Political Posts

[cubsfan]

1 minute ago, cwericb said:

 

Good to see you back Cubs I was afraid your might have accidentally been picked up in one of those ICE sweeps. 

 

Haha - I like that!  My mom is here legally!

[73 Reds]

4 minutes ago, cwericb said:

 

So let's reverse the question:   As a American how comfortable would you feel as part of the World today if the Canada did not exist? 

 

Many of your northern cities rely on Canada for their power, how would you replace that ?

Where would you get all the natural gas we export to the US?

What would substitute for all the water Canada supplies to thw US?

Where would your refineries their oil from as they need Canadian grade oil?

How would the US manage shiipments to and from Alaska with Canadian roads closed with shipping by sea or air not practical?

Where would you source your rare earth and other mineralsneeds?

How would you grow your crops economically without Canadian fertilizer? 

AND who would / will replace Canada as the United States largest customer for it's exports?

And that is just some ot the items.

Mr Trump said the US doesn't need Canada. It seems we are finding out. How are your tourism businesses doing this year?

 

 

You chose not to answer my question but I will answer yours.  Personally I love having Canada as a neighbor for all the reasons you mention and many more.  Unlike you, I hold no animosity toward your Country or its citizens, of which I've never personally known a Canadian I didn't like.  Your former Prime Minister was a complete moron but I never criticized him - publicly or privately - while he held office.   Mountains and mole hills - think about that. 

[DooDiligence]

16 minutes ago, Mephistopheles said:

 

Yea, it's like an excerpt from the diary of Anne Frank. 

 

I've been in Chicago for the past week and have never met a nicer bunch of people. If you say good morning to a stranger walking down the street in NY city, they look at you like you're crazy, but here people actually smile and greet you back.

 

We've walked all over this town into the wee hours of the morning and not seen any signs of it being a crime ridden, war torn shit hole like the Mar a Lago Molester claims. If not for the ice agents assaulting and zip tying children, it would continue to be a peaceful place.

 

Just think, all this to protect the president and a bunch of other wealthy pedophiles from being exposed and put in prison.

 

I LOVE CHICAGO and will definitely be back. BTW, go get the deep dish at Pequod's in Morton Grove. Old school family owned with great atmosphere and their caramelized crust is delicious!

[cubsfan]

^^^Chicago is a very segregated city. There are LARGE parts of Chicago that are very, very dangerous. You would be a total fool to venture to the south side or west side of Chicago (area wise - more than 1/2 the city) during the day and NEVER at night. Downtown and the NorthSide have always been safe, except during the covid rioting days.

 

So you are not at all representing the real facts.

Edited October 6, 2025 by cubsfan

[cwericb]

31 minutes ago, cwericb said:

 

" I've asked this question before here and I'll pose it to you directly:  As a Canadian how comfortable would you feel as part of the World today if the US did not exist?"

 

Really!? You can't be serious?

 

First off, we wouldn't have a former friend who has literally stabbed our country in the back.

 

We would not have our next door neighbour threatening to take over our country.

 

We would not have to be concerned that said neighbour's President threaten an economic war against our country to drive us into submission.

 

We would not have an idiot 'US ambassador' traveling around our country insulting us and hurling insults at every stop- and then have the unadulterated nerve to to suggest Canada is being 'mean' to the United States.

 

The fact that you seem to be oblivious to this simply illustrates the condescending attitude towards Canada from many in the US. 

 

And another thing. Thankfully we would not have to worry about all those guns, drugs and misinformation that cross the US border into Canada on a daily basis.

 

Other than that....

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, 73 Reds said:

You chose not to answer my question but I will answer yours.  Personally I love having Canada as a neighbor for all the reasons you mention and many more.  Unlike you, I hold no animosity toward your Country or its citizens, of which I've never personally known a Canadian I didn't like.  Your former Prime Minister was a complete moron but I never criticized him - publicly or privately - while he held office.   Mountains and mole hills - think about that. 

 

1, I most certainly did answer your question as above.

2. I completely agree that Trudeau was a moron and said so frequently in these pages. But unlike your present administration he was no threat to the US.   

3. Do you really expect Canadians to be happy that your country has threatened to annex Canada? That your country has threatened an economic war. You have no idea how pissed off Canadians are with the US at this time. How would your country respond if some other country announced repeatedly that they wanted to take over the US?

Yes your guns are bigger than ours. We just don't like bullies.  

Edited October 6, 2025 by cwericb

[73 Reds]

2 minutes ago, cwericb said:

 

 

1, I most certainly did answer your question as above.

2. I completely agree that Trudeau was a moron and said so frequently in these pages. But unlike your present administration he was no threat to the US.   

3. Do you really expect Canadians to be happy that your country has threatened to annex Canada? That your country has threatened an economic war. You have no idea how pissed off Canadians are with the US at this time. How would your country respond if some other country announced repeatedly that they wanted to take over the US?

Yes your guns are bigger than ours. We just don't like bullies.  

1.  You railed on Trump.  That is a piss poor response.

2.  You don't know Trump and your TDS has a way of interpreting and making everything he says and does into a "mountain out of mole hill".

3.  See response to #2 above.  Sorry if your feelings are hurt but sometimes that is the price you pay for progress.

[Spooky]

55 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

+1.... What else is new?

 

We are having a historic run with this Presidency in reversing the disastrous socialist/fascist experiment of the LEFT and Democrats.  Democracy works and has reversed the tide.

 

It's a beautiful thing.

 

Do you not see the trajectory the US is on? You are descending quickly into fascism / totalitarianism. It is terrifying. 

[cwericb]

e

16 minutes ago, 73 Reds said:

1.  You railed on Trump.  That is a piss poor response.

2.  You don't know Trump and your TDS has a way of interpreting and making everything he says and does into a "mountain out of mole hill".

3.  See response to #2 above.  Sorry if your feelings are hurt but sometimes that is the price you pay for progress.

 

Where did I rail on Trump other then to object to his condescending and insulting remarks about Canada.

 

You seem to have the opinion that Canadians should be happy to be threatened by a country ten times it's size. And then you just brush it off by saying "Sorry if your feelings are hurt but sometimes that is the price you pay for progress." Now that seems to be pretty arrogant. To what progress are you referring? 

 

 

 

 

[73 Reds]

1 minute ago, cwericb said:

e

 

Where did I rail on Trump other then to object to his condescending and insulting remarks about Canada.

 

You seem to have the opinion that Canadians should be happy to be threatened by a country ten times it's size. And then you just brush it off by saying "Sorry if your feelings are hurt but sometimes that is the price you pay for progress." Now that seems to be pretty arrogant. To what progress are you referring? 

 

 

 

 

The fact that you feel threatened proves the point.  Its the same with the folks here on the left; they too interpret everything Trump says and does strictly to suit their own narrative.  But you - and they - will find that as each month and year passes, every issue of the day involving Trump that was once going to be the death of us all simply disappears and is replaced by another calamitous issue which goes away and is quickly forgotten.  And just like Trump's first term as President, he will be replaced by a successor chosen by the voters in this Country and life as we know it will go on, hopefully with some of the policies I voted for still in place.     

[dwy000]

I was in Portland yesterday for the marathon (family, not me running).  It was gorgeous. People were out, cafes busy, coffe shops full.  The race went near the ICE facility, which is nowhere near downtown by the way, and there was nothing going on. A bunch of people with signs in lawn chairs.  Lawn chairs!  Ive seen more people outside Voodoo Donuts than in the "war zone"  

 

This is such political theater for no reason except to try and sow the very unrest theyre claiming to be stopping. 

[Red Lion]

3 hours ago, 73 Reds said:

No, in general life is BETTER than it was before for the average American and it continues to get better.  That doesn't mean longstanding issues don't exist.  And Trump's MAGA movement is specifically in response to leftist polices which denigrate the County's continued evolution.  I've asked this question before here and I'll pose it to you directly:  As a Canadian how comfortable would you feel as part of the World today if the US did not exist? 

 

I think the housing issue is definitely not better than most times in the last 50 years. And the cost of healthcare (for those not receiving subsidies or Medicaid) is insane and going up double digits every stinking year. Not that I'm blaming MAGA for either of these issues, they have both been a long time in the coming. 

 

So I think for Americans with locked in housing costs and medicare/employer sponsored healthcare/ACA subsidized insurance things are great, but for young people not on the housing ladder yet this is a very challenging time. 

[Red Lion]

12 minutes ago, Red Lion said:

 

I think the housing issue is definitely not better than most times in the last 50 years. And the cost of healthcare (for those not receiving subsidies or Medicaid) is insane and going up double digits every stinking year. Not that I'm blaming MAGA for either of these issues, they have both been a long time in the coming. 

 

So I think for Americans with locked in housing costs and medicare/employer sponsored healthcare/ACA subsidized insurance things are great, but for young people not on the housing ladder yet this is a very challenging time. 

 

Just to illustrate, I just looked this up. Median household income in 2024 is $84k. Median house price $423k. I'm thinking health insurance for a family of 2 (no kids) around 30 would be about $1500 a month (not sure exactly how to look this up) without subsidies. 

 

Assuming no college debt, and a 10% downpayment for a house, they're paying about $3100 a month for a mortgage/taxes/insurance, $1500 a month for insurance, $1000 a month in payroll/federal income tax. Total up to $67,200 a year for mortgage service, taxes, insurance, health insurance (premium only). So 80% of their income goes to housing/healthcare/taxes. 

 

This is as bad or worse than what numbers used to look like for HCOLA cities, but I'm trying to base this on the national average which are much lower. I think it would help a lot of the younger generation move on past their socialist phase if we could affordability of the above items. 

[Gregmal]

16 minutes ago, Red Lion said:

 

I think the housing issue is definitely not better than most times in the last 50 years. And the cost of healthcare (for those not receiving subsidies or Medicaid) is insane and going up double digits every stinking year. Not that I'm blaming MAGA for either of these issues, they have both been a long time in the coming. 

 

So I think for Americans with locked in housing costs and medicare/employer sponsored healthcare/ACA subsidized insurance things are great, but for young people not on the housing ladder yet this is a very challenging time. 

I generally share this view, but found this argument also somewhat persuasive 

 

https://nypost.com/2025/10/05/opinion/quit-the-whining-gen-z-youre-actually-doing-better-economically-than-boomers/

[cubsfan]

50 minutes ago, Spooky said:

 

Do you not see the trajectory the US is on? You are descending quickly into fascism / totalitarianism. It is terrifying. 

 

If I am correct - I believe you @Spooky do not live here. Not that it matters if you have an overseas view.  The Biden madness has been quickly reversed and most citizens are delighted with lower crime, sealed borders, destruction of cartels, etc.   Nothing is more important than Law and Order - and we're returning quickly to it.  America is about meritocracy - and we're returning to that - not color of your skin or your sex.  It's quite wonderful.

 

Trump is having a historic run through the Supreme Court with an unbelievable record. The LEFT/Democrats try and stop him - and do temporarily - and then almost everything Trump asks for is being upheld by the Supreme Court.

I've never seen anything like it.

 

The problem the Democrats have is they have NO political power and can't stop his agenda - they can only slow it down for a bit.  It's going to be a beautiful 3 1/2 years ahead of us.

[cubsfan]

5 minutes ago, Red Lion said:

 

Just to illustrate, I just looked this up. Median household income in 2024 is $84k. Median house price $423k. I'm thinking health insurance for a family of 2 (no kids) around 30 would be about $1500 a month (not sure exactly how to look this up) without subsidies. 

 

Assuming no college debt, and a 10% downpayment for a house, they're paying about $3100 a month for a mortgage/taxes/insurance, $1500 a month for insurance, $1000 a month in payroll/federal income tax. Total up to $67,200 a year for mortgage service, taxes, insurance, health insurance (premium only). So 80% of their income goes to housing/healthcare/taxes. 

 

This is as bad or worse than what numbers used to look like for HCOLA cities, but I'm trying to base this on the national average which are much lower. I think it would help a lot of the younger generation move on past their socialist phase if we could affordability of the above items. 

 

No doubt about it. 

[Red Lion]

2 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

I generally share this view, but found this argument also somewhat persuasive 

 

https://nypost.com/2025/10/05/opinion/quit-the-whining-gen-z-youre-actually-doing-better-economically-than-boomers/

 

They make a lot of really good points. And I agree with the premise, Gen Z needs to quit whining, that's the last way to actually get ahead at anything in life. 

 

But I would summarize this article as, Gen Z can easily find a job and make 50% more than a boomer did in "inflation adjusted" terms. They can eat out, go on vacations, have cell phones, use air conditioning, etc.

 

But college and housing were far cheaper in "inflation adjusted" terms. It's really silent as to medical care. 

 

So basically Gen Z can dick around and play Minecraft 24/7 while whining about how they're in debt for college and will never afford a house, but they can go out to eat and have vacations and order cheap shit on amazon. I think that's bleak, and maybe one reason Gen Z are all a bunch of escapist losers who want socialism where everyone can just live in a communist apartment complex without windows and watch TikTok all day. 

[Gregmal]

6 minutes ago, Red Lion said:

 

They make a lot of really good points. And I agree with the premise, Gen Z needs to quit whining, that's the last way to actually get ahead at anything in life. 

 

But I would summarize this article as, Gen Z can easily find a job and make 50% more than a boomer did in "inflation adjusted" terms. They can eat out, go on vacations, have cell phones, use air conditioning, etc.

 

But college and housing were far cheaper in "inflation adjusted" terms. It's really silent as to medical care. 

 

So basically Gen Z can dick around and play Minecraft 24/7 while whining about how they're in debt for college and will never afford a house, but they can go out to eat and have vacations and order cheap shit on amazon. I think that's bleak, and maybe one reason Gen Z are all a bunch of escapist losers who want socialism where everyone can just live in a communist apartment complex without windows and watch TikTok all day. 

100%. I think the fairer assessment is that they have a significantly higher quality of life today, with much lesser future certainty/security. 

[Red Lion]

15 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

100%. I think the fairer assessment is that they have a significantly higher quality of life today, with much lesser future certainty/security. 

Totally. 

[DooDiligence]

3 hours ago, cwericb said:

 

Where did I rail on Trump other than to object to his condescending and insulting remarks about Canada.

 

 

Somebody sure needs to rail on that draft dodging ass clown.

[LC]

A classic measure of a country's success is its citizen's life expectancy. America stands at #48 according to the UN:

 

https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/

[Gregmal]

I mean our government up until recently gave people food stamps to buy Coke and Lays and some of the biggest inflation whining was about prices at McDonald’s lol. Our younger generations get lost in their phones and obsess over who appears to have more stuff on social media. And even those that are ambitious just sit by themselves talking into their phones to make videos. The losers are taking over.

[Gregmal]

Everyone hates on it, but the coolest generation was the one that took shotguns to school and drank a beer on the way home from work. Long live Mad Men.

[Spekulatius]

3 hours ago, Gregmal said:

100%. I think the fairer assessment is that they have a significantly higher quality of life today, with much lesser future certainty/security. 

When felt the future ever certain? 1980’s? 1990? 2001/2002 (9/11 and recession), 2008?

 

I think there are many periods where I felt much less certainty about the future than I have now.

 

The folks who think housing prices are too high should just rent for the time being since it’s way cheaper in many locations. The time to buy a house will come.

[Marco Van Basten]

7 hours ago, cwericb said:

 

" I've asked this question before here and I'll pose it to you directly:  As a Canadian how comfortable would you feel as part of the World today if the US did not exist?"

 

Really!? You can't be serious?

 

First off, we wouldn't have a former friend who has literally stabbed our country in the back.

 

We would not have our next door neighbour threatening to take over our country.

 

We would not have to be concerned that said neighbour's President threaten an economic war against our country to drive us into submission.

 

We would not have an idiot 'US ambassador' traveling around our country insulting us and hurling insults at every stop- and then have the unadulterated nerve to to suggest Canada is being 'mean' to the United States.

 

The fact that you seem to be oblivious to this simply illustrates the condescending attitude towards Canada from many in the US. 

 

And another thing. Thankfully we would not have to worry about all those guns, drugs and misinformation that cross the US border into Canada on a daily basis.

 

Other than that....

 

 

 

Yeah, you'd be speaking Russian or Chinese since either the USSR or China would have colonized you.  Oh, and you'd be either dying in Ukraine right now, or enjoying socialism with Chinese characteristics.  

[Red Lion]

40 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

The folks who think housing prices are too high should just rent for the time being since it’s way cheaper in many locations. The time to buy a house will come.

 

I tend to agree with the renting idea if the rent is way out of control compared to cost of buying, but it's definitely going to be an interesting world out there. The cost of building new homes is high, and a lot of the existing housing stock will have a lot of deferred maintenance to address. It seems like the cost of building/serious repairs is going to have to come down quite a bit to create good opportunities to buy houses that are affordable for the everyday young family. 

 

I just don't see it in the cards for a huge downturn in the pricing of housing unless it's aged homes with tons of deferred maintenance which are actually even MORE expensive for a first time buyer since it's difficult to finance the repairs. 

 

Also seems unlikely that we are going to see sub 4% mortgages again anytime soon. 

 

I think rising income (and rents) are more likely than (significantly) falling housing prices. 

Edited October 6, 2025 by Red Lion