Political Posts

[DooDiligence]

1 hour ago, cwericb said:

What irritates me is the complaining from people would rather live in their parents basements or in social housing and bitch about not being able to find a job. And then they have the nerve to bitch that "Them immigrants are taking our jobs". They aren't taking your job dude because you wouldn't lower yourself to take that job in the first place because you think it is beneath you or it doesn't pay you what YOU think you are worth.  

 

I know a young Filipino lady who left her family of 3, including a one year old, back in the Philippines. They scraped up enough money for her to leave the comfort of her own surroundings to fly half way around to a new and foreign country, find a job and work her ass off, while living in a small apartment with several others from her country, and work at a fast food outlet. In her off time she and a friend cleaned houses and did other odd jobs and whatever they could to save up enough to bring her family over here. After two or three years she eventually saved enough money to bring the rest of her family to there new home. Today, with continued hard work she and her husband now own their own home and are both working, contributing members of society. And, that Filipino friend, is now the owner operator of a popular and successful Filipino restaurant. 

 

It will be interesting to see what the ramifications will be if the Pres is sucessful in running so many immigrants out of the country.

 

I had a guy come into my office once and start to bitch to me that he couldn't get a job because he couldn't live on the wages he was offered. He was quite insulted when I suggested he take a second job. "Well I shouldn't have to do that."

 

Sorry I am not more sympathetic but from the time I started university and for many years thereafter I always had some sort of second job, and a lot of the time, even a third income coming in. Now I know it can be a rude awakening for kids out on their own for the first time to find out that nobody is going to pay them what they think they are worth, but as the saying goes, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. And the sooner you do it the more successful you will be.  

Rant over.

 

Some lifelong friends of mine have a kid who graduated a local university with an MBA. After he got his BA, he was hired at a large national bank. He worked there for a few years (while living at home), and quit because he couldn't stand the pressure (LOL). I had preciously advised him to not quit until he had something else, but of course I'm an idiot so...

 

Fast forward to him receiving an MBA, and he still didn't have another job. He started searching for something in investment management, even though his eyes would glaze over any time I tried to engage him in a discussion about investments. So, he actually got hired at a nationwide brokerage firm. I had told him repeatedly that his primary function would not be managing anyone's money, but would instead be dialing for dollars. Once again, I'm an idiot and don't know what I'm talking about. He didn't last a year. He still lives at home and is a fry cook at a local restaurant, but according to him, he's worth $100K a year.

[73 Reds]

22 minutes ago, cwericb said:

 

No but you may need to explain a few things to them as I have had to with my own son who though I had it so much easier back then.

 

Here is where I think these comparisons are wrong. The chart compares Income to house prices. But the house price is only part of the cost of buying a home.

 

Most first time home buyers buy with a mortgage. Therefore, the real cost of buying a home is the home price PLUS the interest on the mortgage loan.

 

I had a house built for me in the late 70's early 80's and interest rates were nuts.. The Mortgage rate I paid for a while was 17.5%

(I believe things differ between Canada and the US, (Canadians get no tax break on mortgages, and the regular term was 5 years and renewable) 

 

So to make a fair comparison you have to take the :

PRICE of the house PLUS the interest paid or to be paid on the mortgage.

There is a vast cumulative difference between 17.5% and 3-4% today! 

 

So take those 1985 number on the chart and add 15-18% yearly on to the numbers. 

* Note, those interest rated did come down, but still they were much much higher than today.

 

1st time home buyers should also understand that the cost of buying a home is much less than the cost of owning a home.  And to your point, interest rates are part of the cost of ownership when financing is needed.  I would advise anyone not to buy a home if financing comes with high interest rates.  In fact, if one doesn't plan to be in, or continue to own a house for a significant period of time, renting is often a better alternative. 

[cubsfan]

42 minutes ago, LC said:

https://v.redd.it/70u31vegywtf1

 

Free speech: not to be confused with "free to not get shot in the head by ICE while exercising your free speech".  

 

What idiots - warned to stay away and back off from law enforcement.

 

FAFO

[Parsad]

Fox News...Masked ‘Antifa Whistleblower’ Looks Suspiciously Similar to Its ‘Former Mexican Mafia Member’.  Hilarious!  And the MSM doesn't get it!  Cheers!

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fox-news-masked-antifa-whistleblower-002042302.html

[Sweet]

2 hours ago, Cigarbutt said:

Please provide evidence to support your last conclusion because your post made me think for a minute (from anecdotal to more 'macro').

-Anecdotal

We have offsrings (three) looking to buy houses these days in our typical suburban area in North America.

We bought our house in 1996 when i started out earning with a license, then a ratio of 0.8 for our quite typical housing price over starting earning power. Now, if i'd be starting out, this ratio has become 2.1. Our offsprings (quite Gen Z in type in many ways) face a similar present outcome although they did not have the opportunity to buy before they were born..

 

-Macro

-Additional comment since this is a political thread and taking into account some of the comments in other posts above

Do i need to tell them to stop whining? that they're lazy? or that they are lucky to have access to TikTok to compensate?

Factoring in interest rates on a 25 year repayment, with 30% down, the cost of repayment is 23% of your gross yearly salary in 1985, and 26% of your gross yearly salary in 2025.

 

For the calculation I used the federal funds at just over 4% today, and just under 8% this day in 1985.

 

Edited October 8, 2025 by Sweet

[cwericb]

12 minutes ago, Sweet said:

Factoring in interest rates on a 25 year repayment, with 30% down, the cost of repayment is 23% of your yearly salary in 1985, and 26% of your gross yearly salary in 2025.

 

For the calculation I used the federal funds at just over 4% today, and just under 8% this day in 1985.

 

"Mortgage rates quickly fell from its peak. After 5-year fixed rates hit 21.75% between August 12, 1981 and October 7, 1981, rates then nearly halved, reaching 13.5% in January 1983 and 12.5% in November 1983. Mortgage rates would eventually hit their decade-low at 10% in 1987."

 

So according to your figures the people today have nothing to complain about in comparing what they pay and what previous generation(s) paid.

Edited October 8, 2025 by cwericb

[cwericb]

1 hour ago, 73 Reds said:

1st time home buyers should also understand that the cost of buying a home is much less than the cost of owning a home.  And to your point, interest rates are part of the cost of ownership when financing is needed.  I would advise anyone not to buy a home if financing comes with high interest rates.  In fact, if one doesn't plan to be in, or continue to own a house for a significant period of time, renting is often a better alternative. 

 

Yup. Couple of things I learned a long time ago.

1) Never feel pressured to keep up with the neighbours. 

 

2) Stuff your pride and never be ashamed to say I can't afford something. False pride has ruined a lot of people. 

 

3) Just because you can afford to buy something - does not mean you can afford to own it.

[Red Lion]

4 hours ago, cwericb said:

What irritates me is the complaining from people would rather live in their parents basements or in social housing and bitch about not being able to find a job. And then they have the nerve to bitch that "Them immigrants are taking our jobs". They aren't taking your job dude because you wouldn't lower yourself to take that job in the first place because you think it is beneath you or it doesn't pay you what YOU think you are worth.  

 

100%

[cubsfan]

Damn - this President is special!  

 

Hamas accepts Trump peace plan ending 2 years of war in Gaza, returning hostages.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/hamas-accepts-trump-peace-plan-ending-2-years-war-gaza-returning-hostages

 

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner pull off the miracle that Joe Biden and his Ivy League losers could never imagine.

 

 

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yes he is special alright. 
 

Here’s the autocrat doing more autocrat things 

 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-calls-for-jailing-of-chicago-mayor-and-illinois-governor-03d2f173?st=GRkXm3&reflink=article_copyURL_share

[cubsfan]

10 minutes ago, Mephistopheles said:

Yes he is special alright. 
 

Here’s the autocrat doing more autocrat things 

 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-calls-for-jailing-of-chicago-mayor-and-illinois-governor-03d2f173?st=GRkXm3&reflink=article_copyURL_share

 

J.B. (Jelly Belly) Pritzker and Brain Dead Brandon Johnson are perfectly ok with the $10,000 Murder Contract the Latin Kings took out on Chicago's ICE director.

Then of course, no criticism from them when the Antifa crowd staged their multi-car ambush of 3 ICE officers crashing their cars into ICE vehicles - and got one of their protesters shot.

 

And of course, when ICE called for emergency police protection from the Chicago Police Department- Brandon's chief refused to send protection for American citizens. That's a first.

 

Brandon thinks he can establish ICE Free Zones in Chicago - just like Antifa in Seattle when they banished police protection for citizens.

 

Good luck to the lawless Governor.

[Spekulatius]

43 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

J.B. (Jelly Belly) Pritzker and Brain Dead Brandon Johnson are perfectly ok with the $10,000 Murder Contract the Latin Kings took out on Chicago's ICE director.

$10k to kill an ICE director sounds cheap to me. You have trouble to  even get a contractor for legit jobs around your house show up for that money. 

Edited October 9, 2025 by Spekulatius

[cubsfan]

12 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

$10k to kill an ICE director sounds cheap to me. You have trouble to  even get a contractor for legit jobs around your house show up for that money. 

 

It's cheap alright.  Mayor Brandon & Gov Pritzker have made no condemnation of the bounty put out on ICE Commander Greg Bovino, which is extremely troubling.

 

https://cwbchicago.com/2025/10/feds-latin-kings-leader-put-out-10000-hit-on-ice-commander-in-chicago.html

 

[Parsad]

2 hours ago, cubsfan said:

Damn - this President is special!  

 

Hamas accepts Trump peace plan ending 2 years of war in Gaza, returning hostages.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/hamas-accepts-trump-peace-plan-ending-2-years-war-gaza-returning-hostages

 

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner pull off the miracle that Joe Biden and his Ivy League losers could never imagine.

 

 

 

 

Credit where credit is due!  Although Kushner didn't have anything to do with this deal...he was involved before.  This was Witkoff and Rubio wasn't it?

 

I do have a couple of questions...how many Hamas prisoners are being returned for the hostages and is Hamas still involved in any new government?

 

Cheers!

[Cigarbutt]

@Sweet  and @cwericb, concerning your comments related to housing affordability and using the early 80s as a comparison point, you are correct in a way. In the early 80s, just like today (and late 2000s to a large extent) housing was relatively unaffordable but it was, punctually then in the early 80s, primarily as a result of much higher interest rates. Now (and late 2000s to a large extent), housing affordability is unfavorable primarily as a result of housing (asset) price inflation and that inflation has been partly mitigated buy ultra low mortgage rates but mortgage rates have risen ++ lately for marginal (marginal in the sense of new buyers, ie GenZ buyers) buyers and housing prices have not come down (at least so far).

So there have been certain specific periods when housing has been relatively unaffordable and now is such a time, a time when genZ people are coming to the housing market. It's mathematical not ideological. When referring to my situation in 1996, if, as a GenX member, i'd have been magically transported to 2025, my owner cost as a % to income would have almost doubled. Opinion: Not the end of the world but very significant nonetheless. 

At least, in the early 80s, with owner costs going up with inflation, you also had wage growth inflation and the mortgage debt incurred actually became less of a burden as owners reimbursed debt with inflation-devalued dollars over time. Recently and now, GenZ people are seeing negative real wage growth. At least, that's what my GenZ offsprings have tried to convey lately (in a constructive way).

[cubsfan]

44 minutes ago, Parsad said:

 

Credit where credit is due!  Although Kushner didn't have anything to do with this deal...he was involved before.  This was Witkoff and Rubio wasn't it?

 

I do have a couple of questions...how many Hamas prisoners are being returned for the hostages and is Hamas still involved in any new government?

 

Cheers!

 

No, Jared Kushner and Witkoff have been in Egypt working the deal. Rubio is in DC - so figure the 3 of them. The rebuild plan for Gaza is largely the Kushner plan.

 

Not sure what is finally agreed upon in numbers, but you can be sure Israel hates the deal - requiring 2000 Palestinian prisoners being released. Hamas wanted a 100% IDF withdrawal from GAZA immediately , which Israel would not agree to.

 

My understanding is Hamas gets safe passage out and has no involvement in a new government.

 

It will be interesting as the hostages are supposed to be released by Saturday.

 

We will see what Hamas does - total humiliation for them. All leaders killed and their own country almost 100% destroyed. What a waste of life.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2025 by cubsfan

[Cigarbutt]

5 hours ago, Gregmal said:

I mean you could also just buy them one...

i assume this goes in my direction...

Yeah, putting too much weight on the 'anecdotal' comes with the very real risk of being irrelevant to others. But now is such an anecdotal era.

My three older offsprings will likely do well financially, with or without my help (despite of?). Contrary to what was politically suggested in above post, they are GenZs but not really whiners and quite hard-working and all holders of university degrees in useful fields. 

-----

So going from anecdotal to collective legacy, i'll try to take care of my own but can't help but feel some shame in the collective legacy that 'we' are leaving:

[changegonnacome]

On 9/27/2025 at 4:05 PM, changegonnacome said:

As I've said a few times.....we are very lucky that America's first tyrant wanna be autocrat President is actually a moron who can't get out of his own way.

 

"Inside the Justice Department Where the President Calls the Shots

With an accidental social-media post, Trump showed how much had changed since his first term"

 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-doj-inside-political-enemies-17f13f72?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAhViOGl_ucIveRo_wHI0CwY3oj77LUlzi_UWzoCjGlSZBfYGIN-BoXHQqcKI_o%3D&gaa_ts=68e72cfa&gaa_sig=pD39M-SfI-hKRN3QysBy3eHjss_dMCuv83S2mNpqTU1vtGtUwpUs7HkjbrHzJ3g31dyYYQ_x9EXWRiymqXJy-g%3D%3D

 

From WSJ - "On Sept. 20, Trump meant to send a private message to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey and his other favored targets, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote.

Trump believed he had sent Bondi the message directly, addressing it to “Pam,” and was surprised to learn it was public, the officials said. Bondi grew upset and called White House aides and Trump, who then agreed to send a second post praising Bondi as doing a “GREAT job.” "

 

The accidental DM published to the truth social public newsfeed below:

 

Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, “same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.” Then we almost put in a Democrat supported U.S. Attorney, in Virginia, with a really bad Republican past. A Woke RINO, who was never going to do his job. That’s why two of the worst Dem Senators PUSHED him so hard. He even lied to the media and said he quit, and that we had no case. No, I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many lawyers, and legal pundits, say so. Lindsey Halligan is a really good lawyer, and likes you, a lot. We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! President DJT

 

Confirmation, if any we're needed, on my central thesis on Trump - what a blessing to have person of his instincts with such little facility to execute effectively against those instincts.......what a moron.

[DooDiligence]

The cool dictators all know how stupid he is.

[Parsad]

3 hours ago, cubsfan said:

 

No, Jared Kushner and Witkoff have been in Egypt working the deal. Rubio is in DC - so figure the 3 of them. The rebuild plan for Gaza is largely the Kushner plan.

 

Not sure what is finally agreed upon in numbers, but you can be sure Israel hates the deal - requiring 2000 Palestinian prisoners being released. Hamas wanted a 100% IDF withdrawal from GAZA immediately , which Israel would not agree to.

 

My understanding is Hamas gets safe passage out and has no involvement in a new government.

 

It will be interesting as the hostages are supposed to be released by Saturday.

 

We will see what Hamas does - total humiliation for them. All leaders killed and their own country almost 100% destroyed. What a waste of life.

 

 

 

Preliminary rumors are that Marwan will be released from prison as well and will be part of the technocrat group that leads Palestine.

 

Also, I give kudos to Trump, but I think the pressure from Canada, the UK and France to recognize a two-state solution put pressure on the whole thing as well.

 

Long ways to go, but one war down...if he manages to push Russia into successful peace talks, I would be fine giving him the Peace Prize.  Cheers!

[Parsad]

1 hour ago, DooDiligence said:

The cool dictators all know how stupid he is.

 

Yes, he's stupid, pushes the boundaries of the Constitution and is a narcissistic fool, but he's been running the Dems and his haters in circles making them look even more stupid!  I don't like the guy, can't understand how the world ended up here, but we all know there were real problems that kept getting pushed down the line...by everyone...Democrats and Republicans.

 

I remember Larry Sarbit talking about a book he read, can't remember the name...but basically the author said that America gets the politician they need in the times they need it.  Somehow, the voters pick and choose the guy the country needs, rather than the guy the country really wants.  America picked this stupid idiot because the smart guys kept doing nothing and pushing problems to the next guy.  

 

If Dems and Republicans really want to know who is stupid, well:

 

 

And that's how America got this guy as President!  Cheers!

[Sweet]

9 hours ago, cwericb said:

 

"Mortgage rates quickly fell from its peak. After 5-year fixed rates hit 21.75% between August 12, 1981 and October 7, 1981, rates then nearly halved, reaching 13.5% in January 1983 and 12.5% in November 1983. Mortgage rates would eventually hit their decade-low at 10% in 1987."

 

So according to your figures the people today have nothing to complain about in comparing what they pay and what previous generation(s) paid.

I didn’t even measure it at 10%, just 8%.
 

All I’m saying is the rates of repayment are roughly the same today vs then.

 

It was probably harder to get that 30% deposit today vs then.

[Mephistopheles]

7 hours ago, changegonnacome said:

 

"Inside the Justice Department Where the President Calls the Shots

With an accidental social-media post, Trump showed how much had changed since his first term"

 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-doj-inside-political-enemies-17f13f72?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAhViOGl_ucIveRo_wHI0CwY3oj77LUlzi_UWzoCjGlSZBfYGIN-BoXHQqcKI_o%3D&gaa_ts=68e72cfa&gaa_sig=pD39M-SfI-hKRN3QysBy3eHjss_dMCuv83S2mNpqTU1vtGtUwpUs7HkjbrHzJ3g31dyYYQ_x9EXWRiymqXJy-g%3D%3D

 

From WSJ - "On Sept. 20, Trump meant to send a private message to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey and his other favored targets, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote.

Trump believed he had sent Bondi the message directly, addressing it to “Pam,” and was surprised to learn it was public, the officials said. Bondi grew upset and called White House aides and Trump, who then agreed to send a second post praising Bondi as doing a “GREAT job.” "

 

The accidental DM published to the truth social public newsfeed below:

 

Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, “same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.” Then we almost put in a Democrat supported U.S. Attorney, in Virginia, with a really bad Republican past. A Woke RINO, who was never going to do his job. That’s why two of the worst Dem Senators PUSHED him so hard. He even lied to the media and said he quit, and that we had no case. No, I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many lawyers, and legal pundits, say so. Lindsey Halligan is a really good lawyer, and likes you, a lot. We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! President DJT

 

Confirmation, if any were needed, on my central thesis on Trump - what a blessing to have person of his instincts with such little facility to execute effectively against those instincts.......what a moron.

My favorite quip from this article:

 

Working behind the scenes with Pulte is Ed Martin, a Missouri lawyer whose vocal advocacy for the Jan. 6 rioters cost him the jobof the U.S. attorney in Washington. Trump appointed him to an even more powerful slot at Justice Department headquarters doubling as both a special prosecutor pursuing matters of interest to Trump, and the pardon attorney. 

He works from an office dubbed the “Freedom Suite” on one end of a hallway on the deputy attorney general’s fourth floor, which visitors have described as being decorated with oversize photos of Trump and a small cup of holy water on the wall. 

 

 

As bad as Trump is, the acolytes are pure cringe 

[Sweet]

54 minutes ago, Mephistopheles said:

As bad as Trump is, the acolytes are pure cringe 

 

This cuts both ways, those who hate him and can't see straight are just as bad, and I reckon there are far more of them.

 

Edited October 9, 2025 by Sweet

[Cigarbutt]

14 hours ago, Sweet said:

Factoring in interest rates on a 25 year repayment, with 30% down, the cost of repayment is 23% of your gross yearly salary in 1985, and 26% of your gross yearly salary in 2025.

 

For the calculation I used the federal funds at just over 4% today, and just under 8% this day in 1985.

 

With a rough comparison adjusting only for interest rates and choosing two specific points in time (1985 and 2025), you show that mortgage payments could be considered comparable.

Ok but does that mean that houses are just as affordable now versus most of the time?

Here's a typical mortgage payments picture over time, for Canada, but most developed countries show a comparable picture, including the US. (there are some differences)

So based on mortgage payments alone, recently, like in some specific earlier times, housing is quite unaffordable for new buyers entering the market.

Also, those who spend time on this issue tend to consider non-mortgage costs which are significant. Non-mortage costs are not correlated to interest rates but are directly correlated to housing price inflation, a key variable now that makes the present unaffordability situation even more salient.

-----

Back to anecdotal, in 1996, as a result of the affordable appeal of the housing market, instead of facing an unaffordable monthly payment, there was an affordable monthly payment which (as allowed by the mortgage contract) allowed me to double the monthly payment helping to extinguish mortgage debt within seven years. At least, it (market affordability of housing) made an anecdotal difference to my household then, an opportunity that my offsprings, now, don't have (yet).