Trump is determined to take down Amazon — and it could be terrible news for HQ2

[Frank Cannon]

True story: a couple years ago, I was perusing Craigslist and started looking at the Personals section, just for jollies.

I came across a "woman seeking man" personal. A blurry picture, seemed like a decent enough person, not that I'd ever date anyone off that site. I wondered why she'd be on a seedy place like Craigslist. Well, a couple of days later, I found out. Another guy had apparently taken the bait and found out "she" was a shemale.

They need love too?

[catfish1957]

Except.  More at:

http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-amazon-hatred-raises-hq2-concerns-2018-3

I used to love shopping Amazon, until it appeared it was apparent that each purchase means a nail in the coffin for brick and mortar stores.   Folks,  it may not be long until touching, feeling, and trying a product before purchase becomes a thing of the past.

Now, I will only use Amazon for things I can't buy normally at the store.   Even if it many paying a few dollars more for it.

[Idiot]

They need love too?

[WingNot]

They need love too?

Never discount The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys in matters of the heart.

[Applewood]

I used to love shopping Amazon, until it appeared it was apparent that each purchase means a nail in the coffin for brick and mortar stores.   Folks,  it may not be long until touching, feeling, and trying a product before purchase becomes a thing of the past.

Now, I will only use Amazon for things I can't buy normally at the store.   Even if it many paying a few dollars more for it.

To be fair, I think a lot of brick and mortar stores are going under because of their own bad business decisions.  Look at Sears.  Today, I read that the CEO is getting a raise -- while the company is crying that it is losing money.  This is the latest in a long line of bad decisions that are killing the chain. 

Then there are malls where many of these stores are located.  Many of them have become unsafe.  Too many gangstas roaming around.  If they aren't shooting each other on mall property, they are shoplifting or sticking up the patrons or breaking into cars in the parking lots -- among other things.  Mall owners make a lot of money gouging their tenants, but they refuse to spend the money to make their property safe.  Add to that the crowds, particularly around the December holidays.  Why go through the hassle and potential danger when you can sit at home in your jammies and buy online? 

So it's not necessarily Amazon's fault that these retailers aren't smart enough to deliver a product with the speed, convenience, safety and customer service of Amazon.

I agree that there are some things I don't want to buy sight unseen online -- major appliances, for example.  And I can't see ordering perishables like milk online, so there will always be stores -- although Amazon is experimenting with physical stores for those things you can't buy online.  But for a lot of things -- particularly when the weather is bad or if it's really too much trouble to actually go to  a store -- Amazon is all right with me.

[catfish1957]

To be fair, I think a lot of brick and mortar stores are going under because of their own bad business decisions.  Look at Sears.  Today, I read that the CEO is getting a raise -- while the company is crying that it is losing money.  This is the latest in a long line of bad decisions that are killing the chain. 

Then there are malls where many of these stores are located.  Many of them have become unsafe.  Too many gangstas roaming around.  If they aren't shooting each other on mall property, they are shoplifting or sticking up the patrons or breaking into cars in the parking lots -- among other things.  Mall owners make a lot of money gouging their tenants, but they refuse to spend the money to make their property safe.  Add to that the crowds, particularly around the December holidays.  Why go through the hassle and potential danger when you can sit at home in your jammies and buy online? 

So it's not necessarily Amazon's fault that these retailers aren't smart enough to deliver a product with the speed, convenience, safety and customer service of Amazon.

I agree that there are some things I don't want to buy sight unseen online -- major appliances, for example.  And I can't see ordering perishables like milk online, so there will always be stores -- although Amazon is experimenting with physical stores for those things you can't buy online.  But for a lot of things -- particularly when the weather is bad or if it's really too much trouble to actually go to  a store -- Amazon is all right with me.

Some valid points, but there are still plenty of well run companies that are suffering.  I'd rather not contribute to their demise.

[DB]

Some valid points, but there are still plenty of well run companies that are suffering.  I'd rather not contribute to their demise.

The simple truth for all business is adapt or die. The one constant in life beyond death is change.

[catfish1957]

The simple truth for all business is adapt or die. The one constant in life beyond death is change.

I agree.  For 95% of people getting everything via AMZ via mail, that may be fine.  Not for me though, and my prerogative  as a consumer to exercise that right.

[Victoria33]

Perhaps I’m naive, but this seems like a really stupid thing for a populist liberal to do.
Since with Trump it is always about him, what does he expect to gain from this?

@musiclady

It is personal, as usual, for Trump to destroy anyone opposed to him.  Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, also owns the Washington Post newspaper, which Trump detests, and Jeff has more money than he does.  Trump will keep after Amazon to destroy it and Jeff.

Many of us depend on Amazon for items we use/want due to problems walking distances in big stores and some people have no transportation to get to stores.  Amazon delivers when they say it will be there.  One time a package was lost in transit and another one was sent immediately.   One time I had to return something and by the time I got back from mailing it, it was already credited to my account.

No one is safe from Trump's madness.  Medicare not paying for pain meds starts Jan. 1. Plus, only 7 pain pills can be bought at one time.  He will say he won the war on drugs as prescriptions for it will drop dramatically.  His "win" will cause suicide numbers to go up as people won't be able to stop their pain.

[truth_seeker]

@musiclady

 Plus, only 7 pain pills can be bought at one time. 

Would you kindly provide proof for that claim?  Thanks in advance.

@Victoria33 @Cyber Liberty

[Victoria33]

Would you kindly provide proof for that claim?  Thanks in advance.
@Victoria33 @Cyber Liberty

@truth_seeker
@Cyber Liberty
@mystery-ak

Dallas Morning News, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, front page, then going to 9A, whole page except for a large ad on page.

"The rule means Medicare would deny coverage for more than seven days of prescription equivalent to 90 milligrams or more of morphine daily, except for patients with cancer or in hospice."

So, you only get 7 days worth unless you are dying.

[ABX]

The simple truth for all business is adapt or die. The one constant in life beyond death is change.

And Amazon is big for the most part because consumers freely chose them. There isn't a thing on Amazon (other than a few of their branded products but even those have competing types of products) that most people can't choose to buy at a local business or one of thousands of places online.

This really comes down to two things- greed and pettiness. Greed from people that want some of their money and pettiness that they don't agree with them on everything. The government shouldn't be in the business of either (but sadly they are).

[Cyber Liberty]

@truth_seeker
@Cyber Liberty
@mystery-ak

Dallas Morning News, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, front page, then going to 9A, whole page except for a large ad on page.

"The rule means Medicare would deny coverage for more than seven days of prescription equivalent to 90 milligrams or more of morphine daily, except for patients with cancer or in hospice."

So, you only get 7 days worth unless you are dying.

@truth_seeker  I found it in the NYT:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/27/health/opioids-medicare-limits.html

What @Victoria33 says is 100% backed up in the story.  Vic, we still have a couple of days to gripe them about it, the rule doesn't get approved until Monday, April 2nd, and NYT is reporting a great deal of blowback on this.

[Victoria33]

@truth_seeker  I found it in the NYT:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/27/health/opioids-medicare-limits.html
What @Victoria33 says is 100% backed up in the story.  Vic, we still have a couple of days to gripe them about it, the rule doesn't get approved until Monday, April 2nd, and NYT is reporting a great deal of blowback on this.

@Cyber Liberty

Yes, that is the article that is in the Dallas Morning News.  If this happens on Jan. 1, let me know which back street ally I can go to, to buy the pain med from a shifty guy with a black hoodie over his face.  These guys will always have it. /sarcastic

[truth_seeker]

http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/prescribing-policies-states-confront-opioid-overdose-epidemic.aspx

This is a link from the NYT version of the story. It indicates 24 states already have limits, but not CA, AZ or TX.

[Cyber Liberty]

http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/prescribing-policies-states-confront-opioid-overdose-epidemic.aspx

This is a link from the NYT version of the story. It indicates 24 states already have limits, but not CA, AZ or TX.

So, is it OK for Trump's bureaucrats to shove Doctors away from their Patients, leaving them in crippling pain, or just OK if States do it?

[Cyber Liberty]

@Cyber Liberty

Yes, that is the article that is in the Dallas Morning News.  If this happens on Jan. 1, let me know which back street ally I can go to, to buy the pain med from a shifty guy with a black hoodie over his face.  These guys will always have it. /sarcastic

I called my Congresswoman.  She's a Dem, so is likely to get in Trump's bureaucrats' faces because she hates the Parade Boy.  Hates me too, probably, but I don't care.

[ABX]

For the sake of thread creep, a medicare/opioid topic.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,310055.msg1645549/topicseen.html#msg1645549

[Cyber Liberty]

For the sake of thread creep, a medicare/opioid topic.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,310055.msg1645549/topicseen.html#msg1645549

Thanks for posting that!

[DB]

I called my Congresswoman.  She's a Dem, so is likely to get in Trump's bureaucrats' faces because she hates the Parade Boy.  Hates me too, probably, but I don't care.

It looks like Andy Biggs will be my congressman in a month or two. From his Wiki page he looks pretty promising. Any brief opinion of him?

[Cyber Liberty]

It looks like Andy Biggs will be my congressman in a month or two. From his Wiki page he looks pretty promising. Any brief opinion of him?

Heard him on Broomhead (I think it was yesterday or the day before).  Seems like a good guy, supports "Right to Choose" that would allow terminal patients to try advanced drugs without official FDA approval.  Opposes so-called Net Neutrality.  You're moving in, right?

I am in the next district over, I have Kyrsten Sinema, a Dem.  She's done after this term because she's running for Flake's Senate seat.  My district was one of the designated safe Dem seats by the mis-named "non-partisan" Redistricting Committee in 2010.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Even in his 'trying' he is wiping out billions in investor value with his mouth and his thumbs.

Lost value comes back as soon as people realize that nothing will actually happen.

Even in his 'trying' he is lying about their not paying taxes (they actually pay a crap load).

Even in his 'trying' he is threatening a national sales tax on them.

Even in his 'trying' he is threatening to sick the justice department on them for anti-trust violations even though the are in no way a monopoly. (they are big because consumers choose them, not because there isn't competition).

Yes.  Because 'trying" to do something that isn't going to happen anyway doesn't keep me up at night. 

Is there anything about this that is Conservative for supports free markets?

So what if it isn't?

I really don't get this.  If there was some "Conservative of the Year" poll that actually mattered, or if we were in the middle of a primary season and trying to decide which guy to pick as the nominee, then sure.  I'd care more.  But otherwise, what ultimately matters more than every stupid word he says, or every moronic tweet, is what actually gets enacted on a policy level.  The whole "he's really a bad guy" argument doesn't make sense to me.  I don't care much if he's a bad guy, or not a consistent conservative.  I care what he actually gets done.  Hell, if he does all the right things for all the completely wrong reasons, I'm fine with that.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

People who want a father figure in office are most likely to be offended by the dumb, unpresidential things Trump sometimes does, like a child catching dad picking his nose.

As long as he brings the paycheck home, who cares?

Exactly.  That's not to say the other stuff doesn't matter at all, but in terms of relative importance, I'll take the rude, uncultured cad who ends up doing the right thing over the urbane, clever sophisticate who does the wrong thing.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

[/b]

But even if he can't do anything -- just his tweets and his whining adversely affects the markets.  He starts a trade war and the Dow plunges.

And then it popped right back up.

He threatens Amazon and Amazon's stock drops. 

It did?  You may want to check again.

As I said, stupid words that can't be backed up end up being meaningless.  Trump tweets, some morons panic for a few hours, but by the end of the day, the price is up over 1%.  Which illustrates perfectly the point I was making about policy being far more important than rhetoric.

[DB]

You're moving in, right?

Trying to...

[Cyber Liberty]

And then it popped right back up.

Not yet it hasn't, but I'm sure it will.  Mrs. Liberty, who is the analyst in this house. is sure of it.

[Cyber Liberty]

Trying to...

I hope you can get 'er done before May-June.  That's a Hella time to do heavy work like moving.

[LMAO]

Government picking winners and losers ( like Union steel companies benefitting from tariffs) is also Fascism or versions of Communism.

But still his acolytes insist Trump is the most Conservative president we've ever had.

No he's not.  He's already to the Left of W Bush AFAIC.

In many ways, Trump is becoming BHO’s third term

[kevindavis007]

And Amazon is big for the most part because consumers freely chose them. There isn't a thing on Amazon (other than a few of their branded products but even those have competing types of products) that most people can't choose to buy at a local business or one of thousands of places online.

This really comes down to two things- greed and pettiness. Greed from people that want some of their money and pettiness that they don't agree with them on everything. The government shouldn't be in the business of either (but sadly they are).

I also think it comes down to nostalgia for the mom and pop stores.  However, truth be told, a lot of mom and pop stores didn't have the item or way overpriced.

[kevindavis007]

In many ways, Trump is becoming BHO’s third term

Imagine if a Dem attacked amazon.com

[jmyrlefuller]

I also think it comes down to nostalgia for the mom and pop stores.  However, truth be told, a lot of mom and pop stores didn't have the item or way overpriced.

Well, mom and pop can't afford to lose money on an item solely to maintain market share the way a behemoth like Amazon can.

Do you want to know why mom and pops are popular? Responsiveness. Big chains like Amazon and Wal-Mart have a corporate structure, a chain of command that is inflexible. Each store runs things the way the detached corporate bosses, who usually have never met the employees their human resources departments hired or the customers they're serving, tell you to run them. You pay the employees what they tell you to; so, you have an employee that can provide more value than a mere drone? Too bad, he was hired as a drone, and that's all we have for him. They look at numbers and issue the diktat.

There's a reason why people constantly complain about working and shopping at corporate chains. They treat their employees and their customers like numbers.

[Sanguine]

Well, mom and pop can't afford to lose money on an item solely to maintain market share the way a behemoth like Amazon can.

Do you want to know why mom and pops are popular? Responsiveness. Big chains like Amazon and Wal-Mart have a corporate structure, a chain of command that is inflexible. Each store runs things the way the detached corporate bosses, who usually have never met the employees their human resources departments hired or the customers they're serving, tell you to run them. You pay the employees what they tell you to; so, you have an employee that can provide more value than a mere drone? Too bad, he was hired as a drone, and that's all we have for him. They look at numbers and issue the diktat.

There's a reason why people constantly complain about working and shopping at corporate chains. They treat their employees and their customers like numbers.

J. Myrle, I remember when we had a local hardware store, owned by one of the old timer families.  Limited stock, over-priced and, per the owner: "that's what we've got, take it or leave it".  I usually left it, and as soon as a chain store was built fairly close, the local store closed down.  I realize some mom-and-pops aren't like that, but for me, I don't miss the locals. 

[Polly Ticks]

Well, mom and pop can't afford to lose money on an item solely to maintain market share the way a behemoth like Amazon can.

Do you want to know why mom and pops are popular? Responsiveness. Big chains like Amazon and Wal-Mart have a corporate structure, a chain of command that is inflexible. Each store runs things the way the detached corporate bosses, who usually have never met the employees their human resources departments hired or the customers they're serving, tell you to run them. You pay the employees what they tell you to; so, you have an employee that can provide more value than a mere drone? Too bad, he was hired as a drone, and that's all we have for him. They look at numbers and issue the diktat.

There's a reason why people constantly complain about working and shopping at corporate chains. They treat their employees and their customers like numbers.

I've never worked for a big chain retail but based on what I hear from friends who have, I think you're largely right about their employees -- at least their warehouse employees -- being numbers. 

Having said that, my experience as an Amazon customer has been that they do customer service as good or better than anyone.  They've issued refunds for items damaged in shipping with no questions asked and they don't even require a return of the damaged item first (or at all, in some cases).  They've replaced at no charge a Kindle reader that was more than a year out of warranty.  And I don't have to wait 2 hours on hold when I call their customer service line, either.  All-in-all, I have been delighted with how they have taken care of me as a customer.

[Cyber Liberty]

I like Amazon because I can find almost anything, even if they're items normally not served locally by existing distribution systems.  If I want Maple Syrup only sold in Vermont, I can find it on Amazon and have it in my hands in Arizona within a few days.  I'm also lazy and like things delivered like a pizza.

[Applewood]

Where I live, most of the Mom and Pop stores from my youth are gone.  For a time they were replaced with payday loan scam outfits.  Now we have a business open today, then tomorrow it's gone.  More than a few have been raided by the police. 

I don't drive.  For some stores, there is public transportation, but when it's brutally cold out, I can't be outside waiting for a bus that might not show up.  And if the item is really large -- how an I going to cart it home on a bus?  And sometimes I will find a grocery item I like  at the local supermarket one day -- then a month or so later, the store no longer carries it. Much of the time, I'll find it on Amazon.

For me, online shopping has been a godsend.  There are only a handful of online retailers I can trust, and Amazon is one of them.  I have a prime membership, which allows me to get free shipping on many items and Prime Movies and TV.  Even for non-Prime items I can get some things from a third party seller on Amazon shipped free if I don't mind waiting a week or two.   

And as @Polly Ticks indicated, if something goes wrong, Amazon's customer service is exemplary.  Once the shipper claimed it had delivered a package from Amazon, but I never received it, or it was stolen.   Amazon credited my card right away.  Another time, I ordered a food item that was supposed to be low sodium, but it wasn't.  I could have returned it for free, if i could print a shipping label -- except I didn't have a printer.  Amazon said, forget about trying to return it.  My card was credited and i found a local food pantry willing to take the food.

Sure, i don't mind patronizing local businesses if I had any around or any which were reputable.  Since I don't, I will stick with Amazon.

[Cyber Liberty]

And sometimes I will find a grocery item I like  at the local supermarket one day -- then a month or so later, the store no longer carries it. Much of the time, I'll find it on Amazon.

That's been the story for me.  My local supermarket, Fry's (Kroger) does that to me a lot, so I'll just take the empty bottle of whatever, search it on Amazon, and find at least a half-dozen sellers offering it.

[musiclady]

That's been the story for me.  My local supermarket, Fry's (Kroger) does that to me a lot, so I'll just take the empty bottle of whatever, search it on Amazon, and find at least a half-dozen sellers offering it.

My experience as well. I can get everything that Kroger stops selling on Amazon.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

If this story is true, I'd like to know how he can legally target and destroy a business. 

And contrary to what this report says --  if he is successful in destroying Amazon, he's going to have a lot of very irate people on his hands.  Jeff Bezos should be the least of his worries.

The source appears to be a questionable site.  I would not trust it by perusing other stories on it, as it seems liberal bent.

[Applewood]

The source appears to be a questionable site.  I would not trust it by perusing other stories on it, as it seems liberal bent.

The story, or variations thereof, has been reported elsewhere.  It's well known that Trump is out to get Bezos and his two major companies, Amazon and WaPo because he is paranoid and a little kid -- out to get his enemies, real or imagined.  He also has to creare drama to keep his fans entertained.  As long as they are entertained, they will continue to support him.

By the way, it looks like this is a manufactured vendetta, as it appears appears Trump's campaign regularly used Amazon for supplies:

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/381143-fec-filings-show-trump-campaign-spent-158k-on-amazon-orders-despite

The reality tv presidency.   

[truth_seeker]

Just heard on the radio, that USPS loses $1.50 for every Amazon package carrier/delivered.

[kevindavis007]

Just heard on the radio, that USPS loses $1.50 for every Amazon package carrier/delivered.

So what..

[WingNot]

Just heard on the radio, that USPS loses $1.50 for every Amazon package carrier/delivered.

They make it up on volume.

[Cyber Liberty]

Just heard on the radio, that USPS loses $1.50 for every Amazon package carrier/delivered.

So what?  The USPS has been doing such a bang-up delivering boxes job Amazon started their own delivery.  They won't need USPS for much in a few years.  Problem solved!

[WingNot]

So what?  The USPS has been doing such a bang-up delivering boxes job Amazon started their own delivery.  They won't need USPS for much in a few years.  Problem solved!

Makes you wonder why no terrorist ever uses the USPS.

[Cyber Liberty]

Makes you wonder why no terrorist ever uses the USPS.

When you absolutely, positively need a package at its destination at a certain time, USPS is the last place you want to ship something.  No allowances for DST, either.

[INVAR]

Imagine if a Dem attacked amazon.com

Yup.  The same folks ambivalent or cheering Trump bashing Amazon would be in fits of outrage that if Obama was picking winners and losers based on his own personal desires to manipulate the market to punish those he decides need punishing and rewarding those businesses he wants to promote.

[kevindavis007]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9d72nbezwM

[roamer_1]

I agree.  For 95% of people getting everything via AMZ via mail, that may be fine.  Not for me though, and my prerogative  as a consumer to exercise that right.

I do that too... As much as I can. I prefer local shops, where I can have the actual object in my hand before I buy.

But the writing is on the wall - A hub kit (both sides, with brakes and calipers) for my van, bought locally through warehouses where I have a p1 account, were going to run nearly 500 bucks (and 5 business days), just for the parts.

Online, same exact parts, same exact brand... Eighty bucks, and two days away.

I like my local vendors, but not that much.

[WingNot]

When you absolutely, positively need a package at its destination at a certain time, USPS is the last place you want to ship something.  No allowances for DST, either.

Unions.  It kills the efficiency.

[Cyber Liberty]

Unions.  It kills the efficiency.

UPS is a union shop, too.  It's the deadly combination at USPS:  unions + government = pus