The Trump migrant crisis has about as much merit as Reagan's welfare queen.

I've been doing some thinking on this, because I do get a lot of questions from colleagues in other countries curious about the cult of personality in American politics. The best I can equate it to is that the average American (of late) regards their political candidate the same way that a football club supporter might. Win at all costs. Cheat, brag, threaten, wear the colors, fight at the pub. Was it a good game? Is the striker a rapist? Did the club get sold to the Saudis? Did they deserve to win? It's not even a question, blind loyalty is all. But why this convergence? The declining standard of living, wealth gap, and because they feel more and more disenfranchised, so this is their best chance to opine and lash out. Not a good formula for a functional democracy.

enframed wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:30 am

Gramsci wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:12 am They should have done a mea culpa-ish on inflation and had a clear program to reduce grocery bills BEFORE the election. They could have cut taxes on household goods and increased taxes on wealth. That’s a big splashy “We’re on your side” policy.

It's become increasingly obvious that increased taxes on the wealthy do not appeal to the lower income earners. IMO, this is because they somehow think they could also be wealthy someday. The American Dream is to become part of the 1%, yet so many seem to think they can do it. It's a math problem.

Taxes increases on the wealthy tend to work if you frame it as “adjustment” of putting normal people’s taxes down while raising them on specific wealth. Make it something everyone hates like stock dividends or hedge fund profits.

Honestly I worry Britain just rolled the last dice of centrist bullshit… Then again if the US is a shitstorm in 4 years maybe it’ll put off anything dumb here.

The Labour budget was actually not terrible.

enframed wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:30 am

Gramsci wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:12 am They should have done a mea culpa-ish on inflation and had a clear program to reduce grocery bills BEFORE the election. They could have cut taxes on household goods and increased taxes on wealth. That’s a big splashy “We’re on your side” policy.

It's become increasingly obvious that increased taxes on the wealthy do not appeal to the lower income earners. IMO, this is because they somehow think they could also be wealthy someday. The American Dream is to become part of the 1%, yet so many seem to think they can do it. It's a math problem.

I think this is everything honestly, with the influencer-sphere, this fallacy gets even worse. As the American dream is no longer a Suburban Ranch with a white picket fence, but a McMansion with a wrought-iron gate.

The only hopeful things keeping me going this morning are that . . .

(A) All of the talk of a political shift is pointless, because Trump is a cult of personality; so many of his voters (though not his supporters, per se) believe in a fictional version of the man.

(B) If he gets his way with tariffs and taxes, and I think he will, then my taxes will go down and his supporters’ taxes will go up. (My sympathy is limited to the people who didn’t vote for him.)

enframed wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:30 am

Gramsci wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:12 am They should have done a mea culpa-ish on inflation and had a clear program to reduce grocery bills BEFORE the election. They could have cut taxes on household goods and increased taxes on wealth. That’s a big splashy “We’re on your side” policy.

It's become increasingly obvious that increased taxes on the wealthy do not appeal to the lower income earners. IMO, this is because they somehow think they could also be wealthy someday. The American Dream is to become part of the 1%, yet so many seem to think they can do it. It's a math problem.

Somehow the lower classes have continued to buy into trickle-down Reaganomics bullshit like it will be manna from heaven. We wouldn't be here without ol' Ron.

Wood Goblin wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:51 am The only hopeful things keeping me going this morning are that . . .

I guess since we're forced to think about this shit now, him and Musk will not get along and that situation will implode. I'm not even sure Trump is crazy about a lot of the Project 2025 ideas either so that'll be a battle of dumb and dumber too.

Oh, and if it wasn't obvious, RFK Jr. was being played so it'll be funny watching him being dumped faster than Sarah Palin. (or like a bear carcass in Central Park..)

But that's where the popcorn eating ends. Deporting even a fraction of the people proposed is not only morally horrible, but will completely tank the economy.

Krev wrote:Somehow the lower classes have continued to buy into trickle-down Reaganomics bullshit like it will be manna from heaven. We wouldn't be here without ol' Ron.

You can't blame people for buying it when neither side presents an alternative. Popular political/ economic discourse has changed very little in the last 40 years. They still routinely wheel out the household budget/ credit card shit. What can you expect?

penningtron wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 10:03 am

Wood Goblin wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:51 am The only hopeful things keeping me going this morning are that . . .

I guess since we're forced to think about this shit now, him and Musk will not get along and that situation will implode. I'm not even sure Trump is crazy about a lot of the Project 2025 ideas either so that'll be a battle of dumb and dumber too.

Oh, and if it wasn't obvious, RFK Jr. was being played so it'll be funny watching him being dumped faster than Sarah Palin. (or like a bear carcass in Central Park..)

But that's where the popcorn eating ends. Deporting even a fraction of the people proposed is not only morally horrible, but will completely tank the economy.

The vultures waiting to tear apart the ACA with help from a complicit SCOTUS fills me with dread. The Trumpies with pre-existing conditions maybe didn't stop to consider what a post-ACA country would look like.

kicker_of_elves wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 10:10 am

penningtron wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 10:03 am

Wood Goblin wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 9:51 am The only hopeful things keeping me going this morning are that . . .

I guess since we're forced to think about this shit now, him and Musk will not get along and that situation will implode. I'm not even sure Trump is crazy about a lot of the Project 2025 ideas either so that'll be a battle of dumb and dumber too.

Oh, and if it wasn't obvious, RFK Jr. was being played so it'll be funny watching him being dumped faster than Sarah Palin. (or like a bear carcass in Central Park..)

But that's where the popcorn eating ends. Deporting even a fraction of the people proposed is not only morally horrible, but will completely tank the economy.

The vultures waiting to tear apart the ACA with help from a complicit SCOTUS fills me with dread. The Trumpies with pre-existing conditions maybe didn't stop to consider what a post-ACA country would look like.

Don't worry, they're going to replace it with something BETTER!!!