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Stephen Schoen's avatar

I sent an email to the Economic Club of Chicago after suffering through trump's interview on Bloomberg: "I just finished watching the Bloomberg interview with Trump. The audience was reportedly composed of members of The Economic Club of Chicago. While Trump rambled on, paid no attention to the moderator and even insulted him, told lies about Aurora CO and Springfield OH which have been repeatedly debunked by local officials, and failed to actually respond directly to any question, the audience clapped, cheered, and laughed. They obviously were thoroughly entertained. If the audience was indeed composed of members of your organization, I fear for the economic future of Chicago. " No response yet.

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Helen Stajninger's avatar

This is exactly what I thought after watching the interview Stephen Schoen

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Christy's avatar

Over 30 former and current faculty at the University of Chicago have won the Nobel Prize in Economics. James A Robinson was one of this year’s winner. I wonder what they are thinking about the sh*t show of the interview.

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jpickle777's avatar

Do you agree Micklethwait did a great job with questions, follow-ups, and staying cool?

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Stephen Schoen's avatar

I thought he looked amused frequently. He definitely stayed cool.

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Glenn Reynolds's avatar

Yes. He was handing him rope and Trump kept wrapping around his limited credibility. I always like hard hitting and confrontational but I am Irish not British. He delivered a lot of content to prove trump knows zip. And knows the wrong things! You can’t nail Trump down to answer a question but he asked follow-ups.

The only place he fell down completely was when Trump said “I collected hundreds of billions from China” That is the question of FACT where journalists fuck up and don’t ask “Fact question Donald: Not an opinion: WHO PAYS THE TARIFF THE BUYER OR SELLER?” He joins a long list missing that simple opportunity, so did Biden and Kamala in debates. Make him answer whether 2+2=4. Not an economic consensus question. That comes after.

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Stephen Schoen's avatar

Totally agree

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Marven & Bonnie's avatar

I was very surprised to hear attendees chuckling, laughing (with Trump, not at him), and occasionally even applauding. Were these really legit Chicago club members?

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NLTownie's avatar

It is not unprecedented to have the audience stacked with Trump supporters as in the May 2023 "town hall" on CNN when viewers were surprised when the supposedly neutral audience applauded, laughed along and cheered asTrump evaded direct questions from host Kaitlyn Collins. Trump eventually said Collins was "nasty" which is his stock adjective for any woman who doesn't act like an adoring fan. But it's not something you expect from a supposed business organization in Chicago.

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Glenn Reynolds's avatar

I thought there was less applause on tariffs and a lot more on immigration and broadly on insults. Sort of a half full view on the tariff cheering, but I suspect plenty of partisan types with “whoever keeps my income taxes lower” in their minds.

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Sherri Priestman's avatar

That was the vibe from the Jason Calicacis(sp?) interview with Tim. Silicon Valley cares about their taxes and power.

Full stop. I was aghast.

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Dave's avatar

The tech bros have been that way since the 80's and it popped even more during the 90's when internet became ubiquitous. It's about money and getting rich and the power and popularity drives the ego. It's a negative cycle and we have seen what type of people it produces.

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Glenn Reynolds's avatar

The value of that interview is tied to getting more people to watch the video of it on youtube or somewhere. That is a sliver lining in a series of "ideas" he delivered and a thought process filled with waste (as in fecal). Anyone in the center right with a portfolio or savings should watch that and rethink their vote if they are leaning GOP. People need to remember there are Congressional checks on Kamala. Tariffs are his own little dictatorship he has planned.

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Marven & Bonnie's avatar

I put it on my Facebook page but no one has commented (beside myself, this morning!). Whrn in Michigan this past summer I found that many "normie" people or Fox News fans had not even *heard* about crazy stuff e.g. electric boats and the sharks, or did not *believe* things like statistics on crime, oil production, etc.

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Glenn Reynolds's avatar

There have been no shortage of political philosophers and historians over the years (and today) detailing how societies turn fascist or authoritarian. Starts with denial of facts and reality. It is scarier when religious zealots are a big part of it. Like today in the U.S.

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Glenn Reynolds's avatar

Too many fingers in ears ought there. I keep seeing them on the street yelling “ la la la la la la” After all thinking is so hard.

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Hortense's avatar

I wonder how funny they will find Trump when their businesses take a hit, from the Trump Recession (TM). Of course, Trump may just bail them out, if they are adequately obsequious.

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Timothy M Dwyer's avatar

And blame will be laid at the feet of the ‘radical-Marxist-communist democrats’ for opposing his plan

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Nick's avatar

Trump will blame it on the democrats and his supporters will nod in agreement.

A small part of me would find Trump winning interesting just to see his supporters reaction when he completely destroys the economy. The problem is, his supporters will never ever blame him. Biden, Harris and the Dem lead house (please God) will be blamed for everything wrong in the US even if Trump wins.

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David Court's avatar

Bail them out with taxpayer money that should go elsewhere.

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Hortense's avatar

He did it with the farmers. Has China ever made good on the commitment to buy $250 million of agricultural products? Trump is so used to running companies into bankruptcy and getting bailed out by other people (never his money), that this is his business model. Question for him to answer is who will bail out the country? Where does that money come from?

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David Court's avatar

He'll just tell the Secretary of the Treasury to print more greenbacks.

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Dave Yell's avatar

or possible depression brought on by all those Trump tariffs

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Marven & Bonnie's avatar

Mr. Mickelthwaite did try a couple times. Bringing up that "Trump Trade" ; how could small business owners access a "special pass" exemption; what about labor for all these companies that will supposedly move here. I wanted even more followup like on the "money-making tool" (as Trump put it) of Tariffs, vs. the Protectionist tool.

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Hortense's avatar

I did not watch anything more than the bits shown on TV. Mr. Micklewaite did his best and was serious about his questioning. He did appear to push back a bit. But when there is no depth to the proffered policies, there's not much more to be done.

I would guess it was not asked, but if Trump could say who he's looking for Treasury, FTC and other economic departments, it would provide some insight as to how these policies would be implemented.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

I felt the same. I was aghast.

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