Federal Credit Application Insurance Disclosure: Fill & Download for Free

A friend of mine put together an awesome handwritten sign outlining why she's voting for President Obama this year, I think it says almost everything you need to know:Many Americans take it for granted that President Obama has been one of the most effective Presidents since FDR. It's important to remember just how bad things were when he took office and how much he's accomplished since he's been in office.We were hemorrhaging jobs when this President took office and now we've gone from 10% unemployment down to around 8.5%. If the recovery continues on this path, we'll be back to around 5% unemployment by 2016.It's not just about jobs though, President Obama has also worked to restore America's image around the world. When President Bush was in office we were invading countries for no reason, now we've left Iraq and are in the process of leaving Afghanistan.In case you needed a few other examples of what President Obama has accomplished I put together a list below:Extended child tax credits and marriage-penalty fixesCreated an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processesRequired economic justification for tax changesImplemented "Women Owned Business" contracting programChanged standards for determining broadband accessEstablished a credit card bill of rightsExpanded loan programs for small businessesExtended the Bush tax cuts for lower incomesExtended the 2007 Alternative MinimumTax patchClosed the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug planExpanded the Senior Corps volunteer programRequired insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditionsGave tax credits to those who need help to pay health premiumsRequired large employers to contribute to a national health planRequired children to have health insurance coverageExpanded eligibility for MedicaidExpanded eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient careEstablished an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective informationIn non-competitive markets, forced insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient careEliminated the higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plansExpanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitionersIncreased funding to expand community based prevention programsReinstated executive order to hire an additional 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years.Increased the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionalsExpanded the Veterans Administration's number of "centers of excellence" in specialty careAppointed a special adviser to the president on violence against womenFully funded the Violence Against Women ActDirected military leaders to end war in IraqBegan removing combat brigades from IraqCreated a military families advisory boardEnded the abuse of supplemental budgets for warMade U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional on anti-terror effortsOpened "America Houses" in Islamic cities around the globeAllocated Homeland Security funding according to riskCreated a real National Infrastructure Protection PlanIncreased funding for local emergency planningExtended monitoring and verification provisions of the START I TreatyAppointed a White House Coordinator for Nuclear SecurityInitiated a grant and training program for law enforcement to deter cyber crimeImproved relations with Turkey, and its relations with Iraqi KurdsLaunched an international Add Value to Agriculture Initiative (AVTA)Created a rapid response fund for emerging democraciesGranted Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to CubaRestored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) programEstablished an Energy Partnership for the AmericasExpanded the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothersRequired new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions.Provided affordable, high-quality child careRecruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching professionReduced subsidies to private student lenders and protect student borrowersEncouraged water-conservation efforts in the WestIncreased funding for national parks and forestsIncreased funding for the Land and Water Conservation FundEncouraged farmers to use more renewable energy and be more energy efficientExpanded Pell grants for low-income studentsPursued a wildfire management planRemoved more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfiresExpanded access to places to hunt and fishPushed for enactment of Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation and other factorsRepealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policyRestored funding to the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance ProgramsReformed mandatory minimum sentencesCreated a White House Office on Urban PolicyFully funded the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)Established program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leadersEstablished 'Promise Neighborhoods' for areas of concentrated povertyWorked toward deploying a global climate change research and monitoring systemFunded a major expansion of AmeriCorpsCreated a Social Investment Fund NetworkBolstered the military's ability to speak differentlanguagesAppointed the nation's first Chief Technology OfficerProvided grants to early-career researchersWorked to overturn Ledbetter vs. GoodyearCreated a national declassification centerAppointed an American Indian policy adviserCreated new financial regulationsIncreased funding for land-grant collegesBanned lobbyist gifts to executive employeesSigned a "universal" health care billCreated new criminal penalties for mortgage fraudRequired 10 percent renewable energy by 2012Released oil from Strategic Petroleum ReserveRaised fuel economy standardsInvested in all types of alternative energyEnacted tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid carsAsked people and businesses to conserve electricityRequired more energy-efficient appliancesCreated a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veteransCreated job training programs for clean technologiesRequired states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumptionSupported high-speed railSupported airline service in small townsInvested in public transportationEqualized tax breaks for driving and public transitConsidered "smart growth" in transportation fundingShared environmental technology with other countriesDoubled federal spending for research on clean fuelsProvided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codesIncreased funding for the Environmental Protection AgencyRaised the small business investment expensing limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009Extended unemployment insurance benefits andtemporarily suspend taxes on these benefitsSupported network neutrality on the InternetReversed restrictions on stem cell researchKilled Osama bin LadenDoubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program that encourages manufacturing efficiencyIncluded environmental and labor standards in trade agreementsCreated an international tax haven watch listMade permanent the Research & Development tax creditRequired automatic enrollment in 401(k) plansRequired automatic enrollment in IRA plansCreated a consumer-friendly credit card rating systemCreated a $60 billion bank to fund roads and bridgesRequired full disclosure of company pension investments to employeesProvided easy-to-understand comparisons of the Medicare prescription drug plansInvested in electronic health information systemsPhased in requirements for health information technologyRequired that health plans utilize disease management programsRequired providers to report measures of health care costs and qualityHeld hospitals and health plans accountable for disparities in careImplemented and funded proven health intervention programsPrevented drug companies from blocking generic drugsAllowed Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug pricesWorked with schools to create more healthful environments for childrenImproved recruitment of public health workersMandated insurance coverage of autism treatmentFully funded the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research InitiativesDoubled federal funding for cancer researchIncreased participation in cancer-related clinical trialsFully funded the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)Set a national goal to provide re-screening for all 2-year-olds for developmental disordersCommissioned a study on students with disabilities and their transition to jobs or higher educationSet goals and timetables for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation ActCreated a best practices list for private businesses in accommodating workers with disabilitiesLaunched educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilitiesReduced the threshhold for the Family and Medical Leave Act from companies with 50 employees to companies with 25 employeesProvided a $1.5 billion fund to help states launch programs for paid family and medical leaveRequired employers to provide seven paid sick days per yearStreamlined the Social Security disability approval processExpanded Veterans Centers in rural areasEstablished standards of care for traumatic brain injury treatmentMade the Veterans Administration a national leader in health reformReduced the Veterans Benefits Administration claims backlogInstituted electronic record-keeping for the Veterans Benefits AdministrationExpanded housing vouchers program for homeless veteransLaunched a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessnessExpanded the Family Medical Leave Act to include leave for domestic violence or sexual assaultFully funded debt cancellation for heavily indebted poor countriesCreated a fund for international small and medium enterprises (SME)Launched robust diplomatic effort with Iraq and its neighborsProvided $30 billion over 10 years to IsraelLimited Guard and Reserve deployments to one year for every six yearsEnded the "Stop-Loss" program of forcing troops to stay in service beyond their expected commitmentsFully and properly equipped troopsCreated a Civilian Assistance Corps that would organize private sector professionals to help in times of needIncluded humanitarian international missions in long-term budgetingReviewed weapons programsModernized ships and invested more in small vesselsSet standards for when the government should hire defense contractorsRestored the government's ability to manage contracts by rebuilding our contract officer corpsCreated a system of incentives and penalties for defense contractsEstablish a Global Education FundStrengthened the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) aimed at stopping spread of weapons of mass destructionOrganized successful Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010Expanded federal bioforensics program for tracking biological weaponsDeveloped a comprehensive cyber security and response strategyMandated standards for securing personal dataRequired companies to disclose personal information data breachesWorked to persuade the European Union to end credit guarantees to IranSeek to negotiate a political agreement on CyprusRestructured and streamlined USAIDIncreased the size of the foreign serviceUrged China to stop manipulation of its currency valuePressed China to end its support for regimes in Sudan, Burma, Iran and ZimbabweCreated a public "Contracts and Influence" databaseRequired Cabinet officials to host Internet town hall meetingsConducted regulatory agency business in publicPromoted more pre-school educationExpanded Early Head Start and Head StartReformed No Child Left BehindDoubled funding for Federal Charter School Program and require more accountabilityAddressed the dropout crisis by giving schools incentives for more dropout preventionCreated Teacher Residency Programs that will send teachers to high-need schoolsExpanded teacher mentoring programs and provide incentives for more planning timePromoted innovative ways to reward good teachersSimplified the application process for financial aidIncreased the number of high school students taking college-level coursesCreated incentives for tree planting and promote carbon sequestrationImproved water qualityRegulated pollution from major livestock operationsStrengthened federal environmental justice programsIncreased funding for organic and sustainable agriculturePartnered with landowners to conserve private landsCreated a community college partnership programIncreased funding for progams that conserve lands and habitat for select species such as the Osceola turkeySupported wetlands protectionPromoted economic development in MexicoSupported repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)Vigorously pursued hate crimes and civil rights abusesSigned the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act into lawSupported regional innovation clustersHelped low-income areas get phone and Internet serviceCreated a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score for mortgage comparisonsIncreased the supply of affordable housing throughout metropolitan regionsInvested in transitional jobs and career pathway programsFully funded the COPS programImproved emergency response plansCapped interest rates on payday loans and improve disclosureExpanded public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizationsImproved climate change data recordsSupported improved weather prediction programOffered prizes for advances in consumer technologyEncouraged contests and programs to interest students in scienceIncreased research opportunities for college studentsStrengthened the levees in New OrleansDirected revenues from offshore oil and gas drilling to increased coastal hurricane protectionShook loose federal money for rebuilding the Gulf Coast

To call that “unlikely” would be an understatement. There’s no chance in hell.Let me give you a taste of the unbelievably long list of potentially disqualifying factors they could take issue with:Mob tiesLong history of shady dealings and mafia associations[1][2][3][4] (“Trump has willingly teamed up with a succession of mob-tied figures who had nothing to do with the construction industry.”[5])Trump’s bid to build a casino in Sydney, Australia was rejected due to his mob connections[6]Financial issues (credit/debt)His credit is so bad no American bank will loan him anything[7]Filed for bankruptcy for his companies 6 times[8]In serious debt, owing hundreds of millions to both U.S. and foreign lenders[9]Three different liens on his new Washington, D.C. hotel, including one for $5 million over failure to pay his contractors[10]Criminal associatesFelix Sater (convicted of violent and financial crimes)[11]Joseph Weichselbaum (convicted of grand theft auto, embezzlement, drug trafficking)[12][13][14]Tevfik Arif (allegedly ran a prostitution ring, technically acquitted)[15][16]Andrew Stein (lied about a ponzi scheme, convicted for tax evasion)[17]Michael Flynn (pleaded guilty of lying to FBI, getting leniency on other charges in exchange for cooperation)[18]Paul Manafort (under federal indictments with 30 charges, including conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money)[19][20][21][22]Rick Gates (also under federal indictments for 30 charges, including conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, some of which he’s already pleaded guilty to)[23][24]George Papadopoulos (pleaded guilty of lying to FBI, awaiting sentencing)[25]Michael Cohen (even before current legal troubles with regard to money laundering and campaign finance violations, he was connected with various insurance fraud schemes)[26]The Kushners (related by marriage to a family with various legal troubles, including a conviction for serious financial crimes)[27]plus all the folks included in the aforementioned mob tiesMoney LaunderingHis casino was fined $10 million for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, which they admitted to willfully violating[28][29]All sorts of credible allegations of money laundering for Russians through more than one of his properties and businesses, including activities in New York, Florida, and Panama[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]FraudPaid $25 million to settle Trump University fraud case[39][40]Investigated and sued for fraud by attorneys general of multiple states[41][42]Accused of tax fraud by a Mexican government official[43]Sued and criminally investigated for defrauding condo buyers, had to refund more than $3 million, plus pay an undisclosed settlement. Following the settlement, the people he paid refused to cooperate with the district attorney, so the criminal case was dropped[44]Foreign financial ties, especially with people connected to the Russian government[45][46][47][48]Suspicious political donations resembling bribery to escape prosecutionTo Florida Attorney General over Trump University fraud case[49][50]To California Attorney General over Trump U fraud case[51]To Manhattan District Attorney over his kids’ Trump SoHo fraud case[52][53][54]Vulnerability to blackmailPaid $130,000 hush money to porn star mistress[55][56]Long history of paying to keep people quiet[57]Allegations that foreign governments have compromising information on him[58][59][60]Serial adultery[61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69]Civil LitigationHabitually fails to honor contracts and has been involved in a staggering 3,500 lawsuits[70] — investigators are supposed to review every one!Sued by his own family members, not just his wives (and retaliated by cutting off medical treatment to critically ill infant)[71]Disgusting treatment of his tenants[72]Repeated run-ins with the lawFound guilty of hiring/mistreating undocumented immigrants[73] and had to pay $1 million[74]Fined $750,000 by Federal Trade Commission & Justice Department over antitrust violations and disclosure rules[75][76]Fined $15,000 by the Federal Election Commission for exceeding campaign contribution limits by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year.[77][78]Fined $250,000 by the New York State lobbying commission for “failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators.”[79]Skirted $50,000 campaign contribution limit by guaranteeing a $50,000 loan to New York politician and future convict Andrew Stein (which Trump later paid himself, even though, “or perhaps because he won”), in addition to another $50,000 he secretly split among 18 subsidiaries. When the New York State Commission on Government Integrity questioned him, he claimed he thought everyone knew the 18 companies were his, that he was just following lawyer advice, and that the loan was going to be paid back.[80][81][82][83]His foundation admitted to illegal “self-dealing” and is under investigation by the State of New York[84](and possibly the IRS, but they can’t say if they’re investigating)Apparently violated the Cuba embargo[85]Caught colluding in a tax evasion scam in 1986, testified against others so he wouldn’t be prosecuted[86]Paid a $250,000 fine after an investigation uncovered how he secretly ran an “ad campaign insinuating that an American Indian tribe threatening his casinos had ties to drugs and the Mafia.”[87]Violated the Fair Housing Act[88]Received an illegal loan worth millions of dollars, in violation of gaming laws[89]Violated anti-discrimination laws, fined $200,000 by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. He tried to appeal but lost.[90]Possible violations of U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and/or other foreign corruption connectionsAzerbaijan and ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard[91][92]Brazil[93]India[94]Likes to brag, has difficulty keeping a secret, AND **HAS REVEALED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION BEFORE**[95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102]Technically this question is asking about before he was president, so that wouldn’t have happened yet, but the bragging and trouble keeping a secret would come out in a background check. Ego is one of the four main methods foreign intelligence agencies use to get information from people.Up to 22 sexual assault allegations and/or other sexual misconduct, spanning four decades[103][104][105][106] How many people with Top Secret clearance have their own Wikipedia page full of sexual misconduct allegations?[107] In addition to the nearly two dozen women who have made allegations against him, there are recordings of Trump essentially admitting this behavior, corroborating some of the allegations himself:In a 2005 recording, Trump bragged in a radio interview about his practice of walking in on women and girls undressing at beauty pageants he owned, under the guise of “inspecting” it. “No men are anywhere, and I’m allowed to go in, because I’m the owner of the pageant.” By “allowed,” he apparently meant no one stopped him. Reveling in what he could “get away with,” his bragging left no ambiguity about his purpose: “You know, they're standing there with no clothes… And you see these incredible looking women, and so, I sort of get away with things like that.” His admission corroborates allegations made by some of the women he did this to, including five then-teenaged girls who competed in the 1997 Miss Teen USA pageant, some as young as 15. [108][109][110][111][112][113][114][115]In a separate 2005 incident, Trump was recorded saying he feels his celebrity allows him to assault women, specifically to kiss them (“I just start kissing them...I don't even wait...") or “grab” their genitalia, without their consent.[116][117][118][119][120] While Trump tried to downplay the remarks, he did admit to saying them and offered a rare apology.[121] In sworn testimony before Congress, Trump’s own appointee for Attorney General confirmed that the actions Trump described would “clearly” constitute sexual assault.[122]Compulsive lying[123][124][125][126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133]One of the most common reasons for rejection is dishonesty in the application process, or a failure to accurately disclose relevant information on the 100+ page security clearance application form called the SF-86. Odds are Trump would fudge the truth somewhere.Believe it or not, this isn’t even everything, I just got bored with the project.Any one of these many issues would potentially be enough to sink his chances on their own, but all of them? Come on. Even if his application somehow weren’t rejected just based on the first 5% of this, the sheer volume of information is so overwhelming that the background check wouldn’t even be completed.Also, this is just based on open source information. An actual background check involves full field investigation— reviews of every database, interviews with friends, family, business associates, neighbors, litigants, ex-wives, etc.And remember, security clearances are not decided on the same standard as criminal law and incarceration. In other words, he doesn’t have to be convicted in a court of law, there’s no “innocent until proven guilty” or “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard; suspicion is more than enough reason to be denied a security clearance. Furthermore, not every valid reason to deny a clearance is a crime. In fact, most are not (affairs, debt, alcoholism, shady friends, foreign ties, etc.)Below are the ten most common reasons people get denied clearance.[134][134][134][134] I’ve put the ones he might have problems with in bold:Financial ConsiderationsPersonal ConductDrug Involvement (though he did vouch for a convicted drug trafficker)Foreign InfluenceCriminal ConductAlcohol ConsumptionForeign PreferenceHandling Protected InformationUse of IT Systems (perhaps I should bold this for his heavy social media use and refusal to use a secure phone?)Sexual BehaviorA writer is supposed to show, not tell, but I know some people have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to Donald Trump’s shortcomings, so I’ll spell it out for you… He’d be blown out of the water on almost every category.I mean, we don’t even have to get into the shady mob ties or financial issues or foreign entanglements or rampant sexual misconduct…does that long list of fines he paid for violations of criminal and civil law suggest he’s someone with the requisite moral character to be trusted with national secrets?Do you think the people who grant security clearances would roll the dice with someone like this?…would you want them to??Footnotes[1] Just What Were Donald Trump's Ties to the Mob? [2] Trump ties to mobster, racist casino policies alleged in new report - Philly[3] Yes, Donald Trump has been linked to the mob[4] The truth about Donald Trump and his links to the mob[5] A Brief History of Donald Trump and the Mafia[6] Trump's bid for Sydney casino 30 years ago rejected due to 'mafia connections’[7] American banks don't support Trump — voters soon won't either[8] Donald Trump's six bankruptcies, detailed[9] Trump's latest financial disclosure shows he owes lenders at least $315 million[10] Third lien on Trump hotel brings alleged unpaid bills to over $5 million[11] Donald Trump And The Felon: Inside His Business Dealings With A Mob-Connected Hustler[12] The Drug Trafficker Donald Trump Risked His Casino Empire to Protect[13] https://books.google.com/books?id=LCbpDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=*+Joseph+Weichselbaum&source=bl&ots=QeKTrzp7X7&sig=n7U2261FrCk7Gxty6oXM8PGX2mw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGrtj8hJ3ZAhWkdN8KHdKTBO4Q6AEIVjAN#v=onepage&q=*%20Joseph%20Weichselbaum&f=false[14] Trump Vouched For Cocaine Trafficker[15] Trump pal busted for allegedly running hooker ring on yacht[16] Trump’s Former Business Partner Tries to Erase his Prostitution Bust From Web[17] Ex-Council President, Andrew Stein, Avoids Prison on Tax Evasion[18] Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I. and Will Cooperate With Russia Inquiry[19] Paul Manafort charged with conspiracy against the U.S.[20] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/special-counsel-mueller-files-new-charges-in-manafort-gates-case/2018/02/22/7db99c9c-1716-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html[21] Mueller files new charges against Manafort, Gates[22] Gates cuts a deal, and Manafort hit with new charges in Mueller probe[23] Read the FBI indictment against Paul Manafort and Rick Gates[24] Mueller files new charges against Manafort, Gates[25] Former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos pleads guilty to lying to the FBI agents in Mueller probe[26] The Company Michael Cohen Kept — “Trump, Inc.” Podcast — ProPublica[27] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-fathers-scandal-the-genesis-of-jared-kushners-unflinching-loyalty/2016/11/27/1e9497ba-b378-11e6-840f-e3ebab6bcdd3_story.html?utm_term=.1fefc07a0e69[28] FinCEN Fines Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort $10 Million for Significant and Long Standing Anti-Money Laundering Violations[29] Trump Taj Mahal casino settles U.S. money laundering claims[30] Trump’s Russian Laundromat[31] Trump building in Panama tied to Russian mafia, international crime: report[32] Sales of Trump properties suggestive of money-laundering: researcher[33] Narco-a-lago: Money Laundering at the Trump Ocean Club, Panama | Global Witness[34] Speier alleges evidence of Trump Organization money laundering[35] Over 20 percent of Trump condos sold in America have the characteristics of possible money laundering[36] Donald Trump and the mansion that no one wanted. Then came a Russian fertilizer king[37] Why did a Russian pay $95M to buy Trump’s Palm Beach mansion?[38] Trump's Panama tower used for money laundering by condo owners, reports say[39] N.Y. attorney general on Trump University: 'This is straight up fraud'[40] Trump University Lawsuits May Not Be Closed After All[41] N.Y. attorney general on Trump University: 'This is straight up fraud'[42] Donald Trump sued for fraud in California and New York[43] Trump accused of tax fraud in Mexico[44] Donald Trump Settled a Real Estate Lawsuit, and a Criminal Case Was Closed[45] The Curious World of Donald Trump’s Private Russian Connections - The American Interest[46] Eric Trump Reportedly Bragged About Access to $100 Million in Russian Money[47] Trump's Been Talking About His Business Interests in Russia for 30 Years[48] There's a theme emerging in Mueller's Russia probe that could prove damning for Trump[49] How Donald Trump made it look like he was bribing the attorney general of Florida[50] New Records Shed Light on Donald Trump’s $25,000 Gift to Florida Official[51] Donald Trump Has Often Donated to Prosecutors Investigating His Business[52] How Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr., Avoided a Criminal Indictment[53] Manhattan DA Vance Took $10,000 From Head Of Law Firm On Trump Defense Team, Dropped Case[54] Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. Were Close to Being Charged With Felony Fraud — ProPublica[55] Porn Star Was Reportedly Paid to Stay Quiet About Trump[56] Lawyer paid $130K to adult-film star to keep quiet about alleged Trump sexual encounter: report[57] Donald Trump's Long History With Hush Money[58] Dossier author feared 'Trump blackmail'[59] https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2018-01-09/senator-releases-text-of-interview-with-fusion-gps-official[60] Dossier author feared 'Trump blackmail'[61] How many times has Trump cheated on his wives? Here's what we know[62] Ivana Trump Recounts The Donald’s Public Affair With Marla Maples[63] Trump says cheating on Ivana with Marla was 'beautiful' in 1994[64] Donald Trump in 1990: Adultery is Not a Sin[65] Trump reportedly paid former porn star $130K for silence after alleged sexual encounter[66] Porn star Stormy Daniels described affair with Donald Trump in 2011 magazine interview[67] National Enquirer Paid to Suppress Story of Trump Cheating on Melania: Report[68] The National Enquirer Covered Up Story of Donald Trump's Extramarital Affair: Report[69] New Report: National Enquirer Paid $150K to Kill a Story About Donald Trump's Affair[70] Exclusive: Trump's 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee[71] Ross Cohen's answer to How vindictive is Donald Trump?[72] Trump was a nightmare landlord in the 1980s - a CNNMoney investigation[73] Judge Says Trump Tower Builders Cheated Union on Pension Funds[74] Trump Paid Over $1 Million in Labor Settlement, Documents Reveal[75] Trump Agrees To Pay $750,000 Penalty To Settle Antitrust Lawsuit[76] Trump to Pay $750,000 Fine[77] Donald Trump’s Donation Is His Latest Brush With Campaign Fund Rules[78] Prolific donor Trump, often skirted rules, paid fines[79] Donald Trump’s Donation Is His Latest Brush With Campaign Fund Rules[80] Donors Describe Raising Money For Campaigns[81] Donald Trump’s Donation Is His Latest Brush With Campaign Fund Rules[82] https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/trump-swam-in-mob-infested-waters-in-early-years-as-an-nyc-developer/2015/10/16/3c75b918-60a3-11e5-b38e-06883aacba64_story.html?utm_term=.a95075c8b9d7[83] Prolific donor Trump, often skirted rules, paid fines[84] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-foundation-apparently-admits-to-violating-ban-on-self-dealing-new-filing-to-irs-shows/2016/11/22/893f6508-b0a9-11e6-8616-52b15787add0_story.html?tid=sm_tw[85] Donald Trump’s company violated the U.S. embargo against Cuba[86] Donald Trump's Tax Returns And The Empty Jewelry Box Scam[87] Trump was once so involved in trying to block an Indian casino that he secretly approved attack ads[88] Decades-Old Housing Discrimination Case Plagues Donald Trump[89] Trump Castle Admits Gaming Law Violation[90] Trump Plaza loses appeal of discrimination penalty[91] Donald Trump’s Worst Deal[92] Tale of Trump and partner in Azerbaijan real estate project[93] Trump Hotel Tied To Criminal Investigation In Brazil[94] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/trump-organizations-real-estate-partner-in-india-accused-of-147-million-fraud/2018/03/18/0d7ef1fa-1c0e-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html?utm_term=.e9970982d338[95] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html[96] https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-05-15/trump-revealed-classified-information-to-lavrov-at-white-house-meeting-washington-post[97] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html[98] Report: Trump revealed classified information to Russia[99] Trump defends sharing classified intel with Russians: Can he keep a secret? (part 1) - France 24[100] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-16/trump-s-disclosures-could-put-foreign-intelligence-ties-at-risk[101] Donald Trump's leak of classified information involved bombs and new batteries[102] Analysis | Trump sharing highly classified information with Russia shows his extreme hubris[103] What About the 19 Women Who Accused Trump of Sexual Misconduct?[104] Here's The List Of Women Who Accused Donald Trump Of Sexual Misconduct[105] These women have accused Trump of sexual harassment[106] The 22 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct[107] Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations - Wikipedia[108] Former Miss Arizona says Donald Trump used to 'stroll in' to see naked women in dressing room[109] A Timeline of Donald Trump's Creepiness While He Owned Miss Universe[110] Former Miss Arizona: Trump ‘just came strolling right in’ on naked contestants[111] Teen Beauty Queens Say Trump Walked In On Them Changing[112] https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/10/12/donald-trump-just-came-strolling-into-dressing-rooms-pageant-contestants-allege/XygxJYhQZr3WeBHlEgGHUP/story.html[113] Donald Trump had a habit of walking into the dressing rooms of teen beauty queens[114] Trump accused of ‘waltzing in’ on naked pageant contestants, some as young as 15[115] Miss USA 2001 contestant: Trump barged into room when we were naked[116] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4_story.html[117] Trump lewd video on women: Transcript[118] Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape - Wikipedia[119] Donald Trump's 'P---y' Comment Is the Root of Sexual Violence[120] Billy Bush says there were 8 witnesses to Trump’s ‘Access Hollywood’ comments[121] Trump apologizes for video bragging about groping women[122] Sessions Says Trump Tape Comments Would 'Clearly' Be Sexual Assault[123] In 365 days, President Trump has made 2,140 false or misleading claims[124] Perspective | I study liars. I’ve never seen one like President Trump.[125] Fact check: Here are the biggest whoppers of 2017[126] Kimmel Made a 5-Minute Documentary About All of Trump’s Best Lies[127] Opinion | President Trump’s Lies, the Definitive List[128] Donald Trump's history of lying under oath[129] This Was President Trump's 2,000th Lie in Office[130] My Lawyers Got Trump to Admit 30 Lies Under Oath[131] Trump lies 9 times a day on average lately[132] Trump is on pace to lie 8,000 times by the end of his first term[133] Trump Lies More Than 5 Times a Day - Political Wire[134] The Top 10 Reasons People Are Denied a Security Clearance [134] The Top 10 Reasons People Are Denied a Security Clearance [134] The Top 10 Reasons People Are Denied a Security Clearance [134] The Top 10 Reasons People Are Denied a Security Clearance

Ah! If there ever were a question just for me, this one is is probably it.I’ve been making a significant, mostly passive income from Quora for about a year now. Admittedly, I only stumbled into it.I had only discovered Quora just a few months prior. I was working a summer internship in a city separate from most of my friends, so I had a lot of spare time on my hands. Having always been a voracious reader, Quora kept me up a bit too late many or most work nights that summer.At some point, I began to feel a little guilty learning so many amazing things from other people and not giving back myself. So, I started writing answers to questions in the e-commerce and distribution space. I had been working independently in e-commerce for 8 years, and my internship was at a Fortune 200 distribution company.It’s worth noting that the thought of putting so much effort into writing these posts with the potential to reach tens, even hundreds of thousands of people made me super nervous at first. The first few times I hit submit, I immediately stood up and paced around a bit to shake it off.While most of my initial answers received very little attention, one blew up. The response (upvotes, comments) was tremendously positive. It was a great feeling.Around the same time, I was also reading quite a bit about affiliate marketing. I knew what it was all about from previous reading. After all, I had spent 8 years selling physical products online.For those of you not familiar, affiliate marketing allows you to make a commission selling other people and company’s products online, without actually fulfilling product orders or serving customers. You just have to make the introduction. You don’t have to be hired. You just post a link to the product or service that is unique to you, and software tracks any sales that result from your recommendation. The software knows that buyer purchased after clicking your link.Finally, I decided to give it a shot. There were services I was already mentioning and linking to in my answers that had affiliate programs themselves, so I swapped my links out for affiliate links.Within 30 minutes, I made one $30 commission.I immediately did the math to calculate how much more money I would make that day. $30 every 30 minutes… 12 hours left in the day… Holy #$%^!!!I didn’t make a penny more that day. But over the course of the next couple weeks, I did quite well.As it turns out, you can’t just drop affiliate links wherever you please and without disclosure. It violates Quora’s policy, and disclosure of affiliate links is required by the Federal Trade Commission.This goes for most 3rd party platforms like facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, and reddit as well— even though you create and contribute the content yourself.Now, if you still want to make money from affiliate marketing on these platforms, the key is to build blogs relevant to what you are writing about. That way, you own the platform and what kind of links you post are up to my discretion (so long as affiliate relationships are disclosed).Then you can post really informative, helpful content on 3rd party platforms like facebook groups, Quora, and reddit to cultivate an audience. From that content you can link to supplementary resources on your blog where you are free to use affiliate links and earn commissions. If that content is great as well, people will continue to read your content, use your links to support you financially, and share with friends.Let’s explore an example of how this works in practice:Did you know many credit card companies offer 0% interest as an introductory rate for the first X months of having their credit card? Did you know credit card companies also pay hefty affiliate commissions for successful referrals?During my senior year of college, I was a little strapped for cash. I had money, but most of it was tied up in my online businesses and/or stocks. However, I had a job lined up for after graduation, so I knew I would have cash coming in soon.All of my friends were taking senior vacations. I didn’t want to ask my parents for money— they had covered enough.So, I opened a few credit cards with 0% interest for 6–9 months. During the second semester of my senior year, I partied through an online marketing conference in Vegas, visited a friend in NYC, went skiing in Colorado, searched for housing in KC, and spent a weekend at the lake.I paid the cards off in the first couple months after graduation using my salary.Now, it’s not the smartest financial decision I’ve ever made, but I’m not the only college student who would enjoy living it up a bit during senior year despite a lack of funds.How can I make money on that?Easy. Tell the story around Reddit, facebook groups, Quora, Medium… Link from those posts to a blog post titled something like “Top 10 Credit Cards Offering 0% Interest.” That blog post would compare the pros and cons of each, and link to applications using, you guessed it, affiliate links. Links to credit cards paying me $50, $100, even $150+ for a signup.Again, it doesn’t stop there. Readers will enjoy the content. They will share with friends. They will come back for more helpful content again and again, assuming I keep it coming.Building the blogs themselves is a piece of cake these days. Here’s a 5-minute how-to. You don’t need to know how to code, you don’t need to be an expert designer— even the writing is made easier with tools like Hemmingway App.You can find affiliate products and services to promote with a simple google search. There are a lot of spammy products out there which are no good for your readers, nor your reputation.While many companies run their own affiliate programs independently, many utilize affiliate networks to manage the link tracking and connect with people who will promote their products. Affiliate networks are great places for you to find products and services you can promote.Here are just a few:Amazon: That’s right! Amazon has an affiliate program for nearly everything listed. Commissions vary. The interesting thing about Amazon is that you will not earn commissions solely on what you link a reader to, but everything they purchase in the next 24 hours!Share-a-Sale: Home to more than 3,900 affiliate programs— Share-a-Sale is sure to have something for your niche. Not only do their advertisers, pay for referred sales, many pay for clicks and ‘leads’ too. My personal favorite.Rakuten: One of the oldest networks around. Rakuten is known for its intuitive interface and over 1,000 advertisers, including many well-known brands.FlexOffers: Many well-known companies use this network, including Macy’s, HP, and Hallmark, along with a variety of lesser known companies.Commission Junction: Probably the #1 affiliate network overall, CJ is home to many of your household names. Credit cards, banks, insurance, security, real estate, fashion, you name it. Because there are so many big name advertisers here, competition can be stiff. You may actually have to apply for programs, and your site will be held to a higher standard.To sign up for a network or affiliate program, you will want to opt in as a ‘publisher’ (‘advertisers’ are who you promote for). Most will require that you provide a link to your blog. Again, you can set up a blog in very little time (video tutorial here). Hosting your blog will cost just less than $1/day, or 66 cents if you pay annually.If you provide good content for people, not only can you expect affiliate commissions, but generally people will reach out to you for consulting, coaching, friendship, business propositions, and more, depending on what you write about.Plus, anytime you have influence like that, there’s always the opportunity to sell your own info product, for which you can recruit other affiliates to sell for you.Best of luck!BONUS: I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone and do more public speaking of sorts. Recently, I did a podcast with Google Product Strategist, Sonali Mangal. As it turns out, getting a lot of exposure on Quora is a bit of a science. You can’t just write an answer and expect lots of views. Sonali and I discussed what works and what doesn’t on Quora. Listen here and enjoy!