The Trump Presidency – 2016

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

There aren't 38% cult members. It's more people who think the overall response has been overblown, 'cure worse than the disease' folks, etc.

Nah it is a cult. If the boss man said it was serious and wear a mask back in February, they all would be with no complaints.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

But more $ is spent on marketing than on research and I want some more balance.

Why would they invest in research when taxpayers will do it for them? We helped make Remdesevir and will now pay an arm and a leg for it. We are funding the vaccine research. Practically every major profitable drug on the market has beginnings in taxpayer funded research.

The new model is have the government research the drug, then get the government to give you a monopoly on that drug.

[Brian Swartz]

So what's your explanation for the group of people who have been opposed to Trump since the beginning, didn't vote for him, and are still anti-mask?

[AlexB]

The same answer why there are anti-mask protests here in the UK - there is a lot of wilful ignorance in the so-called educated world

[Alan T]

Anti masks
Anti vaccine
Anti seat belts
Anti life jackets
Etc...

Sometimes people just believe the sinister far more than the science


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

So what's your explanation for the group of people who have been opposed to Trump since the beginning, didn't vote for him, and are still anti-mask?

I've yet to see one of those, so I'd have no guess.

[Brian Swartz]

I know a number of them personally. Generally libertarian people tend to be in that boat. For them it's not necessarily about being anti-science or willfully ignorant either. Some people just see the same facts and assess them differently. I think they're wrong, but well-meaning people come to different conclusions all the time.

[Edward64]

100 days to go. Beginning of the end or the end of the beginning.

[Thomkal]

The Hurricane in South Texas blew down part pf Trump's "beautiful wall"

[thesloppy]

[tarcone]

LOL
I was on Yahoos front page and came across an ad that asked who will you vote for in 2020 Trump or a Democrat? I clicked wanting to see the comments. But it was a Trump ad poll.
Who will you vote for in 2020
1. Trump
2. A BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALIST

I thought that was pretty funny.

[Edward64]

Details of the next stimulus/relief/CARES bill is pretty much up in the air other than there will be one.

I'm a little surprised the Dems haven't publicized (or capitalized) more that they had their $3T (?) proposal 6+ weeks go and the GOP is reducing it down to $1T (?) etc. and still not done.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by tarcone

LOL
I was on Yahoos front page and came across an ad that asked who will you vote for in 2020 Trump or a Democrat? I clicked wanting to see the comments. But it was a Trump ad poll.
Who will you vote for in 2020
1. Trump
2. A BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALIST

I thought that was pretty funny.

It's like Trump's campaign think they are running against Bernie Sanders. Yes, Joe Biden has unveiled some really big government programs, but there has to be someone in the campaign who has to realize that attack really isn't going to work that well against Joe Biden.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

It's like Trump's campaign think they are running against Bernie Sanders. Yes, Joe Biden has unveiled some really big government programs, but there has to be someone in the campaign who has to realize that attack really isn't going to work that well against Joe Biden.

The primary worked as well as possible for Biden.

From the perspective of the low-information voters who will decide the election, they got a vague sense that a few socialists were running and had a chance to win (Bernie, Warren, AOC), but that Biden ended up winning even though he wasn't as liberal at they were. Oh, and there was that young gay guy. He seemed nice. I guess he didn't win either.

So that makes it REALLY hard for the GOP to paint Biden as an extremist.

(And, yes, I know that AOC wasn't running; I was trying to get into the heads of the low information swing voters).

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Details of the next stimulus/relief/CARES bill is pretty much up in the air other than there will be one.

I'm a little surprised the Dems haven't publicized (or capitalized) more that they had their $3T (?) proposal 6+ weeks go and the GOP is reducing it down to $1T (?) etc. and still not done.

Don't worry Edward, you'll get your Peleton yet!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

The primary worked as well as possible for Biden.

From the perspective of the low-information voters who will decide the election, they got a vague sense that a few socialists were running and had a chance to win (Bernie, Warren, AOC), but that Biden ended up winning even though he wasn't as liberal at they were. Oh, and there was that young gay guy. He seemed nice. I guess he didn't win either.

So that makes it REALLY hard for the GOP to paint Biden as an extremist.

(And, yes, I know that AOC wasn't running; I was trying to get into the heads of the low information swing voters).

Biden also benefits a lot from having been Obama's VP and swing voters liked and weren't threatened by Obama.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Don't worry Edward, you'll get your Peleton yet!

TBH, I am a little worried I won't qualify. But that's okay, I'm all for it being more targeted this time around.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Biden also benefits a lot from having been Obama's VP and swing voters liked and weren't threatened by Obama.

And I think a lot of those voters also thought/think Biden was more moderate than Obama.

[NobodyHere]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/27/uk/bo...ntl/index.html

I wonder how America's obesity has affected its covid spread rate and/or death rate.

[ISiddiqui]

It can't have helped. It's why I was banging my head against the wall when early this year folks were poo-poohing the virus, saying it was only serious if you had 'underlying conditions'. Obesity is an underlying condition...

[JPhillips]

I know there's a lot of overlap, but add hypertension to obesity and you're already pushing 40-50% of the population with underlying conditions.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Details of the next stimulus/relief/CARES bill is pretty much up in the air other than there will be one.

I'm a little surprised the Dems haven't publicized (or capitalized) more that they had their $3T (?) proposal 6+ weeks go and the GOP is reducing it down to $1T (?) etc. and still not done.

Any word if they are going to close the loophole that didn't give any to 17-25 yr olds who can be claimed as dependents?

Because that credit on my taxes was surely not anywhere close to $2400 each.

[ISiddiqui]

Ok, so the whole we think $600 extra a week is too much, we want to do a sliding scale may have been more likely if it was done a month ago. Getting a sliding scale in place is going to take some time - and announcing it the week when extra unemployment benefits expire is not really a serious proposal.

[JPhillips]

Trump NSA tested positive. He's been photoed in numerous groups without masks.

[JPhillips]

dola

This from Kudlow is the dumbfuckingest thing ever.

“There will be increased business deductions for meals and entertainment”

[PilotMan]

Hey, you haven't lived until you've gone to the covid strip club on the company dime.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Any word if they are going to close the loophole that didn't give any to 17-25 yr olds who can be claimed as dependents?

Because that credit on my taxes was surely not anywhere close to $2400 each.

Is that money for them or you? Reason i ask - my 21 year old didn't qualify being a dependent. He's now making more money than he ever has from unemployment. I can't imagine the windfall and further "working is for suckers" attitude if he gets an additional check above and beyond his unemployment.

[NobodyHere]

From what I've gathered the Republicans are proposing keeping the checks the same way they were.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Hey, you haven't lived until you've gone to the covid strip club on the company dime.

Didn't the RNC once try to deduct the expense of a trip to a bondage theme strip club?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

dola

This from Kudlow is the dumbfuckingest thing ever.

lol

same people complaining about $600/week

[RainMaker]

A tweet for everything btw

The Fed continues to flood the market with US dollars. Wrong move.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2011

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Is that money for them or you? Reason i ask - my 21 year old didn't qualify being a dependent. He's now making more money than he ever has from unemployment. I can't imagine the windfall and further "working is for suckers" attitude if he gets an additional check above and beyond his unemployment.

My situation was all 3 boys still at home. Oldest had a job, didn't lose it. Middle one graduated and actually got a summer job and held it. Neither got anything. I told the oldest that he would have to split whatever he got, and the younger would have to give all of it, but whatever. It was a shitty loophole. It's not like our expenses got smaller because they suddenly turned 18.

They are adults, so technically, they would've gotten the money, but they all understand that money has to go to support the house too.

[SirFozzie]

Posting it here instead of the MLB thread or the non-political thread.. but the thing that drives me bonkers about this as a sports fan is.. Other nations got it right and they're seeing the rewards.

New Zealand had 30K for a rugby game this past weekend. (the league is averaging something like 15K)

Australia: Letting fans back into the stadium for NRL/AFL games

Korea: Letting limited fans back into KBO games

France: Letting limited fans back into the stadium for soccer games.

England: Starting very slowly to allow people back into sporting events (cricket)

USA: "We might have to shut down our major sports league after four days. because roughly two fifths of our population can't stand to wear a mask for a couple hours a day. Because FreeDUMB, I mean Freedom! HERP-A-DERP!"

Here's the thing about American Exceptionalism. We apparently have exceptional idiots as well, and that's not anything to be proud of.

Oh, and the great orange idiot wants to spread it even further because well, STOCK MARKET NUMBER MUST NOT GO DOWN!

[stevew]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Is that money for them or you? Reason i ask - my 21 year old didn't qualify being a dependent. He's now making more money than he ever has from unemployment. I can't imagine the windfall and further "working is for suckers" attitude if he gets an additional check above and beyond his unemployment.

Yeah my 21 year old has been getting PAID as well.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Any word if they are going to close the loophole that didn't give any to 17-25 yr olds who can be claimed as dependents?

Because that credit on my taxes was surely not anywhere close to $2400 each.

The GOP plan that was unveiled today was basically identical as the last time with $500 per dependent with the loophole closed. The dependent can be of any age.

[Edward64]

Not a done deal but you have an idea re: dependents.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/27/sena...lus-check.html

Individuals will also receive $500 for each dependent, just like under the CARES Act. Unlike the first time around, though, there is no age cap on the extra payment. The CARES Act capped the dependent payment at age 17, excluding many college students and other adult dependents from receiving a check.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I think that one of the things that has really pissed off Cooper's November opponent (NC's Trumpist Lt. Gov.) is that Cooper has been really reasonable throughout this whole thing. They keep trying to portray him as a crazy leftist, and he keeps doing things like setting the state standard for reopening schools as partially in-person, but allowing districts to go online if they want.

Other than the folks who are just going to hate him for the D by his name, he's managed to navigate this whole thing pretty well.

It also helps that the big cities are more liberal & have been willing to take some leadership/political heat (or at least Mecklenburg has, idk if the triangle counties have done much unilaterally too). It also helps to have South Carolina & Georgia next door, tough to not look reasonable next to them

CMS is completely screwed for this fall & doesn't have a coherent plan (allowing football workouts then backtracking on that 2 days later? SMH), but the heat for that is falling on them, no one's even talking about Cooper as long as we don't go back to "Phase 1" type restrictions.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Posting it here instead of the MLB thread or the non-political thread.. but the thing that drives me bonkers about this as a sports fan is.. Other nations got it right and they're seeing the rewards.

New Zealand had 30K for a rugby game this past weekend. (the league is averaging something like 15K)

Australia: Letting fans back into the stadium for NRL/AFL games

Korea: Letting limited fans back into KBO games

France: Letting limited fans back into the stadium for soccer games.

England: Starting very slowly to allow people back into sporting events (cricket)

USA: "We might have to shut down our major sports league after four days. because roughly two fifths of our population can't stand to wear a mask for a couple hours a day. Because FreeDUMB, I mean Freedom! HERP-A-DERP!"

Here's the thing about American Exceptionalism. We apparently have exceptional idiots as well, and that's not anything to be proud of.

Oh, and the great orange idiot wants to spread it even further because well, STOCK MARKET NUMBER MUST NOT GO DOWN!

I've been watching Taiwanese baseball for months as they've had it under control for a while

SI

[GrantDawg]

I guess I am a bad liberal, but I do think the $600 a week should be reduced. $300 on top of the state seems better to me.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I guess I am a bad liberal, but I do think the $600 a week should be reduced. $300 on top of the state seems better to me.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I, too, am probably a bad liberal, but I think that they should scrap the enhanced unemployment altogether.

Give every American--regardless of income or employment status--a certain amount every month until unemployment gets below some target number.

Give people the money they need to survive, but do not give any incentive to people not to work.

And the people that don't need the money will spend it on stuff, stimulating the economy.

[Butter]

Not to ruin a good narrative, but UK is one of the worst countries at mask wearing. Much worse than us.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Not a done deal but you have an idea re: dependents.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/27/sena...lus-check.html

For once an email sent to congressman actually saw a change made. That's good news at least.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I, too, am probably a bad liberal, but I think that they should scrap the enhanced unemployment altogether.

Give every American--regardless of income or employment status--a certain amount every month until unemployment gets below some target number.

Give people the money they need to survive, but do not give any incentive to people not to work.

And the people that don't need the money will spend it on stuff, stimulating the economy.

This. The government should've been giving out monthly cash to every family period. It's the only thing that will stave off the impending collapse.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

This. The government should've been giving out monthly cash to every family period. It's the only thing that will stave off the impending collapse.

I have said it before, but if we got stimulus money every dime would go to a local business.

The problem as I see it is the people getting this money, a large portion anyway, need it to pay bills. That money goes to big business, energy companies, banks for car loans, mortgages, etc...

Give money to people who don't need it for those purposes and a lot more of it will trickle down to the local economy.

IMO it is basically a de facto bail out for corporations.

[Lathum]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/u...ees-fauci.html

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I guess I am a bad liberal, but I do think the $600 a week should be reduced. $300 on top of the state seems better to me.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

So in the state of Georgia the maximum weekly unemployment is $365. $665 a week is an annual salary of $34,580 before taxes (and yes, you have to pay taxes on unemployment though some states don't tax them - GA is not one of them) and no benefits. Because of the pandemic plenty of folks who make more than that who have been laid off with no real work to be found.

Now if you have a decent monthly stipend, that prevents having to deal with enhanced unemployment benefits (that's what Canada did), but there is little stomach for that it seems.

[stevew]

Florida is even worse. The 70% replacement of former wages is just a bailout for mostly red states with shitty unemployment systems.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by stevew

Florida is even worse. The 70% replacement of former wages is just a bailout for mostly red states with shitty unemployment systems.

Florida caps unemployment at $275 regardless of what you were making. The system was designed to be broken because Republicans believe there are massive numbers of people sitting around collecting unemployment and not doing anything else. The pandemic has highlighted a lot of ways the GOP has fucked the state over the years. If Biden can't win the state Dems shouldn't consider it a swing state anymore.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

And I think a lot of those voters also thought/think Biden was more white than Obama.

FTFY?

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

From what I've gathered the Republicans are proposing keeping the checks the same way they were.

Right down to the delaying them again to get Trump's signature?

SI