# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070 "2016-12-07T00:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1792
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35825 "2019-08-24T17:11:18Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Case in point, American farmers are in danger of losing the Chinese market not just for this year, but for a very, very long time. I would not expect the Chinese to just forgive and forget. They will punish those who voted for this idiot, and punish them good. Mmm… That made me wonder what would happen if Xi decided to “hereby order” that China will not buy any US agricultural products from now on. So, not just a diminished market, but no market. Putin would love it, I’m sure; more return on his investment in Trump. I’m also sure that some MAGAsses who farm would still support Trump even as they go broke and lose their farms: “China will come around any day now. Y’all will see.” ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35826 "2019-08-24T17:13:16Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Apparently he tweeted from the presidential toilet that he can use the Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. > > Wow, was that really his Twitter account? I’ve avoided it all this time because not only does he sicken me but also I don’t get how Twitter works. Message boards are so much easier to understand. Anyway, awful lot of idiots on there declaring that “Americans” stand with him and other barf-inducing comments. Okay, I guess this is where I say maybe JohnT was right after all, and maybe Trump really and truly will be single-handedly responsible for the upcoming recession. He certainly would be if he continues to exert this kind of pressure on international trade and the Fed. I mean, we knew that Trump didn’t understand markets, but I thought that since it’s clearly the economy that’s keeping his approval ratings above 40%, he would have the brains to stay out of his own way there, but he is seemingly dangerously obsessed with “winning” against China. The bottom line is that if/when there’s a recession, Trump will make it much, much worse, possibly turning it into a depression. And the reason I’m confident of this is the fact that Trump simply does not understand how markets work. And there is nobody in his WH who has the ability to stop him. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35827 "2019-08-24T18:11:27Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > No, not at all. I’m not saying that he doesn’t hate minorities and treat them with contempt, I’m just saying that he hates everyone and treats everyone with contempt. That minorities are an easy target for him to lash out at is convenient, and reflexive. I’d say it’s more like this: Trump is a Trump-supremacist. He’s been raised from an early age to believe he has the best genes and is incapable of error. These things have contributed to the creation of a monster. Now, on the one hand, it’s true that he’s doesn’t really give a shit about most whites. He generally only cares about racist policies and rhetoric because it makes his crowds cheer. But on the other hand, being white himself, white supremacism is quite consistent with Trump-supremacy. So some of what they say appeals to him on an intellectual level, to the extent he (or they) have one. > [@asahi](#): > > Case in point, American farmers are in danger of losing the Chinese market not just for this year, but for a very, very long time. I would not expect the Chinese to just forgive and forget. They will punish those who voted for this idiot, and punish them good. It doesn’t even need to come down to “punish”. Chinese culture is less individualistic, and tends to be more long-term (obviously there are pros and cons to this). The US looks like a country that does not honor agreements and behaves extremely erratically. China won’t forget that, and the excuse that it was just Trump may not wash. Of course, the US is far too big a market to ignore, so deals will still need to be made. But trump’s legacy will affect how easy this will be to do, what terms can be expected and the breadth of such deals, negatively in all 3 senses. And if you’re only signing the bare minimum trade deals, there’s less potential of quid pro quos on more broad agreements such as relating to security or the environment. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35828 "2019-08-24T18:23:30Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > It doesn’t even need to come down to “punish”. > > Chinese culture is less individualistic, and tends to be more long-term (obviously there are pros and cons to this). > The US looks like a country that does not honor agreements and behaves extremely erratically. > China won’t forget that, and the excuse that it was just Trump may not wash. Well said. I agree: it’s not so much that China will “punish” the United States as it is the fact that they will never again believe that we’re stable and reliable enough to put so many eggs in the American basket. This is one example of how post-Trump America will have diminished clout. As you say, our market is still big enough to warrant attention, but all countries look at the US now as a country that has badly destabilized politically, and over time, we will become less of a safe haven. And merely being thought of as a safe haven undoubtedly generates a rather substantial amount of capital inflow and generates money and jobs throughout the economy. Losing that will have economic consequences. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35829 "2019-08-24T19:06:26Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I’d say it’s more like this: > > Trump is a Trump-supremacist. He’s been raised from an early age to believe he has the best genes and is incapable of error. These things have contributed to the creation of a monster. > > Now, on the one hand, it’s true that he’s doesn’t really give a shit about most whites. He generally only cares about racist policies and rhetoric because it makes his crowds cheer. > > But on the other hand, being white himself, white supremacism is quite consistent with Trump-supremacy. So some of what they say appeals to him on an intellectual level, to the extent he (or they) have one. I don’t disagree. I just find that it is useful to remember that while the effect is similar, the motivations are not. > [@](#): > > It doesn’t even need to come down to “punish”. > > Chinese culture is less individualistic, and tends to be more long-term (obviously there are pros and cons to this). > The US looks like a country that does not honor agreements and behaves extremely erratically. > China won’t forget that, and the excuse that it was just Trump may not wash. which is why we need to show to the world that we find him unacceptable. If we just treat him as another president in a line of presidents, then the world has good reason to not trust us to elect another one. If we kick him out in such a way that shows that future demagogues will not be tolerated, then the world may decide to take us seriously again. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35830 "2019-08-24T19:09:31Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t disagree. I just find that it is useful to remember that while the effect is similar, the motivations are not. > which is why we need to show to the world that we find him unacceptable. If we just treat him as another president in a line of presidents, then the world has good reason to not trust us to elect another one. If we kick him out in such a way that shows that future demagogues will not be tolerated, then the world may decide to take us seriously again. We treat him like he’s just another president every day. He’s “normal” now, which was inevitable when we elected him. America will have scars to show for this era - no getting around that. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35831 "2019-08-24T19:12:59Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Well said. > > I agree: it’s not so much that China will “punish” the United States as it is the fact that they will never again believe that we’re stable and reliable enough to put so many eggs in the American basket. This is one example of how post-Trump America will have diminished clout. As you say, our market is still big enough to warrant attention, but all countries look at the US now as a country that has badly destabilized politically, and over time, we will become less of a safe haven. And merely being thought of as a safe haven undoubtedly generates a rather substantial amount of capital inflow and generates money and jobs throughout the economy. Losing that will have economic consequences. And just wait for the US dollar to stop being the de facto currency of international trade. > [@asahi](#): > > We treat him like he’s just another president every day. He’s “normal” now, which was inevitable when we elected him. America will have scars to show for this era - no getting around that. We’ve never successfully impeached a president. If we do that, we show that we don’t find him normal either. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35832 "2019-08-24T19:29:58Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > China also has time. The Chinese are savers more than they are consumers, so even if their economic growth slides down to near 2-3% (it’s currently around 5-7%), they can endure more pain. And politically, Trump is making it a lot easier on Xi because Xi’s opponents within the CCP and ordinary people on the street are going to be less inclined to suggest that Xi Jinping provoked Trump, but rather Trump is a deranged nutcase looking for a fight. Increasingly, from the Chinese vantage point, it doesn’t matter what they say or do - Trump wants a fight and he wants to embarrass the Chinese, and China’s not going to just sit back and take it. > > When the trade war started, Trump had the advantage - he still holds some advantages. The US was clearly set up to win a short to mid-range tactical trade war that could produce some concessions. No doubt, China is still very vulnerable. But increasingly, the advantage is shifting to China. Case in point, American farmers are in danger of losing the Chinese market not just for this year, but for a very, very long time. I would not expect the Chinese to just forgive and forget. They will punish those who voted for this idiot, and punish them good. I knew that China would be willing to suffer economic problems longer than the US, partially, and as mentioned above, because there is no election coming up. But one thing I did not think of, I don’t think Xi Jinping is going to agree to anything that lets Trump claim some victory over China. The trade imbalance with China is a problelm. I hope it gets solved. But I am in this horrible position where I hope it doesn’t get done for a few years, after Trump is gone. I’m like those Republican voters continually voting against their own interests, supporing trickle down economics. We are in a position now where I think we have to be like McConnel when Obama got elected, we have to oppose anything Trump does no matter what it is. I’m like Bill Maher last year, it’s either a recession or lose your democracy. I mean I’m not saying we should try and cause a recession but I can’t say I would be heartbroken if it happens. This is what Trump has done to this country. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35833 "2019-08-24T19:32:11Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > I knew that China would be willing to suffer economic problems longer than the US, partially, and as mentioned above, because there is no election coming up. But one thing I did not think of, I don’t think Xi Jinping is going to agree to anything that lets Trump claim some victory over China. > > The trade imbalance with China is a problelm. I hope it gets solved. But I am in this horrible position where I hope it doesn’t get done for a few years, after Trump is gone. I’m like those Republican voters continually voting against their own interests, supporing trickle down economics. We are in a position now where I think we have to be like McConnel when Obama got elected, we have to oppose anything Trump does no matter what it is. I’m like Bill Maher last year, it’s either a recession or lose your democracy. I mean I’m not saying we should try and cause a recession but I can’t say I would be heartbroken if it happens. > > This is what Trump has done to this country. Why is the trade imbalance with China a problem? Is your trade imbalance with your local grocery store a problem? ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35834 "2019-08-24T19:55:24Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Why is the trade imbalance with China a problem? > > Is your trade imbalance with your local grocery store a problem? Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it is. I said I don’t know much about economics. > **[The U.S. Trade Deficit: How Much Does It Matter?](https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-trade-deficit-how-much-does-it-matter)** > > President Trump has made reducing the U.S. trade deficit a priority, blaming trade deals like NAFTA, but economists disagree over how policymakers should respond. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35835 "2019-08-24T20:10:25Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Sorry, my bad, I meant “clean” coal. Everybody knows there’s no such thing as “clear” coal. Actually, there is… we call it “diamonds”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35836 "2019-08-24T20:11:44Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > I knew that China would be willing to suffer economic problems longer than the US, partially, and as mentioned above, because there is no election coming up. But one thing I did not think of, I don’t think Xi Jinping is going to agree to anything that lets Trump claim some victory over China. > > The trade imbalance with China is a problelm. I hope it gets solved. But I am in this horrible position where I hope it doesn’t get done for a few years, after Trump is gone. I’m like those Republican voters continually voting against their own interests, supporing trickle down economics. We are in a position now where I think we have to be like McConnel when Obama got elected, we have to oppose anything Trump does no matter what it is. I’m like Bill Maher last year, it’s either a recession or lose your democracy. I mean I’m not saying we should try and cause a recession but I can’t say I would be heartbroken if it happens. > > This is what Trump has done to this country. The trade imbalance is really not the issue, and it never should have been. I won’t disagree that the Chinese government could do more to help American businesses reach Chinese consumers, but American brands have done well in China. And Chinese investors have helped the American economy. If there’s one area where we really had good reason to go after China it’s theft of technology – that was worth at least a small skirmish over. But taking on China unilaterally while also threatening similar trade wars with allies who could have helped us isolate China was just pure stupidity. In short, we’ve wasted some economic bullets. I’ve been saying for a while that the only way Americans are going to get rid of the scourge of conservatism is to live with its consequences. Let’s maybe take away social safety nets, including SS and medicare, take away federal stimulus during economic downturns, and then see how Americans like it. They probably won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35837 "2019-08-24T20:16:52Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I guess the reason that I make the distinction is because I see many racists who are willing to accept harm to themselves, so long as it results in harm to those they don’t like. Trump is not willing to accept harm to himself in order to harm others, but harms others in an attempt to satisfy his own greed. Not that that doesn’t cause him harm as well, but that is due to short sightedness and incompetence, rather than design. If Trump were motivated by mere racism, it would be easier to secure, contain, and protect. So… you’re proposing calling in the [SCP Foundation?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCP_Foundation) To Secure, Contain, and Protect? You think things have gotten that bad? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35838 "2019-08-24T20:18:40Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zqHZWdFVyyQ/hqdefault.jpg "used cars - high prices") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqHZWdFVyyQ) So I guess Trump does have the right to order companies out of China if it’s a national emergency. I don’t think higher prices qualify, but if he could, I sure Trump would support a military solution. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35839 "2019-08-24T20:23:45Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it is. I said I don’t know much about economics. Obviously, and yet this does not stop you from making conclusive statements about international economics. :rolleyes: > [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > So I guess Trump does have the right to order companies out of China if it’s a national emergency. I don’t think higher prices qualify, but if he could, I sure Trump would support a military solution. Yeah…I’m sure that’ll go over just fine and dandy with Ford, ExxonMobil, the Koch Group, and pretty much every major American company that does any business overseas. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35840 "2019-08-24T20:27:23Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > So… you’re proposing calling in the [SCP Foundation?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCP_Foundation) To Secure, Contain, and Protect? You think things have gotten that bad? > 😉 I didn’t even look to see who wrote that. I’m just saying that that article is now all I know about the trade imbalance. Except for what Asashi said above, and I did know about the “theft of intellectual property” thing. Oh and I remember many years ago, I think it was Milton Friedman on Donahue or something, basically saying China, and other countries, should make the things they are good at making, and we should make the things we are good at making. If it results in a trade deficit, so be it ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35841 "2019-08-24T20:32:57Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Obviously, and yet this does not stop you from making conclusive statements about international economics. :rolleyes: > > Yeah…I’m sure that’ll go over just fine and dandy with Ford, ExxonMobil, the Koch Group, and pretty much every major American company that does any business overseas. I wasn’t trying to make any conclusive statements, unless you count my assumption that the trade imbalance was a big deal. Why do you think I said that? Because I didn’t know the answers It’s a joke, did you click on the link? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35842 "2019-08-24T20:48:21Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > So… you’re proposing calling in the [SCP Foundation?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCP_Foundation) To Secure, Contain, and Protect? You think things have gotten that bad? > 😉 I do wonder if we are dealing with some dangerous memetic SCP’s sometimes. But then I just take a class D amnestic, and I’m all good. > [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > I didn’t even look to see who wrote that. I’m just saying that that article is now all I know about the trade imbalance. Except for what Asashi said above, and I did know about the “theft of intellectual property” thing. > > Oh and I remember many years ago, I think it was Milton Friedman on Donahue or something, basically saying China, and other countries, should make the things they are good at making, and we should make the things we are good at making. If it results in a trade deficit, so be it Right, and that is always the most effiecient way to run any market. If we want to correct a trade imbalance, the way to do that is to make more stuff that other people want, and sell it to them. One of our big exports is not physical products, but movies and games. The last Avengers movie alone brought almost 2 billion dollars to our country. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35843 "2019-08-24T20:53:39Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > Oh and I remember many years ago, I think it was Milton Friedman on Donahue or something, basically saying China, and other countries, should make the things they are good at making, and we should make the things we are good at making. If it results in a trade deficit, so be it Does that include stealing plans for things the other guy makes well and selling them to him? ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/35844 "2019-08-24T21:25:42Z")
I wonder if this has anything to do with Trump’s feud with the Fed and his constant insistence that interest rates need to be cut: [Trump’s company could save millions if interest rates fall as he demands](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-company-could-save-millions-if-interest-rates-fall-as-he-demands/2019/08/24/5e5df684-c5a9-11e9-b5e4-54aa56d5b7ce_story.html) > [@](#): > > President Trump stands to save millions of dollars annually in interest on outstanding loans on his hotels and resorts if the Federal Reserve lowers rates as he has been demanding, according to public filings and financial experts. > > In the five years before he became president, Trump borrowed more than $360 million via four loans from Deutsche Bank for his hotels in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, as well his 643-room Doral golf resort in South Florida. > > The payments on all four properties vary with interest rate changes, according to Trump’s official financial disclosures. That means he has already benefited from falling interest rates that were spurred in part by a cut the Federal Reserve announced in July, the first in more than a decade — and his payments could drop by millions of dollars more annually if the central bank grants Trump’s wish and further lowers short-term rates, experts said. I’m shocked, shocked to find personal financial enrichment is going on in here! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1791) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1793)