2016 USA Presidential election thread I: The warm-up

[Thunder]

So, as I've mentioned before, I don't think Trump has a chance of actually securing the nomination from the Republican establishment, and I imagine he has advisors who can tell him that. So then why is he running? Is it just to boost his brand? Because if so, a lot of what has happened so far has arguably done some pretty irreparable damage to his brand.

is anyone else pandering to the bigoted dumbasses of america like trump seems to be doing? He'll win their vote for sure... so when it's time for him to pull out his, "support this guy!" like sal's saying will actually be pretty valuable since it'll win over a % of voters that pandering to would mean political suicide (as evidenced by trump)

if whoever he supports wins that's befriending the president of the US for the cost of some minor business backlash

[kuronosan]

He's a shitty businessman anyway.

[archibaldcrane]

Have we had such an unapologetic xenophobic racist run since George Wallace? I suppose David Duke did run too.

It's pretty fascinating.

[Thunder]

He's a shitty businessman anyway.

by what metric are you measuring that? lol

[Tyrath]

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/don...-claims-to-be/

[Thunder]

eh, he's bad at business because he got hit hard in 2008 and strong arms banks?

He did something nobody's else done before... in 2008-9 he was about 9 billion in debt, 1 of which was personal that he couldn't backrupt out of. Now look at him. That's damn good business

Everyone strong arms banks like that. "If you loan me 30,000 I have a problem. If you loan me 30,000,000 you have a problem" it just means the bank will HELP YOU succeed - very powerful strategy

He wouldn't be where he's at today if he were "bad" at business. Hate him because he's mean, unfair, conceited, whatever. But don't hate him because he's bad at business lol

[Tyrath]

His personal finances are fine, but he has a bad track record as far as business ventures go. He has had at least 4 businesses that have had to declare bankruptcy.

[Thunder]

What do you mean by ventures? Investments in other people's companies/products? He probably has 100+ "ventures" going on at any one time. Bankruptcy here and there isn't really a bad indicator when you're involved with so many things

Is there actually a bad track record of business ventures or are you just saying that?

[Tyrath]

Ventures meaning his own companies.

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/...-atlantic-city

I guess you can call it good business or bad business based on how you view taking advantage of the system.

[Salodin]

I wouldn't want him running the country, but any one with the assets and money he has isn't "bad at business".

[Andalusian girls]

the corporate bankruptcies he is linked to were all Chapter 11, reorganization of corporate structure (usually involving him giving up some measure of control to shareholders) and more lenient repayment plans, for sake of keeping the businesses going. they were not Chapters 7s which affect total asset liquidation and the destruction of the company. some businesspeoples view Chapter 11 as a tool to be used to reshape overleveraged entities, using it to accrue as much initial capital as possible enabling for rapid expansion, then declaring so as to make the accumulated debt more manageable once the business's finances have grown to a larger and more stable state. a risky and bad faith strategy, but a viable one.

he's not the business titan he paints himself to be (Romney-led Bain-Capital certainly never had to file for any form of bankruptcy), and he lies incessantly about his personal wealth, but while there is a measure of immorality to abusing the tax code to elevate your own financial interests above the legitimate claims of lenders his father was a millionaire and he made himself into a billionaire. his primary purpose in business was to make himself wealthy and noted, and he has succeeded in both. i suspect this presidential run, which he cannot win, will aid him in continuing to realize those personal aspirations.

[Tyrath]

he's not the business titan he paints himself to be

This is basically all thats being said.

[Gredival]

is anyone else pandering to the bigoted dumbasses of america like trump seems to be doing?

Cruz?

But in general there seems to be a lot more religious liberty fear mongering than xenophobic pandering.

[zoobernut]

"Most valuable parcel of land in all of golf"

Pffft, most expensive more like. Due to the perpetual landslide risk, the actual value isn't so hot.

I would think that Pebble Beach/Spy Glass would be more valuable anyway but I have no idea when you get to that level of real estate.

[BaneTheBrawler]

I wouldn't want him running the country, but any one with the assets and money he has isn't "bad at business".

Wasn't he born to money? At a certain point, assets become self-sustaining and all you have to do to be a "good businessman" is not touch the principle investment.

[Salodin]

Yes Bane, Trump is as rich as he is because he sat on his money and puffed cigars all day. Lol

[tyven]

Jose Andres, a local celebrity chef and immigrant from Spain announced he would be pulling out of a deal to open a restaurant in Trump's new DC hotel over the statements made about hispanics and immigration. Trump is super excited to sue.

[Salodin]

Jose Andres, a local celebrity chef and immigrant from Spain announced he would be pulling out of a deal to open a restaurant in Trump's new DC hotel over the statements made about hispanics and immigration. Trump is super excited to sue.

As douchy as Trump is, the dude is brilliant. He is going to be making money left and right off the fees and litigation against people dropping him.

[notorious bum]

Bane is saying that he was born with a silver spoon, i.e. he showed up at the table with a chip lead, which made it much easier to make risky bets in his life. The most successful businessmen that actually deserve credit of such a title had to play the damb penny slots and, with a little luck, made it to the table to start showing the fat cats what hustle looks like.

tl;dr: Poker is Life.

[Salodin]

Oh ok, his actions that helped accumulate even more wealth since becoming an adult mean nothing because he had a head start compared to the millions of other that tried and failed. Didn't get that memo, sorry.