Does Trump Want to Sandbag the Economy?

[turbinetree]

by Robert Kuttner

October 3, 2019

Economic growth is clearly slowing. Manufacturing output is down, as are exports, thanks to Trump’s trade cold war with China.

The government has run out of stimulus tricks. Even interest rates that are close to zero, plus an immense fiscal jolt in the form of a trillion-dollar deficit (courtesy of Trump’s tax cut for the rich) isn’t fixing what’s broken.

Corporate America is sitting on trillions in profits that it can’t find ways to invest. Thus, stock buybacks.

(This is why massive public investment is the only solution to America’s sagging economy. But I digress—that’s a post for another day.)

https://prospect.org/blogs/tap/does-trump-want-to-sandbag-the-economy-tariffs-trade-war-EU/

-snip-

What is it with this guy? Does he want to sink his own presidency and chances for re-election? Well, you might try such search terms as Ukraine, treason, civil war, and impeachment, and that old favorite, certifiably insane.

[abqtommy]

1. tRUMP is merely following the directions of his handler sPutin.

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. What would Putin want?

I look at every Trump action and they sure seem to benefit Putin. Why not a take down of the US economy?

[Johonny]

3. No, Putin wants to sandbag the US economy as retaliation for our sanctions

Trump is the instrument he's using to do it.