# Hi, Sam Stone! -- I Pit the Blathering Bullshit about Stock Market movements **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 3, 2018, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706 "2018-04-03T10:42:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/1 "2018-04-03T10:42:58Z")
To start with, I will _not_ predict where the U.S. stock market will be two years from now. The headlines could say “Worst Bear Market since 1931.” Or they could say “Stocks Unstoppable. Million-point DJIA predicted!” I don’t pretend to have an opinion on this worth more than that of a random ouija board. One thing is clear, however. While 99% of stock market moves have nothing whatsoever to do with the identity of who’s plopping turds in the Oval Office, the recent downward blip is directly due to President Stupid himself, whose understanding of foreign trade is that of a pre-schooler. Idiots on this very message board have been proclaiming Trump as the savior whenever the DJIA rises 50 points. “Chevron is at $129.6, up almost half a point since yesterday. Thank you, Donald Trump, for Making America Great Again.” It is frightening that these morons are even allowed to vote. _ **So what are they saying now?** _ Is the present downward glitch left over from Obama’s ruinous policies? :smack: It’s hard to engage right-wingers in debate here. Most of them are too stupid to articulate any recognizable thought. Those with 100+ IQ’s usually know their whole ideology is based on lies and are wise enough to keep their traps shut. There’s one guy, however, who always _seemed_ to be in the 100+ IQ camp, but produced the following gibberish, which I answered several months ago. > [@still less than one year into Trump's presidency -- who gets credit for the stock market uptick?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-less-than-one-year-into-trumps-presidency-who-gets-credit-for-the-stock-market-uptick/790487/29): > > > [@still less than one year into Trump's presidency -- who gets credit for the stock market uptick?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-less-than-one-year-into-trumps-presidency-who-gets-credit-for-the-stock-market-uptick/790487/13): > > > > The left really underestimates the drag regulations can impose on an economy. **Under Obama, regulations had been ramping up steadily year after year, and in my opinion they have held back growth in the market, depressed confidence in the economy by investors** [my emphasis] > > While **Sam** is correct that Wall St. hopes the party will continue, with Trump pursuing “public be damned” policies, the perspective reflected in the above excerpt is rather blindered. > > During the Obama Administration, the major averages of the U.S. stock market more than Tripled. That’s Tripled with a T. **The Nasdaq Composite Index more than Quadrupled. That’s Quadrupled with a Q.** In and of themselves, these astounding facts don’t make the Obama epoch unique. There were a few other strong booms: during the Clinton years, during the Roaring Twenties, and during the mid-1930’s recovery from the Crash. However the prior booms were accompanied by share prices rising in Europe and around the world. During the Obama Boom, other world markets remained in the doldrums — a special American exceptionalism had indeed returned. Employment has risen sharply. The share of the U.S. economy accruing as corporate profits is now at a nearly unprecedented level. Billionaires have seen their worths climb dramatically. > > In the context of reality, “Obama['s] regulations … held back growth in [share prices]” and “depressed confidence” is a peculiarly partisan synopsis. [my emphasis] I had a good laugh when Sam made a fool of himself last year, and came across this again while doing an unrelated search. I had another good laugh and decided to share. Consider the utter idiocy. Consider the complete divorcement from facts. During Obama’s terms the NASDAQ average QUADRUPLED — that’s a record, BTW — but **Sam the Idiot** sees this quadrupling and complains that **“Obama['s] regulations … have held back growth in the [stock] market.”** Even by Stone’s standards this is remarkably stupid. If anyone knows a \*\*Sam Stone \*\*post even stupider than this one, please post it here. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/2 "2018-04-03T13:16:52Z")
You are going to have a tough time with this pitting. **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/3 "2018-04-03T13:19:19Z")
A nine-month-delayed Pitting? I mean… really? . ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/4 "2018-04-03T13:20:01Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > You are going to have a tough time with this pitting. **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. Classic pit response. “The OP is actually the dumbhead and I’m the smartest in the room.” ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/5 "2018-04-03T13:26:57Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > Classic pit response. “The OP is actually the dumbhead and I’m the smartest in the room.” I see \*\*Whisky Dickhead \*\*is back. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/6 "2018-04-03T13:32:11Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > You are going to have a tough time with this pitting. **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. The post by **Sam Stone** was demonstrably stupid and ideologically driven. His level of intelligence is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/7 "2018-04-03T13:37:57Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb No, but he sure as hell believes some dumb things sometimes. He swallowed all the Bush/Cheney turds about the Iraq invasion with unflagging credulity, for example. [“history tells us that the U.S. will be seen as a liberating force”](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3003917&postcount=4) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/8 "2018-04-03T13:41:29Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I see \*\*Whisky Dickhead \*\*is back. _Whiskey_ Dickhead, thank you. _kisses_ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/9 "2018-04-03T13:42:46Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > You are going to have a tough time with this pitting. **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. I don’t know about almost everyone, I don’t share that respect. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/10 "2018-04-03T13:44:36Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. That’s coming from _you_. 😉 > [@](#): > > He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. That’s just shorthand for putting party loyalty (quite an odd thing for a Canadian) above intellectual integrity. No, he’s not dumb, he’s just playing a childish game - it’s no different from yelling “My team is the best!!” even when they’re in last place and all their stats illustrate why. That’s all the depth and meaning that US politics has for him, and his posts on it are no different from trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/11 "2018-04-03T13:46:03Z")
Well, he’s certainly one of the few outspoken long-time conservative members that I don’t have on ignore, but that’s more because one needs to be actively offensive for me to drop the iggyhammer than any of his core beliefs per se. I guess his posts are mostly so bland that I skip to the next post before I have time to take offense. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/12 "2018-04-03T13:47:08Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > No, but he sure as hell believes some dumb things sometimes. He swallowed all the Bush/Cheney turds about the Iraq invasion with unflagging credulity, for example. [“history tells us that the U.S. will be seen as a liberating force”](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3003917&postcount=4) :rolleyes: More to the point of the OP, **Sam Stone** was a constant cheerleader for the economic policies and practices of the Bush administration. He predicted rosy outcomes right up to the point that the Bush economy went right into the dumpster. In short, on economic issues, he’s guaranteed to read right out of the Grover Norquist hymnbook without thinking about anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/13 "2018-04-03T13:50:37Z")
He was an even louder cheerleader for Bush’s invading Iraq, evidence be damned. Remember all that aluminum tube and yellowcake bullshit you slung so loyally, **Sammy**? When it was pointed out to him that he himself was eligible to enlist in the US Army and go there, he weaseled out, preferring to watch the killing unfold safely on his TV, right before the hockey game that held the same level of involvement for him. And soon after he became a leading expert on Vietnam swiftboat operations. But he hasn’t learned, and therefore can only be thought incapable of learning. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/14 "2018-04-03T14:01:10Z")
I hope “sometimes says dumb/incorrect/silly things” never becomes a disqualifier for posting. I’ll get bored being the only one left. . ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/15 "2018-04-03T14:31:09Z")
> [@andros](#): > > I hope “sometimes says dumb/incorrect/silly things” never becomes a disqualifier for posting. I’ll get bored being the only one left. > . Well, you and **Clothahump** ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/16 "2018-04-03T14:32:00Z")
And he’ll have you on Ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/17 "2018-04-03T14:41:58Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > The post by **Sam Stone** was demonstrably stupid and ideologically driven. His level of intelligence is irrelevant. To be fair, the post was written a few months before the economic effects of Trumpelthinskin’s policies (starting a trade war) and tantrums (threatening Amazon in the hope of pressuring the _Washington Post_ to quit reporting on the administration’s misdeeds) became evident. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/18 "2018-04-03T15:30:17Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > You are going to have a tough time with this pitting. **Sam Stone** is generally well respected here even among people with differing ideologies. He certainly is not dumb and almost everyone but you recognizes that. **Sam** ’s articulate, but I can’t recall him ever producing actual analysis that was worthwhile. And I don’t mean, “but I disagree with him because he’s a libertarian” when I say that. I mean, “his analysis rarely requires deep thought for a response, and can usually be dismissed.” As a quick contrast, I’ve been listening to the Commentary podcast lately in an attempt to get a little more conservative thought into my liberal bubble, and I’d say about 5-10% of what they say actually requires some real thinking and reconsidering of positions. Sam doesn’t do that. Everyone has their favorite Sam story - mine is probably that I was arguing with him around the time of Obama’s stimulus in early 2009. Sam was incensed that it would create (paraphrasing) ‘trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see.’ I pointed out that none of the budget projections actually showed trillion-dollar deficits beyond a few years, but he was having none of it. Of course, history showed him to be wrong, with the deficit dropping well below $1T for all of Obama’s second term. Now that it’s creeping back up to a trillion dollars, without the excuse of a Great Recession, I haven’t seen word one from him. I do read this board less these days than I did then, so I’d be happy to be shown wrong. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/19 "2018-04-03T15:55:37Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And he’ll have you on Ignore. “I’m talking to myself. Deal with it.” ---
**Author:** ![HeweyLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heweylogan/32/547_2.png) [@HeweyLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeweyLogan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706/20 "2018-04-03T16:07:08Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > That’s just shorthand for putting party loyalty (quite an odd thing for a Canadian) above intellectual integrity. No, he’s not dumb, he’s just playing a childish game - it’s no different from yelling “My team is the best!!” even when they’re in last place and all their stats illustrate why. That’s all the depth and meaning that US politics has for him, and his posts on it are no different from trolling. This is just hilarious coming from you, the worst offender of what you’re criticizing him of doing. The blind hypocrisy is just amazing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-sam-stone-i-pit-the-blathering-bullshit-about-stock-market-movements/811706.md?page=2)