I still remember the response of the Obama administration to the GREAT RECESSION they inherited from Bush/Cheney – where those famous “free market” republicans initiated the so-called TARP bailout of the financial institutions which caused the economic meltdown in the first place. And, of course, the Obama administration was forced to fashion their response with a republican party which had publicly declared their FIRST priority was that President Obama “would fail.” It doesn’t take a genius to understand causing our first President “of color” to “FAIL” was a higher priority of republicans than what was good for the nation. (Surprise, surprise) Obama’s response to the Bush/Cheney economic meltdown was led by two people I certainly wasn’t a “fan” of – his economic advisor Larry Summers and his Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner.

Together, of course with the help of many others, they put together to “stimulus” package which only passed because of a couple republicans who decided to vote in favor – one of them, Arlen Specter, was ultimately forced out of the GOP because, well, as I said, republicans were more interested in Obama’s FAILURE than America’s success. The thing I most remember, after the stimulus package “kicked in” and the economy began the long recovery which individual 1 is likely to “torpedo” at any time, was Geitner telling “liberals” not to expect a quick recovery. Their plan was for a long GRADUAL recovery which is EXACTLY what happened.

I’m not the only person who can’t stomach individual 1 who has said, just like what he got from his father, our so-called president INHERITED an incredibly resilient and strong economy which was in the throes of a steady recovery which had lasted for 7 years the day individual 1 took his oath of office. (An oath that we all know, now, meant nothing to him) I’ve been pointing out since his first day in the “White House” that the first year of his administration would be “riding Obama’s coattails.” In other words, it would take at least one year, as it happens with all presidents, to make his mark on the economy.

And, of course, the “mark” individual 1 managed to make – and, other than a bunch of executive orders and behind the scenes – and, in the long term disastrous – actions to debilitate one government agency and one regulation after another, the ONLY thing individual 1 and his republican sycophants could accomplish was an incredibly STUPID tax scam – a “gift” to all the “conservative” DONORS who have corrupted the republican Congress – which funneled a couple TRILLION dollars from the taxpayers into the bank accounts of America’s rich and multi-national corporations who were sitting on over a TRILLION dollars in CASH at the time of the give away.

The net result of that action was taking the annual deficit which Obama had managed to get “down” to $400 BILLION (approximately the amount of interest on the national debt EACH year) and catapulting it back OVER $1 TRILLION per year for the foreseeable future. At the time, despite individual 1’s chief economist predicting the “stimulus” (you know, the “trickle down” effect they ALWAYS promise which NEVER happens) would actually pay for the scam, I predicted it wouldn’t take much to push the deficit to $2 TRILLION, or more. Naturally, as usual, individual 1’s economic adviser was completely WRONG, and this former sixth grade teacher is proving to have been correct, Does that comfort you? (I know virtually nothing about economics – although I want to take an online class from Paul Krugman)

Well, today the “Dow” dropped 3% in one day, that’s about 800 points, and it’s been on the “roller coaster” ride lately which, based on my years of observation, would indicate there’s some kind of “crash” on the horizon. It doesn’t take an economic genius to figure out our so-called president, who refers to himself as a “stable genius,” is not very well versed on economics 101. For example, he keeps pointing out that China is paying BILLIONS because of his “tariff war” – when, the REALITY is either the companies importing goods from China or their customers pay the tariffs. He’s claiming “prices are actually lower” when, in reality, at least in regard to, for example, washing machines, they’re noticeably higher.

Keep in mind, I’m not giving an opinion one way or the other on whether or not we should be putting tariffs on Chinese goods, although those so-called “free market” economists – you know, like the ones who voted to bail out Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, etc., shouldn’t be supporting tariffs – at least, that’s what it seems like to me. I do agree that there have been problems with China, full stop. The issue here, to me, is individual 1’s comments just add to the HUGE pile of LIES he’s perpetrated on his supporters, and the DAMAGE he’s doing to the economy, like much of the other DAMAGE he’s inflicting on America – DAMAGE “flying under the radar” – could have a devastatingly lasting effect.

Anyone who’s researched individual 1’s history knows he’s gone through bankruptcy numerous times – I believe it’s 6 or 7 times, NO banks – other than Deutsche Bank – wanted anything to do with him and his business prior to his “election” (with three MILLION less votes than Mrs. Clinton) – and it was the Russian Mafiya which bailed him out financially on several occasions. He’s been credibly accused of laundering Russian Mafiya money when he ran the Casino’s AND through various shady real estate transactions. All of that was working in his own business climate where actions that appear to have been “mafia like” seemed to “fly under the radar” of the Southern District of New York’s US Attorney’s office – although, it appears they’ve now “noticed” and are investigating.

Just the way the payoffs to the two women, right before the election to “buy” their silence, came down reminded me of stories I’ve heard of how the mafia works (including the threat to Ms. Clifford while leaving a shopping mall). In fact, I’ve been pointing out for almost two years now that, as I researched our so-called president, I began to see him as a small time mafia boss. Kind of a mini version, for example, of one of his idols – Vladimir Putin.

So, now the American economy appears to be hanging on the brink of some kind of negative reaction to our chaotic and, by some accounts, crazy chief executive. If you’ve been on this site before, you know I’ve been saying I expect individual 1 to destroy what he was “gifted” by President Obama – it’s just a matter of time – and, I don’t believe he, nor the people he’s surrounded himself with, will have a clue to pulling the United States out of a drastic downturn in the economy. Some of the DAMAGE which is beginning to “pile up” will be difficult to overcome, no matter what happens. For example, if the Chinese find other markets for their soybeans, for example and don’t come back after this so-called “trade war” ends, well, there are MANY farmers who may not survive. Already, I can guarantee you, there are many farmers not happy with the reality the government is paying them for the loss of their market while their crops rot in the field. (There’s so much wrong with that, I’ll leave it for another day)

Before I began my teaching career I tried my hand at running a small farm. I’d still be doing it if I hadn’t been forced into bankruptcy, back in the early 1980’s, by a decision of the Reagan administration. I won’t go into the details other than to say farmers plan ahead to produce a crop with the hope that they can sell their product, whatever it is, for more than it cost to produce it. (That is part of economics 101 :o) When the government starts making decisions to address one issue, or help one group, that decision likely affects many others. From what I can tell, this tariff stuff virtually NEVER ends well and, I’m certain, there will be a lot more “collateral damage” to individual 1’s tariffs than the soybean farmers. In fact, the damage COULD end up being the health of the entire economy.

There’s so much swirling around in my head as I’m writing this, but, in summary, I believe individual 1 is putting at peril things most of us NEVER think about. Take for example the reality the “dollar” is the main medium of exchange on world markets. What if enough world leaders decide they’ve had “enough” of this crazy person at the head of the United States “ship?” What if China decides to sell it’s treasury bonds? There’s a whole bunch of “what if’s?” that are running through my mind and are connected to possibilities I don’t understand. However, what I do feel is that if individual 1 turns enough foreign leaders away from wanting anything to do with the United States, the outcome could be devastating for years to come. It will be our children and grand children who pay the price for “we the people” allowing individual 1 into office. We need to make it clear to the world there’s going to be a change at the top via the 2020 election.

Actually, I still believe the republicans could end up “turning” on individual 1 if he takes the economy over the “cliff” and they face his incompetence in their own pocketbooks. If you’ve read the “Mueller Report” you know there’s MORE than enough evidence to support impeachment. In fact, just the OBSTRUCTION aimed at Congress as I’m typing this is clearly “OBSTRUCTION of Justice” because you can’t OBSTRUCT investigations whether coming from the Justice Department but also Congressional investigations. Nixon “exited” office only when the republicans finally “turned” on him. That COULD happen if republicans realize they have NO hope in the 2020 election with individual 1 at the helm.

Final Thought: The more I read and hear about the potential economic crisis it feels to me as individual 1 is threatening the world economy as well as America’s economy – and, people in places like, for example, Germany, won’t soon forget what has happened to them if they are pushed over the “brink” by the incompetence of America’s so-called president. Individual 1 claimed “trade wars are easy to win” – which, if you combine that thought with the reality he won’t even apologize for a clearly OFFENSIVE comment, there’s little chance he’ll back down on this “trade war.” He did push back the date of the next round of tariffs – get this, because of the Christmas shopping season (essentially, admitting it’s the consumers paying for the tariffs) – but, you have to believe even individual 1 is beginning to understand trade wars are NOT easy to “win.” In fact, as I understand history, no one wins in “trade wars.”

I believe when the stock market starts bouncing like a ping pong ball the big drop is on the horizon. I admit I don’t understand how that (totally) affects the rest of the economy, but usually a drop in jobs created and an increase in unemployment follows. And, I don’t know anyone who believes individual 1 or the people he’s surrounded himself with (sycophants who are afraid to tell him the truth – because, he wouldn’t listen to them) have the know how to solve an economic crisis. My guess is that right up to the day the impending crash happens we’ll be listening to our so-called president claiming the economy is strong. (And, after it crashes, he’ll be blaming the fed, the democrats, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and, of course, Barack Obama)