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Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 9:44 am
by cakes
zorg wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:28 am
losthighway wrote: Thu Feb 19, 2026 5:45 pm
So if the British government can arrest a prince..... come on USA!
Ah but isn't this just perfunctory and performatory? Surely the American DoJ has been in contact with the British government since investigations began. Certainly the Royals had an inside scoop already since they banished him to some country estate. But now...when the PM and everybody is under public pressure it's time to trot out the dog and pony show and make an example out of him? It's so cynical, but I guess that is not unexpected.
Also Trump has already been arrested 4 times for 88 felony charges. Fat lot of good that did. Even Al Capone couldn't outrun the IRS, but these guys have evolved their tactics.
Andrew is gonna be prosecuted for selling state secrets, not for rape, sex trafficking or pedophilia. I think he settled out of court for the other things.
Trump took his arrest, blew up his mug shot and put it on the DOJ building. Expert level trolling.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 9:53 am
by Wood Goblin
The SCOTUS struck down the tariffs Trump imposed under the IEEPA. Vote was 6-3. The three included Alito, who always sides with Republicans, no matter what Republicans believe at that moment; Thomas, who used to have a very idiosyncratic (if crazy) set of beliefs but who has increasingly sided with Republicans, no matter what Republicans believe at that moment; and Kavanaugh, who apparently believes the tariffs should be maintained because unwinding them and refunding the money will be messy. (Which is true, but fuck that reasoning. I’m guessing there’s more to it.)
Trump will try to find alternative means to re-impose tariffs, but the alternatives are apparently much tricker than the IEEPA, even if you assume that he’ll claim that he has unilateral power.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:04 am
by Krev
The Arc de Trump will be a monument to pedophilia even grander than the Vatican.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:25 am
by losthighway
Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 9:53 am
The SCOTUS struck down the tariffs Trump imposed under the IEEPA. Vote was 6-3. The three included Alito, who always sides with Republicans, no matter what Republicans believe at that moment; Thomas, who used to have a very idiosyncratic (if crazy) set of beliefs but who has increasingly sided with Republicans, no matter what Republicans believe at that moment; and Kavanaugh, who apparently believes the tariffs should be maintained because unwinding them and refunding the money will be messy. (Which is true, but fuck that reasoning. I’m guessing there’s more to it.)
Trump will try to find alternative means to re-impose tariffs, but the alternatives are apparently much tricker than the IEEPA, even if you assume that he’ll claim that he has unilateral power.
They might have saved him from himself here. He'll have a spectacular meltdown anyways and it underscores the Trump trend of rapidly doing things poorly and illegally. Recent pushback on ICE detentions from the court help form a pretty clear picture this week.
The recent economic data really shows how useless these things are (surprising no one). The trade deficit has actually gotten slightly worse in the last year, and GDP growth is slower at a paltry 1.5%. The Trump doctrine on the economy seems to be practically disproven at this point, as much as inflation was steadier under all of this chaos than many thought possible.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:33 am
by Gramsci
Well fuck me and call Weslinneyson. Institutions functioning in the US.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:35 am
by Wood Goblin
From what I’ve seen from the GDP numbers, the results were a bit stronger than the headline number makes it appear, as the government shutdown played a big role.
Consumer spending was still pretty strong, though with a shift from goods to services that likely reflects the tariff impact on goods.
The estimates I’ve seen indicate that refund amounts should be around $120 billion. Tariffs will remain the highest they’ve been since WWII, as a considerable share were instituted under different authorities.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:41 am
by cakes
Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 9:53 am
and Kavanaugh, who apparently believes the tariffs should be maintained because unwinding them and refunding the money will be messy. (Which is true, but fuck that reasoning. I’m guessing there’s more to it.)
He raped children, but they are adults now, so we should do nothing, because it would be messy.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:42 am
by cakes
Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:35 am
From what I’ve seen from the GDP numbers, the results were a bit stronger than the headline number makes it appear, as the government shutdown played a big role.
Consumer spending was still pretty strong, though with a shift from goods to services that likely reflects the tariff impact on goods.
The estimates I’ve seen indicate that refund amounts should be around $120 billion. Tariffs will remain the highest they’ve been since WWII, as a considerable share were instituted under different authorities.
We don't have $120b, because Trump needs it for his fee-fees.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:55 am
by Wood Goblin
Tomorrow, they will declare that all of the outlawed tariffs are magically covered by a different statute, and the entire legal process will start afresh.
Re: Politics
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:56 am
by losthighway
Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:35 am
Tariffs will remain the highest they’ve been since WWII, as a considerable share were instituted under different authorities.
Which could be the worst of both worlds for MAGA because he has this public smack down from the courts, but there will still be an economic drag from the ones that remain in place.