Should Golf Dump Donald Trump?

[ghalfaire]

Well the answer to the OP is clear as far as I know.  Golf has a "right" to do business with "the Donald" or not as golf sees fit.  Of course "the Donald" has a right to his opinion and to voice it and others, like golf, have a right to associate with the Trump businesses or not.  In this country you have a right to say pretty much what ever you want, not matter how stupid or incorrect it is, without fear of retribution from your Government.  But your fellow citizens also have a right to not associate with you if they are offended by what you say and can even have recourse through the courts if what you say is libelous or slanderous.  As a free society one of the rights we don't have is "to never be offended by the words or actions of other citizens".  But we do have a right to not associate with people who offend us.

[rkim291968]

(just in case itsnot well known in the US, Trump is another word we brits us for Fart )

That did it.  I am not playing in Trump's golf courses, and won't be voting for him.

[Mr. Desmond]

When there is a need for people, businessmen will hire.

There is an unseemly chasm between executives and normal employees in large corporations, but that discussion is for another topic.

As to Trump, I suggest that "Golf" wait. I can't see Trump gaining any traction other than with the 50% of the Tea Party who are xenophobes. At the same time, he has a paid staff in the early primary states, so he may be thinking early momentum may put him in the driver's seat.

So Golf should wait.

[Moppy]

I'm curious as to how many people actually heard or read Trump's comments, vs those who have just heard about them as reported by the media.

Doesn't matter, they are going to anger pretty much half the country whatever he said.

You don't know much about economics...

Greece and Venezuela are working out great, aren't they?

This is why Golf should dump Trump, not because he is from the right, but because he is political and polarizing. Same as when Sunday Night Football dumped Kow-Kollege Keith Olberman.

Who needs it in sports?

[dfreuter415]

Who are you really hurting by canceling charity tournaments?  Trump?  I think not.  It is the people who are the beneficiaries from the money raised at the tournaments who are really the losers.

And for what? Because you do not like the bloviations of an egomaniac?

We, in America, are guaranteed the right of free speech by our Constitution. If you don't like the Donald's rhetoric, you can show your disapproval in any number of ways, including the ballot box. But to cancel charity events seems counterproductive to me.

[RickK]

Who are you really hurting by canceling charity tournaments?  Trump?  I think not.  It is the people who are the beneficiaries from the money raised at the tournaments who are really the losers.

And for what? Because you do not like the bloviations of an egomaniac?

We, in America, are guaranteed the right of free speech by our Constitution. If you don't like the Donald's rhetoric, you can show your disapproval in any number of ways, including the ballot box. But to cancel charity events seems counterproductive to me.

Well said.

[Golfingdad]

Who are you really hurting by canceling charity tournaments?  Trump?  I think not.  It is the people who are the beneficiaries from the money raised at the tournaments who are really the losers.

And for what? Because you do not like the bloviations of an egomaniac?

We, in America, are guaranteed the right of free speech by our Constitution. If you don't like the Donald's rhetoric, you can show your disapproval in any number of ways, including the ballot box. But to cancel charity events seems counterproductive to me.

I'd agree, except this isn't really an issie, is it?  No tournaments are going to be canceled, they'll just move them to a course that isn't owned by Trump.  It's even entirely possible that whatever fees they have to pay for this kind of thing might be lesser at a non Trump course (based on what he charges for greens fees), in which case, moving the tournament(s) away from Trump courses could INcrease the amount the charities are receiving.

[ghalfaire]

Who are you really hurting by canceling charity tournaments?  Trump?  I think not.  It is the people who are the beneficiaries from the money raised at the tournaments who are really the losers.

And for what? Because you do not like the bloviations of an egomaniac?

We, in America, are guaranteed the right of free speech by our Constitution. If you don't like the Donald's rhetoric, you can show your disapproval in any number of ways, including the ballot box. But to cancel charity events seems counterproductive to me.

I'd agree, except this isn't really an issie, is it?  No tournaments are going to be canceled, they'll just move them to a course that isn't owned by Trump.  It's even entirely possible that whatever fees they have to pay for this kind of thing might be lesser at a non Trump course (based on what he charges for greens fees), in which case, moving the tournament(s) away from Trump courses could INcrease the amount the charities are receiving.

I would suspect that Trump donated the course and took his normal rental fee as a tax deduction.  Although I don't know that for a fact but I have to believe most businesses "donate" some or all of their normal fees for charity events.  So I tend to agree with the upper quote that cancelling the event at the Trump course is a symbolic gesture as I doubt it hurts Trump financially.

[acetoolguy]

Who are you really hurting by canceling charity tournaments?  Trump?  I think not.  It is the people who are the beneficiaries from the money raised at the tournaments who are really the losers.

And for what? Because you do not like the bloviations of an egomaniac?

We, in America, are guaranteed the right of free speech by our Constitution. If you don't like the Donald's rhetoric, you can show your disapproval in any number of ways, including the ballot box. But to cancel charity events seems counterproductive to me.

There have been limits placed on free speech since its inception. The organizers of the tournament expressed their disapproval, just as you suggested.  You don't seem to like the way they expressed it. Different issue.

It seems the high Trump gets out of seeing his name on TV and in papers more than offsets the cost. Its his money, he can lose it anyway he likes.

[Mulligan Jeff]

I had read that Trump held a low handicap but after seeing his swing this past week on TV it looks like he's a stiff. So yeah dump The Donald but only temporarily cuz everyone deserves a second chance.

[iacas]

I voted no. There are plenty of worse people who are involved with golf tournaments, and "bad people" (whether Trump is one or isn't I don't really care) employ plenty of "good people" too.

[JazzFatCat]

I voted yes.

What he said is misinformed and worse than what Donald Sterling said. Also the fact that Trump thinks making golf more elitist will inspire people to work harder to make more money so that they can afford to play fancy elitist courses proves that he doesn't have a good grasp of reality.

[SoundandFury]

Of course not, but chances are he's going to be forced out by the PC police.  This has nothing to do with him being a nut (though he is), it has to do with the current political climate in this country.  If you happen to have some opinion that one side in particular doesn't agree with you, you're automatically labeled a bad person, or a bigot, or some other term du jour.  If trump had stood up and said "we need to open the border and provide all the social services in the world to illegal immigrants", he would have been cheered as progressive and probably given a goddamn medal.

[AmazingWhacker]

If I was the PGA, I would want to sever ties.  Now, I realize The Donald has lots of money and there might be implications for the PGA that I'm not aware of . . but just on the face of it .. I would severe ties.  Not for the latest dust-up but for all the past dust-ups and for being the kind of person that generates controversy on a far too regular basis.  One of these days he's really going to do or say something crazy and go full Ted Nugent. The PGA doesn't want to be anywhere near him when that happens.

Trump would be a better ambassador for the WWF.

[Abu3baid]

DT is a polarizing fellow ain't he? Yeah, I'm sure golf will distance themselves until the wind blows over and then they'll be crawling back if there is $$$$ involved.

[nowon]

The Donald is miffed with the LPGA for saying some things he did not like. In a letter to LPGA President Mike Whan, Trump took the LPGA to task for their stance on DT's now infamous comments. After noting his support for the LPGA, Trump magnanimously stated would let the LPGA out of its contract to hold the Ricoh Women's Open at Trump Turnberry. Uhhh... Donald... The Ricoh women's Open is a Brit event, run by the Ladies Golf Union. It isnot run by the LPGA. :doh: You could go to geoffshackelford site and find the story. i'm thinking posting a link may be against the rules.

[DocWu1948]

He can say what he wants. The PGA can also do what it wants but I think a tournament at Doral transcends whoever owns it.

However, Rick Reilly said in his book "Who's Your Caddy?" that Trump finds it hard to count above 5 in golf, and gives himself chips. LOL  Anyway, that affirmed my negative opinion about Trump many years ago. Don't like his politics much, but don't write down bogey when it was a triple.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aguirre

The Obama administration spent more money on immigration enforcement in 2012 than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined.*  The government plays with expenses, but not that much.  And one girl who got shot by an illegal immigrant?  GTFO with that appeal to emotion.

Illegal immigration is a problem in the sense that we continually offer social welfare programs to non-taxpaying residents.  And beyond that, it's nationalism.  But that isn't the the issue being discussed.  Nobody thinks that illegal immigration isn't a problem (or, to be more precise, the costs that arise from illegal immigration).  But racism is a problem.

* http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/07/obama-immigration-enforcement/1815667/

The girl who got shot is a perfect example of why we need to stop these vermin from coming in. If one of them is a killer, then that's one too many and reason enough to stop the infestation from the south.

Go ahead though, use the words "racist" or "bigot" in your response lol.

OK folks, and not just you @mtsalmela80 , keep the discussion civil.  You all are bordering on being restricted from the thread. Any more name calling at each other will result in restriction.