True or false: America has improved under Biden/Harris.
What are the the improvements we want to see going forward. Of course, Kamala says she is her own person and will implement her own agenda.
What will that agenda be?
She has stated she wants to bring down grocery prices and help new home owners pay for their down payments, but government has pretty much run out of money, having given it all away to help Ukraine and the flood relief victims.
One wonders how the government can possibly bring down grocery prices (without governmental control) or give direct financial assistance to individuals who need a hand.You raise some valid concerns. Harris’s claim of having her own agenda is intriguing, but it’s essential to examine the feasibility of her proposed initiatives. One must take a close look... Bringing down grocery prices and assisting new homeowners are a few of her goals, but as you mentioned, funding these programs would be a challenge, especially given the government’s financial picture. Our debt is huge.
Without significant government intervention or a clear plan for resource allocation, it’s difficult to see how these goals can be achieved effectively. She gives no indication of how she would pay for all the freebies. It’ll be important to see concrete proposals and a realistic funding strategy.
Otherwise, it seems just to be more political rhetoric without a solid plan to back it up.Kamala doesn't give a d.------ about the American people. She has a history of destructive behavior. She arrested a woman because her child was missing days of school because the latter had anemia. The mother was arrested & made homeless. That is insidious. Kamala is the queen of expediency. Kamala switches to whatever personalities to get the sheeples' attention & ultimately their prospective votes. Kamala is a user. She even stated that she can affect lives with her pen. She was laughing maniacally.
America has regressed since the Biden-Harris administration or rather regime. This is the most dictatorial regime. Inflation is astronomical. Crime has risen. America has become hell on earth because of Biden-Harris. My aim to vote for Trump & bring America back. Democrats have devolved into Demoncrats totally unconcerned about the American people. They are more in love w/celebrities who will do their insidious bidding to stay in power.
1.) True or false: America has improved under Biden/Harris.
True________
False_______
2.) Do you support continual printing of the US dollar bill?
Yes______
No______
3. ) Can you explain the effects of continual printing of the US dollar bill?
________________________________________________
4.) Why do "Western economists generally agree that consumer price controls do not accomplish what they intend to in market economies." Wikipedia/price controls
_________________________________________________
5. ) Is this test too hard?
Yes______
No______1.) True or false: America has improved under Biden/Harris. False
2.) Do you support continual printing of the US dollar bill? NO
3.) Continual printing of the U.S. dollar can have many effects on the economy. One major consequence is inflation, as increasing the money supply tends to diminish the dollar's value, leading to higher prices for goods and all services. This inflation results in decreased purchasing power for consumers, meaning they can buy less with the same amount of money. Excessive money printing can distort the economy by encouraging misallocation of resources, as easy access to credit may lead to risky investments. It can weaken the dollar on international markets, adversely affecting trade balances and making imports more expensive.1. Definitely!
2. Is this a conspiracy theory of some sort?
3. Ditto
4. Because they don't, in the long-run. But, in the short-term, they sometimes have a place.
5. No.Oz is such a great place. Newsflash: America is MUCH, MUCH worse since Biddy Biden & Cackling Kamala. Face reality please.
Thank you, Sharlee. You have passed the test. Now everyone knows the answers.
Vote Trump.
I am DEFINITELY voting for Trump. Voted for him in 2016 & 2020.
Here are some facts:
* Economies have a built-in lag function. That means actions that happen at time A are expressed in the economy some months later. That is Econ 101. NO president can effect the economy until about 3 - 4 months after assuming the office. Consequently, it would be impossible for Biden to have changed the course of Feb, Mar, and Apr. (and probably May). Therefore, what happens prior to May or Jun is on the previous administration.
Sorry for the long preamble, but it is important in analysis to understand the dynamics of what your dealing with. All of that was to set the stage to assert that inflation was already rising rapidly before President Biden could do anything to cause it. Specifically, by the end of April 2021, Inflation was 4.2% and climbing rapidly to 9.1% in June 2022. At that point, Biden's anti-inflation measures kicked in an inflation rapidly fell to todays 2.4%
Now, notice, I am not blaming Trump for inflation either (although his actions in 2020 probably made it a little bit worse as did Biden when he copied Trump's bail out). It was the dynamics of the pandemic that was principally responsible.
But it WAS Biden's fiscal policies (to a small degree) and the Fed's monetary policies that finally tamed inflation.Now if he could only do something that would provide for all of us to recover from the inflation he brought us.
Inflation is down (although I would not say "tamed"), but we have a long way to go to get back to where we were.Unless you want the next president to cause a depression, you know as will as I that prices do not broadly fall once they go up. The counter to inflation is higher wages, and that has been effectively achieved.
Inflation has been at the Fed benchmark lever for couple of months now, WHICH is well below historical averages.
I believe inflation can be entirely blamed on the fact that we shut down our OWN energy production. High Gas Prices have caused it.
Biden closed our oil/gas production capabilities. WHY?Do you have any evidence that he has closed our oil and gas production capabilities? These are all private entities. POTUS does not control them. Our energy sources are not nationalized.
This country's oil companies are thriving. They have big beautiful profits unlike anyone has ever seen before. Record profits. Biden / Harris made it all happen... Very quickly they made it happen.
And you know what the oil folks found out, they didn't even need to drill new wells...their current Wells are more productive than ever.That is a right-wing myth, he did no such thing. If fact he did the opposite, he expanded energy production to the highest level ever.
Also, Biden did not cause high gas prices. What is the proof of that? Although asked multiple times, neither you nor anybody else on your side provided any evidence that what you claim is true.
(d) “Carbon pollution-free electricity” means electrical energy produced from resources that generate no carbon emissions, including
marine energy,
solar,
wind,
hydrokinetic (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal),
geothermal,
hydroelectric,
nuclear,
renewably sourced hydrogen,
and electrical energy generation from fossil resources to the extent there is active capture and storage of carbon dioxide emissions that meets EPA requirements;
https://www.federalregister.gov/documen … ainability
~ to your point: Willowarbor
"An administration that took office promising to end fracking on our public lands has approved thousands of drilling permits, is paving the way for thousands more, and shows no sign of even wanting to fight to win one of its most important climate policies."
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2021/ … -opposite/Drilling permits, are just permits. We have many permits that have gone unused. Undeveloped. Big oil companies have found ways to make their existing Wells more productive. It's a win-win.
I am probably mistaken, but it reads like you took both sides of the issue.
The thought is that huge oil reserves in Alaska, if tapped into, could help (eventually) to pay down the national debt.
https://dggs.alaska.gov/popular-geology/oil-gas.htmlThat idea is ignoring the fact that oil is a global commodity.
You cannot pay down the national debt with oil... Trump floating that idea is nonsense.
The revenues of the five largest U.S. oil companies (ExxonMobil, Chevron, Marathon, Valero, and Phillips 66) in 2023 totaled about $1 trillion. So even if there was a way for the federal government to confiscate all of that revenue it wouldn't make a dent... I believe the national debt is 34 trillion?
I don't know if Trump doesn't understand the basics of how the oil industry works or if he just tries to pass off this nonsense because he knows most people don't eitherI'll be looking into this. Thank you.
" So even if there was a way for the federal government to confiscate all of that revenue it wouldn't make a dent: ... 34 trillion... "
a percentage of earnings would go toward paying down the debt over a period of time ... like a very long period of time.But I don't think the government should be allowed to confiscate the profits of private corporations, do you?
I do know. By observation Trump has shown time and again that he does not understand how complex things work.
Take tariffs for example. He actually believes that other countries pay his tariffs. How dumb is that? Tariffs are another name for a tax on domestic importers of foreign goods. All it does is cause inflation if the importers choose to pass on the tax to consumers.
"Biden’s actual position, which he frequently states, is that he would ban new gas and oil permits — including fracking — on federal lands only. The vast majority of oil and gas does not come from federal lands."
https://apnews.com/article/election-202 … 9e36f4f82bBiden has a few more months in office, I think all of that is irrelevant at this point and it's quite clear that the oil companies are more successful than ever.... They haven't suffered under his administration whatsoever
I think someone mentioned high gas prices. I am buying it for $2.85/gal for the last couple weeks.
I'm at about $3.15 - almost as low as it's been in over a decade - I do recall a short spurt in the upper $2 range.
Now if we could get everything else to come back to where it was before the trillion dollar giveaways...Recently, in October 2024, President Biden approved measures that would allow oil companies to increase production in response to rising fuel prices. This decision came amid pressures from high gas prices and public demand for more energy output. Under his administration, U.S. oil production has reached record highs, which has led to significant profits for major oil companies
REUTERS
Dan, Are you surprised? Wonder why this action was not taken 3.7 years ago. I find this unacceptable, and purely a political ploy.Am I surprised that U.S. oil production as reached record highs? No. Unfortunately, we will have to keep pumping more oil until his renewable energy initiatives finally reduce the need for it.
Unfortunately we as a country cannot afford the renewable energy solutions.
We, as a human race, cannot afford to not have a renewable energy solution.
I shouldn't be surprised, I know. But every time - every time! - Biden reverses his decision to end Trump's plans it surprises me. I didn't truly think he had the smarts to do that even if hit in the face with it.
You know, I think most have Biden's number. He is so very transparent when it comes to old cheap types of campaign strategies. I think Americans, well most, realize he had us paying so much for gas until a month before the election.
And you know very well that is not true. How do I know that, multiple times we have asked you to prove such a hyperbolic statement and you never can.
You are talking about Trump's trillion dollar giveaways, correct?
I am guessing you are not aware (even though I gave you the figures) that Trump "gave away", to use your terms, three times as much as Biden did.
So yeah, that is what it was.
That anyone would even think to ask this question tells me there is something seriously wrong with a segment of our population.
Hey, Valeant. isn't that what you think about brainwashed Trump voters?
Trump is so very transparent when it comes to old cheap types of campaign strategies and his hate speech. I think Americans, well most, realize Trump was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths from his poor handling of the pandemic.
That Trump doesn't care anything about the American people. He has a history of very destructive behavior. He is planning on arresting anybody that has crossed him. Trump the king of expediency, of debt, of division, of hate. Trump switches to whatever personalities to get the sheeples' attention & ultimately their prospective votes. Trump is the con mans, con man. He even stated that only he can do it, even though he is too dumb to know what he is doing. He was laughing maniacally.I guess some people will be quite happy if the election is stolen from Trump again.
Once upon a time, there lived a very evil man who wanted to become the President of America, a democratic republic made up of fifty states. He pretended to be on the side of the people, but planned to use them for his own benefit. He became very skillful in lying and seeming wonderful during his numerous rallies and speeches. He found it very easy to fool the majority who wore red hats and cheered with glee at what he proposed. However, there were some who knew that this man, actually, was a racist/white supremacist, out to jail anyone who was against him, and would certainly become a tyrant. These people knew that this evil man would have to be imprisoned in order to stop his efforts to destroy America for his own power and wealth.
The opposition was a woman who practically wore a halo. She would be the president who could give the people what they needed to be prosperous and happy. She was the one who would be capable of guaranteeing peace and contentment throughout the land.
Story to be continued.Unfortunately, leftists believe the abovementioned story which is blatantly false on its premise. In fact, it is the OPPOSITE-Trump has proven to be the good guy while Kamala has proven to be evil. Trump, by his record, improved America while Kamala, by her record, has DESTROYED America.
... well, as I said, the story continues
and as Ken said, get out the popcorn.
... and as the world turns, reality will play out
and we can make a better choice next time,
if there is a next time.
" She has a history of destructive behavior. " How many felony convictions? How many charges of sexual assault? How many divorces? How many children from different spouses? How many election loses? How many law suits?
Can one truly measure the weight of destructive behavior? Does a lesser amount of lies somehow justify the overall dishonesty of a person? What about dating a married man—does that not carry any weight? Do words only matter when they align with your own beliefs, while ignoring what others have to say? This hypocrisy is glaring when it comes to Harris’s reputation; it raises questions about the sincerity of her actions and the integrity of her message.
Then I have to ask why you are not using that same measure against Trump who is orders of magnitude worse. I am obviously back to my jaywalking (Harris) to murder (Trump) analogy. It seems to me your analysis only works if you put jaywalking on an equal footing with murder.
It's come down to this: I find Harris, like Biden, unfit to be president. Honestly, I struggle to understand how anyone could consider voting for her. She’s even less qualified than Biden, and we all know how these past years have unfolded under his leadership. I can't say much more than that. I don’t measure lies by their frequency; one lie tells me enough. I've reached a point where I assess the severity of a lie, its intent, or the hurtful nature behind it.
I don't view Harris's lies as minor like you suggest with the term "jaywalking." Instead, I see them as a serious issue when she stands on a large podium and lies to the American people about a man who hasn’t earned the vicious labels she attaches to his agenda. I find this kind of politicking dishonest and dangerous. It is just lucky that Trump also has a large podium to share his agenda, and that Americans can compare.Likewise, I failed to see how anybody considering voting for Trump wants to put a convicted felon, sexual predator, fraudster, the most prolific liar in political history, and who attempted to overthrow our constitutional government as a leader of our country
Again, you forgive Trump worse sins. Why is that???I don’t see them as sins. To me, they’ve been exaggerated, hyped up, and handed to anyone willing to bite. I’m all about the facts and don’t have a gullible bone in my body. I’m also very aware that I have no right to judge others' views—doing so only reflects poorly on one’s intelligence.
I’ve shared my view, and I don’t feel the need to defend it to anyone.I will let you have fun with other takers--- I am not willing to jump in the mud.
Under Biden, America JUST KEEPS ON IMPROVING!
The US economy seems to have pulled off a remarkable and historic achievement.
Gross domestic product, which measures all the goods and services produced in the economy, expanded at an annualized rate of 2.8% in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
As the US economy continued to expand from July through September, inflation drifted lower toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target during that same period, the report showed. Several economists tell CNN that the economy has finally pulled off an exceptionally rare achievement known as a soft landing, a scenario in which inflation is tamed without a recession.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS!!!!!Eso, there is a duplex on Brooklyn's Greenpoint waterfront for $900.00 per month & another duplex in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn for just under $800.00 per month.
And then there is THIS:
Private Sector Added TWICE as Many Jobs as Expected in October!!!
THANK YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS!!!!!
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/30/economy/ … index.htmlI always amazes me how members of cults, such as the Children of God, Branch Davidian, Charles Manson, and now MAGA can simply ignore truth and obvious facts in order to hold on to their worship of their chosen leader. At noon with the sun out, you can tell them it is day, but if their leader says it is night, they they will fight you until their last dying breath to convince you it is night.
In Trump's case, if you tell a cult member, while showing them the data, that inflation is at or below 2.4%, they will, without proof, call you a liar. If you show them that the economy is still expanding, they will try to rent you cheap apartments.
It is sad, but true.So much condescending denigration. All from your perspective. Surely Joe from the blue-collar MAGA-cult may have a different one.
You condemn him for not celebrating (understanding the fact) that his costs are only increasing by 2.4% — for not being thankful that it's not 9%.
As a cult member, you know he will be comparing things to Trump-years numbers. So he's thinking: Hamburger (his family eats a lot of hamburger—can't afford steak) was $4, now it's $6, a 50% increase. But yea, it's only going up by another 2.4%.
His rent was $1150 a month, now it's $1520, a 32% increase. But he still doesn't understand he should be thankful it's only increasing by 2.4%. He refuses to believe his wallet is lying to him.
And so on for all of his major expenses. Do you think he would celebrate the truth of your statistical analysis if he just understood the facts—as you present them?
*No worries if you want to quibble about the numbers, they're just AI answers to price questions.
GAPreach Gus preach. The truth shall set one free if one accepts the truth.
Oh my... I was not sure I was reading a comment from GA... Be careful this conversation could go into a deep deep hole.
Nah, it's no deeper than the few AI answers used to illustrate the concept of cumulative effect. The rest is just perception.
GA
Just as those from Jim's Jones' cult would disagree with me just before they drank the Kool-Aid.
What I condemn is telling people it is night when it is obviously daytime. There are several on here that fit that mold by repeatedly saying inflation is STILL sky-high when it is not. And others who insist that gas prices reacted immediately after Biden supposedly did something about oil production. Yet others keep insisting, based on only coincidence, that Biden caused the inflation when it is patently obvious he did not nor could he have.
It is THAT mindset that I condemn.
Essential facts get ignored. For example, everyone knows that inflation increased a lot (but nowhere as bad as it had in previous times) while wages were stagnant for a while. That led to a lot of very real pain. But what gets purposefully left unsaid, is that wage growth, while lagging, has eliminated much of the disparity caused by the earlier inflation.
Did you know you are mixing apples and oranges in your examples, pun intended. On the one hand you use a "cumulative" number (32%). But on the other you used an annual number (2.4%). Really looks terrible, doesn't it.
Hamburger makes a better example. In Jan 2021, a pound cost around $4.24. By July 2024, it averaged $5.07 a pound, a 19% increase. Over a 3.5 year period, that works out to about 5.1% per year. Using the same source as those prices, if I look between 2023 and 2024, hamburger rose about 3.4%, which is less than the 4.1% increase in wages. So, between 2023 and 2024, hamburger, at least, became more affordable.
My point in all that gobbledygook is that the real answer lies in the details and not the hyperbole being thrown around by MAGA.
Also, using rents is somewhat deceptive for two reasons. One, rents were frozen for a period of time during Covid so of course, when they became unfrozen, they jumped. Two, rents were were largely influenced by software that interfered with normal supply and demand. (in the next post, I will have more to say on that)
.Now, while inflation is increasing at a below historical average of 2.4% .CPI,the average rate of wage growth is between 3.5% and and 4%, and is expected to stay that way for the near future. Obviously, it won't be long before people, writ large, will be in the same relative position they were before the pandemic caused inflation started.
Bottom line, hard analysis often gets overwhelmed by current emotions.GA, here is that piece on manipulating rental prices.
Searched 3 sites
Yes, a few major real estate companies have significant influence over rent prices in the United States, particularly through the use of technology and pricing algorithms. One of the most prominent players is RealPage, which offers software like YieldStar that analyzes rental market data and recommends pricing strategies for landlords. This software has been criticized for contributing to inflated rent prices, as it can synchronize rent increases across multiple properties, effectively reducing competition and leaving tenants with fewer affordable options
The rental market crisis in the U.S. has been exacerbated by several factors, including high demand for rental properties, rising construction costs, and economic pressures stemming from inflation. Real estate firms, particularly those backed by private equity, often use such pricing software to maximize profits, which has led to rent increases that outpace wage growth and inflation rates
. As a result, there are growing concerns about affordability and the potential for these companies to manipulate rental markets through coordinated pricing strategies
This situation has caught the attention of government regulators, leading to investigations into whether such practices violate antitrust laws. The aim is to determine if these algorithms lead to unfair market manipulation that harms consumers by driving up rental costs
For further details, you can read more on ProPublica and Escape From New Jersey, which explore the implications of these practices on the rental market and affordability crisis.I searched 0 sites. I used 6 AI-generated answers (concerning yearly prices). The point wasn't to be precisely accurate and it wasn't to argue your 2.4% point, I only focused on it because it fit the illustration and you supported it.
But, no worries. we're talking about different things (so says your reply) and I don't want to argue the things you do ;-)
GAJust an FYI, we are using similar tools. Mine just says how many sites it searched.
It's almost certain we use AI differently. I use it when I'm too lazy to type and search a query. It's easier to just grab my phone and ask Google how much hamburger was in 2019.
Since my point wasn't about arguing the 'why' of the increase, I rounded (generously). The low was $3.90 rounded to $4. The high was $6.74, rounded to $6. Precision wasn't necessary for the point.
You denigrate 'them' for denying inflation is coming down because you can statistically prove that it is, but you ignore the probable reality that they're not thinking about statistics, they're thinking about the cumulative effect on their wallets since 'the Trump years.' The noted percentages are real in their mind—regardless of whether they are the 'correct' metrics to use, because it is still real money out of their wallets.
They are right, inflation is still increasing. The statistics set a new 'bar' for measurement every year, so a statistical argument can tout decreases in the increase, but the man emptying his wallet still sees a 50% increase for hamburger. That is his real inflation number and it is still going up
And for that perspective, you call him a 'brainwashed cult member'?
GASooooo 100000% ...
It has become ironic that the media works so hard to push the narrative that inflation no longer exists and interest rates are coming down...
Ironic because their efforts to push this narrative just adds to the "fake news" perspective people have about 'Main Stream Media' today...
It's true but sad. I remember when I knew Republicans I admired.
I still do - Liz Cheney, Adam Kitzinger, Gen Kelly, Gen Milley, Gen Mattis, Gen Powell, the majority of those who Trump hired that have either sided with Harris due to the absolute danger Trump represents or at least won't vote for Trump.
... what is the "absolute danger Trump represents" again?
I think he means, "common sense", but don't mind me. Carry on.
But Trump doesn't have "common sense". If he did, he wouldn't have tried to convince you that COVID was no big deal. What he does have is "street smarts" like all other crime bosses do.
If you would prefer we call securing our borders once and for all, utilizing our own natural resources in order to bring costs down across the board, focusing on the safety and well-being of this Nation, "street smarts", okay, I can live with that. Beats "no smarts", which is what we have with Kamala.
"utilizing our own natural resources in order to bring costs down across the board, ".
Can you elaborate on this? What are you envisioning?Seems to me that 1) Biden is utilizing our own natural resources in the manner you mention. In addition, he is trying to save the earth and humanity by trying to switch to reenables where feasible and 2) had the Republicans not killed his initial border plan in 2021, the borders would be much more secure than they are today. He tried to do it the right way, through Congress, ever since. After Trump killed the last bi-partisan attempt to secure our borders, he was forced to use executive action to the degree he is allowed by law.
The fact is, every time Democrats and Independents and reasonable Republicans in the Senate tried to pass immigration reform over the last 20 years - Republicans killed it. And now they hypocritically say they are the good guys in this when they are clearly not. They have made it plain they do not want secure borders in order to have something to bring their MAGA base together.
The destruction of our democracy which he is now partially successful by causing an insurrection, by lying about 2020 election so much that he has unfairly made his cult think our elections are unfair when they haven't been. There is a very long list which I am sure you are aware.
I always have to giggle when I read that Harris DID this or Harris DID that as VP. Isn't that the definition of delusion thinking Harris has been President since 2021?
Fracking and drilling for the petroleum right here on North American soil... utilizing it, selling it, benefits this country, therefore benefiting us! Naturally, bringing down the costs at the pump for us, brings down the cost for truckers at the pump as well, who can, in turn, lower their costs, allowing for the grocer to lower his costs, passing those savings onto the consumer. It's a domino effect.
True. Probably why Harris saw the light and modified her position. Fracking is fine so long as it is done in such a way that doesn't kill the earth.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN and VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS
"New York
CNN
—
US stocks are about to achieve a feat so rare that it’s only ever happened a handful of times.
The S&P 500 is set to gain over 20% this year after rising 24% in 2023. Back-to-back gains of over 20% would be the best performance for the benchmark index since 1997 and 1998, according to data from FactSet. (When another Democrat was in the White House, btw)
It’s an extraordinary event for the modern-day version of the index. (Precursors also racked up that kind of performance three other times, in 1927 and 1928, 1935 and 1936 and in 1954 and 1955, according to a Bank of America analysis.)
Despite fizzling out in December and missing an expected “Santa Claus rally” to close out 2024, markets notched a blockbuster year, building off a strong 2023."
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/31/investin … index.htmlI remember when, during Pres. Trump's first term, you were saying that record-breaking markets weren't a true indicator. That the new peaks weren't a credit to Trump. But now they're proof of Pres. Biden's positive actions?
What's up with that?
GAWhat is up with that is what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If Trump supporters give accolades for the market hitting highs during the first part of his term, then Trump supporters should likewise agree with my assertions regarding Biden for his entire four years.
It is too bad short-term thinkers didn't wonder why the markets ignored the pandemic inflation. If they had looked, maybe they wouldn't have wrongly blamed Biden for the high prices that drove them to Trump.
I wonder what these same people will say when prices don't go down in February as Trump promised them to get their vote. I do think they will finally come down, but only because Trump's policies will drive a recession (assuming of course that the Trump tariff inflation doesn't make them go up first, lol.)You have been a good teacher/instructor. There is no reason, after your tirades and examples, to give Biden any credit for anything good that has happened. Just blame for the negatives.
It is, after all, what you have been doing for 8 years now - we can learn, you know! (After all, "what is good for the goose is good for the gander!")Here is the difference:
* Biden has done very few bad things, mostly good for the nation and its people
* Trump, on the other hand, is a criminal and sexual abuser and has done mostly bad things for the nation and its people, but has done a lot of good for himself.
I understand from your past comments that you don't discern the difference between the two, but fortunately, most of America does.
Oh gawd . . . There it is again . . . two wrongs can make a right.
"They did it so I can do it too." Except, you criticized and denigrated 'them' for doing it. Isn't it just as hypocritical for you to do it as you claimed it was for them?
GAIt is called irony. I am still waiting for some Trump supporter to get off their hypocritical high horse and agree with me and give Biden the same credit they gave Trump.
Another possibility, i suppose, is that they all saw the error of their ways and finally realized that Trump wasn't responsible for the stock market highs.You could be in for a long wait. It will be hard to convince anyone to get off their high horse when you are (admittedly, the irony angle?) riding on your own. ;-)
I do get your point but I disagree with your perspective. And there it lays, because you know I'm not getting into a Trump thread (or an anti-Biden one when it's a comparison).
GA?? I give Biden the same credit you gave Trump 4 years ago when the economy boomed, crime dropped, things generally got better for all. And it was all due to someone else.
Well, what tiny bit Biden did right (can't think of anything off hand) must be due to someone else as well.Dan,
I think if I take the time to sit and reflect on what we’ve experienced and where the nation is now, it’s clear to me that we’re facing some serious issues that will likely take a very long time to fix. From my perspective, there’s really nothing much to congratulate Biden on. It’s incredibly disturbing that he was left in office when so many knew he wasn’t up to par for the job. Honestly, I struggle to see how anyone could find much to celebrate about the last four years, given the list of disastrous policies that have left the nation feeling somewhat broken. I realize my view might come across as cynical, but it’s my truth.I agree. Long ago, I thought we had divided so badly we could never come together...until 911 hit. But the division then isn't a pimple on what we see today, and both sides are driving it ever deeper.
Beyond that, I find that both sides are using the needs/wants of the nation to gain political power. Liberals use poverty as a method to buy votes, without ever even trying to find a solution rather than a bandaid. Same for the violence and homicide rate - there is never any effort at all to find a solution.
But conservatives aren't much, if any, better. There is a constant effort to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of the people, forcing them to behave as the Christian god intended people to be (in the opinion of the speaker, of course). Conservatives will try to find solutions...but buried within all of it is the ever pressing need to gain political power, just as the liberals do.
Whatever side, the overpowering goal is to gain power. Whatever the event, the party must be praised for causing anything positive and the opposing party blamed for anything negative. So few of our leaders actually care about the country or people, just personal and party power. I think you could count those people on the Hill that really care on your fingers.
Perhaps I'm just jaded, that that's what I see. And it isn't going to be fixed anytime soon, not with the greed of the people that is being driven and emphasized by those same politicians using it to gain power.I agree to some extent. It often feels like gaining power is the primary goal, regardless of the side. Too many leaders seem more focused on their personal and party interests than on truly serving the country or its people. I can understand feeling jaded, as it seems like those who genuinely care about the nation's well-being are few and far between. Unfortunately, as long as greed and power struggles dominate, it doesn’t look like this cycle will change anytime soon.
I have a slightly different view when it comes to Conservatives and religion. While it’s a characteristic many hold, it’s not true for all. I believe religion is a personal value, and it shouldn't be pushed onto others. Unless someone invites a conversation about religion, it's best to avoid the topic. If it is discussed, it should be done carefully, without pushing beliefs or using religion as a means to condemn others or appear judgmental for not sharing the same views.You are right about the religion. My world is filled with Christians (and one buddhist) and some agnostics.
The Christians, to a person, would not push their religion onto others, do not support teaching it in schools, and understand and support true separation of church and state.
But they are not the ones with loud voices, they are not the Christian activists currently flexing their political muscle. As always happens, those loud voices quickly convince the rest they are speaking for all Christians even though they are a minority. Nevertheless, they ARE the ones getting their religion forced onto others and they ARE Christians. The Muslims tried and failed (Sharia law in America), the Buddhists never have. Wiccans haven't tried either. No other religion I can think of have made a serious effort to become the law of the land; only the Christians.Yes, it's true that the loudest voices often get the most attention, whether from the far-left or far-right. A good example of this would be both the January 6th Capitol riot and the Summer of Love riots in 2020. Both events, though born from different political perspectives, were amplified by the media and public attention. The Summer of Love riots, despite the chaos and destruction, were in many ways praised or seen positively by certain groups who viewed it as a form of protest against racial injustice. On the other hand, the January 6th riot, while it was largely a small group of people, was quickly condemned by many of those who had supported the more violent aspects of the Summer of Love protests.
Both of these events, though distinct in cause and outcome, show how small groups can create massive noise, and yet the perception of those actions varies dramatically depending on political leanings. The same dynamic applies to the way Christian activists or any group with a loud voice can dominate the conversation, even when they represent a minority within a broader population. The polarization and double standards in how these events are viewed are a testament to how those who speak the loudest can shape the narrative.
I wonder if human nature plays the biggest role in this. It seems that people, by default, are more influenced by the noise and drama surrounding an issue than by the issue itself. The loudest voices often create a sense of urgency or importance that resonates more deeply with people, overshadowing more nuanced perspectives. This tendency might explain why small groups can have such a disproportionate influence on public discourse, as the noise they generate triggers emotional responses and quickly spreads, amplifying their impact.
I would argue that Liberals do not "use" poverty to "buy" votes, that is clearly an unsupported opinion.
What is not an opinion is that Liberals see poverty as a problem that needs solving and then try to do something about it. Sometime those programs work, and sometimes they don't. But what is also not an opinion is that Conservatives, as a rule, oppose having the government help other Americans. They see it, and it has been commented on here, that using tax dollars to help people in need is simply a distribution of wealth and is Marxist in nature.
Liberals, on the other hand, see it as a stated duty of the government to provide for the general Welfare of our people.
Here is what I have experienced under Biden-Harris:
I'll start of with the very bad - the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden didn't have to, nor should he, have gone along with the capitulation Trump "negotiated" with the terrorists. He should have dumped that as the fool's errand that it was.
If he was dead set on getting out of there, then he should have given that order to DoD and let them figure out the best way to do it, not let Trump's fiasco ruin everything. But, that is not what he did, sadly, He let Trump's bad negotiation and Biden's unreasonable desire to get out at all costs lead to bad decisions.
A second failure was not to provide Ukraine the latitude and weapons soon enough to affect a positive outcome rather than the stalemate. Having read WAR, I understand now some of reasons why vis-a-vis Putin's possible use of tactical nukes.
I do not consider the surge at the border a failure, although conservative propaganda tries to make it seem so. I will cover the reasons why in a separate post.
SUCCESS:
1. The American Rescue Plan: For those who care about the general Welfare, it, and Trump's CARES and other acts, was a huge success. I know my business survived because of it. Did they (Trump's and Biden's) stimulus add to the inflation - MAYBE. Economists think that at best they added 1 or 2 points to the subsequent pandemic caused inflation. Had the pandemic not caused the spike in inflation, then there was a reasonable chance American's would not have experienced even a 2% rise.
2. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: This got done what Trump promised but didn't deliver. Ironically, Trump has now promised to end it. As a result, Biden has been in a rush to obligate the remaining money from the five-year plan before Trump has a chance to cancel it.
3. Job Growth: Biden wins the job growth race hands down. Not only did he get back to pre-pandemic job levels, he far surpassed it.
4. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): While most provisions are still in progress, inflation has been reduced from around 9% to around 2.5%, Also, insulin has been capped at $35/month* for most seniors on Medicare and starting today, seniors drugs are capped at $2,000 a month.
* Trump signed an EO (not a law) that gave some seniors on Part D a temporary $35 on insulin.
5. Rejoined the world in the fight against climate change. Trump is intent on leaving again and making it all worse.
6. Biggest investment in clean energy leading to many jobs and and a huge increase in renewable energy.
7. Accelerated the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, leading to widespread availability by mid-2021, which it was not on track to do. Managed the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history.
8. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, - the first gun safety regulation in decades.
9. Signed an executive order advancing LGBTQ+ equality, banning conversion therapy at the federal level, and ensuring protections in education, healthcare, and housing.
10. CHIPS and Science Act: to bolster domestic manufacturing of semiconductors and reduce reliance on foreign production. Something Trump failed to do.
11. Rebuilt NATO: in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is now the strongest it has ever been and will need to be when Trump turns Ukraine over to Putin.
12. Cut unauthorized border crossings to its lowest level since 2019.
We are not talking about me, are we. I was observing that your side gave tons of credit to Trump for accomplishing the same thing during his term but don't have the courage to give the same credit to Biden.
Also, are you suggesting you never gave credit to Trump for DOW records. As remember, you did."We are not talking about me, are we."
I was, and made it exceedingly clear. "You have been a good teacher/instructor. There is no reason, after your tirades and examples, to give Biden any credit for anything good that has happened." "It is, after all, what you have been doing for 8 years now ..."
I get that you don't like having your words used against you, but hey - if you don't like it don't say things you don't want put back on the table!
"Liberals see poverty as a problem that needs solving and then try to do something about it. "
It is a tenant of most faiths - not a political position.That is true. Unfortunately, faiths do not have the wherewithal, and in some cases, inclination, to do anything effective about it.
Biden did little to address poverty---In terms of direct actions, Biden did attempt to tackle poverty, but many of these efforts were either temporary or focused on short-term relief rather than long-term structural change. There’s debate about how much lasting change has been achieved, and poverty rates are still heavily influenced by broader economic forces beyond the administration's control. Some feel Biden’s efforts were substantial, while others think more systemic reforms are needed to address poverty comprehensively.
When considering "real help" for poverty, I argue that Biden’s policies, despite their immediate benefits, haven't fully tackled the deeper, structural causes of poverty. While his administration focused on providing temporary relief through measures like stimulus checks and expanded child tax credits, critics argue that such actions are more akin to "band-aid" solutions rather than comprehensive, long-term strategies for eradicating poverty.
For a true, long-lasting impact on poverty, systemic changes are often needed. These might include:
Universal Access to Health Care: A key policy that could have a lasting impact on poverty would be a more robust healthcare system that ensures affordable coverage for all, preventing medical bills from pushing families into poverty. Biden’s administration made attempts to expand the Affordable Care Act, but without further-reaching reforms like Medicare for All, this remains a partial solution.
Affordable Housing: Housing remains one of the most significant barriers to escaping poverty. Biden's administration has made some efforts to address affordable housing shortages, but comprehensive housing policy changes—such as rent controls, affordable homeownership programs, and expanded support for low-income housing—haven't been realized.
Living Wages and Worker Protections: Despite some wage increases in certain sectors, Biden's administration has not implemented sweeping legislation to guarantee a living wage for all workers across the board. Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 has been a proposal but hasn’t passed in Congress, leaving low-income workers still struggling to make ends meet. Real help would mean enacting policies that increase wages and improve working conditions for the lowest-income earners.
Education and Job Training: Equipping individuals with the skills they need for higher-paying jobs is another long-term strategy for breaking the cycle of poverty. While Biden has pushed for increased funding for education and job training programs, much more is needed to make these programs accessible to all, particularly those in historically underserved communities.
Social Safety Net Reform: Real, lasting help for those in poverty would involve more than just temporary increases in food assistance or unemployment benefits. Structural reform of the safety net to address systemic inequalities—such as universal childcare, long-term disability benefits, and reforms to the criminal justice system—could better support individuals in poverty, especially those who face discrimination or barriers that keep them in low-income status.
In sum, while Biden’s administration has taken steps to provide temporary relief to those in poverty, such actions are often criticized as short-term fixes. True, long-lasting help for poverty would require fundamental changes to social, economic, and political systems, focusing on sustainable job creation, affordable housing, healthcare, and comprehensive worker protections. Without those changes, it’s difficult to say that Biden’s efforts have done much more than offer temporary support.You're right - Biden focused on giving people money rather than actually solving the poverty problem. Doing that does not even approach a solution; it is just more giveaway that adds to and perpetuates the problem.
Unfortunately, much of your thoughts are the same; give the poor money so they aren't poor any more. It might be via housing subsidies, it might be from subsidized healthcare or subsidized childcare.
But all of those are just giveaways. A true solution lies in the ability to earn a living - education, motivation (work or starve), added skills. You did touch on one program that we need more of (disability payments)...but ONLY when needed. The program has plenty of money, but most of it is wasted on people that could work.
Unfortunately, government is noted for spending money, NOT for finding actual solutions, so we continue with trillion dollar goveaways when a small percentage of that is actually needed.See my answer to Shar - the Republicans are the ones that kill any real reform that Shar talked about.
Your comments on giveaways is simply your unsupported opinion.
I am still waiting for you to admit that Trump "gave away" two or three times as much as Biden did.
Not quite universal, but wasn't that what Obamacare was supposed to be all about? After the propaganda against it, people finally came to realize what a benefit it was. Problem is, the other side still wants to kill it and return it to the way it was pre-ACA, which was a disaster.
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act addressed many of the other medical issues like high prescription prices. He was able to squeak a bi-partisan deal that addressed Medicare, but your side will make sure it will go no further than that.
To tackle the structural problem you speak of required that Biden be a dictator, which he wasn't, of get Congress to act. Democrats were willing but Republicans were not. Without Republican support, nothing structural will ever get done.
Republicans vigorously oppose a living wage, so that is a dead issue don't you think?
All those things you rightly mention as needing to get done is beyond Biden's reach until such time as Republicans see the need, and right now, they don't.
Just like immigration reform. Over the last 20 years, there were several bi-partisan agreements in the Senate that were either killed by the Republicans in the House or by Trump in 2024. They were:
SB 2611 (2006) - Passed in the Senate, killed in the House
SB 1348 (2007) - Republicans stopped it in the Senate, but the House Republicans said they wouldn't take it up.
The DREAM Act (2010) - Passed in the House, filibustered to death in the Senate by Republicans.
There were several other variations of the DREAM act between 2001 and 2011, all went down to Republican opposition.
S 744 (2013) passed the Senate but Republicans refused to bring it up in the House.
2018 - Several bipartisan attempts were made at reform during the Trump administration, but all failed to Republican opposition.
Finally, there is the bi-partisan Senate bill that Trump ordered killed so that he would a campaign issue.
This shows you how effective Republican propaganda is that they have convinced so many Americans that the Democrats oppose immigration reform when the truth is the Republicans are the ones.
All that you wrote that needs to be done, I agree with. But, unfortunately, your side does not want your great ideas to come to fruition."Republicans vigorously oppose a living wage, so that is a dead issue don't you think?" Eco
Good point. This is what I have learned during an interview in Dec 2024, the most current information I have at hand.
President Trump did address the issue of the federal minimum wage. In a December 2024 interview, he described the current federal minimum of $7.25 per hour as "a very low number" and stated he "would consider" raising it. However, he did emphasized the importance of consulting with state governors, acknowledging that a uniform federal wage might not suit the diverse economic conditions across states
Trump noted the significant cost-of-living differences between states comparing like Mississippi and California, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all federal minimum wage could be problematic for the economy. He mentioned that while an increase to $8 or $9 might have minimal impact in some areas, more substantial hikes, such as California's recent move to a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers, might "go too far."
This approach seems both intelligent and prudent. In my view, the government often resorts to blanket solutions that can create unnecessary complications. With the economy still recovering, I believe his cautious stance is wise; rushing into a federal minimum wage increase could risk undermining the progress already made.
The perspective I have shared aligns with Trump's previous stance during his 2016 campaign, where he advocated for state-level decision-making regarding minimum wage increases, rather than implementing a uniform federal mandate. I certainly feel some states need a minimum wage raise. Some do not.There is a difference between a "minimum" wage and a "living wage". By my calculations, which are about two years old now, a "living wage" for some place like Omaha, NE is about $19.44/hour for a family of three.(http://hub.me/agifc)
This assumes a minimum essential standard of living where a family of three can barely make it in American society while still keeping their pride intact. The results are from between 80 and 90 reader's inputs as to what they think is needed under those circumstances. (14% of the respondents were from the Right, 43% from the Left, 42% Independent or Other.
As I recall, after the first 60 responses, the averages didn't change much.
Two states have a lower minimum wage than the federal at $5.15, so the federal applies for most workers, and five states have no minimum wage and default to the federal. Not surprisingly, all are very conservative states and six are in the South. Only Georgia and Wyoming don't rank in the bottom 20 of state GDP per person.
During the debate with Biden, who said he supports a $15 minimum wage, Trump said he does not support that (so, is he changing his mind - again?) but he did say it should be a state option.
He forgets three related things when he says something like that:
1) The signers, especially Madison, were very much interested in protecting the citizens of states from bad state governments. That is the reason for the Supremacy, Contracts, and Guarantee Clauses in the Constitution. He also provided additional protections in the Bill of Rights. I don't know if he didn't think they would be applied to the States or not, but they weren't until the 14th Amendment fixed that mistake. Madison, of course, was worried about federal overreach to some extent, hence Amendments 9 and 10 to the Bill of Rights.
2) The federal government is charged with providing for the general Welfare of ALL citizens, even ones where the state gov'ts are intent on hurting them (like women).
3) The federal minimum wage is just that, a minimum that allows people to exist at a very basic level. States always have the option of improving on that.
The fact that Trump said he is "open" to increasing the minimum wage is, as everyone who has observed Trump knows, is only good for the moment he says it. Until he actually does something, you can bet he will likely change his mind in the future.Whatever happened to the original concept that minimum wage was not expected to support a family of 3 (or 4 or 5 or whatever a speaker thinks of when discussing a "living wage")?
It was never intended for that, so why must it pay that now? Minimum wage has almost disappeared in my area for many years now (Boise, Id), and I mean long before the pandemic, long before the recession. Fast food was paying higher than minimum 15 years ago.
Leave it alone, or at least stop with the "living wage" that is forever undefined (while you choose a family of 3, others want the average of 4 and still others require an income to support 3 generations and 7 or 8 people). Leave it to the point that teens can earn a few bucks without bankrupting the business with unskilled labor, where seniors an earn a few extra as well, to supplement their SS, and don't need to be highly skilled to do so. We NEED a low minimum (but higher than slave wages) - don't take it away because a handful of people refuse to gain the skills to earn more.Here are three accepted definitions of different types of "wages".
Poverty Wage
A poverty wage is a level of pay that would put a full-time worker below the U.S. poverty line, an income threshold set by the federal government each year. This is not used much anymore but the $5.15 minimum wages of Wyoming and Georgia and the $7.25 federal minimum wage certainly qualifies as a Poverty Wage today.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage is the lowest legal pay rate that a company can offer its employees. Crucially, the minimum wage does not derive from a calculation of the subsistence level for a given region or household size, but rather is set by elected officials within a federal, state or local government.
“When employers are saying, ‘How much do I have to pay?’” Glasmeier said. “That’s the minimum wage.”. Depending on the state, the minimum wage may also not be enough to keep one above the poverty threshold.
Living Wage
Living wage
A living wage is a pay rate that would allow a given worker or household to afford its basic needs, such as housing, food, health care and transportation.
Unlike the poverty line, which extrapolates a national baseline subsistence based on food costs, a living wage typically derives from a more complicated calculation that takes into account additional expenses as well as cost-of-living differences across regions. By definition, a Living Wage keeps a person above the poverty line, if only be a little bit.
I think it unconscionable that the goal of a minimum wage is to keep people living in poverty which is why the concept of a Living Wage is so important to understand.
Personally, I prefer a robust Earned Income Tax Credit rather than any form of a minimum wage. It is less of a burden on small businesses and could replace a lot of other assistance programs.
From what I have read, even the idea of a guaranteed wage for everybody has proved workable and beneficial in places around the nation and world where it has been tried. I am not personally sold on the idea - yet - but, it is worth exploring, especially if it could be paid for by eliminating all other forms of assistance.
1
: a subsistence wage
2
: a wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of livingIf that is the definition of minimum wage, why is it always equated with your "living wage"? Somehow the two have become synonymous.
"A living wage is a pay rate that would allow a given worker or household to afford its basic needs, such as housing, food, health care and transportation."
First, that is untrue; it must also provide for all his dependents, regardless of how many. One or ten, it must provide. Second you left out some "basic needs" such as telephone, internet, clothing, entertainment, education, electricity, water/sewer and a few dozen more (one must have a bed and other furniture, right? One must have cooking facilities plus pots and pans, right? It goes on and on). In addition, these needs may not be "basic", but well up the ladder of luxury. Transportation is not a bicycle, housing is not 2 or 3 kids in a bedroom, health care is not a PCP but instead a top quality physician/hospital as often as desired, for every minor ache or bandaid injury.
"I think it unconscionable that the goal of a minimum wage is to keep people living in poverty..."
This kind of statement is exceeding foolish and a lie to boot, for no one wishes to "keep people living in poverty". That is NEVER the goal, no matter how you try to demonize those that attempt to improve society with something other than playing Robin Hood, taking from one to give to another. Wealth is NOT gained by simply distributing what a few have earned to those that have not.
"Personally, I prefer a robust Earned Income Tax Credit rather than any form of a minimum wage. It is less of a burden on small businesses and could replace a lot of other assistance programs."
I'm sure you would, you and every other socialist. For that EITC is NOT dependent on need; it is socialism, pure and simple, with the goal being to redistribute wealth from those that earn it to those that do not.
"From what I have read, even the idea of a guaranteed wage for everybody has proved workable and beneficial in places around the nation and world where it has been tried. "
Then you haven't read much, for this has been discussed many times and every time it is turned down. It has two glaring flaws; it makes the country/state/city doing it a tremendous magnet for those that do not wish to support themselves and it discourages production and work by individuals. It is why socialism never works beyond a small commune, but somehow socialists never seem to understand it, preferring instead their fantasy dream world.
America recovered in myriad ways after Trump, but not all. But then, there was much to recover from . . . and will be again.
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