy businessman.
3) Do you think it appropriate for the President to promote his own business while in office?
4) Do you think it appropriate that the President's businesses are billing us, the taxpayers, for his and his entourage's use of them? How is this different than if, say, Carter had insisted that only his brand of peanut butter ever be stocked or used at White House functions?
5) Are you concerned that foreign dignitaries or agents could be using Trump's businesses as a way to curry favor with him, or to gain access to him? If not, why not?

Actually my input is very relevant to what's being addressed. A president has a personal choice to break tradition if he or she, should it be the case, dosent develop serious repercussions as a consequence. Obama broke tradition by bowing down to another leader.
Big whoop. Big deal. If Trump is unorthodox with tradition. He's not the first, he certainly won't be the last. It's a tit for tat arguement.

For a man who in essence has just about everything he ever wants, I'm not sure what else will be of benefit to him personally. Any idea?

As for his trustworthiness, when was the last time a President was called trustworthy of late? I don't remember any. Don't see any difference here either should Trump's trustworthiness be called into question in regards to the well being of the country itself and how his policies take hold in the future.

As far as open self promotion goes, I'll take it over rampant closed door cronyism any day where such things are covered up and concealed from the public eye. To think selfpromotion is just a Trump thing to caterwaul about, is pretty ignorant and righteous themed drivel to think anyone else in a public position never does the same things.

If his businesses were used legally to perform services, they should be properly compensated for said services. Unless of course something highly illegal is going on that people should know about. Is Trump denying anything along those lines that his businesses are involved? Same thing goes for over seas interests. What's wrong with currying favor anyways that provides a mutual benefit for all involved. Dosent sound so bad unless of course it's actually detrimental to the welfare and safety of this country.
 

Jeremiahcp

Well-Known Jerk
So what do you think is going to happen?

I think his support is going to continue to erode and the lawsuits/investigations are going to continue to pile up. I also think his behavior will continue to undermined public support for the Republicans and cause a wider gap in the rift that is already present in the Republican party.
 

Falvlun

Earthbending Lemur
Premium Member
Actually my input is very relevant to what's being addressed. A president has a personal choice to break tradition if he or she, should it be the case, dosent develop serious repercussions as a consequence. Obama broke tradition by bowing down to another leader.
Big whoop. Big deal. If Trump is unorthodox with tradition. He's not the first, he certainly won't be the last. It's a tit for tat arguement.
It's interesting how little stock conservatives put in tradition nowadays.

For a man who in essence has just about everything he ever wants, I'm not sure what else will be of benefit to him personally. Any idea?
Most rich people are still trying to become even more rich. That's so obvious I'm not sure why I had to even point it out. Also, since we actually don't know Trump's financial status, it could be that he has some loans that need paying off.

As for his trustworthiness, when was the last time a President was called trustworthy of late? I don't remember any. Don't see any difference here either should Trump's trustworthiness be called into question in regards to the well being of the country itself and how his policies take hold in the future.
That's entirely my point: You don't trust politicians. So why are trusting Trump to do what's best for the country over himself? Why wouldn't you support him divesting his business so that we don't have to take his word that he's not doing things for himself?

As far as open self promotion goes, I'll take it over rampant closed door cronyism any day where such things are covered up and concealed from the public eye. To think selfpromotion is just a Trump thing to caterwaul about, is pretty ignorant and righteous themed drivel to think anyone else in a public position never does the same things.
You seem to think that because there is open self-promotion that this means there is no closed door cronyism. Ha.

No. That just means we have both open self-promotion and closed door cronyism. Why do you think it's better to have both than just one?

If his businesses were used legally to perform services, they should be properly compensated for said services. Unless of course something highly illegal is going on that people should know about. Is Trump denying anything along those lines that his businesses are involved?
So, you think it's ok for a politician to funnel government contracts to his private business? I fail to see the difference here. I also think you are smart enough to see the problem.

Same thing goes for over seas interests. What's wrong with currying favor anyways that provides a mutual benefit for all involved. Dosent sound so bad unless of course it's actually detrimental to the welfare and safety of this country.
Wow. I'm a bit speechless.

I really didn't think I'd see people supporting the idea of foreign dignitaries attempting to curry favor with the US President by using his businesses, but I guess here we are.

To help clear your confusion, yes, it is detrimental to our country, always. It basically cuts us as a country out of it, and makes it just about whoever makes Trump happy.
 

Falvlun

Earthbending Lemur
Premium Member
Your first source sucks. It literally has an ad for viagra on the page. Basically it's argument is that the founding fathers had businesses so why not Trump? Well, maybe because we live in a very different world that 1775? Furthermore, divesting has been the norm since LBJ, a little closer in history to us then good old George.

For a bit more balanced view: Trump not first wealthy president.

Your second source actually isn't in your favor at all.

"Such an unprecedented, ongoing linkage of a president with a commercial operation is regarded as potentially unethical and may even be illegal. Some of those potential woes led President Jimmy Carter, for example, to put his Georgia peanut business into a trust arrangement, although his brother continued to have a job in it."

The whole article is essentially saying that there's nothing explicitly against it, except for possible foreign entanglements, but here's why it's a really bad idea for Trump to retain control of his businessss, and here's ways he can get in trouble for it.
 
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