Most people read Trump as flip-flopping over the minimum wage and taxes. As Sumner says, this is someone who has called for raising the MW, leaving it at $7.25 and eliminating it.
https://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-minimum-wage-and-why-trump-doesnt.html?showComment=1462831116246#c1701634212857128085
Actually the most notable thing he called for was in that early GOP debate when he said wages are too high. This is something that Hillary and the Democrats must never let anyone forget. That's got to be as big a mistake as you can get running for POTUS. The candidate who thinks American workers are paid too much.
Greg Sargent argues persuasively that Trump has not flip-flopped at all-but simply reframed his earlier position.
"First, the minimum wage. On ABC’s This Week, Trump said that “I am looking at it and I haven’t decided in terms of numbers,” adding that “people have to get more.” Asked whether this was a “change,” Trump said, “well, sure, it’s a change.” But in the context of the policy debate, these phrases mean exactly nothing. Trump is saying generally that people’s wages have to rise, not that he intends to work with Congress to raise the federal minimum wage."
"When Trump says this is a “change,” the most plausible reading is that this is a change from his general statement during the primaries that wages are “too high.” In fact, later in the ABC interview, he says that his “real” rise in the minimum wage will result from his success in bringing “companies back into this country,” presumably due to his trade wizardry and ultra-tough busting of CEO heads. When he says wages have to go up, he means this is his general goal, and that he’ll realize it not with a minimum wage hike, but by making the country filthy rich again."
"Indeed, on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump made this even more explicit. He said both that he wants to see wages go up and that the minimum wage should only be set by states. Trump was asked directly by Chuck Todd whether the federal government should “set a floor.” Trump replied: “No, I’d rather have the states go out and do what they have to do.” In other words, in Trump’s mind, the general goal of seeing wages rise does notnecessarily translate into support for a federal minimum wage hike."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/05/09/sorry-suckers-trump-didnt-actually-shift-on-taxing-rich-and-minimum-wage/
Certainly not. He already stated that he desires to eliminate the federal MW. Again, Republican politicians usually either want to get rid of the MW or certainly not to see it go up markedly-as is true for libertarian types like Scott Sumner.
But to actually say you want wages to go down-rather than simply nominal wages-this is terrible politics.
As Sumner says, the real takeaway here is we have no idea what his real view is, but, the idea that wages are too high is a political disaster that Hillary should exploit.
On taxes, Sargent also makes a great point. Trump's 'wealth tax' is not really a tax hike on the wealthy but rather a smaller tax cut for them than in his initial plan-if this is necessary through negotiations.
Again as Sumner says, if all politicians were like Trump there'd be no point in having elections at all as we'd get no meaningful information in making our choice.
Off topic. To get a different angle in the GOP civil war, check out what Rush said on his show today.
"Let's go to the audio sound bites. On Fox & Friends weekend Saturday, they played a clip from this program from me to set up their discussion on this. This is the clip that they aired.
RUSH ARCHIVE: If Trump, in order to get Ryan's support, moves toward the Republican agenda, it's not good for Trump. That would be an error. It would be maybe even an unforced error. Trump is where he is precisely because he's not perceived as being part of that. If there's compromise here, it better be not Trump moving to Ryan. I know, that's blasphemy to some, but I'm sorry, it is what it is.
RUSH: Clayton Morris at the Fox News Channel reacted, and we have Tucker Carlson, affectionately known here as Chatsworth Osborne Jr., also weighing in.
CARLSON: It's the truth. I totally agree with him. Millions of actual Republican voters just voted for Donald Trump. Who's to say what it is to be Republican? Republican voters just weighed in on that he question. Donald Trump needs help. He's never run for office before. People like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney could be helping him. What about the millions of people that voted for him? I feel like the Republican leadership is saying to them, "We don't want you in our party. We consider you morally suspect and socially beyond the pale. We don't want you in our club." I think it's a bad message to send to voters.
RUSH: That's pretty much what I think. I think that's what all this establishment stuff is all about. You know, the important thing to remember about the establishment, too, folks, this is a key element of it, by the way, and that is that rising in it, progressing in it, climbing the ladder in the establishment is not much to do with merit. This is one of the things people have figured out about it. It's more due to connections and networking, which inexorably leads to privilege, based on who you know, based on your family ties.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/05/09/the_trump_ryan_contretemps
The question before all Republicans and conservatives is whether or not to support Donald Trump. This is going to lead to some fascinating new fault lines in the future.
An interesting divide is between conservatives and Republicans. It's clear what side Jennifer Rubin is on. She's not too pleased with Trump saying he's the nominee of the 'Republican party not the Conservative party.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/05/09/trumps-self-destruction-begins-early/
My guess: just like the GOP can't' get on the same page on anything today, they won't' get on the same page here either.
But it seems to me that the prudent choice for many will be to associate as little with Trump as possible: after all this is the man who failed to disavow the endorsement of David Duke.
It very well might tarnish anyone in the future who endorses the same candidate as David Duke, because, after all, he's the Republican nominee.
https://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-minimum-wage-and-why-trump-doesnt.html?showComment=1462831116246#c1701634212857128085
Actually the most notable thing he called for was in that early GOP debate when he said wages are too high. This is something that Hillary and the Democrats must never let anyone forget. That's got to be as big a mistake as you can get running for POTUS. The candidate who thinks American workers are paid too much.
Greg Sargent argues persuasively that Trump has not flip-flopped at all-but simply reframed his earlier position.
"First, the minimum wage. On ABC’s This Week, Trump said that “I am looking at it and I haven’t decided in terms of numbers,” adding that “people have to get more.” Asked whether this was a “change,” Trump said, “well, sure, it’s a change.” But in the context of the policy debate, these phrases mean exactly nothing. Trump is saying generally that people’s wages have to rise, not that he intends to work with Congress to raise the federal minimum wage."
"When Trump says this is a “change,” the most plausible reading is that this is a change from his general statement during the primaries that wages are “too high.” In fact, later in the ABC interview, he says that his “real” rise in the minimum wage will result from his success in bringing “companies back into this country,” presumably due to his trade wizardry and ultra-tough busting of CEO heads. When he says wages have to go up, he means this is his general goal, and that he’ll realize it not with a minimum wage hike, but by making the country filthy rich again."
"Indeed, on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump made this even more explicit. He said both that he wants to see wages go up and that the minimum wage should only be set by states. Trump was asked directly by Chuck Todd whether the federal government should “set a floor.” Trump replied: “No, I’d rather have the states go out and do what they have to do.” In other words, in Trump’s mind, the general goal of seeing wages rise does notnecessarily translate into support for a federal minimum wage hike."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/05/09/sorry-suckers-trump-didnt-actually-shift-on-taxing-rich-and-minimum-wage/
Certainly not. He already stated that he desires to eliminate the federal MW. Again, Republican politicians usually either want to get rid of the MW or certainly not to see it go up markedly-as is true for libertarian types like Scott Sumner.
But to actually say you want wages to go down-rather than simply nominal wages-this is terrible politics.
As Sumner says, the real takeaway here is we have no idea what his real view is, but, the idea that wages are too high is a political disaster that Hillary should exploit.
On taxes, Sargent also makes a great point. Trump's 'wealth tax' is not really a tax hike on the wealthy but rather a smaller tax cut for them than in his initial plan-if this is necessary through negotiations.
Again as Sumner says, if all politicians were like Trump there'd be no point in having elections at all as we'd get no meaningful information in making our choice.
Off topic. To get a different angle in the GOP civil war, check out what Rush said on his show today.
RUSH ARCHIVE: If Trump, in order to get Ryan's support, moves toward the Republican agenda, it's not good for Trump. That would be an error. It would be maybe even an unforced error. Trump is where he is precisely because he's not perceived as being part of that. If there's compromise here, it better be not Trump moving to Ryan. I know, that's blasphemy to some, but I'm sorry, it is what it is.
RUSH: Clayton Morris at the Fox News Channel reacted, and we have Tucker Carlson, affectionately known here as Chatsworth Osborne Jr., also weighing in.
CARLSON: It's the truth. I totally agree with him. Millions of actual Republican voters just voted for Donald Trump. Who's to say what it is to be Republican? Republican voters just weighed in on that he question. Donald Trump needs help. He's never run for office before. People like Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney could be helping him. What about the millions of people that voted for him? I feel like the Republican leadership is saying to them, "We don't want you in our party. We consider you morally suspect and socially beyond the pale. We don't want you in our club." I think it's a bad message to send to voters.
RUSH: That's pretty much what I think. I think that's what all this establishment stuff is all about. You know, the important thing to remember about the establishment, too, folks, this is a key element of it, by the way, and that is that rising in it, progressing in it, climbing the ladder in the establishment is not much to do with merit. This is one of the things people have figured out about it. It's more due to connections and networking, which inexorably leads to privilege, based on who you know, based on your family ties.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/05/09/the_trump_ryan_contretemps
The question before all Republicans and conservatives is whether or not to support Donald Trump. This is going to lead to some fascinating new fault lines in the future.
An interesting divide is between conservatives and Republicans. It's clear what side Jennifer Rubin is on. She's not too pleased with Trump saying he's the nominee of the 'Republican party not the Conservative party.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/05/09/trumps-self-destruction-begins-early/
My guess: just like the GOP can't' get on the same page on anything today, they won't' get on the same page here either.
But it seems to me that the prudent choice for many will be to associate as little with Trump as possible: after all this is the man who failed to disavow the endorsement of David Duke.
It very well might tarnish anyone in the future who endorses the same candidate as David Duke, because, after all, he's the Republican nominee.
Good post Mike. I'm very curious where Limbaugh goes with all this. From the comments at RedState I'd guess he's not very popular over there. Not as despised and Hannity, Fox, Palin, Coulter and Ingraham, but not popular.
ReplyDeleteIn my quest to feel out where all the most extreme of the right-wing maniacs and demagogues are on the Trump issue, I thought I'd check in with the hyper-pro-Israelist David Horowitz of the so-called "Freedom Center" (who regularly accuses liberals and Democrats of being part of a "racist lynch mob" ... seriously, "lynch mob" and "racist" are two of his favorite phrases when describing Democrats). He looks to be a Trumpster. Awesome! I'd love to see him and Mark Levin duke it out in a room.
Here he reprints a Breitbart piece on "Never Trump Pouters" ... with a big picture of a "pouting" inside-the-beltway elitist Bill Kristol at the top. Great! Great! More spite, rancor, vitriol, disunity and hate!! Lol.
I'll also be super interested to see what the other two thirds of the right-wing brain trust (aside from Palin) go from here: Ted Nugent and Phil Robertson, both formerly Cruz supporters. I hope that whatever decision they feel pressured into (and I do hope they feel pressured), that at least 40% of the right-wing lunatics end up despising them for it.
http://www.horowitzfreedomcenter.org/david_horowitz_the_never_trump_pouters
I'd like to see it become positively uncomfortable to be a right-winger in the months (and years, decades and centuries) to come: forced to make bitter spite-filled enemies among former friends, no matter which way you feel pressured to turn. Maybe half of them will give up politics and take up gardening, or join a cloistered monastery or something.
DeleteMy guess without looking is he's pro Trump. OK, now I will look up.
ReplyDeleteYep. He loves Trump. Figured he would. Horowitz is a very twisted and nasty man.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased as punch that Mark Levin is on the other side. Of the two, it's hard to say which is more twisted and nasty, but I might give the edge to Horowitz. I'd love to put those two in a bag and poke it with a stick, until one claws out the other's eyes.
DeleteHorowitz is pretty nasty.
Delete