NYT: Trump's business has been "preparing to capitalize" on the presidency since last spring

[kpete]

https://twitter.com/ThePlumLineGS/status/802861890447806465

[JI7]

1. too bad msm are scum

[global1]

2. We All Questioned Trump's Run For The Presidency - Through The Primaries And The National Campaign..

It looked like he was destroying his Trump Brand. It looked like after this election cycle was over - that the Trump Brand would be crushed because of him.

But lo and behold - reading this OP it looks like the fix was in and he was preparing for extending his brand after he won the presidency.

This whole thing smells. From the Repugs not going along with President Obama's choice to fill Scalia's seat at SCOTUS to the questionable polls and election results.

We've heard predictions of 340 to 370 electoral votes for Hillary. It was in the bag. The Dems would take the Senate and would make a big dent in the House numbers (if not even take the House). The Repugs were going extinct and wouldn't exist beyond the November election because there was a civil war amongst factions in the Party.

An lo and behold - the Repugs won the trifecta - Presidency, Senate and the House. They are stronger now than ever. This election will effect this country for decades now that they have control. SCOTUS decisions will effect future generations of Americans.

Why were the Repugs so confident? I just have to stand by my feelings that we've just witnessed a non-military, backdoor, silent coup d'etat. And everyday as I listen to the appointments that Trump is making to his administration and how he is now going back on many of his campaign promises - that we've been hoodwinked and sold down the river.

[2naSalit]

5. Yup! .....nt

[kimbutgar]

3. So if a terrorist group blows up one of his hotels in a foreign country

Will the US miltary go to war with the country? Like Dubai?

[DetlefK]

4. GWB went to war with Iraq because Saddam had allegedly tried to assassinate Bush senior. Allegedly.

http://commondreams.org/headlines04/1019-05.htm

During a campaign speech in September 2002, Bush cited a number of reasons -- in addition to alleged terrorist links and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) about why Saddam was so dangerous to the U.S., noting, in particular that, ''After all, this is the guy who tired to kill my dad.''

He was referring, of course, to an alleged plot by Iraqi intelligence to assassinate Bush's father, former president George H.W. Bush, during his triumphal visit to Kuwait in April, 1993, 25 months after U.S.-led forces chased Iraqi troops out of Kuwait in the first Gulf War and three months after Bush Sr. surrendered the White House to Bill Clinton.

Although he did not name his father, Bush Jr. also cited the assassination attempt in his September 2002 address at the United Nations General Assembly where he called on the U.N. Security Council to approve a tough resolution demanding that Saddam fully give up his (non-existent) WMD weapons and programs

While the alleged plot was never cited officially as a cause for going to war, some pundits -- including Maureen Dowd of the 'New York Times'-- have speculated that revenge or some oedipal desire to show up his father may indeed have been one of the factors that drove him to Baghdad -- as the sign of one demonstrator suggested in a big anti-war march here just before the war: ''I love my dad, too, but come on!''

[treestar]

7. Interesting thought

And how would the thin skinned one deal with the protests ? He makes everything about him.

[Vinca]

6. This should provide some solace for Cubans. He won't give up Trump hotels on the beach.

[gulliver]

8. I don't think the Presidency is going to be helpful to Trump

It's strange to me that I haven'e seen anything on the good effects of Trump's conflict of interest. Will Trump be able to secretly and nefariously advance his own interests? I don't think so. America isn't Russia, so Trump can't be Putin.

Trump may be forced to be Mr. Nice Guy. Otherwise Trump's businesses could be shunned out of existence or worse. He really didn't think this through, imo.

[bettyellen]

9. You think the GOP will shun him out of anything but self interest?

[gulliver]

10. A lot of the GOP, but mostly the rest of the world.

Trump's name was already being pulled from buildings before the election. His empire is largely based on the brand value of his name. If he makes a complete ass of himself, people won't go to his hotels and resorts. He's the first president I know of who can be boycotted if he misbehaves.

[bettyellen]

12. I could see it coming from outside the US, but t seems like we have no sense of shame here anymore

[Initech]

11. Make Trump rich again!