The Trump Presidency – 2016

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Butter

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

https://twitter.com/mikegolicjr/stat...813570051?s=21

[kingfc22]

So I see we’re trying to make Hydroxychloroquine a thing again.

Let’s just keep plugging away with the zero plan approach and cross our fingers and toes because that is working so well.

[Ksyrup]

Reading tweets about that viral video and some of the anti-Fauci stuff is just flat out depressing. We are so screwed as a country. We're never coming back from the highway to hell we're on.

[Drake]

When that FB video of Dr. Stella Immanuel starts popping up on your feed from the America's Frontline Doctors summit, refer to these links:

400 Bad Request

http://www.dunamischristian.org/inde...ls&post_id=956

War Against Soul Hunters - Dr Stella Immanuel - Effective Faith

https://www.gofundme.com/f/dr-stella...39s-legal-team

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...Convenants.pdf

This feels like a poorly executed version of the nuclear bomb hoax perpetrated in Neal Stephenson's novel Fall. Not sure who's funding it, but they should have gotten their supporting digital artifacts in place before they went public with the video.

[RainMaker]

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 think it is consistent with how liberals feel about those most in need these days.

[RainMaker]

I should add that the bill includes billions to military contractors, private schools, and pharmaceutical companies. Not to mention over $100 billion more to businesses to cover their payroll. And let's not forget the trillions pumped into the markets by the Fed.

But the issue is an unemployed person may not want to take a job that doesn't actually exist.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

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.

I was speaking of "if we keep an unemployment bump". I would prefer a UBI type payment over enhanced unemployment.

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think it is consistent with how liberals feel about those most in need these days.

I think a bonus adjustment of $300 would help the most needy, because I am one of them. I have worked and risked my life through this whole pandemic, and made less than the people who didn't. When I watched my daughter take a pay cut to go back to work, while others stayed out to get their vacations while making extra money on unemployment, that sort of pissed me off. I think it should be made closer to the average salary replacement instead of a bonus. Again, better yet a UBI.

[Lathum]

Just saw a tweet all social media platforms have removed it.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Lathum

https://twitter.com/mikegolicjr/stat...813570051?s=21

Yeah, that's great, but it's not because they're all fanatical mask wearers.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Butter

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

How do we know this? I've been unable to find any reliable data on comparing countries vis a vis mask-wearing. Differences in recommendations/policy yes, but actual behavior all I find is anecdotal.

[JPhillips]

From a Politico story today. Voters often don't make sense.

“I’m not real happy with my party these days,” said Bill, a custodian with the Scranton Public Schools. “They’re too far to the left for me at this point. The older I get, the more to the right I find myself.” He stops suddenly. “Trust me, I’m no Trumper. I think the Republicans are insane. But I don’t like the guy Democrats are putting up, either.”

Why not? “I could have voted for Buttigieg; I liked him. Maybe even Bernie.

[Butter]

Tons of polls if you google "poll on mask wearing uk". I believe it just became "mandatory" countrywide.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/co...ed-poll-561528

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Drake

When that FB video of Dr. Stella Immanuel starts popping up on your feed from the America's Frontline Doctors summit, refer to these links:

War Against Soul Hunters - Dr Stella Immanuel - Effective Faith

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...Convenants.pdf

These sound like they would be fantastic fantasy book names.

[Ksyrup]

The state hardest hit by the Senate GOP UI benefits bill cuts is... Kentucky. Good job, good effort Mitch.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The state hardest hit by the Senate GOP UI benefits bill cuts is... Kentucky. Good job, good effort Mitch.

All politics is national.

Things were better when all politics were local.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

FTFY?

SI

Well also yes . But Obama tended to speak more progressively than he governed (though undoubtedly some of that was dealing with Congress). Biden looks like he's going to be speaking more moderately while proposing progressive legislation.

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I think it should be made closer to the average salary replacement instead of a bonus.

Well it is, actually. That's how they came up with the $600 number. They looked at average salary and compared it to unemployment benefits and that's how they got the $600+.

[kingfc22]

Attention Required! | Cloudflare

Glad somebody else sat through those videos

[JPhillips]

An income replacement plan like some European countres did would have been great and would have accounted for regional differences in salary, but our systems are so antiquated that states couldn't get that done. Because of that, the choices were to either support wages at the level of high cost of living areas or low cost of living areas. Dems decided to err on the side of giving people more money.

At least that seems to be what happened based on what I've read.

[bronconick]

Putting the F-35 in the coronavirus bill doesn’t make sense because only one of those things travels through the air regularly

[NobodyHere]

I wish one party would care at least a little about the deficit.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I wish one party would care at least a little about the deficit.

Affordable Care Act Still Reduces Deficits, Despite Tax Repeals | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Democrats' signature legislative achievement over the last 20 years reduces the deficit. And they expended a ton of political capital to make it that way.

Joe Biden is campaigning on raising taxes to help pay for the stimulus:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/bide...-tax-cuts.html



Neither party cares "at least a little" about the deficit. One party cares a lot and one party doesn't care at all.

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

So I see we’re trying to make Hydroxychloroquine a thing again.

Let’s just keep plugging away with the zero plan approach and cross our fingers and toes because that is working so well.

Pro Hyrdoxychloroquine and anti-vax is an amazing viewpoint I'm seeing more and more.

[JPhillips]

One party pretends to care when the other party is in power. That has to count for something.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Affordable Care Act Still Reduces Deficits, Despite Tax Repeals | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Democrats' signature legislative achievement over the last 20 years reduces the deficit. And they expended a ton of political capital to make it that way.

Joe Biden is campaigning on raising taxes to help pay for the stimulus:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/bide...-tax-cuts.html

Neither party cares "at least a little" about the deficit. One party cares a lot and one party doesn't care at all.

Some of the savings according to that article was because of Trump getting rid of the individual mandate penalties so you can't give all the credit to Democrats. Also it likes to cite savings that will happen in the future. If it does save money then good but let's not count chickens until they hatch.

It's great the Joe wants to repeal Trump's tax cuts, but he has also proposed trillions in new spending.

But let's not forget that the Democrats also just put out a 3 trillion dollar spending bill.

So maybe they're better than the Republicans but that's not exactly a high bar here.

[JPhillips]

Worrying about a possible crisis at some later date while ignoring the crisis that's happening right now doesn't make any sense.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Just saw a tweet all social media platforms have removed it.

Except my wife just saw it posted to her neighborhood moms FB group today and we were joking about it at lunch.

SI

[sterlingice]

Yes, yes, Daily Beast link and all, but at least this is funny crap not serious crap

Attention Required! | Cloudflare

She has often claimed that gynecological problems like cysts and endometriosis are in fact caused by people having sex in their dreams with demons and witches.

My wife: "she claims women gynecological problems..."
Me: "yeah, yeah, are all in women's heads"
My wife: "Nope. Dream sex with demons"
Me: "That's a new one on me"

She alleges alien DNA is currently used in medical treatments, and that scientists are cooking up a vaccine to prevent people from being religious.

I saw that episode in a 90s documentary. I think it was called "The X-Files".

And, despite appearing in Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress on Monday, she has said that the government is run in part not by humans but by “reptilians” and other aliens.

This one, my wife was more inclined to believe.

Immanuel is a registered physician in Texas, according to a Texas Medical Board database, and operates a medical clinic out of a strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries.

Your Houston (lack of) zoning laws at work!

In her 2015 sermon on the Illuminati’s supposed agenda to bring down the United States, Immanuel argues that a wide variety of toys, books, and TV shows, from Pokémon—which she declares “Eastern demons”

Yes, the game franchise (that I love btw), that is basically cutesy cock fighting for children - it's the "Eastern demons" part that she has a problem with.

In the sermon, Immanuel preserved special vitriol for the Magic 8-Ball, a toy that can be shaken up to “reveal” any answer. Immanuel claims the otherwise innocuous Magic 8-Ball was in fact a scheme to get children used to witchcraft.

Wait? Magic 8-ball? I mean, like my (parochial) grade school teacher who railed on Dungeons & Dragons, Final Fantasy, and Ouija Boards was probably cool with a Magic 8-ball.

In a 2015 sermon that laid out a supposed Illuminati plan hatched by “a witch” to destroy the world using abortion, gay marriage, and children’s toys, among other things, Immanuel claimed that DNA from space aliens is currently being used in medicine.

I, uh... waiter, check please.

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Just saw a tweet all social media platforms have removed it.

This has opened up such a fascinating debate about censorship, too. I mean, is this "science should be able to cut through BS with facts" up against "but if people are too stupid/in denial to believe the facts, does this cross into 'fire in a theater' danger"

SI

[thesloppy]

Of course Trump and Junior have already tired to share it.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Butter

Tons of polls if you google "poll on mask wearing uk". I believe it just became "mandatory" countrywide.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/co...ed-poll-561528

Since Friday it has become mandatory in shops, and from the couple of occasions I’ve had to go into somewhere the take up is 100%, although they were two small shops TBF

[JPhillips]

GOP economist that used to work for Trump:

After @TexasDSHS corrected inaccurate reporting & updated demographics of #COVID19 deaths:

1) 7-day avg deaths peaked on July 14
2) Mostly elderly & Hispanics dying
3) Very few kids die

Why not #openschools, end universal mandates, target vulnerable & check those from #Mexico? pic.twitter.com/mZF8LQolO9

— Vance Ginn (@VanceGinn) July 28, 2020

[ISiddiqui]

I don't understand where all these people think school children go after school.

Also... he does know that there are plenty of Hispanics already in Texas, right?

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't understand where all these people think school children go after school.

Also... he does know that there are plenty of Hispanics already in Texas, right?

My guess is he thinks Hispanics are only 3/5s as important as whites.

[thesloppy]

I would enjoy seeing him try to give a detailed break down of his "those from Mexico" testing strategy.

[Ksyrup]

Test them through the wall.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Test them through the wall.

What about the parts that have fallen down?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

An income replacement plan like some European countres did would have been great and would have accounted for regional differences in salary, but our systems are so antiquated that states couldn't get that done. Because of that, the choices were to either support wages at the level of high cost of living areas or low cost of living areas. Dems decided to err on the side of giving people more money.

At least that seems to be what happened based on what I've read.

Europe has real health care system and unemployed people don't have to worry about a $1600 premium for their family. Everyone judging the $600/week to current salaries are not factoring in health insurance. Look up how much that shit costs on COBRA.

It's just such a minor nitpick when we set up a trillion dollar slush fund for businesses with no accountability. The Fed is buying corporate bonds and ETFs. But the issue is someone making an extra $100 a week during a pandemic? WTF? Why would anyone care about making barely poverty rate during a global pandemic?

[Ksyrup]

Hire them to put it back up!

[GrantDawg]

Good thing children teach themselves. No need for adults.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Hire them to put it back up!

Careful now, you don't want to get elected President.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Why would anyone care about making barely poverty rate during a global pandemic?

Because someone else has to pay for it?

[JPhillips]

I don't see taxes going up.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't see taxes going up.

Just deficits

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Europe has real health care system and unemployed people don't have to worry about a $1600 premium for their family. Everyone judging the $600/week to current salaries are not factoring in health insurance. Look up how much that shit costs on COBRA.

It's just such a minor nitpick when we set up a trillion dollar slush fund for businesses with no accountability. The Fed is buying corporate bonds and ETFs. But the issue is someone making an extra $100 a week during a pandemic? WTF? Why would anyone care about making barely poverty rate during a global pandemic?

Can we just not do both? I am not for giant slush-funds for big business either. As for insurance, people should have been able to freely opt in to the ACA at a minimum (which would be much cheaper than COBRA). Again, I think the extra unemployment is just a looser, and we should be looking at least $2,000 per month for every adult instead.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Because someone else has to pay for it?

These people paid it over the years in their taxes. And that money doesn't evaporate, it gets used in our economy which creates tax revenue and keeps others employed.

Again, why is there pushback on this which is a fraction of the cost of the slush fund? Or for the PPP which didn't really save any jobs and was just a massive handout to businesses?

[Kodos]

Because big businesses are more important than people.

[RainMaker]

Also how much of a handout is the liability protection being given to businesses and schools in the bill? Billions for sure, maybe in the trillions?

But it's the $600/week that's the issue.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Because big businesses are more important than people.

Also because when people who are going to jobs and seeing people who are choosing to sit at home instead take home more money it's really not a good long term incentive or plan? It's not mutually exclusive to think that there is a ton of waste and bailouts going to big businesses and thinking that $30,000/year on top of what their state is paying is a lot for people who are single, without dependents, and were making about that much (or less) before this started?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Again, why is there pushback on this which is a fraction of the cost of the slush fund? Or for the PPP which didn't really save any jobs and was just a massive handout to businesses?

People are generally capable of being mad at more than one thing.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

These people paid it over the years in their taxes. And that money doesn't evaporate, it gets used in our economy which creates tax revenue and keeps others employed.

Again, why is there pushback on this which is a fraction of the cost of the slush fund? Or for the PPP which didn't really save any jobs and was just a massive handout to businesses?

We seem to have this strange mentality in this country that handouts to the wealthy aren't really news whereas handouts to poor people is an outrage. I don't know why the 'what about me' doesn't usually apply to the money we are dumping at businesses.

And like I said, if you wanted to means test it or have a sliding scale, the best time to have worked on passing this law would have been a month+ ago, so that the Treasury could do all that work ahead of time. Not suddenly think about it the week when the benefits are scheduled to expire. It just smacks of being a not serious proposal.