State of the Union address

Dave in Phoenix said:

I consider myself more central or center-left as well. Mandami is too extreme. I like some R's policies like under Reagan, but never the insane Trump, since I believe in truth and not a King or dictator, regardless of laws, Trump. I kind of like Pete, but not all his policies.

Part of the issue is that we have and should have a free market system. Neither party can dictate lower food or energy prices. They have nothing to do with it other than price controls, which were a total failure when they were used long ago.

Many other countries are going great with solar, wind, and clean energy, drastically reducing costs, while Trump, with $2 billion from the oil and gas industry, is dismantling all the clean energy policies of Biden. So expect higher energy prices since more supply is needed to meet higher demand, more record heat, stronger hurricanes, floods, etc., due largely to global warming driven by increased CO2. Auto gas prices mostly follow oil and other energy costs based on futures market prices, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) in the US and Brent in Europe.

Click to expand...

The dems are split between the corporate/oligarch/AIPAC owned side and the moderates like Mamdani and AOC.
Under the right side of the dems, americans don't trust the dems even as much as the GOP.
That should worry you.

But I'm sure you also know all this

jalimon said:

Maga's still think tariffs are paid by foreign countries... Inflation is way out of their intellectual capabilities.

Click to expand...

Trump doesn't even take the daily brief that previous Presidents got detailed security, etc., information from. But Trump has said he trusts his gut more than any experts or his own daily brief.

A former Trump aide said that if you present Trump with an idea, it has to be only one page and include a picture or graph. That is all he can comprehend intellectually.

Amazingly, at the State of the Union, for once, he read the script on the prompter that was written by (I forget the two names that wrote the speech). For once, he didn't do much going off script with rants or talking about snakes or silly stuff. He was also a good showman at times. As usual, a great showman spewing easily proven lies and self-praise, calling those that oppose him silly names like a child having a tantrum, which is his level of emotional maturity.

Dave in Phoenix said:

Trump doesn't even take the daily brief that previous Presidents got detailed security, etc., information from. But Trump has said he trusts his gut more than any experts or his own daily brief.

A former Trump aide said that if you present Trump with an idea, it has to be only one page and include a picture or graph. That is all he can comprehend intellectually.

Amazingly, at the State of the Union, for once, he read the script on the prompter that was written by (I forget the two names that wrote the speech). For once, he didn't do much going off script with rants or talking about snakes or silly stuff. He was also a good showman at times. As usual, a great showman spewing easily proven lies and self-praise, calling those that oppose him silly names like a child having a tantrum, which is his level of emotional maturity.

Click to expand...

But aren't we pretty much at peak trump?
MAGA is starting to turn on him, his FTD is getting out of control and neither the failed tariffs or a war with Iran will stop the Epstein files.

Isn't it close to this now?

Instead of this:

Frankfooter said:

The dems are split between the corporate/oligarch/AIPAC owned side and the moderates like Mamdani and AOC.
Under the right side of the dems, americans don't trust the dems even as much as the GOP.
That should worry you.
But I'm sure you also know all this

Click to expand...

Agree, I don't know who I can yet be excited about. The woman who did the Democratic response to the speech was very articulate and hit the best points. But we have not really heard much from a potential Democratic 2028 candidate.

I think Dems will find someone to get excited about, and the backlash against Trump will help whoever runs for the Dems. And hopefully a huge Blue Wave in the midterms, as we have seen in some local/state recent elections.

BTW, I was excited about Harris, who lost by the narrowest popular vote in history. But the loss was much bigger by the silly Electoral College founded by the wealthy since they could not trust the common folk to make the right decisions for President.

Dave in Phoenix said:

Agree, I don't know who I can yet be excited about. The woman who did the Democratic response to the speech was very articulate and hit the best points. But we have not really heard much from a potential Democratic 2028 candidate.

I think Dems will find someone to get excited about, and the backlash against Trump will help whoever runs for the Dems. And hopefully a huge Blue Wave in the midterms, as we have seen in some local/state recent elections.

Click to expand...

There are a few voices like Talarico, if the money dems don't shut him down.

xmontrealer said:

Shapiro being Jewish is a disqualifier in the USA, USA, USA!

Click to expand...

Yes, this is why Gavin is my first choice.

Frankfooter said:

Gavin would lose.
He represents the corporate, AIPAC side.

Your support of Gavin and AIPAC put you to the right of the dems and more firmly in the PeePee/DoFo camp up here.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2027513769304506611

Click to expand...

Gavin is a democrat and you pushing a different narrative is a MAGA nonsense and bullshit reality-shape-shifting move.

Awesome, just awesome!

MAGA Caller Defends Trump's Speech & Turns Into Mushroom Gobbler Pretzel By End Of Call

squeezer said:

Gavin is a democrat and you pushing a different narrative is a MAGA nonsense and bullshit reality-shape-shifting move.

Click to expand...

Two recent moves show otherwise.
1) Newsom blocked a bill to tax billionaires
2) Newsom passed a bill that gives jail time to those who criticize Israel

Frankfooter said:

Two recent moves show otherwise.
1) Newsom blocked a bill to tax billionaires
2) Newsom passed a bill that gives jail time to those who criticize Israel

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2025339005957521494

Click to expand...

Frankie, you are so blinded by your Israel-hate that it's akin to the MAGA mushroom gobbling fetish.



Don't worry, you won't burst into flames reading the Jerusalem Post


Newsome the future Democratic President, makes a valid argument!


Newsom the future Democratic President, has long opposed state-level wealth taxes, believing such levies would be disadvantageous for the world's fourth-largest economy. At a time when California is strapped for cash and he is considering a 2028 presidential run, he is trying to block the proposal before it reaches the ballot.

Analysts say an exodus of billionaires could mean a loss of hundreds of millions of tax dollars for the nation's most populous state. But supporters say the funding is needed to offset federal cuts that could leave many Californians without vital services.

squeezer said:

Frankie, you are so blinded by your Israel-hate that it's akin to the MAGA mushroom gobbling fetish.

Newsom denies past or future AIPAC funding | The Jerusalem Post

Newsom, widely believed to be running for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, was offering a clear sign that he is aiming to appeal to a voter base that is increasingly critical of Israel.

www.jpost.com

Don't worry, you won't burst into flames reading the Jerusalem Post


Newsome the future Democratic President, makes a valid argument!

Sanders and Newsom clash over proposed tax on California's billionaires

As national Democrats search for a unifying theme ahead of the fall's midterm elections, a California proposal to levy a hefty tax on billionaires is turning some of the party’s leading figures into adversaries just when Democrats can least afford division from within.

www.pbs.org

Newsom the future Democratic President, has long opposed state-level wealth taxes, believing such levies would be disadvantageous for the world's fourth-largest economy. At a time when California is strapped for cash and he is considering a 2028 presidential run, he is trying to block the proposal before it reaches the ballot.

Analysts say an exodus of billionaires could mean a loss of hundreds of millions of tax dollars for the nation's most populous state. But supporters say the funding is needed to offset federal cuts that could leave many Californians without vital services.

Click to expand...

First, the fact that Newsom has to publicly state he doesn't take AIPAC money shows how toxic Israel and AIPAC have become. Second, he takes JPAC money instead.

Newsom refusing to tax the rich because of that trope 'they will leave' is the same reason every republican won't tax the rich. The divide between rich and poor is the central problem to american life. Newsom's stance is unelectable, he's just the son of Pelosi.

Frankfooter said:

First, the fact that Newsom has to publicly state he doesn't take AIPAC money shows how toxic Israel and AIPAC have become. Second, he takes JPAC money instead.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1978658323198017934

Newsom refusing to tax the rich because of that trope 'they will leave' is the same reason every republican won't tax the rich. The divide between rich and poor is the central problem to american life. Newsom's stance is unelectable, he's just the son of Pelosi.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2027665083581513730

Click to expand...

You are going to be upset when Trump is done and Vance loses to Gavin, aren't you?

squeezer said:

You are going to be upset when Trump is done and Vance loses to Gavin, aren't you?

Click to expand...

I was upset when Harris decided to lose the election and support genocide instead.
You will be just as upset when dem voters won't show up for Newsom either.

Now trump has launched operation Epstein.
Newsom would do it too.

Frankfooter said:

I was upset when Harris decided to lose the election and support genocide instead.
You will be just as upset when dem voters won't show up for Newsom either.

Now trump has launched operation Epstein.
Newsom would do it too.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2027665314960577020

Click to expand...

It's not as porn-friendly as Operation Midnight Hammer. Worst Wag the Dog in ages here.

bggolfingmaniac said:

It's not as porn-friendly as Operation Midnight Hammer. Worst Wag the Dog in ages here.

Click to expand...

agreed

xmontrealer said:

Harris was unelectable. Surely the Dems can come up with somebody better in 2028...

Click to expand...

Newsom didn't help his cause with that horrific interview about SAT scores in the black community.

All the GOP have to do is show the Demonrats sitting instead of supporting Iryna's grieving mom and they should wipe up in the midterms.

K Douglas said:

All the GOP have to do is show the Demonrats sitting instead of supporting Iryna's grieving mom and they should wipe up in the midterms.

Click to expand...

Who is Iryna?

Is she an trump/Epstein victim?

It was disgusting how Vance was directly behind Trump in full camera view and was told by Trump to laugh whenever he ridiculed someone

261252 said:

It was disgusting how Vance was directly behind Trump in full camera view and was told by Trump to laugh whenever he ridiculed someone

Click to expand...

That's Vance's role. He was put there by billionnaire Thiel's, Musk and some other to do exactly just that. They did not wanted a VP who is strong in order not to derail their plan.

WyattEarp said:

I'm not sure what you are describing.

The Big Beautiful Bill didn't have any Democratic Senators support the bill. It's hard for even Americans to understand the rules and procedures of the Senate. Generally, if there is a difficult vote it's because the filibuster can be utilized by the minority party. Ergo, the October shutdown over appropriations legislation.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I was thinking of the a different shutdown, where the house didn't pass the appropriations bill. This time around, it was the democrats in the senate that were blocking, since you need 60 senators to pass this type of legislation.

I have a different point of view about members of Congress voting apart from their party majority. It's a healthy act that many times allows Congressional members from purple states/districts to act as a voice of moderation. The idealism of a unified Democratic caucus is certainly something one might see as a positive force. So much so, we have had many members criticize the likes of Fetterman and previously Manchin and Sinema who periodically broke Democratic ranks.
A beautiful, compassionate thought on this from you below:



Canadians often get confused by our legislative process. It is specifically designed to make passing legislation difficult. One could question the wisdom and practicality of that, but that's how it works. Our forefathers didn't foresee the hardened postures of our political parties that exists today. Of course, our Constitution doesn't encode the filibuster. The filibuster is an old, self-imposed Senate procedural rule.

In contrast, it's safe to assume that a contentious bill within the ranks of the Canadian majority party or majority coalition never makes it to the floor of Parliament until a majority is on board. There is floor debate, but I presume the outcome has already been decided.

Click to expand...

The thing about Fetterman is that he did a 180 degree turn to what he ran on. You cannot pretend that didn't happen. He went from being close to Bernie Sanders but moved significantly to the right, basically becoming what I've heard called Trump adjacent. Conservatives on this board are totally against people switching sides, and while he remains a democrat, he abandoned most of the ideals he talked about while running for the senate.

As for the US system, I admit, I make the occassional mistake. Yes, bills are supposed to be debated and not rubber stamped. but the reality here is that Trump has sidestepped Congress on many major issues. Tariffs should be done via congress, and this bombing campaign against Iran might qualify for requiring congressional approval. But a big chunk of the GOP is spineless. They won't say boo about these things, or fulfill their duties of congressional oversight. The let executive orders do all the work, and they stay silent on things that are unconstitutional. We always play this game about what would the right-wing media say if Joe Biden did a 10th of this.

As for the Canadian system, the reason why a contentious bill would not make it to the floor is because it could cause the government to collapse. Look at what happened to Joe Clark in December 1979. He had a minority government and tried to pass a new gas tax. He figured that since they just had an election there was no chance the liberals would vote against it. They did. And three months later Pierre Trudeau became PM again...