Fake news bulletins

The following are unverified rumors from anonymous sources concerning statements made by Donald Trump, the man who put twit in Twitter .



Trump is apparently planning to name Kim Kardashian as an under secretary of treasury. He stated that he admires her because although she has created nothing of value and has no discernible talent she has made millions. In other words, she is his kind of person. He also remarked that she is a natural for treasury because she has a couple of real treasure chests.

Trump is also planning to name BB Netanyahu as the United States ambassador to the United Nations. Trump ex planed that having Netanyahu in that position will eliminate the need to examine vexatious problems concerning differences in the strategies and aims of the United States and Israel.

Trump also discussed his middle east strategy. He said that part of the world requires Swift and decisive and bold action like the cavalry charge led by Lord cardigan at the Battle of Balaklava.

Trump declined to answer any questions.

The anti-trump particle

A fundamental theory of quantum physics is that of supersymmetry. The theory is that for every subatomic particle there is an anti-particle. We need an anti-trump particle, sort of a shadow cabinet that will quickly and consistently confront every stupid thing that Trump advocates. It can't be left to Saturday Night Live but needs to be done by the leaders of the Democrat party. The notion is not to obstruct the Trump administration and the Republican Congress but to confront them when they are wrong. To the extent the Republicans propose something sensible and useful, like a proper infrastructure building program, the Democrats should support it, not seek to obstruct it as the Republicans did during the Obama administration. It would be great if Trump had to appear before Congress and respond to questions as it is done in the British Parliament. That's not going to happen. Truck will not be holding press conferences and answering questions because he can't. He has now nominated Sean Spicer as his Press Secretary. Spicer does not answer her questions either, but fires off preset speeches like some programmed android on steroids.

Trump shows no sign of improvement. His response to the tragedy in Berlin was not one of sympathy and condolences but to claim it proved him right. In other words, everything is about him. He is the most egocentric politician I have ever seen, and there have been plenty of contenders.

Kellyanne Conway is now 2B counselor to the president. Her role will probably be like a Consigliary in the Godfather movies. She is only second to Mike Pence in her perfection of the insincere smile. She is, however, obviously much smarter than either Trump or Pence so we are likely to see more of  her than is typical of a counselor to the president.

The bully in the pulpit

Recalling the misplaced hysteria that accompanied the election of Barack Obama in 2008, I have tried to react to the election of Donald the Trump with some measure of equanimity. As it was completely apparent during the campaign that nearly every thing he said was either bullshit or lying, one could adopt a posture of wait and see. I suppose I am still in that mode. But, it does continually appear that what we saw is what we get. As became apparent, his approach to business has been to whenever possible strong-arm those with whom he deals. He readily took advantage of his superior position to beat down subs and suppliers. It looks like that will be his approach to trade policy and perhaps foreign-policy in general. The best example is his treatment of Boeing, whose executives have the temerity to criticize him. It is also quite clear that that will be his approach to Mexico. Because the United States is the richest and most powerful nation on earth and has by far the most military capabilities, he can probably get away with it in the short run with respect to certain companies and countries. He will of course claim total victory, much like George W. Bush on the deck of that aircraft carrier before everything went to hell.

How will that work with China? Drop is still talking about China's currency valuations when that is a problem in the past. He undoubtedly does not know that there was a dual system of currency valuations for quite some time where the more developed countries flooded their currencies and the emerging nations pegged theirs. And he obviously has no knowledge of the Washington consensus circa 1999 and how that affected international trade. He does not know what happen to the Asian Tigers and how they started hoarding dollars and protecting their currencies. To the extent Trump is successful in beating down companies and countries, it will serve to increase the price of goods in this country wether made here or imported. It is not going to bring back those jobs lost in the Rust Belt to any great extent. Trump seems oblivious to the effect of technological innovations on manufacturing, service and other employment. The cruel irony is that those Midwestern voters who elected trunk Will not to any extent to get their jobs back and will be paying far more for goods, particularly the type of goods they buy at Walmart which are manufactured in the Far East.

It remains to be seen what Trump and Paul Ryan can agree upon, other than tax cuts at the top. Even his proposed infrastructure program which could increase employment and add to aggregate demand, seems to be cluttered up with some crazy tax scheme that also involves privatization of public facilities.

There seems to be no indication of how Trump would deal with the EEC. He hasn't discussed, For instance, retaliating against Ireland for their role in ace erosion of this country, as witnessed by their dealings with Apple.

Perhaps the most frightening thing about Trump his Is obvious galloping megalomania. To paraphrase something said about George W. Bush, the combination of arrogance ignorance and incompetence is breathtaking. One can only hope that some of the predictions of loss of jobs an worldwide economic distress his trade policies make create do not occur, Either because he changes his mind or perhaps the Lord will smile upon us in this hour hour of need.