# "Leave Donald Alone!" Pleads His Press Secretary **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125 "2017-01-02T04:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/81 "2017-01-02T21:12:42Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He did drain the swamp. Unfortunately, that leaves a giant swamp shaped _hole._ > Which is just _begging_ to be filled in. > With more swamp. The _Trump_ Swamp, which he will lease back to the government at $5000 a square foot. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/82 "2017-01-02T21:14:30Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Trump hasn’t announced it yet, but this is part of his economic plan to bring typewriter manufacturing jobs back to the Rust Belt. Make America Great Again! > > … I dunno…typewriters are pretty high-tech. I say it’s time to start investing in quill pens and sheep (for parchment). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/83 "2017-01-02T21:19:28Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I dunno…typewriters are pretty high-tech. I say it’s time to start investing in quill pens and sheep (for parchment). No sheep! We already know what he does and/or wants to do to _humans_ that work under him. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/84 "2017-01-02T21:21:55Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > So? He’s had plenty of money with no real need of more ever since he was a teenager. For Trump, being obsessed with making money and actually **needing** any more money have nothing to do with each other. I don’t know that I’d say he was obsessed but I would say his primary drive was for achievement. Money, as they say, is a way of keeping score. > [@Kimstu](#): > > How interesting that what he’s chosen to “do about it” is to create an Oval Office team composed primarily of the same Republican crony-capitalist/family-values/anti-science looters who’ve **been** running the country for most of the past several decades. In other words, he’s aware that the business of business is business and that we all owe our country’s strength and superb standard of living to its produce. Trump sees the idiocy in halting development of dams and housing and other things that benefit human life in this country because it might ruin the habitat of some fish that no one ever sees. So he’s putting in place a team more interested in creating enterprise and job opportunities rather than viewing corporations as a evil exploiters who have to be regulated to the point they can barely function. I view this as a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/85 "2017-01-02T21:22:54Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Trump’s business success… Ahahahahaha! Trump’s business success = Getting gullible people to invest in his businesses, declaring bankruptcy, and running off with the money. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/86 "2017-01-02T21:27:13Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I don’t know that I’d say he was obsessed but I’d say his primary drive was for achievement. Money, as they say, is a way of keeping score. > > In other words, he’s aware that the business of business is business and that we all owe our country’s strength and superb standard of living to its produce. Trump sees the idiocy in halting development of dams and housing and other things that benefit human life in this country **because it might ruin the habitat of some fish that no one ever sees.** So he’s putting in place a team more interested in creating enterprise and job opportunities rather than viewing **corporations as a evil exploiters who have to be regulated to the point they can barely function.** I view this as a good thing. The fish in question(Sacramento Delta) functions as a barometer (cananry in a coal mine) of the health of the area in general. The water regulations are in response to the poor health of the region rather than saving the specific fish. Many regulations are the result of evil exploiters needing to be regulated. Look at such things as toxic waste or child labor laws. Workplace safety. Food handling in restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/87 "2017-01-02T21:27:19Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I don’t know that I’d say he was obsessed but I would say his primary drive was for achievement. Money, as they say, is a way of keeping score. > > In other words, he’s aware that the business of business is business and that we all owe our country’s strength and superb standard of living to its produce. Trump sees the idiocy in halting development of dams and housing and other things that benefit human life in this country because it might ruin the habitat of some fish that no one ever sees. So he’s putting in place a team more interested in creating enterprise and job opportunities rather than viewing corporations as a evil exploiters who have to be regulated to the point they can barely function. I view this as a good thing. Such beautiful spinning! Do you ever get dizzy, or does having your thumb up your ass help you keep balance? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/88 "2017-01-02T21:28:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Such beautiful spinning! Do you ever get dizzy, or does having your thumb up your ass help you keep balance? Axle. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/89 "2017-01-02T21:29:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The fish in question(Sacramento Delta) functions as a barometer (cananry in a coal mine) of the health of the area in general. The water regulations are in response to the poor health of the region rather than saving the specific fish. I wish people would take Environmental Science in school. Then they would understand why umbrella species are important. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/90 "2017-01-02T21:39:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Ahahahahaha! > > Trump’s business success = Getting gullible people to invest in his businesses, declaring bankruptcy, and running off with the money. The ignorance on this board that Trump’s candidacy has exposed is truly breathtaking! Do you have any idea how business bankruptcy works? Do you have any idea why Trump really took those casinos bankrupt? Do you have any idea why so many other NJ casinos went down the tubes? Do you have any idea of the total number of projects and businesses Trump owns? How many employees he has? Those bankrupt casinos represent maybe 2% of the total number of businesses and projects he owns or has owned in the past. Trump has twice built multi-billion dollar fortunes. Once from a million dollar loan, and once from almost a billion in debt. He accomplished neither by taking those four dying casinos into bankruptcy. (And you might want to note that he was perfectly happy to own, hold and operate them while they were healthy and making a profit.) ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/91 "2017-01-02T21:40:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I wish people would take Environmental Science in school. Then they would understand why umbrella species are important. School? Most of the people that voted for Trump didn’t get past the “Read Without Moving Your Lips” or the “Count Past 10 With Your Shoes On” lessons. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/92 "2017-01-02T21:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] So he’s putting in place a team more interested in creating enterprise and job opportunities [/QUOTE] So, your only alternative to the hypothesis that Trump is just a fundamentally apolitical shallow ignorant conman trying to hustle the Presidency the same way he hustled his earlier business enterprises, for his personal gain and aggrandizement, is to suggest that he’s just another crony-capitalist/family-values/anti-science Republican hack. Either way, what the country gets is the same tired old Republican smokescreen for deregulatory “trickle-up” economics to make rich people richer while making the rest of America overall poorer and sicker. With a side of vocal resentment against immigrants, minorities, LGBTQ people and scientists to distract voters somewhat from the economic issues. Whether Trump really believes in this bullshit or is just letting his “team” get on with it while he continues to obsess over his own personal wealth and prestige seems to me immaterial. Either way, it’s just the same old conservative loot-the-government business as usual. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/93 "2017-01-02T21:46:04Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > And it’s why he doesn’t send Graydon Carter, coiner of the phrase “short-fingered vulgarian,” pictures of himself with the hands circled and the comment “not so short!” > > (I’m not sure if Trump’s failure to protest against “vulgarian” is the result of a glimmer of self-awareness or the difficulty in finding photos in which he’s not being a vulgarian.) Maybe he doesn’t want to upset the good people of Vulgaria. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/94 "2017-01-02T21:51:25Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > (I’m not sure if Trump’s failure to protest against “vulgarian” is the result of a glimmer of self-awareness or the difficulty in finding photos in which he’s not being a vulgarian.) My guess is not knowing what it means. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/95 "2017-01-02T21:52:33Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The fish in question(Sacramento Delta) functions as a barometer (cananry in a coal mine) of the health of the area in general. The water regulations are in response to the poor health of the region rather than saving the specific fish. > > Many regulations are the result of evil exploiters needing to be regulated. > > Look at such things as toxic waste or child labor laws. Workplace safety. Food handling in restaurants. The Snail Darter in Tennessee was foremost in my mind when I wrote that. But time after time we’ve seen liberals and Democrats seek to thwart development or the harvesting of natural resources in order to protect vast swathes of land that virtually nobody ever sees. In the late 60s liberals were all het up that we were running out of trees, in the early 70s we were all running out of oil, then came the hole in the ozone that was gonna kill us all, and now it’s [del]global warming[/del] climate change. All of which led to more and more government regulation and hindrance of free enterprise, which let’s face it, is more in line with liberal philosophy overall than necessitated by actual circumstance. I know this because the country’s liberals have now been placated on all these issues except climate change by costly and restrictive regulation, despite the fact that U.S. contribution to any of these so-called environmental threats was minimal compared to that of the rest of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/96 "2017-01-02T21:53:01Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Do you have any idea how business bankruptcy works? I can tell you how it _did_ work. Trump got gullible investors to give him money. Trump took his ‘fees’ (licensing his name, etc.) up-front. Trump declares bankruptcy. Gullible investors lose their shirts. Trump still has his money. And his ‘one million dollar loan’ was actually $14 million in total. And he has nowhere near as much money as he tells you he does. Why do you think he won’t release his tax returns (aside from that he doesn’t pay taxes)? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/97 "2017-01-02T21:58:50Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > The Snail Darter in Tennessee was foremost in my mind when I wrote that. But time after time we’ve seen liberals and Democrats seek to thwart development or the harvesting of natural resources in order to protect vast swathes of land that virtually nobody ever sees. In the late 60s liberals were all het up that we were running out of trees, in the early 70s we were all running out of oil, then came the hole in the ozone that was gonna kill us all, and now it’s [del]global warming[/del] climate change. > > All of which led to more and more government regulation and hindrance of free enterprise, which let’s face it, is more in line with liberal philosophy overall than necessitated by actual circumstance. I know this because the country’s liberals have now been placated on all these issues except climate change by costly and restrictive regulation, despite the fact that U.S. contribution to any of these so-called environmental threats was minimal compared to that of the rest of the world. [FactCheck](http://www.factcheck.org/2016/06/trumps-dubious-drought-claims/) > [@](#): > > Even still, some environmental water use benefits farmers, as it’s needed to maintain water quality for agricultural and urban use. > > How so? As previously mentioned, the current drought has reduced surface water levels and flows, which left the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta more susceptible to salt water intrusion from the ocean. **And when salt water infiltrates fresh water supplies, it can’t be used for urban and agricultural purposes.** > > To solve this problem, officials release water from reservoirs to prevent salt water from contaminating fresh water in the Delta. > > Reservoir water also needs to be released because the state’s water infrastructure itself, which directs water north to south, disrupts the Delta’s natural ability to flush salt water out to sea (an east to west flow), Mount told us. > > First, delta smelt are not the only fish that require preservation. Chinook salmon and other species also benefit from the release of fresh water from reservoirs. Second, most of the water that is being flushed out to sea is needed to prevent salt water from infiltrating agricultural and urban water supplies. And lastly, **the infrastructure that was developed to deliver water to farmers in the Central Valley has itself disrupted the Delta’s natural ability to flush salt water out to sea,** contributing to the need to release fresh water from reservoirs. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/98 "2017-01-02T22:07:32Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > So, your only alternative to the hypothesis that Trump is just a fundamentally apolitical shallow ignorant conman trying to hustle the Presidency the same way he hustled his earlier business enterprises, for his personal gain and aggrandizement, is to suggest that he’s just another crony-capitalist/family-values/anti-science Republican hack. > > Either way, what the country gets is the same tired old Republican smokescreen for deregulatory “trickle-up” economics to make rich people richer while making the rest of America overall poorer and sicker. With a side of vocal resentment against immigrants, minorities, LGBTQ people and scientists to distract voters somewhat from the economic issues. > > Whether Trump really believes in this bullshit or is just letting his “team” get on with it while he continues to obsess over his own personal wealth and prestige seems to me immaterial. Either way, it’s just the same old conservative loot-the-government business as usual. Has anyone ever told you that you have a way of putting things in other people’s mouths? If not, they should. And while we’re on the subject, could you please explain the mechanism by which the rich getting richer results in the poor getting poorer? I’m about to leave for the night and won’t be able to refute whatever erroneous claims you make until tomorrow, but I’m curious to know how you’ve [del]bought into[/del] arrived at this conclusion nevertheless. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/99 "2017-01-02T22:11:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I can tell you how it _did_ work. Trump got gullible investors to give him money. Trump took his ‘fees’ (licensing his name, etc.) up-front. Trump declares bankruptcy. Gullible investors lose their shirts. Trump still has his money. > > And his ‘one million dollar loan’ was actually $14 million in total. > > And he has nowhere near as much money as he tells you he does. Why do you think he won’t release his tax returns (aside from that he doesn’t pay taxes)? This is all bullshit but I don’t have time to explain it (for the umpteenth time) now. Maybe late tonight or tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/100 "2017-01-02T22:13:33Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > This is all bullshit but I don’t have time to explain it (for the umpteenth time) now. Maybe late tonight or tomorrow. Since you have yet to explain it at all, I’m guessing that (in your world at least) “umpteen” = 1. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125.md?page=6)