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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump wants to put the US through bankruptcy. WTF? How does that make America great?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/this-is-astounding
So many stories in presidential politics, in all politics, are more sound and fury than substance. This one isn't. It's hard to overstate how big a deal it is. Donald Trump caught a lot of grief during the primaries for putting several of his companies through bankruptcies during his career. He's also made a point of arguing that he'd bring his brand of "deal-making" to the presidency. It now seems like both of those things may have been way more significant than maybe anyone realized.
On CNBC this morning Trump suggested that one strategy he'll use for reducing the national debt is having bond holders accept "haircuts". To be clear what that means, he'll try to get people who own US Treasury bonds and are owned X to accept X/2, or some reduced amount of what they are owed.
That's called defaulting on a debt obligation.
In other words, he wants to put the US through something like bankruptcy. Now, to be clear, in the world of business this is not at all uncommon. In a bankruptcy proceeding almost everyone takes a haircut. Many lose everything. You were owed $7 million and you have to accept $2 million. It often happens in simple business negotiations too. Things aren't going great. Debt has to be restructured to help the company survive. A creditor thinks they might lose everything so they'll accept 50 cents on the dollar.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Why not try it with a few extra zeroes on the end?
I suppose he sees it as a way of stealing from our creditors.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)Fix The Stupid
(948 posts)got that way thru many bankruptcies...
Hell, one guy even started a local business...trucking... burnt it down after 3 years, started again, stiffed everyone he dealt with, then it mysteriously burnt down AGAIN, and after the 3rd time it burnt (yes, 3 times), it is now a palace.
He is currently building a 25,000 sq. foot 'house' on the lake...
It doesn't pay to be honest or deal in ethical manners. You don't get anywhere in this world being honest and ethical.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)Not only to fail and still think you can run a business, but also to keep ripping people off, and also somehow getting around all the barriers that bankruptcy should put in your way? WTF? Bizarre.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)commit?
I really, really hate this quote.
Yes, many, but not all, great fortunes are begun with a crime, but many are also begun with a mind.
Johonny
(20,856 posts)Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)What the IMf and world bank have forced developing economies to do many times. Trevor Noah did have a point...chuckle
Vinca
(50,285 posts)In one respect, maybe that's a good analogy, but what he's suggesting would take us back to the days of the Great Depression. This man is a bigger threat to the country than any terrorist he claims to want to go after.
bhikkhu
(10,718 posts)which our monetary policies under Obama have done very well already. Interest on the national debt (Treasury bonds) has gone from about 5% to about 2%, so while our debt has grown larger the cost of that debt has actually decreased.
Trumps idea would be force someone to trade 2% yielding bonds for 1% yielding bonds, or something like that. Its not a terrible idea, but the markets would look at it as default, or theft, or breach of contract, and the results would be predictably disastrous. Bitcoins and gold would spike as a last resort refuge.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,071 posts)He's got his.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,185 posts)How does that look on a hat?