The Official "Making America Great Again" Thread

[AZGrizFan]

Attn: 89Hen

Spoiler: show

You meant to use <$50k, not >$50k

[89Hen]

Attn: 89Hen

Spoiler: show

You meant to use <$50k, not >$50k

Yes. < looks like L which means less than. I need to go back to 3rd Grade.

[Chizzang]

Yup. I'm sure you've seen it too Z. I have a couple buying right now that have two car payments both over $750 a month on small pension income. Why people think they deserve to drive a car that's the same price as one year income is beyond me.

Over buying an automobile is a cripplingly bad decision
That Americans make a few thousand times a day

Absolutely mind boggling

[∞∞∞]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

[kalm]

Yup. I'm sure you've seen it too Z. I have a couple buying right now that have two car payments both over $750 a month on small pension income. Why people think they deserve to drive a car that's the same price as one year income is beyond me.

Over buying an automobile is a cripplingly bad decision
That Americans make a few thousand times a day

Absolutely mind boggling

Well, someone has to buy/lease the cars.

Same with the McMansions.

[CID1990]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

After President Haley pardons him in Jan 2021?


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[CAA Flagship]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

I would love to see a crackdown on this crap. Tax evasion/fraud is a crime against me. We spend more effort on dreaming up new laws and regulations and less of an effort on enforcing them. Somebody dropped the ball with audits. Maybe they were paid off. Penalize those fuckers too. It's time for people to fly straight or face penalties whether it is with regard to taxes or false allegations.

[93henfan]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

Not excusing him at all, but this is news to nobody.

Did anybody ever think that Trump made his own way in life? I sure didn't. And by the way he operates (tactical bankruptcies, etc), you knew he's slimy as hell.

The 2016 election was always a lesser of two evils scenario, and both were pretty fucking evil.

I don't care if he goes to jail. I just hope he seats RBG's replacement before he goes.

[kalm]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

I would love to see a crackdown on this crap. Tax evasion/fraud is a crime against me. We spend more effort on dreaming up new laws and regulations and less of an effort on enforcing them. Somebody dropped the ball with audits. Maybe they were paid off. Penalize those fuckers too. It's time for people to fly straight or face penalties whether it is with regard to taxes or false allegations.

Great post, Flaggy!



It’s probably a combination of the media, me getting older and running a business, and our society losing its moral compass but it seems like the number of cheaters and lack of ethics is getting really bad in our society. its not hard to do the right thing but anymore you almost feel like a chump if you’re not taking full advantage of, and manipulating the system and other people.

Kalm the Moralist, out...

[GannonFan]

I would love to see a crackdown on this crap. Tax evasion/fraud is a crime against me. We spend more effort on dreaming up new laws and regulations and less of an effort on enforcing them. Somebody dropped the ball with audits. Maybe they were paid off. Penalize those **** too. It's time for people to fly straight or face penalties whether it is with regard to taxes or false allegations.

Great post, Flaggy!



It’s probably a combination of the media, me getting older and running a business, and our society losing its moral compass but it seems like the number of cheaters and lack of ethics is getting really bad in our society. its not hard to do the right thing but anymore you almost feel like a chump if you’re not taking full advantage of, and manipulating the system and other people.

Kalm the Moralist, out...

My wife was on a school parent's association when they found out the treasurer there had stolen tens of thousands of dollars over several years. When they went to the cops and had her arrested (she pled guilty and did actual jail time) the cops said they see this kind of stuff all of the time and you'd be amazed by how often people cheat and think they'll get away with it. You have to think that people do get away with it as they probably can't catch everyone. And I feel silly every year when I do my charitable contributions on my taxes and I feel nervous about not having receipts for about $200 of those and worried if I get called out on it.

[AZGrizFan]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

He may very well be, and I couldn’t give two shits. But he’s not the first that SHOULD have been. That list is long and illustrious.

[Ibanez]

I just finished reading the NY Times expose about Trump's empire, based on 100,000+ pages of records they obtained. Everyone not sucking Trump off knows he's a fraud, but the detailed investigation puts the nail in the coffin that he's a self-made man. In fact, one of the big takeaways is that Fred/Donald actively manufactured the myth - successfully - that Donald did it himself. The other big takeaway is how much of the wealth is legally questionable or straight up illegal, all on the books to see.

It's a very long article, but well worth the read:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... trump.html

A shorter version with key points is found here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/p ... trump.html

It's pretty bad. I think Trump will be the first ex-President thrown in prison for financial crimes.

I’ll echo what others have stated- nobody is shocked by this. Fred Trump committing tax evasion and fraud to benefit his children isn’t a strike against Donald Trump.


Donald’s involvement is. Interesting that Fred had corrupt Democrats in his pocket. I thought thy were the salt of the earth


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[Chizzang]

Just remember.... The playing field isn't slanted



Boot Straps and an honest days work is all it takes

[css75]

The NYT has a history of making up stories, before I think it happened it needs another more reliable source.

If true, I do t think maybe ch will come out if it.


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[Ibanez]

The NYT has a history of making up stories, before I think it happened it needs another more reliable source.

If true, I do t think maybe ch will come out if it.


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Which source would you prefer?




I bet it won’t be one that leans Right


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[kalm]

Just remember.... The playing field isn't slanted



Boot Straps and an honest days work is all it takes

That right there, sports fans, is some well slung cynicism.

Steal millions, get a fine that’s 10% of what you stole and you’re called a businessman.

Game a corrupt system and hide millions from tax payers and you’re keeping what’s yours.

Smoke weed in your youth and then incarcerate 10’s of 1,000’s in a for-profit prison system for selling it and your called President.

Get caught with enough pot to be considered attempt to distribute and you’re a low life drug dealing thug.

[∞∞∞]

Just remember.... The playing field isn't slanted



Boot Straps and an honest days work is all it takes

That right there, sports fans, is some well slung cynicism.

Steal millions, get a fine that’s 10% of what you stole and you’re called a businessman.

Game a corrupt system and hide millions from tax payers and you’re keeping what’s yours.

Smoke weed in your youth and then incarcerate 10’s of 1,000’s in a for-profit prison system for selling it and your called President.

Get caught with enough pot to be considered attempt to distribute and you’re a low life drug dealing thug.

I mean slavery is still legal in the United States in 2018, so of course some assholes have to take advantage of it as much as possible while they still can.

[Chizzang]

As a matter of Fairness and honest gamesmanship
It should be pointed out that just because the game is largely rigged (and it is)
Doesn't mean you cannot succeed

In this country there are always emerging areas where you can work the fringes
Despite the facts that the middle class do not have access to the myriad of loopholes

You can work the fringes...

[JohnStOnge]

Gee. Trump is a phony and a fraud. Who would've thunk it?

[JohnStOnge]

As a matter of Fairness and honest gamesmanship
It should be pointed out that just because the game is largely rigged (and it is)
Doesn't mean you cannot succeed

In this country there are always emerging areas where you can work the fringes
Despite the facts that the middle class do not have access to the myriad of loopholes

You can work the fringes...

There are actually people who rose from poverty to become very rich. Here is an example of the story of one of them:

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries ... story.html

But Trump is not one of them. My bet is that had Trump been born into the circumstances that Cathy was born into he'd have lived his entire life and died in poverty. He's not a "self made" man at all.

[css75]

Another rags to riches story, he owned most of Idaho before he died.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Simplot

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[Ibanez]

Another rags to riches story, he owned most of Idaho before he died.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Simplot

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Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Flagler...essentially many of the “robber barons” were true rags to riches.


Trump is gilded cradle to gilded condo (and eventually iron bars.)


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[Ibanez]

My great grandfather was born to modest parents and turned his fathers failing shoe store business into movie theaters, motels, real estate development deals, a concession company etc....and when he died, he died a multi-millionaire living in the home he owned since 1959 and drawing $75k/yr to live.


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[kalm]

Another rags to riches story, he owned most of Idaho before he died.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Simplot

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I remember back in college reading about how Simplot was one of the biggest welfare rancher queens in America. A handful of uber-rich dudes controlled the majority of BLM grazing acreage, received some sort of subsidy and even sub-let the public land to small ranchers costing the taxpayer hundereds of millions a year.

Bootstraps!

[kalm]

Les Schwabb is another truly rags to riches story. He did things the right way, opening his stores with cash and had terrific employee benefits and profit sharing all along. Very small town community minded as well.

Early life
Born in Bend, Oregon,[3] his family moved to Minnesota two years later with young Les in tow. The family moved back to Central Oregon in 1929, where Schwab was schooled in a railroad boxcar at the Brooks Scanlon logging camp, with his mother as schoolteacher.[3] While in high school in Bend at age 15, Schwab and his three siblings became orphans in 1933 when both parents died within months (mother died of pneumonia, alcoholic father found dead in front of a moonshine joint).[4]

An aunt and uncle offered to take him in, instead he rented a room in a boarding house for $15 a month and began delivering the Oregon Journal newspaper while continuing to attend Bend High School.[3] At the paper Schwab would eventually cover all the routes in Bend, nine in all,[2] outearning his high school principal,[1] and graduated in 1935.[2] He married his high school sweetheart in 1936 and they became parents in 1940. Schwab became circulation manager for the Bend newspaper, The Bulletin, in 1942[5] and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.[3]

Tires
Lesschwablogo.png
Les Schwab’s venture into the tire business began when he bought an OK Rubber Welders franchise store in nearby Prineville in early 1952.[3] Schwab was 34, with an expecting wife and an 11-year-old son, and had never even fixed a flat tire. He sold his house, borrowed from a relative, and borrowed from his life insurance policy[6] to purchase the franchise for $11,000, which had one employee and included a small shack that did not even have running water or a bathroom.[3]

By the end of the first year, he had improved the sales nearly five-fold, from $32,000 to $150,000. A second store was opened in 1953 in Redmond and a third in Bend in 1955. The name of the business changed to "Les Schwab Tire Centers" in 1956, dropping the OK franchise.[5] From this grew a tire empire based in Prineville that had 34 stores in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in 1971,[7] and 410 stores in the western U.S. and $1.6 billion in annual sales by 2007.[3] The company he built was based on the loyalty of the employees that was earned by giving them generous shares of the profit (half of a store’s profit went to employees of that store), lucrative benefits, and only promoting from within the company.[3]

In the communities served by these stores, the company became known for their advertising featuring employees running out to meet customers, an annual free beef promotion, and the company slogan: "If we can't guarantee it, we won't sell it.".[3] Despite the success of the company, Les Schwab refused to take the company public.

The company moved its corporate headquarters from Prineville to Bend in December 2008. Announced two years earlier, it exchanged its modest one-story cinder block offices (externally resembling a tire store) [8] for an upscale, three-story executive campus. The new site in Bend at Juniper Ridge is on 12 acres (4.9 ha) and cost $33 million.[9]