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What the Trump Win Means For Tech and Science (arstechnica.com)

Republican nominee Donald Trump has won the US Presidential election to become the country's 45th president. Now that he is going to run the government, it's a good time to look back on the kind of policies and changes he is likely to bring in the United States. From an article on ArsTechnica:Trump's presidency could bring big changes to regulation of Internet service providers -- but most of them are difficult to predict because Trump rarely discussed telecom policy during his campaign. The Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules could be overturned or weakened, however, if Trump still feels the same way he did in 2014. At the time, he tweeted, "Obama's attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media. [...] With Trump's win, it's still not clear what a Trump administration would do on the issues of cybersecurity and encryption. As Ars reported last month, Trump and his campaign team have been vague on many such details. During the presidential debates, he brushed off the intelligence community's consensus that the attacks against the Democratic National Committee were perpetrated or silently condoned by the Russian government. But Trump did call for a boycott of Apple -- a boycott of which he didn't even abide by -- during Cupertino's fight with federal prosecutors about whether Apple should be forced to help the authorities unlock a killer's encrypted iPhone. [...] Trump's presidency, by some accounts, is likely to be a disaster for science. Most analyses of his proposed budgets indicate they will cause deficits to explode, and a relatively compliant Congress could mean at least some of these cuts will get enacted. That will force the government to figure out how to cut, or at least limit, spending. Will science funding be preserved during that process? Trump's given no indication that it would. Instead, many of his answers about specific areas of science focus on the hard choices that need to be made in light of budget constraints. With the exception of NASA, Trump hasn't identified any areas of science that he feels are worth supporting. More generally, Trump has indicated little respect for the findings of science.The Silicon Valley top heads were largely upset with the outcome of the Presidential Election, to say the least.

382 comments

  1. Trump says science is a fake by NotInHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    his position on climate change: doesn't exist, and we need to fire up america's coal mines again, regardless of the pollution.

    1. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Rei · · Score: 5, Insightful

      His positions on almost everything don't exist. On virtually every topic his position has been:

      "Our current policy is such a mess. Total disaster. We're going to completely repeal it and replace it with 'Something Great(TM)'. It's going to be so great, let me tell you..."

      --
      It's times like this I wish I had a friend named 'The Professor'.
    2. Re:Trump says science is a fake by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1, Funny

      His positions on almost everything don't exist. On virtually every topic his position has been:

      "Our current policy is such a mess. Total disaster. We're going to completely repeal it and replace it with 'Something Great(TM)'. It's going to be so great, let me tell you..."

      No, don't you see that *is* his position. He's going to make it great again.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    3. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Alomex · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly, I'm not scared of his policies because we have no clue what they are. I'm scared that he doesn't seem to surround himself with highly competent people. He's three main advisors Guliani, Newt and Christie are proven losers. An inexperienced president with bad advisors gives you Bush, and inexperience president with good advisors gives you Obama. I think their final approval ratings reflect this.

    4. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Pascoea · · Score: 1

      His positions on almost everything don't exist

      This. 110% this. That (besides the misogyny and bigotry) is my biggest problem with Trump. Outside of a few social issues, nobody has any clue what his policy on anything will be.

    5. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trump literately has no position on anything but that damn wall for Mexico, and thus Mexico is getting beat up in the markets and any company that is exposed to Mexico.

      Everything else is "whatever"

    6. Re:Trump says science is a fake by David_Hart · · Score: 1

      What does the Trump win mean for tech? Not a clue.

      And I seriously doubt anyone else has a clue either. But we should have a lot of fun poking holes in the Other Guy (tm) who thinks his WAG (wild-ass guess) is better than our WAG....

      To be slightly more serious, ignore the Trump win, look at the House and Senate, and you might have less WA in your WAG....

      If he holds to his election promises, the tech industry should see a reduction in work visas, a blockade of any new outsourcing initiatives, and new tariffs (or trade deals) to make foreign made products (practically everything tech related) less attractive (i.e. our toys will get more expensive).

    7. Re:Trump says science is a fake by unixisc · · Score: 1

      his position on climate change: doesn't exist, and we need to fire up america's coal mines again, regardless of the pollution.

      People demagogue him and Republicans on his stance on coal, but it's not just as a fuel that coal is useful. Coal is very much needed in steel and aluminum manufacturing, and those things are needed if one thinks our manufacturing is important, as Trump clearly does.

      There is also the other human aspect of it that putting people en masse out of work to satisfy the environmental fetishes of Liberal activists may be a price that the Dems were willing to pay, and one can argue that it cost them the election, particularly in states like WV, PA and MI. It's easy for millennials sitting in their parents' basements to just wish away such jobs, since they don't have to deal w/ the consequences of putting thousands of people out of work.

      All that said, a lot of the work in coal mine would be automated in the interests of improved safety, so some of those jobs would get transformed into supervisory or administrative jobs, but still jobs relevant to the industry which would leverage their existing skills.

    8. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Rei · · Score: 3, Informative

      Bill Maher had an excellent bit going over "his people".

      --
      It's times like this I wish I had a friend named 'The Professor'.
    9. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surfs Up!!!!

    10. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      He has Pence. And God, apparently.

    11. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      Republicans couldn't stand it that W was the worst president ever. So they voted in Dump. In 2 years, the Republican party, barring some absolutely astounding miracles or accidents, will likely be voted out en masse. Worse things could happen. Hopefully we'll have a new sensible party or three forming.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    12. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      People freely tossing around terms like misogyny and bigotry are especially clueless about Trump's positions.

      Well, we know that America's been grabbed by the pussy, the only question now is whether it will bend over too.

    13. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Orgasmatron · · Score: 0

      I've gotta ask, were you eight twits (3 commenters and at least 5 moderators) too stupid to go to his website and read his policy positions? Or too smug, thinking he'd never win?

      --
      See that "Preview" button?
    14. Re:Trump says science is a fake by megamind · · Score: 1

      There is no truth in science. Only tests.

    15. Re:Trump says science is a fake by richpoore · · Score: 1

      In the words of Far Field Productions, What's that mean? Personally, I see him as the lesser evil of two completely flawed candidates, but I have no idea what he's going to do. Either, 1. He is the democrat that he's always been and duped the American public, 2. He's a far right crazy man who wants to ban people from our country based on religion and deport a significant portion of the people in this country 3. He's become conservative and said those things to get media coverage, and will be a sane conservative president Who knows!

    16. Re:Trump says science is a fake by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, if he can get his corporate income tax cut passed, we'll see a resurgence of manufacturing in the US. It costs about $12 of labor to make an iPhone; doing that in the US will make it $30. Right now, if it was done in the US, Apple would pay about $80 in taxes ($110 total tax/labor cost under current law); in China, they pay about $34 in taxes ($46 in China). If the tax cut happens, that cost would drop to $50 in the US - about half. That's a LOT more competitive with China, and the savings in logistics could make the rest become a wash.

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    17. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The evidence that his three proven losers (so-far just in your estimation) got him elected says a lot.

      He's a businessman and his loyalty is toward his business - that's how he made his way. He'll now have to divest his business interests (and you can be sure it'll be done to the N'th-degree - look at how Dick Cheney got treated by the liberals) and his NEW loyalty/interest will be in the growing/improvement of the United States of America; his 'new business'. I'm sure he 'knows what he doesn't know" and will bring-into his team, as he would for different technologies/sciences/&c. in the business world, the best individuals he can enlist for commerce, foreign affairs, a country-sized economy, military, &c..

      Geez... it's not like he was some idiot massaging a messianic complex whilst screaming "hope! change!", or anything...

    18. Re:Trump says science is a fake by swillden · · Score: 1

      Republicans couldn't stand it that W was the worst president ever.

      Actually, I think that title goes to Andrew Jackson. Trump may take it from him, though.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    19. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      On virtually every topic his position has been:

      "Our current policy is such a mess. Total disaster."

      If you hadn't added the other dribble to your post that would have been 100% correct. He got elected because he's right.

    20. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, he got elected because he told people what they wanted to hear. That's the easy part, now he has to work out how to implement those promises. The wall will probably get turned into "I meant it metaphorically".

      Look at how people were let down Obama - that'll happen to Trump, especially as the country's finances aren't as screwed up and he's got Republicans in both houses.

    21. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And, once again, let me remind you that the GOVERNMENT IS NOT A GOD DAMNED BUSINESS.

      We should have learned this from the "CEO President," but it's apparent that as a country we never learn a god damned thing.

    22. Re: Trump says science is a fake by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I would add that he got elected because he knows how to run a confidence scam.

    23. Re:Trump says science is a fake by orgelspieler · · Score: 1

      You forgot "believe me"

    24. Re:Trump says science is a fake by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, if he can get his corporate income tax cut passed, we'll see a resurgence of manufacturing in the US.

      BULLSHIT.

      First, you're pushing a myth. The tax rate is high because they get so many deductions, but their actual paid taxes are lower than they every have been. The corporations with the best tax lawyers have an affective NEGATIVE rate in many cases.

      Secondly, the only way manufacturing is ever coming back to the US is if the labor pool because the virtual slave labor pool of China, India, and other parts of the 3rd world. If that's what you hope for then screw you, you're part of the problem.

    25. Re:Trump says science is a fake by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      Coal is very much needed in steel and aluminum manufacturing, and those things are needed if one thinks our manufacturing is important, as Trump clearly does.

      In the long run being able to breathe is more important than manufacturing.

    26. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only the Don knows what the Don knows. When the Don doesn't know, the Don does.

    27. Re:Trump says science is a fake by slack_justyb · · Score: 1

      so some of those jobs would get transformed into supervisory or administrative jobs

      The more accurate way of looking at this is. They are automating the hell out of mining in general, not just coal. In about ten years about 50% of those working in mines will be gone. To replace them is about a handful of remote watcher whose positions have already long been filled. Environment or not, regulation or not, those jobs are as obsolete as people who run around town lighting street lamps. One could remove all the environmental restrictions in place, it ain't bringing those jobs back, they're done, they're over. A lot of people in WV need to take a cold hard look in the mirror and start chewing on bitter pills. They don't have a job because they're human and robots do their job now for cheaper and less cost should a cave in happen. I'm not saying that's going to be easy for them to do and I know that it's going to be hard period. However, the thing that a lot of candidate should have been talking about back in 2012 that no one did, is that this is going to happen to more and more industries as we get further on down the road. IT, lawyers, doctors, fast food workers, truck drivers, train operators, farmers, investment bankers, and on and on and on. These jobs are getting automated and more and more people are losing their jobs for the simple reason that they have flesh and blood and we literally have no idea what to do about any of this.

      In short, you thinking that people are losing their jobs over environmental issues is pretty much saying that a beach erodes because ants keep carrying off the sand. Yeah, that might be happening, but you're totally missing the waves crashing into the beach that are doing way more.

    28. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      True, but people who will be severely affected in the short term don't always look at the long term. In close races, that can make a difference.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    29. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, he got elected because he told people what they wanted to hear. That's the easy part, now he has to work out how to implement those promises. The wall will probably get turned into "I meant it metaphorically".

      The wall was a metaphor and doing something so simple as enforcing the immigration laws on the books as they are written is likely to satisfy those who voted for "Trump's Wall".

    30. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      I think you'd have to make a case for Jackson over W. Jackson caused a 5 year recession and was directly responsible for the suffering of several peoples, it was all restricted to what's currently the US. W did it on a much grander scale causing the world to enter a major depression, and 8 years later we've still got multiple wars he started ongoing.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    31. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, he got elected because he ran against shitlery.

    32. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I did read everyone of his proposals, and they are as empty as his slogans. "We'll be tough with China" is an inane declaration that only a simpleton can confuse with a policy. His entire web site is full of those.

      Do you recall what were the specifics in the debate about what was going to replace Obamacare? Answer: "Obamacare is a disaster, we'll replace it and let me tell you is going to be terrific".

      You have to be incredibly naive to confuse that with a policy proposal.

      His wall proposal with Mexico will be effective for 20 minutes, until the first ladder is built and placed over it. Again, not a policy, but a simplistic declaration designed to fool the well-meaning but inexperienced folk.

    33. Re:Trump says science is a fake by SpinyNorman · · Score: 1

      Its' no accident that Trump's surrounded by people like Giuliani and Christie... He's explicitly stated his preference to be surrounded by losers to make himself look good.

      http://www.washingtonexaminer....

    34. Re:Trump says science is a fake by swillden · · Score: 1

      You're just debating the definition of "worst", which I'll grant isn't outright clear. As the leader of the world's only superpower Dubya had much greater scope for damage than Jackson did back when the US was barely out of the colonial stage and any one of several nations could have stomped us if they'd decided to spend what it took. But adjusting for scope, I think Jackson was worse. Dubya was stupid, but Jackson was stupid and mean.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    35. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He clearly outlined all his policies on his campaign site throughout the entire election. He talked about his policies at every campaign stop.

    36. Re: Trump says science is a fake by pslytely+psycho · · Score: 1

      Well, without the unnecessary crudeness AC, you are correct. The Democrats fielded their weakest, most controversial candidate, SEVERELY underestimated their opponents appeal all in the name of historical precedence. They wanted two historical elections in a row so badly they blinded themselves to just how disliked their candidate was.

      Of course, BOTH parties underestimated Mr. Trump. Both parties fielded despicable, dishonest, disliked candidates in a battle royal of accusation and innuendo. The mudslinging was so thick and the candidates both so dirty that it was hard to tell if anything stuck in the political pigpen.

      Both parties are ripping apart at the seams. Perhaps a more centrist party will emerge from the smoldering wreckage. One that can field a strong candidate, unlike the current third-parties.

      Invest in popcorn. The next four to eight years is going to be interesting.

      I do hope President-elect Trump proves me wrong and is a great president. If not, he'll be gone in four years and we try again. Maybe if we can convince Cthulhu to be just a tad more evil....

      --
      Donald Trump, on a crusade to make Nixon look respectable
    37. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jackson was personally involved in engineering a campaign of literal genocide and you pass that off as "the suffering of several peoples".

    38. Re:Trump says science is a fake by kellymcdonald78 · · Score: 1

      Except that the President isn't bound by conflict of interest laws. There is no requirement at all for him to divest anything

    39. Re:Trump says science is a fake by kellymcdonald78 · · Score: 1

      While labor costs may have been the initial driver to outsource, the simple matter is that the US is incapable of manufacturing anything like the iPhone (don't feel bad, virtually no one can). It's not a labor issue, it's a supply chain issue. If you've ever been to Shenzen you would understand. Take Detroit at its absolute height and multiply it by 100, a factory the size of Los Angeles. All of the component manufacturers from glue, to glass, to circuit boards, SoC etc etc ect, all of the thousands of suppliers that make the things that make the things that make the things that go into an iPhone are within a few miles of each other. This is something that would take decades to replicate in the US assuming the NIMBY lobby would let you build something like it. Thinking that a simple reduction in corporate taxes or adding tariffs to goods will somehow result in a resurgence of manufacturing is laughable

    40. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't believe you!

    41. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Orgasmatron · · Score: 1

      Here is the text from his website. You may notice that it is slightly more detailed than his 15 second debate answer. The first link is to a 4 page PDF. I'm not going to convert the links for his sources, but they are there.

      DONALD TRUMP'S VISION

      To view Mr. Trump's position, visit https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform

      Repeal and replace Obamacare with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

      Work with Congress to create a patient-centered health care system that promotes choice, quality, and affordability.

      Work with states to establish high-risk pools to ensure access to coverage for individuals who have not maintained continuous coverage.

      Allow people to purchase insurance across state lines, in all 50 states, creating a dynamic market.

      Maximize flexibility for states via block grants so that local leaders can design innovative Medicaid programs that will better serve their low-income citizens.

      KEY ISSUES

      President Obama said his health plan would cut the cost of family premiums by up to $2,500 a year. Instead, premiums have gone up by almost $5,000 since Obamacare passed. [Kaiser Family Foundation]

      Nearly two-thirds of Obamacare Exchange plans lost over $2.2 billion just in 2014. [Mercatus Center, April 22, 2016]

      Health insurance companies are fleeing the Obamacare Exchanges. Five states, one-third of all counties, and 19% of Americans eligible for Obamacare will have only one Exchange insurer this year. [New York Times, Aug. 19, 2016], [Kaiser Family Foundation, Aug. 28, 2016], [McKinsey on Healthcare, Aug. 18, 2016]

      Premiums have skyrocketed across the nation, with a national average of almost 25%, with some states experiencing rate increases up to 70%. In Iowa, one plan got a 43% increase approved. In Florida, the individual market will see an average rate increase of 19%. In Pennsylvania, at least three plans requested rate increases over 40%. And the average rate requested in Minnesota is 54%. [ACA Signups], [Health Insurance], [Miami Herald], [Health Insurance]

      More than half the Exchange plans have deductibles of $3,000 or more. [The New York Times, Nov. 14, 2015]

      Deductibles are going up in 2017, some as high as $7,000 per person on the âoecheapestâ Obamacare plans. [Investors Business Daily, May 13, 2016]

      People are going without needed medical care because they canâ(TM)t afford these amounts. [The Boston Globe, Nov. 16, 2015]

      Most of the people getting covered under Obamacare are getting it through the government run Medicaid program. [Heritage Foundation]

      Almost 12 million more Americans were enrolled in Medicaid or the Childrenâ(TM)s Health Insurance Plan since October 2013. [Obamacarefacts.com]

      By 2026 one-fourth of our population will be on Medicaid or the Childrenâ(TM)s Health Insurance Program. [Congressional Budget Office, March 2016]

      Numerous studies show that Medicaid enrollees canâ(TM)t find doctors. [Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Dec. 2014]

      Medicaid beneficiaries have worse health compared to everyone else. Add to that higher death rates, misuse of the emergency room and higher overall costs. [âoeHow to Fix Medicaid,â National Affairs, 2014]

      Obamacare has reduced pay for workers in small businesses and reduced employment

      --
      See that "Preview" button?
    42. Re:Trump says science is a fake by dave420 · · Score: 1

      "Demagogue" is not a verb but a noun, and closing coal mines isn't to "satisfy the environmental fetishes of Liberal activists", but "do what we can to ensure our children and their children have a viable world to live in, as pointed out by the entirety of the field of climatology". Keeping jobs for no other reason than simply keeping jobs is not sustainable in the slightest, and impossible to achieve without payoffs to someone (either in the company or in the chain to which the company in question supplies). I'd imagine a generation losing a few thousand jobs is better than every successive generation losing even more jobs than that.

    43. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Alomex · · Score: 1

      Thank you for proving my point. That is a list of 16 things that are wrong with Obamacare (some of which are plain false, such as premiums "skyrocketing" over five years) followed by five "proposals" four of which are platitudes, such as "Work with Congress to create a patient-centered health care system that promotes choice, quality, and affordability."

      The only effective actionable proposal is to make insurance market open across all 50 states.

      This is a typical example of Trump's modus operandi. Call everything a disaster, just because isn't perfect. Spout platitudes about making it great again, then give few (usually none) effective steps to fix the problem.

    44. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Congress! Congress is the one who writes and passes these laws you asshat.

    45. Re:Trump says science is a fake by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Keeping jobs is important enough that it should only be eliminated if there is absolutely no use for the job in the economy. But like I pointed out above, coal is very much needed in the manufacture of steel, aluminum and most other metals from their ores. The day we can make everything out of sand, I guess there may not be a need for steel, aluminum, copper, plastics and other materials. But as long as there is, coal will be needed, in which case, talking about shutting down the coal industry, as Obama and Clinton did, is grossly irresponsible.

      Also, as far as the sciences go, w/o denying climate change for now, scientists have been either downright wrong, or have been shifting their conclusions over time (as they should). The earth has gone through cycles of warming and cooling, and statistics, while confirming observations, does not actually prove anything. There have also been studies done about certain vegetables containing X that cause disease Y, which later on was proven untrue. Similarly w/ climate. My point is that it's not worth wrecking any country's economy over studies that not just can, but do change overtime.

    46. Re:Trump says science is a fake by mink · · Score: 1

      Replace health insurance with HSA accounts that empty out into the pockets of the rich every year? Fuck that.

      --
      Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
    47. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is NO such thing as a sane conservative. Just to make that clear.

    48. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      3 ring shit show clusterfuck is more likely what you'll see out of this group of losers.

    49. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Man, I really read this in his voice, let me tell you.

    50. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Climate change is ancillary science not the kind of science that drives jobs except derivatively

    51. Re:Trump says science is a fake by syntotic · · Score: 1

      You want everything reviewed after the last eight years of constant (permanent) insult. I did not spent most of my life programming and dedicated to computers to have a bunch of opportunists acquire celebrity status just because they are good spying and stealing computers then run to where there is money while I stay happy in a computer complaining about with a government saying nothing because there is someone involved and I am on the wrong side of Born Human for them. I think the message arrived, you have very many (half) Fakes up there and it is not precisely politicians, so a revision is necessary.

    52. Re:Trump says science is a fake by RespekMyAthorati · · Score: 1

      coal is very much needed in the manufacture of steel, aluminum and most other metals from their ores.

      A minuscule amount compared to power generation.

      . My point is that it's not worth wrecking any country's economy over studies that not just can, but do change over time.

      None of the changes in atmospheric science over the last 20 years contradict that continuing to burn coal for electricity generation will lead to environmental disaster.

    53. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am going to run in 2020 under "make America more awesome times infinity" because it is better than great.

    54. Re: Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He has said in the past that national security would be better if we got out of "computers" and started doing all of our work on paper again... It's called making it great.

    55. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      we need to fire up america's coal mines again, regardless of the pollution.

      Trump speaks Communist well.

    56. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Pascoea · · Score: 1

      Um. I guess I don't know what to say. Probably because I don't understand what the hell you just said. "I find the Obama administration insulting" "I'm a programmer, and old." "Something about spying and stealing computers and celebrities." "I'm in a computer." "Something about being on the wrong side of being a human." "There are fakes (at least half of them) up somewhere and they aren't politicians" "Change"

    57. Re:Trump says science is a fake by AutodidactLabrat · · Score: 1

      No. Gerrymandering

    58. Re:Trump says science is a fake by AutodidactLabrat · · Score: 1

      Jackson didn't order the CIA to lie to Congress so he could cause 1 million+ people to die, triple the size of his enemies, double the debt and quintuple the deficit.

    59. Re:Trump says science is a fake by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      and deport a significant portion of the people in this country (illegally)

      FTFY, you seem to forget that these people being deported broke into our country and break our laws by staying.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  2. Will we even HAVE an internet? by ninjaadmin · · Score: 0

    I know it's supposed to be self-healing... but I'm not sure even the great internet can survive stupid of this magnitude.

    1. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by Salgak1 · · Score: 2

      Really ? Trump is worse than the Nuclear War TCP/IP was built to survive through ???

    2. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes. The nuclear bombs only had a physical capability to damage the Internet. Trump will have legal authority to damage the Internet.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    3. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      But not the power, since ICANN is now completely outside the jurisdiction of the US government

    4. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by swillden · · Score: 1

      But not the power, since ICANN is now completely outside the jurisdiction of the US government

      Because the Internet is nothing but DNS? I don't think so.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    5. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      But not the power, since ICANN is now completely outside the jurisdiction of the US government

      If that had been the only good thing happened under Obama, it would still be enough to cement him in history as one of the most prescient PsOTUS in our history for allowing it to happen.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    6. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by Dog-Cow · · Score: 1

      You should stop believing in fairytales. The internet was not designed to survive nuclear war. Hopefully, its ability to do so will never be tested.

    7. Re:Will we even HAVE an internet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When you have a military like the USA's, anything is possible... even seizing the servers that run ICANN.. Mr. Robot anyone?

  3. Clueless by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What does the Trump win mean for tech? Not a clue.

    And I seriously doubt anyone else has a clue either. But we should have a lot of fun poking holes in the Other Guy (tm) who thinks his WAG (wild-ass guess) is better than our WAG....

    To be slightly more serious, ignore the Trump win, look at the House and Senate, and you might have less WA in your WAG....

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    1. Re: Clueless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uncertainty is the only takeaway.

      The markets hate uncertainty.

    2. Re:Clueless by Jason+Levine · · Score: 2

      What does the Trump win mean for tech? Not a clue.

      And I seriously doubt anyone else has a clue either.

      I think this is the worst part - not knowing what he'll do. He's been in favor of so many conflicting policies during his candidacy - and we all know that most campaign promises evaporate come election day - that I really have no clue what he'll do. Will he become a centrist President and all of that "build a wall/Mexicans are rapists" stuff was campaign bluster? Or will he push what his alt-right base wants regardless of how it'll affect other people? Nobody knows - maybe not even Donald Trump and this uncertainty is paralyzing.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    3. Re:Clueless by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      It reminded me of the old joke about the Soviet army saying that the Americans are dangerous in war because their troops can't be trusted to follow their own doctrines.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    4. Re:Clueless by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      His wife has promised to make turning cyberspace into a safe place for children her goal. She complained about abuse on social media as an example. So except her to push strongly for censorship and restrictions of speech, presumably supported by her husband since she said it at his rally.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    5. Re: Clueless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're thinking of Tipper Gore there.

      Relax. It won't come to pass.

    6. Re:Clueless by unixisc · · Score: 1

      She can start by shutting down /.

    7. Re:Clueless by budgenator · · Score: 1

      It reminded me of the old joke about the Soviet army saying that the Americans are dangerous in war because their troops can't be trusted to follow their own doctrines.

      That was not a joke, We even added the "Commander’s Intent" paragraph to our operations order format so we'd have a better idea of what to do when we were winging it.

      "No plan survives contact with the enemy" just like "No Politician’s promise survives election"

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    8. Re:Clueless by plopez · · Score: 1

      He is against the TPP which is good for tech workers. Which is why Silicon valley CEOs don't like him Meg Whitman endorsed Clinton. No TPP would be good for workers, the environment, worker safety, national sovereignty, and infrastructure due to the fact that the TPP would create "lowest common denominator" tax loopholes.

      --
      putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
    9. Re:Clueless by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 1

      except her

      Accept her?

      Expect her?

      Other than her?

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  4. The retrograde candidate by MetalliQaZ · · Score: 0

    Totalitarianism doesn't like technology, except as a means to oppress.

    I guess this is how democracy dies, to thundering applause.

    --
    "Here Lies Philip J. Fry, named for his uncle, to carry on his spirit"
    1. Re:The retrograde candidate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      LOL. Have you been paying attention to STEM in academia recently?

      For the last few years it's been under constant assault from entryist feminists - evo psych and biology were the first targets, but even physics and maths have come under assault recently. It's all been coming from the gender studies/social science departments that spew out risible agenda research that's reprinted by the media.

      Academia needs to be brutally... and I do mean brutally... cut back on. Not STEM subjects... fund them more, but axe all funding for bullshit social science and most humanities.

      If you want those... fund them yourself.

    2. Re:The retrograde candidate by ooloorie · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Totalitarianism doesn't like technology, except as a means to oppress.

      Absolutely fscking true.

      I guess this is how democracy dies, to thundering applause.

      We may have a sexist buffoon for a president now, but at least democracy has a chance for another four years.

  5. We won't have time for science. by PvtVoid · · Score: 0, Troll

    Four years from now, we're all going to be living in the rubble and cooking squirrels over oil barrels.

    1. Re:We won't have time for science. by the_skywise · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Like Venezuela is now?

    2. Re:We won't have time for science. by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

      Four years from now, we're all going to be living in the rubble and cooking squirrels over oil barrels.

      So, no different to how the average Trump voter already lives.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    3. Re:We won't have time for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, if this is how you think the majority of the American people live, then the USA really sucks and Trump is right, we need to MAGA. If this is what you really think of the people of the country, you're a real bigot.

    4. Re:We won't have time for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure if you are being facetious, but if true, did it occur to you that people might be voting for Trump because they don't want to live like that anymore? They are tired of factories closing, low wage entry jobs being filled by over qualified out-of-work college graduates, etc. That's the despair what Trump was able to tap.

    5. Re:We won't have time for science. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Four years from now, we're all going to be living in the rubble and cooking squirrels over oil barrels.

      If you do it right, squirrel is pretty tasty.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    6. Re:We won't have time for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're probably right, if BTTF2 means anything.

    7. Re: We won't have time for science. by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      How was that crow you had for breakfast?

    8. Re:We won't have time for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Insults like yours against the common person is what helped Trump take the election. I hope you're proud of yourself.

      Would it kill you to get to know your fellow human being without insulting them? Is this what it mean to "take the higher ground" now?

    9. Re:We won't have time for science. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      Insults like yours against the common person is what helped Trump take the election. I hope you're proud of yourself.

      Being a distant relative to a basket of deplorable (I live in California), one-half of my lily-white family in Idaho lives exactly like that when they're not manufacturing and distributing meth. The better half of my family calls them white trailer trash and don't associate with them.

    10. Re: We won't have time for science. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      How was that crow you had for breakfast?

      Crow? this is popcorn time dude!

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    11. Re: We won't have time for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't like your family because they're white?

    12. Re: We won't have time for science. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      You don't like your family because they're white?

      And trailer trash.

    13. Re:We won't have time for science. by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      Insults like yours against the common person is what helped Trump take the election. I hope you're proud of yourself.

      Hey, an AC post I agree with! Margins in the battleground states were pretty slim in some cases. I do wonder how many Trump voters got off their asses because they were called "deplorable"? Insulting in politics is much like bombing countries to break their moral. It rarely works and more often just deepens their resolve.

    14. Re:We won't have time for science. by luis_a_espinal · · Score: 1

      Wow, if this is how you think the majority of the American people live, then the USA really sucks and Trump is right, we need to MAGA. If this is what you really think of the people of the country, you're a real bigot.

      It is called a joke, even one in poor taste. It is stupid to presume the average Trump supporter somehow constitutes the majority of America. Let's do some math, nothing hard, shall we?

      231,556,622 eligible voters

      46.9% didn't vote

      25.6% voted Clinton

      25.5% voted Trump

      25.5% ain't a majority of America. They are a majority in our current EC model, and they are not in the popular vote.

  6. San Francisco, by Bender+Unit+22 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm afraid . . . has disappeared completely up its own asshole.

    1. Re:San Francisco, by elrous0 · · Score: 0

      Fragrant Fart industry dealt a heavy blow, say analysts.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    2. Re:San Francisco, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My God, what an orgasmic administrative move!

    3. Re:San Francisco, by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      And... they've probably got room for more, if anyone wants to join 'em. ;)

  7. Science, Tech? by beheaderaswp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Regarding the tech industry, let's look at Apple Inc. I think that article misses a really big issue: Tech Manufacturing.

    Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs. But the bigger issue is that type of protectionism would push companies like Apple out of world markets due to not being able to be price competitive.

    Under those kinda of pressures I think tech companies might just leave the US.

    Back when I worked for Apple we had manufacturing in Ireland. The decision to do so was based (apparently) on the cost and taxes associated with "doing business". The argument that this hurt American workers might be valid- though it did not hurt American business and certainly bolstered Apple's bank account.

    For the tech industry it depends on where you want to place the pressure to "bring American jobs back"... If you institute tariffs, you can price the company out of the world market or drive them out of the country. If you are permissive about allowing companies to operate outside the USA for manufacturing you lose worker bee jobs.

    Since the above is true, without a mitigating factor to be found, the answer is not trying to return tech jobs to the USA. Given the lower costs abroad it doesn't seem possible.

    However, retooling the workforce through education, development of new technology, and American innovation would work- assuming that the situation with international intellectual property law does not worsen. It also depends on a lack of anti-intellectualism. Which is at an all time high at the moment.

    So most of the issues up in the air with this new situation have to do with issues which are only mitigated by policies this president-elect does not support.

    Old-school big-industry manufacturing is gone. It's not coming back. The only way to rekindle those kinds of jobs is through the development of new products.

    Which means science. And we are not going to see much of that.

    --
    Another consultant who stuck it out.

    "We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx..."
    1. Re:Science, Tech? by ooloorie · · Score: 0, Troll

      Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs.

      It might also be possible with less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes. That's what Trump has been saying he is going to try to do.

      Given the lower costs abroad it doesn't seem possible.

      The costs abroad are only lower because we have artificially inflated US costs.

      The only way to rekindle those kinds of jobs is through the development of new products. Which means science. And we are not going to see much of that.

      Actual science isn't about product development.

    2. Re:Science, Tech? by guises · · Score: 1

      But the bigger issue is that type of protectionism would push companies like Apple out of world markets due to not being able to be price competitive.

      It's not a danger for Apple specifically, their profit margins are high enough that they could eat the difference without changing their pricing at all. It could be a danger for most everyone else though, no one else in the industry has profits like Apple's.

    3. Re:Science, Tech? by elrous0 · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Yes, heaven forbid we have a President who MIGHT actually stand up for American workers. Much better to elect a corporate whore who will let Wall Street write its own policies and continue the export of U.S. jobs that have turned the entire center of the country red on CNN's little electoral map.

      This COULD be a learning moment for the left. It COULD be a chance for them to reconsider their recent SJW shift towards villianizing working-class white males, who already feel left behind by an economic boom that only seems to have benefited Silicon Valley and Wall Street. It COULD be a chance for them to realize that there is an entire core of this country that wants to be heard and stood up for, not mocked and villified. It COULD be a chance to go back to a classical liberal movement of inclusiveness that also represents the "little guy" and the traditional union working-class, not an SJW liberal movement that only seems to care about black nationalists and feminists.

      Sadly, I suspect it will only cause the SJW left to dig in deeper and become even more fringe and radical in pushing their unfortunate "white males are responsible for all the evil in the world" ideology. And when the next election roles around, they'll take an even bigger ass-whipping, even as their mainstream media pundits scratch their heads and wonder why even more of the map is turning red.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    4. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You keep hitting on tariffs pricing companies out of international markets, and you're absolutely correct about that.

      However, consider that tariffs don't just price companies, but your whole *country* out of international markets. You know all those cheap LG and Samsung electronics that the lower and middle classes depend on? Tariffs raised the prices, hurting the lower and middle classes.

      All those cheap resistors and semiconductors used to go into them? Well, their prices have gone up, so now you're trying to replace those cheap entry-level devices for ones you can't build as cheaply.

      So, what, we're going to build all the components on our side of that tariff wall? There's a reason they were so cheap to make before; labor's cheaper out there. Either you're going to need to depress wages here to build those devices for the same price, or you're going to need to accept those devices will cost more to build, taking away from the value of those wages in the first place.

      Tariffs hurt *everybody.*

    5. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yup, time for FoxConn to set up a labor camp^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hfactory in Tennessee.
      Sarcasm aside: the point of President Elect Trump's protectionist rhetoric is NOT to lower labor costs. So here's the real question: 40-50 years ago if we did something protectionist then the world reacted since they WANTED into OUR markets and WANTED OUR products. If we go protectionist now, is the rest of the world strong enough to march merrily along leaving us behind? We've educated a lot of great minds; we've outsourced a lot of manufacturing know how. The green card folks can leave and you can't make them leave their knowledge at the border. The American people are used to buying things at WalMart prices -- those prices won't be available if protectionist policies are put in place. Regression to the mean is a very strong principle -- America spent a lot of the 20th century as an economic outlier. The current debts are the result of trying to fight the regression. Free trade is an attempt to reduce the regression by pulling the mean up but the economic output of 300M people can't lift 7+B very far. Trump's rhetoric is a raspy dying breath of an economy which can no longer maintain outlier status.

    6. Re:Science, Tech? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      It might also be possible with less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes.

      Just so you know, "lower labor costs" means your paycheck gets smaller, too.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re: Science, Tech? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      Those millions of unemployed US workers' zero dollars an hour paychecks will NOT get smaller. Some smug fucks in Silicon Valley.. might see some change in their ability to afford another new Tesla this month...

    8. Re:Science, Tech? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Why does it have to be either-or? Apple can manufacture part of their products in the US, and other parts in other countries, be it China, Thailand, Philippines, et al. That would avoid the issue of iPhones being too expensive abroad (which they incidentally already are, despite being manufactured in China).

      Actually, if Trump can bring back a good bit of manufacturing of all things - phones, computers, tablets, networking gear, et al back to the US, that would also boost back employment in the Tech sector, like Semiconductors, which has shed a lot in the last 8 years, and that way contribute to far greater technological advancement. The issue is ALL manufacturing having to go offshore, not that all manufacturing has to be done in the US

    9. Re:Science, Tech? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs.

      It might also be possible with less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes. That's what Trump has been saying he is going to try to do.

      Given the lower costs abroad it doesn't seem possible.

      The costs abroad are only lower because we have artificially inflated US costs.

      The only way to rekindle those kinds of jobs is through the development of new products. Which means science. And we are not going to see much of that.

      Actual science isn't about product development.

      One easy way for Trump to reduce regulations, which involves no legislative action - simply undo the tons of executive orders that President Obama had signed over the last one year. They all have an onerous burden on the economy, w/o having a direct price tag on them. That would ease things a whole lot, before one even starts to go over the various regulatory agencies and see what exactly impairs the US economy, and where

    10. Re: Science, Tech? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Those millions of unemployed US workers' zero dollars an hour paychecks will NOT get smaller.

      I didn't say they would. I said your paycheck will get smaller.

      "Lower labor costs" doesn't just apply to entry level positions.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    11. Re:Science, Tech? by prefec2 · · Score: 1

      Apple could just produce for the US market in the US. Therefore, the iPhone would cost 10% more and would be completely automated. Good thing you trade deficit would decrease. Bad thing no new jobs.

    12. Re:Science, Tech? by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      Just so you know, "lower labor costs" means your paycheck gets smaller, too.

      "Lower labor costs" doesn't mean "smaller paycheck"; it primarily means "less money spent on non-salary costs associated with labor": compliance, reporting, mandatory benefits, taxes, etc. Even without taking into account the increased growth resulting from lower labor costs, the money employers save on labor costs is usually shared with employees in the form of larger paychecks.

    13. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Under those kinda of pressures I think tech companies might just leave the US.

      That's a risk with a simple solution: don't let them. They built their businesses thanks to the US, they are US property and the people driving them are just the people with the responsibility of driving them. There are no Apples in the 3rd world because it was only possible they were made thanks to our nation, they don't have the right to go anywhere.

    14. Re:Science, Tech? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      the money employers save on labor costs is usually shared with employees in the form of larger paychecks.

      Citation needed.

      Your wishful thinking isn't going to put money in your pocket.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    15. Re:Science, Tech? by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      Citation needed.

      I trust you can use Google Scholar; you should start with the literature that shows that increased employer mandates and regulations have contributed significantly to slow wage growth.

      Your wishful thinking isn't going to put money in your pocket.

      You may be a selfish prick who only votes based on what puts money in his pocket, but I'm not. So even if your premise were true, I wouldn't care.

      I want "less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes" because it's the right thing for the US as a nation and generally increases people's paychecks and liberty.

    16. Re:Science, Tech? by sciengin · · Score: 1

      You sound like you take the statements from corporations as the word of God.
      Did you ever think that maybe, perhaps, occasionally the corporations may bend the truth, occasionally even break it to justify their obscene profits?
      Yes, Apple would be less profitable than now if they had to either bring back manufacturing to the US or face tarifs.
      Considerhing however that their gross margins is something around 30-60% and that other branches of the industry with way less profit are still alive and kicking (I believe the average gross margin for food wholesalers is around 1-3% and I do not see any lack of fruits in supermarkets), I am perfectly sure that this whole "US is too expensive to manufacture in" is just a plain old lie.

      Besides particularly for Apple, they could pick up dust from the ground of Cupertino and sell it as magicall Steve-Dust for 500 a bottle and the fanboys would still buy it.

      Additionally, as others down the thread have already pointed out, US manufacturing is far, far from gone. The USA is - manufacturing wise- a sleeping giant right now. It can, thanks to high tech and automatation easily outproduce the whole world. China included. This is not an issue of possible or not, but of willing or not.

      Lastly, tarifst work both ways: If Apple is forced to take back their manufacturing to the US soil, nothing prevents other manufacturers who do not do that to be slapped with hefty fines and tariffs too. Particularly the chinese ones. This would definitely equalize the playing field.

    17. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why does it have to be either-or? Apple can manufacture part of their products in the US, and other parts in other countries, be it China, Thailand, Philippines, et al.

      Yes. That is the general idea Trump was pushing, eat your cake and still have it.
      What isn't taken into consideration is that if the US locks down the borders, build the walls and bring on the tariffs then China, Thailand and the Philippines are going to protect their interests too.
      Just because his voters consents to being fucked by Trump you can't just assume that every other nation are willing.

    18. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs.

      It might also be possible with less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes. That's what Trump has been saying he is going to try to do.

      Given the lower costs abroad it doesn't seem possible.

      The costs abroad are only lower because we have artificially inflated US costs.

      The only way to rekindle those kinds of jobs is through the development of new products. Which means science. And we are not going to see much of that.

      Actual science isn't about product development.

      One easy way for Trump to reduce regulations, which involves no legislative action - simply undo the tons of executive orders that President Obama had signed over the last one year. They all have an onerous burden on the economy, w/o having a direct price tag on them. That would ease things a whole lot, before one even starts to go over the various regulatory agencies and see what exactly impairs the US economy, and where

      ALL regulatory agencies SHOULD slow down the economy, or else why are they there?

      They are there to force people to do things that are good for the country that they wouldn't otherwise do because they are bad for themselves as individuals.

    19. Re:Science, Tech? by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Workers as a whole have been screwed for decades now, sharing little or nothing of the growth of the economy, but I really don't think Trump is the answer. The workers need some help from the government, whether it's more direct assistance or more support of unions, and I don't expect Trump to do that.

      To overgeneralize greatly, the problem with lower-class white males right now is that they're losing power as demographics change, they're economically screwed, and they're blaming the wrong people.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    20. Re:Science, Tech? by ezdiy · · Score: 1

      Apple out of world markets due to not being able to be price competitive.

      Nah, Apple is one of the few exceptions. It would eat into their profits a small bit, but their business definitely does not depend on razor thin market margins on hardware, its the opposite. Same could be said about a lot of SV companies.

      The problem isnt cost of manufacture, but competing for engineering talent. If Trump stomps on their H1B lobby, SV competiteveness compared to rest of the world will be severely impacted.

    21. Re:Science, Tech? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bad thing is, we can't afford to not have big industry manufacturing. In fact it is not gone, it's just greatly diminished. The 'intelligentsia" may abandon the idea that manufacturing is a lost cause but that is really more of an aesthetic than reasoned choice that has been made. People who manufacture get dirty. They are often tired after a day's work. Yuk! What a "low bar" to aspire to. But no self appointed intellectual can credibly drone away the fundamental dependence and ultimate subordination of any country that doesn't have big manufacturing.

          Trump really won't do any good for the US on this. He is just a guy who detects what people want to hear then says it. The constant turmoil surrounding him has given him a huge pass. Nobody really asked 'HOW." I don't believe tariffs are the answer, though as a small part of a total effort they aren't the end of the world for people who work. Now if you are selling 7 dollar Chinese made goods for 50 in the US it may seem the end of the world. Argue costs all you wish but the US in the past fed, clothed, sheltered and enriched itself completely without cheap foreign labor. The argument it can't be done is already proven false. There was much less income disparity as well as improving societal indicators versus what we have now. It's the income disparity that really can't survive a growth in industrial manufacturing in the US. Maintaining and widening income disparity is the prime factor that the "intelligentsia" considers over all else, even the future survival of the country.

    22. Re:Science, Tech? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Regulatory agencies, maybe. I'm taking about things like the executive orders of Obama that were done to bypass Congress altogether - just getting rid of those would do wonders. As far as regulatory agencies go, someone has to oversee what they are doing. Since other countries like China, Mexico, India, et al do not have things like the EEOC, the EPA, the FDA et al the way the US does. So either those agencies should have their regulations minimized, or those agencies should be transferred to the UN, and their regulations should apply to every country, not just the US

    23. Re:Science, Tech? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      In manufacturing, all products do not come from single sources - particularly high volume products. Like in the case of the iPhone, even if it was manufactured in all these countries - China, Thailand, India (where Apple is looking for investments into manufacturing facilities to build there), US, Korea, Taiwan, there would still be enough to ship everywhere. Once you had that, then surpluses in, say, Thailand could be shipped to a country where there is a backlog, say, Greece.

    24. Re:Science, Tech? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      One thing about tariffs I should point out - they need to be made payable when the foreign product enters US shores, regardless of whether they sell or not. Not after they sell, in which case, the end customer is the only one affected. Like say a car made in Mexico needed to be shipped to San Antonio. It gets hit w/ the 35% tariff ON ENTERING the US. Then the sticker price of the car goes up, and if it finds a buyer, well and good - buyer gets hosed. But if it doesn't, the only one worse off is the company which offshored its manufacturing

    25. Re:Science, Tech? by stdarg · · Score: 1

      To overgeneralize greatly, the problem with lower-class white males right now is that they're losing power as demographics change, they're economically screwed, and they're blaming the wrong people.

      That they're blaming the wrong people is somewhat debatable. It makes sense to blame illegal immigration for declining wages in low skill jobs, for instance. It makes sense to be angry at the media and the political establishment that has abandoned and actually become hostile towards white people. Look at the articles gleefully announcing the end of white influence in politics because the black and Hispanic vote is so solid that whites are irrelevant. Look at the Democratic primaries where Bernie and Hillary were competing to see who could pander to blacks and Hispanics the most. Bernie was at the point where he said he'd give free college tuition even at PRIVATE black universities! Really, who do you think is being blamed incorrectly?

  8. Republicans have no respect for science. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    This election proved that facts no longer matter in this country.

  9. Tech and science by Kohath · · Score: 1

    Should learn to be less openly disrespectful of regular Americans.

    1. Re:Tech and science by kilfarsnar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Should learn to be less openly disrespectful of regular Americans.

      Or what? They'll elect Donald Trump?

      --
      "What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
    2. Re:Tech and science by OneSmartFellow · · Score: 1

      Science doesn't respect people, of any nationality.

      Science respects facts.

    3. Re:Tech and science by ooloorie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Or what? They'll elect Donald Trump?

      Correct. Tech and science are not the same as policy and values. For example...

      The scientific fact that carbon emissions raise global temperatures does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to restrict carbon emissions.

      The scientific fact that there are racial and gender disparities does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to intervene in freedom of association.

      Science and tech (i.e., people in those areas) are jumping from observations and scientific results to policy based on their own preferences and interests. Usually, it goes something like "we discovered this problem, and now give us a lot of power to try and fix it". Well, as you are discovering, voters are rejecting that.

    4. Re:Tech and science by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 1

      Correct. Tech and science are not the same as policy and values. For example...

      The scientific fact that carbon emissions raise global temperatures does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to restrict carbon emissions.

      The scientific fact that there are racial and gender disparities does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to intervene in freedom of association.

      Science and tech (i.e., people in those areas) are jumping from observations and scientific results to policy based on their own preferences and interests. Usually, it goes something like "we discovered this problem, and now give us a lot of power to try and fix it". Well, as you are discovering, voters are rejecting that.

      You should get 1 billion Internet points for that post, so spot on the money!!!

    5. Re:Tech and science by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 1

      Science doesn't respect people, of any nationality.

      Science respects facts.

      Yes, but you missed the point, which is why Trump is now going to be President...

      Most people understand the concept of carbon dioxide and trapping heat, that isn't rocket science... the problem comes in the "ok, so what?" department.

      The liberal left says "here is a problem, now do our solution and you don't get a say".

      Yea, well, go jump in a river :) Maybe we'd rather accept global warming an adapt to it, have you considered that?

    6. Re:Tech and science by Kohath · · Score: 1

      Yes. Too bad you had to learn this way.

    7. Re:Tech and science by kilfarsnar · · Score: 1

      Yes. Too bad you had to learn this way.

      Hey, if it turns out to be a good thing, then it's cool. And if it doesn't, his supporters will go down with everyone else. So let's hope they're up to the job.

      --
      "What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
    8. Re: Tech and science by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fine, adaptation is a strategy. Wave goodbye to most of Florida, and big chunks of our coastal cities. I'd recommend divesting of any assets in those areas soon.

    9. Re:Tech and science by hodet · · Score: 2

      Holy crap I just realized. It's part of the master plan. Let the ocean levels rise and that will pretty much take care of all the blue states that are left. Perfect "adaptation" strategy.

    10. Re:Tech and science by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And regular Americans should be less openly disrespectful of reality, or it's likely they'll be hit by a metaphorical bus. The universe is a cruel place if you simply deny physics, biology, medicine, etc. every time it doesn't conform with your political expectations. It will simply roll over you.

      I mean, take coal mines for example. Burning coal outputs more CO2 per unit energy than any other method. That's a fact. The only world in which burning more coal is a good idea compared to developing other energy sources is one where adding 50% more CO2 to the atmosphere doesn't matter, doesn't generate costs elsewhere (e.g., sea level rise), and won't cause any other challenging issues. I don't know what planet that is, but it isn't the Earth.

      Likewise a host of other issues such as the silliness surrounding vaccines.

      While I know it is tough to accept the world as it is, and it is perhaps disrespectful and patronizing to persistently remind people about it, it's still the job of scientists to try to do so rather than to quietly and politely let the world fail to recognize the problem. I'm sorry that sometimes comes across as patronizing, but it's difficult to avoid when it's your job to be the messenger of sometimes bad news that needs action and people are stubbornly pretending the problem doesn't exist or the solutions are too hard. We'll let the next generation sort it out (suckers).

    11. Re:Tech and science by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The scientific fact that carbon emissions raise global temperatures does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to restrict carbon emissions."

      Absolutely. Doing nothing or engaging in ideas such as geoengineering are clear alternative options. And scientists don't get to pick. That's political policy and a broader democratic question. But you can't blame scientists for not being fans of some of the approaches that either won't work or that entail much larger risks if implemented.

      "The scientific fact that there are racial and gender disparities does not mean that the only possible policy is for government to intervene in freedom of association."

      Some of that is already encoded in current policy, such as freedom of religion, freedom of association, and other such principles. The problem comes in resolving conflicts between those (e.g., reconciling the contradictory wishes of different people) which are in the policy realm. Scientists usually have no particular insight into those. If history is any indication, not doing anything at the governmental level is often a recipe for maintaining racial and gender disparities. I suppose you could take the attitude that the government has no business interfering in such things. That would probably work out quite well for people comfortable with their position in the status quo, such as people who wish to continue discriminating like they used to do in the past while still holding taxpayer-funded jobs.

      "Science and tech (i.e., people in those areas) are jumping from observations and scientific results to policy based on their own preferences and interests. Usually, it goes something like "we discovered this problem, and now give us a lot of power to try and fix it". Well, as you are discovering, voters are rejecting that."

      As is their democratic right. We can collectively drive the car right off the cliff if we collectively decide to do so. But please don't begrudge scientists for enthusiastically suggesting that we should turn, for giving you regular updates on how close we are getting to the edge of the cliff or how changing the station on the radio won't actually help resolve the overriding issue. It isn't overstepping their authority, especially if people appear unaware of or unwilling to accept that there is an imminent risk. Scientists are going to be stubborn about it. Also, scientists are voters just like everyone else, and have as much right to speak as anyone else on matters of policy.

      Look, you're right. Science and tech are not the same as policy or values. Scientists don't deserve special powers in that regard. On the other hand, trying to set policy and values for issues that have a scientific or technology aspect without any reference to science or technology (or with incorrect reference) is pretty questionable. Scientists aren't the ones elected to office, but they are experts that can help people understand some issues, both in the broader public and among political representatives. There's something wrong if representatives completely ignore the science while formulating policy. It's like trying to set up a financial budget without doing any math, or trying to build infrastructure without consulting an engineer. It's foolish. Nobody questions consulting accountants when doing financial activities, nobody questions consulting a plumber on matters of plumbing. Likewise for matters of public policy which touch on science or tech, of which there are many.

      Scientists aren't asking to wield ultimate power. They're asking representatives in power and the people themselves to pay attention when it's a relevant issue. They're trying to help people understand and encourage them to act. People don't have to listen or act on the advice.

    12. Re:Tech and science by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      To deal with global warming, we have to reduce carbon emissions somehow. Right now, global warming is an economic externality. One of the important roles of the government in the market is imposing penalties on externalities so that the market can sort things out.

      The extreme racial disparities of the pre-1960s society were at least somewhat ameliorated by government intervention. It was a stable system of racial oppression. I'm not at all convinced that what was appropriate then is appropriate now, particularly since people have had decades to learn to game the system, but restricting freedom of association was very useful then.

      As a general rule, I'm not interested in defending freedom to be an asshole per se. I support free speech, which enables some people to be real assholes, because of its benefits. I don't consider free association to be all that important in running a public business, compared to the freedom it gives business types to be assholes.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    13. Re:Tech and science by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      I'm not at all convinced that what was appropriate then is appropriate now, particularly since people have had decades to learn to game the system, but restricting freedom of association was very useful then.

      You live in a fantasy world in which private businesses oppressed people based on race and government came in to fix the problem. In actual fact, it has primarily been government that has oppressed people based on race (and sexual orientation, religion, etc.). Slavery was maintained by law and government; segregation was created by law and government (mostly progressives). And in the 1960's policies changed yet again, to yet another form of racial discrimination. And the motivation and justification for government racism, from slavery to today, is always "those poor minorities are too weak to help themselves, so we need to interfere in their lives".

      The extreme racial disparities of the pre-1960s society were at least somewhat ameliorated by government intervention.

      The extreme racial disparities of the pre-1960's society were created by government. And after the civil rights act came into force in the late 1960's, progress on reducing racial disparities largely stalled. In some areas, things even got worse. Furthermore, instead of encouraging minorities to integrate fully into society, it has branded them (us) permanently and legally as perpetual outsiders.

      The only way to achieve racial equality is to create a race-blind government and then to have patience for civil society to heal on its own. That has never been tried in the US, mostly because people like you maintain the myth that without constantly picking at the scab of past racism, it won't heal. Well, the opposite is the case: every time government gets involved in helping minorities, it perpetuates the problems of racism and discrimination.

      To deal with global warming, we have to reduce carbon emissions somehow. Right now, global warming is an economic externality. One of the important roles of the government in the market is imposing penalties on externalities so that the market can sort things out.

      Even if your analysis about externalities were right, it wouldn't logically follow that "imposing penalties" is the fastest way, or even an effective way at all, for reducing carbon emissions.

    14. Re: Tech and science by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but you missed the point, which is why Trump is now going to be President...

      With fewer votes than Hillary right now, likely fewer than Romney, fewer than Obama ever got, and even less than George W. Bush.

      Your reasoning remains faulty. Trump didn't win new voters. Hillary failed to keep them.

      And Trump could still lose. He'd plotz, but it could happen.

      Most people understand the concept of carbon dioxide and trapping heat, that isn't rocket science...

      Actually, it is. Gas interaction is very complicated and no, they don't understand it. At most, maybe they accept it. They learn bits and pieces, so they can say that water vapor has even more GWP, ehich is true, but not a counterargument as they like to think.

      the problem comes in the "ok, so what?" department.

      Nope. We don't even get that discussion. We're still stuck on the " All those scientists are lying part" as you would know if you were honest.

      The liberal left says "here is a problem, now do our solution and you don't get a say".

      Not really, since believe it or not, there is plenty of discussion of responses as can be found in the Montreal and Kyoto treaties. Some of us, FlyHelicopters, know when you are full of bullshit. But have you considered what the conservative right says? Things like "No, the problem doesn't exist!" and "YOUR SCIENCE IS WRONG, YOU FRAUDS!" among other things.

      Yes, it is the right that has lied about the anounts of carbon dioxide released by man versus volcanoes, the right that has forbidden consideration of potential flooding, the right that won't even admit what it has done. Go ahead, toss your snowballs on the House floor, that kind of stunt loses its punch once you realize how hot it has been this year. And that keeps happening.

      Yea, well, go jump in a river :) Maybe we'd rather accept global warming an adapt to it, have you considered that?

      You could be like the grasshopper if you want, if it only impacted you.

      Oh wait, you're forbidding the ants from doing what they think is best.

      Please get down off your high horse and face that.

    15. Re:Tech and science by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I'm basing what I'm saying about race on observation and reading. I was around when it was made illegal for private businesses to discriminate. You're spouting your own ideology. While there was government discrimination (although the military was integrating before the 1960s) the primary discrimination was private. If you were black, you wouldn't be allowed into various business places. You couldn't get a loan to buy a house in a white neighborhood. You were very restricted in the number of colleges that would take you, no matter what your qualifications. You would not be eligible for certain jobs. These are not things you could get around by strength of character, because they were determined by your skin color. This is entirely aside from the social rejection and death threats you'd get if you tried doing some things, or being seen as a black (in those days, Negro or colored person). Blacks who were successful would be seen as "a credit to their race" and expected to act as such.

      There was perhaps some progress, but it was slow. The Civil Rights Act essentially forced people to deal with blacks as individuals on a daily basis, if they were going to do business. The opened things up. It's been rough going ever since, but there has been improvement.

      And, of course, you come along and say that your favorite solution would have worked best and it's never been tried. The empirical evidence suggests that it would not have worked, because in areas where there was no government intervention it wasn't working. Society is complicated and does not conform to ideologies.

      As far as carbon taxes go, the market is a wonderful economic structure. It works superbly when all costs are accounted for. However, it leads to bad things when this isn't the case. If I'm running a business, I have to balance costs against profits. If I pay all the costs associated with what I'm doing, then I'll tailor my business to them, and the market will ensure a good outcome for the economy as a whole. If I pay only some of the costs for something, and someone else pays the rest of the costs, then in the search of maximum profit (normally a good thing) I'm going to do a lot of whatever it is that pushes costs onto other people, and the economy will suffer.

      In this case, releasing carbon dioxide from sequestered carbon is hurting things. It imposes costs on people who don't make the decisions, so I'm going to burn more fossil fuels because it's economical for me. The market is completely incapable of adjusting to this, because the additional costs don't go into any market-based calculations. If there is a tax on burning fossil fuels, then I make decisions according to the direct costs and the tax. Assuming the tax fairly represents the costs other people are paying, I shift my fossil fuel use to what produces the most profit for everyone.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    16. Re:Tech and science by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      While there was government discrimination (although the military was integrating before the 1960s) the primary discrimination was private. If you were black, you wouldn't be allowed into various business places.

      Yes, and that private segregation was mandated by law. Jim Crow laws required private businesses to have separate waiting rooms, separate lunch counters, separate toilets, etc. Here is just one example from Alabama:

      Restaurants: It shall be unlawful to conduct a restaurant or other place for the serving of food in the city, at which white and colored people are served in the same room, unless such white and colored persons are effectually separated by a solid partition extending from the floor upward to a distance of seven feet or higher, and unless a separate entrance from the street is provided for each compartment. Alabama

      That is in addition to the massive discrimination progressives (e.g. Wilson) imposed on government itself. It is government mandates that allowed racists to stay in business back then by making racism and segregation universal. And post-civil-rights, government mandates still allow racists to stay in business, this time not by mandating discrimination but by hiding it.

      As far as carbon taxes go, the market is a wonderful economic structure. It works superbly when all costs are accounted for. However, it leads to bad things when this isn't the case. If I'm running a business, I have to balance costs against profits. [... more ignorant drivel...] Assuming the tax fairly represents the costs other people are paying, I shift my fossil fuel use to what produces the most profit for everyone.

      Sorry, economics doesn't work that way. In the end, your carbon tax is simply going to turn into a massive crony capitalist project that enriches a bunch of special interests, fails to compensate anyone for damages, encourages the use of inefficient technologies, slows economic growth, and delays the transition to a low carbon economy. The net result is going to be more carbon in the air, not less, and less economic power to be able to deal with climate change.

      I'm just glad that we are getting a four year reprieve from progressives and their racism, environmental destruction, and economic failures.

  10. Many new tech posts by SpaghettiPattern · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... for brick layers. Allegedly based near Big Bend National Park.

    --

    I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)
    1. Re:Many new tech posts by srmalloy · · Score: 2

      ...and the only supply issues appear to be shipping costs, as they appear to be shitting bricks up in Silicon Valley.

      Rufo told me that every human race tries every political form and that democracy is used in many primitive societies ... but he didn’t know of any civilized planet using it, as Vox Populi, Vox Dei translates as: “My God! How did we get in this mess!”
      -- Robert Heinlein, Glory Road

  11. it isn't that positive for NASA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    With the exception of NASA, Trump hasn't identified any areas of science that he feels are worth supporting.

    We really don't have much idea at all what it means even for NASA. Trump has said, referring to space exploration:

    “Right now, we have bigger problems — you understand that? We’ve got to fix our potholes...” -- Trump

  12. To hell with tech and science! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What will the Trump win mean for grinding rural poverty? Will pushing out the elitist urban democrats stop the local corruption that perpetuates it?

    1. Re:To hell with tech and science! by skids · · Score: 1

      A lot of people lost lifespan last night for sure.

      America went to the fridge, read the expiration date on the spoiled milk, smelled the
      spoiled milk, and said "eh, best way to know if it is spoiled is to chug the whole thing down."

      My only hope is that Trump opponents realize how fragile our country is, and don't put any
      additional stress on it while it collapses. This will both hold them blameless as republicanism
      is exposed as a fraudulent ideology, and increase the changes enough pieces survive so
      that after this disaster there is still enough left to glue back together.

    2. Re:To hell with tech and science! by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 2

      America went to the fridge, read the expiration date on the spoiled milk, smelled the
      spoiled milk, and said "eh, best way to know if it is spoiled is to chug the whole thing down."

      My only hope is that Trump opponents realize how fragile our country is, and don't put any
      additional stress on it while it collapses. This will both hold them blameless as republicanism
      is exposed as a fraudulent ideology, and increase the changes enough pieces survive so
      that after this disaster there is still enough left to glue back together.

      *YOU* are why Trump won, and you don't even get it...

      The arrogance with which you state that any ideology other than your own is "fraudulent" is EXACTLY why Trump will be the next President. Lots of us "Deplorables" are sick and tired of people like you thinking you're so superior to us.

      I don't consider Democrats to be "fraudulent", they are people and have points of view, but as soon as you dismiss ours, then frankly, you're the one who needs to lose for awhile and eat some humble pie. Enjoy Trump for awhile...

    3. Re:To hell with tech and science! by skids · · Score: 1

      Lots of us "Deplorables" are sick and tired of people like you thinking you're so superior to us.

      Have fun cleaning up your own mess. I won't be helping you with that.

    4. Re: To hell with tech and science! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your point of view is that Mexicans are rapists, climate change is a hoax, grabbing woman by the pussy is acceptable behavior, cheating on taxes is good policy if you're not caught, and so on. You're God damn right I reject and look down upon those views

    5. Re: To hell with tech and science! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ^^^^^^^^^

      The crazy party is, it's acceptable. I've seen woman cheering for trump, like he gives two shits about them. It's a fucking clown fiesta boys.

    6. Re: To hell with tech and science! by skids · · Score: 1

      I think South Park nailed it when Garrison opened a speech: :"I hate you all. Seriously I detest every single one of you"... because I've seen that look on Trump's face right before he starts speaking.

      The country just elected a guy who used a high-pressure marketing scheme to defraud low-information entrepreneur wannabees out of their rather meager life savings, Tom Vu style. Welcome to the kleptocracy, folks. Investment advice for those who have no conscience about speeding our progress from kleptocracy to military dictatorship: invest in private security firms. Currently they will get a boost protecting money from new legal marijuana farms which by law cannot be deposited in banks for fear of seizure, and has to be kept around as cash, as many states passed legalization. Next step they'll be hired on by the new class of alpha male as a status symbol and later beefed up when they actually need them to protect themselves from their angry impoverished victims. But hey, at least crime will be democratized, among that stratum of society.

  13. Now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are only now talking about his policies?

  14. Read the comments - wasn't dissapointed! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I read the comments on that ars technica article - just as expected:

    A few Americans already apologising for Trump
    Many Europeans lecturing them about what a huge mistake they made

    lol

  15. so much FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Liberals are such drama queens.

    1. Re:so much FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Grab them by the pussy.

    2. Re:so much FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like grabbing pussies of nubile girls.

  16. Can only hope. He has hired smart people by raymorris · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yeah this campaign has been more bumper stickers and slogans than specific policy proposals, so we really don't know yet.

    Having studied Trump as a businessman, I strongly suspect he doesn't know which policies he'll propose - that will depend on what he hears from the experts he hires. In his long business career, he hired really smart people and trusted their judgement, rather than micro-managing, thinking he knew everything betterv than everyone else. His role was threefold a) the public face, drumming up publicity, b) negotiating major deals and c) overall leadership. He largely left the operational details to the very competent people he hired.

    Let's HOPE he does the same as President, signing off on foreign policy developed by foreign policy experts, economic policy developed by experts in economics, etc.

    Also one in particular - another Republican leader, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is a budget nerd, who actually wrote several federal budgets and knows the federal budget perhaps better than anyone else. There's been tension between Trump and Paul Ryan during the campaign. Hopefully that tension is healed and Trump respects Ryan's significant expertise.

    1. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Having studied Trump as a businessman, I strongly suspect he doesn't know which policies he'll propose

      You found the correct answer, I'm sure that as of right now, Trump doesn't *have* a policy towards any of this, he'll find experts on the area and go with their advice, filtered through his lens of "what the people want" to some extent.

      All things considered, is that *really* such a bad plan? Is it any worse than what we have now, which is a government that mostly listens to big corporations?

    2. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Jason+Levine · · Score: 5, Interesting

      In his long business career, he hired really smart people and trusted their judgement, rather than micro-managing, thinking he knew everything betterv than everyone else.

      I hope you're right. I really do, but Candidate Trump often would say that he knew better than the experts and that only he could solve the problems. This might have been campaign bluster meant to fire people up, but it could also have been an indication that he'll do what he thinks is the best thing to do despite what the experts think.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    3. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Peter+Desnoyers · · Score: 2

      All things considered, is that *really* such a bad plan? Is it any worse than what we have now, which is a government that mostly listens to big corporations?

      Unfortunately he's going to open his mouth from time to time, and his advisors may not remain advisors any longer if they don't back him up on what he says. One is reminded of the beginning of Game of Thrones...

    4. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

      So. . .appoint Ryan as OMB ?? He's likely to be more useful there than in the House. . .

    5. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I think by "experts" in that case he meant "Clinton / Democrat / Establishment". His idea is to bring in REAL EXPERTS not a bunch of people who have no clue but donated enough to buy seat at the table. That is supposed to be the refreshing thing here and the real reason Trump won. Maybe money can start to move from politically / donation motivated uses of scientific research money to the BEST use.

    6. Re: Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh fuck you.

    7. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by JoeyRox · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfield were very smart people as well. Trouble is they were evil too.

    8. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by pnutjam · · Score: 2

      Careful. If you say those names out load you'll feel an evil gaze resting on your soul.

    9. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by budgenator · · Score: 1

      Having studied Trump as a businessman, I strongly suspect he doesn't know which policies he'll propose - that will depend on what he hears from the experts he hires. In his long business career, he hired really smart people and trusted their judgement, rather than micro-managing, thinking he knew everything betterv than everyone else. His role was threefold a) the public face, drumming up publicity, b) negotiating major deals and c) overall leadership. He largely left the operational details to the very competent people he hired.

      That works well in Business, but it's sure going to be a paradigm shift in Government

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    10. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by unixisc · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Trump's management style is an interesting cross b/w micro-management and delegation. He supposedly signs every check in his organization (according to Lee Iacocca years ago) and is very familiar w/ the operations of his organization at all levels. We've all heard the stories of how he had his kids operate Caterpillars, so there will likely be some level of involvement by him in every department, depending on where he thinks critical pain points are. Be it ICE, law enforcement, the military and so on.

      The hope is that he manages to hire competent experts in every realm that's currently available. Like Rudy's already been mentioned for Homeland Security, Christie for Attorney General, and I suspect Gen Flynn will probably be either National Security Advisor or Defense Secretary. VP Pence will probably have a major role translating his vision into policy positions that can be negotiated w/ McConnell and Ryan, while Newt and Jeff Sessions will likely have big roles as well. Also hope he hires John Bolton as Secretary of State

    11. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by unixisc · · Score: 1

      That's a very good idea. In an indirect way, he'll be rid of Ryan, who's politically been a thorn on his side - as Trump put it, wouldn't want him in a foxhole w/ him. And it would also leverage Ryan's existing talents well, and give him a job he really likes. A win-win for both. Jason Chaffitz (sp?) can be the next speaker

    12. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by budgenator · · Score: 1

      Candidate Trump often would say that he knew better than the experts and that only he could solve the problems.

      I looked at those comments in the context of "In the current environment" or "Among the people who survived the purges", time will tell

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    13. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by JoeyRox · · Score: 1

      It's ironic that my comments were modded down as flamebait, considering the country is about to go down in flames.

    14. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by jebrick · · Score: 1

      I feel he will be just like Bush 43. A lot of nothing but will have 3 or 4 things to propose. Everything else, he will take his lead from the House on whatever they want to try to pass. The House will line up their wishlist and hope they can get it past the Senate. All depends on how scared the Dems in the Senate are for thier seats if they oppose them.

    15. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 1

      Having studied Trump as a businessman, I strongly suspect he doesn't know which policies he'll propose - that will depend on what he hears from the experts he hires. In his long business career, he hired really smart people and trusted their judgement, rather than micro-managing, thinking he knew everything betterv than everyone else. His role was threefold a) the public face, drumming up publicity, b) negotiating major deals and c) overall leadership. He largely left the operational details to the very competent people he hired.

      That works well in Business, but it's sure going to be a paradigm shift in Government

      Actually, that was Ronald Reagan's governing method. He had little interest in the details of government, but was the public face, negotiating major deals, and overall leadership.

      Regardless of whether you agree with Reagan's goals for the government, it seems to have been successful in that Reagan, to a large extent, accomplished what he did.

      (Partly. Where this technique failed was in budget control: Reagan financed his presidency by a huge rise in deficit spending, despite promising in the campaign that he would balance the budget. Budget, apparently, is one thing where you can't just give the details over to others and tell then "spend what you need.")

      --
      http://www.geoffreylandis.com
    16. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      All things considered, is that *really* such a bad plan? Is it any worse than what we have now, which is a government that mostly listens to big corporations?

      It all depends on who the "experts" are. We can't gain much insight into what Trump's political style will be like from his business career. He's now dealing with the political aspects of everything for the first time. From what limited information we can gather from his fledgling political career, all we can tell is that:

      1. He likes to put family into positions of power.
      2. He seems to prefer far-right wingnuts for the most political positions
      3. He'll hire any nasty villain with a sordid past if they have a history of success.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    17. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by ClickOnThis · · Score: 4, Informative

      I think by "experts" in that case he meant "Clinton / Democrat / Establishment".

      No, he didn't. Some examples:

      I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.

      The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

      I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things...my primary consultant is myself.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    18. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Bush was completely a hands-off person, and an insider. Trump is very much hands on, and his political philosophies are radically different from GWB

    19. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It all depends on who the "experts" are.

      Well, unlike the vast majority of appointees of presidents in recent history, we know they won't be "bundlers", execs from corporations that donated, lobby groups that contributed PAC money and ads, and other various and sundry DC establishment types with skin in the game.

      Because Trump didn't have any of those - he has no political allies to "pay back", like other presidents have.

      Actually, there was the NRA, which is the only lobby group that actually supported him. But appointing some NRA wonk in some position is fine with me. The 2nd Amendment has been treated like the red-headed step-child of the Bill of Rights for a while now. But his other picks are likely to be actual, accomplished experts that can do the job, rather than people he owes favors to (because nobody did any for him).

      So I see that as an actual improvement.

    20. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Actually we don't know who has skin in the game because we haven't seen his tax returns. Trump is a financial black box, the ideal vessel for under-the-table money. He even already has that sketchy charity in place.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    21. Re: Can only hope. He has hired smart people by KenHansen · · Score: 1

      (Partly. Where this technique failed was in budget control: Reagan financed his presidency by a huge rise in deficit spending, despite promising in the campaign that he would balance the budget. Budget, apparently, is one thing where you can't just give the details over to others and tell then "spend what you need.")

      Reagan signed bills that increase federal spending, but remember every spending bill increased the national debt limit by exactly the amount needed to fund the bill.

    22. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's HOPE he does the same as President, signing off on foreign policy developed by foreign policy experts, economic policy developed by experts in economics, etc.

      I'm pretty sure he will.
      What I'm worried about is that a bit too many of those experts loyalty will be to Putin rather than to America.

    23. Re: Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Ryan's budget proposals were based on complete fantasy and lies. He is macro-economically uneducated like most known here. The fact the USA is running a massive trade deficit means by definition it must run a fiscal deficit so the other countries can run a surplus. It's simple sectoral balances accounting. The USA never needs to default on debts in its own currency.

    24. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Trump is a big corporation. I don't see this as an improvement.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    25. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I'm hoping that he'll turn out to be as truthful about some of those claims as in lots of others he made.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    26. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by dave420 · · Score: 1

      That's not exactly filling me with confidence. I guess the rich will get richer, and everyone else will get poorer, and the national debt will grow even faster. Yaaay.

    27. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by dave420 · · Score: 1

      He doesn't seem have any political philosophies apart from "I'm the best for the job". An ego is not a manifesto.

    28. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, we all know that when a Democrat is in the WH, deficits are stealing from our grandchildren and consigning them to a dystopian hellhole. But when Republicans win the Presidency, deficits cease to exist...

    29. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, we all know that when a Democrat is in the WH, deficits are stealing from our grandchildren and consigning them to a dystopian hellhole. But when Republicans win the Presidency, deficits cease to exist...

      Yes, that's almost a direct quote from Cheney. What he said was "Deficits don't matter."

      He said that, of course, when Republicans were in the White House and controlled both House and Senate. When the Democrats were controlling the budget, the Republicans platform was "Balancing the budget and eliminating the deficit is the single most important thing."

    30. Re:Can only hope. He has hired smart people by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

      Yeah this campaign has been more bumper stickers and slogans than specific policy proposals, so we really don't know yet.

      Having studied Trump as a businessman, I strongly suspect he doesn't know which policies he'll propose - that will depend on what he hears from the experts he hires.

      Given that Trump has now named Steve Bannon - a white supremacist and anti-Semite - as his Chief Strategist, and given that I myself am Jewish, I don't think I'm going to like what his "experts" advises that he does.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  17. Seriously... by KenHansen · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're freaking out based on things he never talked about... Aside from massive investments in failed alternative energy companies (Solyndra, etc.) and reports that the told NASA a big part of their mission was to make arabs feel good about their historical contributions to science, what did a President Obama do to 'put science back in it's rightful place'? Oh wait, he reversed a Bush admin ban on federal funding of fetal stem cell research - that explains all the great advances in stem cell research since he took office...

    1. Re:Seriously... by DogDude · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      ... and the rewriting of history begins already.

      Fuck you.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re: Seriously... by KenHansen · · Score: 1

      Fuck you.

      Hard to argue with such a well thought-out argument...

  18. Get over it by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Look, I understand you all need to vent and the previous article was full of wailing and gnashing of teeth, but it's time to put on your big-boy pants and start acting like adults.

    The election isn't about "getting your way", it's about "crowdsourcing a decision". The crowd chose not to go with Clinton, and there were a lot of votes in support of that decision. Deal with it, the rules were well defined from the beginning and you had plenty of time to prepare and build your case.

    We've complained about corruption in politics in this very forum for years, saying essentially "if only we could get someone in office who wasn't in the pocket of big money". I agree with that sentiment entirely: political corruption has been driving the country into the dirt for decades, and it's reached a level where that sentiment can swing the election.

    If you don't like it, maybe you should have done something collectively in the last 8 years that made people less desperate for change.

    Traditionally, a new president gets 100 days (in office) before we start judging his actions, let's wait and see what happens.

    Insults no longer matter. Hallucinations no longer matter. Screaming and rhetoric and holding your breath no longer matter.

    Have a positive outlook and help improve the mood. The guy might actually make things better.

    We're tired of your insults.

    Get over it.

    1. Re:Get over it by DogDude · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      You're insane or profoundly stupid if you think that Trump can make anything better. Anything at all. He hasn't proposed a single sound policy. Not one. Just insane, xenophobic rantings that the stupid and gullible lapped up.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:Get over it by fred6666 · · Score: 4, Informative

      The election isn't about "getting your way", it's about "crowdsourcing a decision". The crowd chose not to go with Clinton, and there were a lot of votes in support of that decision.

      Wrong, the crowd did chose Clinton over Trump. She had more votes. Your flawed electoral system crowned Trump however.

    3. Re:Get over it by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Like Brexit, just because you didn't get your way doesn't mean you stop trying. That's not how democracy works. Now Trump is in, people who opposed his policies before have their work cut out to limit the damage. Same as now that the UK has decided to leave the EU, we have to make sure we protect our rights, our economy and the interests of the 48% who wanted to stay.

      It's extremely important that people keep opposing Trump and holding him to account, because now that the Republicans control both houses and soon the Supreme Court, someone has to.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      9% of the eligible voters voted for either Trump or Clinton in the primaries. NINE PERCENT. Of those eligible to vote in a primary. Stop feeding us bullshit about how so many people supported one or the other of those assholes.

    5. Re:Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm convinced that endless insults cemented a large portion of the population against the left in this election cycle. That's all we heard from their camps. The left says they want to work with others but they certainly don't practice it. The right is no better but they're more subdued about it.

    6. Re:Get over it by JesseMcDonald · · Score: 2

      The election isn't about "getting your way", it's about "crowdsourcing a decision". The crowd chose not to go with Clinton, and there were a lot of votes in support of that decision.

      The popular vote was 47.8% to 48.0%. (Yes, Clinton won the popular vote.) This is not a decision, it's a tie. The only reason Trump can claim to have "won" the election is strategic, based on the broken Electoral College system which grants more weight to voters in less populous states plus winner-take-all policies at the state level which award all the state's EC delegates to a candidate who was only ahead by a slight margin. Trump received less than 60% of the vote in 20 of the 30 states he won. In several cases—including Florida—he received less than 50%. Even worse, a significant portion of the votes he did get were from people voting against Clinton, not for Trump (and vice-versa—Clinton wasn't any better). If there were a meaningful "none of the above" option on the ballot, it would have won by a landslide.

      The only reasonable response to this situation would be to throw out the results and start over with a new set of candidates.

      --
      "The state is that great fiction by which everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else." - Bastiat
    7. Re:Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Like Brexit, just because you didn't get your way doesn't mean you stop trying.

      Funny, because when the left had their way, they'd be like "no you are on the wrong side of history (just give up)", and "why are you still digging up Bengazi? Why the email thing again? Why still try to repeal ObamaCare after 40 odd times?"

    8. Re:Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The system is the system. If it was a pure popular vote contest both candidates would have run very different campaigns.

      Get over it, cry baby. That's the sort of point a loser makes. If it was the other way around you'd say she won the electorate count and that's all that matters. Hypocrite. Cry baby. Loser. Snowflake. Conservatives and other real Americans had to suffer through 8 years of Obama destroying our country. I'm glad to have it back. Fortunately since he was a mad man, most of his fundamental change garbage was executive orders because he couldn't get his anti-american destructive trash through congress so President Trump can instantly over turn all of it.

      Or as Bill said, "Stroke of the pen, law of the land, cool!"

      And as Obama said after winning, "elections have consequences!"

      Let the consequences begin!!

    9. Re:Get over it by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      Trump might not make things better himself, but him being elected might make people want to actually reform the system into something better.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    10. Re:Get over it by burtosis · · Score: 1

      Look, I understand you all need to vent and the previous article was full of wailing and gnashing of teeth, but it's time to put on your big-boy pants and start acting like adults.

      The election isn't about "getting your way", it's about "crowdsourcing a decision". The crowd chose not to go with Clinton, and there were a lot of votes in support of that decision. Deal with it, the rules were well defined from the beginning and you had plenty of time to prepare and build your case.

      Technically Hillary won the popular vote. The large disparity in electoral votes is just more evidence of how the system is broken and how people don't get an equal vote for president. In fact in the vast majority of states electoral candidates aren't forced to vote with thier constituents, because in reality you don't vote for president, you cast a suggestion.

    11. Re: Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I suppose you still think America is a democracy huh cupcake? Read the fucking federalist papers or any other historical American political philosophy

    12. Re: Get over it by KenHansen · · Score: 1

      Deal with it, the rules were well defined from the beginning and you had plenty of time to prepare and build your case.

      Maybe, in hindsight, Democrats should have ran a few more ads about ideas and vision, rather than attacking her opponent?

      Maybe, in hindsight, Democrats should have run a candidate that could campaign 7 days a week, not a 4 on, 3 off schedule?

      Maybe, in hindsight, Democrats should have run a candidate that held fewer fund-raisers and more in-person rallies?

      Maybe, in hindsight, Democrats should have run a candidate that wouldn't go 9 months (the entire primary period) without a single press conference?

    13. Re:Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      THis is going to be great. Now I get to make every little problem in this country all Trump's fault starting Jan 1!

    14. Re: Get over it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do you mean rather than attacking her opponent? That is all Trump did and it worked for him.

    15. Re:Get over it by fred6666 · · Score: 1

      The system is the system.

      Some systems are worse than others. US democracy is among the worst within democracies.

  19. Moratorium by pr0nbot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I propose a moratorium on all "what does the Trump victory mean for..." until the guy is actually in office and starts doing stuff, because right now no one has a clue (least of all him) what he's actually going to try to do.

    I don't even know at this point whether the Republicans are going to play along with him.

    Heck at this point I don't event think I'd be surprised if someone offed him before January.

    1. Re:Moratorium by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

      Come now, we can't let facts get in the way of rhetoric. The fact that there are 70+ days before inauguration is apparently irrelevant. . .

      Let the guy propose his team and get them in place. And then, perhaps, judge by results of what happens, and not perceptions of what could be ??

    2. Re:Moratorium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy Shit! No matter how mad we are, America doesn't deserve a Pence presidency. I'd consider taking a bullet for Trump to prevent that.

    3. Re:Moratorium by houghi · · Score: 1

      I seriously hope nobedy killes him, because that would make him a martyrer. What I hope that will happen is that people see that Potus is not as powerful as people thought he would be.
      This could the shift the focus to where the power is: Senators. And perhaps (I know this is wishful thinking) start voting on a more local level that makes a complete revamp of the political system possible,
      One can dream ....

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    4. Re:Moratorium by Orgasmatron · · Score: 1

      I'm hopeful that there will be no such attempts because he chose his running mate well. Not many people that dislike Trump want Pence instead.

      --
      See that "Preview" button?
    5. Re:Moratorium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wouldn't be surprised if his diet and Father Time did him in. He's YUGE!

    6. Re: Moratorium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you even read the post you replied to? Because that's exactly what it sounds like he's proposing.

    7. Re:Moratorium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unfortunately, his team is likely to include Christie, Giuliani, and Gingrich. The mere thought that these three characters who are completely void of any principles or moral fiber will be given a large say in how this country will be run makes me want to throw up.

    8. Re:Moratorium by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      I halfway think he chose Pence specifically to prevent stuff like that. Both are dangerous, but I think Pence is better connected with the GOP, and could get more done with Congress.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    9. Re:Moratorium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If he does have an accident, and let's face it any one of us could, you know who will get the blame for it. In all seriousness he won't get "offed" unless he double crosses Putin and he is not dumb enough to try it.

    10. Re:Moratorium by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

      Heck at this point I don't event think I'd be surprised if someone offed him before January.

      My thoughts exactly, another grassy knoll.
      The powers behind the scenes cannot be happy with this turn of events, hell, all the corporations backing Clinton can't be very happy either.
      If I was Trump I would be VERY worried right now.

      --
      There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
  20. rofl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it means more than half of you voted that idiot, so fuck y'all lol...

    1. Re:rofl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it means more than half of you voted that idiot,

      He won 47.5% of the popular vote, and the voter turnout was somewhat over 50%, so no, more than half did not vote for that idiot. Much closer to a quarter of us.

      In fact, voter turnout in core segments such as black and latino voters was lower than expected, which contributed to his win. If you don't vote, don't bitch about the results.

  21. It's the end of the world as we know it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't feel fine, though.

  22. Leaving the US by DogDude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It means that a lot of science, tech, and other smart people and companies will be leaving the US.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
    1. Re:Leaving the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That has already happened, since the early 1990's and started with Intel. Fascinating how that has snowballed into what we see today where mere skeletons of companies remain in the US with most of their R&D, manufacturing occurring overseas, and for those that remain here - importation of cheap labor (H1, L1, etc) to try to make them more competitive with those US companies overseas...now with 2nd and 3rd generation "home grown" (non-US) companies in those countries replacing those initial US companies that birthed it all. Amazing.

    2. Re:Leaving the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nonsense. This is not at all an interesting comment. My what evidence do you have for this statement?

      You don't even have the standard /. anecdotal noise about your third cousin twice removed who knows a guy who he met in a bar that said Trump is anti-science.

    3. Re:Leaving the US by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      Doubtful. The US job market for those things is still great, and I bet he'd try to put high exit taxes on people leaving.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    4. Re:Leaving the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He is a climate change denier, isn't that enough proof?

    5. Re:Leaving the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Some of that might be because of the recent free trade agreement between Canada and the EU.

  23. It's impossible to know by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

    It's impossible to know what Trump will mean for R&D. He never actually said what his policies were on such things. He was vague about his policy on most things whilst getting elected. Perhaps it is strategic (if no one knows what you want to do, they can't vote against you for it)- or perhaps he hasn't really thought it through himself. I think he wanted to get elected to have the power more than to push any particular political agenda.

    What we do know is that he is a climate change denier. We know he's not a big fan of NASA either. So climatology and space sciences will probably take a big hit. We also know that he wants to fund some pretty large projects, such as building a wall on the border, putting boots on the ground against ISIS, giving tax major breaks to the very wealthy.

    Tariffs will result in lower trade, which in turn will result in less money for the government, so in order to get the budget in responsible territory, he'll need to cut costs somewhere. No one can predict where, but it stands to reason, public research grants might be where he retrieves money to offset the increase in spending (and lack of income) elsewhere.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  24. Who knows by LichtSpektren · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The only issues that Trump was really firm about were ending free trade deals, curbing illegal immigration, and appointing pro-life Supreme Court justices.

    What he's going to do about anything else is truly a mystery and it's probably best not to obsess over it.

  25. Broke the glass ceiling by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And as a followup to the previous, for all the things that counted against Hillary Clinton, being a woman wasn't one of them.

    Regardless of the hallucinations and rationalizations thrown from the left, the fact that she was a woman really didn't matter. The polls back this up.

    The issue almost never came up. Trump responded when Hillary brought it up by saying that being a woman isn't a qualification for the job, but when Hillary dropped the issue so did Trump.

    No one cares any more, just like no one cared that Obama was black. Obama never brought it up either - he never played the race card. It didn't matter.

    There is no more glass ceiling. Hillary was judged not on the basis of her gender, but on her qualifications and (largely) her ethics.

    We live in a world where a woman *actually could* be the next president. She'll be judged on her talent and abilities, but not her gender.

    Hillary broke the glass ceiling.

    1. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by DogDude · · Score: 1, Troll

      (largely) her ethics.

      So people voted for the 5 times draft dodging, 6 times bankrupt, 3 times married, walking, talking human piece of offal? I think your analysis is off.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No one cares any more, just like no one cared that Obama was black.

      No one? Really? Wanna bet I can find counter examples?

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    3. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No one cares any more, just like no one cared that Obama was black.

      I live in a predominantly black neighborhood. When Obama was running for president I had a 3hr wait at the polling station the first time, 2hrs the second time.

      Voting yesterday: no wait. None. I walked in to an empty polling booth, cast my vote and left.

      Black people cared that Obama was black and turned out in record numbers. White people by-and-large didn't care what colour he was. No matter what they say though, a lot of people voted for Obama, in part, because he was black. (they may have liked his message to, but race was a factor for many in the minority community).

      Yesterday was almost a backlash, a lot of angry white uneducated voters, and angry older voters from an age when racism was acceptable turned out en masse to vote for the guy who wants to make America white again.

      Hillary lost the election in part because Obama was black. It's not the only reason, she's also a bitch and people are angry at the current establishment and her track record; however, it is partially a reason.

      The popular vote difference was only 0.2%, and even though he had a decent size lead in electoral college, many of the states he won were by very small numbers. Maybe not all Trump supporters were angry racist white men. It is very easy to believe that at least 0.2% of the electorate is angry white racist men though- and that's all the difference that there was in the end.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    4. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by DogDude · · Score: 1

      Let the false equivalencies continue.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    5. Re: Broke the glass ceiling by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      Do we really need to remind you that he got elected twice?? His skin color obviously wasn't a problem to too many people.

    6. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (largely) her ethics.

      So people voted for the 5 times draft dodging, 6 times bankrupt, 3 times married, walking, talking human piece of offal? I think your analysis is off.

      1. Yes people did vote for him.
      2. No one has ever been drafted five times
      3. Six bankruptcies out of 500 businesses is a phenomenal record.
      4. Why does marriage matter? That is a religious, not political issue.
      5. Ad hominem against him and his supporters is why they became galvanized and he is now your president. Keep talking and he will get a second term.

    7. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't care if he gets a second term. Me and my family and my business and the jobs I've created will all be gone by then. You crazy fuckers can have a good time shooting each other.

    8. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 0

      Yesterday was almost a backlash, a lot of angry white uneducated voters, and angry older voters from an age when racism was acceptable turned out en masse to vote for the guy who wants to make America white again.

      As a white guy myself I am tired beyond belief at how much crap white males get. They are, to hear people tell it, all hopeless uneducated racist idiots who were all privileged anyway. No other group gets as much crap. We are discriminated against, as are Asians BTW but they haven't fully caught on, by the government at every level. How so you ask - try getting a BSA loan as a white male. No dice. Try going to college, it will work against you and your scores must be better. There are quotas for every group *except* you. To top it all off you will be called names and accused of being responsible for anything and everything.

      Rather than make America white again we just the discrimination against us to end. Replacing one form of discrimination with another is not progress.

    9. Re: Broke the glass ceiling by serviscope_minor · · Score: 3, Insightful

      His skin color obviously wasn't a problem to too many people.

      Way to move the goalposts.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    10. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by unixisc · · Score: 1

      All the above things of Trump that you list are civil failings, not criminal. But what Clinton faced was very much criminal, for which lesser mortals have gone to jail.

    11. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

      Some white males are angry white racists, and some are not. I wasn't saying are, to the contrary, most arn't.

      What I was saying is, it doesn't take many of them to tip the election. A few hundred thousand votes in the right place could have made the difference. There are at last a few hundred thousand angry white racist males in states like Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina (especially North Carolina).

      Remove the angry white racist males and Trump wouldn't have had the numbers to win. Racists tipped the fine balance in this election.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    12. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Orgasmatron · · Score: 1

      The glass ceiling was quietly removed 20 or 30 years ago. I have never in my adult life met even a single human being that believed that women were incapable of becoming president, and no one my age or younger seriously believed that it would be any more difficult for the right woman than it is for men.

      If Margaret Thatcher wasn't a conservative, she would probably get the credit for it.

      --
      See that "Preview" button?
    13. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Where do you live? In some places black people were prevented from voting by carefully targeted laws.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    14. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hillary was judged not on the basis of her gender, but on her qualifications and (largely) her ethics.

      Those should have brought her overwhelming victory. She was judged mostly for the Republican hate campaign against the Clintons which started the moment Bill Clinton was elected. The Clintons as the outsiders of the then Washington were great scapegoats and targets, and they still are.

    15. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So black racists tipped the balance to Obama eight years ago, then?

    16. Re: Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes.

    17. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by orgelspieler · · Score: 1

      I can think of no right or privilege I have ever been denied due to my pasty skin and tiny wiener. FHA home loan? Check! Federal student financial aid? Check! Car loan? Check! Getting released from the TSA after giving them the bird? Check! Voting? Check! Great job? Check! I've never been called a racist, or any other names either.

    18. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Name one criminal act that Clinton has been found to have committed. Just a single one. Were there investigations? Yes, as there should be. But no criminal intent or prosecutable offenses were found.

      Trump on the other is about to be on trial for racketeering (Trump U) and rape of a 13-year old. Has he been found guilty? No, of course not, but at least there is enough evidence that there will be trials, which is something you cannot say for Clinton.

    19. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 1

      I can think of no right or privilege I have ever been denied due to my pasty skin and tiny wiener.

      Your self loathing is sad. Since you put down yourself no wonder you don't notice the insults of others.

    20. Re: Broke the glass ceiling by KenHansen · · Score: 1

      No one cares any more, just like no one cared that Obama was black. Obama never brought it up either - he never played the race card. It didn't matter.

      Obama DID mention it, he kept talking about imaginary children asking their parents Obama didn't look like the Presidents on the money...

    21. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whatever you say, Paul. Maybe Trump can pass some carefully crafted laws to make you shut up about US politics for a little while.

    22. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by soc_cost_priv_gains · · Score: 1

      I have never heard a white guy say he wished he were black but I have heard of lots of black men say they wish they were white.

    23. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 1

      To be honest I don't think I've heard either group wish for a change unless they were setting up a joke. I think people are largely happy as they are, but the double standards need to stop. All of them, not just the ones that you disapprove of. One set of rules and standards for everyone. Until then discrimination is a shell game where the group being discriminated against changes but the discrimination remains.

    24. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You've provided evidence, from your personal experience, that many blacks are racists who voted for Obama because of his skin color. You haven't provided any evidence that any Trump supporters were racist. But you've claimed the latter, but not the former. Interesting.

    25. Re:Broke the glass ceiling by unixisc · · Score: 1

      The FBI did find Clinton guilty of a lot of crimes in terms of handling classified information, but for reasons best known to him (if one wants to be charitable), Jim Comey didn't press charges. As far as Trump goes, the rape of the 13 year old, if it happened, why was it not brought up when Trump announced he was running last year? It became an issue only at the 11th hour, which means that it was manufactured

  26. Bah, LoserTECHNICA losers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Trump will be the death of "Media Arts" pseudo-sciences for one as he HATES the corporate controlled media & Hillary's owner SOROS ("I'll destroy America" & "I am GOD" megalomaniacal LOON that he clearly is).

    * That's almost a certainty & RIGHTFULLY so... & I've seen the "hubris of the defeated" in the LOSERS in other posts online today - makes me laugh - SOROS & the MEDIA failed, lol!

    (So much for their mind games which I am WELL AWARE OF via my background/education... the internet nullifies their 1/2 truth b.s. since they CANNOT OWN EVERY OUTLET THERE IS, & they certainly cannot 'program' those that are intelligent who know reality + truth either...)

    (Like the "DIRTY MEDIA"? Those do-nothing LOSERS @ Arstechnica tried their bs on me, some examples only from a PARTIAL list https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... (impersonating me on their forums, caught using sockpuppets (MWNH = GOD there, lol which I uncovered too)) & "lil' ole' ME" FLOORED their asses SO MANY TIMES (in technicals & other 'conflicts', ask if you'd like a few examples, lol MUCH to their dismay should I display them publicly) they had to "talk behind my back" gossiping like ole' grannies & THE DIRTY MEDIA (CNN anyone? That's ARS to a tee) do...

    Which doesn't matter - they lose everytime. Now, I'm SURE the idiots here who give me guff too (wouldn't surprise me it's ars do nothing douches @ all actually) will start in but in the end?

    PRESIDENT WHO, losers?? Lmao... you LOSE.

    APK

    P.S.=> Trump, IF he's smart, will CLEAN HOUSE in the house/senate (congress) of EVERY SINGLE DIRTY FUCK POLITICIAN on the payroll (like Hillary is of the banks & Soros the wannabe manipulator), legalize pot & turn it into a TAXABLE industry, & FORCE corporations outsourcing to stop by SIMPLY REMOVING THEIR INCENTIVE TO DO SO (profit @ the expense of U.S. Citizenry) - tax them for it & put on PENALTIES SO SEVERE, they'll stop (it won't be profitable any longer to do so) as some measures I'd pull (along w/ stopping the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX & privatized prisons profiting on pot smokers) @ least!

    See - this is ONLY the start (like SOROS, they're already manipulating the stock markets forcing plunges for example OR "StoopTECHNICA"'s puny dolts are already trying, lol)... apk

    1. Re: Bah, LoserTECHNICA losers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But, how do I update my HOSTS file to undo this election?

  27. TPP, anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clinton was pro-TPP, except when it suited her to say she was anti-TPP.

    That one act would do more damage in a single penstroke, both in and out of tech, than most of the bad tech bills put together.

    Anyone who believes Trump is inherently terrible for tech should keep that in mind.

  28. You might be surprised by MikeRT · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Trump's main argument on Obamacare is that what employers and buyers need is a federal market where a buyer in one state can bypass their state and go directly to a seller in another state. I would have LOVED that a year ago before I changed employers. I was stuck with a crappy Blue Cross Blue Shield plan that covered half of my doctors. CIGNA covered everyone but they don't sell directly to Virginia residents like they do in the North East and elsewhere. Why? Probably because CIGNA hasn't found enough of a market to justify jumping through another set of regulatory hoops like a trained seal to sell to 3% of Virginia.

    But imagine if I could just call their office in CT and say "Virginia resident here, ship me a quote. My Virginia doctors ALL take you. Would love to buy direct." No middle man, no bureaucrat. I say "give me the same plan you helped my self-insured employer XYZ sold." They give me a quote. That's it.

    You know what I expect? Trump just might be the guy who tells the FCC to damn the torpedos and go full speed ahead on plowing under local franchise rules and monopolies. I expect that that case in NC where no one wanted to sell to a community but the state wouldn't let the community solve its own problems would rub Trump precisely the same way buying healthcare for his employees rubbed him. That is, very very raw at seeing regulators say "nuh uh cuz... uh nuh uh" and seeing his people get lower quality health care at higher prices.

    1. Re:You might be surprised by DogDude · · Score: 1

      You better hope you stay healthy or wealthy. If the ACA gets repealed, then only the healthy will get health insurance (again). Poor people in this country are royally *fucked*.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:You might be surprised by rimcrazy · · Score: 1

      Na.... his health care is going to be huge, he's going to have so many beautiful plans.... ............ as long as your rich ............ if not die fast because he nor his party gives a flying fuck about you. Your too ugly to insure. What a looser. Get's sick without any insurance.

      --
      "TV, a medium as it is neither rare nor well done." Ernie Kovacs
    3. Re:You might be surprised by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      Really ANY federally mandated insurance purchase (health/auto/etc) should have a non-profit federal plan as an option. Otherwise you are mandating profits for corporations. This would have the added effect for forcing companies to provide competitive prices and/or services in order to pull customers away form the federal option. Plus this way we really can see if "private sector does it better".

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    4. Re:You might be surprised by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Outside of my cousin -- who just luckily lived in a state that provided good care -- EVERYONE else I know has been FUCKED by ObamaCare. Me, most of my family, my friends, and so on!

      Obamacare did do some things right -- in some states( yes, we can blame the Republicans ) -- like not turning away people like my cousin, but from my scope she's been the exception. I know a retired army nurse that had to start paying for her medication -- at a JACKED up price -- after Obamacare kicked in. My mother is on a fixed income, and medicaid shot up over 400% and it's going up again this year.

      Obamacare for some is health-care, for others it's EXPENSIVE-SHITTY-health-INSURANCE, for people like me it's a PENALTY TAX. It is severely broken and its going up in price to the point it will become a penalty tax for others.

      We need better health-care here, it needs to be affordable, it needs to be more inline with how it was "before" Nixon lead us on a path that turned it into such a sorry fuck for those that can not afford it. There was a time when anyone in our nation could go into ANY hospital to get care. We do not have that anymore. What we have now is COMPLETELY FUCKED up, and Obamacare was never going to fix it, it was nothing more than a HUGE pay out for some of our lobbied politicians. It's a FUCKING TAX!

    5. Re:You might be surprised by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except the reason this is not allowed today is that some states would likely gut their regulations to the point where an insurance company could offer an incredibly cheap policy that when you actually get sick doesn't pay a damn thing. And yes, people WOULD buy those plans, because unfortunately a lot of people only look at the final number and completely ignore the fine print. I'm not saying you are one of those people, but you also assume that you would find a cheaper plan because it's based in another state. That's not enough of a reason....

    6. Re:You might be surprised by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey dipshit, you liked it better before, when you simply couldn't buy health insurance at all if you were not 100% healthy?

    7. Re:You might be surprised by lactose99 · · Score: 1

      You want to fix this? Get rid of the lawyers. Over half a private practice's gross income is spent on malpractice insurance.

      Some times doctors can't fix the problem and suing them for it sends the costs through the sky.

      --
      Fully licensed blockchain psychiatrist
  29. Valueless posts by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're insane or profoundly stupid [...]

    No, I just think the tidal wave insults should stop.

    This is a forum of information and insight.

    Get over yourself, post something of value.

    1. Re:Valueless posts by DogDude · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Somebody says that a madman will "make things better". It's a moral responsibility to call bullshit.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:Valueless posts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      No, I just think the tidal wave insults should stop.

      I'm with you on this. We have to still get up, go to work, support what we support and oppose what we oppose. Raise our families the best way we know how. We had eight years of bitterness from a certain segment of Americans who refused to work with Obama because of the color of his skin. They were out to destroy him before he was even sworn in, and admitted as much. Trump deserves to be evaluated on what he does. He's got a GOP House and Senate and all the tools he needs. Let's see what he does.

      This is a forum of information and insight.

      OK, now you've gone too far.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:Valueless posts by jonow · · Score: 1

      Trump deserves to be evaluated on what he does. He's got a GOP House and Senate and all the tools he needs. Let's see what he does.

      This is the exact sentiment that this country needs. I see Trump as a symbol of everything that is wrong with this country and I am just as mad as anyone about the results of the election, but we need to give him a chance. I have zero expectation of anything good coming from his presidency, but if those who opposed Trump insist on maintaining that strong opposition, the next four years will be a self fulfilling prophecy. We need to give him a chance and give him a bit of room and support at first. See if he can actually do something positive. Staying bitterly angry is a completely selfish act as doing so is really hurting the entire country, not just Trump.

    4. Re:Valueless posts by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Staying bitterly angry is a completely selfish act as doing so is really hurting the entire country, not just Trump.

      And it hurts the bitterly angry one most of all.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    5. Re: Valueless posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Had to be the color of his skin, couldnt be that his policies were fucking retarded and we legit disagreed with them?

      Fucking libtards.

    6. Re:Valueless posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then I will ask a question. What matters of specific policy has Mr. Trump suggested in order to reduce or eliminate the influence of "big money" in politics? For example, I believe Sanders had promoted the idea of a constitutional amendment that would allow the Citizen's United case to be overturned, and had even proposed specific legislation. Clinton had endorsed this and pledged to appoint Supreme Court justices that would abide by such a change. What has Mr. Trump proposed in this regard other than his personal assertions that he isn't beholden to "big money", even though he hasn't disclosed his personal income taxes to make it clear to others exactly what influence "big money" may or may not have over his business interests. All I heard during the campaign was "drain the swamp". I'm all for the intent. Where is the evidence of a specific plan to implement, so that its potential could be realistically evaluated in the context of potential bipartisan support for change? Clearly there is bipartisan interest in this subject, but "drain the swamp" is unhelpfully vague.

      I ask out of interest, because I'm not aware of any specific plans in this area, which is surprising given the enthusiasm expressed for "draining the swamp". Fine. How, exactly?

  30. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by DogDude · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ... and even more of you mouth breathers will be unemployed as we smart people move out of the country. Good luck with your shithole! I'm sure the rich will take care of you...

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  31. Domestic manufacturing by sjbe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs.

    No it will not. Tariffs will not cause that to happen. The USA almost utterly lacks the infrastructure to build products like what Apple makes domestically. The supply chains are almost all in China and various parts of eastern Asia. We lost those a long time ago and they aren't coming back soon. And I'm not even getting into the labor cost differential which absolutely matters. It would cost a fortune to manufacture an iPhone domestically at this point. Even Apple doesn't make enough profit to make that idea feasible.

    Under those kinda of pressures I think tech companies might just leave the US.

    There is no might. They would be forced to leave.

    Old-school big-industry manufacturing is gone. It's not coming back. The only way to rekindle those kinds of jobs is through the development of new products.

    Complete nonsense. The USA has a manufacturing sector worth over $3 TRILLION annually. By itself it would be one of the ten largest economies in the world. I've worked in manufacturing for several decades in the US and news of it's demise is greatly exaggerated. The sector has become a shrinking portion of the overall jobs market but there is plenty of manufacturing going on and very profitable manufacturing at that. It's just capital intensive manufacturing rather than labor intensive. If you want to bring back labor intensive manufacturing jobs you had better be prepared to pay low wages competitive with those in China and elsewhere.

    1. Re:Domestic manufacturing by budgenator · · Score: 1

      The plant My wife worked for all but closed and sent everything to Mexico, everything that didn't have IP value. If your outsourcing to third world countries, you have to take extreme measures to eliminate the sub-contractors form using the machines and molds to make your products, from making counterfeit goods that you'll have to compete with. To keep secure you have to ship parts and sub-assemblies in and out of several countries, making scheduling a nightmare.

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    2. Re:Domestic manufacturing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Absolutely right. We have plenty of manufacturing. It just doesn't employ a lot of people.

    3. Re:Domestic manufacturing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The USA almost utterly lacks the infrastructure to build products like what Apple makes domestically. The supply chains are almost all in China and various parts of eastern Asia. We lost those a long time ago and they aren't coming back soon. And I'm not even getting into the labor cost differential which absolutely matters. It would cost a fortune to manufacture an iPhone domestically at this point. Even Apple doesn't make enough profit to make that idea feasible.

      Not true. There are still a number of chip fabs in the USA, plus companies that do printed circuit boards, and also companies that produce electronic test equipment. We could produce components just as easily as all of that other stuff - and some US based companies do produce custom components (not all of them are for defense, either).

      Companies like Apple send work overseas because they can, not because they must. The legal structure of society allows this - but it could be changed.

      Prices would go up, of course, and profit margins down - but a well run company would still make a profit since it would still be able to charge more than the cost of manufacturing the item. The real reason for "free trade" agreements is to maximize the ability of the 1% to make a huge profit. It's the same reason we have H1B abuse.

      Unfortunately, any change won't help the blue collar workers much - a few will get jobs, but a lot of things would have to be controlled by robots. That's already done routinely in the fabs, of course (the small sizes of everything, and the need for exactness and cleanness determine this) - which is why all the worker-related regulations don't make a huge difference in costs.

      At best most blue collar workers could hope for is trickle-down work.

  32. Close up that internet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Didn't he say he'd close up that internet somehow?

  33. Basic fallacy of economics by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Regarding the tech industry, let's look at Apple Inc. I think that article misses a really big issue: Tech Manufacturing.

    Trump stated that he wanted Apple to make it's products here in the USA. That might be possible with a system of tariffs. But the bigger issue is that type of protectionism would push companies like Apple out of world markets due to not being able to be price competitive.

    And here is the basic fallacy of economics.

    Our national economic health is measured by the total health of our companies. The welfare of the citizens is an afterthought in these calculations, a fake "unemployment rate" tells us how people are doing.

    This is what fueled the recent election.

    I don't particularly care what happens to Apple. The government shouldn't either. The government should look after its people.

    If the people benefit while Apple has to struggle in world markets, would that be a bad thing?

    1. Re: Basic fallacy of economics by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      Heck, if Apple has to stuggle in a world market, maybe their focus will change from thinness and how their product looks in a socal coffee bar, into real and meaningful functionality. Being taken down a notch or two would be good for Apple.

    2. Re:Basic fallacy of economics by BitterOak · · Score: 1

      And here is the basic fallacy of economics.

      Our national economic health is measured by the total health of our companies. The welfare of the citizens is an afterthought in these calculations,

      And there's the basic fallacy of liberal economics. It's corporations vs. people. I have news for you: the corporations are the people. Those citizens you speak of, for the most part have jobs. They work for corporations, or perhaps, help to run them. If the corporations leave the country, the jobs go with them, leaving behind unemployed citizens. How is that good for their welfare?

      I don't particularly care what happens to Apple. The government shouldn't either. The government should look after its people.

      Well you should care what happens to Apple and companies like it, because they are what make America unique. They are the reason we have the strongest economy in the world. Apple is the people, and the people are Apple (and companies like it.)

      If the people benefit while Apple has to struggle in world markets, would that be a bad thing?

      It will be a very bad thing if Apple leaves America to go elsewhere!

      --
      If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
    3. Re:Basic fallacy of economics by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      We can measure the health of the economy in terms of what is produced or how well-off people in general are. Corporations, as a rule, don't act as if they care about the general welfare, and the general welfare is not always served by what they do. A corporation that wants to make money by making a better product cheaper is, by doing that, helping the general welfare. A corporation that makes large profits that go almost exclusively to the 1% isn't. There's also a lot of money to be made by being a successful parasite on the economy.

      If jobs leave the country, and we've got a lot of unemployed people with useful skills, some people and corporations will see that as an opportunity.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    4. Re:Basic fallacy of economics by stdarg · · Score: 1

      And there's the basic fallacy of liberal economics. It's corporations vs. people. I have news for you: the corporations are the people.

      Agreed, but at the same time, it's only true in a certain sense. As you said, the corporations could theoretically leave the country while the people are still here. So the corporation isn't really the people.

      If the corporations leave the country, the jobs go with them, leaving behind unemployed citizens.

      The thing is, that is only true if you accept unrestricted free trade. It is totally possible to force corporations to behave otherwise. China does it. India does it. If you have a big market, corporations HAVE to do what you want, otherwise they go out of business. What do I mean? Well when General Electric wants to get a contract to produce locomotives for India, guess what? Part of that contract is to start building them IN INDIA with Indian workers. When a foreign company wants to do business in China, they are generally forced to partner with a Chinese company... which in the meantime is learning exactly what you do, and in 10 years they'll kick you out and do it themselves.

      So the real question is, why isn't America doing that? Why are we like "Oh we're so awesome and free, please abuse us we love it." We are the biggest market in the world but it's not going to last forever. We are squandering our advantages because of the idiotic idea that we have to lead the way by example. Well nobody gives a fuck about our example. They take advantage of the rules, and it is simply not going to be the case that when China is the dominant economy in the world they'll change and be like "Oh America was so nice to us, let's just completely open our markets to them to help out." Won't happen. We're being idiots.

  34. Power to the corporations! by sjbe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It might also be possible with less regulation, lower labor costs, and lower corporate taxes

    Translation: More corporate abuse and pollution, trampling worker rights, and a bigger national debt.

    The costs abroad are only lower because we have artificially inflated US costs.

    Only if you don't care about things like living wages, clean air, clean water, preventing corporate malfeasance, etc.

    1. Re:Power to the corporations! by guises · · Score: 1

      Only if you don't care about things like living wages, clean air, clean water, preventing corporate malfeasance, etc.

      That does sound like Trump. The parent may have a point, if this is going to happen then that's likely how it will go. Though I wouldn't rule out tariffs in addition to that, he ran his campaign on protectionism and "regulation" is a fungible term - people who are opposed to regulation generally don't consider things which they agree with to be regulation.

    2. Re:Power to the corporations! by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      Only if you don't care about things like living wages, clean air, clean water, preventing corporate malfeasance, etc.

      I do care about those things, but it's not the only thing I care about.

      And the politicians who say they care about them often just use them as smoke screens for pushing crony capitalist policies.

    3. Re:Power to the corporations! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. GP actually cared about all of that he wouldn't be buying *any* consumer device made in China. It's just facile bullshit NIMBY hand-wringing.

    4. Re:Power to the corporations! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's right, you know. The cost of my fun devices would drop a lot if they only got rid of that candy-ass prohibition on child labor. With those clever little hands they can do a lot of things.

  35. Run the government? by jenningsthecat · · Score: 2

    FTS: "Now that he is going to run the government..."

    I'm a Canadian, so the subtleties of US governance are lost on me; but isn't the President largely a figurehead, except perhaps when it comes to foreign affairs? The Republicans control both Congress and the Senate, and both Congresscritters and Senators have a substantial degree of autonomy when it comes to voting and putting forth legislation, do they not? With the Republicans so much in power, does it really matter much if Trump, Cruz, Rubio, or some generic Republican occupies the White House?

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    1. Re:Run the government? by DogDude · · Score: 1

      Nope. Not really. But this guy will be in charge of the US military. Can Canada hold off a US attack? (I certainly hope for, because that's where we'd like to immigrate to).

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:Run the government? by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 1

      I'm a Canadian, so the subtleties of US governance are lost on me; but isn't the President largely a figurehead, except perhaps when it comes to foreign affairs?

      Well, the presidency was never quite a "figurehead," but historically it did have a lot less power. That was by design in the Constitution. (The revolutionaries had just left a king behind, so they didn't want another.)

      However, over the centuries the Executive Branch of the federal government has grown to be HUGE compared to the others (Legislative and Judicial). All of the "departments" (of education, treasury, defense, interior, etc.) -- i.e., most of the government -- are run by the president, and the president basically gets to set the day-to-day regulations and policies that govern all that.

      Yes, Congress ultimately has authority over passing a budget and can dictate laws and regulations, but we've gradually accepted the president's right to take unilateral action in a lot of cases where Congress hasn't explicitly weighed in. (Perhaps the most glaring case of this is in the war powers -- until the mid-20th century, Congress had sole power to declare war as outlined in the Constitution. But Congress has not declared war since, so all of the Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq War, etc. have essentially been waged under unilateral presidential authority... though Congress has at times voted to "support" such actions.)

      So, no, actually US Presidents now have huge amounts of power.

      The Republicans control both Congress and the Senate, and both Congresscritters and Senators have a substantial degree of autonomy when it comes to voting and putting forth legislation, do they not? With the Republicans so much in power, does it really matter much if Trump, Cruz, Rubio, or some generic Republican occupies the White House?

      Even in terms of legislation, presidents now frequently spend time proposing their own versions (since they have huge resources in all the executive departments to put together a staff and do so), and send them to Congress to get them to introduce the laws and approve them.

      Yes, Congress can certainly choose to pass different legislation and often does, but there's a reason for example that we call the health care stuff "Obamacare" -- it was largely shaped from a plan coming from the President, which then was passed by Congress.

      So, yes, there are some things that would happen with Republicans regardless of what Republican is in the president's office. But the President certainly has plenty of power to influence and shape things greatly if he wants.

    3. Re:Run the government? by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 1

      One last thing to note -- it requires a 2/3 majority in both houses of Congress to overturn a Presidential veto of any legislation. Thus, the only way Republicans in the legislature could actually pass laws without the President's support is if they got a rather large number of Democrats on their side to override a potential veto. Hence Presidents tend to be highly involved in crafting laws that will satisfy both the President and Congress.

    4. Re:Run the government? by Kohath · · Score: 1

      It matters a lot for day-to-day stuff. The President appoints regulators and law enforcers. Those people can either be hostile to you or try to work with you. They can either enforce a law against you or let you off with a warning.

      Future:
      - Obamacare gets repealed
      - Conservative judges get appointed
      - Corporate tax reform -- USA business taxes end up like every other country in the world
      - Subsidies to left-aligned industries like solar and wind power dry up, and pipelines get built instead of obstructed
      - The press is suddenly interested in investigating government wrongdoing again instead of helping with the coverup
      - Borders get patrolled again
      - Lots of people in the outgoing government lawyer-up
      - Drug companies and energy companies go back to thinking about production instead of self-defense

      Biggest winner: Peter Thiel

    5. Re:Run the government? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ding ding ding. With all the US citizens commenting about the US system, the Canadian cut right to the heart of the matter.

      Actually, not quite. The POTUS does have substantial power to dictate things in the executive branch, which is a third of the government. However, the bank accounts are controlled by congress. How far can your agenda get if you don't have the power to swipe your debit card anywhere?

    6. Re:Run the government? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm a Canadian, so the subtleties of US governance are lost on me

      That goes double for we Americans. Didn't we just prove that?

    7. Re:Run the government? by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      The president can also veto any bills produced by congress. He also appoints judges. So he has a lot of real power, but by design, only 1/3 of the power (with the court and legislature having the other 2/3).
      It's a three-part leadership, where each part has powers specifically enumerated to limit the other parts. So, for example, the president is in charge of the military, but congress writes the military's paycheck.

      So yes, your larger point that the president doesn't run the government is true.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  36. Oh, & GET RID OF THE "federal" reserve too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: Other presidents have done so & were successful in it (to be 'knocked-off' though like Lincoln & his greenback, or JFK stepping on US Steel etc. - as that's what the sociopaths adversely affected actually DO do)!

    Yes - it IS doable & more importantly, BENEFICIAL (the IMF "one world currency" Rockefeller types who WANT the "number of the beast" system & 1 world currency in place for instance) for everyone... except the scumbag behind-the-curtain banking scumbags (who WE as taxpayers had to bail out).

    * Makes me laugh (just like "WOT" did the other day, there is NO TRUST in that addon (or almost all ads blocked)) - they're about as "FEDERAL" as Fedex is (they're not, but instead a consortium of bankers that has us in an interest trap, as we can never EVER escape debt when loans are taken to PAY DOWN SAID DEBT INTEREST ONLY from the selfsame FED with interest on them nullifying that method, keeping us in the greatest chains of the enslaver there is... debt).

    This, perhaps above ALL else, HAS TO BE STOPPED... I'll tell those banks "fuck off" personally - IF not make a war on the banking industry itself (war of that kind would be great for the 'common-man' & this nation)... war gives a president "all powers" etc.? I wonder if it would there... bet it would. The people would give it to him.

    APK

    P.S.=> They'll fight every inch of the way though - they never stop & think 50 yrs. ahead (for those of you with a "5 yr. plan" as individuals, more-or-less do) as they did w/ Woodrow Wilson trying again & AGAIN until they got to him (thru manipulative power of money, just as SOROS did breaking the bank of England - it's ALL they KNOW how to do @ the expense of others so the 1% 'top' scumbag biggest criminals there is stay on top)... this time, like this election? THEY WILL LOSE - pun intended? BANK ON IT... apk

    1. Re:Oh, & GET RID OF THE "federal" reserve too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoa. Forgot your meds this morning.

  37. House cleaning by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

    Chances are good that there will be a house cleaning of some government-funded projects. Given his speech last night about rebuilding our infrastructure, which is usually a major tenet of the Left, it's entirely possible that funding will be increased for broadband projects. The question is whether or not there will be quid pro quo for such funding.

    Trump does love grandiose projects, though, so I would expect funding for crown jewel stuff that makes for good PR such as NASA.

    1. Re:House cleaning by DogDude · · Score: 1

      He'll make sure that broadband stays in the hands of private companies, that's for sure. How's he going to get his kickbacks, otherwise?

      "Thank you for calling Time-T-Cast. How can we fuck you today?"

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    2. Re:House cleaning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He'll make sure that broadband stays in the hands of private companies, that's for sure.

      I'm curious why you would think that. Not that anyone at the federal level has done anything to move broadband into public hands, at all, but Trump might have some different ideas. I don't think he would be very keen on the situation in NC where the telecoms shut down a community that build their own broadband network. Not only was The Donald formerly a Democrat, a lot of his ideas are far removed from any Republican / Chamber of Commerce policy stance. Certainly is Wall is a public project. Why not public broadband.

      Unlike other presidents and politicians, Trump doesn't really have anyone to "pay back" for helping him get into office, so he won't be beholden to Verizon or Comcast or anyone else that would stand in the way. He seems more like someone that will want to get things done, and get obstacles like that out of the way.

      I mean, he's not going to treat the US like the Clintons treated Haiti.

    3. Re:House cleaning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He may not but his fellow Republicans are so if they push to repeal Net Neutrality he is not going to put up a fight.

  38. That's looking forward, then by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    It's a good time to look back on the kind of policies and changes he is likely to bring in the United States.

    You want to look back on the things he hasn't done yet? Sounds about right for Trump logic, I suppose...

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  39. Sillicon Valley... ( H1Bs ) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doesn't give a rats ass about STEM/Science, whatever, if it involves American workers -- outside of driving down their wages or replacing them with outsourced labor. Hillary was their H1B-Manchurian-bitch.

  40. Skills up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Get ur skills up on big wall tech. Can we start building early??

  41. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Kohath · · Score: 1

    And this comment is how people like you helped Trump win.

    For anyone who isn't leaving, the lesson is to be kind and respectful to people in the country, even if you have class or cultural differences with them. If you want to prosper, try to figure out how the rest of the country can prosper along with you.

  42. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. Ungrateful snob.

  43. Apparently insults do matter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Insults don't matter? Trump's campaign was nothing but heckling and insults, seems like these things really matter to the American people

  44. Not (quite) dead yet by fyngyrz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The electoral college has yet to vote.

    This is exactly the kind of thing the institution was created to protect us from -- ill-considered actions by the voters; one of the critical flaws of democratic action by the masses. The wolves deciding what's for dinner.

    The system allows for the EC to act on this by not voting him into the presidency. There are numerous strong reasons to do so.

    There are 29 states (plus the District of Columbia) that require lockstep following of the voting public issue; they issue a small variety of rarely enforced punishments for electors that do not do so, including fines and misdemeanors. EC members have individually done this 157 times to date, so there's plenty of precedent on a per-elector basis.

    Also... if they don't do this... then I submit that the EC has proved that the institution has no actual worth.

    Another thing: this circumstance was brought about by a dissatisfied public. Imagine the levels of dissatisfaction as automation adds its impetus to the job losses we've already seen due to recent labor policies. Now consider the chaos Trump could add to the mix if he actually follows through on some of the things he said on the campaign trail.

    Some of those include an increased willingness to use nuclear weapons; disruption of current trade patterns; economic problems (we're already seeing some of that, check the news on world financial market reaction this morning); Walking back major aspects of social progress - Roe v. Wade, LBGT rights, etc.; government using religion to select people for abusive treatment... It's quite a list. I find it a formidable counter-indication in terms of expecting the next four years to go well, and the follow-on effects may last for considerably longer than that.

    Remember how long it took under the Obama administration to recover from Bush's bumbling economic moves? Then there's the whole question of who ends up in whatever supreme court seats go vacant. That alone could change the nation's path in many negative ways, as we have previously seen several times.

    Think I'll go for a walk.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      The electoral college has yet to vote.

      I read an article yesterday that a survivalist type expected Trump to win in a landslide (he didn't) and the electoral college to vote for Hillary (still possible).

    2. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Gr8Apes · · Score: 0

      The electoral college has yet to vote.

      This is exactly the kind of thing the institution was created to protect us from -- ill-considered actions by the voters; one of the critical flaws of democratic action by the masses. The wolves deciding what's for dinner.

      The system allows for the EC to act on this by not voting him into the presidency. There are numerous strong reasons to do so.

      The EC as it stands now is the problem. Trump, like W, lost the popular vote but on paper has won the EC. As it stood last night, at least 7 EC members need to not follow their guidance to deny Trump the presidency.

      Remember how long it took under the Obama administration to recover from Bush's bumbling economic moves?

      We're still recovering, and still cleaning up W's messes. I don't think Trump will make anything better, but there's always the ability to shock me.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    3. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think many people are under the delusion that the electoral college has worth. It's purely vestigial.

    4. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by DarkOx · · Score: 0

      "Roe v. Wade" is not social progress even if you think abortion should be legal!

      Its a shameful decision that isn't much more than a laundry list of things the government can and can't do for 'reasons' with almost no reasoning whatsoever on constitutional grounds. Its one of the least respected decisions of all time by legal scholars for that reason.

      If you "social progress' is 9 un-elected individuals making majority unpopular decision from the bench above any law or legal framework, than I am support glad you lost.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    5. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The electoral college has yet to vote." ...And it looks like Clinton actually won the popular vote... but that never counts... (See 2000.)
      http://www.opb.org/news/series/election-2016/npr-shades-of-2000-clinton-surpasses-trump-in-popular-vote-tally/

      This is a conversation to be had after the Inauguration, between expected Disasters. The Electoral College is the Law now, and any attempt to unseat Trump there will lead to Rebellions if not outright Revolution. The Public may find the EC confusing and outdated, especially those voters in the largest States that find their votes only worth a quarter of those voting in the smallest States, due to the fact that any State, no matter how small, is guaranteed three Electors.
      But Politicians love the EC. That is where last-minute deals are struck, the back room deals that Politicians that don't actually run for Public Office adore.

      Here is a very incomplete list of potential Electors for 2016, sorted by State and Party. (Missing significantly: The 55 California Democratic Electors.)
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_electors,_2016
      Hardly any are household names, even in their own States.

      What also is little thought about now are the consequences of the 2020 Census. Below is a map of the effect of the 2010 Census on Congressional apportionment, and thus on Electors:
      http://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2010/dec/2010-map.html
      2024 would be the first Presidential Election reflecting the large growth in Democratic voters, in the largest States.

    6. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is exactly the kind of thing the institution was created to protect us from -- ill-considered actions by the voters; one of the critical flaws of democratic action by the masses. The wolves deciding what's for dinner.

      The system allows for the EC to act on this by not voting him into the presidency. There are numerous strong reasons to do so.

      Also... if they don't do this... then I submit that the EC has proved that the institution has no actual worth.

      The problem with that argument is that in this case Hillary is projected to win the popular vote. If you are arguing that Trump is what we need protection from, the masses would be right and the EC is the problem by distorting the influence of certain elements of the population.

    7. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

      The problem with that argument is that in this case Hillary is projected to win the popular vote. If you are arguing that Trump is what we need protection from, the masses would be right and the EC is the problem by distorting the influence of certain elements of the population.

      The EC could be the problem. They are projected to be the problem, and this is because of the mismatch between various subgroups of the masses represented by the EC members, said subgroups having an uneven balance of power with other subgroups. The presumed outcome is of exactly the same nature as if the popular vote elected an unfit candidate. The EC has the option available to them to not to be the problem, because they can choose that, it's in their very nature.

      That's what I'm talking about. I agree that they could indeed be the problem. Right now, everyone is assuming they are. However, they may not be.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    8. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hillary is a criminal. Why do you think electing a criminal is better than an idiot? There are strong reasons to not elect her too. The two primary choices this election were the worst. I don't like Trump's policies, but he's better for the country in the long term. We'll have a bunch of new checks and balances to reign in the power from the executive branch. If Hillary wins, government corruption will massively expand. The EC should take matters into their own hands if there was massive voter fraud. I haven't seen any evidence of that. Trump cleanly won and he campaigned on politicians being corrupt. If they elect Hillary instead, there will be violent riots since that would be proving his point.

      The votes for Trump weren't ill-considered, you just don't like what people were considering. But I agree in that the chances of the EC not voting in line with the states is much higher this election than others. It could happen, but it'd be horrible if it does and there'll be a massive and successfully comparing to abolish it by the next election. Do you really want to fully lose that check on the people?

    9. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

      Hillary is a criminal. Why do you think electing a criminal is better than an idiot?

      Mrs. Clinton stands accused, by the right, of crimes. The justice system has not made that determination. Just so we're perfectly clear about that.

      So to answer to the actual circumstance, neither candidate is a criminal. So it comes down to what they claimed they would do, or not do, and the degree of sophistication and alignment with my worldview that those statements represent, as well as how well they stuck to the facts - catching a candidate in a lie is significant, and Trump's lies far exceeded Clintons.

      Quite aside from that, there's no evidence at all that Clinton is misogynist or misandrist; none that she is xenophobic; none that she is racist; none that she is a sexist pig; and none that she is stupid.

      Trump, OTOH, has provided ample statements demonstrating that he in fact is misogynist, xenophobic, racist, a sexist pig, and stupid.

      So that's why I think electing Clinton is a considerably better choice than electing Trump.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    10. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 2

      Trump might not be a criminal technically because he has never been convicted in criminal court, but he breaks the law all the damned time.

    11. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by publiclurker · · Score: 1

      in other words, you don't like it when your betters stop you from dragging others down to your level.

    12. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      Imagine how dissatisfied that public will be if the EC goes against them. That's probably a bigger danger.

      Trump - indeed, any POTUS - cannot reverse Supreme Court decisions. Even stacking the SC with his judges wouldn't help unless a case makes it all the way to them. He also can't do anything about LGBT rights without Congress, and indeed, Trump has been pretty progressive about those issues. Pence is incredibly bad about them, but it remains to be seen how much Trump will listen to him.

      Trump will not be good for America, no question. Best-case scenario is system reform after the fact. But there's also pretty severe limits on how much he can do by himself, and even the GOP-controlled Congress doesn't like him much.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    13. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

      Remember, the housing market crashed because of changes under Bill, and W signed the bailouts.

      --
      Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
    14. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      > and the electoral college to vote for Hillary (still possible).

      You should go on record with this prediction, so you can have a perfect 0% batting average on election predictions this year. You've been going out of your way to gaslight anyone who disagrees with you in here. For MONTHS.

      Lets review some of your gems:

      (Claim) Trump has added new swing states.
      (You) That doesn't seem likely.
      Reality: Absolutely yes he did!

      (You)Trump made the electoral college relevant and not in his favor
      Reality: Trump's electoral victory is both large, and the only reason he won. He made the electoral college relevant and very much in his favor.

      (You) He will need 70% of the white male vote to overcome the minority and women vote.
      Reality: Trump got around 63% of the white male vote, and won.

      (You) overcome the minority and women vote.
      Interesting and relevant: Less women, both absolute and by percent, voted for Hillary than voted for Obama. Hispanic support for Hillary was less than for Obama. Hispanic support for Trump was higher than for Romney.

      (You) If Hillary wins Florida, the election is over.
      Interesting: Flipping Florida to blue still wouldn't let Hillary win. However, you MAY have been saying it would start a trend, or something, and that if Trump won Florida it would be correlated with the voting that had occurred in other states. It's still overly terse and meant to electioneer, so it gets a mention.

      (You) "Given a choice between crooked and crazy, the American people will always vote for crooked."
      (You) The electoral college map for 2016 is identical to 2008 and 2012.
      (You) Hillary started off 268 electoral votes.
      (You) Like everything else in this election, he blew that off too and will lose in a landslide.
      (You) Trump has absolutely no chance of winning the election
      (You) Hillary could drop dead but Trump still won't win the election.
      Reality: WRONG

    15. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      You should go on record with this prediction, so you can have a perfect 0% batting average on election predictions this year.

      I'm just a moderate conservative who loves our constitutional government.

      You've been going out of your way to gaslight anyone who disagrees with you in here. For MONTHS

      Uh, no. I've been expressing my opinion based on what I've been reading for months. The election had two possibilities last night: either Trump ran the table by winning Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania (which he did) or Hillary ends the election by winning Florida (which she didn't). Trump winning last night by the longest odds was a shock to everyone, including the professionals on both sides of the political spectrum. Trump should have lost and lost big last night based on all available data (which is now suspect).

    16. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by Khashishi · · Score: 1

      Interesting, but if there are enough faithless electors to make a difference, things could get ugly. Like civil war ugly.

    17. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      To be fair, both candidates campaigned to win states for the Electoral College, not to win the popular vote. We don't know that the result would have been the same with different campaigns.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    18. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      > The election had two possibilities last night: either Trump ran the table by winning Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania (which he did) or Hillary ends the election by winning Florida (which she didn't).

      Blue Florida is still a Trump win.
      Blue Pennsylvania and Wisconsin is still a Trump win.
      Blue Ohio and Michigan is still a Trump win.

      So it seems there were more possibilities than you said. Also remember that in addition to the really close red states, there are a couple really close blue states too.

    19. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      So it seems there were more possibilities than you said. Also remember that in addition to the really close red states, there are a couple really close blue states too.

      Based on data PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, Trump only had one path to win: Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He got all three and won the election.

    20. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      > Based on data PRIOR TO THE ELECTION

      No, "data" based on a subset of data chosen specifically to back Clinton, purported to show that.

      > Trump only had one path to win: Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He got all three and won the election.

      Trump had several paths to win. He could have won without any one of those that you listed, as I pointed out.

      The data was all spin. It was all made up. It never reflected reality in any way.

    21. Re:Not (quite) dead yet by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      No, "data" based on a subset of data chosen specifically to back Clinton, purported to show that.

      Uh, no. The data was all the scientific-based polling data that was publicly available for months. No one was cherry picking the data.

      Trump had several paths to win. He could have won without any one of those that you listed, as I pointed out.

      Which doesn't change the fact that he needed — and won — Florida (could go either way), Ohio (every Republican candidate has to win) and Pennsylvania (which George H.W. Bush carried in 1988). No one predicted Wisconsin and several other states flipping for Trump to break the Democratic firewall.

      The data was all spin. It was all made up. It never reflected reality in any way.

      As we say in California, "What are you smoking and where can I get some?"

  45. Definitely uncertain. :-) by ErichTheRed · · Score: 1

    There are so many things in play that it's hard to tell. Trump really doesn't have too many detailed policies beyond building the wall, enacting tariffs and renegotiating trade agreements. I hope he ends up hiring competent advisors and not just his buddies. The only core policy item that seems clear is that everything is broken and will be "changed." How is the question...

    I can think of a few conflicting items right off the top of my head:
    - Republicans are going to control the legislature. They're owned by business leaders who aren't going to be too keen on anything that makes them pay more for labor or reshore manufacturing.
    - Religious nuts are going to demand that we roll back things like climate research, science education, etc. And they'll have the ability to demand it by saying they were able to drag out all the other religious nuts to vote Trump in.
    - Both the congress and president are more likely to side with business, which is directly opposed to the population that got Trump elected in the first place. Good luck getting things like visa reform passed in that climate...as soon as the business community gets their say, that one's over. No politician questions the argument that there is a shortage of domestic technical talent...it's why H-1B is still an operating visa program.

    All I can say now is that it's going to be an interesting experiment. With automation in factory work, I don't know how many jobs will be back. I'm a Rust Belt kid and would love to see thousands of lower-intelligence, lower-skilled people working stable jobs in car plants, steel mills, etc. to keep society running. Not everyone can be a fedora-wearing hipster writing JavaScript code at a SV startup There are a lot of people who can't handle technical work, and those lower skilled people need a purpose in life. But, I doubt we're going back to the glory days of manufacturing where everything was made domestically by people working in single-income households and imported goods were exotic luxuries.

    Or, he'll just tear everything up he said on the campaign trail and do the loose cannon thing. Who knows?

    1. Re:Definitely uncertain. :-) by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      I hope he ends up hiring competent advisors and not just his buddies.

      How much do you want to bet he names Chris Christie Transportation Secretary?

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  46. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You think Clinton would have been better? They both sucked in different ways but still equally bad. Clinton was a known evil with known evil results and I know that makes "smart" people comfortable but still a very bad choice. Trump is a bumbling idiot wildcard but there is a random chance his different way of doing things might work (probably not but at least there is some chance).

    Maybe you're not as smart as you think you are.

  47. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Stinky+Cheese+Man · · Score: 1

    ...as we smart people move out of the country.

    Would you like some help packing your suitcases? Printing out some Google maps? I'll even loan you gas money. Bon voyage!

  48. Kind of "Undercover Boss", or spot checks by raymorris · · Score: 1

    Good point. That's true, he's not hands-off in the sense that he becomes isolated and unaware of operations, only understanding things in terms of major departments. A LOT of CEOs only know the financial numbers of each subsidiary, but haven't looked at in-the-field operations for 20 years.

    While Trump gives his direct hires a good degree of autonomy, he also tours hotel under construction and notices details like having three hinges installed on each door vs two hinges. He's in touch with operations, while still trusting his hires. I'm glad you pointed this out because there may be a lesson for managers here. Trumps hybrid management style may be a significant factor in his success.*

    * There was some FUD going around claiming "Trump inherited his money". His father, Fred Trump, did make millions buying fourplexes and such. Donald Trump made BILLIONS building (and promoting!) world-class casino hotels and luxury condos.

    1. Re:Kind of "Undercover Boss", or spot checks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and he kept his money by not paying the contractors or his workers.

    2. Re:Kind of "Undercover Boss", or spot checks by unixisc · · Score: 1

      He paid them, but tied the payment to either performance, or successful completion of the contract to the customer's satisfaction.

  49. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by DogDude · · Score: 1

    "Kind and respectful" is the exact opposite of what Trump has been promising, in case you have been asleep for the past year and a half. We'll be living somewhere where people are "kind and respectful". Life is too short not to.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  50. Trump "go big or go home", everything is HUGE by raymorris · · Score: 1

    He may indeed let the Congress set most of the agenda. I suspect *maybe* he'll lead much more than Bush, though - he's led a large organization his whole career, always setting the vision. I think Bush Jr was much more playing a role according to cues from those around him, almost as if Bush Jr was pretending to be president until his dad, the real president, came back.

    Where I definitely think he'll have influence is that Trump is very much "go big or go home". He does everything "HUGE!" He's a skilled negotiator, so he can meet in the middle, but whatever the final deal is, he wants it to be big, he doesn't want to waste time dealing in the small. He'll encourage Congress to go for it, whatever it is. (For example, he'd be all about a manned mission to Mars, he wouldn't care about yet another space telescope.)

  51. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Kohath · · Score: 1

    "Kind and respectful" is the exact opposite of what Trump has been promising

    Yeah, that's called a backlash. People like you should have been kind and respectful all along. It's not too late to start.

  52. Roe v. Wade and social progress by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

    If you[sic] "social progress' is 9 un-elected individuals making majority unpopular decision from the bench above any law or legal framework, than I am support[sic] glad you lost.

    I consider social progress, among other things, as anything that moves the nation away from any imposition of coercive force contrary to the personal and consensual choices of the citizens.

    Woman's bodies are theirs. Not yours. Not the government's. No matter how you feel about the issue, nothing in those feelings gives you, or the government, any right to tell them what to do with their bodies and any life that is physically growing within their bodies -- whether that life is growing as the result of an accident, intentionally, or consequent to criminal violation of their bodies by others. None. For the very same reasons that no one, regardless of their opinion of the matter, has the right to tell you if you may, or may not, choose to eat a cheeseburger.

    Once a viable baby is no longer part of the woman's body and you want to care for it, and the parents are willing, that is the time that you might legitimately gain some semblance of direct control over the life and future of that baby.

    Barring such a circumstance, any attempt you make to coerce that woman into doing something she does not want to do with her body is an act of tyranny.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by DarkOx · · Score: 1

      And I find your moral reasoning appalling.

      A Slave's body is his masters not his, Not the government's. No matter how you feel about the issue nothing in those feelings give you, or the government, any right to tell them what to do with their property or anything physically living on their manor.

      Oh wait that is clearly total horse shit, a person is a person no matter what their condition, and its one of the most fundamental roles of government to protect the physical person of the innocent. Women are not entitled to murder because its convenient to do so! What could possibly be more tyrannical than deciding its okay crush someones skull without offering them any recourse?

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    2. Re: Roe v. Wade and social progress by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe because it's not an actual fucking person. It's a fetus that isn't fully developed yet.

    3. Re: Roe v. Wade and social progress by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

      Thanks, saved me the work. Plus you were more succinct than I tend to be. :)

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    4. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by Rei · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Can we drop the hyperbole here? For all the bluster in the abortion debate, it really stems down to a very basic worldview difference. Do you 1) believe that a person's humanity - their thoughts, their feelings, opinions, memories, hopes, dreams, everything that makes them them - is embodied by a soul granted at the moment of conception; or do you 2) believe that all of the above stems from thoughts within one's brain (regardless of whether you also believe in a soul or not)?

      If you take view #1, then of course you're going to consider abortion murder, at any stage. If you take view #2, then of course you're not going to consider early-term abortion murder, because the fertilized egg doesn't even have a single nerve cell, let alone a brain. It takes six weeks just to organize a brain enough to manage to beat a heart, let alone think. So of course they're not going to see it as murder. Because they don't share your worldview.

      Do you understand that?

      Now things get more complicated the further along you get into pregnancies... in some ways. But they also in other ways get simpler.

      As you get into a later term pregnancy, you start getting to the point where you have a cerebrum that's managing thought to some degree - and hence there start to be more moral issues which arise in a person with the latter worldview. Now, you're probably wanting to portray it as pro-life people saying "there's no moral issue right up birth, but 100% moral issues after birth". But that's your misunderstanding of how abortion works that's the problem.

      "Late term" abortions are a vague term. It can be defined as beginning as early as the start of the second trimester, or as late as beginning near the end of the second trimester. Most pro-life people focus, when describing abortion, on D&E (Dilation and Extraction). Except that this is rarely the preferably route, and more to the point can't be conducted late in a pregnancy, the maximum cutoff usually being somewhere around the end of the second trimester. The preferable route, whenever the pregnancy is advanced enough to support it, is induced labour. So there's no such thing as a "8 or 9 month abortion" - that's known as a birth. And by both law, and by medical standards that existed independently of law, if a fetus is delivered alive and viable, all reasonable attempts are to be made to keep it alive, the same as for any other person regardless of their age. You can probably point to some counterexamples, like Dr. Kermit Gosnell. But then I'd have to point out that Gosnell was sentenced to life in prison for murder for killing viable fetuses delivered during abortions. I'll reiterate, for stress: abortions conducted late enough to deliver potentially viable pregnancies are done through birth, through induced labor, and a lack of attempt to save a viable fetus is murder.

      The other issue at hand is that you should have an understanding of how common late-term abortions are, and why they're conducted. Just over 1% of abortions are "late term" (note the ambiguity above on how to define it). The later you're talking about, the rarer they get, by significant margins. Contrary to the pro-life myth that they're elective, or the pro-choice myth that they're for maternal health, the vast majority are conducted due to the inviability of the fetus. Randomly jumbling together genes is an inherently fault-prone process. Nearly half of all fertilized eggs miscarry before the mother even knows she was pregnant. Many pregnancies miscarry later. But some pregnancies don't miscarry, despite the fetus not being viable. Perhaps its brain never developed, or its lungs are deformed and ineffective. So put yourself in that mother's position. You're going around every day, people are smiling, asking you when you're due, etc, and you have to explain to each of them that the child that you've been looking so forward to meeting will

      --
      It's times like this I wish I had a friend named 'The Professor'.
    5. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

      Very well said. great post.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    6. Re: Roe v. Wade and social progress by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually it is a fucking person. If they didn't fuck how else would they get pregnant?

    7. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by Rei · · Score: 1

      Corr: that should read Dilation and Evacuation, not Extraction.

      --
      It's times like this I wish I had a friend named 'The Professor'.
    8. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by Agripa · · Score: 1

      I consider social progress, among other things, as anything that moves the nation away from any imposition of coercive force contrary to the personal and consensual choices of the citizens.

      Even at the expense of federalism?

      The complaint is not about the decision that women should control of their own bodies; it is about the USSC further undermining federalism.

    9. Re:Roe v. Wade and social progress by MercTech · · Score: 1

      Very good points. And a good reason to put public health care back in the hands of medical professionals instead of bureaucratic hacks. Bring back the Public Health Service as arbiters of U.S. policy on medicine instead of HHS.
          I'm old enough to remember when a Democratic congress, on the heels of the civil rights amendment, sold a bill of goods to the people taking U.S. Health Care away from the medical professionals and created "Health Education and Welfare Department". Instead of PHS clinics available to whomever walked through the door you got a "Medicaid Card" if you qualified as indigent enough and had a huge staff burning 90 cents of every budget dollar to try and find a reason to deny coverage.
            The main thing that needs doing with U.S. Health Care is really a Securities and Exchange Issue. For profit health insurance companies should not be able to own all or in part for profit medical providers. With that cartel connection; it is only in the interests of the companies to keep prices spiraling up and be damned to the public. A mandatory sinecure for health insurance companies such as Obamacare only drives prices higher.
            Hmm, maybe we should send the new prez a Ouija board with the suggestion he channel Teddy Roosevelt a while.

      --
      NRRPT/RCT
  53. I predicted this STALE crap, lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is THAT the "best ya got" LOSETechnica losers in projecting YOUR ISSUES onto me? Yes, obviously: Offtopic illogical ad hominem attacks from unidentifiable ac posts lol...

    Your usual weak, unoriginal, predictable & VERY "loserTECHNICA" "soros mechanics" fail. LMAO - using the "losetechnica" technique, you can't FAIL to fail, always (vs. me).

    You are SO predictable & did EXACTLY what I said you would (hilarious, priceless) since you're unintelligent, undereducated, unaccomplished, & are easily manipulated w/ your own stale stupidity which folks ARE sick of (& of course, it's all you have & ALL you know how to do (squat)).

    * That's right - I am LAUGHING @ you & "yours" skulking hiding worm, lol!

    (Stooping to libeling me BEHIND unidentifiable ac posts (since I've destroyed you before under your "registered 'luser'" account so you HAVE TO HIDE)? Please... lol! Project YOUR ISSUES onto yourself instead, ok??)

    APK

    P.S.=> Ahem: President WHO, loserTECHNICA? Lmao - I always get that "last laugh" @ YOUR expense, losers (now come the downmods or "forums sliding" burying this & other posts (we all know how mainstream bought & paid for "media" works like Arstechnica = CNN so predictably & easily beaten too, after all)).

    Which if you do that, IF I wish, I can easily override getting you to BLOW YOUR "DOWNMODPOINTS" away & make you bereft of them easily... I must have the past few days (as always) since you're not abusing them for unjustifiable downmods already!

    It's SO EASY to take away your 1 effete 'weapon' you know... perhaps you don't but the results speak for me since you're SO stupid, lol!

    However, I can do that whenever I wish, IF I WISH & YOU CAN'T STOP ME & you know it, lol! You & "yours"? LOL, you're too WEAK & STUPID to do so... & you know it.

    See - Time (like Dr. Strange) is on MY side, not yours - I'll let you stew & SIMMER in your "hubris of the defeated" instead, lol... that's MORE fun for me, not for you! apk

  54. Some hope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If any single of the following happen I will be... content....

    1.) Suspension of the H1B program for people that are effectively stealing American jobs (given away by the companies). We do not need immigrants coming to the USA for STEM jobs, we already have the people we need here. There may be that special unique snowflake, but by and large the program is used and abused.

    2.) Illegals, I'm sorry, are a drain on the system. You may be a 'dreamer' but you're not a U.S. citizen and never were, regardless of how young you crossed the border. It's well known the Chinese are coming over to California for birth citizenship. Is it fair? No. Then again the world is not fair and people should be trying to fix their own countries. Not swarm the one that is a 'beacon of hope' because lets face it, there is not enough room for everyone.

    3.) Fix the decaying American infrastructure built in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. (Replace coal plants with wind, nuclear and natural gas. Establish new high voltage lines. Build new pipelines to replace the ones built in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. California's solution of importing electricity from other states isn't really acceptable for most others.

    4.) Getting rid of the electoral college.

    5.) Getting rid of low interest rates.

    6.) Attempting to reign in the budget.

    7.) Let others pay their share for NATO or the U.N.

    8.) Expand the rails for trains and the highway system because a lot has changed in 50 years.

    The U.S. should be independent where we can be independent. I do not see us building our own smartphones. However there are opportunities. (Why by foreign power plant components that are potentially counter-feit when we can use stuff made here.) Granted this does not apply to ALL commodities, but there is quite a lot we do and do well and should encourage by not buying the cheapest thing around.

    Why import any natural gas when we have more than enough to meet U.S. demand and have extra to export?

    Why pay for bottled water when we can have de-salination plants and dump the waste into the desert?

    Why support toxic middle east regimes when between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico we can meet our oil and gas needs.

    North America is bountiful. We do not need much from others.

    1. Re:Some hope by EmagGeek · · Score: 1

      1) Might happen
      2) Might happen
      3) The centerpiece of his victory speech
      4) Won't happen
      5) Won't happen
      6) Won't happen - see also #3
      7) Sure as shit won't happen
      8) Won't happen for the same reason we can't build pipelines, new power line rights of way, or any other new infrastructure: NIMBYism

  55. Stupid Article and Summary by DarthVain · · Score: 1

    Lame article and sour grapes bias. I'm no fan of Trump either, but the first example used (future of ISP's) is an easy 5 second google.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/polit...

    Trump was quite clear it was against future amalgamations and consolidations as it offers no benefit to consumers. He was clear that he said he would be actively in favor of blocking said consolidations. I'll leave it to your common sense what that means for the average person.

    As to other areas of science and technology, it is probably a bit more vague, but in at least that one example it is pretty straight forward what his opinion is. As it relates to technology in general the only thing I can think of off the top of my head is his enforcement of "fixing" the H1b issue for tech workers (if you actually believe him is another matter), and how much of an emphasis of how important the whole "Cyber" thing is (if you actually believe he knows anything about what he is talking about is another matter).

    At any rate I don't think any of the "science and technology" really featured in any big way for any candidate really so it is kind of moot. I guess in a round about way Hillary adopting some of Sanders education stance may have enhanced academic science in universities through enrollment. Maybe. I don't think Trump was a big Climate Change guy either so you could probably call it a net loss at least in that respect.

  56. See what I mean folks? However... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since you ask? Ok (Dr. "StRaNgE" speaks for me, quotes from https://www.youtube.com/watch?... ):

    "Thru the mystic arts we harness energy & shape reality - We travel great distances in an instant"

    "The Avengers protect the world from physical dangers - we safeguard it against more mystical threats"

    "How do I get from here to there?"

    ANSWER APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-4 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=%22APK+Hosts+File+Engine%22+and+%22start64%22&btnG=Google+Search&gbv=1/

    APK

    P.S.=> Making your web FASTER + SAFER vs. remote DNS & browser addons 4 more security, speed, reliability & anonymity via what you have natively vs. illogically "Bolting on 'MoAr'" using more doing LESS!

    NOT to reverse this (no "turning back time" ala "the GOOD dr." this time, DR. PIZZA 'goiter man' of Ars hideous fool - lol, even growing a beard or putting your hand in front of it in photos doesn't WORK, freak)... apk

  57. Trump's most valuable contribution by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 2

    Since Trump has never articulated a comprehensive science/tech platform, the most we can hope for right now is that the Democrats will finally be shocked into ditching the anti-science left and reaching back to its great days of popularity under Roosevelt to rebuild its base.

    Franklin Roosevelt summoned oil pipelines into being when the country needed them: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
    Today's Democrats look for fake religious reasons - not even scientifically testable environmental arguments - why pipelines should not be built.

  58. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

    You won't be missed in any way what so ever by anyone.

    Snowflake.

  59. Re: Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Respect is a 2 way street. Tell ya boy Donald to stop looking at woman as sex objects, stop treating all Mexicans like rapists, etc, then we will talk about respect.

    Until then stfu because a pig that throws mud is still a dirty fucking pig.

  60. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

    This sort of angry, insulting rhetoric helps nobody. If America wants to move forward, people on both sides need to stop being such asshats and actually try to listen to each other.

    --
    Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
  61. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by DogDude · · Score: 1

    Don't pretend like "both sides" are being asshats. Hilary and supporters don't call Mexicans rapists, don't grab women by the pussies, don't encourage violence. That's a false dichotomy.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  62. Change you probably can't believe in by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not a Trump supporter, not a Clinton supporter. This election was unfortunate and embarrassing most of all by the two (realistic) candidates on offer.

    Supporters and detractors seem to forget the relatively modest power that a president wields right after a contentious election like this. It's really not much more than the bully pulpit, appointments, vetoes, and executive orders. He can't build a wall by himself, he can't defund or fund anything. Sure, Republicans control Congress, but he's already burned a lot of those bridges and the rank and file will be less than keen in helping him enact isolationist legislation. The biggest worry I have, and I think it's a legitimate one, is that his tendency for vengefulness may extend to international disputes.

    Bleh.

  63. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

    Both sides are being asshats. Trump said some illegal immigrants from Mexico were rapists, not that Mexicans as a whole were. It's a bigoted statement, but try to get it right. Given Bill's record I'd be surprised if he hadn't grabbed a few by the pussy. And Hillary's supporters don't encourage violence? That's a laugh. Take a look on Twitter some time. They are threatening to beat up Trump voters. They started fights at Trump rallies. They maced a (Hispanic) grandmother and one of her grandkids.

    Bigger picture, the Left is guilty of painting all Trump supporters as if they were Trump himself, when many aren't bad people, they're just scared. Trump got lots of votes in areas where Obama did well with white voters. There are certainly elements of racism, but most of the Left are painting it like it's the whole picture. It's clearly not.

    --
    Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
  64. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hitler's and Mussolini's followers were scared too. Does that mean they're all great people, too? No, supporters of this madman are just as guilty as he is.

  65. Also Immigration by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    One other Trump position that is likely scaring the hell out of the Silicon Valley titans is the possibility of a much tighter immigration system, especially a large scale-back of the H1B program.

  66. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You make it sound like electing Trump wasn't a decision on what's best for the USA but a giant middle finger against people who you resent.

  67. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People *have* been trying to do that. And while it's been bad since 2008, the problem wasn't exactly started by the administration that came into power in the middle of the financial crisis and tried to put out the fire, or in the decade before that. It has been bad, but putting someone in charge who doesn't have much of an economic plan beyond "reduce taxes mostly for the very wealthy and everything will be fine" isn't a recipe for success. Come to think of it, that approach historically is exactly the point where the US budget went from surplus to deficit last time, and Trump's solution is to push the same thing even harder and see what happens.

    The stunning part is the way that people of middle or lower income think anything in Trump's economic plan is likely to benefit them. It's an experiment that's been run over and over again for decades without much evidence of success. Maybe you can legitimately claim that the current policy isn't working, but to go back to one that was tried and largely failed is bizarre. It's like re-selling someone snake oil after they've already tried it and it did nothing.

    Trump's a good salesman. I'll give him credit for that.

  68. H1B Visas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I returned to a normal day of work in Silicon Valley today. You wouldn't believe the crap I heard.

    But the most important thing: there is a fear in SV that the stream of H1B visas will end, and employers will be forced to go overseas or (WORSE) hire Americans.

  69. Fast forward to mundane singularity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    An interesting side effect of Trump may be his election singlehandedly accelerating the approach of a mundane singularity.

    Economic policies that accelerate reshoring/inshoring work will force the hand of many companies to return manufacturing to the US. BUt those companies are very aware that despite the regulations and the PR issues surrounding it, they can not hire more US employees because US citizens currently cost too much.

    Thus, those manufacturing companies will throw gobs of money at factory automation. This runs from software full simulations of full factories (from inputs through line design to output, allowing rapid iteration of manufacturing lines and fast switching to different products), to more generic robots (human torso analogs with manipulators that can more or less use human sized tools) that at first are assistive then become replacements for humans on lines, finally moving towards on demand reconfigurable lines that are fully automated (lights-out factories).

    You can start to see that with flower cell style manufacturing lines with a product pedestal surrounded by parts bins, next the parts bins ride on Kiva robots so the right parts arrive to the worker just-in-time, swapping out bins so the worker is no longer limited the maximum variety of parts in bins in a fixed configuration. Then the worker gets a TV (or an AR helmet) showing assembly guides for the product they are currently working on (guides generated by the virtual factory simulation). Next Baxter style assistive arms pick parts from the bins to hand to the worker, followed by the arms being directly mounted on the assembly pedestal, eventually replacing the human worker for assembly tasks (because the robot is guided by the virtual factory design, which has a virtual robot with simulated planned motion control).

    A good recent example is Tesla moving towards very high automation for assembly, with the stated goal of lights out factories. A company that builds in the US.

    The irony here is the very people that voted Trump in will likely be amongst the first casualties in the rapid disemployment of the middle and lower class.

    Are you in tech? Get familiar with machine learning and robotics. Low end IT? Expect to be lowered to branch office network monkey for remote hands. Manufacturing? No jobs. Maintenance trades? Maybe some niches.

    So, tons of dev in software simulation and machine learning, robotics/autonomous navigation, AR to guide (temp) workers, high speed wireless networks, IoT sensor/surveillance systems. Those who directly build the future will benefit, everyone else is consigned to be the new working poor. Will you choose to be a collaborator for this new dystopia?

  70. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

    I didn't say they were great people, let alone good. Just that most of them aren't bad. But yeah, keep the hyperbole train rolling.

    --
    Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
  71. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would love to see Trump implement his tariff idea, just to see the faces on all the people struggling to make ends meet as they enter their local Walmart and see prices quadruple. That plus his tax plan which hits the poor and middle class while giving the rich a break, also he said we are paid too much to be competitive so salaries will need to drop or stagnate. Pray you don't have an existing condition as no insurer will want to insure you once the ACA is gone. Did I miss anything?

  72. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by soc_cost_priv_gains · · Score: 1

    Looking at the bigger picture, the economic picture, what these Trump supporters did, I am assuming they are not 1%ers, is to cut off their nose to spite their face. Trump's tax plan favors the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class. His tariffs will make goods much more expensive which will hit the poor and middle far more than the rich. Also, didn't he say he could shoot someone and still have supporters. If I were Republican I would consider that insulting.

  73. Re:Trump is the worst nightmare... by Anonymous+Cow+Ward · · Score: 1

    I'm going to disagree somewhat. Most of his supporters were from rural areas, which didn't get much in the way of social services anyway - there's a budget bias towards the cities and it's harder to get aid in rural areas as well. As such, reduced taxes really only help those people. Tariffs would make goods more expensive, but if these people get jobs from new manufacturing (debatable) then they'd at least have something.

    This is something I think a lot of the left didn't understand. Many small rural towns are disintegrating because the one factory that employed everyone closed down or moved. These people have very few economic prospects, and they've largely been ignored by both sides. The shunning by the left hurt more, though, because the left is supposed to care about the poor - but in practice they mostly help the urban poor. And the cultural forces, which are overwhelmingly liberal, make fun of them all the time. Call them stupid hicks, insult their lifestyle, etc. It was only natural they'd take offence at some point.

    --
    Examine even your most deeply held beliefs. Nobody is always right.
  74. Trump and business by billd10 · · Score: 0

    It appears to me that Trump favors smaller businesses over big ones. We've had way too much M&A activity which eventually stifles competition. No wonder the big tech company CEOs preferred Hillary to Trump. She is a known quantity who can be persuaded to do just about anything with the right amount of a cash "donation."

  75. WTO by NewYork · · Score: 1

    US/Trump may exit WTO