what is to be done? Trump has some ideas!

[Vigilante]

Powerline ^ | Oct 23, 2016 | STEVEN HAYWARD

Donald Trump has come out with his “Contract with the American Voter.” Hmmm, where have we heard this “contract” language before? Do I see the roly-poly profile of the person who’s name rhymes with “flute” lurking in the shadows?

Actually this is a good idea for Trump. Beyond the wall, tax cut plan, and his views of tighter scrutiny for Muslim immigrants, he’s been lacking in details. His contract is quite specific, offering 28 specific items in four separate groupings. The first six are the things he pledges to on his first day in office. Let’s take them in order:

• FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.

Probably still a popular idea, but of dubious effect. California has had term limits for 26 years now, and it hasn’t made much difference for the better that I can tell. But if President Trump really wants to get the full attention of Congress, he should go one step further than say that if Congress doesn’t pass and send to the states a term limit amendment, he will ask the states to call for an Article V convention to adopt term limits and a balanced budget amendment. It’s another bad idea whose time has come, as I argued in Forbes a couple years ago.

• SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health).

Better would be a call to reform civil service laws so that federal employees can be fired, and not just reduced by attrition. Trump is good at saying “you’re fired.” Why not ask for broader power to do this with federal employees, especially the ones who hold the American public in such contempt.

• THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated.

A nice gimmick, but clever bureaucrats will figure out ingenious ways around this, just as they have gamed the cost-benefit analysis process that the Reagan people imposed on regulators back in the 1980s. Better to demand passage of the REINS Act (which stands for “Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny”), which will require Congress to approve all new regulations that would impose a cost of $100 million or more. Also, Trump should also demand an end to “informal” regulation through “guidance” letters (such as the egregious Title IX regime that would never make it through the formal rule making process).

• FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service.
• FIFTH, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.
• SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.

These three sound fine to me. Just make sure that there aren’t loopholes for ex-officials to be “lobbyists” without having to be formally registered as lobbyists. Right now these simple bans would be easy to get around.

These and the other ideas on the rest of his statement would have been great for Trump to bring up during the debates. Among other things, then the media would have had to cover them. Moreover, if he made more of these proposals instead of tweeting about rotund beauty queens and etc., he might be running away with this election. A couple other highlights from the list:

•  FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job- producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.
•  SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward.
•  SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure.
•  THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities.

 

[kyzr]

Trump also needs to roll out his Cabinet, especially his SECDEF who has the other half of the nuke button to cancel out Hillary's commercial that Trump shouldn't have the nuclear codes. Trump should also support Bernie's "transaction tax" to hammer high frequency traders who steal everyone's 401K money. He needs to mend fences with vets and women, etc. Trump can still win but he just can't handle what the job requires.

 

[occupied]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

 

[Vigilante]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

 

[occupied]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

 

[Vigilante]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

 

[occupied]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

 

[Vigilante]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

 

[occupied]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

 

[Vigilante]

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

 

[occupied]

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

Yes, I know there is no one here who is undecided, why don't you know that? I'll fill you in, every single person here has long ago decided who they are going to vote for and your continual spamming is useless jerking off.

 

[Vigilante]

Always wrong. the Independents this year are 10 to 12% undecided

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

Yes, I know there is no one here who is undecided, why don't you know that? I'll fill you in, every single person here has long ago decided who they are going to vote for and your continual spamming is useless jerking off.

Do you know how many people are registered on USMB?...I do, and not even 10% of them post here, so how the fuck would you know anything about them? My FACTS and logic surely influence more than your support of a liar, corrupt, criminal, and murderous bitch!

 

[occupied]

No I think your shit stirring crotch grabber has made up their minds for them already but keep up the fight. One question, do you actually think there is a single undecided on this website?

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

Yes, I know there is no one here who is undecided, why don't you know that? I'll fill you in, every single person here has long ago decided who they are going to vote for and your continual spamming is useless jerking off.

Do you know how many people are registered on USMB?...I do, and not even 10% of them post here, so how the fuck would you know anything about them?

Undecided voters are among the most politically disinterested people on the face of the earth and watch stupid reality shows and sports rather than sit on some dusty old message board . If reposting stuff makes you feel as if your life has meaning don't let me interrupt your useless activity. Fight the good fight and all that jazz.

 

[Vigilante]

The thought of you thinking is repulsive!

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

Yes, I know there is no one here who is undecided, why don't you know that? I'll fill you in, every single person here has long ago decided who they are going to vote for and your continual spamming is useless jerking off.

Do you know how many people are registered on USMB?...I do, and not even 10% of them post here, so how the fuck would you know anything about them?

Undecided voters are among the most politically disinterested people on the face of the earth and watch stupid reality shows and sports rather than sit on some dusty old message board . If reposting stuff makes you feel as if your life has meaning don't let me interrupt your useless activity. Fight the good fight and all that jazz.

Like Trump. I almost always win!

 

[occupied]

Of course it is, you Trumpbots hate rational thought, it's why you are going to lose.

You, rational!!!......

Yes, I know there is no one here who is undecided, why don't you know that? I'll fill you in, every single person here has long ago decided who they are going to vote for and your continual spamming is useless jerking off.

Do you know how many people are registered on USMB?...I do, and not even 10% of them post here, so how the fuck would you know anything about them?

Undecided voters are among the most politically disinterested people on the face of the earth and watch stupid reality shows and sports rather than sit on some dusty old message board . If reposting stuff makes you feel as if your life has meaning don't let me interrupt your useless activity. Fight the good fight and all that jazz.

Like Trump. I almost always win!

Sure you do.

 

[owebo]

If Trump ever had any good ideas now is much too late to be trying to talk about them. The best time would have been at the beginning of the campaign and shitcan all the fear and loathing, but then ideas has never been what his followers wanted anyway.

No one remembers what happens in the beginning, it's all about the last 7 to 10 days

No it isn't, by then practically everyone has made their choice, early voting is underway and the vast majority of Americans just want the unending ordeal to be over. Where the hell did you even get an idea like that?

It seems 24% of your fascist friends may indeed have a brain after all and will not vote for your hitlery.....sadness on you....

 

[Londoner]

Trump gets his steel from China, and his ties made in Mexico. He does this because the low cost of third world labor gives him higher profits, and higher profits CREATES the incentives for capital investment, which incentives CREATES JOBS.

This is why Reagan liberalized trade, because he wanted to give maximum incentives to suppliers.

Question: can vigilante tell us what Reagan's trade policy was across different sectors, starting with textiles?

The answer is "no".

Vigilante knows nothing about Reagan's actual trade policies, nor can he tell you about Reagan's energy policies or Middle Eastern policies.

Vigilante only repeats the things he hears from the rightwing press. His understanding of real history and real presidential policies is beyond limited.

This is why he can't speak intelligently on the differences between Trump and Reagan on trade.

And somehow [wait for it] we're listening to this know-nothing about Trump's incoherent, moronic, anti-Reagan policies.

 

[Ozone]

seems in trump's musical chairs, when the music stops whoever is left standing is fired, and then two chairs are removed, one chair is added, the music starts again. attrition.

 

[flacaltenn]

Powerline ^ | Oct 23, 2016 | STEVEN HAYWARD

Donald Trump has come out with his “Contract with the American Voter.” Hmmm, where have we heard this “contract” language before? Do I see the roly-poly profile of the person who’s name rhymes with “flute” lurking in the shadows?

Actually this is a good idea for Trump. Beyond the wall, tax cut plan, and his views of tighter scrutiny for Muslim immigrants, he’s been lacking in details. His contract is quite specific, offering 28 specific items in four separate groupings. The first six are the things he pledges to on his first day in office. Let’s take them in order:

• FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.

Probably still a popular idea, but of dubious effect. California has had term limits for 26 years now, and it hasn’t made much difference for the better that I can tell. But if President Trump really wants to get the full attention of Congress, he should go one step further than say that if Congress doesn’t pass and send to the states a term limit amendment, he will ask the states to call for an Article V convention to adopt term limits and a balanced budget amendment. It’s another bad idea whose time has come, as I argued in Forbes a couple years ago.

• SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health).

Better would be a call to reform civil service laws so that federal employees can be fired, and not just reduced by attrition. Trump is good at saying “you’re fired.” Why not ask for broader power to do this with federal employees, especially the ones who hold the American public in such contempt.

• THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated.

A nice gimmick, but clever bureaucrats will figure out ingenious ways around this, just as they have gamed the cost-benefit analysis process that the Reagan people imposed on regulators back in the 1980s. Better to demand passage of the REINS Act (which stands for “Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny”), which will require Congress to approve all new regulations that would impose a cost of $100 million or more. Also, Trump should also demand an end to “informal” regulation through “guidance” letters (such as the egregious Title IX regime that would never make it through the formal rule making process).

• FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service.
• FIFTH, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.
• SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.

These three sound fine to me. Just make sure that there aren’t loopholes for ex-officials to be “lobbyists” without having to be formally registered as lobbyists. Right now these simple bans would be easy to get around.

These and the other ideas on the rest of his statement would have been great for Trump to bring up during the debates. Among other things, then the media would have had to cover them. Moreover, if he made more of these proposals instead of tweeting about rotund beauty queens and etc., he might be running away with this election. A couple other highlights from the list:

•  FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job- producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.
•  SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward.
•  SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure.
•  THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities.

I'm confused Vigi -- did you know the source you posted is actually a REBUTTAL and a hit piece on Trump's proposals? And you didn't provide the required personal material in the OP.

• Opening Posts require more than a Copy and Paste with a Link, You need to include relevant, on topic material of your own.