Trump Administration Policy Changes like and Dislike Thread

[testboner]

I ask myself this EVERY time...lol only myself to blame.
Gonna try again to steer clear of this mess.

That’s EXACTLY how I feel about gov’t - always have. But, it never relents and so I think many feel like “Why should I?”

 

[Littleguy]

Goodnight Gents

 

[fasttwitch]

I saw that about two weeks back or so. Personally, I think with the reality of all the ways the US / collective West started, and fueled this war - Russia ought to press on with increased force and finish all of its original and (newer evolved / developed revelations) militarily .

Most people can't see this perspective, TB.

Reagan / Bush Sr started this war. Well, their empty promises got us in this position. Reagan assured old Gorby that "NATO will not expand towards them (I forget the exact quote, I'm drunk)." Followed by the lies from Clinton / Bush JR later on. The Americans NEVER had the intention to be honest actors. They always saw Russian as a country that needed to be weakened. We never really wanted friendship. . Anyone who has cracked open a book on Russian history can see why the Russians are obsessed about these borders, too. A flat, open, easy to roll into and invade country that has seen 6? major invasions in the last couple of hundred years. Now with the Russian demographics being what they are (as they are with most of the developed world, old and getting older) they need to plug these gaps while they still have 10 million military aged young men.

Especially since the USA is pathologically incapable of being honest.

Then the historical perspective. Kiev / Moscow were truly the same people, 300 -600 yrs ago. Post Mongrel invasions. It is slightly similar to a little issue we had here in the US a while back where a region wanted to defect. Not the same, but similar in a sense.

I'm no fan of any of the people involved. To my thinking, all evil men. Any man in a position of power is corrupted. But the US citizens do not appreciate this issue from the other perspective. That said.. I'd love the war to end. And I believe all people have a right to decide to go their own way. But Russian cannot stop.. Not until they plug the 6 different geographical gaps through which armies have historically poured into Russia.

 

[testboner]

Most people can't see this perspective, TB.

Reagan / Bush Sr started this war. Well, their empty promises got us in this position. Reagan assured old Gorby that "NATO will not expand towards them (I forget the exact quote, I'm drunk)." Followed by the lies from Clinton / Bush JR later on. The Americans NEVER had the intention to be honest actors. They always saw Russian as a country that needed to be weakened. We never really wanted friendship. . Anyone who has cracked open a book on Russian history can see why the Russians are obsessed about these borders, too. A flat, open, easy to roll into and invade country that has seen 6? major invasions in the last couple of hundred years. Now with the Russian demographics being what they are (as they are with most of the developed world, old and getting older) they need to plug these gaps while they still have 10 million military aged young men.

Especially since the USA is pathologically incapable of being honest.

Then the historical perspective. Kiev / Moscow were truly the same people, 300 -600 yrs ago. Post Mongrel invasions. It is slightly similar to a little issue we had here in the US a while back where a region wanted to defect. Not the same, but similar in a sense.

I'm no fan of any of the people involved. To my thinking, all evil men. Any man in a position of power is corrupted. But the US citizens do not appreciate this issue from the other perspective. That said.. I'd love the war to end. And I believe all people have a right to decide to go their own way. But Russian cannot stop.. Not until they plug the 6 different geographical gaps through which armies have historically poured into Russia.

It’s a sad series of harsh factual realities. Well articulated and summarized FT.

 

[testboner]

Goodnight Gents

Goodnight pumpkin.

 

[fasttwitch]

I can relate, BUT would hate to see it come to that. I’m not sure exactly who would initiate things to that level.

I know, I know. But in your heart of hearts, do you think the US will avoid violence in the long run? I would like a peaceful US sharing of power, but both sides (one side more than the other though) is unwilling to accept the other side.

How else can this end. I am really curious your perspective.

 

[fasttwitch]

John Mearsheimer has a solid grasp of the history of this issue. He explains how the United States, though incompetence and malice, created this situation. Again, there is nothing but evil, corrupt men on all sides.. But the Unites States has created this dynamics for this situation.

This should be a lesson for the rest of the world... The United States will not act honorably.

 

[tommyguns2]

Yet recently, Musk referred to SS as “The biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” So you can guess what his recommendation is for it.
Not a reassurance for SS recipients by any stretch of the imagination. Should they be stress / worry free and by just blind faith “trust the process.”?

SS is a form of ponzi scheme. You receive funds from future participants, and you hand out the incoming funds to previous participants.

If I go to you and ask you to invest in my fund, and guarantee you a future return, then go and ask other people to invest in the same fund, guarantee them a future return, then proceed to give you the money from the next round of investors, what is that? People getting a security license in the US will be told that's illegal, and it is.

The difference between SS and a traditional ponzi scheme is that the future returns are guaranteed by the U.S. govt. That's been a pretty good guarantee over the past 75 years (good demographics, lower life expectancy, etc). Is it a good guarantee over the next 75 years? We're almost now at the point that present SS FICA tax income is equal to outgoing benefits. That means in the next decade SS will be running, technically, a deficit, and the difference will be covered by debt, additional SS taxes, or general govt revenue. Has to be one of those. If the govt defaults on its debt, the creditors (i.e., SS recipients) will get in line and get their pennies on the dollar. When you put in X, and you get back Y, and X >> Y, you lost on that deal. Will it feel like a ponzi scheme to you then? Call it whatever you want.

For Musk to be honest with the American people doesn't mean he wants to kill SS, and put all SS recipients in the street. But since he's a Nazi, it sure sounds good.

I don't know what the best answer is for SS. My guess is that politicians will do their thing. They'll tell the public that SS isn't going away and everyone will get their promised benefits. Then the benefits will be effectively means-tested, and the slimiest way of doing that is by taxing those benefits at a very high rate. So for those of us who saved, invested, and have healthy 401(k)s, and our RMD (required minimum distribution) is over some threshold, we're deemed rich, and our SS benefits will get taxed at some crazy high rate, such as 50-90%, effectively taking away the SS benefits of those who paid the most into the system. It'll suck, but when there's no more money, something has to give.

 

[Yano]

Did I come at you? The whole point was not to join the debate, but rather offer an alternative to thinking that you must be right because someone else told you you were.
You’re kidding me with the childish thing right? Lol, have you read the hilarious “attacks” you’ve hurled at each other in this thread?
Ah shit, what am I doing in here?

attacks Ive hurled ,,,, haaahhaah dude you need medication

 

[testboner]

I know, I know. But in your heart of hearts, do you think the US will avoid violence in the long run? I would like a peaceful US sharing of power, but both sides (one side more than the other though) is unwilling to accept the other side.

How else can this end. I am really curious your perspective.

I could express some potentialities I’ve pondered - but truly I feel we’re simply cornered now. With the technologies that exist, the many ways from all angles of controlling and ultimately eliminating us in large scale at ease, we’re simply cornered - it’s too late, we’re at the mercy of whatever is planned for us. On an individual basis, there still remains alternative lifestyle means of living though those generally require opting out of the common, ordinary status quo structured daily pattern the overwhelming majority of us are living.
There are far too many overwhelming ways that the establishment has already developed to quickly and easily eradicate any potential uprise and revolt. Sadly, we Americans are incapable of the scale of committed, disciplined cooperation that would be necessary on every possible front of our system to circumvent even the tiniest fraction of a full blown eradication of dissent operation the system owners power / control / enforcement apparatus has developed. Personally, every fiber of my being feels that at this point of human history, we’re just sand draining through an hourglass at an exponential rate

 

[testboner]

SS is a form of ponzi scheme. You receive funds from future participants, and you hand out the incoming funds to previous participants.

If I go to you and ask you to invest in my fund, and guarantee you a future return, then go and ask other people to invest in the same fund, guarantee them a future return, then proceed to give you the money from the next round of investors, what is that? People getting a security license in the US will be told that's illegal, and it is.

The difference between SS and a traditional ponzi scheme is that the future returns are guaranteed by the U.S. govt. That's been a pretty good guarantee over the past 75 years (good demographics, lower life expectancy, etc). Is it a good guarantee over the next 75 years? We're almost now at the point that present SS FICA tax income is equal to outgoing benefits. That means in the next decade SS will be running, technically, a deficit, and the difference will be covered by debt, additional SS taxes, or general govt revenue. Has to be one of those. If the govt defaults on its debt, the creditors (i.e., SS recipients) will get in line and get their pennies on the dollar. When you put in X, and you get back Y, and X >> Y, you lost on that deal. Will it feel like a ponzi scheme to you then? Call it whatever you want.

For Musk to be honest with the American people doesn't mean he wants to kill SS, and put all SS recipients in the street. But since he's a Nazi, it sure sounds good.

I don't know what the best answer is for SS. My guess is that politicians will do their thing. They'll tell the public that SS isn't going away and everyone will get their promised benefits. Then the benefits will be effectively means-tested, and the slimiest way of doing that is by taxing those benefits at a very high rate. So for those of us who saved, invested, and have healthy 401(k)s, and our RMD (required minimum distribution) is over some threshold, we're deemed rich, and our SS benefits will get taxed at some crazy high rate, such as 50-90%, effectively taking away the SS benefits of those who paid the most into the system. It'll suck, but when there's no more money, something has to give.

So yeah…. the eventuality of the SS system is that it ends. The timeframe at which that will occur is pretty much the only difference we hold toward it - I believe it’s within near proximity as opposed to your belief that it has many years time left.

 

[FlyingDragon]

Goldy was the guy that taught me to hack onto my neighbors wireless and had the FIRST transdermal that I ever tried it was like rubbing wet sand on your inner forearm and did nothing for me.
EXCELLENT pancakes though!

Israel doesnt make a move without asking Goldy first....