The Daily Populous Friday September 6th, 2024 morning edition
Authored by nymag.com and submitted by armchairmegalomaniac

This afternoon, Donald Trump gave a speech at the Economic Club of New York, which was purportedly going to reveal his big policy agenda for the country’s finances. He was going to take a page from Elon Musk, as well as make a push for more oil drilling. But he reverted to a long, droning, low-energy speech where he appeared bored and tired. It was a bomb of a speech a day after Kamala Harris unveiled a major tax-policy proposal and a pledge to support 25 million new small businesses.

A political speech about economics is always a hard sell, but this was for an audience that would be into it. John Paulson, a hedge-fund manager and major Trump supporter, was among the major finance and legal executives in attendance. But at the ECNY, Trump looked gaunt and spoke as if he were going through the motions. “We delivered an economic miracle that Kamala and Joe turned into an economic disaster” was among his zingers, which did not deviate much from his single-note drone. His lack of dynamism, coupled with the monotony of his topic, made his weaving style of speech especially difficult to follow. It would challenge even the most ardent fans of La Monte Young.

Trump is absolutely bombing at the New York Economic Club pic.twitter.com/lqXZCR6VNl — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 5, 2024

If you listened, though, there was some news here. Musk — who did a glitchy, podcast-style interview with Trump where he bragged about firing employees — has apparently agreed to head a commission that would root out what Trump calls government fraud and abuse. Government waste, particularly in the form of fraudulent spending, is in fact a major problem in the budget, with the Government Accountability Office estimating that it reaches more than $500 billion a year. (Trump’s plan is similar to the GAO’s Biden-era approach for rooting it out.) The Musk-led commission, if it ever happens, would supposedly save “trillions” of dollars over an unspecified period.

Trump also pledged to cut ten regulations for every one that passes — a five-fold increase from a 2016 pledge. He also cycled through a few promises that he’s made in the past, such as cutting taxes for Social Security benefits and corporate research and development, increasing oil drilling in the U.S., and, maybe, locking up Harris. Hard to tell if he was actually serious about that last one or if he was just trying to get his audience to wake up.

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Jackinapox on September 5th, 2024 at 18:41 UTC »

Trump on affordable Child care:

> "Well, I would do that and we're sitting down, you know, I was, somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter, Ivanka was sooo..uh..impactful on that issue. It's very important issue… But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I'm talking about, that, because, the child care is, child care is ..couldn't, you know, there's something you'd have to have it in this country, you have to have it. uh but when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I'm talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that..they're not used to but they'll get used to it very quickly. And it's not gonna stop them from doing business with us, but they'll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our Country. Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers we're talking about including child care...that it's gonna take care. We're gonna have. I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time. Coupled with the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all the other things that are going on in our Country. Because I have to stay with child care..I wanna stay with child care but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I'm talking about INCLUDING growth..but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just..uhh..that I just told you about, we're gonna-bee takin in trillions of dollars. And as much as child care..uhh..is talked about as being expensive, it's relatively speaking not very expensive compared to the kinda of numbers we'll be taking in. We're gonna make this into.....an incredible Country that can afford to take care of it's people..and then we'll worry about the rest of the World..let's help other people. But we're gonna take care of our Country first, this is about America first, is about Make..America..Great..Again..We have to do it because right now we're a failing Nation..so we'll take care of it. Thankyou."

What in the fuck?

Trump, on his honored Arab guests who were present:

> "And the Arab Nations..we're very honored to have some of my friends here. With us today.........from that part of the World... But they're working very hard despite being here..that I NOT BE YOUR PRESIDENT. They Don't Liiiiike me."

wtf? Crowd is dead silent..

About China tariffs:

> "That remains in place to this day. They want to take it off but they can't. Because #1 it's too much money and #2 we would be invaded by Chinese cars. On top of the other invasions that are taking place.."

Absolute crickets....

About Kamala:

> "It is time to send Komrad Kamala Harris back home to California where crime is rampant and fleeing is the number one occupation"

The silence is palpable.

Edit: Transcribed Trump's full answer on childcare.

Yousoggyyojimbo on September 5th, 2024 at 18:29 UTC »

He's tried to give like 4 "big economic speeches" in a month and they all turn into rambling, but each time the media frames it like the next one is the real speech and the last one didn't count.

armchairmegalomaniac on September 5th, 2024 at 18:25 UTC »

Trump trying to talk about economics actually would be good for a laugh.