The Banter Brief: The Bombshell Report That Could Finish Trump

Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s free edition of The Banter Brief, the best rundown of the week that was on the interwebs.

Each week, we tell you what you need to know, what the polls are saying, what the best quote of the week was, what you need to watch, and what you should be excited about. It’s brief, to the point, and completely free, so make sure you are subscribed to get it every week!

1. Most Important Story Of The Week

The most important story of the week has been widely underreported, and that was Pro Publica’s release of some of Donald Trump’s property tax forms. Why is the story so big? As our own Bob Cesca wrote in his in-depth analysis yesterday, the forms indicate Trump “monkeys with his finances in order to pay less at tax time as well as to attain loans for his properties.” Pro Publica explains how:

For instance, Trump told the lender that he took in twice as much rent from one building as he reported to tax authorities during the same year, 2017. He also gave conflicting occupancy figures for one of his signature skyscrapers, located at 40 Wall Street.

This, in short, is tax fraud, and Trump can go to jail for this. He is immune while in office, but should he lose in 2020, no Democrat is going to be handing out Presidential pardons. The question then, is what can he do to avoid prosecution? The options he has are not good.

Read more: Bad News For Biff, Bad News For The Economy - Bob Cesca on why Trump’s property tax returns could result in him resigning from office.

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2. Poll Analysis

The polls this week are decidedly not good for the president. Trump’s job approval numbers are down two points, approval for Congress is up seven points from last month, and the majority of Americans are for impeachment.

We had the latest installment of the Democratic debate that appeared to change, well, nothing… Biden is still in first place, Warren second, Sanders third, and Harris a distant fourth. The debate was fiery enough, but with 927 candidates on stage, it was a little difficult to cut through the noise….

3. Quote of the Week

“Less than a year ago, Boris Johnson told the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) that “no British government could or should” put a customs border in the Irish Sea; he appointed himself minister for the union upon assuming the premiership; Tory hardcore Brexiteers solemnly pledged not to abandon their unionist brethren. Look how casually their erstwhile allies were tossed overboard: the truth is, they never really cared. What they really wanted – and what Boris Johnson’s hard Brexit deal gives them – is a chance to shred workers’ rights and social protections.”

- Owen Jones on Boris Johnson’s last minute Brexit deal with the EU

4. What To Watch On Netflix

Tiny House Nation

There’s a rather interesting housing movement going on that has gained significant attention in recent times. Tired of spending all their time cleaning huge houses, and paying off equally huge mortgages, people are radically downsizing and moving into “Tiny Houses” — small, often mobile living solutions that usually range from 200 - 400 square foot in size. The Netflix show ‘Tiny House Nation’ explores some of these houses and the people who live in them. While not exactly gripping television, it is extremely interesting to see the thought and care that goes into creating beautiful living spaces on a very low budget. It is a sign of the times that people are disavowing the materialistic, traditional home owning, debt culture that creates a lot of stress, and are moving towards a more simplistic, meaningful existence. Minimalism is making a big comeback with the Marie Kondo movement (ie, chuck everything out of your home), and those living in ‘Tiny Houses’ are taking it to another level.

5. Good News

Facebook’s attempt to create its own digital currency is going very, very badly indeed after companies like PayPal, eBay, Visa and Mastercard rapidly pulled out of their partnership with the tech behemoth. Known as ‘Libra’, the crypto currency has the potential to radically change the global economy given the sheer size of Facebook and its user base. This would be very good for…you guessed it, Facebook! The prospect of having a tech company that controls a) your social life, b) the news you read, c) the products you buy, and d) the money you use is truly frightening, and the pushback against Zuckerberg’s global domination attempts is a welcome one.

See you next week!

The latest for Banter Subscribers:

Bad News For Biff, Bad News For The Economy - Bob Cesca on why Trump’s property tax returns could result in him resigning from office.

The Unmatched Wisdom Of A Raving Madman - Ben Cohen on Trump’s decision to blow up the Middle East

John Bolton Threw Trump Under The Bus. Where's My Popcorn? - Justin Rosario on John Bolton’s unlikely contribution to Trump’s demise

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