Edit: The US govt lost .2 trillion last year. Despite this fact some still believe that their economy is doing well.
'Tis a funny old world.

Edited by .TUX. (27 Feb 2018 10.29pm)

Edit: The US govt lost .2 trillion last year. Despite this fact some still believe that their economy is doing well.
'Tis a funny old world.

Edited by .TUX. (27 Feb 2018 10.29pm)

Sorry, your claims that the upturn in the US economy isn't to do with Trump is pure nonsense. He has been President for more than a year now.

As soon as the president elect is known businesses are making decisions on the future. This was clearly seen in the business response to Trump.....just as it would be seen in a business response to Corbyn if he were ever elected.

I agree with you that the only significant change (ignoring immigration and the supreme court) has been the tax changes. Again, on this you completely ignore how this change massively changes the economy even before implementation with businesses not waiting.....you aren't in the real world if you think they hang around until the actual day to be left behind by the competition......As soon as that bill passed business reacted.

The tax changes have been popular in the US with Trump's approval ratings taking a considerable uptick and it will be hard for the Democrats to campaign on a ticket of major tax rises.

But we will see how the tax changes and the infrastructure spending goes and how its increased addition to the debt mountain will change things in reality. Of course share holders will gain from tax cuts but I also find it very selective to blank out the opportunities for reinvestment. We will see what happens....for the moment unemployment is down and most indicators are good.

America has the power to restructure debts if and when it feels that need.....all the predictions of doom fail to take account of economies like Japan....a country with a higher standard of living than us yet one that has had doom sayers predicting its downfall for decades......and Japan at the moment is actually buying back debt.

This is not an endorsement of some of Trump's other policies but on the economy I've yet to see a balanced overview.....I see a lot of emotional reactions to Trump rather than rational reactions to what is actually happening.

Like the thread title says.....bias against Trump.

Edited by Stirlingsays (27 Feb 2018 4.52pm)

The economy IS dong well right now, GDP up, employment up, stocks up etc.

The US lost over 1 trillion dollars last year. Employment figures equate to positions 'taken', not individuals taking these positions as many in the US have more than one job.......just to make ends meet (in the largest and richest economy on the planet.....?). For the record, the largest asset on the US 'books' is student loan debt. We know where that is headed.

But clearing the debt is an ongoing process and you would probably assess at the end of each financial year, for example because it fluctuates so much, or even at the end of the presidential cycle.

It's impossible to clear (the end of Bretton Woods in '71......do some homework).
The US has had for many decades now had the privilege of selling their debt (dollars loaded with interest (debt)) to the world in exchange for goods, real goods. The net has been closing in for a while now. This 'privilege' is becoming far harder to maintain.
Trust me, the debt will only increase.

The other thing is I don't think neither Republicans nor Democrats care about the debt levels!

But the main thing is that Trumps' budget proposal to cut the debt hasn't been implemented yet. The trouble is Trump's cut proposals are counter-balanced by his increased military spending which I'm not sure I agree with... In fact I don't think I agree with any of it as it's fiscally pretty irresponsible. But we will see how it all pans out...

This is what the US does. For a country that has never been invaded, you have to ask yourself why?

Edited by Penge Eagle (27 Feb 2018 11.59pm)

The US economy has been in recovery for 8 1/2 years now, and has enjoyed growth throughout that period. Trump has made little or no difference to economic growth in the US. What little effect there has been on business would have happened under any Republican president in the first year of office.

As to the effect of the upcoming tax changes; exactly how much of the offshore billions held by US companies has so far been repatriated? Nothing of any significance so far, I'm afraid! And as corporation tax is paid on the previous years profits, that measure has had zero effect so far either.

In the fullness of time, these tax changes are likely to produce a similar effect to the almost identical measures taken by Bush in 2001 which had minimal effect on the economy. And I'm sure you know what Freud said about repeating an action over again and expecting a different outcome! Many economic observers suggest that this "giveaway" has come at the wrong stage of the economic cycle, so will possibly do more harm than good. In any event, taken as a whole these tax cuts will massively increase US debt.

Republicans never supported Trumps more half-witted policies, like building the wall or locking up Hilary. They did want these tax cuts, however, as they and their donors will make billions. Once the cuts are in place, Trump will have served his useful purpose to them.

The next recession in the US is likely in 2020, coinciding with the next presidential election. Before that mid term elections will reveal how popular Trump is now and if, as expected, Republicans are decimated then I don't think Trump will have to worry about that recession harming his re-election chances, as the party will push the ejector seat button. Or, potentially, if he does try to introduce even some small measure of gun control, some NRA nut-job might just take exception with an assault weapon. Either way, it won't end well for him.