2024 USA Election: Wishin' and Hopin'

[rodinuk]

I’m saying he’s cheap compared to Trump’s monetary worth and I maintain he’s just a ventriloquist’s dummy

[Stavros]

I’m saying he’s cheap compared to Trump’s monetary worth and I maintain he’s just a ventriloquist’s dummy

Ok I get your point, but it does raise the question of Trump's wealth, and how to calculate it. Obviously he has real estate assets, though just as in the past he falsified values to get loans on the one hand, tax relief on the other, such is his reputation as a liar and a convicted fraud, on top of the millions of dollars that owes in fines awarded by the Courts -which so far I don't think he has paid in full- plus outstanding debts with Deutsche Bank, we don't know. But I think a devaluation of the real estate is inevitable as buyers or potential buyers will squeeze him if he needs to sell. Given that the stock value of the recent media company has fallen and may continue to fall, Trump's move into fake money ie CryptoCurrency, which he has ridiculed in the past, may be seen by him as a necessary step if he is to find other sources of revenue than trainers, bibles and fragments of his suit. He is a con man and always has been, and I suppose some get away with it, and Trump is clearly treated differently from other Americans, but who knows how this will end? If it ever ends.

As for Vance, he says it is wrong for critics to label Trump and his supporters Fascists because it inspires violence, while choosing to ignore Trump's using the same word about Kamala Harris. He also says he can make up any lies he wants because it is the job of the media to prove he is lying, rather like Trump saying if he wants to he can describe his apartment as the largest in Manhattan and it is up to the Banks to do the due diligence. So I guess I could ask for a loan from my Bank by saying my apartment is worth £1 million and it is up to them to prove it, though I am sure loan agreements have clauses on the truth of the information to which one puts a signature-?

As we see now every day, lies have replaced truth, and is has become an addiction.

[Stavros]

Here in the UK health care was one of the key election issues this year.

So why, in the US election is health care a side issue? I understand that if the election is presented as an existential choice -either candidate X or the US is finished as a country, etc- but for most people, as the article below suggests, health care is one of their priority issues. I assume this is also true of education and housing, two issues that don't seem to exist in the campaigning I have seen, though I concede I only follow it from what we get here, though such is the obsession with Trump (and he and his supporters are obsessed with him too) I don't see much about education and housing as priority issues on channels like YouTube, and it doesn't seem to feature in newspapers like the NYT, though I don't scour most US papers on a daily basis.

Hence this survey

"The United States health system ranked dead last in an international comparison of 10 peer nations, according to a new report (https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024) by the Commonwealth Fund.In spite of Americans paying nearly double (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/13/us-healthcare-costs-causes-drug-prices-salaries) that of other countries, the system performed poorly on health equity, access to care and outcomes."
US health system ranks last compared with peer nations, report finds | US news | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/18/american-health-system-ranks-last)

By way of contrast- I left school at the age of 16, and apart from the time spent unemployed, or when I became a student, I paid into the NHS on a monthly basis, the contribution (National Insurance) being deducted from my salary in the same way as it deducts Income Tax and Pension Funds. But apart from a few visits to my General Practitioner for minor things like Tonsilitis, for which I needed a sick note for my employers, I did not need to use the NHS until the first signs of a chronic problem in my 50s. Since 2017 I have been in and out of hospital, meaning explorations of my organs in outpatient clinics, followed by operations (five in all) requiring stays or 1-2 days, and on another occasion two weeks of hospitalization due to a crisis, all backed up by medication, which today means a breakfast of six different tablets.

How much has it cost me? In monetary terms, absolutely nothing. My guess is that if I was in the US, I would now be either loaded with debt, or dead.

The US doesn't have to choose the NHS model, there are others, such as the systems in France and Germany or Sweden, where as a matter of principle, health care is a service rather than a business, and that is why the US is now ranked so low, and until the US ranks the health and education of its citizens as top priorities, health care will be a major cause of bankruptcy, anxiety, and in its absence, death.

You can do better, so do it.

[Stavros]

Trump and the Republican Party war on America has put Springfield, Ohio in the cross-hairs of party lunatics and gun-totin' terrorists.
So what about Aurora, Colorado? Same old garbage, courtesy of Stephen Miller and the truth-demolition squads at war with America.

Truth is out there for all to see in Aurora while Trump promotes a dangerous lie (coloradosun.com) (https://coloradosun.com/2024/09/15/aurora-trump-venezuela-opinion-carman/)

[Stavros]

This is hilarious- Republicans at war over weed!

Republicans Are in a Civil War Over Trump’s Weed Plan (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/desantis-fumes-over-gop-lawmakers-132007609.html)

Smokin'! Somebody Stop Me - The MASK-The Great Jim Carrey (youtube.com) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAKKqZ6ayEA)

[filghy2]

So now we know (but honestly, is anyone surprised?) it was garbage from the start, but nobody in a responsible position could be bothered to do any due diligence but declare before millions of Americans 'I saw it on television'.

Vance's office did do due diligence. He just chose to ignore what they were told, that the rumours were false.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/20/politics/springfield-ohio-vance-campaign-wsj-report/index.html

[Stavros]

Vance's office did do due diligence. He just chose to ignore what they were told, that the rumours were false.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/20/politics/springfield-ohio-vance-campaign-wsj-report/index.html

Thanks for the clarification, but it makes it worse. Perhaps in this situation we can sat V is for Venal.

[Stavros]

I have just linked an article in the Guardian on LGBTQ+ policy in Thought for the Day, and now think I probably should have put it here as an election issue.

[blackchubby38]

Trump and the Republican Party war on America has put Springfield, Ohio in the cross-hairs of party lunatics and gun-totin' terrorists.
So what about Aurora, Colorado? Same old garbage, courtesy of Stephen Miller and the truth-demolition squads at war with America.

Truth is out there for all to see in Aurora while Trump promotes a dangerous lie (coloradosun.com) (https://coloradosun.com/2024/09/15/aurora-trump-venezuela-opinion-carman/)

Tren de Aragua gangbanger charged over viral video of gun-toting migrants terrorizing Aurora, Colo. — after local cops initially denied group was part of Venezuelan gang

nypost.com/2024/09/25/us-news/tren-de-aragua-gang-member-charged-over-aurora-migrant-crime-video/

ICE Releases Damning Border Report Amid Kamala Harris Visit

www.newsweek.com/ice-damning-border-report-kamala-harris-visit-1960689

[Stavros]

Tren de Aragua gangbanger charged over viral video of gun-toting migrants terrorizing Aurora, Colo. — after local cops initially denied group was part of Venezuelan gang

nypost.com/2024/09/25/us-news/tren-de-aragua-gang-member-charged-over-aurora-migrant-crime-video/ (http://nypost.com/2024/09/25/us-news/tren-de-aragua-gang-member-charged-over-aurora-migrant-crime-video/)

ICE Releases Damning Border Report Amid Kamala Harris Visit

www.newsweek.com/ice-damning-border-report-kamala-harris-visit-1960689 (http://www.newsweek.com/ice-damning-border-report-kamala-harris-visit-1960689)

Re the Aurora link, quote

"However, American Immigration senior fellow Aaron Reichlin-Melnick said online that "millions of people on ICE's non-detained dockets have been here for decades."Alex Nowrasteh, of the Cato Institute public policy think tank added that the ICE report on illegal criminal convictions covers decades and not just the last few years."".

So that includes the years when Trump was President?

Has Aurora been 'taken over' by Venezuelan gangs? Do they stop people in the street and rob them? Visit residents in groups of five with guns to rob them?

At what point does a problem become a catastrophe -and when, and now did the Mafia/Cosa Nostra arrive in the US?

[blackchubby38]

Re the Aurora link, quote

"However, American Immigration senior fellow Aaron Reichlin-Melnick said online that "millions of people on ICE's non-detained dockets have been here for decades."Alex Nowrasteh, of the Cato Institute public policy think tank added that the ICE report on illegal criminal convictions covers decades and not just the last few years."".

So that includes the years when Trump was President?

Has Aurora been 'taken over' by Venezuelan gangs? Do they stop people in the street and rob them? Visit residents in groups of five with guns to rob them?

At what point does a problem become a catastrophe -and when, and now did the Mafia/Cosa Nostra arrive in the US?

I had a feeling someone what is going to mention that part of the article.

It would be helpful if the person from Cato Institute gave us breakdown so we could know what percentage have been here for decades vs a few years.

Aurora may have not been taken over by Venezuelan gangs as you so sarcastically put it, but the fact that they are here is what the problem is. Especially when you take into consideration that fear of criminal gangs is supposedly one of the reasons why many Venezuelan migrants came to the United States to begin with.

When Biden was running for reelection, I always believed that if he lost it was going to be because of the two "I" issues, Immigration (Although it should be referred to Migration) and Inflation. That belief has not changed now that Kamala Harris has become the Democratic nominee.

It doesn't matter what took place during previous administrations in regards to immigration. We are talking about what has happened since the Biden-Harris administration took office in 2021 and the influx of migrants that started coming to this country since then. Instead of handling the problem, this is pretty much what we heard from the administration and their supporters:

2021- "The border is secure"
2022- "There isn't a border crisis".
2023- "Only Congress can do something about the border". (Yes I know about the bill that failed because of Trump's interference)
Cut to 2024 - Biden- "I'm taking executive action to handle the border crisis" (which BTW is similar to the word catastrophe).

[Stavros]

Ok I was being sarcastic, but in truth I think that Immigration legal, Immigration illegal, Migration etc has become not just a toxic political problem, but one that does not appear to have a reasonable solution, and this is as true of the US as it is with the UK, and to some extent the Mediterranean.

I cannot really offer a reasonable response, other than to say that what I think is different from years past is the volume of people moving in a short space of time. This excludes those Haitians who have been admitted and seem to have found work and a degree of stability in places like Springfield, Ohio going back more than 5 years, which is why I find that aspect of the Trump/Vance hate machine so truly bad. Isn't this the kind of immigration that the US is supposed to welcome? Those leaving a distressed environment who go to the US, and work and pay taxes, etc? Have they been a curse on Ohio, or a blessing?

Germany took in over 1 million Syrians, Turkey even more. Israel has made the best part of 2 million homeless in Gaza, the potential homeless in Lebanon in one week is now approaching 1 million, or a 5th of the population, and there are significant displacements in Sudan, all of this without adding in the chronic failures in Honduras and El Salvador feeding the march North to the US. If it was the other way round, how many Israelis would be looking for an exit to the US, indeed, how many have already abandoned Israel for the US, which they could do owing to dual nationality, American relatives, and so on?

I accept that with such numbers there is a crisis of politics, but if the crisis at its root is not in the US, what can the US do about it whether it is is Trump or Biden in charge? After all, Harris went to Central America to deal with it at source, and evidently came back with nothing.

One smallish point, because here Farage goes on about it -most of these migrant/immigrant people are young and healthy so they don't cause much strain to health services.

But I guess they can work for less than the minimum wage, they must have accommodation problems when they first arrive, and if they have children, schooling and related issues. But is it impossible for the US to absorb 'newcomers' over time, say 1-5 years? How many scare stories have there been since the 19th century over 'too many' Hungarians, Italians, Chinese -name your people- 'coming here'? Over time, they are absorbed into the workforce, most get jobs, most find somewhere to live. Most are not escaped criminals or mentally ill, and most American victims of rape and murder are raped and murdered by other Americans.

And if freedom has any meaning, should all of us be free to live wherever we choose?

Immigration in the UK became a toxic issue in the late 1960s early 1970s as East African Asians were expelled from Kenya and Uganda, and because they had British passports issued when those African countries were still part of the British Empire, they could not be stopped from entering. Hysteria in the press, blatant racist filth in the media, a crisis in Govt which led to an Immigration Act in 1971 in an attempt to 'control' it. In the end, c30,000 came over a period of 5 years; of whom not a few became millionaire business successes, one of their children a prominent (but corrupt) Member of Parliament. In other words, it was a crisis, we got over it, the immigrants were successful, nobody now talks about it.

At the very least, I would hope people reject the horrible, nasty rhetoric of Trump and Vance, that they at least try, and try again for a reasonable solution that doesn't play to fear and loathing. Because it won't stop, whatever happens in Govt in the US (or the UK). Sorry I can't be more positive.

[MrFanti]

Food for thought...
With the exception of Trump, Democrats have been in the White House for 12 out of the last 16 years.....

[filghy2]

Aurora may have not been taken over by Venezuelan gangs as you so sarcastically put it, but the fact that they are here is what the problem is. Especially when you take into consideration that fear of criminal gangs is supposedly one of the reasons why many Venezuelan migrants came to the United States to begin with.

Some things never seem to change in the USA.
"The refugees seeking haven in America were poor and disease-ridden. They threatened to take jobs away from Americans and strain welfare budgets. They practiced an alien religion and pledged allegiance to a foreign leader. They were bringing with them crime. They were accused of being rapists.

These undesirables were Irish."
https://www.history.com/news/when-america-despised-the-irish-the-19th-centurys-refugee-crisis

Regardless of what should have been done on the border, the alleged link between immigrants and crime (which you seem to be endorsing) does not appear to be supported by evidence. Obviously a single case does not establish a general problem. In fact, the available evidence suggests that the crime rate among unauthorised immigrants is lower than that of the general population.
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/undocumented-immigrant-offending-rate-lower-us-born-citizen-rate

I'm sure they never mention this in the NY Post, but it's also a fact that the biggest recent increase in crime in the US occurred in 2020 when Trump was President. Crime rates have been declining since 2021.
https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2023-crime-in-the-nation-statistics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_intentional _homicide_rate

[blackchubby38]

Some things never seem to change in the USA.
"The refugees seeking haven in America were poor and disease-ridden. They threatened to take jobs away from Americans and strain welfare budgets. They practiced an alien religion and pledged allegiance to a foreign leader. They were bringing with them crime. They were accused of being rapists.

These undesirables were Irish."
https://www.history.com/news/when-america-despised-the-irish-the-19th-centurys-refugee-crisis

Regardless of what should have been done on the border, the alleged link between immigrants and crime (which you seem to be endorsing) does not appear to be supported by evidence. Obviously a single case does not establish a general problem. In fact, the available evidence suggests that the crime rate among unauthorised immigrants is lower than that of the general population.
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/undocumented-immigrant-offending-rate-lower-us-born-citizen-rate

I'm sure they never mention this in the NY Post, but it's also a fact that the biggest recent increase in crime in the US occurred in 2020 when Trump was President. Crime rates have been declining since 2021.
https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2023-crime-in-the-nation-statistics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_intentional _homicide_rate

Yeah, I don't need the history lesson when it comes to immigration in the United States. I know it chapter and verse.

I'm also not endorsing a link between immigrants and crime. I'm giving an update on one story and the other is relevant to an issue in the upcoming election. Its not my fault that the New York Post is one of the few news organizations that isn't behind a paywall.

When it comes to immigrants and crime. The problem isn't with the ones that are here looking for a better a life. It is the ones that were criminals before they came to the United States and are continuing to do so once they got here. Which is once again the issue. Those are the ones that shouldn't have been allowed to cross the border.

Speaking of which, how do you think a migrant from Venezuela who came here seeking a better life feels when they know that some of the people who are responsible for them leaving their country in the first place, wind up being in the same facilities as them.

Finally, in regards to the recent increase in crime. What happened in 2020 that played a part in that happening? The pandemics and lockdowns. Which is further evidence that if it wasn't for Covid, there is a good chance Trump would have been reelected.

[Stavros]

But that just returns us to the maddening question: why do so many Americans think Trump -and the people associated with him- would be good for the USA? Most everyone knows Trump is a liar, and most, I am sure, know he is, to use that American phrase, a 'dumbass'. But he is not Ronald Reagan, not even GW Bush, so I remain puzzled at the appeal of such an angry, spiteful, crude individual who seems to think revenge should be the main driver of policy. And yet, the majority of Americans who did vote in 2020, as in 2016, voted Democrat not Trump, so while this might shift the ultimate decision to the Electoral College rather than the people, Trump remains somewhere near the top. And what Covid did was expose the simple fact that Trump, and his White House team, were incompetent at management, or worse, that they presided over the death of a million Americans and did not, and do not seem to care about that. Science, like democracy is Bullshit, Nick Fuentes is a dinner guest, Tucker Carlson America's only public intellectual, Elon Musk the Visionary Commander of Comms.

And we return to that other unanswered question -if Trump were to encourage the Supreme Court to send crucial decisions to the State, declining to get involved, what would be the purpose of Congress? And why not make the Presidency merely a ceremonial position?

Four more years of Trump and the 'United States' might become 50 independent ones, with the scary prospect that were Trump to put it to voters half of the current 50 would say Aye. It would be like Brexit, the one outcome that was the least expected takes the US into a new era -of chaos, with violent hated at its core, and Trump making millions if not billions from whatever tacky merchandise he can make, having raided the Treasury for his own benefit, and either imprisoned his rivals, or used the courts to bankrupt them.

The furore over criminals entering the US illegally and staying is thus used as the wedge to prise apart the Union. Or maybe the truth is that the South never changed, they never lost the Civil War, just a heap of battles; they just retreated in a 'stand down and stand by' mode, waiting for their Messiah to return and lead them to ultimate victory, and send the Blacks back to Africa.

The future's bleak, the future's orange.

[JDunn]

A win for the Globalist ran Democrats will be a disaster for the US , i do get the people over there have had their brains frazzed by the media into believing on one side Trump is the devil and in the other he is the Messiah.
A classic example of just how brainwashed people have become is when the same people who rushed to get the vaccine refused point blank to get it when he was in power, insanity but we're living in a Clown World now where rapists and murderers are being let out of prison to make room for people who are worried about the crazy rise in crime statistics since our politicians rolled out the red carpet for anyone with a pulse who isn’t a British citizen

[rodinuk]

^^Premier League novel writing at its finest
A Saturday afternoon in November was approaching the time of twilight, and the vast tract of unenclosed wild known as Egdon Heath embrowned itself moment by moment

‘Return of the Native’ byThomas Hardy (with a little help from Monty Python)

[MrFanti]

A classic example of just how brainwashed people have become is
.....believing that only two parties exist........

[Stavros]

A win for the Globalist ran Democrats will be a disaster for the US , i do get the people over there have had their brains frazzed by the media into believing on one side Trump is the devil and in the other he is the Messiah.
A classic example of just how brainwashed people have become is when the same people who rushed to get the vaccine refused point blank to get it when he was in power, insanity but we're living in a Clown World now where rapists and murderers are being let out of prison to make room for people who are worried about the crazy rise in crime statistics since our politicians rolled out the red carpet for anyone with a pulse who isn’t a British citizen

I don't understand the point about vaccines, and after 200 years of immunology, a science that has transformed global health, I am amazed anyone can ignore the science to make some lame political point that, if extended into practice, would reverse those gains and lead people to infection, misery and possibly death.

As for the 'rapists and murderers...being let out of prison', this is explicitly not part of the Govt's policy, and is something that about 10 seconds of a google search would confirm (other search engines being available),

"Fact check: Early prison release to exclude serious violent and sexual offenders - PA Media (https://pa.media/blogs/fact-check/fact-check-early-prison-release-to-exclude-serious-violent-and-sexual-offenders/)

And anyway, this thread is not about politics in the UK but the US elections.

The disaffection with 'Globalism' that is a key feature of the Trump campaign has grown since 2008 and the supply chain crisis since Covid, but is rooted in something quite different, namely Economic Nationalism. What is most fascinating about this is how Conservatives in the US have, in effect, abandoned the Free Market economics of Ronald Reagan, who was President when as JD Vance once put it 'all those jobs were shipped to Mexico' through NAFTA.

What Economic Nationalism does is reinforce the concept of the 'Nation' as the fundamental unit of identity, with the difficulty of knowing who belongs in this 'Nation' -but if you look at the French version, Marine Le Pen has stated 'there is no longer a left or a right, there is only Globalists and Patriots', a revision of the old racist, anti-Semitic slogan 'La France aux Français', which in a mangled form was key to the racist element in Brexit.

It is also known as the politics of failure, which is why Trump represents a crisis for the US as neither he nor his supporters share the same fidelity to the Constitution and what it represents as most other Americans. There is a lot riding on this election.

[filghy2]

we're living in a Clown World now where rapists and murderers are being let out of prison to make room for people who are worried about the crazy rise in crime statistics since our politicians rolled out the red carpet for anyone with a pulse who isn’t a British citizen

Misinformation
False. The UK’s early release scheme was announced more than two weeks before anti-immigration protests and excludes those convicted of murder and rape.
https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/britain-not-releasing-murderers-make-room-anti-immigration-protesters-2024-08-26/

Are these thugs the 'concerned citizens' you are referring to?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_Kingdom_riots

[filghy2]

When it comes to immigrants and crime. The problem isn't with the ones that are here looking for a better a life. It is the ones that were criminals before they came to the United States and are continuing to do so once they got here. Which is once again the issue. Those are the ones that shouldn't have been allowed to cross the border.

Speaking of which, how do you think a migrant from Venezuela who came here seeking a better life feels when they know that some of the people who are responsible for them leaving their country in the first place, wind up being in the same facilities as them.

If you are okay with one type but not the other then how do you get to a system that can better distinguish between the two? Trump and his followers certainly aren't interested in making a distinction. I understand that one of the big problems, which the legislation blocked by Trump was trying to address, is that the system just doesn't have enough resources to deal with the numbers seeking asylum.

[Stavros]

It was around 3am here and though I began watching the VP debate I couldn't stay the course. What struck me was how Vance attacked Experts, 'people with PhDs but no common sense', a similar barb that Michael Gove made to the British media in 2016 when defending his position to Leave the EU. At least this suggests there is not much originality in Vance's playbook, much as Trump is promising more of the same policies he had in 2015 as if nothing had changed in 10 years.

I am surprised the Democrats don't hammer away at the fact that Trump is a convicted criminal, that he either led or inspired an act of sedition against the USA, if it were the Republicans they would never let up attacking the Democrats for law breaking. Walz missed out on a few blows, judging by the reviews.

Did it change anyone's vote?

[Stavros]

The puzzle and its explanation

"Are Americans better off than they were four years ago? Pretty much every mainstream economist would say: you bet. Many go further. “I’ve hesitated to say this at the risk of sounding hyperbolic,” wrote Mark Zandi (https://x.com/Markzandi/status/1840488882405614037), the respected chief economist at Moodys, just a few days ago. “But … there is no denying it: this is among the best performing economies in my 35+ years as an economist.” Growth: up. Jobs: up. Wages: rising. The value of your home: up. Share prices: booming. Inflation: falling. Borrowing rates: dropping.In 2020, Donald Trump warned that his defeat would produce “a depression”. Today, even while Germany (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/germany-two-year-recession-2023-gdp) and Japan (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68302226) face recession, magazines toast the US economy’s “superstar status (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/06/us-economy-excellent/678630/)”. Yet ask Americans if they feel better off, and many answer: no."

"another suggestion emerges in a new report (https://index.democracycollaborative.org/) from a progressive thinktank, the Democracy Collaborative. And its argument should be heeded by Keir Starmer and the European left.
The authors examine much the same economic dashboard as everyone else – growth, jobs, wages – but over a far longer timeframe. Behind each graph lies the implicit question: are you, your family, your community better off than you were not four years ago, but two, three, four decades ago? And for many people the numbers say: no.
Take the biggest one: pay. For teachers, clerical workers, sales reps and the great bulk of US employees, whether white or blue collar, wages have flatlined – not for four or even 20 years – but for most of the past half century. Strip out inflation and average hourly earnings for seven out of 10 US employees have barely risen since Richard Nixon was in the White House."
This is the future for Kamala Harris: unless she solves this economic mystery, Trump wins | Aditya Chakrabortty | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/10/kamala-harris-presidential-election-us-economy-wages)

But surely, this is what Capitalism is, and on the basis of its natural ingredients, Capitalism has triumphed in the USA. Now consider what the meat in the narrative is for Trump and the Republicans -free enterprise? No. Free Markets? No. Immigration and society, culture and identity -the same components of the critiques that were common between the 1960s and 1980s, by, wait for it....Marxists, mostly those 'Western Marxists' who had swapped the critique of the 'economic base' for the 'cultural superstructure' as if one did not inform the other.

And then the lies, broadcast as lies, because the truth is too painful. Whatever, if Harris wins, it will see off Trump, probably not his movement -but will the economic indicators in the article above change over the next 4 years?

[filghy2]

Strip out inflation and average hourly earnings for seven out of 10 US employees have barely risen since Richard Nixon was in the White House.

That factoid does not seem to be correct. There are different income measures from different sources (which you can see by scrolling down in the link), but they show that real median income has risen by between 20 and 50 per cent since the 1980s. By definition, 50 per cent of Americans must be doing better than the median.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881600Q#0

There are also lots of surveys that show that most people believe they are personally better off over recent years but they think that the country as a whole has gone backwards. It seems like perceptions have become delinked from reality.

[Stavros]

The alternative argument is useful, I would only say that as with most economists, when you ask a question from two there are often more than three answers, all of them plausible. How can we know what people spend their money on? People who gave up smoking in 1990 must have more money to spend than once they did, unless they replaced tobacco with alcohol, and so on. So I think whereas there is data that suggests wage growth has been slower than overall economic growth for some Americans, it does also return us to the perception problem.

Is it the media creating the impression the US is worse off than it is in aggregate terms? Trump went to Detroit and as expected, insulted and abused the Americans who live there, as the claim is that Detroit today is not like it was in the pasr. Do people believe Trump when he rants and raves about crime going through the roof when it ain't, or the misery of Detroit where in fact people are happier today than they were ten years ago? Not that Detroit doesn't have problems....I guess in the end rational people who are interested in politics will read around a topic while the rest 'trust' the politicians when they say stuff. Pity.

Detroit shows progress after bankruptcy 10 years : NPR (https://www.npr.org/2023/07/22/1189093540/detroit-bankruptcy-comeback-hurdle)

[Stavros]

I don't know if Trump is going to win the election, but I do feel he is unhinged from reality and promising dire changes to the US and world trade. In fact, he seems to reckless, so determined to take revenge on people he despises, and he can do this through litigation designed to shred their finances, that I wonder -

how long after January 2025 will Vance and the 2025 Projectiles make their move and remove Trump from office?

[Stavros]

It doesn't get weirder than this -an elderly man conducting a song 'Time to say Goodbye' or just standing there with a vacant look on his face....rather than engage with voters in a meaningful debate about, er, politics....Vance must be convulsed with laughter.

Donald Trump's Town Hall Takes Strange Musical Twist (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/donald-trumps-town-hall-takes-012924551.html)

[KnightHawk 2.0]

It doesn't get weirder than this -an elderly man conducting a song 'Time to say Goodbye' or just standing there with a vacant look on his face....rather than engage with voters in a meaningful debate about, er, politics....Vance must be convulsed with laughter.

Donald Trump's Town Hall Takes Strange Musical Twist (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/donald-trumps-town-hall-takes-012924551.html)Another prime example of why Donald Trump shouldn't be allowed to step foot in the White House ever again. And his constant ramblings about nonsense at his rallies shows how unfit and unqualified he is to be president.

[Stavros]

The absence of serious debate on policy is, I think, allowing some of the more extreme elements of a potential Trump Presidency to go without scrutiny, even though Harris, when she was AG in California, had some involvement in an individual referred to in the link below with regard to the various measures Republicans have taken -in Texas in particular in this report- to end the services that Planned Parenthood provides to women and families, most of them poor.

Behind this movement is the Federalist Society, a lawyers dream where behind all the hoo-ha of politics real people making real decisions about people's lives are either known to each other and funding each other, or on 'the same page' when it comes to issues such as Abortion, determined to roll back the legislation that once supported women in distressing, even life-threatening situations that now considers the 'rights of women' to be a violation of God's law, or some confection that is closer to the ideology of the Taliban than the liberal democracy once known as the USA.

As a slogan 'Defund Planned Parenthood' might energise some people, or not, but behind those two words -Planned Parenthood- is a service some of America's most vulnerable people need. The article, a long read, goes into the background to a court case plus others and is a disturbing example of what has already happened, that may evolve over the next 4 years, and without doubt that will target Transgender health at every level.

This summary re Texas is a verdict on the outcome Trump and his chums want for all Americans

"Meanwhile, as Planned Parenthood’s fate depends on the courts, the teen birth rate in Texas rose in 2022 for the first time in 15 years. Infant deaths have increased nearly 13%, compared with a 2% jump nationwide. Researchers from the University of Texas found that terminating Planned Parenthood from Medicaid “adversely affected low-income residents’ access to essential reproductive health services, resulting in delayed care and increases in births”, many of which researchers identified as “likely unintended”."
The Maga legal networks that could topple Planned Parenthood and gut women’s healthcare | Texas | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/22/maga-courts-planned-parenthood-case)

[Stavros]

I understand changing demography explains why Trump lost Georgia -the voters in the greater Atlanta area are different from what they were 25 years ago, maybe even 5 or ten -just as younger and potentially or actually more liberal voters have been moving from states like California to Texas in the suburban areas of cities like Houston, Dallas, and so on in other states. This may not affect elections where district boundaries are rigged to favour Republicans, but maybe sheer force of numbers means that some State Senate and House seats are more volatile than once they were.

Thus, the question is re the Federal elections -could Trump win the White House and lose both the Senate and the House? There are too many conflicting stats out there for me to sort out - Rafael 'Ted' Cruz seems to be vulnerable in Texas. Controversies in New York suggest Democrats could be vulnerable there, mostly I guess in NYC but maybe the wider state (?).

Anyone with some thoughts on this?

[Stavros]

Ok, so some Labour Party members have paid their own way to campaign for Harris -have Nigel Farage and Liz Truss been in the US campaigning for Trump? Yep. But Labour gets the law suit from court crazy Trump. No surprises that in one part of his 'message' he refers to a country called 'Britian', while this must be worthy of dumbass comment of the year award

"“This past week marked the 243 anniversary of the surrender of British forces at the Battle of Yorktown, a military victory that ensured that the United States would be politically independent of Great Britian”"
Trump files extraordinary complaint claiming election meddling by UK Labour party | US elections 2024 | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/22/trump-complaint-uk-labour-party)

"“The far-left Labour Party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric".
Trump campaign files complaint over ‘foreign interference’ by ‘far-left’ Labour Party in US election | The Independent (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-complaint-labour-party-starmer-uk-fec-b2633790.html)

Labour far left?

What?!

[filghy2]

Here's another reason to be sceptical that the recent trend in polls shows that Trump is winning. There has been an increase in polling by Republican-leaning firms, whose results tend to systematically favour Trump. This may be an attempt to game the polling averages.
https://newrepublic.com/article/187425/gop-polls-rigging-averages-trump

The polling aggregators argue that they make adjustments for the quality of polls, and so the averages should not be distorted significantly. https://www.natesilver.net/p/are-republican-pollsters-flooding
It's hard to tell whether they are doing it right. We also don't know how much polls influence voting behaviour, although even a small effect could make a difference in a tight election.

The underlying problem is that the way the media reports polling often exaggerates the real significance of recent results. Anyone who understands polling should know that a change of 1 percentage point (the average movement in Trump's favour over recent weeks) is not statistically significant.

[Stavros]

I assume this is a trivial question -why does Trump always end his rallies with YMCA?

[Stavros]

And though Kamala Harris and others can condemn what they see as the Fascism in Donald Trump's view of the world and America, what if that Fascism is what Americans want? Maybe not the majority, but a worrying number of people seem to think raw power is more likely to achieve something than diplomacy or the rule of law. And there is no point telling them to observe Syria, Russia, or Israel, as they don't care about things they don't know about.

Is this the last gasp of liberal democracy?

[Stavros]

North Carolina was so badly affected by Hurricane Helene the citizens may not be able to vote, but don't worry it doesn't matter, because there is now a proposal that the State award all its Electoral College votes to Trump before the votes are counted.

"At the Talbot County Lincoln Reagan Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 24, the chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus [Andy Harris], 67, asserted that it "makes a lot of sense" for North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature to directly decide the winner, given the potential barriers to voting that some areas are facing amid the Hurricane Helene (https://people.com/at-least-20-dead-millions-without-power-after-hurricane-helene-makes-landfall-8719553) recovery efforts."

In agreement is someone, Ivan Reiklin, described as a 'political operative' -he is a one time associate of Michael Flynn- who has also been tipped to be Trump's Commissar of Retribution, should Trump be President, thus

"He has reportedly compiled a "Deep State Target List" of 350 individuals he considers enemies, and has promised to appoint "Constitutional sheriffs" to go after those enemies if Trump is elected and offer them "the maximum punishment for treason (https://x.com/IvanRaiklin/status/1790813699655061952)." (The Department of Justice (https://www.justice.gov/usao/justice-101/sentencing) says that treason can be punishable by death.)"
Far-Right House Leader Calls on North Carolina to Preemptively Give Donald Trump Its Electoral Votes (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/far-house-leader-calls-north-200442027.html)

Presumably the traitors will be hanged in public on the Ellipse in DC?

[Stavros]

I don't understand why some Muslim 'leaders' in Michigan have opted for Trump over Harris, while others remain loyal to Harris. As far as I know, the only President who has ever supported Palestinian claims and criticized Israel is Carter, but not when he was President.
Trump endorsed by several Muslim & Arab American leaders at campaign rally in Novi (https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-endorsed-several-muslim-arab-000916638.html)

I am sure most Arab Americans know what the US position is on Israel, so it should make no difference when it comes to choosing a candidate, in addition to which when Trump has been 'pro-Arab' it has been with the Arab dictators in the Arabian peninsula who have been of financial benefit to him and the Kushner family, such as the 'Abraham Accords', a business deal that consolidated the Kushner family investments in Israel and the West Bank while protecting them from non-existent Arab attacks, while Trump is said to have pocketed $20 million when he sold nuclear technology stuff to the Saudi Dictatorship.

That said, I think that Harris will win the Popular Vote, with or without the Arab vote, though what this does for the electoral college in Michigan I don't know. Moreover, we know from daily reports that the Trump cult has been preparing for the disruption of the count in numerous and swing States where, if the result doesn't go their way, legal challenges will delay a conclusive tally in the College, and possibly, as in 2020, take the matter as far as it can go in the Courts, maybe even the Supreme Court.

My predictions in the past have been wrong, so there!

[Stavros]

If tax is to be an election issue at this late stage, it may be due to Trump 'floating' the idea of abolishing Federal income tax. I can't recall if this is in Project 2025, but it is not new as he himself claims in suggesting the USA return to the policies of the early 1800s, music to the ears of Justice Thomas (sponsored by Harlan Crow).
Trump floats ending the federal income tax. Here’s what that would mean (https://uk.yahoo.com/news/trump-floats-ending-federal-income-234139944.html)

Here is the irony -when Trump boasts about putting onto the Court the Justices who helped repeal Roe vs Wade, it was to 'return' or give States the power to decide -ie, the Federal Govt becomes irrelevant, which also means his attempt to roll back the most unpopular policy in years, is also irrelevant, because he has removed the policy from the President's portfolio.

Thus, the logic of ending Federal Income Tax fits into the State's Autonomy argument, which gives individual States the right to decide if or what taxes they impose on their citizens, and crucially, the Federal Govt can do nothing about it. Moreover, I don't see how the President can preside over the abolition of Federal Income Tax but impose Tariffs on imports from abroad, as this must surely be for individual States to decide.

In effect, Trump does not want Federal Govt, but he has not said how the US military is to be funded -which takes us back to that moment after the first Revolutionary War, when George Washington wanted to disband the Continental Army because it could only be sustained by a Federal Income Tax. Had the British not made another attempt to stop the Revolution and Washington's career with it, who knows?

So I guess in response to Harris, the Trump slogan for the last week of campaigning is

We're Going Back!

[broncofan]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1850625175068332131

So shameful. It really sounds like a bonafide hate rally. Sent in my ballot for Kamala. Wait and see.

[broncofan]

in more news....this is mainstream in the Republican party https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1850657453471334551

speaks for itself. so rotten.

[broncofan]

more racism https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1850613597304455412

[filghy2]

So shameful. It really sounds like a bonafide hate rally. Sent in my ballot for Kamala. Wait and see.

The really shameful thing is that so many normal Republicans and Independents seem determined not to see any of this.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

more racism https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1850613597304455412That is absolutely despicable and very disturbing.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

in more news....this is mainstream in the Republican party https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1850657453471334551

speaks for itself. so rotten.
Agree it does speak for itself,and is very rotten.

[filghy2]

If tax is to be an election issue at this late stage, it may be due to Trump 'floating' the idea of abolishing Federal income tax.

This is all magical thinking based on the idea that the revenue can be replaced by import tariffs, which he seems to believe fall on foreigners and not Americans. Somehow, tariffs are going to stop imports without raising prices. In reality it would be a massive shift in the taxation burden from high income earners to low income earners. So much for helping the workers against elites.

The other irony is that people are voting for Trump because they are mad about temporary surge in inflation, yet Trump's own policies will be inflationary:
- a big increase in import tariffs
- big tax cuts that will be funding mainly by borrowing
- reducing the labour supply by deporting millions of undocumented immigrants
- reducing the independence of the Federal Reserve to force them to keep interest rates down
https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/realistically-how-much-damage-could

[Stavros]

in more news....this is mainstream in the Republican party https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1850657453471334551

speaks for itself. so rotten.

I don't know who Grant Cardone is, but he repeats a common line from Trump and others, that Harris is 'the least qualified candidate to ever run for any political office in American history'.

I guess Mr Cardone has never heard of Ross Perot or Jill Stein, and for obvious reasons he could have mentioned Angela Davis, and it doesn't matter because this is existential politics that determines either you vote for Trump or 'you won't have a country any more'.

As for what the qualifications are for President, even if you don't think Trump had any in 2016, this list puts one man in the frame, with a surprising result, though some Republicans who hate him would probably respond 'told you so!'

"

His total education lasted about nine months — and those months weren’t consecutive months. He “studied” in country schoolhouse where there were zero teacher qualifications, and never received a minute of high school or college learning.
He served about a month in the military, and his military experience consisted, in his own words, of wandering around swatting mosquitoes.
His one experience running a business was disastrous. He bought into a business with a colleague, and they quickly ran it into the ground.
He served a single term in the U.S. Congress, representing a rural district in a rural state. While in Congress, he achieved almost nothing, and at the end of his single term, party officials replaced him, and he never ran for another term.
After that, he served a single term in his state’s legislature, and that state lay on the outskirts of the country as it then existed.
His professional career was extensive and successful, earning him a moderate degree of prosperity for him and his family, but it offered little preparation for serving as president of the U.S.
He ran for a seat to represent his state in the U.S. Senate, and he lost rather soundly.

That man, by practically every objective measure, was one of the least suited man every to run for president on a major party ticket.
And that man was Abraham Lincoln."
Which American president was the least qualified for the position? Why? (Not necessarily the worst president) - Quora (https://www.quora.com/Which-American-president-was-the-least-qualified-for-the-position-Why-Not-necessarily-the-worst-president)

[Stavros]

BREAKING NEWS from DJ Trump

VENEZUELAN GANGS HAVE TAKEN OVER TIMES SQUARE.

What?!

Maybe they are eating the (hot) dogs?

[broncofan]

Kamala Harris was a capable prosecutor. She passed the bar exam, which is not super difficult, but is something I am pretty sure Donald Trump could not do even if he attended law school.

The problem with Trump is that he is amoral. This is not a judgment or a political statement, but a character assessment that is very tough to dispute. People say, well he favors me in this way or that way.

They should be asked the question: if it harmed him to favor you, is there any principle he adheres to that would cause him to defend you? If it benefitted him to harm you and he could without repercussions, is there any principle that would prevent him from harming you?

[broncofan]

The really shameful thing is that so many normal Republicans and Independents seem determined not to see any of this.
The frequency with which he does things that are repugnant challenges the working memory and short-term memory ability of the average person. If you talk to one of his supporters, they will defend him by trying to compare something egregious he did to something Hillary did, and by the time you explain all of the differences between the actions that make them very different you will have forgotten the 9 other things (for the moment) you were going to point out.

But of course, it is possible to have a checklist in one's own mind, or even to write it down, and know that he has said or done dozens of things that would ordinarily make someone dangerously unqualified to look after the public welfare.

He did not just contest the results of an election. He refused to concede and advanced multiple competing theories about how he was cheated that were not coherent or supported by facts. He tried to convince a state attorney general to find enough votes for him to win, and then tried to pressure his vice president to refuse to certify the results of the election.

But this is less than one in a hundred of the things he did. If someone does not see the things he does as uniquely disqualifying, then it means they have no red lines that would prevent them from pursuing what they want politically.

[Stavros]

Was MSG the 'October Surprise' or the 'October Fuckup'? What struck me about the clips that I saw was just how much swearing their was, and the tone of rage, insolence, even violence, and I just don't see how anyone born before 2000 can see the Republican Party even of GW Bush in this, even Vance in his Jake Tapper interview smeared the Neo-Cons who we used to think were the most extreme within 'normal' politics. This is now just sewer politics, and it's scary.

But most of the coverage in the UK has focused on the impact Hinchcliffe might have on undecided voters and people with links to Puerto Rico in swing states. Was this the night Trump lost the election?

[Stavros]

I watched the interview with Lindsay Graham who obviously has a problem with the word 'Fascist' because he objects to Trump being called one but was shown Trump calling Harris a Fascist numerous times. What struck me, as it has with other people is how he parroted verifiable untruths or make misleading statements.

Graham says mortgages are twice as high as they were four years ago, and they are higher, but the Presidency doesn't set the interest rates that determine the cost of a mortgage, the Federal Reserve does via the markets, so I don't see now either Biden or Harris can be blamed for mortgage rates.
Read about the rates here-
Mortgage Rate History: 1970s To 2024 | Bankrate (https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/historical-mortgage-rates/#rates-over-time)

Graham says Trump 'rebuilt' the military, which is a misleading statement, because the cost of maintaining and refurbishing the military is mostly dependent on the money allocated by Congress not the Presidency, so it is really Congress, ie Democrats and Republicans who 'rebuilt' the military. It is also a complicated thing to break down, as this link shows=
Trump's False Military Equipment Claim - FactCheck.org (https://www.factcheck.org/2020/07/trumps-false-military-equipment-claim/)

As for the 'Open Border', it should be common knowledge by now that there has been a sharp reduction in illegal crossings in the South, and that it may even be a payoff from an Executive Order, and the talks Harris had with Mexico as 'Border Czar' (I have previously assumed her talks were a flop so I have been wrong about that it seems) and anyway who decided to use the word Czar when it is Russian for Emperor. Try this
Sharp fall in migrant encounters at US-Mexico border in 2024 | Pew Research Center (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/10/01/migrant-encounters-at-u-s-mexico-border-have-fallen-sharply-in-2024/)

Hell, even the Cato Institute has debunked myths about immigrants, here-
15 Myths About Immigration Debunked | Immigration | Carnegie Corporation of New York (https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/15-myths-about-immigration-debunked/)

Graham says Trump has been the best President for Israel, which may appear to be the case in the limited context of the freedom the Netanyahu Government(s) have been able to do without being challenged, but there were numerous incidents in Gaza and the West Bank during his Presidency, and as far as I can tell, Trump did absolutely nothing to engage with the fundamental problems of Palestinian rights, assuming Trump thinks or thought they had any, when it was the deterioration of conditions in Gaza and the absence of any talks that fed the decision by Sinwar -decisions whose planning was underway when Trump was President- to mount the October 7 attack. Thus, giving Israel free reign to do what it wanted, has led to the situation today in which the Gaza District is all but uninhabitable, with no signal from Israel as to where those two million people are to live, or how Gaza is to be rebuilt or by whom, though you can be sure the US will pay for a lot of it.

As the former head of MI6 said on BBC-2's Newsnight this evening, Trump is a transactional man, and only engages in policy decisions when they secure a win for him -he and Graham may see a win-win for Israel re HAMAS and Iran right now, but the absence of any Israeli policy for the next 5 years suggests Trump if President should 'wait and see' or he may find himself having to commit the US to much more than it has done so far.

The interview can be seen here-

Video The rhetoric is ‘dangerous’: Graham on former generals' criticism of Trump - ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/1-1-lindsey-graham-115191656)

[filghy2]

The frequency with which he does things that are repugnant challenges the working memory and short-term memory ability of the average person. If you talk to one of his supporters, they will defend him by trying to compare something egregious he did to something Hillary did, and by the time you explain all of the differences between the actions that make them very different you will have forgotten the 9 other things (for the moment) you were going to point out.

A classic example is claiming that Hillary also disputed her election loss, totally ignoring that fact that she conceded on election night, didn't launch any legal challenges, didn't pressure officials to change the result or block certification, or instigate a riot.

The problem is that it's very asymmetric, so the idea that lies can always be combatted with truth is naive. It's easy for someone to come up with a blizzard of dubious claims and whataboutisms, when they don't care about truth or consistency. Trying to debunk it takes a lot more effort. That's why 'flooding the zone with shit' works. Many people decide it's just to hard to sort out.

I saw this transcript of Joe Rogan asking Trump for his evidence that the last election was rigged. He's been talking about this for 4 years, and this was the best he could do?
1471595

[broncofan]

A classic example is claiming that Hillary also disputed her election loss, totally ignoring that fact that she conceded on election night, didn't launch any legal challenges, didn't pressure officials to change the result or block certification, or instigate a riot.

The problem is that it's very asymmetric, so the idea that lies can always be combatted with truth is naive. It's easy for someone to come up with a blizzard of dubious claims and whataboutisms, when they don't care about truth or consistency. Trying to debunk it takes a lot more effort. That's why 'flooding the zone with shit' works. Many people decide it's just to hard to sort out.

I saw this transcript of Joe Rogan asking Trump for his evidence that the last election was rigged. He's been talking about this for 4 years, and this was the best he could do?
1471595
exactly right with this. and the way he went about complaining before the election, calling for the vote to be stopped while he was ahead....it was clear he didn't have a bonafide belief he won based on evidence of fraud. What if a candidate actually had hard evidence of fraud taking place. there's a difference between launching a legal challenge because you have some evidence and proceeding merely because you don't like the result; launching dozens of suits that are thrown out bc you can't meet the lowest bar to proceed to trial.

but as you point out the difference includes the fact that Hillary did not legally challenge the election.

we also have the whataboutism with the independence of the department of Justice. There is a difference between prosecuting your political rival by putting pressure on the attorney general and federal law enforcement and the department of justice proceeding independently because they have found evidence of a crime.

If a former president actually commits crimes, it is not corrupt when the fbi investigates him and federal prosecutors prosecute him. It is corrupt if the President has brought pressure to bear on law enforcement the way Trump did routinely with Sessions and Comey. So i've unfortunately also had to explain to people that Trump threatening to lock up reporters is not the same thing as him being prosecuted for committing crimes lol.

[broncofan]

If a former president actually commits crimes, it is not corrupt when the fbi investigates him and federal prosecutors prosecute him. It is corrupt if the President has brought pressure to bear on law enforcement the way Trump did routinely with Sessions and Comey. So i've had to inform some of them that Trump threatening to lock up reporters is not the same thing as him being prosecuted for committing crimes lol.
But to your larger point, every time we have to explain you exceed the attention span of some people and that is why flooding the zone with shit is effective. That is why deflection and whataboutism are effective. The transcript with Rogan is truly pathetic.

[blackchubby38]

For the first time in history and/or since they started doing it, the following three newspapers will not endorse any Presidential candidate:

The Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post
USA Today

Also, Stavros to answer your question about the reduction in border crossings, I think it is due to the executive order and less to do with Kamala Harris' job as border czar. Because if the talks had succeeded, I think we would be hearing more about them from her campaign.

As for the use of czar for positions in the United States government, it goes back to the days of FDR:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._executive_branch_czars

[KnightHawk 2.0]

One week from now will be Election Day,a day where millions of people across the United States and the world will be tuning to see who is elected the next President and Vice President of the United States,and which party gains control of the House Of Representatives and US Senate. Major Differences between the two political tickets on the Democratic Side: Is the current Vice President Kamala Harris who was a prosecutor,district attorney,attorney general and junior senator from California,and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz,who wants to unite and move the country forward and make the lives of the middle class better,and protect abortion,civil,lgbtq,voting and women's rights. And make sure millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share,and support our allies and stand up too dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jung Un. And put country over party and be a president and vice president for all Americans. On The Republican Side: Is Donald Trump who is a convicted felon,charlatan,fraudster and racist sexual predator,and his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance who is just as unhinged as Donald Trump,and wants to the country backwards to a time where there were no rights for the black,hispanic,jewish and lgbtq communities. And get rid of the US Constitution and the levers of power,and defer all power to him and be a dictator on day one,and abandon our allies,leave NATO and cozy up too dictators. Will be very interesting to see which party and candidates prevails and win the 2024 Election next week.

[filghy2]

For the first time in history and/or since they started doing it, the following three newspapers will not endorse any Presidential candidate:

The Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post
USA Today


Because they suddenly decided neutrality is an important principle or because they are afraid of retribution from Trump if he wins?

I doubt these endorsements have any effect on voters, but it still matters for the signal it sends.

[Stavros]

As for the use of czar for positions in the United States government, it goes back to the days of FDR:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._executive_branch_czars

Thanks, I thought this was a recent invention but clearly not.

[Stavros]

The 'little secret' appears to be a majority in the House using the 12th Amendment to replace the Electoral College certification.

The intriguing point is that the Democrats might not get a majority in the House if they lose 6 seats in the state of New York - allowing for no significant flips elsewhere- thus returning Mike Johnson as Speaker -he even thinks this is why New York has become important to Trump. I believe the Democrats have had a negative press this year -something to do with the Major of NYC - I just don't know enough about the House elections to make a judgment, could the Republicans flip enough seats in New York to retain control of the House?

Trump’s SECRET Election Plan SLIPS OUT during Speech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3uAm4c5wHQ)

[broncofan]

I'm not going to link an article yet, but this is a note to watch this space. There have been multiple instances of people trying to destroy and vandalize ballot stations. Some of them are still being investigated so I don't want to make assumptions about all of the culprits. But I will look it up later...it just came across my news feed and is a fairly new phenomenon I think.

[Stavros]

Any thoughts on Tim Walz? He comes across as a coherent no nonsense speaker. I know next to nothing about Minnesota and his record there.

[Stavros]

Here (scroll down for the video) is some idiot talking about how RFK is going to get 'the data' on vaccinations and presumably overhaul the system, if Trump wins and Kennedy is given some health job he is clearly not qualified for; and in the second link the facts which make the proposal to hire Kennedy even more alarming. One wonders who will have the most reckless, dangerous-to-life vaccination policy -the US, or the Taliban?

Trump Transition Co-Chair Floats Plan To 'Yank' Vaccines 'Off The Market' (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trump-transition-co-chair-spouts-141336874.html)

As for the facts

Trump Repeats Falsehoods About Childhood Vaccines in Leaked Phone Call With RFK Jr. - FactCheck.org (https://www.factcheck.org/2024/07/trump-repeats-falsehoods-about-childhood-vaccines-in-leaked-phone-call-with-rfk-jr/)

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Any thoughts on Tim Walz? He comes across as a coherent no nonsense speaker. I know next to nothing about Minnesota and his record there.Completely agree that's exactly what Minnesota Governor Tim Walz comes across as. And he's down to earth and keeps it real. And was the right the choose to be Vice President Kamala Harris running mate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Walz

[MrFanti]

For the first time in history and/or since they started doing it, the following three newspapers will not endorse any Presidential candidate:

The Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post
USA Today


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._executive_branch_czars
Exactly how it should be!
Media is supposed to be non-partisan and a watch dog of the government REGARDLESS of political party!

[Stavros]

Exactly how it should be!
Media is supposed to be non-partisan and a watch dog of the government REGARDLESS of political party!

But not how it is -Murdoch persuaded Reagan to end the Fair Broadcasting Doctrine in 1987 precisely so that his media outlets could abandon objective and balanced reporting to be Partisan and as Biased as Murdoch wanted, just as he did with his newspapers in the UK (The Sun, News of the World in particular). Newspapers are privately owned and it is up to the owners if they show a bias, so there is no point in expecting them to be non-partisan unless the owners want it that way.

The US media in general has enabled Trump at every level. He was known for decades as a liar and a scam merchant, yet even when he has been convicted of crimes with more to come, he gets a free pass -do you think any Democrat nominee would survive the onslaught of bad press if they were a convicted criminal?

Most intriguing of all, even the Democrats have not pushed the Epstein enigma, how close Trump was to Epstein, how much he knew about Epstein's illegal behaviour -Trump tends to clam shut when the name Epstein is mentioned. As for all the verifiable lies, again reporters let him get away with the most outrageous nonsense -he cannot bring himself to admit the Springfield story is rubbish because he is never wrong, but all he had to do was call the Mayor on the phone, he is, after all, a Republican, but he can't do that because he never says sorry, never admits to being wrong.

Russia Russia Russia - the Mueller report identified hundreds of incidences when the Trump campaign was in touch with the Russians in 2015-2016, had that been Clinton she would have been shredded in the media but she was the one who was subjected to legal scrutiny by the FBI.

Now Trump is suing CBS for $10 billion -! why not $20 bn?- because the man who complains he is the victim of the weaponization of the law is addicted to litigation. It is his way of at the very least draining other people of their money, so he doesn't even care if he loses, as long as the other side have had to sell everything to defend themselves against Trump's made up lies. Will then media report this for what it is, or treat it as a legitimate legal argument?

What a mess you are in.

[Stavros]

Down and down he goes. Not content with suggesting Liz Cheney be a target with "nine barrels shooting at her", and certainly aware of the outrage -and potentially legal action- his comments have provoked, he of course added to the first set of comments by claiming "she kills people" who "wanted to go to war with everybody". (Note: when he was Trump's National Security Advisor he wanted Trump to bomb Iran, is he a disgrace too?).

Arizona prosecutor investigating Trump for saying Cheney should face gunfire | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-suggests-liz-cheney-should-face-firing-squad-her-foreign-policy-stance-2024-11-01/)

Trump says Cheney ‘kills people,’ doubling down after ‘nine barrels shooting’ comments - Live Updates - POLITICO (https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/11/01/2024-elections-live-coverage-updates-analysis/trump-cheney-kills-people-shooting-00186830)

Just as disturbing is the argument in today's Guardian

"Republicans are already laying the ground for rejecting the result of next week’s US presidential election in the event Donald Trump (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) loses, with early lawsuits baselessly alleging fraud and polls from right-leaning groups that analysts say may be exaggerating his popularity and could be used by Trump to claim only cheating prevented him from returning to the White House."
Republicans preparing to reject US election result if Trump loses, warn strategists | US elections 2024 | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/01/republicans-donald-trump-polls-us-election-lawsuits)

Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition -wasn't that just a song?

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Down and down he goes. Not content with suggesting Liz Cheney be a target with "nine barrels shooting at her", and certainly aware of the outrage -and potentially legal action- his comments have provoked, he of course added to the first set of comments by claiming "she kills people" who "wanted to go to war with everybody". (Note: when he was Trump's National Security Advisor he wanted Trump to bomb Iran, is he a disgrace too?).

Arizona prosecutor investigating Trump for saying Cheney should face gunfire | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-suggests-liz-cheney-should-face-firing-squad-her-foreign-policy-stance-2024-11-01/)

Trump says Cheney ‘kills people,’ doubling down after ‘nine barrels shooting’ comments - Live Updates - POLITICO (https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/11/01/2024-elections-live-coverage-updates-analysis/trump-cheney-kills-people-shooting-00186830)

Just as disturbing is the argument in today's Guardian

"Republicans are already laying the ground for rejecting the result of next week’s US presidential election in the event Donald Trump (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) loses, with early lawsuits baselessly alleging fraud and polls from right-leaning groups that analysts say may be exaggerating his popularity and could be used by Trump to claim only cheating prevented him from returning to the White House."
Republicans preparing to reject US election result if Trump loses, warn strategists | US elections 2024 | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/01/republicans-donald-trump-polls-us-election-lawsuits)

Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition -wasn't that just a song?There is something really wrong with the Orange Convicted Felon Donald Trump,and his despicable and disgusting comments shows how unhinged and unstable he really is. Not surprised at all that his enablers are laying the groundwork for The Big Lie 2.0

[Ben]

JLo Delivers Important Message Ahead Of Election Day (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcHJRUyZgN4)

[Stavros]

"Anderson (https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/anderson-cooper)Cooper chimed in Thursday on Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance (https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/jd-vance)’s recent claim that former President Donald Trump (https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/donald-trump) is likely to win the “normal gay guy vote.”"
Anderson Cooper Makes Cheeky Dig At Trump After JD Vance's 'Normal Gay Guy' Comment (https://uk.yahoo.com/news/anderson-cooper-makes-cheeky-dig-173938671.html)

What?!

[BostonBad]

Any thoughts on Tim Walz? He comes across as a coherent no nonsense speaker. I know next to nothing about Minnesota and his record there.

He's really stupid. All those years in the military and he's a simp bitch trying load and fire a hunting rifle. He should load it and fire it with almost perfection.

[BostonBad]

There is something really wrong with the Orange Convicted Felon Donald Trump,and his despicable and disgusting comments shows how unhinged and unstable he really is. Not surprised at all that his enablers are laying the groundwork for The Big Lie 2.0

When you evaluate all statement on each side, each candidate said some pretty strange shit.

Kamala wants open borders and high taxes. Although she's not Trump, things were better under him than her.

I might not vote at all.

Maybe I'll suck some ts dick election night, that makes me happy..

[Stavros]

He's really stupid. All those years in the military and he's a simp bitch trying load and fire a hunting rifle. He should load it and fire it with almost perfection.

What is a 'simp bitch'?

[Stavros]

When you evaluate all statement on each side, each candidate said some pretty strange shit.

Kamala wants open borders and high taxes. Although she's not Trump, things were better under him than her.

I might not vote at all.

Maybe I'll suck some ts dick election night, that makes me happy..

If you don't vote, isn't that like saying you don't care?

And when did Kamala Harris say she wants 'open borders'? There are no 'open border' in the US -if borders are not policed, it is because the geography makes it impossible to police every inch.

[MrFanti]

When you evaluate all statement on each side, each candidate said some pretty strange shit.

Kamala wants open borders and high taxes. Although she's not Trump, things were better under him than her.

I might not vote at all.

Maybe I'll suck some ts dick election night, that makes me happy..
Exactly why we need to see beyond just Democrat/Republican.....

[Stavros]

Exactly why we need to see beyond just Democrat/Republican.....

Go on, then, Mr Fanti, tell us what you see.

[filghy2]

What is a 'simp bitch'?

I don't think he knows what it means either - probably just repeating something he saw on the internet.
"Simp is a slang insult for men who are seen as too attentive and submissive to women, especially out of a failed hope of winning some entitled sexual attention or activity from them."
https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/simp/

[Luke Warm]

Why would anybody who likes porn vote for a Republican -- the party of Mike Johnson, Mike Pence, JD Vance, etc? Banning porn is part of Project 2025. Even if you think that Project 2025 isn't... I don't know, real? You don't need to reference Project 2025, just listen to the things they say. Sex is strictly for procreation. Those names are not just random scrubs, they are at the highest levels of leadership in the GOP.

[broncofan]

There's not enough alcohol in the world for this shit....if it continues.

[filghy2]

To borrow from Oscar Wilde: electing Trump once might be regarded as carelessness; electing him again after all we've seen and heard looks like something else.

The most shocking thing is that Trump is likely to win the popular vote by almost as much as Biden did last time. It's not even possible to argue that most Americans still reject him.

[Stavros]

It is like Brexit, but with global implications. A country consumed by lies that chooses isolation over inclusion, that joins with others with its complete contempt for both domestic and international law, not creating a new world order, but dismantling the one which was created after 1945, and replacing it with nothing other than unrestrained ambition, and war.

Russia might be desperate if it needs troops from North Korea, but if the US stops aiding Ukraine, the consequences might not just be Russia's territorial ambitions resembling the old USSR, millions of refugees will seek sanctuary -where will they go?

Israel, Supreme, having destroyed Gaza and on the way to destroying Lebanon, almost daily bombing Syria, is now free to attack Iran, not for 'regime change' but to cause chaos and division, above all to neutralize it, draining it of its ability to support Lebanon and the 'Houthi' in Yemen, the latter two with Saudi Arabia's blessing. And again, having already created 3 million refugees with more to come, where will they go?

Tariffs, and the Beast's dismissal of NATO and the EU may lead to the demise of both, with dire consequences for Germany, which on top of an economic recession will be expected to take in refugees from the Middle East and Ukraine -is the US going to take them?

The contempt for the UN, and notably its agencies -WHO, UNRWA, UNICEF, the World Bank -suggests there is a danger that the world we lived in is coming to an end, to be replaced with an age of Barbarism with no moral leadership, in which human life is worth nothing, a world in which millions of refugees seek a home, with every door closed to them.

The lamps are going out all over the world, I may not see them lit again in my lifetime.

[broncofan]

To borrow from Oscar Wilde: electing Trump once might be regarded as carelessness; electing him again after all we've seen and heard looks like something else.

The most shocking thing is that Trump is likely to win the popular vote by almost as much as Biden did last time. It's not even possible to argue that most Americans still reject him.
oscar Wilde, brilliant though he was, would not poll well in maga counties. But his words still relevant.

trump would have won regardless. But there need to be protocols in place for same day attempts at election interference akin to the bomb threats in Georgia.

someone else said, peculiar how there are no questions about vote totals from republicans…it really is like voter fraud yelling is a reliable barometer for how well the democratic candidate is doing.

[Stavros]

What we don't (yet) know -how many people who would have voted Democrat never voted, because the polling station was closed, because they were purged from the roll, or denied in some other way.

What happens now to the court cases?

[KnightHawk 2.0]

What we don't (yet) know -how many people who would have voted Democrat never voted, because the polling station was closed, because they were purged from the roll, or denied in some other way.

What happens now to the court cases?The court cases againist Donald Trump will more than likely get thrown out.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Here is an article on the eight takeaways from the 2024 Election. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/06/politics/takeaways-election-day/index.html

[blackchubby38]

What we don't (yet) know -how many people who would have voted Democrat never voted, because the polling station was closed, because they were purged from the roll, or denied in some other way.

What happens now to the court cases?

I'm going to say none, if any. Everybody who wanted to vote Democrat had the chance to do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIxNngNB5MI

[filghy2]

someone else said, peculiar how there are no questions about vote totals from republicans…it really is like voter fraud yelling is a reliable barometer for how well the democratic candidate is doing.

Yeah, that giant elite conspiracy somehow fizzled out this time. So much for the voting machines that could be manipulated, or whatever.

[filghy2]

What we don't (yet) know -how many people who would have voted Democrat never voted, because the polling station was closed, because they were purged from the roll, or denied in some other way.

The combined margin in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin is over 240,000, so it would need to be more than that to make a difference.

[Stavros]

The combined margin in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin is over 240,000, so it would need to be more than that to make a difference.

Fair point, and I think if there were serious issues they would have been aired by now. Thus the people like Trump who were shrieking 'cheat' throughout the campaign, have yet again be shown to be shrieking about nothing.

[Stavros]

I'm going to say none, if any. Everybody who wanted to vote Democrat had the chance to do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIxNngNB5MI

Thanks for this rational account of the result. It is even more depressing than I thought - notably the divide in voting behaviour between young men and women. If anything, it reveals more divisions across American society, and perhaps, as Kamala Harris said in her concession speech, it suggests that individualism at the expense of community has undermined the Democrat message, the argument being that people in fact are less community minded than once they were, and are looking out for themselves without regard for their neighbours, if they even know who they are.

[MrFanti]

The thing that concerns me the most is how on earth could Liberal media completely miss the stance of the American people? (Regardless of how ugly).

So people that only followed Liberal news media outlets were hugely disappointed today because they weren't told the ugly truth about where Americans stand.

Lesson learned: Paint the true picture, no matter how ugly it is.

[filghy2]

The thing that concerns me the most is how on earth could Liberal media completely miss the stance of the American people? (Regardless of how ugly).

So people that only followed Liberal news media outlets were hugely disappointed today because they weren't told the ugly truth about where Americans stand.

Lesson learned: Paint the true picture, no matter how ugly it is.

To be fair, they were following polls that mostly suggested the election would be close. I doubt think they somehow thought Trump would win easily, but decided to mislead their readers.

[Stavros]

The thing that concerns me the most is how on earth could Liberal media completely miss the stance of the American people? (Regardless of how ugly).

So people that only followed Liberal news media outlets were hugely disappointed today because they weren't told the ugly truth about where Americans stand.

Lesson learned: Paint the true picture, no matter how ugly it is.

The Liberal media? How many Americans get their news from the New York Times or the Jimmy Kimmel show? Maybe the 'dark secret' is that Fox News, and the other pro-Trump media outlets told one lie after another to scare the wits out of Americans who don't do their own research to find out if it is true that Haitian immigrants eat dogs and cats -even when the man himself was confronted with the facts he insisted the truth was not known.

How many of the 'alternative' media outlets told the truth about the health of the US economy since Biden became President, and then pointed out how it is that grocery prices are high -not because of Biden, but ruthless businesses who always raise prices never lower them, even when the costs go low? How many of the same sources told the stories of Americans being murdered by a couple of illegal or legal immigrants, but never told of the deaths of pregnant women who could not get treatment because health practitioners are terrified of going to prison and losing their careers if they terminate a pregnancy, or in one case allow a woman to die who miscarried. This is shameful, but if Elon Musk is the source of news, it is beyond that to some alternative universe in which Planet Earth and all that happens here is 'yesterday's news'.

Now consider the impact of not very bright people receiving messages like this:

Here, from today's Guardian is from an American who writes for the paper

"Kamala Harris announcing that she was running for president coincided with my social media algorithms bombarding me with Christian “tradwife” content (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2024/jul/24/tradwives-tiktok-women-gender-roles) about the importance of serving and obeying one’s husband, and not working outside the home. This alternative reality isn’t a side of America that many Europeans had seen. You might be dimly aware that historically the country was founded by religious fundamentalists deemed too extreme for European sensibilities, but there’s something about seeing quite how unhinged and retrograde the content is that really brings the ideological disconnect home.".
People around the world are appalled by Trump’s win, but women have been gripped by a visceral horror | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/07/trump-women-misogynist-hatred-american-bodies)

We don't have people like that in the UK, certainly not with that ability to reach people directly. This religious nonsense is something we don't connect with. I have a box attached to my tv which gives me lots of channels, most of which are garbage, but recently they added Jimmy Swaggart's channel, and I have watched it with incredulity at the fabulous rubbish they broadcast, but the point is I just don't get it. Yet maybe this matters to Americans. A measure of how easy it is to embrace extremism as if it were normal. Because they don't think they are extreme.

[Stavros]

PS. Look at that 'family photo' -no Melania, but who's that guy on the right? Elon Musk. 'Nuff said.

[blackchubby38]

I just saw this report the on local news. Its about a continuing trend that I posted an article about in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Why I don't think New York will ever become a swing state, it should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party.

County-by-county election results map for New York. How did my county vote in the 2024 presidential race?


www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/new-york-map-county-by-county-election-results-2024-presidential-race/

[MrFanti]

The thing that concerns me the most is how on earth could Liberal media completely miss the stance of the American people? (Regardless of how ugly).

So people that only followed Liberal news media outlets were hugely disappointed today because they weren't told the ugly truth about where Americans stand.

Lesson learned: Paint the true picture, no matter how ugly it is.


To elaborate:
A thorough review of the Iowa Poll has begun into disparity between its results, actual vote
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnists/from-the-editor/2024/11/07/iowa-poll-review-underway-election-2024-miss-kamala-harris-donald-trump-selzer-and-co/76110540007/

Libera media & pollsters should apologize to audiences for not painting the ugly real picture to them.

[Ben]

Sanders Blasts the Dem Party Following Harris Loss:
Bernie Sanders Blasts the Democratic Party Following Harris Loss (https://scheerpost.com/2024/11/07/bernie-sanders-blasts-the-democratic-party-following-harris-loss/)

[filghy2]

Sanders Blasts the Dem Party Following Harris Loss:
Bernie Sanders Blasts the Democratic Party Following Harris Loss (https://scheerpost.com/2024/11/07/bernie-sanders-blasts-the-democratic-party-following-harris-loss/)

So he thinks the right response to voters shifting to the right is for the Democrats to move to the left? They actually did a lot of the things he wanted, but he's still complaining.

It seems that the loss was due mainly to voters being unhappy about inflation and illegal immigrants. What would Bernie have done differently to fix those problems?

[Stavros]

I just saw this report the on local news. Its about a continuing trend that I posted an article about in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Why I don't think New York will ever become a swing state, it should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party.

County-by-county election results map for New York. How did my county vote in the 2024 presidential race?


www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/new-york-map-county-by-county-election-results-2024-presidential-race/ (http://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/new-york-map-county-by-county-election-results-2024-presidential-race/)

Interesting link...but...

a) did the vote for Clinton reflect her status as Senator for the State as well as the familiarity with Trump as a con-man in the city?

b) is the gap between the votes for previous Democrats and Harris a personal thing, that people just don't like or trust her?

c) I can understand the fatigue with the Democrats, there have been examples in the UK where Labour or the Tories have been in power forever, and nothing much changes, but this is also true in the US where the Republicans are the forever party. I don't see how this can change unless you change the electoral system -in the UK people advocate change by ditching first past the post to proportional representation. In the US the electoral system should be taken out of State control and given to an Independent Electoral Commission that draws electoral boundaries and administers the elections, with one universal system for all 50 States.

d) I don't understand why it was possible for Abbott, and also De Santis to traffic people from their States to New York and not be arrested, as I understand human trafficking is illegal in the USA.

e) What has happened to social policy? Have Americans become so disenchanted with individual liberty that they will support a Trump/Vance administration making same-sex marriage and divorce illegal? Are the rights of Transgendered Americans now to be abolished? New York -or is it just New York City is famously 'liberal' though an American from Nebraska (in the days of Reagan) once told me 'New York City is not America'- are you about to live through a revival of the Puritan Ethics of Colonial America?

[MrFanti]

Sanders Blasts the Dem Party Following Harris Loss:
Bernie Sanders Blasts the Democratic Party Following Harris Loss (https://scheerpost.com/2024/11/07/bernie-sanders-blasts-the-democratic-party-following-harris-loss/)

He's absolutely correct!
Like it or not, Democrats lost touch with the working class and instead, became the party of the elite!

[Ben]

So he thinks the right response to voters shifting to the right is for the Democrats to move to the left? They actually did a lot of the things he wanted, but he's still complaining.

It seems that the loss was due mainly to voters being unhappy about inflation and illegal immigrants. What would Bernie have done differently to fix those problems?

Wage and price controls. Nixon did it. Back in the early 70s.
Nobody is illegal. I mean, is the idea of America legitimate? Is slavery and the extermination of the indigenous population legitimate?
We've so-called free trade w/ Mexico (really corporate rights agreements) and the core of free trade is the free circulation of labor. That's the core. Meaning you can go anywhere you want. Now you decide: should free trade exist...
Bring up people's living standards -- across the whirling world. Stop giving all the money to a few people (neoliberalism... which has had a very negative impact on the populace; great for the very, very rich but harmful to everyone else). So go back to the 1950s. Eisenhower. High taxes on the ridiculous rich. High social spending.
And, well, universal public health care. Free college.
Tax the hell out of the very rich. Back in 1942 Roosevelt proposed a 100 percent income tax on incomes above $25,000. Roughly $500,000 today.
Bring about more equality. Equality has very beneficial effects.
All these things would mean we don't get deranged criminals like Trump.
So, the root of the problem (instead of blaming one another) is the system, the structure. If we don't address that, well, we're lost... and will move further and further into fascism.

[filghy2]

The problem with you'r argument is that some of this has been tried already and it doesn't seem to have worked. Obama expanded health cover substantially, but it didn't stop Trump being elected in 2016. Biden implemented more of the progressive agenda than any Democrat since FDR, and it didn't win votes.
https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/377170/kamala-harris-economic-policy-new-progressive-economics

Inflation is a problem caused by demand growing faster than supply. It can't be fixed by wage and price controls, just as wasn't fixed when Nixon tried it.

It's pretty clear that the majority of voters don't share your view on unauthorised immigrants. If you don't want to stop them because America is illegitimate or whatever then get used to losing elections.

Your free trade equal free migration argument is silly because obviously the two things can be separated. NAFTA never allowed free migration.

[MrFanti]

Wage and price controls. Nixon did it. Back in the early 70s.
Nobody is illegal. I mean, is the idea of America legitimate? Is slavery and the extermination of the indigenous population legitimate?
We've so-called free trade w/ Mexico (really corporate rights agreements) and the core of free trade is the free circulation of labor. That's the core. Meaning you can go anywhere you want. Now you decide: should free trade exist...
Bring up people's living standards -- across the whirling world. Stop giving all the money to a few people (neoliberalism... which has had a very negative impact on the populace; great for the very, very rich but harmful to everyone else). So go back to the 1950s. Eisenhower. High taxes on the ridiculous rich. High social spending.
And, well, universal public health care. Free college.
Tax the hell out of the very rich. Back in 1942 Roosevelt proposed a 100 percent income tax on incomes above $25,000. Roughly $500,000 today.
Bring about more equality. Equality has very beneficial effects.
All these things would mean we don't get deranged criminals like Trump.
So, the root of the problem (instead of blaming one another) is the system, the structure. If we don't address that, well, we're lost... and will move further and further into fascism.

The root of the problem is the Democrat party did not listen to the Black/Hispanic/Indian American Republicans. The Democrats also didn't listen to the Black/Hispanic/Indian American PEOPLE who said WHY they were voting for Trump.

Listening to the PEOPLE is key and NOT listening to yourselves. The warning signs were out for about a year and a half, Democrat party just didn't listen. One example is below

Why Indian-Americans are breaking from the Democrats
https://fortune.com/2024/11/07/why-indian-americans-are-breaking-from-democrats-elections-politics/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1pyRGDkQuQlPtNmqbclkS8 Wx9bw4L9KsAWZ8Ek56J4tMOUrc0IfhIXpiA_aem_RgCxng29EH 2WrSrpHlI8Nw

[Paladin]

You mean INcoherent, full of nonsense whack job.

[Paladin]

Complete buffoon, and Valor thief. Can't even handle a simple shotgun. BTW, how did her vp choice work out?

[Paladin]

Walz.

[Paladin]

I don't think he knows what it means either - probably just repeating something he saw on the internet.
"Simp is a slang insult for men who are seen as too attentive and submissive to women, especially out of a failed hope of winning some entitled sexual attention or activity from them."
https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/simp/

Arnold said it best a while ago - girly man. And no, I'm not referring to the TG community.

[Paladin]

It is like Brexit, but with global implications. A country consumed by lies that chooses isolation over inclusion, that joins with others with its complete contempt for both domestic and international law, not creating a new world order, but dismantling the one which was created after 1945, and replacing it with nothing other than unrestrained ambition, and war.

Russia might be desperate if it needs troops from North Korea, but if the US stops aiding Ukraine, the consequences might not just be Russia's territorial ambitions resembling the old USSR, millions of refugees will seek sanctuary -where will they go?

Israel, Supreme, having destroyed Gaza and on the way to destroying Lebanon, almost daily bombing Syria, is now free to attack Iran, not for 'regime change' but to cause chaos and division, above all to neutralize it, draining it of its ability to support Lebanon and the 'Houthi' in Yemen, the latter two with Saudi Arabia's blessing. And again, having already created 3 million refugees with more to come, where will they go?

Tariffs, and the Beast's dismissal of NATO and the EU may lead to the demise of both, with dire consequences for Germany, which on top of an economic recession will be expected to take in refugees from the Middle East and Ukraine -is the US going to take them?

The contempt for the UN, and notably its agencies -WHO, UNRWA, UNICEF, the World Bank -suggests there is a danger that the world we lived in is coming to an end, to be replaced with an age of Barbarism with no moral leadership, in which human life is worth nothing, a world in which millions of refugees seek a home, with every door closed to them.

The lamps are going out all over the world, I may not see them lit again in my lifetime.

A bit anti semite there??

[Paladin]

What we don't (yet) know -how many people who would have voted Democrat never voted, because the polling station was closed, because they were purged from the roll, or denied in some other way.

What happens now to the court cases?

Name ONE US citizen, who is Not a felon, who has Not moved to a different location since originally registering, who was "purged" from any voter roll.

NO polling stations closed early, and it is up to the Voter to know where his or her polling location is.

There were however voters in red districts (possibly in PA) who were threatened with having their ballots made provisional when a polling station had problems and remained open for two hours. All those who were in line during the extended time were told their ballots were to be made provisional.

[Paladin]

They are still lying to themselves and to the people. pmsnbc is even worse. They can keep it up for all I care, we will see 8 years of JD Vance as president as a result.

Remember what Abe said:

'You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

and: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

[Stavros]

The root of the problem is the Democrat party did not listen to the Black/Hispanic/Indian American Republicans. The Democrats also didn't listen to the Black/Hispanic/Indian American PEOPLE who said WHY they were voting for Trump.

Listening to the PEOPLE is key and NOT listening to yourselves. The warning signs were out for about a year and a half, Democrat party just didn't listen. One example is below



Since when have America's Billionaires listened to the people? Most of them got rich from Govt contracts or tax payer subsidies, which is why Ben is right to argue for a systemic appraisal of the current situation in the US. It is a system -the Capitalist system- that gets people to pay twice or even more times for goods and services that they produce, in whose profits they do not share. Imagine the absurdity of people paying one of the richest corporations in the world -Exxon- to put gasoline in their car, after paying a subsidy to what, keep the company going? Like it's going to go bust without a tax payer subsidy?

In aggregate terms, the US economy is in better shape today than it was when Trump left office.

If prices are high and the cost of living hard, whose fault is it? Who decides the price of eggs, meat and bread? Kamala Harris?

Who will benefit from the Trump administration? The people? If you think that you are seem to have forgotten what happened last time.

Trump made more money playing golf in 4 years than Tiger Woods made in 20, and you can be sure he will be playing Golf more times than he talks peace with Israel, the Arabs, Russians and Ukrainians.

Who is the rising star of the new Trump era? Billionaire Elon Musk -when he selects his top team how many will be Millionaires and Billionaires?

When did any of these Billionaires pledge to give away their fortunes to finance education or health or any public good?

The USA is on the way to becoming a country of Oligarchs, for the Oligarchs, Trump the new Yeltsin. As for the People -who cares about them as long as they hand over their money to the men who matter, who don't even need it?

[Paladin]

The thing that concerns me the most is how on earth could Liberal media completely miss the stance of the American people? (Regardless of how ugly).

So people that only followed Liberal news media outlets were hugely disappointed today because they weren't told the ugly truth about where Americans stand.

Lesson learned: Paint the true picture, no matter how ugly it is.

Here you go, just like the far left and lying assed media whack jobs. You are calling the majority of the American people ugly - and worse, and they do not like it.

I don't know where you live, but the inflation here has been a real PITA, and it has hurt most Americans, the neediest to begin with the MOST. They are done with it and so am I.

[Stavros]

US rate of Inflation since 2016
2016 - 1.3%
2017 - 2.1%
2018 - 2.4%
2019 - 1.8%
2020 - 1.2%
2021 - 4.7%
2022 - 8%
2023 - 4.1%
2024 - 2.4%

Obama dealt with the crash of 2008 at colossal cost to the taxpayer, but Covid was your pain in the ass. That'll be the pandemic through which a Million Americans lost their lives.

[Paladin]

Since when have America's Billionaires listened to the people? Most of them got rich from Govt contracts or tax payer subsidies, which is why Ben is right to argue for a systemic appraisal of the current situation in the US. It is a system -the Capitalist system- that gets people to pay twice or even more times for goods and services that they produce, in whose profits they do not share. Imagine the absurdity of people paying one of the richest corporations in the world -Exxon- to put gasoline in their car, after paying a subsidy to what, keep the company going? Like it's going to go bust without a tax payer subsidy?

In aggregate terms, the US economy is in better shape today than it was when Trump left office.

If prices are high and the cost of living hard, whose fault is it? Who decides the price of eggs, meat and bread? Kamala Harris?

Who will benefit from the Trump administration? The people? If you think that you are seem to have forgotten what happened last time.

Trump made more money playing golf in 4 years than Tiger Woods made in 20, and you can be sure he will be playing Golf more times than he talks peace with Israel, the Arabs, Russians and Ukrainians.

Who is the rising star of the new Trump era? Billionaire Elon Musk -when he selects his top team how many will be Millionaires and Billionaires?

When did any of these Billionaires pledge to give away their fortunes to finance education or health or any public good?

The USA is on the way to becoming a country of Oligarchs, for the Oligarchs, Trump the new Yeltsin. As for the People -who cares about them as long as they hand over their money to the men who matter, who don't even need it?

In capitalist US we pay LESS for fuel,than anywhere else except to the the middle east oil nations.

The US economy is severely bifurcated to the extent that the poorest segments are FAR worse off than they were 4 years ago.

It is / was the biden-harris war on us domestic fuel production that they starred on Day 1 in 2021 hat has caused the underlying cost of EVERYTHING to increase belong even the 40 year high inflation rates, so YES she / he DID "decide" to price of eggs, meat, bread, etc.

There are MANY more left wing billionaires that conservative ones, and I don't see any of them pledging their fortunes. In other words people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

[Paladin]

US rate of Inflation since 2016
2016 - 1.3%
2017 - 2.1%
2018 - 2.4%
2019 - 1.8%
2020 - 1.2%
2021 - 4.7%
2022 - 8%
2023 - 4.1%
2024 - 2.4%

Obama dealt with the crash of 2008 at colossal cost to the taxpayer, but Covid was your pain in the ass. That'll be the pandemic through which a Million Americans lost their lives.


And more perished in 2021 under biden than in 2020 even though there were TWO vaccines available before the end of 2020.

[Paladin]

On the bright side, gasoline dropped 21 cents per gallon in the 3 days after the election here.

[Stavros]

In capitalist US we pay LESS for fuel,than anywhere else except to the the middle east oil nations.

The US economy is severely bifurcated to the extent that the poorest segments are FAR worse off than they were 4 years ago.

It is / was the biden-harris war on us domestic fuel production that they starred on Day 1 in 2021 hat has caused the underlying cost of EVERYTHING to increase belong even the 40 year high inflation rates, so YES she / he DID "decide" to price of eggs, meat, bread, etc.

There are MANY more left wing billionaires that conservative ones, and I don't see any of them pledging their fortunes. In other words people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

"It is / was the biden-harris war on us domestic fuel production that they starred on Day 1 in 2021 hat has caused the underlying cost of EVERYTHING to increase belong even the 40 year high inflation rates, so YES she / he DID "decide" to price of eggs, meat, bread, etc.".

-the facts say otherwise-

"“The Biden administration’s policies have been devastating for our federal lands,” House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said in a statement. Whether it’s a new Bureau of Land Management rule “that fundamentally threatens the western way of life, or the decision to lock up enormous deposits of increasingly scarce minerals, it’s clear Biden and his bureaucrats have no interest in properly stewarding our federal lands.”

But that narrative conflicts with drilling data. Oil production has soared on public lands under Biden, growing by roughly 530,000 barrels a day since 2020. The country is currently producing more oil every year than any country in history (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration."
What Biden’s oil record means for the industry’s future - E&E News by POLITICO (https://www.eenews.net/articles/what-bidens-oil-record-means-for-the-industrys-future/)

Try this, with my emphasis in Bold

"The United States is producing more oil (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545) and natural gas (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gas-production-by-country) today than ever before, and far more than any other country. So, what roles did the Trump-Pence and Biden-Harris administrations play in this surge?
The answer might surprise you, given the way each has talked publicly about fossil fuels: former President Donald Trump embracing them (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/trump-oil-industry-campaign-money/), and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris focusing on reducing fossil fuel use to fight climate change.
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning.
That production has both pros and cons. Together, oil and gas account for nearly three-quarters of U.S. energy consumption (https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/). Producing oil and gas in the U.S. provides energy security, and high production generally keeps prices down. Burning oil and gas, however, releases carbon dioxide into the air, contributing to climate change (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions). And natural gas is mostly methane (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07117-5) – another potent greenhouse gas.".
Under both Trump and Biden-Harris, US oil and gas production surged to record highs, despite very different energy goals (https://theconversation.com/under-both-trump-and-biden-harris-us-oil-and-gas-production-surged-to-record-highs-despite-very-different-energy-goals-236859)

[Stavros]

And more perished in 2021 under biden than in 2020 even though there were TWO vaccines available before the end of 2020.

But here is a more accurate view of the period in question-

"Spencer Fox, associate director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium (https://covid-19.tacc.utexas.edu/), said the first thing to consider when it comes to looking at 2020 and 2021 pandemic statistics is that 2020 is a ten-month period while 2021 is a full pandemic year. Much of the COVID-19 deaths happened March 2020 and onward; only 26 deaths involving COVID-19 were recorded for January and February 2020 (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm).
Additionally, the U.S. experienced a surge in cases starting winter 2020 near the end of that year, Fox said. Many people died from those 2020 infections in early 2021, and that was well before vaccines were widely available. So while many of the infections in that wave happened in 2020, they were part of the 2021 mortality statistics.
There was also a delta variant surge in summer 2021, after vaccines had become widely available to the public.
"What we've seen basically since that surge is really just continued spread," Fox said, noting that the delta and omicron variants surprised a lot of people.
,,,
"But I think even though vaccines were widely available, I think a lot of the mortality that happened over the summer – during that major Delta surge – was happening on unvaccinated individuals," Fox said.
Fox noted that even though many people were vaccinated, vaccination rates were low. "There was plenty kind of fuel for the COVID virus to spread on," Fox said.".
Fact-check: Did more people die from COVID-19 in 2021 than in 2020? (https://eu.statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2022/01/16/fact-check-did-more-people-die-covid-19-2021-than-2020/8858993002/)

Did more people die because they were not vaccinated in spite of vaccines being available?

[Stavros]

This Forbes article explains why grocery prices are so high in the US, thus

"Grocery prices (https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2023/10/03/how-to-make-groceries-affordable-again/?sh=7a8fedaa7c66) are 30% higher than four years ago. In the wake of World War II, the grocery industry (https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=K9n1hP0AAAAJ&citation_for_view=K9n1hP0AAAAJ:hC7cP41nSMkC) was born to ensure a cheap, convenient and abundant food supply. Decades later, the same industry leveraged pandemic-related supply chain crises to raise prices and reap enormous profits (https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2022/09/12/how-profit-inflation-made-your-groceries-so-damn-expensive/?sh=53b364e82eb9), all while selling less food. Sustained higher prices are not only a burden on consumer budgets, but are also an ongoing policy failure (https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2022/12/18/why-the-federal-reserve-cant-solve-food-price-inflation/?sh=3df060053bbb) by the Biden Administration."
Why Your Groceries Are Still So Expensive (https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2024/02/07/why-your-groceries-are-still-so-expensive/)

And argues that whereas the Govt in France forced prices down, the Biden Administration was not aggressive in the same way. Can you imagine that Trump is going to go after his Billionaire chums who have the grocery market tucked into their thighs to open their legs and give the people a better shot? If Biden had done it, Trump would be screaming COMMUNIST! If he does get his mates to lower their prices, will that be GOVT DIKTAT or even...er...COMMUNISM!? Either way Trump does not believe in markets anyway, so maybe he will do something. Watch that space.

[filghy2]

On the bright side, gasoline dropped 21 cents per gallon in the 3 days after the election here.

Let me guess: everything good that happens from here will be due to Trump, but everything bad will be somebody else's fault or didn't happen?

I see you are catching up on your trolling after a long break. Don't forget your advice above.


"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

[filghy2]

The US economy is severely bifurcated to the extent that the poorest segments are FAR worse off than they were 4 years ago.

What exactly is Trump going to do to fix that? As I recall, the main legislative achievement last time was a massive tax cut for rich people. They also went within one vote of abolishing Obamacare, which would have left millions without health cover. It looks like they are planning more of the same this time.

While you are at it, can you explain how Trump is going to reduce inflation by increasing import tariffs, increasing the deficit though tax cuts, deporting a big chunk of the labour force and reducing the independence of the Federal Reserve?

[filghy2]

It is / was the biden-harris war on us domestic fuel production that they starred on Day 1 in 2021 hat has caused the underlying cost of EVERYTHING to increase belong even the 40 year high inflation rates, so YES she / he DID "decide" to price of eggs, meat, bread, etc.

So this was what caused inflation to rise all around the world at the same time? Not supply disruptions due to the pandemic? Not the Ukraine war?

Unfortunately for your argument, US oil and gas production is higher than it's ever been. The only big fall in production actually occured in 2020.
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=MCRFPUS2&f=M

[Paladin]

So this was what caused inflation to rise all around the world at the same time? Not supply disruptions due to the pandemic? Not the Ukraine war?

Unfortunately for your argument, US oil and gas production is higher than it's ever been. The only big fall in production actually occured in 2020.
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=MCRFPUS2&f=M

1st: Yes it is the senile dumass took off two million barrels a day, which caused higher prices on everything and enriched iran which resuted in them re-arming hezbollah and hamas. we know where that went.

2nd: Wrong answer. We were were EXPORTING 1-2 million barrels a day and now we are still importing oil. And for a good while we were importing it from the ruskies. And we know where that went as well.

You don't seem to be able to understand how energy costs DIRECTLY impact the cost of Everything that needs any transportation to its final destination. It also directly impacts to cost of production of goods.

The above and the weakness displayed by biden-harris precipitated the russian and iranian attacks on Ukraine and Israel, respectively. Neither would have dared make these attacks if Pres Trump was still in office.

[Paladin]

I'm not going to teach global macroeconomics and distribution to those who do not want to understand it.

[Paladin]

"It is / was the biden-harris war on us domestic fuel production that they starred on Day 1 in 2021 hat has caused the underlying cost of EVERYTHING to increase belong even the 40 year high inflation rates, so YES she / he DID "decide" to price of eggs, meat, bread, etc.".

-the facts say otherwise-

"“The Biden administration’s policies have been devastating for our federal lands,” House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said in a statement. Whether it’s a new Bureau of Land Management rule “that fundamentally threatens the western way of life, or the decision to lock up enormous deposits of increasingly scarce minerals, it’s clear Biden and his bureaucrats have no interest in properly stewarding our federal lands.”

But that narrative conflicts with drilling data. Oil production has soared on public lands under Biden, growing by roughly 530,000 barrels a day since 2020. The country is currently producing more oil every year than any country in history (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration."
What Biden’s oil record means for the industry’s future - E&E News by POLITICO (https://www.eenews.net/articles/what-bidens-oil-record-means-for-the-industrys-future/)

Try this, with my emphasis in Bold

"The United States is producing more oil (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545) and natural gas (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gas-production-by-country) today than ever before, and far more than any other country. So, what roles did the Trump-Pence and Biden-Harris administrations play in this surge?
The answer might surprise you, given the way each has talked publicly about fossil fuels: former President Donald Trump embracing them (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/trump-oil-industry-campaign-money/), and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris focusing on reducing fossil fuel use to fight climate change.
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning.
That production has both pros and cons. Together, oil and gas account for nearly three-quarters of U.S. energy consumption (https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/). Producing oil and gas in the U.S. provides energy security, and high production generally keeps prices down. Burning oil and gas, however, releases carbon dioxide into the air, contributing to climate change (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions). And natural gas is mostly methane (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07117-5) – another potent greenhouse gas.".
Under both Trump and Biden-Harris, US oil and gas production surged to record highs, despite very different energy goals (https://theconversation.com/under-both-trump-and-biden-harris-us-oil-and-gas-production-surged-to-record-highs-despite-very-different-energy-goals-236859)

Under Pres Trump we were EXPORTING oil which kept a lid on global prices. When the senile dolt took office he killed that and we are still importing oil, including from the ruskies through 2022, which inflated prices globally.

the increase in US production is simply not enough. They NEED it for military / aviation / shipping but they want to kill it off for the postulation.

Think things through!!!!!

[filghy2]

1st: Yes it is the senile dumass took off two million barrels a day, which caused higher prices on everything and enriched iran which resuted in them re-arming hezbollah and hamas. we know where that went.

2nd: Wrong answer. We were were EXPORTING 1-2 million barrels a day and now we are still importing oil. And for a good while we were importing it from the ruskies. And we know where that went as well.

You don't seem to be able to understand how energy costs DIRECTLY impact the cost of Everything that needs any transportation to its final destination. It also directly impacts to cost of production of goods.

Strangely, I can't find any analysis by actual inflation experts that supports your claim. This one, for example, says:
During the recovery from the pandemic, most industrialized economies have experienced substantial increases in inflation. We find that food and energy accounted for a smaller share of inflation acceleration in the U.S. than in the rest of the OECD data set. Strong U.S. demand for durable goods has driven its inflation acceleration, while also pushing up durable goods prices worldwide.
https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/chicago-fed-letter/2022/470

As you claim to be an expert in global macroeconomics, perhaps you could provide us with relevant links?

[filghy2]

The above and the weakness displayed by biden-harris precipitated the russian and iranian attacks on Ukraine and Israel, respectively. Neither would have dared make these attacks if Pres Trump was still in office.

I'm sure Putin is shaking in his boots and making plans to withdraw right now. What are you going to say when Trump makes his Munich agreement to abandon Ukraine?

[Stavros]

Under Pres Trump we were EXPORTING oil which kept a lid on global prices. When the senile dolt took office he killed that and we are still importing oil, including from the ruskies through 2022, which inflated prices globally.

the increase in US production is simply not enough. They NEED it for military / aviation / shipping but they want to kill it off for the postulation.

Think things through!!!!!

You could also do more research before making provocative claims which seem mostly to condemn President Biden as a 'senile dolt'. Imports from Russia which are barely 3% of the total are in fact refined products that began as crude in Russia before being refined in other countries, mostly India.

"The story begins in Siberia, which holds the majority of Russia's oil reserves. Russia produces 9.6 million barrels of crude oil per day, its single most important source of revenue.And it sells that oil to countries outside the U.S. and European Union, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and India, home to the world's largest oil refinery, the sprawling Jamnagar refining complex.
Before the war in Ukraine, Jamnagar imported almost no Russian crude. Today, Global Witness found about one-third of its monthly crude imports are Russian. At Jamnagar, the Russian crude is blended with other foreign crude and refined into gasoline, diesel, and other products that can be legally bought by American companies.".
How Russian oil is reaching the U.S. market through a loophole in the embargo | PBS News (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-russian-oil-is-reaching-the-u-s-market-through-a-loophole-in-the-embargo)

Congress can deal with this, if it chooses to, but will Trump want to annoy his best buddy Modi?

As for the broader profile, I don't see a lot that has been 'killed', and in my previous post I offered a link that explains why grocery prices are so high, and it has little to do with petroleum imports and exports, and everything to do with a few companies who control the core products people need screwing the Consumer for everything they can get. But either way you could consult the experts, no?

"In 2023, the United States imported about 8.51 million barrels per day (b/d) of petroleum from 86 countries. Petroleum (https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/) includes crude oil, hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs), refined petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and biofuels. Crude oil imports of about 6.48 million b/d accounted for about 76% of U.S. total gross petroleum imports.
In 2023, the United States exported about 10.15 million b/d of petroleum to 173 countries and 3 U.S. territories (American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands). Crude oil exports of about 4.06 million b/d accounted for 40% of total U.S. gross petroleum exports. The resulting total net petroleum imports (imports minus exports) were about -1.64 million b/d, which means that the United States was a net petroleum exporter of 1.64 million b/d in 2023.
The top five source countries of U.S. gross petroleum imports in 2023 were Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Brazil.".
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=727&t=6)

[filghy2]

What exactly is Trump going to do to fix that? As I recall, the main legislative achievement last time was a massive tax cut for rich people. They also went within one vote of abolishing Obamacare, which would have left millions without health cover. It looks like they are planning more of the same this time.

While you are at it, can you explain how Trump is going to reduce inflation by increasing import tariffs, increasing the deficit though tax cuts, deporting a big chunk of the labour force and reducing the independence of the Federal Reserve?


I'm not going to teach global macroeconomics and distribution to those who do not want to understand it.

Is that your patheric excuse for not answering these questions?

[filghy2]

Thanks, my sight's slowly going, couldn't read it.

Maybe this explains a few things

[Paladin]

I'm not a mind reader, but he is certainly NOT a happy camper right now, and neither is Xing (did I spell that right) or hamas, hesbollah, etc.

[Paladin]

Nice attempt at an irrelevant cross post.

[Paladin]

Bottom line, we exported oil under Trump but imported it under biden. russia exported oil to the US under biden, not under Trump.

durable goods (like plywood, I remember that because of the need for it when various hurricanes blow across me here) skyrocketed during the pandemic, but came right back down after. THEN they rose to double pre-pandemic costs under biden.

Oil futures actually went Negative during the pandemic, but later stabilized so that gasoline was approx 1.85 / gal here in Jan 2021, about the same as it was in Dec 2019. Then it shot up to nearly $5 / gal here (and nearly $7 / gal in CA) under the dolt. It's still more than 60% higher than Jan 2020.

A small tin of Vienna sausages was 50 cents in 2020, now they are more than $1 for the same can. Butter, much to the surprise of dumass morning joe, didn't jump to $3 / lb but $7, which his his wife had to point out to him right there on the air. Apparently he is leaving all the household chores to his wife.

[Stavros]

Bottom line, we exported oil under Trump but imported it under biden. russia exported oil to the US under biden, not under Trump.

durable goods (like plywood, I remember that because of the need for it when various hurricanes blow across me here) skyrocketed during the pandemic, but came right back down after. THEN they rose to double pre-pandemic costs under biden.

Oil futures actually went Negative during the pandemic, but later stabilized so that gasoline was approx 1.85 / gal here in Jan 2021, about the same as it was in Dec 2019. Then it shot up to nearly $5 / gal here (and nearly $7 / gal in CA) under the dolt. It's still more than 60% higher than Jan 2020.

A small tin of Vienna sausages was 50 cents in 2020, now they are more than $1 for the same can. Butter, much to the surprise of dumass morning joe, didn't jump to $3 / lb but $7, which his his wife had to point out to him right there on the air. Apparently he is leaving all the household chores to his wife.

I refer you back to my post #618 which explains the high price of groceries.

[blackchubby38]

Trump’s 2024 victory revealed voter shifts that could reshape America’s political landscape

http://www.cnn.com/2024/11/10/politics/trump-voter-shifts-nationwide/index.html

This is the part of the article that I find the most interesting. In essence, voters were saying, we don't like your candidate or your party. But some of your policies are okay.

The deep challenge the national Democratic Party faces with rural voters was on vivid display in two states the party hasn’t won on the presidential level in a generation: Missouri and Kentucky.

In Missouri, policies broadly backed by Democrats won popular support. Voters this year approved statewide ballot measures guaranteeing abortion rights, raising the minimum wage and mandating paid sick leave.

Harris, though? Blown out by 15 points.

In Kentucky — the same state that reelected a Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, last year in a campaign that focused largely on cultural battles like abortion rights and transgender rights — voters resoundingly rejected a proposed school voucher program.

They also rejected Harris, handing Trump a 30-point victory.

Not mentioned in the article, Alaska also voted to raise the minimum wage.

[filghy2]

Bottom line, we exported oil under Trump but imported it under biden. russia exported oil to the US under biden, not under Trump.

What a load of bullshit. The US only became a net exporter late in Trump's term. Before that it was a net importer for many decades. Since 2020 it has remained a net exporter, apart from a couple of brief periods.
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=MTTNTUS2&f=M

I also looked at oil market reports from the International Energy Agency at the time and there seems to be no mention of your claim that world prices rose because Biden removed 2m barrels or whatever.

It's pretty simple. Provide a credible source that supports your claim. Put up or shut up.

[filghy2]

Trump’s 2024 victory revealed voter shifts that could reshape America’s political landscape

I wonder if people are overstating this. The margins in the three closest states were:
Pennsylvania 2.1%
Michigan 1.4%
Wisconsin 0.9%

These three states have 44 EC votes, so if just over 1% of voters switched the result would go the other way.

A plausible explanation of the result is that voters weren't happy with how things have gone over the past 4 years, and they took it out on the incumbent. This has been happening all over the world in recent years.

Once Trump is the incumbent the boot will be on the other foot. Voters are likely to become disillusioned once they realise he isn't going to make their problems go away, and in some cases will make them worse. Also, if Republicans control both houses of Congress they will be emboldened to do things that won't be popular.

[filghy2]

This is the part of the article that I find the most interesting. In essence, voters were saying, we don't like your candidate or your party. But some of your policies are okay.

What do you think they should do in terms of policy? So far, the only consensus seems to be that everyone thinks the party should do more of what they always wanted. Progressives think they should move further to the left. Moderates think they should move back to the centre.

[Stavros]

Trump’s 2024 victory revealed voter shifts that could reshape America’s political landscape

http://www.cnn.com/2024/11/10/politics/trump-voter-shifts-nationwide/index.html

This is the part of the article that I find the most interesting. In essence, voters were saying, we don't like your candidate or your party. But some of your policies are okay.

The deep challenge the national Democratic Party faces with rural voters was on vivid display in two states the party hasn’t won on the presidential level in a generation: Missouri and Kentucky.

In Missouri, policies broadly backed by Democrats won popular support. Voters this year approved statewide ballot measures guaranteeing abortion rights, raising the minimum wage and mandating paid sick leave.

Harris, though? Blown out by 15 points.

In Kentucky — the same state that reelected a Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, last year in a campaign that focused largely on cultural battles like abortion rights and transgender rights — voters resoundingly rejected a proposed school voucher program.

They also rejected Harris, handing Trump a 30-point victory.

Not mentioned in the article, Alaska also voted to raise the minimum wage.

There is a lot to unpack here. Why are rural voters so 'Conservative'? Is it because they are mostly either farmers or linked to agriculture, and feel they are more self-motivated and independent of the kind of politics associated with the Democrats? If this puzzles me, it is because agriculture is subsidized by the Federal Govt, so that in reality they do not 'stand on their own two feet'. If I recall correctly, the Soy Bean farmers who lost their contracts with China when Trump imposed tariffs had to be bailed out with $12 billion, proving that for Trump markets don't matter and that trade is to be directed by Govt -the complete reversal of Reaganomics.

This points to the absence of a serious debate about economics in the election. Grocery prices as part of the cost of living issue were thus linked to Democrat incompetence or indifference, but no debate on why grocery prices are high, and no debate on how markets in the US work, let alone the wider debate on global markets and supply chains and how these have been affected by 2008 and Covid. I think the Democrats missed an opportunity here to change the terms of the debate, though to me Trump's statements on this merely amounted to a 'Trump will fix it' mantra, which is even more bizarre given that previous issue with Soy Bean farmers.

Another issue that was barely mentioned used to be, and I believe still is, a chronic complaint of 'Conservatives' -welfare. I don't know what the America First Policy Institute has to say on it, as I can't find any specific policy statement on it on their website-

Home (https://americafirstpolicy.com/)

If Democrat policies are popular, then why did Harris fail? Because she is a woman? Was their messaging so poor? When it comes to tone, Harris was more inclusive, where Trump and his supporters were strident, spiteful, crude and even violent -compare that to GHW Bush when he called for 'a kinder, gentler Nation', the kind of politics that is now so remote from what Trump represents as to offer this question -
If the Republican Party today is no longer the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Reagan and Bush (I and II), should the Democrats also change? But in the latter case, what would a different Democrat party look like?

[blackchubby38]

This sure aged well.

https://x.com/khris_thomas/status/1855773015822196983

[KnightHawk 2.0]

This sure aged well.

https://x.com/khris_thomas/status/1855773015822196983Yeah it sure did. And it came back to bite them in the ass.

[filghy2]

It's worth comparing this election to previous elections that were landslides.

In 1972, Nixon won 49 states and 61% of the vote.
In 1984, Reagan won 49 states and 59% of the vote.
This time Trump won 31 states and seems likely to get just over 50% of the vote.

Why is everyone talking as if this was a landslide when it was just an average win in historical terms?

[filghy2]

This points to the absence of a serious debate about economics in the election. Grocery prices as part of the cost of living issue were thus linked to Democrat incompetence or indifference, but no debate on why grocery prices are high, and no debate on how markets in the US work, let alone the wider debate on global markets and supply chains and how these have been affected by 2008 and Covid. I think the Democrats missed an opportunity here to change the terms of the debate, though to me Trump's statements on this merely amounted to a 'Trump will fix it' mantra, which is even more bizarre given that previous issue with Soy Bean farmers.

The problem is that it's very difficult to counter a simple argument with a more complicated one. The simple argument that inflation rose under Biden so he must be responsible resonates with how the average voter thinks. No amount of explanations about supply chains, etc is likely to be able to counter that.

More generally, Trump is running the simple argument that the struggles of the working class are due to immigrants and imports of foreign goods and he can fix that. What's the easily understandable narrative that can counter this effectively? One option is a left populist redistributional agenda like Bernie Sanders wants. The problem is that 'socialism' has never been very popular in the US. The main exception seems to be the New Deal, but that was only after 25% unemployment made voters more receptive to bigger government.

[MrFanti]

This sure aged well.

https://x.com/khris_thomas/status/1855773015822196983

EXACTLY what Black Lives Matter wanted as well for they stated on their website that they DID NOT ENDORSE Kamala Harris.

[Paladin]

It's all over except for the crying. the GOP is one seat away from the house majority.

Why CA and AZ take over a week to tally votes when FL can do it in a few hours amazes me, especially since AZ is a much smaller state.

[filghy2]

I just saw this report the on local news. Its about a continuing trend that I posted an article about in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Why I don't think New York will ever become a swing state, it should be a wake up call for the Democratic Party.

Noah Smith has written a good post on how poor governance in blue cities has contributed to these voting shifts - in particular, the 'progressive' idea that urban disorder should be tolerated for social justice reasons.
https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-blue-cities-must-be-fixed

[Paladin]

Noah Smith has written a good post on how poor governance in blue cities has contributed to these voting shifts - in particular, the 'progressive' idea that urban disorder should be tolerated for social justice reasons.
https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-blue-cities-must-be-fixed

Screw it up bad enough for long enough and it will eventually come back to bite you in the ass. And from what I can tell with the biased media and dems themselves still calling EVERYONE racist, etc, even black & CA / SA folks, and Not learning their lessons, this election was just the beginning. you don't earn voted by insulting people or their intelligence.

[Stavros]

Screw it up bad enough for long enough and it will eventually come back to bite you in the ass. And from what I can tell with the biased media and dems themselves still calling EVERYONE racist, etc, even black & CA / SA folks, and Not learning their lessons, this election was just the beginning. you don't earn voted by insulting people or their intelligence.

"...the biased media..."
Here in the UK we don't have access to the 'alternative' sources of news unless their episodes are on YouTube, and as I had never heard of Joe Rogan until this year I would not have looked for it -but Rogan regularly gets more viewers than any of the 'conventional' broadcasting outlets, including Fox News. This raises the question in response to your quoted comment -

Who watches the 'biased media'? Not most Americans. Maybe that it where the Harris campaign failed, setting aside the problem of being an incumbent, and other issues related to how people feel in their cities and towns.

The figures are here if you are interested

Some Viewers Abandon Television Networks On Election Day (https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2024/11/13/some-viewers-abandon-television-networks-on-election-day/)

[Paladin]

Safety in the big cities here: the NYC Mayor is about to go down for corruption and the mayor of Chicago is on the resident's shit list. Two DAs in CA have been booted, and another one that I can't recall of the top of my head. Unfortunately those three states still have off the rails governors. Nearly Every state has significant voter shift away from den to rep this year. Up to 20% in some states.

[Fitzcarraldo]

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-how-change-vote-election-day-1984939

[filghy2]

This election result looks a lot like 2004, which was the last time a Republican won the popular vote. We know that Bush's popularity fell pretty quickly after that.
https://www.natesilver.net/p/its-2004-all-over-again

It looks like Trump 2 is going to be chaos that makes Trump 1 look like a picnic, because there will be very few adults in the room restraining him this time. It will be telling whether Republicans block any of Trump's crazy nominations or moves to get around Congress.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/11/trump-tries-sideline-congressional-republicans/680655/

There's a strong chance things will swing back when people see the results of this chaos, but how much lasting damage will be done in the meantime?

[MrFanti]

Safety in the big cities here: the NYC Mayor is about to go down for corruption and the mayor of Chicago is on the resident's shit list. Two DAs in CA have been booted, and another one that I can't recall of the top of my head. Unfortunately those three states still have off the rails governors. Nearly Every state has significant voter shift away from den to rep this year. Up to 20% in some states.
I don't think Chicago was expecting what they got in their current mayor after Lori Lightfoot.....

[fred41]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t have. He never ran as a moderate and it was quite evident he was in the pocket of the Teacher’s Union from the get go. He was, and still is, pretty obvious about it all.

[filghy2]

Here's two charts supporting my point that people are probably overstating the significance of Trump's victory.

The first shows that the voting swing was relatively small compared to past elections in which the White House changed hands.
1473440

The second shows that swing against the incumbent was relatively small compared to other national elections over the past two years. Incumbents (both left or right) have mostly been doing badly.
1473442

[blackchubby38]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yx_re0FyZM?si=E7x1E6-eVY2hMQTR

[MrFanti]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t have. He never ran as a moderate and it was quite evident he was in the pocket of the Teacher’s Union from the get go. He was, and still is, pretty obvious about it all.
Oh I mean he went further left than even they anticipated when compared with Lori Lightfoot.....
One of the biggest complaints is from the Black community saying the current mayor treated immigrants better than homeless Chicago Blacks......

[Stavros]

Did the Americans vote for a 'second Revolution'? The actor best known for (like RFK) his gravel voice and a face that looks- and moves- like concrete, said this at the Florida golf club where Trump lives, referring first to one of his characters, 'Rocky'-

“Something was going to happen, this man was going to go through a metamorphosis and change lives. Just like President Trump.
“We’re in the presence of a really mythical character,” Stallone continued. “I love mythology. This individual does not exist on this planet. Nobody in the world could have pulled off what he pulled off, so I’m in awe.”
“And I’ll just say this, and I mean it,” Stallone went on. “When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world. Cause without him, you could imagine what the world would look like. Guess what? We got the second George Washington. Congratulations.”".
Sylvester Stallone calls Trump ‘the second George Washington’ in Mar-a-Lago warm-up speech (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/sylvester-stallone-calls-trump-the-second-george-washington-in-mar-a-lago-warm-up-speech/ar-AA1u6Uii?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=EDGEESS&cvid=2daa5b0d6abc4cdaa7e249009723b940&ei=47)

Set aside the fact that George Washington was a real man, not a myth, as well as the fact that his modesty sets him apart from Trump in the most obvious way, and you have the intriguing, if scary thought if Trump does get his nominations through their Senate confirmation hearings (other than those he gets in without that process), the impact could amount to a Revolution of some kind.

It would amount to a structural change, in which most important decisions on social and economic policy are made by States, not by the President or Congress, but also one in which rather than trust markets in a capitalist world, Trump's Federal Govt will make decisions on trade, notably on taxes and tariffs.

Oddly, the key here might be another attempt at Revolution in recent times, ie Brexit, and the unusual (because political) speech made this week in London by the Governor of the Bank of England, who has been forced to admit that the UK economy since Brexit and because of Brexit, has declined, and will continue to decline at the rate of 4% (though one also assumes most recent figures were skewed by the impact of Covid). He also pointed out that even without membership, the EU remains the major trading partner of the UK, not the US.
Bank of England boss says UK must 'rebuild relations' after Brexit - BBC News (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5m7mp96l8o)

Trump may very well succeed in some his cherished aims -nullifying all of the court cases he has lost, ending those still pending, and most of all, make as much money from the Presidency as he can. But yes he could preside over major structural changes to the US system of Govt, and also of the Rule of Law (Giuliani's contempt for the law is chutzpah but not surprising), but with the consequence that the economy, instead of being made great again, does not match the rhetoric -that in four years' time, the average American will be no better off; indeed, may be worse off, because Revolutions have a tendency to send economies into reverse -one also notes that the English, American, French, and Russian revolutions sparked wars designed to either spread the Revolution or stop it- and that Trump has no idea on this basis what he is doing, and I doubt that he cares.

The spite behind the rhetoric is a sad conclusion to a grubby campaign, but people are now so used to this collapse of decency in language, that the next 4 years, even if Trump only lasts for one or two of them, could be even uglier than it is now. With the final rider that for all the evidence of the damage Brexit has done to the UK economy, the current Labour Govt is struggling to make sense of our chronic problems -low productivity, low and currently zero growth in the economy, incompetence and even bankruptcy in local govt- so that it may take the US years to cope with the impact of Trump, if it ever does.

[Stavros]

RFK may have a valid point with regard to the sugar and salt content of processed foods, ready-meals, cereals and candy bars -but is it not a case of what you get with one hand, is taken away with the other? He has said there is too much focus on infectious disease, which is a strange thing to say when they pose risks to life.

If it needs to be done, get an expert to do it! There I said it. Expert.

[Stavros]

Vote Trump, get Musk -is the reality that Musk now has more effective power -and more extensive contacts- than the President? But on this basis, should he be the CEO of a company with 'Global Reach' using his position to advance the fortunes of the business, as well as being a member of the US Govt?

One might say it is not ethical, but when you say the word, hysterical laugher is heard throughout the Capitol. Even Putin is giggling. Did Musk and Trump campaign to end Freedom in Ukraine? They have given up on Gaza, so maybe, though Gaza and Lebanon and going to cost the American tax payer billions of $$$.

Democratic Senators call for probe into Musk's alleged contact with Putin - BBC News (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0l3wl76gzo)

[Paladin]

Maybe they'll wake up for the next election. But I'm not going to hold my breath.

When I take my US Rt 66 road trip I plan to spend only one night in chicago, IF I stay there at all. I'll probably just get to the start point, take a couple pics and get the hell out of there as fast as the car can take me. I have NO interest in anything in that cesspool of a city.

[filghy2]

As vote-counting goes on, the claimed Trump landslide is looking less and less impressive. Trump's share of the popular vote has now fallen below 50% and the margin has shrunk to 1.6%. It will shrink a little further as there are still some California votes to be counted. That will make it the second smallest popular vote margin since 1968.

At this stage Trump's vote is up by 2.5 million (3.5%) compared to 2020, while the Democrat vote is down 7 million (8.7%). Taking account of population growth, that suggests a modest increase in Trump's share of the voting population. The main story in this Presidential election is the collapse in the Democrat vote, rather than the increase in votes for Trump.

The results in Congressional elections were even less impressive. Republicans ended up with virtually the same narrow majority in the House of Reps that they had before the election. In the Senate they picked up 3 seats, but Democrats had many more seats at risk and they hung unto 3 seats in states won by Trump.

[Stavros]

As vote-counting goes on, the claimed Trump landslide is looking less and less impressive. Trump's share of the popular vote has now fallen below 50% and the margin has shrunk to 1.6%. It will shrink a little further as there are still some California votes to be counted. That will make it the second smallest popular vote margin since 1968.

At this stage Trump's vote is up by 2.5 million (3.5%) compared to 2020, while the Democrat vote is down 7 million (8.7%). Taking account of population growth, that suggests a modest increase in Trump's share of the voting population. The main story in this Presidential election is the collapse in the Democrat vote, rather than the increase in votes for Trump.

The results in Congressional elections were even less impressive. Republicans ended up with virtually the same narrow majority in the House of Reps that they had before the election. In the Senate they picked up 3 seats, but Democrats had many more seats at risk and they hung unto 3 seats in states won by Trump.

And image obsessed Trump don't like these awkward facts-
Trump team 'fuming' as margin of victory dwindles after Election Day: 'Delegitimize his mandate' (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/trump-team-fuming-as-margin-of-victory-dwindles-after-election-day-delegitimize-his-mandate/ar-AA1uAkEX)

The facts being Trump's wining margin is one of the weakest/smallest in US history, but I guess winner takes all. Until the mid-terms?
Transition 2025: Did Trump Win an “Unprecedented and Powerful Mandate”? | Council on Foreign Relations (https://www.cfr.org/blog/transition-2025-did-trump-win-unprecedented-and-powerful-mandate)

List of United States presidential elections by Electoral College margin - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_El ectoral_College_margin)

[MrFanti]

cesspool of a city.

Yep!
Used to live there myself cesspool definitely! Total racist and segregated when I was there - and when I say racist, I mean racism WITHIN PEOPLE OF COLOR....

Well, at least Robert Taylor homes are gone now.....

[Stavros]

Yep!
Used to live there myself cesspool definitely! Total racist and segregated when I was there - and when I say racist, I mean racism WITHIN PEOPLE OF COLOR....

Well, at least Robert Taylor homes are gone now.....

A cesspool indeed when it includes one of the finest museums of art I have ever seen (and I have seen most of the best)-

Home | The Art Institute of Chicago (https://www.artic.edu/)

If you love music you could slum it here-

Home | Lyric Opera of Chicago (https://www.lyricopera.org/)

If you live long enough, you might want to explore this when it is finished (but it's on the South Side, so maybe ask someone from the IDF to escort you?)

The Obama Presidential Center | The Obama Foundation (https://www.obama.org/presidential-center/)

As for the nightlife, this woman lists the two best cities she has been for nightlife: Melbourne, and, yep you guessed it: Chicago.

I've been to 50 countries — there's only one I'll never return to (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/i-ve-been-to-50-countries-there-s-only-one-i-ll-never-return-to/ar-AA1uj5e5)

Maybe next time go as Don Cheadle, pretend you are a tourist from the UK? Oright mate?

[Paladin]

Then go.

Just don't walk the streets back to your hotel afterwards...

[Stavros]

Then go.

Just don't walk the streets back to your hotel afterwards...

I have been to Chicago and no, I wasn't mugged, or robbed, or harassed. On my first visit to NYC I was walking at all hours of the day and night and never once had a problem, and that was in the early 80s.

When did you last go to Chicago and stay out late? Maybe if your bedtime is c21.00 you lead a charmed life?

[filghy2]

Then go.

Just don't walk the streets back to your hotel afterwards...

You were in Afghanistan, and now you are afraid to be in an American city? Maybe you need to cut down on your Fox News watching.

[MrFanti]

MICHAEL MOORE just accused Biden of starting World War 3! (amongst other smashing)
https://www.michaelmoore.com/p/biden-going-out-with-a-bang

"LAND MINES, Joe? Seriously? THIS is your legacy? This is how you want to go out? In a blaze of horror? Like, if Joe’s gotta go, we all gotta go with him… right into World War III? "

What makes this so interesting is that the whole Democratic Party was with Biden - until his debate with Trump....
Now, they're abandoning Biden just like they're silently abandoning Harris...

Firms up yet again why I'm not a supporter of a 2 party system....

[Paladin]

As vote-counting goes on, the claimed Trump landslide is looking less and less impressive. Trump's share of the popular vote has now fallen below 50% and the margin has shrunk to 1.6%. It will shrink a little further as there are still some California votes to be counted. That will make it the second smallest popular vote margin since 1968.

At this stage Trump's vote is up by 2.5 million (3.5%) compared to 2020, while the Democrat vote is down 7 million (8.7%). Taking account of population growth, that suggests a modest increase in Trump's share of the voting population. The main story in this Presidential election is the collapse in the Democrat vote, rather than the increase in votes for Trump.

The results in Congressional elections were even less impressive. Republicans ended up with virtually the same narrow majority in the House of Reps that they had before the election. In the Senate they picked up 3 seats, but Democrats had many more seats at risk and they hung unto 3 seats in states won by Trump.

Rationalize all you want. The fact remains that trump got a larger percentage of votes in nearly every, if not all states as compared to 2020.

It was biden's idiotic, (and most likely puppet mastered by o and/or a group) policies that trashed us here, and the people have had more than enough of it. They practically handed the election to the Republicans, and when they insulted parts of their own base, well that was too much.

If the Republican candidate was ANYONE other than Trump, this would have been a 47, 48, or 49 state electoral blowout not seen since 1984. Even with all the hatred directed against him, Trump managed to win an impressive victory.

And the harris campaign & dem leadership - if you can call it that - are STILL blaming the voters, and everything, even the hurricanes that devastated mostly conservative areas, EXCEPT where the blame belongs - themselves and their disingenuous continued gaslighting of the people with "biden was doing such a great job" and "nothing comes to mind"...

[Paladin]

You were in Afghanistan, and now you are afraid to be in an American city? Maybe you need to cut down on your Fox News watching.

Who says I was afraid? I'm out in large cities, all the time, However, I go where I can carry, not some liberal crime infested city where the criminals have more rights than their victims.


I have been to Chicago and no, I wasn't mugged, or robbed, or harassed. On my first visit to NYC I was walking at all hours of the day and night and never once had a problem, and that was in the early 80s.

When did you last go to Chicago and stay out late? Maybe if your bedtime is c21.00 you lead a charmed life?

NYC today is not like it was in the 80s. I lived and worked there for three years, and visited it often before and after. It was nothing like it is today.

I don't know what you mean by c21.00, but its 0300R here and I'm up, although I do need to get to bed soon.....

[filghy2]

Rationalize all you want. The fact remains that trump got a larger percentage of votes in nearly every, if not all states as compared to 2020.

That was also an election that he lost just as decisively as he won this won. Did the last 8 years teach you nothing about how quickly things can change?

The fact is that the tipping point state (Pennsylvania) was won by a margin of 1.7%. That means if less than 1% of voters switch parties the next election can go the other way. Only a blind partisan fool would let this election go to their head and think they are now invincible.

It's definitely possible that some voters will change their minds once they see that Trump isn't going to magically restore what they remember from 2019 (they seem to have forgotten about 2020) - that instead of restoring stability they are likely to get non-stop chaos. The one saving grace about Trump I is that he didn't actually do many of the things he talked about - either because he had no idea how to get things done or because responsible Republicans blocked him. That probably won't be the case this time because one lesson he learned was to surround himself with yes people with similar crazy ideas.

[Ben]

The message to Democrats is clear: you must dump neoliberal economics:
The message to Democrats is clear: you must dump neoliberal economics | Joseph Stiglitz | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/nov/28/the-message-to-democrats-is-clear-you-must-dump-neoliberal-economics)

[blackchubby38]

Is Harris campaign in denial?

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hk3iQH_frU?si=ArAd-Bh2uf3bm2sW

[Paladin]

That was also an election that he lost just as decisively as he won this won. Did the last 8 years teach you nothing about how quickly things can change?

The fact is that the tipping point state (Pennsylvania) was won by a margin of 1.7%. That means if less than 1% of voters switch parties the next election can go the other way. Only a blind partisan fool would let this election go to their head and think they are now invincible.

It's definitely possible that some voters will change their minds once they see that Trump isn't going to magically restore what they remember from 2019 (they seem to have forgotten about 2020) - that instead of restoring stability they are likely to get non-stop chaos. The one saving grace about Trump I is that he didn't actually do many of the things he talked about - either because he had no idea how to get things done or because responsible Republicans blocked him. That probably won't be the case this time because one lesson he learned was to surround himself with yes people with similar crazy ideas.

And he got those large vote swings even with millions who absolutely hate him.

I acknowledge that the new admin will have to do a good job, or they'll get hammered in the 2026 mid terms and possibly face a loss in 2028, but Remember Trump will NOT be on the ballot, and it if wasn't for the absolute hatred of him by those with TDS, this past election would have been a 47+ state electoral blowout. And JD Vance will likely wipe the floor with any dem debate opponent like he did with tampon tim and some lib media tards that tried to throw stuff in his face in interviews. Please that I myself do not like Trump, it's just that the alternative would have been a complete disaster.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Is Harris campaign in denial?

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hk3iQH_frU?si=ArAd-Bh2uf3bm2sWJudging by their comments,yes the Harris Campaign are in complete denial about why they were handed a humiliating loss on Election Night. And instead of doing some soulsearching about what wrong and why the polls were way off,they are making excuses and pointing fingers.

[Stavros]

Is Harris campaign in denial?

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hk3iQH_frU?si=ArAd-Bh2uf3bm2sW

There will always be a post election debate touching on various aspects of the campaign. This summer an American I met told me the Americans will not vote for a woman to be their President. I have mentioned this before somewhere, but I see no debate about it in this coverage. I would go further and suggest that just as a lot of Republican politics is determined to roll back the reforms of the 1960s, with Abortion the leading issue, so if you dig deeper, the 'Moral Majority', the 'NeoCons' and now the 'Trumpits' are just as focused on ending same sex relations and marriage, and moreover they would if they thought it possible make divorce illegal. At the root these policies suggest that the US has gone too far in giving women equal rights, for the simple reason the people who vote Republican don't think women are, or should be treated as equals. The almost total focus on transgender rights and why they should be abolished everywhere, is concerned with male to female people to the exclusion of female to male, though I might be wrong on this.

Key question: would any other woman have done better than Harris?

If Trump and his allies in the Federal Govt, Congress and the State legislatures get their way the next 4 years may see women the biggest losers of this phase of American history.

[filghy2]

Key question: would any other woman have done better than Harris?


Gretchen Whitmer, maybe?

Harris seems to have had two major problems.
1. She wasn't able to differentiate herself from Biden, and didn't really try - eg the infamous "Not a thing comes to mind" response.
2. She wasn't able to explain why she shifted from positions she advocated in 2020, so her attempt to move back to the centre wasn't convincing.

[filghy2]

I acknowledge that the new admin will have to do a good job, or they'll get hammered in the 2026 mid terms and possibly face a loss in 2028, but Remember Trump will NOT be on the ballot, and it if wasn't for the absolute hatred of him by those with TDS, this past election would have been a 47+ state electoral blowout. And JD Vance will likely wipe the floor with any dem debate opponent like he did with tampon tim and some lib media tards that tried to throw stuff in his face in interviews. Please that I myself do not like Trump, it's just that the alternative would have been a complete disaster.

You say you don't like Trump, but you also think that people who oppose him have an irrational hatred. It might be more convincing if you tell what you don't like about him.

[MrFanti]

Judging by their comments,yes the Harris Campaign are in complete denial about why they were handed a humiliating loss on Election Night. And instead of doing some soulsearching about what wrong and why the polls were way off,they are making excuses and pointing fingers.
Bingo!

[Paladin]

"Key question: would any other woman have done better than Harris?"

There are very many,,but better might still not have been good enough.one would still have to not lie to and insult the American people constantly



Gretchen Whitmer, maybe?

Harris seems to have had two major problems.
1. She wasn't able to differentiate herself from Biden, and didn't really try - eg the infamous "Not a thing comes to mind" response.
2. She wasn't able to explain why she shifted from positions she advocated in 2020, so her attempt to move back to the centre wasn't convincing.

I think it was "Nothing comes to mind", but close enough. That's because there is no mind for anything to come to, and process anything.

"Key question: would any other woman have done better than Harris?"

There are very many, but better might still not have been good enough.

Lastly, I not that there are a lot of brits & other foreigners here sounding off on MY country's elections & election process. Here's an idea, correct your own country's problems before belittling mine.

Remember, many of you would be speaking German (or russian) if it was not for US!.

[Stavros]

Lastly, I not that there are a lot of brits & other foreigners here sounding off on MY country's elections & election process. Here's an idea, correct your own country's problems before belittling mine.

Remember, many of you would be speaking German (or russian) if it was not for US!.

You are free to comment on the situation in the UK, I even have a thread on it in this section of Hung Angels. As CP Snow put it, 'Comment is Free, the Facts are Sacred'.

I would never diminish what the US did for the freedom of Europe, but it did not do it alone. The idea that without US help the British would have not only lost the war, but become a German satellite is truly bizarre. How would the Germans have run Britain? With no resistance? It is merely a 'what if' in history, as interesting as 'What if Guillaume did not claim his right to rule England in 1066?'.
Even after 40 years of Soviet domination, there were still more people speaking German, Czech, Hungarian and Polish than Russian in those countries. And so on.

You might as well say were it not for the British, you Americans would all be speaking French. Etc.

[Stavros]

This article tries to explain why Trump has been elected to a second term as President. But while it reaches back into history the examples are not fair -England in the 17thc, and France in the 18thc were not democracies, neither was British America in 1776.

So the question in 2024 is: why would people in a democracy fed up with the elites, vote for the most elitist, wealthiest people to rule them? No longer a govt of Millionaires out of touch with real people, but Billionaires who do not and never will care about John and Mary America. Bizarre.

The deep historical forces that explain Trump’s win | US politics | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/30/the-deep-historical-forces-that-explain-trumps-win)

[filghy2]

Lastly, I not that there are a lot of brits & other foreigners here sounding off on MY country's elections & election process. Here's an idea, correct your own country's problems before belittling mine.

Here's an idea. This is a public forum where anyone can comment on whatever interests them, and what happens in the US does affect the rest of the world. If you don't like that, feel free to piss off back to wherever you were hanging out before the election.

[Paladin]

This article tries to explain why Trump has been elected to a second term as President. But while it reaches back into history the examples are not fair -England in the 17thc, and France in the 18thc were not democracies, neither was British America in 1776.

So the question in 2024 is: why would people in a democracy fed up with the elites, vote for the most elitist, wealthiest people to rule them? No longer a govt of Millionaires out of touch with real people, but Billionaires who do not and never will care about John and Mary America. Bizarre.

The deep historical forces that explain Trump’s win | US politics | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/30/the-deep-historical-forces-that-explain-trumps-win)

There are MANY more far left radical billionaires than conservative ones, and you KNOW that. You're being Disingenuous as always.

[Paladin]

Here's an idea. This is a public forum where anyone can comment on whatever interests them, and what happens in the US does affect the rest of the world. If you don't like that, feel free to piss off back to wherever you were hanging out before the election.

Glass houses & stone throwing come to mind. Maybe we should have let the germans and ruskies run all over the place back then.

[Stavros]

There are MANY more far left radical billionaires than conservative ones, and you KNOW that. You're being Disingenuous as always.

Is that why the American people rejected the Democrats? Are you suggesting Bill Gates is 'radical left'? I can't think of a single American billionaire who could fall into Trump's description, but honestly, do you really think there is any meaning in the words Trump uses to sneer at people he doesn't like? He has called the same people Marxists and Fascists, not knowing the meaning of one, and being closer to the other than some realize. Remember 'drain the swamp' and where that originated? You think Trump didn't know it was Mussolini's term?

Go on, then, name those 'Radical Left Billionaires', and while you are doing so , maybe define 'Radical Left' or 'far left', because I don't think you know what these terms mean.

[Paladin]

Well Gates for one, dumass. Oh yeah didn't his wife show him the door after he was found to be on epstein's lolita express???
Bezos
Oprah
deniro
Stone
Baldwin
& 95%+ of hollywood; they may not be billionaires, but multi millionaires yes

[Stavros]

Well Gates for one, dumass. Oh yeah didn't his wife show him the door after he was found to be on epstein's lolita express???
Bezos
Oprah
deniro
Stone
Baldwin
& 95%+ of hollywood; they may not be billionaires, but multi millionaires yes

I note you have not defined what you mean by 'left' be it radical, far, extreme. None of the names on your list are left wing radicals. I would say they are social liberals at best. But this is how the language of politics has been debased since the Clinton era.

[filghy2]

I note you have not defined what you mean by 'left' be it radical, far, extreme.

Far left is anyone to the left of him, apparently.

[filghy2]

Well Gates for one, dumass. Oh yeah didn't his wife show him the door after he was found to be on epstein's lolita express???


The word is spelt 'dumbass', dumbass. Maybe they don't mention such things on Fox News, but you seem be overlooking the evidence that Trump and Epstein were besties.
https://www.vox.com/culture/382550/jeffrey-epstein-tapes-donald-trump-friendship

[Paladin]

The word is spelt 'dumbass', dumbass. Maybe they don't mention such things on Fox News, but you seem be overlooking the evidence that Trump and Epstein were besties.
https://www.vox.com/culture/382550/jeffrey-epstein-tapes-donald-trump-friendship

Trump was never a "bestie". He allowed epsteins plane or helo to land somewhere once. and he wasn't a regulat on that plane - if he was ever on it at all unlike many others.

I spell it dumass deliberately, because mist dumasses don't even notice it.

[Stavros]

"Trump was never a "bestie"".

Remember when Trump said this -

""I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy," Trump told New York magazine in 2002. "He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."".
Everything Donald Trump Has Said About Jeffrey Epstein Relationship - Newsweek (https://www.newsweek.com/everything-donald-trump-has-said-about-jeffrey-epstein-relationship-1857139)

I can't vouch for their authenticity, but Wolff says he has the tapes-
Listen To The Jeffrey Epstein Tapes: ‘I Was Donald Trump’s Closest Friend’ (https://www.thedailybeast.com/listen-to-the-jeffrey-epstein-tapes-i-was-donald-trumps-closest-friend/)

Trump claims he broke with Epstein after an incident in Florida when Epstein hit on the teenage daughter of a friend. But if Trump knew that Epstein was having sex with underage girls, why did he not tell the FBI or law enforcement? And every time Trump is asked about Epstein he goes pale, and either doesn't answer the question, or ends the interview.

Jeffrey Epstein sleeps with the fishes. I wonder, who did the angling?

[KnightHawk 2.0]

"Trump was never a "bestie"".

Remember when Trump said this -

""I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy," Trump told New York magazine in 2002. "He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."".
Everything Donald Trump Has Said About Jeffrey Epstein Relationship - Newsweek (https://www.newsweek.com/everything-donald-trump-has-said-about-jeffrey-epstein-relationship-1857139)

I can't vouch for their authenticity, but Wolff says he has the tapes-
Listen To The Jeffrey Epstein Tapes: ‘I Was Donald Trump’s Closest Friend’ (https://www.thedailybeast.com/listen-to-the-jeffrey-epstein-tapes-i-was-donald-trumps-closest-friend/)

Trump claims he broke with Epstein after an incident in Florida when Epstein hit on the teenage daughter of a friend. But if Trump knew that Epstein was having sex with underage girls, why did he not tell the FBI or law enforcement? And every time Trump is asked about Epstein he goes pale, and either doesn't answer the question, or ends the interview.

Jeffrey Epstein sleeps with the fishes. I wonder, who did the angling?Donald Trump always says that everytime one of his friends or associates gets in legal trouble. More than likely Trump did.

[Paladin]

epstein's dead - and I do not believe foe a second that it was suicide, and what's her name is keeping quiet lest she suffer the same fate, so the world will never know the full truth.

[blackchubby38]

There will always be a post election debate touching on various aspects of the campaign. This summer an American I met told me the Americans will not vote for a woman to be their President. I have mentioned this before somewhere, but I see no debate about it in this coverage. I would go further and suggest that just as a lot of Republican politics is determined to roll back the reforms of the 1960s, with Abortion the leading issue, so if you dig deeper, the 'Moral Majority', the 'NeoCons' and now the 'Trumpits' are just as focused on ending same sex relations and marriage, and moreover they would if they thought it possible make divorce illegal. At the root these policies suggest that the US has gone too far in giving women equal rights, for the simple reason the people who vote Republican don't think women are, or should be treated as equals. The almost total focus on transgender rights and why they should be abolished everywhere, is concerned with male to female people to the exclusion of female to male, though I might be wrong on this.

Key question: would any other woman have done better than Harris?

If Trump and his allies in the Federal Govt, Congress and the State legislatures get their way the next 4 years may see women the biggest losers of this phase of American history.

I think there is something to be said for the fact that on his way to Presidency, Donald Trump is 4-0 against women candidates. Yes, I'm counting Jill Stein. You can also make the case that Harris losing was just continuing the trend of voters rejecting the incumbents in the most recent elections that took take place in a post Pandemic world. I also saw an argument recently that said Biden's unpopularity played a part in Harris' defeat as well.

Having said all that, one of the reasons why Kamala Harris lost is because she was a flawed candidate who became the Democratic nominee through a dubious process. A nominee that it looks like Obama didn't want and George Clooney is having buyer's remorse about. Despite how well she did for being on the top of the ticket for only 3.5 months, she ran a flawed campaign that seemed to be only good at two things. Going into debt and racking up celebrity endorsements.

To answer your question though. If Nikki Haley would won the Republican nomination, I think she could have beaten Biden or Harris.

[MrFanti]

I think there is something to be said for the fact that on his way to Presidency, Donald Trump is 4-0 against women candidates. Yes, I'm counting Jill Stein. You can also make the case that Harris losing was just continuing the trend of voters rejecting the incumbents in the most recent elections that took take place in a post Pandemic world. I also saw an argument recently that said Biden's unpopularity played a part in Harris' defeat as well.

Having said all that, one of the reasons why Kamala Harris lost is because she was a flawed candidate who became the Democratic nominee through a dubious process. A nominee that it looks like Obama didn't want and George Clooney is having buyer's remorse about. Despite how well she did for being on the top of the ticket for only 3.5 months, she ran a flawed campaign that seemed to be only good at two things. Going into debt and racking up celebrity endorsements.

To answer your question though. If Nikki Haley would won the Republican nomination, I think she could have beaten Biden or Harris.

Yep!
And Blacks didn't support Harris during the 2020 primaries so why on earth did people think Blacks would support Harris now is most strange!

[KnightHawk 2.0]

I think there is something to be said for the fact that on his way to Presidency, Donald Trump is 4-0 against women candidates. Yes, I'm counting Jill Stein. You can also make the case that Harris losing was just continuing the trend of voters rejecting the incumbents in the most recent elections that took take place in a post Pandemic world. I also saw an argument recently that said Biden's unpopularity played a part in Harris' defeat as well.

Having said all that, one of the reasons why Kamala Harris lost is because she was a flawed candidate who became the Democratic nominee through a dubious process. A nominee that it looks like Obama didn't want and George Clooney is having buyer's remorse about. Despite how well she did for being on the top of the ticket for only 3.5 months, she ran a flawed campaign that seemed to be only good at two things. Going into debt and racking up celebrity endorsements.

To answer your question though. If Nikki Haley would won the Republican nomination, I think she could have beaten Biden or Harris.Completely Agree.

[Stavros]

I think there is something to be said for the fact that on his way to Presidency, Donald Trump is 4-0 against women candidates. Yes, I'm counting Jill Stein. You can also make the case that Harris losing was just continuing the trend of voters rejecting the incumbents in the most recent elections that took take place in a post Pandemic world. I also saw an argument recently that said Biden's unpopularity played a part in Harris' defeat as well.

Having said all that, one of the reasons why Kamala Harris lost is because she was a flawed candidate who became the Democratic nominee through a dubious process. A nominee that it looks like Obama didn't want and George Clooney is having buyer's remorse about. Despite how well she did for being on the top of the ticket for only 3.5 months, she ran a flawed campaign that seemed to be only good at two things. Going into debt and racking up celebrity endorsements.

To answer your question though. If Nikki Haley would won the Republican nomination, I think she could have beaten Biden or Harris.

Your comment on Haley surprises me. but that is because I found her weak and just not impressive, something I also felt hearing her at the UN, but may also be due to my not living in the US and having so different a take on what happens there. Also, anyone hostile to Trump would as a reaction support any alternative, but I think it is now clearer how the Democrats screwed up.

Are the divisions in the US now so deep, that even if Trump makes a mess of the place, people who voted Republican will not flip, or not flip in enough numbers to make a difference? Here is a telling, if bleak assessment -

"Just a dozen years ago, there were Democratic senators from Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Arkansas, Alaska, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana (two!), and West Virginia.Today, there’s close to a zero chance of a Democrat being elected to the Senate from any of these states.
Surveys show that Americans find it increasingly important to live around people who share their political values.
Animosity toward those in the opposing party is higher than at any time in living memory. Forty-two percent of registered voters believe Americans in the other party are “downright evil.”".
How Trump could bring on a second civil war | Opinion (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/how-trump-could-bring-on-a-second-civil-war-opinion/ar-AA1voisZ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=EDGEESS&cvid=c9c0b0bede004c5a96091632c3ada7b5&ei=86)

But is this a 'Cold' civil war rather than a 'hot' one?

[filghy2]

Are the divisions in the US now so deep, that even if Trump makes a mess of the place, people who voted Republican will not flip, or not flip in enough numbers to make a difference?

It would take less than 1% of voters to flip to change the result, and more than that have been changing their minds in recent elections. This is actually the first time since the 19th century that the White House has changed hands three elections running.

[Stavros]

It would take less than 1% of voters to flip to change the result, and more than that have been changing their minds in recent elections. This is actually the first time since the 19th century that the White House has changed hands three elections running.

But isn't this an aggregate statistic? The US resembles the UK before Blair, when elections were won or lost on swing constituencies and it was unthinkable that apart from a few enclaves, anyone south of London would vote Labour. De-Industrialization, elderly Conservatives dying, and abstentions gave Labour a stunning victory in 1997 in precisely those areas it had not won votes in before, while Brexit added another phenomenon to the mix known as the 'red wall'- once solid Labour constituencies in the North now voting Conservative.

I guess the argument is that there appear to be permanent Republican majorities in State elections, and in Texas because the boundaries are drawn to get by the demographic changes that some think make some districts naturally more Democrat than Republican, as may also be true in other States. And as States take over from the Federal Govt as the main Government in people's lives, it is surely elections in the States that matter most now/

But I am not a numbers type of person, so I don't know how solid these trends are. The irony is that if the new Trump experience is as bad as some think it can be, enough once Trump voters might flip.

[Paladin]

And she burned through nearly 2.5 BILLION dollars doing it. That weasel lawyer Morgan, says she's done after this.

Haley - maybe. I would have voted for her, even over Trump, but I'm not a republican so I can't vote in my state's primary elections.

[Paladin]

Remember that she put a LOT of black men in prison while AG in CA.

[Paladin]

It would take less than 1% of voters to flip to change the result, and more than that have been changing their minds in recent elections. This is actually the first time since the 19th century that the White House has changed hands three elections running.

I'd have to look up individual state margins to check on this, but Trump moved the margins to the right in nearly EVERY state this time around. And this is with his VERY HIGH negatives. He's off the ballot next time and if he even does a half decent job this time, then JD Vance will eat the lunch or any potential dem candidate in 2028. I myself never liked Trump, but he was Better than the alternative, and his policies were good for Most Americans, especially the poorer citizens.

[filghy2]

But isn't this an aggregate statistic?

No, it's based on the margin of 1.7% in the tipping point state (Pennsylvania). The margins in Michigan and Wisconsin were smaller, and if those three states went the other way then the result would change. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election

There's every chance that many of the predictions made after this election will look silly in 4 years time, just as many of the predictions made 4 years ago look silly now.

[filghy2]

Remember that she put a LOT of black men in prison while AG in CA.

You were complaining about crime before and now you are complaining about criminals being locked up?

[MrFanti]

Remember that she put a LOT of black men in prison while AG in CA.
Democrats seem to have FORGOT this and continue to be confused as to why she didn't win the Black vote even during the 2020 primaries and still wondered why she didn't win in 2024.

[Stavros]

Democrats seem to have FORGOT this and continue to be confused as to why she didn't win the Black vote even during the 2020 primaries and still wondered why she didn't win in 2024.

Are you saying Harris lost 'the Black vote' (what is that? You have questioned its assumptions before) because of her record as Attorney General of California, and not because of the record of Biden and Harris over the last 4 years?

A Daniel lost to judgment!

[Paladin]

You were complaining about crime before and now you are complaining about criminals being locked up?

I NEVER said that the people she put away back then did or didn't deserve it; that was in CA and it was some 20 years ago. Nut Now it's a free for all in these cities because there is no fear of any negative consequence from committing these crimes. and she encouraged funding for release of the MN rioters back in 2020, while Minneapolis was burning, and its then governor waited for several days before calling up troops to finally start to stem the violence.

That all said, the primary reason for her defeat was the abysmal performance of her and biden the past 5 4 years and the continued gaslighting / straight out lying to the American people.

[filghy2]

That all said, the primary reason for her defeat was the abysmal performance of her and biden the past 5 4 years and the continued gaslighting / straight out lying to the American people.

Here's a thought. Rather than endless, repetitive rubbishing of the outgoing administration, how about you actually talk about what the incoming administration is likely to do? It's kind of weird that you voted for the guy, yet you avoid any discussion of his policies, apart from you go-to line that the alternative would be worse. Are you really going to spend the next 4 years saying that?

[Paladin]

Well, first, he wants to bring back US oil independence (by oil I also mean natural gas as appropriate) and extend it to oil dominance. This will have several effects:

It will lower the global price of oil, which will weaken petrol-chemical dependent countries like iran and russia.
It will lower the price of fuels here dramatically. This will have the further effect of lowering the transportation component of all goods and services sold here, and thus actually help LOWER prices for goods of all types here, because even if inflation goes to zero, that does not mean prices will drop.

Second he wants to lessen the regulatory burden here, which is the opposite of the feckless, foppish dolt has done for the past 4 years. It's actually needed for the above to take full effect. And no I do NOT mean pollute the hell out of the US. Our energy production is among the cleanest in the world.

[filghy2]

Our energy production is among the cleanest in the world.

Your evidence for this claim is what? Come on, produce a credible source.

[Paladin]

Your evidence for this claim is what? Come on, produce a credible source.

You already know that to be true so stop gaslighting.

[MrFanti]

In case folks are still confused about why Harris didn't even make it out of the primaries....
Kamala Harris Hopes You'll Forget Her Record as a Drug Warrior & Draconian Prosecutor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-SaRDG6V-s

[filghy2]

You already know that to be true so stop gaslighting.

No I don't know it because you just keep making the assertion without providing any evidence. As usual, you have none.

[filghy2]

It will lower the price of fuels here dramatically. This will have the further effect of lowering the transportation component of all goods and services sold here, and thus actually help LOWER prices for goods of all types here, because even if inflation goes to zero, that does not mean prices will drop.

Annual inflation has never fallen below zero since the 1950s, even when fuel prices were are falling. Evidently, it's not the dominant determining factor that you seem to think it is.
https://www.investopedia.com/inflation-rate-by-year-7253832

[filghy2]

Yep!
And Blacks didn't support Harris during the 2020 primaries so why on earth did people think Blacks would support Harris now is most strange!


Democrats seem to have FORGOT this and continue to be confused as to why she didn't win the Black vote even during the 2020 primaries and still wondered why she didn't win in 2024.


In case folks are still confused about why Harris didn't even make it out of the primaries....
Kamala Harris Hopes You'll Forget Her Record as a Drug Warrior & Draconian Prosecutor


You seem a little obsessed with this woman. How many posts on the exact same point now? These are just from the past week.

You were also one who was complaining about crime, so what is your actual position. Do you want to be tougher on crime or easier?

[blackchubby38]

I saw this article on the Wall Street Journal website. For those of you who were saying why didn't Democrats speak publicly about Biden's mental decline and ask him to withdraw from the race until after the debate in June. Well, here is your answer.

How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden in Charge
Aides kept meetings short and controlled access, top advisers acted as go-betweens and public interactions became more scripted. The administration denied Biden has declined.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/biden-white-house-age-function-diminished-3906a839?st=5yVwhr&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

[Pearl]

Yeah and everyone with two eyes could see Joey's diminished capacity by his gait and how he struggled to read a teleprompter.

Now they leak he feels like he could have beat Trump if he stayed in the race. Go back to Delaware Joey.

Democrats ran the worst campaign, possibly ever, and expected to win.

[MrFanti]

Biden Accused of Abandoning Transgender People in Final Actions as President
https://www.newsweek.com/president-joe-biden-transgender-people-abandon-trump-2025-2009308

Make of it what you will....

[filghy2]

Biden Accused of Abandoning Transgender People in Final Actions as President
https://www.newsweek.com/president-joe-biden-transgender-people-abandon-trump-2025-2009308

Make of it what you will....

Classic Fanti. Did you even read the article past the headline? The two cases that were cited seem to be in line with views you've previously expressed yourself.

"In his final full month in office, Biden abandoned plans to implement protections for transgender student-athletes. Additionally, he signed legislation that included provisions eliminating coverage for transgender medical treatments for the children of military service members."