Political Posts

[Red Lion]

1 minute ago, Blake Hampton said:

Trump is pushing the most regressive policy in decades alongside a time of record inequality. And all along the way, destroying any remaining trust in our democratic institutions to boot.

 

His performance is far more draconian than Obama’s.

 

I was referring to immigration specifically. Look up the numbers on deportations under Obama and I think they speak for themselves. 

 

Regressive policy and income inequality are two other good issues to talk about too though. And I suspect there are arguments on both sides about the best way to address these issues or if they're even issues that need to be addressed. 

 

[sleepydragon]

1 hour ago, WayWardCloud said:

Can you provide a link? I'm not seeing anything like that but maybe I'm searching wrong.

Many comments say this could ne just normal exercise :

 

 

[Blake Hampton]

2 minutes ago, Red Lion said:

I was referring to immigration specifically. Look up the numbers on deportations under Obama and I think they speak for themselves. 

 

Regressive policy and income inequality are two other good issues to talk about too though. And I suspect there are arguments on both sides about the best way to address these issues or if they're even issues that need to be addressed.

I feel like the poor have been left behind. Immigrants and poor trade policy took their jobs, Trump is now taking their benefits, and eventually inflation will take their quality of life.

 

It’s sad.

 

Edited June 14, 2025 by Blake Hampton

[Red Lion]

1 minute ago, Blake Hampton said:

I feel like the poor have been left behind. Immigrants took their jobs, Trump is now taking their benefits, and eventually inflation will take their quality of life.

 

It’s sad.

 

 

It is sad. I suspect most of the immigrants that took their jobs were also poor, and probably have improved their lots in life. 

 

Great point about Inflation, it always hurts the poor the most. And our monetary system produces inflation by design.

 

It seems to me that you could try to resolve this issue by focusing on inflation/the underlying economy/balance of immigration, or you could try to address the poverty issue by "benefits".

 

In my point of view "benefits" increase inflation, increase income inequality, and have created the moral hazard of creating reliance on the taxpayers'  (often unwilling) largess rather than on improving their own financial situation. I still think we should provide them to people that are disabled, and children living in poverty, but all of these issues have two sides. And all too few people willing to even listen to both sides. 

[Blake Hampton]

The young and the poor are getting absolutely fucked right now.

 

Every single dollar the government spends beyond its revenue comes at the expense of our future. The country's growing outlays flow directly to the elderly through mandatory spending programs. And the tax cuts we keep enacting, the ones that are fueling these massive and unsustainable deficits, largely benefit asset owners, i.e., those same older people.

 

The spending goes to the old.

 

The tax cuts go to the rich—who are also, mostly, old.

[WayWardCloud]

20 minutes ago, sleepydragon said:

Many comments say this could ne just normal exercise :

 

 

Thanks! 

I wouldn't read too much into this.

Especially given the weather in the Taiwan straight during summer.

October and April are the two window months for an amphibious attack.

[Blake Hampton]

Inflation is the ultimate release valve for national debt problems in the United States. However, the trick is not letting it get out of control.

 

After WW2, when we were the only global economy left standing, we used financial repression to keep rates artificially lower than inflation in order to get out from under our monumental war debt. That debt was less "flighty" then, and the Fed hadn't yet become independent.

 

The situation today is far different. Fiscal deficits are now structural, the Fed is an independent entity, and the dollar is deeply entrenched as the world's reserve currency.

 

It seems more dangerous to me.

 

Edited June 14, 2025 by Blake Hampton

[Red Lion]

16 minutes ago, Blake Hampton said:

The young and the poor are getting absolutely fucked right now.

 

Every single dollar the government spends beyond its revenue comes at the expense of our future. The country's growing outlays flow directly to the elderly through mandatory spending programs. And the tax cuts we keep enacting, the ones that are fueling these massive and unsustainable deficits, largely benefit asset owners, i.e., those same older people.

 

The spending goes to the old.

 

The tax cuts go to the rich—who are also, mostly, old.

 

I think you raise great points. In fact I felt the same way 15 years ago. 

 

But these tax cuts you speak of, they're mostly on earned income which is certainly not the domain of the elderly. They're on the estate tax, which is helping young people (just not you or me), not the elderly. And they're on business investment for DOMESTIC growth Capex, which should arguably help the young. 

 

Capital gains taxes weren't lowered in 2017, and don't look like they're getting lowered in 2025. It preserved the Net Investment Income tax without deduction. The NIIT was imposed in 2013 along with an increase in the capital gains tax rate which had been in place since 2003. Capital gains rates haven't been higher since 1997. 

 

So even though I think you raise good points, I think pegging this generational wealth inequality on tax cuts is straight up wrong. 

 

I think better suspects might be the extended period of artificially low interest rates, and the massive overregulation on new construction starting in the 70s. 

Edited June 14, 2025 by Red Lion

[Gregmal]

Well, those “poor” folks had the job market of a lifetime in 2021-2022, literally impossible for anyone with a pulse not to be making $25+ an hour. Workers finally had leverage, and all the moneyed up folks got together and unleashed Jerry Powell on them in the name of “fighting inflation”…now, they’re back to normal and stuck, as they largely had been for decades. Hooray system working the way it should!

Edited June 14, 2025 by Gregmal

[Blake Hampton]

1 minute ago, Red Lion said:

 

I think you raise great points. In fact I felt the same way 15 years ago. 

 

But these tax cuts you speak of, they're mostly on earned income which is certainly not the domain of the elderly. They're on the estate tax, which is helping young people (just not you or me), not the elderly. And they're on business investment for DOMESTIC growth Capex, which should arguably help the young. 

 

Capital gains taxes weren't lowered in 2017, and don't look like they're getting lowered in 2025. It preserved the Net Investment Income tax without reduction. The NIIT was imposed in 2013 along with an increase in the capital gains tax rate which had been in place since 2003. Capital gains rates haven't been higher since 1997. 

 

So even though I think you raise good points, I think pegging this generational wealth inequality on tax cuts is straight up wrong. 

 

I think better suspects might be the extended period of artificially low interest rates, and the massive overregulation on new construction starting in the 70s. 

 

You have two problems:
- Entitlements

- And taxes

 

If the entitlements keep growing and the taxes keep being cut, eventually you have huge deficits and a large amount of debt. It's really that simple.

[Blake Hampton]

And these debts must be paid. Either through austerity, default, or inflation.

[John Hjorth]

45 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

Does it get any better than this?

 

 

FLOTUS' skirt being shorter would be a great improvement of the viewer experience.

[cubsfan]

5 hours ago, Parsad said:

Democratic Senator and husband assasinated...another Democratic Senator shot...Trump and crony rhetoric is spurring this sort of lone-wolf, nutjob attacks.  The guy had 70 targets!  I expect more of this shit during the next 3 years.  

 

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/minnesota-shootings-manhunt-06-14-25

 

Democrats killing Democrats. You got that one wrong @Parsad!

 

Democratic Senator that was murdered by Tim Walz staffer.

The murder victim sided with the Minnesota Republicans on a vote to repeal benefits from illegal aliens. For that vote, she was murdered.

Edited June 15, 2025 by cubsfan

[cubsfan]

 

Bummer - 

 

 BREAKING: The alleged suspect named in the Minnesota lawmaker shootings is democrat Vance Luther Boelter. Boelter was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2019 by Gov. Tim Walz.
 

This photo is from inside the vehicle of the suspect in the targeted killing of two Democratic officials who were opposed to the Left’s free health care for illegals scheme. (Photo released by the Minnesota police.)

 

BREAKING - It’s been revealed the Minnesota democratic lawmakers shot last night, State Rep. Melissa Hortman and State Sen. John Hoffman, both recently voted against their party, with Hortman supporting repeal of free healthcare for illegals and Hoffman joining Republicans in the Senate to pass it.

[Gregmal]

How many of the “No Kings” protestors do you guys think also fell for Russiagate? 

[nwoodman]

From what I’m seeing in the media, the “No Kings” protests had an impressive turnout, millions nationwide at around 2,000 events, with 60,000+ in Philadelphia and San Diego alone. Just as importantly, the protests seem very peaceful. Hope it stays that way.

[cubsfan]

Hardcore democrat murders moderate democrats:

 

 

[adventurer]

9 hours ago, cubsfan said:

Hardcore democrat murders moderate democrats:

 

 

Why does every sentence fit the MAGA-narrative so perfectly? 

[73 Reds]

13 hours ago, dwy000 said:

People tend to vote against candidates as opposed to for candidates.  Thats why attack ads work so well.  If people wanted what Trump was supporting he would have string approval ratings now but he's under water on all categories. Thats the nature of politics. Nobody is ever happy.  

 

Its not the media that creates the divisiveness (except the extremes on both sides -Fox, MSNBC. Etc) because most of them try desperately to present both sides and both sides hate them. Its social media.  Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook etc all just feed confirmation loops and most people get their news there not from mainstream media.  

 

Just look at this site for example. Its a stock board!  And yet everyone has taken extreme views while claiming they are middle ground and unbiased. On a stock board!  If we can't remove extremism on a value stock site what hope is there for everywhere else where its actually about politics. 

It's very true that people tend to vote for the best of two "evils" because their own choice is not on the ballot.  They vote for baggage they don't want because the alternative is worse.  Which even more clearly demonstrates that we knew what we were getting with Trump.  But I don't think just about anyone on this board holds extreme views - at least not views they have shared; just a few more outspoken posters who can't seem to rid Trump from their thought processes.  

[73 Reds]

13 hours ago, Blake Hampton said:

I feel like the poor have been left behind. Immigrants and poor trade policy took their jobs, Trump is now taking their benefits, and eventually inflation will take their quality of life.

 

It’s sad.

 

Blake, when in history have the poor not been left behind?  I would genuinely like to know your solutions for all the problems we seem to be facing and how you would intends to implement them.   Are you advocating for socialism?     

[73 Reds]

12 hours ago, Blake Hampton said:

 

You have two problems:
- Entitlements

- And taxes

 

If the entitlements keep growing and the taxes keep being cut, eventually you have huge deficits and a large amount of debt. It's really that simple.

No, it's not that simple.  Taxes and entitlements are only two pieces of each side of the ledger.  You are ignoring the most important piece of all:  Revenues.   IMO that is where we ought to be focusing our attention and efforts.

[vinod1]

I fail to understand why people need to be so hell-bent on supporting one side or the other. Can we not analyze them in the same way we analyze companies? Does no one even try to be objective anymore?

 

Trump has been right on a lot of the big things - immigration, trade policies, China. Of course, how he implements these things is in a completely idiotic way.

 

Democrats have been too elite, ignoring the real issues of the common man. 

 

To Trump supporters, he can rape their wife and daughter and their response would be "Do you think Biden would have been better? At least Trump used a condom and sent flowers." 

 

This is the kind of cuckish support that is amusing to see. Like when Trump called Ukraine president a dictator, they immediately start calling him dictator when they have never ever referred to him that way in the past.

 

This applies to left as well, supporting you know BLM protests in middle of Covid ignoring safety protocols they themselves insisted on, etc. 

 

Can we start calling it as it is, even if they are the team you are supporting?
 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2025 by vinod1

[Blugolds]

5 minutes ago, vinod1 said:

I fail to understand why people need to be so hell-bent on supporting one side or the other. Can we not analyze them in the same way we analyze companies? Does no one even try to be objective anymore?

 

Trump has been right on a lot of the big things - immigration, trade policies, China. Of course, how he implements these things is in a completely idiotic way.

 

Democrats have been too elite, ignoring the real issues of the common man. 

 

To Trump supporters, he can rape their wife and daughter and their response would be "Do you think Biden would have been better? At least Trump used a condom and sent flowers." 

 

This is the kind of cuckish support that is amusing to see. Like when Trump called Ukraine president a dictator, they immediately start calling him dictator when they have never ever referred to him that way in the past.

 

This applies to left as well, supporting you know BLM protests in middle of Covid ignoring safety protocols they themselves insisted on, etc. 

 

Can we start calling it as it is, even if they are the team you are supporting?
 

 

 

 

 

+1

 

 

[Blake Hampton]

39 minutes ago, 73 Reds said:

You are ignoring the most important piece of all: Revenues.

 

Please explain.

[Blake Hampton]

1 hour ago, 73 Reds said:

Blake, when in history have the poor not been left behind?  I would genuinely like to know your solutions for all the problems we seem to be facing and how you would intends to implement them.   Are you advocating for socialism?     

Broad statements like that are meaningless. A nation that willingly leaves behind its needy and vulnerable, will pay for it ten-fold in the future. They will not take it lying down forever.
 

The fiscal solution is simple:

- Cut spending

- Raise taxes

 

And do it in a way that mitigates the burden placed on the poor; they’re the most fragile segment.

 

The problem is that we delayed doing it for too long. There’s no easy way out, though there never was.

 

Edited June 15, 2025 by Blake Hampton