
‘I’m Here to Help,’ U.S. President-Elect Tells Tech Executives - randomname2
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/technology/trump-tech-summit.html
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candiodari
Given that Trump's economic theory is essentially based on repatriated profits
being reinvested into the US, he presumably wants to talk with the companies
that have those offshore piles of cash, not so much with Tech executives. This
seems to me to also be the more plausible reason that Twitter wasn't invited.

Amazon $9 billion offshore Apple $230 billion held offshore Oracle $52 billion
Microsoft $93 billion offshore cash Google $73 billion Intel $31 billion Cisco
$41 billion offshore IBM $44 billion ...

The theory (that GS is pushing) is that this cash will be used for large scale
share repurchases, and I assume that given Trump's appointments he agrees.
2017 should be a year where the effects of 2016 reinforced: narrower and
narrower stock market gains, limited to huge companies.

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dharma1
I think there is a good chance of exactly this - cash repatriation in exchange
for lower taxation on it, then using that tax revenue for partly funding the
infrastructure projects that he's promised to create jobs.

But share repurchases is a lame way to spend the money - though I'm sure the
people who get to choose will favour it because it boosts their compensation
directly. Trump should ask for (at least some of it) to be used on more
productive things like R&D, hiring, and VC deals on long term investments that
are currently underfunded.

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corybrown
It's amazing how quickly Silicon Valley Valley falls into line. Before the
election, there was a lot of tough talk about fighting against Trump. Now it's
all about working with him.

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jameskilton
Being in that meeting is not "falling into line". Everyone in that room knows
who Trump is. There's no better way to know what needs to be done to fight him
than to be on his good side.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"

Time will tell who's schmoozing and who isn't.

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caminante
I don't think an individual could afford to miss it.

That's the host exerting power.

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jmakeig
This was nothing but a ring-kissing ceremony only to boost Trump’s own ego.
The entire Trump campaign has been a sophomoric revenge fantasy exacted
against the (actual) elites who have excluded him his entire life. Trump is
not interested in solving problems—that’s hard work without clear benefit to
himself. This meeting was a public airing of the fact that he “won” and now
those with real economic or social power need to kowtow to him. Having his
children there only reinforces this. It would have been refreshing for
someone—anyone—to object to Don, Eric, and Ivanka being present.

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sgnelson
Saying, "I'm here to help you folks do well" to the CEO's of American
companies, is a lot like telling people you're smart. If you're really smart,
if you're really here to help, you don't have to tell anyone, your actions
will speak for you. This applies especially if you're the President Elect,
it's kind of a given that you should probably try to help American companies;
or maybe that's just me.

But hey, I guess it's better than saying, "I'm here to make you guys do
poorly." And as everything Trump says, the proof will be in the pudding.

Oh, and once again, Ivanka is in the room. So it really does seem as if we'll
have our first woman president (or co-president) after all.

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em3rgent0rdr
"I'm from the government, and I'm Here to Help"

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r00fus
Clearly Reagan's quote was a warning to us about a future GOP President...

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alistproducer2
Enablers will not be forgotten.....

