When you realize that you are the Self,
Supreme Source of Light, Supreme
Source of Love, you Transcend the Duality
of Life and enter into the Unitive State.

The Mundaka Upanishad (3)

As to why it’s not informative of Trump’s economic policies in his first term– the obvious one is a president doesn’t control the purse, Congress does.
But more importantly, if COVID hadn’t happened, do you think the deficit in 2020 would have been $4 trillion?

As to inflation, you need to fault every president since Ronald Reagan, if you’re going to use shadowstats methodology. And once again, it’s the Fed’s mandate to control inflation, and while Presidents and Congress can browbeat the Fed to bend policy, the Fed is independent. As bad as the Fed’s policies are to benefit Wall St. rather than Main St., heaven help us if Congress took back control of monetary policy.

Yes, some of his picks are concerning, but Trump’s managerial style is to listen to different points of view– but he still makes the decisions. His use of tariffs to benefit Main St. is real and I don’t think he’ll be talked out of using them effectively.

You wrote, “The economy did soften in 2019 and rates were lowered and another round of quantitative easing began.” I believe 2019 was during Trump’s term in office. Quantitative easing = money printing = inflation.

“As to the debt, Trump’s administration added $2.47 Trillion in 2018-2019. It’s disingenuous to fault the debt added in 2020 as we were responding to an unknown virus.” Regarding the $2.47 trillion: I’m reminded of the old saying, a trillion here, a trillion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money. Two and a half trillion bucks doesn’t bother you?

And why can’t I fault the debt added in 2020? This kicked off what may be the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of the world. Catastrophic consequences with no end in sight.

The effective Fed funds rate was 0.66% when Trump took office Jan 20, 2017.
The Fed began raising rates at that point to an effective rate of 2.4% by July, 2019.

At the same time the FED began their quantitative tightening during Trump’s first term. According to some economists, this had the effect of adding about 0.5-0.75% to interest rates as they sold almost $1 trillion of assets. The economy did soften in 2019 and rates were lowered and another round of quantitative easing began.

As to the debt, Trump’s administration added $2.47 Trillion in 2018-2019. It’s disingenuous to fault the debt added in 2020 as we were responding to an unknown virus. Yes Trump is not an economic conservative, but not exactly meteoric territory.

Compare those two years to the same place in Obama’s second term during 2014-2015 where his administration added $1.75 Trillion.

https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2019/july/what-is-quantitative-tightening

If this is the art of the deal, to get the best outcome possible, I must ask the question: Best outcome for whom?

Some don’t want to understand, some are too old to catch up, and some pretend not to understand because there is a paycheck tied to that pretense, that’s what I figure anyway.

It was sarcasm. Of course George Washington never spoke like that to his troops. No winning general ever has. Nor winning athletic coach. Nor successful political leader. It’s precisely why Reagan could take the same circumstances as Carter and motivate the American public to strive for and achieve great things.

I am astounded at how many seemingly intelligent people still do not understand Trump’s tactics after his being in politics for about 10 years, a reality television performer for 14 years and after he literally wrote down the exact same approach over 40 years ago in his best seller, “The Art of the Deal.”

Trump is always negotiating. He uses hyperbole to set parameters and expectations then maneuvers to get the best outcome possible. It’s just that simple. How can people not understand this by now?

Is that a paraphrase? It doesn’t sound like an 18th-century quote. I searched for a speech given on that occasion and didn’t find one, would appreciate the link if you have one.

Closest I could find was General Orders August 23 1776:

The Enemy have now landed on Long Island, and the hour is fast approaching, on which the Honor and Success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding Country depend. Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of Liberty—that slavery will be your portion, and that of your posterity, if you do not acquit yourselves like men: Remember how your Courage and Spirit have been dispised, and traduced by your cruel invaders; though they have found by dear experience at Boston, Charlestown and other places, what a few brave men contending in their own land, and in the best of causes can do, against base hirelings and mercenaries—Be cool, but determined; do not fire at a distance, but wait for orders from your officers—It is the General’s express orders that if any man attempt to skulk, lay down, or retreat without Orders he be instantly shot down as an example, he hopes no such Scoundrel will be found in this army; but on the contrary, every one for himself resolving to conquer, or die, and trusting to the smiles of heaven upon so just a cause, will behave with Bravery and Resolution: Those who are distinguished for their Gallantry, and good Conduct, may depend upon being honorably noticed, and suitably rewarded: And if this Army will but emulate, and imitate their brave Countrymen, in other parts of America, he has no doubt they will, by a glorious Victory, save their Country, and acquire to themselves immortal Honor.