Can I ask a stupid question?

[smirkymonkey]

I keep hearing about how Trump has been doing a magnificent job with the economy and jobs and healing the nation and all that bullshit, but everything within me tells me it's not true. What I would like to know is by objective standards, what kind of job has he really been doing? I believe he is lying through his teeth, but is that my liberal bias?

Is there any truth whatsoever to his ridiculous claims? I know I am going to come up against this when I visit my family in a few weeks and I would like to be armed with some facts.

Are there numbers, graphs, articles that show us that everything he's telling us is complete bullshit? Because I rarely see anyone refuting him on these particular issues. Admittedly, I don't get cable and I work a lot so I don't get a lot of exposure to news other than DU and a few other liberal outlets, but I don't see anyone going up against him on this.

[guillaumeb]

1. Compare job creation under Bush, Obama, and Trump.

Obama is #1, Trump is #2, Bush is #3.

And that is only one factor.

[dameatball]

2. Here is a strategy

1. Stay in a hotel

2. Avoid political discussion

3. See # 1

[manor321]

3. He hasn't done anything

The vast world economies largely function as is without the direct influence of the President. He's a president of a republic, not a King of a world empire.

Two things could be pointed to: tariffs and tax cuts. The tax cuts have exploded the deficit and resulted almost only in stock buybacks (which have only enriched wealthy corporate owners). The tariffs are a disaster and have cost jobs.

[smirkymonkey]

5. I have seen that, but where is he pulling all these numbers from?

Are they just all blatant lies? I think they are, but am not a very good researcher and I would like to see irrefutable proof that he has been an economic disaster, even though I know he is or at least he will be in the very near future.

[LuckyCharms]

4. Generally, the thing about the economy is...

that any big policy decisions sometimes take a considerable amount of time to be reflected in in benchmark numbers.

The economy by some measures is doing well right now. However, by other measures it is not. In particular, the news every day is getting more onerous concerning businesses that are being hurt badly by Trump's tariffs. Also, while unemployment is low, wages are stagnant. Additionally, there is terrible uncertainty in the health insurance market, and uncertainty breeds increased premiums to cover increased risk. Increased health insurance premiums will affect not only employees, but the bottom line of businesses as well, because employers pay a portion of the premium.

The stock market is not a reliable indicator for true economic health, since much of the market is dominated by short term investors who create the swings. Whether the swings be up or down, they can make money either way.

I feel that the low unemployment is merely a continuation of the Obama trend that took years to build.

[smirkymonkey]

6. Thank you. I appreciate your answer.

Bookmarking this for use in future "discussions".

[LuckyCharms]

9. .

[MiniMe]

7. tRump says that he is doing a great job with the economy

Of course, you can't believe anything that tRump says, he is a proven liar. And he inherited Obama's economy.

[smirkymonkey]

10. I believe that, but his lies are so outsized. People really believe he is doing this wonderful

job. I guess I am just looking for facts and figures that proves that he is NOT doing the job he claims to be doing. Thanks for answering.

[unblock]

8. Actually a complicated question.

There are plenty of objective measures as to how the country is doing, particularly the economy and the financial markets.

But then there's the question of how much of that is Donnie's doing and how much of that is carryover from obama or just luck of being in office at the time.

Legislatively, donnie signed a tax cut for the rich. Given republican majorities in both houses, this was a given, it was done largely without him (his only inputvseems to be the break for passthroughs, which benefits his own business immensely). That's really the only significant piece of legislation. Given same party control of congress, that's pretty pathetic.

He like to tout how he's nominated one and now a second justice to the Supreme Court. Unless and until they turn out to be brilliant justices, that's really just luck of being there at the right time (though it seems they may have pressured Kennedy into retiring, so maybe this is an "accomplishment" of sorts.) but getting a republican senate to confirm is hardly and achievement.

Then there's executive actions. He's done a lot, some of which courts have knocked down. But he has done a lot in terms of undoing regulation and dismantling and understaffing our federal bureaucracy. He calls it an accomplishment, I call it toxic neglect....

[smirkymonkey]

13. The way I see it these are very short term economic gains that will be a disaster in the long run.

Like most republicans, they don't look very far ahead and are all for immediate gratification. I think their policies will be disastrous in the long haul (I was an econ major and had a career in finance). I guess I just feel so gaslighted by all this. I don't believe it for a minute, but I end up second guessing myself because they are so effective in beating down our morale.

Thanks for your answer. I appreciate it.

[Atticus]

11. I don't have charts or graphs, but think I can offer an explanation of why you seldom

see or hear people refuting Trump's claim that he's doing a "magnificent job".

I think most people know Trump is a lying head case. His ridiculous boasts are not just totally unjustified, they are in the same category as "the world is flat" and "Bigfoot kidnapped the Lindberg baby"; which is to say: they are not worthy of serious response.

That's my take and it's worth what it cost you.

[smirkymonkey]

14. I guess that is the difference between us and them.

They take everything at face value and we need facts and figures to back up claims. But we do need people out their challenging his claims because he is full of shit and will get away with his lies if nobody confronts him.

[mnmoderatedem]

12. just compare the jobs situation inherited by Obama and Trump

Obama inherited a month in January 2009 when he was inaugurated where we lost 800,000 jobs. Not a typo. The months prior to that we were losing between 600,000 and 700,000 jobs.

trump inherited a tailwind

[smirkymonkey]

15. I know that is true, but people don't understand economic lags. That is why I am afraid that if he

leaves office soon his disastrous policies are going to sink the economy and Democrats will end up being blamed for them. This is the problem with having a weak educational system. The republicans know this works in their favor.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Trumpsters try to brag about how well the economy is supposedly doing.

Trumpsters try to brag about how well the economy is supposedly doing.

For those invested in the stock market and billionaires getting tax cuts… yep.

For the average American…

Cost of living rises at fastest rate in decade

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/401321-cost-of-living-rises-at-quickest-rate-in-10-years

For the biggest group of American workers, wages aren’t just flat. They’re falling.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/15/for-the-biggest-group-of-american-workers-wages-arent-just-flat-theyre-falling

[smirkymonkey]

17. Thank YOU!

This is pretty much what I was looking for. I know the average american is not doing much better despite all the hype. The RICH are doing much better and that is the economy he is talking up. Thanks for posting!