Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Jessicka]

This is not true at all. Sorry on phone so can't link sources.

First drug companies spend waaay more on marketing drugs than R&D. Second the government, we the taxpayers flip the bill.

Sort of back to RFK and surprisingly seeing his point. Most drug companies are pushing ads to get you to buy some symptom or whatever you don't have. This is ridiculous.

We in the US allow drug companies to price gouge us and sell shit we don't need. Even the low IQ voter gets it and is on board with these idiots.

The marketing, from what I’ve seen of it seems to be a private healthcare model issue, not something you see a lot of in Europe. You can do regulation on that kind of stuff without banning R&D.

I can assure you, the UK at least will be falling over itself to pick up whatever it can if the US stops. I imagine much of the EU will as well.

[Surfd]

The effects of tariffs are TBD - it is unclear how how high they will be (IMO they are mostly a negotiating tactic), and the true cost cannot be measured until we see what happens with energy/fuel prices.

It is very possible tariffs raise prices, but overall offset (or even net gain) by tax cuts and energy costs going down.

Remind me again how Trump's last foray into Tariff war turned out? Oh, right. His administration ended up forking over HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of dollars in bailouts to the agriculture sector. More than the entire discretionary budget of the department of Agriculture in some years. And that was the result of only moderate tariffs on one economic sector mostly targeted at China.

If he goes through with his plan to slap tariffs on EVERYTHING, with some reaching astronomical amounts, the American economy will literally implode. Higher prices on almost everything in the country, with almost NONE of that money going into government pockets: the increased cost of goods will be absorbed by the corporations, which will be passed on to the consumer as price increases while the corporations enjoy record profits along with their massive tax cuts, effectively vacuuming money out of the economy like a scene from a loony toons episode.

If they go through with it, the national debt is going to explode and they have literally no plan to actually pay for any of that. Oh, sorry, that's wrong. The Orange Moron in charge thinks the Tariffs will pay for it...... lol.

[Rasulis]

Remind me again how Trump's last foray into Tariff war turned out? Oh, right. His administration ended up forking over HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of dollars in bailouts to the agriculture sector. More than the entire discretionary budget of the department of Agriculture in some years. And that was the result of only moderate tariffs on one economic sector mostly targeted at China.

If he goes through with his plan to slap tariffs on EVERYTHING, with some reaching astronomical amounts, the American economy will literally implode. Higher prices on almost everything in the country, with almost NONE of that money going into government pockets: the increased cost of goods will be absorbed by the corporations, which will be passed on to the consumer as price increases while the corporations enjoy record profits along with their massive tax cuts, effectively vacuuming money out of the economy like a scene from a loony toons episode.

If they go through with it, the national debt is going to explode and they have literally no plan to actually pay for any of that. Oh, sorry, that's wrong. The Orange Moron in charge thinks the Tariffs will pay for it...... lol.

You have to be very careful with tariff. One wrong move could bring a cascading effect and bring the whole house crashing down.

Case history from Trump's first presidency. The U.S. and Canada had a 10-year trade pact that expired at the end of 2016. Due to failure to renew the agreement, the price of lumber went up from $300 per thousand board feet to $400. A month later, the Trump administration announced tariffs of 20% on Canadian lumber and up to 24% on specific lumber companies. The price went from just below $400 per thousand board feet in early 2017 to $600 by summer 2018.

Fast forward to 2020. When the pandemic takes hold, some sawmills shut down or cut production as they anticipate decreased demand. But their predictions were wrong. More Americans started to work from home and decided to undertake home renovation projects. Demand for lumber rises and prices reach $950 per thousand board feet in September 2020. It then went up again to $1,675 in 2021. Those were miserable time for the construction industry.

FYI, the Biden administration has managed to bring it down to around $517.

[Doomcookie]

No doubt we are exposed to way too much stuff in our food, plastics, micro plastics, etc

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You're correct, I was wrong, he was acquitted.

IMO it was an egregious overreach and application of that federal law for what was clearly a minor, local matter.

Where was your concern when Trump politicized the DoJ to try and help him overthrow the government?

is it only okay when rapists that you support do it?

[Flarelaine]

Sec. of State who just goes around and insults every head of state with a F*ck You. Idk.

We already have one of those!

[Biglog]

The Star Wars Cantina appointment announcements have a darker explanation, which is that it's a test of compliance for Congress from Trump. Getting the speaker position came with a requirement to allow Trump to do recess appointments, and he's said that President has the power to do them. Trump knows if he can for example get Gaetz in as AG (which even he has to know is ridiculous) that he's got the green light from Congress that it will just be a rubber stamp. If he gets too much pushback and it doesn't happen, then there might be some throttle from Congress on more extreme agenda items. It's a litmus test for power.

[Pannonian]

Or it has a much more dull explanation - gaetz was with trump and jr. in a room and they thought it would be cool/the best idea. Went out with it before checking in with any semi-sane person. And now its a ego thing. The leader does not make mistakes after all.

I dont buy into the 5d chess argument. It never has been correct (if trump is involved). It's mostly the most dullest and stupidest explanation

[Breccia]

it's a test of compliance for Congress from Trump.

If so, it's a waste of time. Trump already knows they will rubber stamp a rapist to SCOTUS.

[Pannonian]

If so, it's a waste of time. Trump already knows they will rubber stamp a rapist to SCOTUS.

Still a difference - the beer rapist was one of them. Gaetz isn't. They might have done similar/same stuff, but they see the beer guy as one of them - another good ol boy

[Breccia]

Still a difference - the beer rapist was one of them. Gaetz isn't.

You're suggesting a large enough number of the GOP have a problem with statutory. You might find this opinion is not shared.

[Jessicka]

Still a difference - the beer rapist was one of them. Gaetz isn't. They might have done similar/same stuff, but they see the beer guy as one of them - another good ol boy

They rubber stamped a rapist to stand for them and campaigned for him to be president. They do not give a shit.

[tehdang]

The Star Wars Cantina appointment announcements have a darker explanation, which is that it's a test of compliance for Congress from Trump. Getting the speaker position came with a requirement to allow Trump to do recess appointments, and he's said that President has the power to do them. Trump knows if he can for example get Gaetz in as AG (which even he has to know is ridiculous) that he's got the green light from Congress that it will just be a rubber stamp. If he gets too much pushback and it doesn't happen, then there might be some throttle from Congress on more extreme agenda items. It's a litmus test for power.

Trump couldn't even get his preferred Senator in for Majority Leader.

And spare me the whole "There won't be elections anymore" because I'm sick of the tin foil hattery.

It's good to know that sometimes there's a limit to predicting doom. Let's see about some other options: Badly run government, bureaucracy that can't fix existing problems, bad foreign policy, bad economy, legislative gridlock and CR issues. Great things for criticism!

[Shadowferal]

Hmf...

[Kathandira]

Leeja Miller says it well. This is who we are. The people have spoken. As posted above, there is only one place to point the blame.

4:24 - 4:35

[Doomcookie]

Trump couldn't even get his preferred Senator in for Majority Leader.

It's good to know that sometimes there's a limit to predicting doom. Let's see about some other options: Badly run government, bureaucracy that can't fix existing problems, bad foreign policy, bad economy, legislative gridlock and CR issues. Great things for criticism!

is there a limit to what you are willing to support and defend?

Why is it only good when a rapist does it?

[DarkTZeratul]

The Star Wars Cantina appointment announcements have a darker explanation, which is that it's a test of compliance for Congress from Trump. Getting the speaker position came with a requirement to allow Trump to do recess appointments, and he's said that President has the power to do them. Trump knows if he can for example get Gaetz in as AG (which even he has to know is ridiculous) that he's got the green light from Congress that it will just be a rubber stamp. If he gets too much pushback and it doesn't happen, then there might be some throttle from Congress on more extreme agenda items. It's a litmus test for power.

The House doesn't confirm cabinet members, the Senate does.

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You're suggesting a large enough number of the GOP have a problem with statutory. You might find this opinion is not shared.

I think he's suggesting that a large enough number of the GOP have a problem with Matt Gaetz specifically. And given that several of them have actually spoken out, publicly, on the record, without the benefit of anonymity, he might actually be correct.

[diller]

Pages are messed up, who was deleted?

(I think it might be Gaidax, RIP)

EDIT: No such luck...

[arandomuser]

i remember growing up in bush/early obama young people made fun of all of the crazy hyper religious conservatives, i thought we'd grow out of it, but a record amount of 20-30 yr olds voted for RFK, matt gates, pete hesgeth, and mike huckabee to run the government, crazy reversal no doubt due to the rogan-sphere

[Somewhatconcerned]

Even if half of this stuff on this list are bogus, it still highlights how much our govt wastes. I think it's still a good idea to pull back the curtains, even if nothing is accomplished, the sheer ludicrous nature of some of this stuff may at least serve as a deterrent for future foolish spending. Maybe.

This and RFK Jr tackling big pharma may be the only good things that come out of this admin, and they should be celebrated. Why didn't Dems take the lead on this? Again, they would have scored major points with the public. They are losing the idea battle and will be irrelevant for a decade because of it.



https://x.com/america/status/1857228761915412814

[Edge-]

Even if half of this stuff on this list are bogus, it still highlights how much our govt wastes. I think it's still a good idea to pull back the curtains, even if nothing is accomplished, the sheer ludicrous nature of some of this stuff may at least serve as a deterrent for future foolish spending. Maybe.

This and RFK Jr tackling big pharma may be the only good things that come out of this admin, and they should be celebrated. Why didn't Dems take the lead on this? Again, they would have scored major points with the public. They are losing the idea battle and will be irrelevant for a decade because of it.



https://x.com/america/status/1857228761915412814

It's funny because it's transparent manipulation of information yet here you are, uncritically sharing it like it's something posted in good faith and honestly.