52 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

No. Absolutely not but I don't think that we've ever seen another president in American history who is even close to the level of corruption that we see with Donald.

Why don't you compare Trump to other countries around the world instead?

Look at GDP growth (or lack of it -- stagnation and regression) of most EU countries.

Unchecked illegal immigrants harassing you and selling drugs at every tourist spot in Europe, etc ...

35 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Why don't you compare Trump to other countries around the world instead?

Look at GDP growth (or lack of it -- stagnation and regression) of most EU countries.

Unchecked illegal immigrants harassing you and selling drugs at every tourist spot in Europe, etc ...

The US usually has a higher GDP growth than other G7 countries or the EU. During Biden's mandate, it was on average nearly 3 times higher than in G7 countries.

Under Trump, the GDP growth rate tends to be lower than in 2024 under Biden, despite several rate cuts by the Fed.

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth

Edited June 2Jun 2 by candide

New Proposed Bill to Fuse US and Israeli military.

So what does that mean?
US forces may need to go fight in Gaza and Lebanon?

I hope Trump opposes this? Or is it coming from Trump?

The 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) proposes a merger between the U.S. and Israeli military.

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Some of my wealthiest friends have MBA's and is it is often a ticket to a great deal of wealth. Especially if it's from a top 10 MBA school.

I guess if one is not in that world, the salaries seem outlandish. Students tend to chase whatever is popular at the time. One year everyone wants to go into consulting. Another year it's venture capital. Another it's hedge funds. Another it's commercial RE development.

Today I suspect it's AI.

For me, it was hedge funds, back when actual humans made the decisions. Today, it's mostly automated systems doing the trading.

The starting salaries are high, but it's really bonuses everyone is chasing. Bonuses tend to dwarf base salary, though even the base shoots up fast. A few years out of Stanford and my base was already medium 6 figures. Bonus was still what we waited for. It gets silly, and end of year is when a trader feigns disappointment at the "paltry" sum awarded. In my field, it was clear the exact value anyone added, as trading P&L is noted daily. Usually one has a guaranteed back end, but if performance was particularly good, one angles for more. Bosses know head hunters will come calling if they don't pay up. I switched 3 times, each with a walk-in bonus and guaranteed back end. That's the game. Fair? It is what it is.

Did we add that much value to society? Who's to say? Does a bench warming NBA player deserve $10 million a year? It's a market-driven economy, and we're all Capitalists. Those offended can find a commie paradise somewhere and move.

Yea, this is off topic, but the fellow to whom I responded seems to have no clue what a Stanford or Harvard MBA returns the degree holder.

2 hours ago, candide said:

The US usually has a higher GDP growth than other G7 countries or the EU. During Biden's mandate, it was on average nearly 3 times higher than in G7 countries.

Under Trump, the GDP growth rate tends to be lower than in 2024 under Biden, despite several rate cuts by the Fed.

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth

Here's the same without any scale furtling. Overall not much difference.

2025 average is knocked down by Q1 (yellow / -ve), which really should be "credited" to Biden .

35 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Here's the same without any scale furtling. Overall not much difference.

2025 average is knocked down by Q1 (yellow / -ve), which really should be "credited" to Biden .

Nice try. 😃

The reason given for the negative growth in Q1 2025 was the increase of imports in order to store goods before the expected tariffs (imports are counted as negative). It has been compensated by lower imports on other quarters, in particular Q2 and Q3, which led to increased GDP numbers. So Q1 and the other quarters are linked.

10 hours ago, Hummin said:

Democrats have a higher percentage of higher education among both men and women, but we have learned that learning institutions are seen as enemies by the new government and MAGA.

supported by Pew: 51% of Democratic voters had college degrees in 2022, compared with 37% of Republican voters.

So education wise, Democrats have the stronger base in formal education, including history, politics, economy, law, philosophy, geography, social science, media literacy, science, and the understanding of science.

That becomes visible when so many MAGA supporters think tariffs are paid by foreign countries, not by importers and consumers at home and also Trump/MAGA have attacked universities, experts, science, media, courts, and institutions, do not makes it much better.

Source of education

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/demographic-profiles-of-republican-and-democratic-voters/

Despite being college educated, these voters continue to support policies that have proven unsuccessful.

1 hour ago, Wingate said:

Yea, this is off topic, but the fellow to whom I responded seems to have no clue what a Stanford or Harvard MBA returns the degree holder.

https://evonomics.com/want-to-kill-your-economy-have-mba-programs/

Want to Kill Your Economy? Have MBA Programs Churn out Takers Not Makers.

Why has business education failed business?

4 hours ago, candide said:

The US usually has a higher GDP growth than other G7 countries or the EU. During Biden's mandate, it was on average nearly 3 times higher than in G7 countries.

Under Trump, the GDP growth rate tends to be lower than in 2024 under Biden, despite several rate cuts by the Fed.

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth

You are being disingenuous. Biden had a GDP rebound after the economy reopened post-COVID.

22 minutes ago, Fact said:

Despite being college educated, these voters continue to support policies that have proven unsuccessful.

And what proof do you have for that?

Is it opinion, belief, propaganda, or hard facts? I have a hard time seeing that either side has sustainable policies that actually work.

The USA has the most expensive healthcare system among wealthy countries, and still ranks poorly compared with peer nations. Neither party has managed to solve that.

One reason is that there is no middle ground anymore. There is no politics that unites both sides. If you support one policy from the other side, even because you believe it is right, you are treated like a traitor.

And today that is even stronger with Trump, Hegseth, and Vance as the dominant trio. Loyalty first, common ground last.

"The U.S. spends more on health care than other wealthy democracies, while life expectancy lags behind peer countries and many Americans struggle to pay for care. It also lists reasons: no strong payment limits, complicated insurance/payment bureaucracy, and more powerful consolidated hospitals and insurance companies."

https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/the-most-expensive-health-care-system-in-the-world/

56 minutes ago, Fact said:

You are being disingenuous. Biden had a GDP rebound after the economy reopened post-COVID.

It's you being disingenuous. Not in 2024 any more, in particular after the Fed increased rates. 2.8% in 2024, and 2.1% in 2025 despite several rate cuts. It's not a disaster, but there's nothing to brag about GDP growth under Trump, as save the frogs did.

4 hours ago, Fact said:

You are being disingenuous. Biden had a GDP rebound after the economy reopened post-COVID.

Fret not. This is conveniently forgotten regularly.

22 hours ago, Wingate said:

Let me quote the messiah himself:

"I love the poorly educated"---Donald J Trump (2016)

"Smart people don't like me"---Donald J Trump (2025)

I think we know where folks, who think being able to pick out the squirrel in an image of a lion, giraffe, alligator and squirrel, impressed as impressed can be that Trump could display his stable genius in such a way, sit on the IQ Bell Curve.

Trump jokes and the left treat it as fact.

22 hours ago, Wingate said:

You've just indicted the entire university system of the US. Rather unfair.

I hope that last year's graduates from my Biz School alma mater can find some solace in that corporate America gave them an average starting salary of $190,901, coupled with an average signing bonus of $30,000.

I bet Trump wants to invest in trades so that he will have a larger pool of subcontractors he can stiff.

So why are they not able to buy homes and pay back their student loans?

The left controls virtually every aspect of education in the US.

Harvard is now teaching remedial math, yet the average GPA is higher than ever, and about half graduate at least cum laude.

About a third of highschoolers in the US can read at grade level, yet almost 90% graduate on schedule anyway.

California schools spend about twice as much per student as Mississippi, yet Mississippi schools are rated higher.

13 hours ago, candide said:

but there's nothing to brag about GDP growth under Trump, as save the frogs did.

China is 4.5 % in the last 18 months.

The US is 1.6%.

EU is 0.5 to 0.9%

Give or take.

So not that great, I guess.

But the tariffs and reshoring idea isn't dead yet.

These are Morgan Stanley analysts.

When companies need a new factory --- WHEN could be 2 years, could be 5 years -- the financials dictate they set up in the US due to Trump's tariffs and import costs.

Things take time. Economics is complex.

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

China is 4.5 % in the last 18 months.

The US is 1.6%.

EU is 0.5 to 0.9%

Give or take.

So not that great, I guess.

But the tariffs and reshoring idea isn't dead yet.

These are Morgan Stanley analysts.

When companies need a new factory --- WHEN could be 2 years, could be 5 years -- the financials dictate they set up in the US due to Trump's tariffs and import costs.

Things take time. Economics is complex.

16 hours ago, candide said:

It's you being disingenuous. Not in 2024 any more, in particular after the Fed increased rates. 2.8% in 2024, and 2.1% in 2025 despite several rate cuts. It's not a disaster, but there's nothing to brag about GDP growth under Trump, as save the frogs did.

Please don't truncate my post as it leaves out the data on which my conclusion is drawn.

GDP growth down compared to 2024, and the gap between US growth rate and G7 countries or EU growth rate not better than under Biden. Nothing to brag about, indeed!

Edited June 3Jun 3 by candide

48 minutes ago, candide said:

Please don't truncate my post as it leaves out the data on which my conclusion is drawn.

my point was that the effects of trump's tariffs are not necessarily immediate.

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

my point was that the effects of trump's tariffs are not necessarily immediate.

Certainly. And it applies to both the positive and negative effects.

The question shouldn't be has Trump lost the plot, it should be did he ever have the plot in the first place. IMHO that's an easy NO.

15 hours ago, save the frogs said:

my point was that the effects of trump's tariffs are not necessarily immediate.

They have been both immediate and long-term and they are all negative. Major job losses, high inflation, a huge drop in consumer confidence, alot of small business closures, a lot of farmers being forced to sell their generational farms, and no return of manufacturing jobs.

Just a nationalist pipe dream, pushed by a very skilled con man and huckster.

Edited June 4Jun 4 by spidermike007

On 5/31/2026 at 8:33 PM, Yellowtail said:

What is this, like the nine-hundredth "Has Trump completely lost the plot?" thread?

All the Trump-obsessed leftists moaning about how they are not getting their way, poor lefties.

I'm neither left, nor right; alright probably slightly right, but try to say it as it is. But even if voted for him, if you can't see how much of a deluded little brat he is going by his posts and current MO, you're pretty much the same... a bit slow and special. That Truth Social rant about him being the best pres and slagging off musicians in such a manner etc. Is this actually real? It is kindergarten stuff.

It's the media that's lost the plot not Trump. I stand by what I've seen since the beginning of this bun fight.

3 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

I'm neither left, nor right; alright probably slightly right, but try to say it as it is. But even if voted for him, if you can't see how much of a deluded little brat he is going by his posts and current MO, you're pretty much the same... a bit slow and special. That Truth Social rant about him being the best pres and slagging off musicians in such a manner etc. Is this actually real? It is kindergarten stuff.

So did you vote for him or not?

I have said repeatably that Trump says and does a lot of things I hate.

Which of the things that he has done or is trying to do policy wise do you not like?

The idiots that voted for him are the ones who have lost the plot. He’s just the result of their foolishness!

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Just a nationalist pipe dream, pushed by a very skilled con man and huckster.

LOL, CNN has been crunching the numbers?
Ok, you get the last word.

On 6/1/2026 at 9:37 AM, Hummin said:

I just cannot get a grip on why his followers still do not see what we see. Fair enough, the most extreme leftists can be just as extreme, but that is still not a good explanation or excuse.

Sorry, I just do not get it. He comes across as a complete moron and lunatic in my eyes.

And thank God the majority seem to see the same. If not, I would probably have gone completely off the rails and lost all hope. That is my honest personal observation.

Your "honest personal opinion" is shared by the vast majority of non-US population of the world. Sadly and probably accurately that opinion is extended to all US citizens. The USA is no longer a respected country.

9 minutes ago, Grusa said:

Your "honest personal opinion" is shared by the vast majority of non-US population of the world. Sadly and probably accurately that opinion is extended to all US citizens. The USA is no longer a respected country.

The US has not been a "respected" country on this site as long as I've been on it.

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

The US has not been a "respected" country on this site as long as I've been on it.

USA was A bit more respected when Obama was in charge! Quite a bit I would dare to claim. Even with George W Bush junior in charge, and even more than his father run the country.

I honestly think his brother would had placed USA back in the popular vote from Europe as well.

Edited June 4Jun 4 by Hummin

Maybe all who say he is insane and actually reflecting on themselves.