[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

"but I also suspect there wouldn’t have been much difference with any other candidate, not in the first couple years. "

Maybe. No way of knowing. There are economists who say we're overdue for a recession, and that his pro-growth policies are helping delay that. The corporate tax cut is a big deal, and that was him.

"You are mistaken that the economy can turn on a dime"

Not on a dime. But not always at the pace of a cargo ship or glacier, either. I'm also not talking just about the market.

"While Trumps moves, primarily for corporate America and the upper class"

Black unemployment lowest EVER. Every move that a POTUS makes to grow the economy in a macro sense, will help the wealthy more, because they have more to invest, therefore they benefit more from growth. Did income inequality not increase when Obama got the economy back on track? How come no one cried about income inequality when Obama was exacerbating it? Can you answer that? I never, not once, heard you guys complain about income inequality from 2009-2016, and for damn sure the market gains increased income inequality. In January 2017, income inequality became a bad thing.

"his moves this past year seem to be having the opposite affect. "

You're all over the place. First you said that the economy only changes slowly, now you're saying that the moves that Trump made this year, are hurting the economy. Also, before you said there was more to the economy than the stock market, now you are focusing on the market correction, when all other economic fundamentals are healthy and robust.

So let's summarize what you are saying:

Trump inherited a healthy economy

there is more to the economy than the stock market performance

he made some moves in 2017, but they probably didn't contribute much to the economic improvement that occurred in 2017. The economic results in 2017 (which were good), aren't a result of trump.

Now in 2018, the stock market is doing poorly, everything else (unemployment and GDP and corporate profits) are favorable. And all of a sudden, (1) all that matters is stock market performance, let's ignore GDP and unemployment, and (2) NOW that "the economy" is doing poorly, and only then, does Trump own the results.

Sounds fair.

No I'm actually not all over the place, but spin it however you like. Didn't say the stock market dive this year means the economy has turned on a dime, but I'll applaud your attempt to try to put words in my mouth. I don't have the time or desire to spend the time you and others find to type detailed and mind numbing at time responses to insure meaning is crystal clear. It was too nice a day to play golf. What most economists, the Fed's and this year clearly by the stock market fear; is that the economy and run might be coming to an end. But like I said earlier despite your attempt to read it otherwise, is that even that will take time. At the end of his 4 year term, assuming he even makes it, we can debate again how is policies helped or hurt the economy.