Your recollection of the joke “How do you make a small fortune in New York real estate?” Answer: “Start out with a large one" reminds of what Robert Reich wrote in 2016- "My Coffee With a Trump Supporter".
Robert Reich, September 2016:
"I finally found a Trump supporter – this morning when I went to buy coffee. (I noticed a Trump bumper sticker on his car.)
'Hi,' I said. 'Noticed your Trump bumper sticker.'
'Yup,' he said, a bit defensively.
'I hope you don’t mind my asking, but I’m curious. Why are you supporting him?'
'I know he’s a little bit much,' said the Trump supporter. 'But he’s a successful businessman. And we need a successful businessman as president.'
'How do you know he’s a successful businessman?' I asked.
'Because he’s made a fortune.'
'Has he really?' I asked.
'Of course. Forbes magazine says he’s worth four and a half billion.'
'That doesn’t mean he’s been a success,' I said.
'In my book it does,' said the Trump supporter.
'You know, in 1976, when Trump was just starting his career, he said he was worth about $200 million,' I said. 'Most of that was from his father.'
'That just proves my point,' said the Trump supporter. 'He turned that $200 million into four and a half billion. Brilliant man.'
'But if he had just put that $200 million into an index fund and reinvested the dividends, he’d be worth twelve billion today,' I said.
The Trump supporter went silent.
'And he got about $850 million in tax subsidies, just in New York alone,”'I said.
More silence.
'He’s not a businessman,' I said. 'He’s a con man. Hope you enjoy your coffee.'"
I didn't see your comment before I wrote mine. That was the first thing I thought of when I saw that line ... Trump: What a failure as a businessman, a 'leader', and as a human being... A perfect trifecta of Fail!!! (The most Fail anyone has ever achieved! The Perfect Fail! etc. ad infinitum.
It was the scourge of reality TV that gave the public the impression that he was a "good businessman". And Robert forgot to mention the USFL, which tfg tanked.
The idea that comparing Trump to Hitler gives him power is very interesting. I never thought of it like that. Consistently calling him a loser is the best idea I’ve heard.
I watched Christie’s speech and I’m not ready to give him high marks. Why? Because while he called out Republicans with “truth bombs” he still made disparaging remarks about President Biden and his administration. What will he do next? Anything short of endorsing and voting for Joe Biden will be a total failure.
Hi Annette. I tried not to praise Christie for his speech, and I hope you didn't interpret my remarks that way. I said he told the truth and made some Republicans uncomfortable.
I agree with. you. the ultimate test is whether he will vote for Biden--or at least stay home in 2024.
I still can't get over tfg getting people to donate to pay his legal bills (and other lifestyle choices) and how his team of lawyers filing against the DC case asking the GOVERNMENT to pay his legal bills!!!
Can you say "vexatious"???
Please, hold him accountable for his lifetime of criminal activity and grifting!
(And WANTING to be a dictator and "Public Enemy Number One.")
Trump is a loser. Truer words were never spake. But worse, he's not an unlucky loser. He's an amoral loser. When he loses, the collateral damage is extensive. Trump's failing casino cost lots and lots of jobs. Ditto his airline, his university, his football team. And finally, and totally consistent with his own real estate empire, under his watch, the US national deficits and incurred new government outstanding debt set new records. Truly, how could the GOP have expected anything else? Past is prologue. And... he'll do it again if we give him a chance.
First half of Christie’s speech was unifying… until he lumped Presidents Biden & Obama in with Trump as Presidents who put ambition over doing what’s right for the American people! And there was the old Christie for whom I’d lost respect surrounding, among other things, the “bridgegate” controversy.
He does get credit for when, in 2004, Christie, then serving as US attorney in New Jersey, investigated and successfully prosecuted Jared's father, Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty to "16 counts of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, one count of retaliating against a cooperating witness and one count of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission," per the DOJ.
I'm having a postcarding party in an hour to write postcards to help register voters for Suozzi in NY. I'm going to post a sign that the name Trump should not be used during the course of the event, but LOSER was perfectly good to use in referring to him. Anyone saying the word Trump will be fined a dollar with the proceeds going to the States Project Giving Circle I help administer for Seniors Taking Action. In some ways I hope I don't collect too much money but start training people to stop using his name.
Excellent Ilene! I have avoided using his name since he was "elected " in 2016. I use Dotard, the Defendant, TFG, IQ45, Dolt45, etc, etc, but LOSER is great!
Have fun today and thanks for writing cards for NY-3 and Suozzi!
Since I watched his horrifying "performance" in the repugnicant primaries, I have always called him/written his name as "The Orange Sadist". I remember watching those debates, and being stunned to hear the things he was saying -- and, even worse, that NONE of the debate managers EVER CALLED HIM ON IT.
You make a good point about Trump wanting to be compared to Hitler.
He definitely wants to be a dictator and do away with any part of the government that would check his power. But he is too much of a loser buffoon to pull it off.
Trump has the heinous and sick mind of a present-day Hitler, and like Hitler would stop at nothing to satisfy his savage hunger for power. But being a buffoon loser, Trump lacks the ability and the will to be successful at anything he touches.
Think about all bankruptcies:
the real estate businesses, a casino, and a college. Think about the way he treats women, handicapped folks, and war heroes. He fouls and cheats whatever and whoever in the path. He makes a mess wherever he goes.
Most of us can see the “emperor has no clothes. “ But amidst the chaos, we’ve taken our eyes off his life-long losing record. Trump is a pathetic loser.
Katherine, you are indeed a “sweetie.” During medical school and practice we often invoked the KISS principle. But, it was understood to stand for “Keep it simple Stupid.”
I know of that alternate meaning, but left it alone. It might’ve come up in my third grade class, but we quickly left it alone as NSFW. Ha ha
There is that wonderful template for clear expository writing, with intro paragraph, three paragraphs to match the three key concepts, and closure paragraph.: 1) tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; 2) tell it to ‘em; 3) tell ‘em what you told ‘em… (And feel free to invite them to expand upon it).
Can be sterile, but later embellished and expanded as needed or desired.
I’m sad several points are not formatted as I had, but no matter. The edit function is not in the ... for some reason. ✏️ Now it’s there, but the formatting here passes muster, so I’ll leave it alone. Mind of its own. :-) Awesome to do all we do digitally!
Trump is not the only loser, the Republican House is right up there. The entire Hunter Biden comedy hour yesterday and one upsmenship was disgraceful and an insult to the constituents who voted for them. I’m not sure whom they think they are fooling with their antics but they are a major contributor to why a majority of voters don’t trust or believe in our government and the question is what will we do about it. Many of these clowns are in gerrymandered districts and don’t fear getting elected but as Chris Christy so well stated the Republican voters need to step up and take their party back. I won’t hold my breath.
Yeah, I should have included a description of that hot mess, but honestly, it was so disgraceful and uncouth I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I may circle back to it.
I won't hold my breath, but if things keep going for Trump the way they are, with him saying the crazy things he is now saying, and the lawsuits pile up, and hopefully the convictions, I do have hope that he will defeat himself!
Good day to you Robert. I am always sending your reports to friends. I joined a postgard group for SOUZZI'S 's upcoming winning event. The postgard people in the. group all talked about you and your report as an important "saving grace"in thier lives. It was like you were a part of the group. Just to let you know! And to thank you.
I wondered if there is a way to gather other hopeful MAINERS togethe to keep spreading the word of hope.
I would like to see you, are you coming to Maine?
Goodby for now, I can now finish sleeping. Gloria from Maine
Hi, Gloria. If you send me information about your next group meeting, I will promote. write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com. Thanks for your kind words. And please give my regards and thanks to everyone in your postcarding group!
I’m 100% on board with attaching the word ‘loser’ to Trump anytime his name comes up. Great point. I do have one quibble with what you wrote about Biden-in contrast -“Joe Biden is a good and decent man working to save democracy.” “Good and decent” seems damning with faint praise. I would add some additional qualifiers like “effective, extremely competent, knowledgeable...” something that conveys the effectiveness of his presidency these past few years. I would argue (despite his poll numbers) that he has not been a “decent” president who’s just better than the alternative, I think he has been a great president.
Robert, you are a breath of sanity, and nowhere more so than in your lead comments comparing Trump unfavorably with Hitler. The only thing worse than Evil is Stupid Evil.
Your recollection of the joke “How do you make a small fortune in New York real estate?” Answer: “Start out with a large one" reminds of what Robert Reich wrote in 2016- "My Coffee With a Trump Supporter".
Robert Reich, September 2016:
"I finally found a Trump supporter – this morning when I went to buy coffee. (I noticed a Trump bumper sticker on his car.)
'Hi,' I said. 'Noticed your Trump bumper sticker.'
'Yup,' he said, a bit defensively.
'I hope you don’t mind my asking, but I’m curious. Why are you supporting him?'
'I know he’s a little bit much,' said the Trump supporter. 'But he’s a successful businessman. And we need a successful businessman as president.'
'How do you know he’s a successful businessman?' I asked.
'Because he’s made a fortune.'
'Has he really?' I asked.
'Of course. Forbes magazine says he’s worth four and a half billion.'
'That doesn’t mean he’s been a success,' I said.
'In my book it does,' said the Trump supporter.
'You know, in 1976, when Trump was just starting his career, he said he was worth about $200 million,' I said. 'Most of that was from his father.'
'That just proves my point,' said the Trump supporter. 'He turned that $200 million into four and a half billion. Brilliant man.'
'But if he had just put that $200 million into an index fund and reinvested the dividends, he’d be worth twelve billion today,' I said.
The Trump supporter went silent.
'And he got about $850 million in tax subsidies, just in New York alone,”'I said.
More silence.
'He’s not a businessman,' I said. 'He’s a con man. Hope you enjoy your coffee.'"
https://robertreich.org/post/150669464055
Thanks again Robert for getting my day off to a good start. I had a good chuckle with the photo you posted as well.
I didn't see your comment before I wrote mine. That was the first thing I thought of when I saw that line ... Trump: What a failure as a businessman, a 'leader', and as a human being... A perfect trifecta of Fail!!! (The most Fail anyone has ever achieved! The Perfect Fail! etc. ad infinitum.
Lol Meredith! We were probably typing comments at about the same time. Yes, The Biggest Failure, I know the best failures! I am a very stable failure!
He doesn't realize that he's Really Perfect at writing his own jokes -- about himself. LOLOLOLOLOL
It was the scourge of reality TV that gave the public the impression that he was a "good businessman". And Robert forgot to mention the USFL, which tfg tanked.
Yes, Mark Burnett has a lot to answer for.
Facts are such pesky things.
Robert Reich is a very smart man, always worth reading. 🙂
Interesting but I’m sure he won’t change his mind.
The idea that comparing Trump to Hitler gives him power is very interesting. I never thought of it like that. Consistently calling him a loser is the best idea I’ve heard.
I thought Robert's phrase, "Hitler's protege," was good. It frames him as an understudy, not the "top dog."
How about "Hitler wannabe"?
Ooh, good one, Susan!
I watched Christie’s speech and I’m not ready to give him high marks. Why? Because while he called out Republicans with “truth bombs” he still made disparaging remarks about President Biden and his administration. What will he do next? Anything short of endorsing and voting for Joe Biden will be a total failure.
Hi Annette. I tried not to praise Christie for his speech, and I hope you didn't interpret my remarks that way. I said he told the truth and made some Republicans uncomfortable.
I agree with. you. the ultimate test is whether he will vote for Biden--or at least stay home in 2024.
I still can't get over tfg getting people to donate to pay his legal bills (and other lifestyle choices) and how his team of lawyers filing against the DC case asking the GOVERNMENT to pay his legal bills!!!
Can you say "vexatious"???
Please, hold him accountable for his lifetime of criminal activity and grifting!
(And WANTING to be a dictator and "Public Enemy Number One.")
There are some people who will buy anything promoted by a celebrity. Our job is to tank his ratings.
Yes. However, he is a Republican!
Trump is a loser. Truer words were never spake. But worse, he's not an unlucky loser. He's an amoral loser. When he loses, the collateral damage is extensive. Trump's failing casino cost lots and lots of jobs. Ditto his airline, his university, his football team. And finally, and totally consistent with his own real estate empire, under his watch, the US national deficits and incurred new government outstanding debt set new records. Truly, how could the GOP have expected anything else? Past is prologue. And... he'll do it again if we give him a chance.
First half of Christie’s speech was unifying… until he lumped Presidents Biden & Obama in with Trump as Presidents who put ambition over doing what’s right for the American people! And there was the old Christie for whom I’d lost respect surrounding, among other things, the “bridgegate” controversy.
He does get credit for when, in 2004, Christie, then serving as US attorney in New Jersey, investigated and successfully prosecuted Jared's father, Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty to "16 counts of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, one count of retaliating against a cooperating witness and one count of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission," per the DOJ.
Charles Kushner spent 14 months in prison.
Kushner did not spend a long enough time in prison.
$$$ and connections.
At least, Somebody went to jail. Except for Bernie Madoff, most white collar criminals stay out for years on appeal.
Republicans are still Republicans even if they see the danger of Trump. In the end they still speak the party line about Biden sans facts.
Another brilliant call to arms--as well as call to heart...thank you always!
I'm having a postcarding party in an hour to write postcards to help register voters for Suozzi in NY. I'm going to post a sign that the name Trump should not be used during the course of the event, but LOSER was perfectly good to use in referring to him. Anyone saying the word Trump will be fined a dollar with the proceeds going to the States Project Giving Circle I help administer for Seniors Taking Action. In some ways I hope I don't collect too much money but start training people to stop using his name.
Great fundraising idea!!
Excellent Ilene! I have avoided using his name since he was "elected " in 2016. I use Dotard, the Defendant, TFG, IQ45, Dolt45, etc, etc, but LOSER is great!
Have fun today and thanks for writing cards for NY-3 and Suozzi!
Since I watched his horrifying "performance" in the repugnicant primaries, I have always called him/written his name as "The Orange Sadist". I remember watching those debates, and being stunned to hear the things he was saying -- and, even worse, that NONE of the debate managers EVER CALLED HIM ON IT.
Ha! 👏🤗
You make a good point about Trump wanting to be compared to Hitler.
He definitely wants to be a dictator and do away with any part of the government that would check his power. But he is too much of a loser buffoon to pull it off.
Trump has the heinous and sick mind of a present-day Hitler, and like Hitler would stop at nothing to satisfy his savage hunger for power. But being a buffoon loser, Trump lacks the ability and the will to be successful at anything he touches.
Think about all bankruptcies:
the real estate businesses, a casino, and a college. Think about the way he treats women, handicapped folks, and war heroes. He fouls and cheats whatever and whoever in the path. He makes a mess wherever he goes.
Most of us can see the “emperor has no clothes. “ But amidst the chaos, we’ve taken our eyes off his life-long losing record. Trump is a pathetic loser.
"...Trump lacks the ability and the will to be successful at anything he touches."
Remember the Midas Touch? Everything he touched turned to gold? Trump has the Roto-Rooter Touch - everything he touches turns to 💩.
Yes -- remembering the wise acronym KISS: “Keep It Simple, Sweetie”--
Robert, thank you for your astute clarity.
I’m compelled to parse, like bullet points, to give each point its due, as in each line of a script:
What words should we use?
All of them—especially the good ones.
They should be short, solid, and powerful. And true.
We must say the most important thing first. Set aside artifice.
Speak plainly.
Know when to speak, when to stop, and when to listen—
and when to move on to more fertile ground.
Borrowing foosbeal’s term: Brilliant!
Thank you, Robert and Mg. Ed.
Katherine, you are indeed a “sweetie.” During medical school and practice we often invoked the KISS principle. But, it was understood to stand for “Keep it simple Stupid.”
I know of that alternate meaning, but left it alone. It might’ve come up in my third grade class, but we quickly left it alone as NSFW. Ha ha
There is that wonderful template for clear expository writing, with intro paragraph, three paragraphs to match the three key concepts, and closure paragraph.: 1) tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; 2) tell it to ‘em; 3) tell ‘em what you told ‘em… (And feel free to invite them to expand upon it).
Can be sterile, but later embellished and expanded as needed or desired.
I’m sad several points are not formatted as I had, but no matter. The edit function is not in the ... for some reason. ✏️ Now it’s there, but the formatting here passes muster, so I’ll leave it alone. Mind of its own. :-) Awesome to do all we do digitally!
It's keep it simple stupid
Trump is not the only loser, the Republican House is right up there. The entire Hunter Biden comedy hour yesterday and one upsmenship was disgraceful and an insult to the constituents who voted for them. I’m not sure whom they think they are fooling with their antics but they are a major contributor to why a majority of voters don’t trust or believe in our government and the question is what will we do about it. Many of these clowns are in gerrymandered districts and don’t fear getting elected but as Chris Christy so well stated the Republican voters need to step up and take their party back. I won’t hold my breath.
Yeah, I should have included a description of that hot mess, but honestly, it was so disgraceful and uncouth I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I may circle back to it.
Robert, no need to circle back to that “hot mess” as it speaks for itself…
I won't hold my breath, but if things keep going for Trump the way they are, with him saying the crazy things he is now saying, and the lawsuits pile up, and hopefully the convictions, I do have hope that he will defeat himself!
Wishful thinking. Only we can defeat him
Good day to you Robert. I am always sending your reports to friends. I joined a postgard group for SOUZZI'S 's upcoming winning event. The postgard people in the. group all talked about you and your report as an important "saving grace"in thier lives. It was like you were a part of the group. Just to let you know! And to thank you.
I wondered if there is a way to gather other hopeful MAINERS togethe to keep spreading the word of hope.
I would like to see you, are you coming to Maine?
Goodby for now, I can now finish sleeping. Gloria from Maine
Hi, Gloria. If you send me information about your next group meeting, I will promote. write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com. Thanks for your kind words. And please give my regards and thanks to everyone in your postcarding group!
I’m 100% on board with attaching the word ‘loser’ to Trump anytime his name comes up. Great point. I do have one quibble with what you wrote about Biden-in contrast -“Joe Biden is a good and decent man working to save democracy.” “Good and decent” seems damning with faint praise. I would add some additional qualifiers like “effective, extremely competent, knowledgeable...” something that conveys the effectiveness of his presidency these past few years. I would argue (despite his poll numbers) that he has not been a “decent” president who’s just better than the alternative, I think he has been a great president.
Agree: " I think he has been a great president."
In general- you have been an eloquent and enthusiastic supporter of Biden, and it’s so appreciated.
Let's all agree that henceforth we will use "The Loser" to refer to TFC. As in "Do you want your child to grow up and be like The Loser?"
I agree! Thanks Captain!
Robert, you are a breath of sanity, and nowhere more so than in your lead comments comparing Trump unfavorably with Hitler. The only thing worse than Evil is Stupid Evil.
The Biggest Loser is no "stable genius." Mr. Ed was a "stable genius," and the Quadefendant is no Mr. Ed! Perhaps closer to his hind end.
👏🤣
LOL! Marvelous!
He's also a sore loser. Once upon a time, there was approbation towards sore losers. We need that back.
The defendant is trying to make hate and sore losership great again.
I remember 2000 when Repugs called Gore/Lieberman “Sore Loserman.” In 2024, let’s turn it back on them.
LOL!