27 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

So you're saying he's pretty smart then?

Might be tough for a MAGA to grasp, but you're confusing Narcissism with brains.

 

POTUS is the kind of guy who loves people who will sniff his flatulence and say it smells like jasmine, lavender and vanilla, so rather than being Chanel #5, it's POTUS #47.

 

It's still flatulence and he's still an idiot.

3 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

GOP Rand Paul seems to think he is an idiot...
 

"I have a deficit at my grocery store”: Senator Rand Paul mocks Trump’s odd view of trade.
 

The rats may be deserting the ship. Senator Rand Paul just tore into Trump’s trade logic, calling it “backwards and upside down” and based on the false belief that every trade has a loser.
 

He pushed back with a simple analogy: “If you sell me your coat for $200, we both walk away happy.” He added, “I have a trade deficit with my grocery store,” mocking the obsession with imbalances.

Economist Brent Neiman echoed the point, quoting Robert Solow: “I have a chronic deficit with my barber, who doesn’t buy a darned thing from me.”
 

Paul warned Trump’s tariffs are built on junk math and would hurt the economy and retirement savings.

As for the 270% Canadian dairy tariff, Paul clarified it only applies above quota levels—and in many cases, the real tariff is zero.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/i-have-a-deficit-at-my-grocery-store-senator-rand-paul-mocks-trump-s-odd-view-of-trade/ar-AA1Cz6MB

He's losing some of his billionaire backers, too, like Ken Langone and Ken Griffin.

 

Even his sycophantic podcasters are turning against him, like Portnoy, Ross and Shapiro.

 

His bozo SecCommerce claims Americans want to put in those tiny screws in iPhones (which will cost $2100 if tariffs hold and $3500 if made completely in the US). MAGAs, maybe, but B O R I N G!

 

As for manufacturing jobs, comedian Dave Chapelle said it best: Americans want to wear Nikes, not make Nikes.

 

By the way, America is already the world's 2nd largest manufacturer, behind only China. The difference is the US produces higher value added. The margin on NVIDIA chips is 60%; on a Mercedes it's 8%.

Think of yourself running the country and thinking - I'll introduce large tariffs and see what happens.

Doesn't matter that

• the method of calculating them makes no sense;
• you haven't got decent advice from economists and other interested experts, e.g. those in the major industries affected, on what might happen with both good and bad scenarios;
• no knowledge of how consumer prices will be affected;
• no knowledge or care about the of fairness  and the implications for each of the other 194 countries, the effect on long term relationships, and how others may use this to their advantage. 

Introduce them and see what happens. That's idiotic. 

15 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Might be tough for a MAGA to grasp, but you're confusing Narcissism with brains.

 

POTUS is the kind of guy who loves people who will sniff his flatulence and say it smells like jasmine, lavender and vanilla, so rather than being Chanel #5, it's POTUS #47.

 

It's still flatulence and he's still an idiot.

 

So you think he should have appointed people who would get rid of him?

Idiot. criminally irresponsible, insane due to an extreme case of narcissism -- what does it matter?

The man is a train wreck who is intentionally or not basically blowing up the world.

Any yet he still has defenders.

Borrowing from SNL, I think the maga types that STILL support him now are best named MAGDA.

Make America Great Depression Again. 

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Idiot. criminally irresponsible, insane due to an extreme case of narcissism -- what does it matter?

The man is a train wreck who is intentionally or not basically blowing up the world.

Any yet he still has defenders.

Borrowing from SNL, I think the maga types that STILL support him now are best named MAGDA.

Make America Great Depression Again. 

Wow. Are you OK?

 

57 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Where do you get your misinformation from?

 

Australia's biosecurity laws - singling out a ban on the import of US beef? To protect Australian beef?

 

That's even worse than tariffs, that's an outright ban on importing US beef, the Australians slapped on US farmers.

 

U.S. beef per se isn’t banned — it’s allowed, as long as it meets Australia’s biosecurity safety standards.

The issue is that the U.S. wants to include beef from Mexican and Canadian cattle.
 

Meanwhile, many ASEAN vehicles can’t be sold in the U.S. because they don’t meet American safety and emissions regulations.

That’s never called protectionism — it’s “consumer protection.”

But when Australia enforces its own standards, it’s a hostile act? Oh, the irony.

 

 

He is a devil who isn´t even trying to hide it.

 

4 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

 

U.S. beef per se isn’t banned — it’s allowed, as long as it meets Australia’s biosecurity safety standards.

The issue is that the U.S. wants to include beef from Mexican and Canadian cattle.
 

Meanwhile, many ASEAN vehicles can’t be sold in the U.S. because they don’t meet American safety and emissions regulations.

That’s never called protectionism — it’s “consumer protection.”

But when Australia enforces its own standards, it’s a hostile act? Oh, the irony.

 

 

 

Oh yes, your "consumer protection" concern is very strong in the area where Australia has a major production capacity. What a coincidence!

 

Pull the other one.

 

It' s pure protectionism and market distortion. 320 million people eat US beef but it's not safe? Are you serious?

55 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

So you think he should have appointed people who would get rid of him?

YES!!

16 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Wow. Are you OK?

 

You cannot be OK as you are still supporting the idiot

6 hours ago, save the frogs said:

There was a trade imbalance against the US.

 

Now, the tariffs are exaggerated in the opposite directoin.

But Trump is trying to get the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

 

Trump's real estate background taught him to re-finance the debt in low interest rate environments. 

 

So his goal is to re-finance the US debt at lower interest rates, re-inustrialize the US, and fix the current trade imbalance.

 

He's not delusional and crazy. 

 

How crazy is it to hit Australia with a 10% tariff, when goods from the USA enter Australia tariff-free? With a positive trade balance for America.

 

How crazy is it to think America can be re-industrialized with a snap of the fingers?

 

Trump's background has taught him to try to cheat everyone else. So what happens when, instead of refinancing US debt, creditors call it in?

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

Oh yes, your "consumer protection" concern is very strong in the area where Australia has a major production capacity. What a coincidence!

 

Pull the other one.

 

It' s pure protectionism and market distortion. 320 million people eat US beef but it's not safe? Are you serious?

You could ask RFK what he thinks about that. And given that beef finished American style in feedlots, has a lot more fat in it, it's a fair bet that in this case, scientists would agree with him. finally, given that Australia has about the tenth of the US population, how much of a market is there for US beef in Australia.

And you still haven't addressed the question about why Trump is imposing 10% tariffs on a country that usually runs a trade deficit with the USA? And Australia isn't the only nation where that's the case, is it?

7 hours ago, save the frogs said:

He's not delusional and crazy. 

 

Phew, glad we got that out of the way!

LOL

 

Idiots and imbeciles.

 

The poor Trade Rep nominee had to appear before the Senate yesterday for his confirmation hearing. He was deputy in POTUS 1.0.  He boasted about "50 countries calling....blah blah blah".

 

A Senator asked him about the USMCA, the trade agreement between US, Canada and Mexico passed by POTUS 45 (which POTUS then called "unbelievably great....nobody ever thought we could do it....blah blah blah", and who recently called it "horrible", until reminded he had done it). The Senator asked how long it took to put that deal together.

 

"We did it in breakneck speed", answered nominee Greer.

 

"How long is breakneck?", asked the Senator.

 

"We did it in 2 years", answered Greer.

 

So a single deal took two years, and now there are 184 countries under POTUS' new tariffs.

 

I think "a little pain" means decades.

 

Rational people might begin to get the impression none of this was thought out at all, and POTUS truly is an idiot.

 

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

 

So you think he should have appointed people who would get rid of him?

He should have appointed qualified people. Your attempt at "Gotcha" is silly and childish, very MAGA-esque.  I'm surprised you haven't somehow tried to work in Hunter's laptop. Maybe a remedial course in Whataboutism at POTUS eponymous university would help.

 

In POTUS 1.0 he had Gen Mattis, Steve Cohn, Dan Coats, Rex Tillerson, even John Bolton (who at least can point out Russia on a map, even if I disagree with his policy views.) Now, he has a gaggle of Carnival People.

Ultimately you know, deep down, that Trump is smarter than you. His house is much bigger, grander and more important. He's made way more money. His family is more impressive.

 

As Nietzsche taught us, we do not hate those whom we think of as inferior, only those we think of as equals or superiors.

 

All this childish hatred, you know deep inside, is because you know Trump is better you. Don't take that personally. there will always be someone better than you.

 

You'll be ok.

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

Ultimately you know, deep down, that Trump is smarter than you. His house is much bigger, grander and more important. He's made way more money. His family is more impressive.

 

As Nietzsche taught us, we do not hate those whom we think of as inferior, only those we think of as equals or superiors.

 

All this childish hatred, you know deep inside, is because you know Trump is better you. Don't take that personally. there will always be someone better than you.

 

You'll be ok.

Another right wing psychoanalyst.

3 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Another right wing psychoanalyst.

 

You know it's true.

 

If he were really an idiot, how did he get elected president? Twice.

 

Why would people be so panicked, if he were just an idiot?

 

You know the real reason you hate him.

Vladmir Putin is enjoying the best show he has ever seen.

 

Not in his wildest fantasies could he ever have imagined he would have such a compliant US asset-cum-president.

8 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Ultimately you know, deep down, that Trump is smarter than you. His house is much bigger, grander and more important. He's made way more money. His family is more impressive.

 

As Nietzsche taught us, we do not hate those whom we think of as inferior, only those we think of as equals or superiors.

 

All this childish hatred, you know deep inside, is because you know Trump is better you. Don't take that personally. there will always be someone better than you.

 

You'll be ok.

What a completely inane post. Give me the money Trump inherited from his daddy and we’ll talk, okay?

Just now, Cameroni said:

 

You know it's true.

 

If he were really an idiot, how did he get elected president? Twice.

 

Why would people be so panicked, if he were just an idiot?

 

You know the real reason you hate him.

For some people, when they have nothing, they make it personal. You have nothing.

There's a joke from Mort Sahl about an actor with  politically controversial views. He said it was possible to dislike her for herself. In Trump's case, it's possible that it's the other way around.

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

For some people, when they have nothing, they make it personal. You have nothing.

There's a joke from Mort Sahl about an actor with  politically controversial views. He said it was possible to dislike her for herself. In Trump's case, it's possible that it's the other way around.

What's the point in whingeing non stop about Trump? 

1 hour ago, LosLobo said:

 

U.S. beef per se isn’t banned — it’s allowed, as long as it meets Australia’s biosecurity safety standards.

The issue is that the U.S. wants to include beef from Mexican and Canadian cattle.
 

Meanwhile, many ASEAN vehicles can’t be sold in the U.S. because they don’t meet American safety and emissions regulations.

That’s never called protectionism — it’s “consumer protection.”

But when Australia enforces its own standards, it’s a hostile act? Oh, the irony.

 

 

It is protectionism no more no less. Of course, if Australians are warned by their Surgeon General not to consume beef while visiting the US then possibly the concern is legit? Is that the case, or are you offerring a totally insincere excuse after you guys got busted pushing yet more false narratives that coincidentally attack Trump? Hmmmmm

Trump is throwing a bone to his wall street buddies.  I always wondered how market wizards said they only bet on sure things on wall street.  I have enough life experience to not trust either political party.  My opinion is we are ruled by kleptocrats, those who use authority to steal a countries resources.

 

But how much and how do they do it?

 

The total value of the new york stock exchange and nasdaq share markets last week was $80 trillion usd.  Down 12%.  About $10 trillion could have been made in just a few days.  More if leverage used.

 

The chicago mercantile exchange had a notational value of $1 quadrillion usd last week.  A 12% move is $120 trillion usd.  But this market is highly leveraged mostly around 30 to 50 times.

 

Guess who gets to donate to the kitty?  A nice potential harvest for those frontrunning.

 

Trump isn't dumb.  Citizens bickering like rabid dogs while getting robbed are.

 

Socrates had a good saying, "When the debate is lost, insults and slander become the tools of the loser."  Liberals seem to be especially prone to insults meaning they know they are losers.  It is unecessary and detracts from a good debate.

 

 

13 minutes ago, placeholder said:

or some people, when they have nothing, they make it personal. You have nothing.

'

Oh I made it personal?

 

Not those posting incessantly "Trump is an idiot" "Trump is dislikeable"!...meh meh meh meh

 

My bad.

 

Lol.

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

 

Oh yes, your "consumer protection" concern is very strong in the area where Australia has a major production capacity. What a coincidence!

 

Pull the other one.

 

It' s pure protectionism and market distortion. 320 million people eat US beef but it's not safe? Are you serious?

The claim that “320 million Americans eat U.S. beef” is a bit of a stretch. Millions are babies, seniors without teeth, and vegetarians. Let’s not pretend it’s universal.
 

I always wondered how MAGAs ended up thinking Trump won in 2020, climate change is a hoax, and injecting bleach might be worth a shot — but now I’m starting to wonder, maybe it’s not ideology or Trump’s BS — maybe it’s BSE.
 

Suddenly, Australia’s biosecurity standards feel a lot less political — and a whole lot more prudent.

4 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

'

Oh I made it personal?

 

Not those posting incessantly "Trump is an idiot" "Trump is dislikeable"!...meh meh meh meh

 

My bad.

 

Lol.

Trump is a public figure. So there's plenty of evidence out there for people to make all kinds of cases about Trump.

But the members of aseannow are anonymous.

If you've got evidence to show that Trump isn't an idiot, show it. But speculating about the emotions of people criticizing Trump is obviously just a way of making it personal without evidence.

2 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

The claim that “320 million Americans eat U.S. beef” is a bit of a stretch. Millions are babies, seniors without teeth, and vegetarians. Let’s not pretend it’s universal.
 

I always wondered how MAGAs ended up thinking Trump won in 2020, climate change is a hoax, and injecting bleach might be worth a shot — but now I’m starting to wonder, maybe it’s not ideology or Trump’s BS — maybe it’s BSE.
 

Suddenly, Australia’s biosecurity standards feel a lot less political — and a whole lot more prudent.

Nobody (other than fake news consumers with no ability to think themselves) said to inject bleach. Again I ask, if Trump is so abominable, why are the left forced to misrepresent situations to attack him?