No More Business as Usual, Mr. Trump

[babylonsister]

Oh noes. Noonan has a 'flash of alarm'! But sometimes she's right. As for rectitude, being a patriot... I totally doubt that will ever happen, which hopefully will be his downfall.

No More Business as Usual, Mr. Trump
He has to abandon his company in order to deal on the country’s behalf.

By Peggy Noonan
Nov. 24, 2016 5:17 p.m. ET


The other day I experienced a flash of alarm. There was a claim from an Argentine journalist that when the president of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, phoned Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election victory, the talk turned to permits for the building of a Trump skyscraper in Buenos Aires. Mr. Macri’s press officer quickly and sharply denied the report: “They didn’t talk about the tower at all. It’s absolutely untrue.” So did the Trump transition office. The journalist apparently offered no proof. The story more or less ended there.

But what alarmed me was this question: Does Donald Trump know he can’t ever have a conversation like this? Does he fully understand that a president can never use the office, its power and influence, for his own financial enrichment? That he can’t, however offhandedly, both do business and be president? That future and credible reports that he had engaged in such a conflict of interest would doom his presidency? And that solving the question of his businesses and their relation to his presidency is urgent?

This week, in an interview with the New York Times, Mr. Trump was not reassuring. When pressed on how, exactly, he means to distance himself from his business interests, he couldn’t stop himself from promoting a few of them: “We just opened a beautiful hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue,” he said. “The brand is certainly a hotter brand.”

snip//

It would be a painful act, selling the business he loves and around which he has ordered his life. But there would be comfort in this: In doing the right thing, in denying his opponents a sword, in enhancing his stature and demonstrating that yes, he will sacrifice for his country.

That’s pretty great comfort.

You’ve made your money. Now go be a patriot.

[OldHippieChick]

1. Fat chance.

You are dreaming Peggy. He will do as he wants and be delighted that the corrupt politicians he once derided will allow him to get away with it, sans whimper. The press may whimper, and perhaps a few Democrats, but he will change the office of the Presidency forever.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

2. Let's not hold our breath...

I don't think he could ever divest himself of all his business interests.

My feeling and I'm not alone in this thinking is he ran to make even more money. His brand is rising in worth.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/27/donald-trump-conflicts-interest-constitutional-crisis

[MoonRiver]

3. Good luck with that Noonan.

Orange, a cravenly corrupt GOP and spineless Democratic leadership are issuing in our brand, spanking new banana republic, formerly known as the United States of America.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. Maybe John Conyers

will draft a strongly worded letter.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. Peggy Noonan is a rube to believe he isn't consumed by personal enrichment.

[CincyDem]

5. The Scorpion and the Frog...and Trump is the scorpion.

Scorpion wants to cross the river, asks frog for ride.
Frog says "you crazy, you'll sting me an I'll die".
Scorpion says "no, because then I will drown".
Frog says "makes sense, hop on".
Halfway across, scorpion stings frog.
Frog says "But I trusted you. Now you'll die too. Why ???"
Scorpion shrugs - "It's my nature".

Trump's "nature" is anything and everything for a buck. He's addicted to swinging every interaction into a deal. He can no more turn it off than the scorpion. Selflessness is not in his nature.

When Trump gets bounced for not kissing there right republican asses, this will be the means.

[2naSalit]

7. THIS

[BeyondGeography]

6. Sorry, but if there's no personal wealth angle he's not interested

Peggy's clinging to her belief that a Republican can't be less patriotic than a Democrat.

[flamingdem]

8. So who will bring him to heel?

Who has power to do that? Is he really the "king" now?

[awoke_in_2003]

12. Congress has the power

but they won't use it.

[lunatica]

9. He will never give up anything for the Presidency.

He will never restrict himself, censor himself, curb his ambitions, shut up or give even a moments consideration to doing anything he doesn't want to. He has never stopped his vomitous speechifying for anything or anyone. He never will. He is dismissive of self censorship or critical evaluation.

[louis-t]

10. He will also never contribute one thing

to better anyone else's life in this country. Trump serves Trump. He doesn't do public service.