# Trump's Business Interests thread: \> Pit? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 21, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614 "2016-11-21T00:57:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/1 "2016-11-21T00:57:59Z")
**Jonathan Chance** assigned the thread about “Will Trump Keep His Business Interests Separate from the Presidency?” to the Pit. I disagree with this relocation; the concept is perfectly valid (whether to Elections of Great Debates, one might wonder.) No one in the thread wrote in a Pit-worthy fashion. Keep it where it was. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/2 "2016-11-21T01:02:36Z")
Seemed more ranty to me than a real discussion of the issues. I can see how others might disagree, but I’d like to see how it progresses. It’s certainly possible to have a thread in which one is critical of Trump - in fact I anticipate many over the next four years - but with a higher level of discussion. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/3 "2016-11-21T02:14:24Z")
Just read through it; to me it (and most of the replies) looks a little IMHOish than Pit or GD; not much like Elections unless it was worded more like “Will his conflicted interests hurt his chances for re-election”. But then again, I’m far from being any sort of Mod. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/4 "2016-11-21T02:40:47Z")
Plus the Pit already has a glut of Trump threads. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/5 "2016-11-21T02:46:46Z")
The thing is, IMHO the Pit is an off-the-beaten-path back room where people go who want to call names and get hot under the collar. People generally get directed there when they start to insult other posters directly. I’m the OP and the thread didn’t seem ranty to me. At least no more ranty than other threads in the Elections forum. I intended it to be expository. I thought I was bringing to people’s attention a topic of interest that had not been explored, but which will become of increasing interest. To move this thread of what is to me mainstream interest into the Pit removes it from the place, namely Elections, where most readers will go to read stuff about Trump. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/6 "2016-11-21T03:39:57Z")
The whole OP was a rant. > [@](#): > > It was the Republicans who raised all kinds of holy hell because some foreign businessmen “gained access” to Hillary Clinton with donations to the Clinton Foundation even though it was shown these guys didn’t actually get anything except her presence at dinners/speeches (which no doubt brought in other paying attendees–I’ve given plenty of luncheons, and that’s how you fill the tables: with a high profile guest of honor). She was Secretary of State, not even the President, and she got raked over the coals for this. > > There will be no way to keep Donald Trump from continuing to run his businesses (with the phony front that his kids are doing it) and make money. Even more money after he becomes privy to details that only the top echelons of government are privileged to know. Why else would past Presidents put their assets in a blind trust–so they could not profit from their insider knowledge. Trump will do things his way, because he doesn’t follow rules, or even conventions, no one can tell him what to do, and there isn’t a pair of gonads among the Republican leadership that can stop him. And he will continue to do his best to keep the press from knowing what he’s up to. [Spare me the references to Obama’s poor relationship with the press–that’s 1) old news and 2) false equivalency. It wasn’t an invite to debate, it was a rant. There is nothing in the OP that suggest she was open to discussion. > [@BigT](#): > > Plus the Pit already has a glut of Trump threads. Gee, why do you think that is? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/7 "2016-11-21T03:44:31Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Plus the Pit already has a glut of Trump threads. As is every forum except the Marketplace. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > The thing is, IMHO the Pit is an off-the-beaten-path back room where people go who want to call names and get hot under the collar. People generally get directed there when they start to insult other posters directly. > > I’m the OP and the thread didn’t seem ranty to me. At least no more ranty than other threads in the Elections forum. I intended it to be expository. I thought I was bringing to people’s attention a topic of interest that had not been explored, but which will become of increasing interest. To move this thread of what is to me mainstream interest into the Pit removes it from the place, namely Elections, where most readers will go to read stuff about Trump. I am not a mod of any of the forums where the thread might go so I’m not speaking with any authority. I read your OP and even though the title of the thread was a question the actual post was a rant. You weren’t really inviting any specific discussion. The fabric of the board would not unravel if it had been left where it was but it’s certainly not out of place in the Pit. Just because it’s in the Pit doesn’t mean there can’t be a good discussion on the subject. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/8 "2016-11-21T04:25:21Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The whole OP was a rant. > > It wasn’t an invite to debate, it was a rant. There is nothing in the OP that suggest she was open to discussion. > … I completely disagree. Plenty of posters answered the question I posed in the title. If no one took the opposite pov, why not? A case could be made for either location. I don’t mind that it’s in the Pit now, I just think moving it was nitpicky…or nit-PIT-ty. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/9 "2016-11-21T04:37:13Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I completely disagree. Then you should be able to quote the part of the OP that invited debate. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/10 "2016-11-21T11:27:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > or nit-PIT-ty. That alone justifies the move! Grr! It’s my dearest hope that the number of ‘Trump sucks ass’ threads will calm down in the near future. I acknowledge - even understand - that feelings are running high concerning our problematic President-Elect. However, I truly don’t want to live through four years of such threads. If that makes things a little more prone to head for the Pit when there’s little debate or discussion then so be it. Trust me, he’ll give you things to discuss and debate. If I know anything it’ll be that. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/11 "2016-11-21T12:21:52Z")
Good plan … send all the Trump threads into the Pit … then release the hounds … that should cut way back on the number of new threads that are just repeating the same material … Seriously folks, the rhetoric is from 1980 if not earlier … come up with something new for a change. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/12 "2016-11-21T13:30:23Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > It’s my dearest hope that the number of ‘Trump sucks ass’ threads will calm down in the near future. I acknowledge - even understand - that feelings are running high concerning our problematic President-Elect. However, I truly don’t want to live through four years of such threads. [list=A][li]I rather doubt any calming down is going to occur, and [\*]Eight years.[/list] :eek: [/li] That having been said, I appreciate the efforts of the mods, you in particular, in maintaining at least a semblance of discussion/debate amid the rantings. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/13 "2016-11-21T14:15:27Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [list=A][li]I rather doubt any calming down is going to occur, and [\*]Eight years.[/list] :eek: [/li] > That having been said, I appreciate the efforts of the mods, you in particular, in maintaining at least a semblance of discussion/debate amid the rantings. > > Regards, > Shodan Agreed. Seems like the workload has doubled or tripled for the mods since the election. Can’t be much fun. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/14 "2016-11-21T14:28:39Z")
No, it felt worse before. Or maybe it’s just ME. I feel confident the emotional nature of the rhetoric will calm down over time. The opposition won’t, I’m certain. However, opposition and discussion is acceptable and encouraged. Ranting in GD and Elections is what’s not. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/15 "2016-11-21T15:12:40Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Then you should be able to quote the part of the OP that invited debate. I’ve lost interest in making my point. > [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > That alone justifies the move! Grr! > > … Oh pooh. That was humor, and kind of clever at that. Did it need a winking smiley to make that clear? Sorry if I hurt your feelings or caused you to feel I didn’t take you seriously. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the election, and this appalling man isn’t even P-------t yet, so yeah, there’s going to be plenty of discussion and some ranting. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/16 "2016-11-21T15:18:01Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The whole OP was a rant. > > It wasn’t an invite to debate, it was a rant. There is nothing in the OP that suggest she was open to discussion. But was it a Pit-worthy level of rant? If you look across IMHO and MPSIMS quite a few threads basically start as rants about one thing or another and develop from there. I don’t know that this OP had the level of mean-spirit-ness to really make a good Pit thread and neither did the replies. I can live with the move; it doesn’t bother me — I’m just trying to figure out if there is something more that I’m not seeing. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/17 "2016-11-21T15:18:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > [QUOTE=BigT] > Plus the Pit already has a glut of Trump threads. As is every forum except the Marketplace. [/QUOTE] Now if The Donald were a poster here, he would see that as a clear opportunity to make some money: empty space, just calling out for some branding! Would probably cut a deal with the Board owner’s to rename that forum: “The Trump Marketplace: for the Yuuuge Deals!” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/18 "2016-11-21T16:32:56Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > But was it a Pit-worthy level of rant? If you look across IMHO and MPSIMS quite a few threads basically start as rants about one thing or another and develop from there. I don’t know that this OP had the level of mean-spirit-ness to really make a good Pit thread and neither did the replies. I can live with the move; it doesn’t bother me — I’m just trying to figure out if there is something more that I’m not seeing. I suspect you’re overanalyzing it. Like **JC** said in his first post here. I don’t think there is a correct answer-- it’s a judgement call. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/19 "2016-11-22T01:11:29Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > . . . but I’d like to see how it progresses. . . . Well, it’s too late now! Jeepers! The Pit is the ultimate tar-brush: once a thread has been stained, there’s no cleaning it! I hope someone opens the subject again, either in GD or Elections, because it has some real validity, and is worth discussing. Meanwhile, I’ll drop into the Pit thread and drop some F-bombs… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614/20 "2016-11-22T03:08:44Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > The thing is, IMHO the Pit is an off-the-beaten-path back room where people go who want to call names and get hot under the collar. People generally get directed there when they start to insult other posters directly. > > I’m the OP and the thread didn’t seem ranty to me. At least no more ranty than other threads in the Elections forum. I intended it to be expository. I thought I was bringing to people’s attention a topic of interest that had not been explored, but which will become of increasing interest. To move this thread of what is to me mainstream interest into the Pit removes it from the place, namely Elections, where most readers will go to read stuff about Trump. I thought it looked like a good discussion topic, but I’m new and have not started my own thread yet. I guess I’ll just put them in the pit to be on the safe side. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-business-interests-thread-pit/772614.md?page=2)