Wednesday Weirdness
Never thought I would ever say this – but I found myself agreeing with the Squad briefly. Damn, feel like I should wash my mouth out after saying that.
AOC is up first on the list. Yeah, little donkey-toothed Sandy managed to slip a decent statement between those tombstone teeth of hers.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Monday renewed her call for a ban on lawmakers trading individual stocks after a disclosure filing showed that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) bought shares in a number of companies just before President Donald Trump announced a pause on tariffs.
She slammed lawmakers for using their access to “sensitive information” to make trades ? and said Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs were part of that scheme.
The disclosure this week revealed that Greene bought between about $21,000 and $315,000 in stocks on April 8 and 9, the day before and the day of Trump’s tariff pause announcement, the New York Times noted.
Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats and Republicans alike should be united in opposing the practice in all cases.
She’s right.
“Members of Congress holding and trading individual stock is wrong,” she said. “It is corrosive. It is destructive. And it needs to be banned.” HuffPost
Not sure I would go as far as saying they can’t OWN any stock, but trading based on insider info obtained while in government? No. Blind trusts exist for a reason.
Moving on….damn, this one REALLY hurts – Jasmine Crockett, the Dem congresss-scrunt from the DFW area, raised a good point: if we are so anxious to save money, why must our President insist on traveling to Florida every weekend to play golf? Numerous sources say he has missed one weekend since being inaugurated… at about $2,600,000 per.
“If we are gonna talk about efficiency… let’s talk about the fact that, as of March 30, Trump’s golfing has cost us approximately $26 million,” Crockett said.
Crockett’s numbers didn’t take into account the cost of Trump’s latest golf trip in the first days of April, which was longer and more expensive than his previous weekend trips since Jan. 20.
HuffPo estimates each golf weekend costs us $2.4 million, and last weekend was $4.2 million.
Friday, April 4, marked Trump’s 20th day of golf at one of his courses since he was inaugurated on Jan. 20 — totaling 27% of his second term. People
I don’t begrudge him some play time – it’s a high pressure job, they say. But there are a LOT of decent courses in the Washington area, some even on military posts who would no doubt comp his party. I recall one on Ft. Meade which had a green on the back nine directly under the same antenna that was pictured on the old classic 1982 book “The Puzzle Palace” which introduced many Americans to No Such Agency. It may still be there…I hear the agency is. Regardless, when making economic times uncertain for many of the country, blowing that much money on golf makes you understand the Octoberists a bit better.
Last we see Dan Caldwell, getting the comeuppance we asked for. Remember the “Signal” snafu? Multiple high-dollar officials turned out to be unwittingly sharing battle plans etc. for our strikes on the Houthis with a senior editor from the Atlantic. (Note – this is not the same Dan Caldwell who founded TapOut MMA-linked clothing.)
Caldwell, who served in the Marine Corps, was one of several senior advisers who worked closely with Hegseth. Caldwell’s ties to the secretary go back to Hegseth’s time as the head of Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit that fell into financial difficulty during his time there. Caldwell worked at CVA beginning in 2013 as policy director and later as executive director.
He also was the staff member designated as Hegseth’s point person in the Signal messaging chat that top Trump administration national security officials, including Hegseth, used to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. The chat, set up by national security adviser Michael Waltz, included a number of top Cabinet members and came to light because Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, was added to the group. Military Times
At the time we said whoever was responsible needs to go away. Caldwell was walked out of the Pentagon Tuesday on ‘administrative leave’ (ironically, according to sources who remain confidential because they are not authorized to talk about it. Heck, fry THEM.) H/t to Jeff LPH for this one.
Category: Congress sucks, Politics
People on the Right & Left and some times a bipartisan effort to stop Congress from trading pops up, but its always shut down by the established Uniparty Swamp Creatures. San Fran Nan has been at the forefront for the last few decades. She’s the greatest stocker trader errr her husband is the greatest stock trader. He always seems to know when BIG government contracts will be signed. Almost uncanny that he’s so good considering his wife was Speaker of the House twice and has all sorts of connections on committees. Good thing she never talks to him about his stocks <wink, wink, nudge, nudge, knowhatimean>. Dems NEVER complained about Joe sleeping on Rehoboth Beach for 40% for his term, but Dems love to set piles of money on fire. DJT could set a example by not going to Mar-a-Lago every weekend in an effort to cut costs.
I’d like to see DJT visiting with Sleepy Creepy on the beach!
First, 15 USC Section 78u-1 outlines the civil penalties for insider trading, which is governed by Section 10b of the Securities and Exchange Act. The Stock Act explicitly states that Members and congressional employees are not exempt from insider trading prohibitions and amended the Security and Exchange Act to specify that each Member or congressional employee ‘owes a duty’ when in receipt of ‘material, nonpublic information’ obtained because of their public office.
Members of Congress are prohibited from engaging in insider trading, whether the information they obtain occurred during their time in office or their private life.
Moreover, the Code of Ethics for Government Service admonishes public servants to “Never use information gained confidentially in the performance of governmental duties as a means of making a private profit”, but neither Chamber nor members of any party affiliation will discipline their members because they all do it.
The only way to stop politicians from using their positions to enrich themselves instead of honestly representing their constituents is to vote them out of office.
In 1877, James Garfield wrote, “Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand those high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.”
As for Jasmine: Where was her outrage while Biden was taking 40% (approx. 580 days) of his time in office on vacation, or when it was discovered he was storing classified information in his garage?
Without seeing the woke calculations I am going to assume it is nearly all for security. Which would have been paid anyways.
“HuffPo estimates each golf weekend costs us $2.4 million, and last weekend was $4.2 million.”
It is more expensive to go somewhere then to stay at the White House. How much more I have no idea.
Biden used to just drive home by himself over the Key Bridge where he would talk to the ghost of a dead conductor on the way. Good times.
Well, welcome to life.
Presidents travel.
All the time.
Ain’t nothing new.
But… Orange man bad!
@5JC and 2banana <<< these two have an IQ of a floormop
Adults are having a conversation and these two simpletons are busy spewing uneducated nonsense.
Nice first post. Care to contribute or just act the troll?
NoLeft_NoRight, is that a reference to your testicles?
Welcome to TAH.
To play golf all the time? Used to be doing pol stuff- speeches etc.
I guess you are the one guy that doesn’t know that billion dollar business deals and meta level politics are sometimes settled on golf courses.
Every weekend on the same course? How many have you heard about? Last I read, all those foreign countries falling over themselves to settle tarrif deals amount to ‘none so far’.
Truman drove himself and Bess back and forth to Missouri.
You have security, Signal pukes from WHCA, mechanics for the beast, it’s a yuge entourage.
I am pretty sure there is MUCH more to this than screwing up a Signal chat.
“Caldwell was walked out of the Pentagon Tuesday on ‘administrative leave’
He and Hegseth have been besties since 2013. So I’m curious too.
Dude looks like he is 21
Or 12? Tapped into some serious fountain of youth there,
AFSOC top nco fired:
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/senior-chief-afsoc-fired/
Trading bans are unenforceable.
The stocks will just be “owned” by a spouse or child. Or if we ban immediate family, they’ll be owned by a cousin or uncle, or even a “friend”.
There have been plenty of instances of “blind trust” type ownership situations where the trustees make amazingly good buy and sell decisions completely by “happenstance”.
Not saying we shouldn’t try to get it under control, but as long as they have access to insider information and are willing to immorally act upon it, there’s no real way to stop it.
Except elect better people to congress…which, were that a viable option, we wouldn’t even be talking about this.
The irony if politics is that in a democratic system, the people who most desire to hold the levers of power are exactly the ones who are least deserving of the privilege, but the people who we’d really want to be in charge want nothing to do with it.
And many who go into it with honorable intentions see what’s going on around them and decide “why shouldn’t I get my turn at the trough?” and end up turning into the very thing they ran for office to oppose.
Can’t stop human nature.
Many, many people bought ahead of the Trump tariff pause announcement, including me. The precipitous drop made everything well discounted, especially in the tech sector. While I had no hard information that Trump was going to pause the tariffs he dropped a dozen clues in the press.
It was a pretty open secret he was gonna do that. While I agree that insider trading is a problem in the legislature, this ain’t it.
I won’t belabor that point any. I want to hear about fixing it.
I’m completely onboard with that. My non-stock market educated self likes the blind trust idea. But… there’s really no way of knowing who the insider is sharing tips with.
I have done quite well socking away a set percent from every paycheck. Market ups and downs average out via “dollar cost averaging”. Compounding grows the stake. A cash reserve allows opportunity buys, and the ability -not- to touch the funds invested if something unexpected occurs.
And if I had started this stuff properly 20 years earlier, and avoided some -epic- stupid, I would already be retired in comfort, versus my expected “not impoverished, but ok”.
If I can do this, you can do this too. “Slow and steady” wont win races, but it gets you to your destination in comfort.
My opinions, maybe one cent’s worth:
– While I agree with Cortez, I’m interested in whether there is a single quote from her pleading for bipartisan agreement on an issue of Republican interest.
– Sure, Congrossmen (sic), you can trade. You can sell from your existing portfolio (that which existed at the time of your election. Your annual financial disclosure will be reviewed—heavily reviewed, actually. Anything unseemly will result in censure, dismissal from committees, forfeiture of party campaign funds or support, and finally dismissal from office for a lack of trust and confidence depending on value of financial gain-with decision to be made by the opposing party.
But if your husband does it’s ok?
Like I said, worth a cent. Other than the court of public opinion, I don’t have a fix for family members. Standing by for yours!
I think it might depend upon what you define as ‘of Republican interest’ — one of AOC’s recent sponsored bills, capping interest rates on credit cards, was done in partnership with Rep Anna Paulina (R-FL):
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1944
There are others, too, but that’s the most recent.
I actually don’t think this particular legislation is in the republican interest. The critiques of it are pretty harsh. But it feels pretty good…
That’s why I left the definition open, but I do think it’s fair to say that Anna Paulina represents some Republican interests.
Also, first link from a google shows high-but-dropping support for it, so I’m inclined to say a fair few Republicans support credit card rate caps too:
https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/study/rate-cap-support/
Whether it’s good policy or not is another question.
You do understand how credit cards work right? I mean I easily spend well into five figures a year with my credit cards and don’t pay a penny in interest, fees or penalties. In fact they pay me to carry their cards around and every time I use them.
The question was about whether AOC showed any bipartisan agreement. I pointed to her most recent bill co-sponsored with a Republican.
It ain’t about how credit cards work.
A 747-400 operates at about $20,000 per hour. Security cost should not be counted, because the president has security regardless of location.
I can’t see where it cost $2.4 million a trip.
Again, it costs a lot more to do security somewhere else. More staff is required for certain as well as the cost to transport them and their vehicles and gear.
Trumps home is in Mar-lago, and reading some notes from his first presidency. The press counts him as playing golf when he wears golf attire. Even thought he might have been meeting dignitaries from other countries. And never played any golf. And the entire time he is at a location is counted as part of the cost of playing golf. Also some expenses have been reimbursed by his campaign. Sounds like the press is trying to shed a bad picture on the president and make it seem worse than it is. I’m not saying we don’t pickup the tab here, but considering the source of this information.. NPR and other left wing rags it all about bad orange man. How often did other presidents travel?
A whole bunch of folks prefer to meet Trump at his Florida home than the one in DC. And if they golf, why would they not want to play him, on his own course?
If someday a notional President Rawhide does one of my sports at his own ranch, be certain I would -gleefully- attend any match he hosted.
Was that $2.4 mil that PDJT47 spent on going down to Mar-A-Lago HIS own money? Or Gooberment money?
If Gooberment $$, then I can see the bitchin’ & moanin’.
If it was his own money, then what’s the bitchin’ & moanin’?
The media isn’t going to give ALL the information to the general public. That would make too much sense. Give the public just enough information to keep them outraged at the big bad orange man.
And to keep us arguing, fighting and name calling so we pay no attention to what is actually going on.
Makes me suspect Agent Orange arranged, or an Orange Minion / Oompa-Loompa arranged, the leak about “golf cost” just to stir the dookie and continue his 24/7 rent-free lifestyle in their heads.
Convinced. (Grin)
They are all equally worthless to me. Leading by good example should be the goal, but here we are. My 401K guy did some trading during that same time frame and made me some $. I doubt if he had any “insider” info. I also doubt the amount of $ spent on the Bad Orange Man’s weekend trips home. I may be wrong on that. From what I understand it is a considerable undertaking to fly the President from hither to yon. And it ain’t cheap.
Caldwell served in the Marines.
Now he can service Thor, Mr Tiny and all of the others in cell block D.
Concerned Veterans for America = Turds.
A lot of those groups back in the day were overrun with NG guys.
Can’t speak to the group but I find myself aligned with most of their positions. NG was huge in Iraq. In 2005 there were more NG/Reservists than Active Duty in theater. I should point out that is also when everything went to complete hammered dogshit there. Just a coincidence I’m sure.
How could any other outcome have been possible? -no one- was talking about -Victory- and how that looked.
The minute some asshole first said “what’s the exit strategy?” and didn’t get repeatedky nut-kicked senseless, we were on a randomized countdown to -defeat-. That shit is infectious, and just screams to the enemy “wait them out. They have already quit.”
And everyone who went along, without saying “what is our plan for Victory? What are the Victory goals?”
Guilty. Complicit.
What is the great sin of war?
Losing the war.
The greatest sin of war?
Not committing to Victory.
There wasn’t even a strategy until 2006 when Condi made it up on the fly. It was the first time anyone in the military had gotten guidance since the invasion.
US Presidents salaries are $400,000.a year and Pres. Trump doesn’t take the $4000,000 salary unlike everyone else before him unless I am missing one. Some savings there.
He takes the salary but donates its entirety to a charity that rotates quarterly.
Constitutionally the president is bound to accept a salary. George Washington tried to reject it outright and took the case to court.
This excellent article provides well researched back story and context about executive salaries and why the system is the way it is. If you like history it is worth a read.
https://janecook.com/why-george-washington-declined-his-salary/
FUNNY how AOC and the D-rats never said anything about the trips Biden took, ditto with all of the lavish vacations and trips that B. Hussein 0bama took as well!
Or Panetta and Pelosi ridding their own (separate) 757’s every weekend coast to coast. Panetta needed to “clear his mind”, not sure what Pelosi’s excuse was.
Maybe she was watching her husband servicing that guy with a hammer, but I could be wrong. Maybe.
I recall watching an interview with Dick Cheney very early in the first term of W. He was saying something along the lines of “The legislature thought it was a bad idea and a possible conflict of interest that I held a ton of stock in Halliburton. I agreed, and sold it all at the current rate. Now they’re mad that I made money on the sale. What was I supposed to do, give it away?”
Hmmmm……what to do?
Maybe, just maybe….
If/when a Kongress Kritter wants to buy/sell a stock over which he’s had some influence/inside knowledge, then he has to PUBLICIZE that knowledge to EVERYONE before he buys/sells. (Zelda, “It’s a secret to everyone”)
If he does that, it’s no longer “insider trading”, and the public has an equal opportunity to buy/sell.
That might also have another positive side effect, to stop the insider smoke filled back room decisions.
I bought on the dip too…Big fucking deal…