NYTimes wrote: Donald Trump in NY: Deep Roots But Little Influence (02/23/16)

....Though he portrays himself as a major developer, his companies’ highest profile ownership stakes in real estate in New York include an office building on Wall Street; part of another on Avenue of the Americas; commercial space at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where he lives; and parking below the Trump Plaza on East 61st Street

“It’s a very successful garage,” he said in a telephone interview.

Mr. Trump’s operation also runs Wollman Rink and the carousel in Central Park, through contracts with the city’s parks department.

....The major banks, for their part, say they are leery of lending to him after having lost millions of dollars on past deals. Lawyers and contractors he has hired in the past say he is slow to pay his bills, and often shortchanges them. Even the few Wall Street executives who say privately that he is a friend are loath to speak publicly about him....

....One contractor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being sued by Mr. Trump, said Mr. Trump underpaid on one large job, at one of his towers, by almost $100,000. The contractor opted not to sue, estimating the litigation would cost more than the losses. The two parties have not done business since. Lawyers who spoke to The Times had similar stories. Mr. Trump revels in his reputation, boasting about not paying some of his outstanding legal and construction bills. “If they do a bad job, they have to suffer,” he said. “If they overbill me or if they don’t do a good job, I take plenty of time to pay them and I negotiate with them.”

...One New York institution Mr. Trump has been forced to deal with is Wall Street. Here bank executives are cautious, citing his previous bankruptcies and his propensity for litigation....Fifteen companies with ties to Mr. Trump owe banks in excess of $270 million, according to his Federal Election Commission disclosures. The actual amount of debt is higher, however — the top range candidates are required to reveal is $50 million or above for any given loan....

Records show just one Goldman employee, a financial adviser in the wealth management division, has donated to Mr. Trump — $534.58, to be precise. That employee’s name is Luke Thorburn. Public records show Mr. Thorburn trademarked the phrase “Make Christianity Great Again” and is selling hats that mirror Mr. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” caps.

MoBettle wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:

MoBettle wrote:Agreed, and I've said it before but there's a level of irony to the fact that the better Bernie does the less important the citizens United decision seems at the presidential level.

That being said I think on the republican side I think it has a lot to do with trump being almost uniquely good at manipulating the press to do what he wants them to (and get them to pay for it!). Without trump involved I think bush does a lot better.

Trump's success has nothing to do with Citizen's United. He's spending hardly any money, and all the money is his own anyway, and candidates have always been allowed to spend as much of their own money as they want. (Remember how Corzine spent the then astronomical sum of 75 million to become a Senator? That was long before Citizen's United). The point is that at the national level, money can't buy you even a Republican nomination.

Bush didn't lose because of Trump, Bush lost because no one likes him. I would still like to have Bush's donor list--probably a lot of people who think a 2/20 hedge fund that under performs the S&P is a good deal.

Right I'm saying trump didn't need citizens United because of how effective he is at getting the media to give him free advertisement (and yes the fact that he's a billionaire and has his companies that are willing to give him loans essentially) I'm not sure if other candidates can really hope to follow that model.

I think Jeb would have been a lot more well liked if trump hadn't constantly made fun of him for months. The other candidates just aren't as good at that.

pacino wrote:Ben Carson says Obama was 'raised white':

“He’s an ‘African’ American. He was, you know, raised white,” said the world-renowned neurosurgeon, whose single mother worked three jobs – and occasionally relied on government aid – to elevate Carson and his older brother from the grinding poverty of ghetto life.
“I mean, like most Americans, I was proud that we broke the color barrier when he was elected, but … he didn’t grow up like I grew up … Many of his formative years were spent in Indonesia. So, for him to, you know, claim that, you know, he identifies with the experience of black Americans, I think, is a bit of a stretch.”
Carson also suggested that what passes for racism now – in the age of Ferguson and Freddie Gray – isn’t comparable to the overt discrimination he encountered a half-century ago as a young man.
“Remember now, I’ve been around for 64 years, you know,” he added. “I’ve had a chance to see what real racism is.”

i remember the good ol' days in 2008 when Obama was too black to elect. Now he's too white.

SK790 wrote:

MoBettle wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:

MoBettle wrote:Agreed, and I've said it before but there's a level of irony to the fact that the better Bernie does the less important the citizens United decision seems at the presidential level.

That being said I think on the republican side I think it has a lot to do with trump being almost uniquely good at manipulating the press to do what he wants them to (and get them to pay for it!). Without trump involved I think bush does a lot better.

Trump's success has nothing to do with Citizen's United. He's spending hardly any money, and all the money is his own anyway, and candidates have always been allowed to spend as much of their own money as they want. (Remember how Corzine spent the then astronomical sum of 75 million to become a Senator? That was long before Citizen's United). The point is that at the national level, money can't buy you even a Republican nomination.

Bush didn't lose because of Trump, Bush lost because no one likes him. I would still like to have Bush's donor list--probably a lot of people who think a 2/20 hedge fund that under performs the S&P is a good deal.

Right I'm saying trump didn't need citizens United because of how effective he is at getting the media to give him free advertisement (and yes the fact that he's a billionaire and has his companies that are willing to give him loans essentially) I'm not sure if other candidates can really hope to follow that model.

I think Jeb would have been a lot more well liked if trump hadn't constantly made fun of him for months. The other candidates just aren't as good at that.

The main problem with money in politics is the kickbacks later received when the politicians are in office...

pacino wrote:This thing is a shitshow

mozartpc27 wrote:Photos of two Klansmen stumping for Trump in Nevada making the rounds on the internet. I figure under the hoods it's Rubio and Cruz.