1 minute ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Indeed.

Scott Bessent is widely regarded as highly intelligent and capable, particularly in finance and macroeconomics.

He graduated from Yale, built a decades-long career as a successful macro trader, played key roles at Soros Fund Management (including major profitable currency bets), founded his own hedge fund (Key Square), and taught economic history at Yale.

Peers respect him for his analytical depth and ability to cut to the core of complex market and economic issues.

Indeed, people forget that Bessent paid his dues at Soros Fund Management before he set up his own fund. He has many years of experience in the financial markets as a real fund manager. When was the last time a financial professional of such calibre served in any administration? A great stroke of luck to have him and his expertise as part of government.

Post linking to a removed video removed @HolmesEquivelant

4 hours ago, Old John said:

So we've lost our experienced "woke/DEI" leadership... Like the 4 Star General who promised to call China if the US was planning anything aggressive. Or maybe the Marine General who thought we couldn't do anything with the help of our "allies" (the ones who want us to foot the bill for their defense but turn their backs when we could have used some help). Somehow I don't see that as a negative.

Anyone who resorts to the 4 letter and 3 letter word in a lazy response gets a block from me. Ta Ta. Have a happy life in your remaining years.

Every day this cosplaying moron is DefSec is a win for Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

"We are witnessing, in Ukraine, a revolution in military technology and fundamentally how we think about war. Instead of leaning into the future, however, Hegseth canceled the Army’s elite experimental assault drone brigade, which had been championed by the generals he sacked. What he has touted instead is a military that looks the way he thinks it should look which means no transgender people, no female flag officers, no Black men with shaving chits, no non-Christians (and none of the wrong sorts of Christians, either)."

Edited August 30Aug 30 by BLMFem

On 8/28/2026 at 8:22 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Look it up. Facts are facts, numbers don't lie

sure thing Mr. know it all... you seem fond of embarrassing yourself as is typical of deranged haters.

Your claim is false on the core point: overall MAGA identification has not been dwindling; the long-term tracking data shows growth. "Look it up" and "numbers don't lie" is rich coming from someone whose own "facts" collapse under the actual numbers.

Economist/YouGov tracking (via Statista) of adults who identify as MAGA Republicans:

• Started around 10–13% in fall 2022.

• Rose over the period.

• Stood at about 19% as of mid-May 2026.

• Peaked near 20.5% in March 2026.

• Explicit summary: support for the movement has increased over the observed period.

Congrats on the cope. Declaring the other side a “dying cult” of “stubborn self-delusional sycophants” while the identification numbers rose and the candidate won the popular vote is peak emotional comfort food. The numbers do exist—they just don’t say what you need them to say. Next time “look it up” means looking at the actual time series instead of the narrative that soothes you.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1660600/share-maga-support-united-states/

https://washingtonstand.com/article/democratic-voter-registrations-plunge-across-the-us-as-gop-numbers-grow-analysis-shows

Edited August 30Aug 30 by boganJoe

3 hours ago, boganJoe said:

sure thing Mr. know it all... you seem fond of embarrassing yourself as is typical of deranged haters.

Your claim is false on the core point: overall MAGA identification has not been dwindling; the long-term tracking data shows growth. "Look it up" and "numbers don't lie" is rich coming from someone whose own "facts" collapse under the actual numbers.

Economist/YouGov tracking (via Statista) of adults who identify as MAGA Republicans:

• Started around 10–13% in fall 2022.

• Rose over the period.

• Stood at about 19% as of mid-May 2026.

• Peaked near 20.5% in March 2026.

• Explicit summary: support for the movement has increased over the observed period.

Congrats on the cope. Declaring the other side a “dying cult” of “stubborn self-delusional sycophants” while the identification numbers rose and the candidate won the popular vote is peak emotional comfort food. The numbers do exist—they just don’t say what you need them to say. Next time “look it up” means looking at the actual time series instead of the narrative that soothes you.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1660600/share-maga-support-united-states/

https://washingtonstand.com/article/democratic-voter-registrations-plunge-across-the-us-as-gop-numbers-grow-analysis-shows

I might bother to take the time to do research to counter or agree with you, but when your very first words are to insult me? GFY.

US military leaders have delivered an unusually blunt warning to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over Donald Trump’s six-month war with Iran, telling him that prolonging the conflict could put the American homeland at greater risk. Senior commanders reportedly believe the operation has become unsustainable as equipment, personnel and military capacity are stretched.

Generals warn the pressure is becoming dangerous

Army, Navy and Air Force leaders, alongside four-star commanders overseeing US operations abroad, raised their concerns through the August 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book, according to the Washington Post.

One insider said the message from military leadership was that the Iran operation had become “too much for too long”. Some generals and admirals were reportedly unusually direct in challenging orders to keep supplying personnel and equipment while the conflict’s eventual outcome remains uncertain.

50,000 troops could face months more on alert

Trump’s efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are adding to the pressure. US Central Command must maintain roughly 50,000 troops on alert in the Middle East, with some deployments now extending into September and others potentially running into 2027.

That prolonged commitment is creating problems elsewhere. US operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America have reportedly lost ships, aircraft and other equipment to the Iran conflict, reducing the military’s ability to carry out other missions.

The Navy is being pushed to its limits

The strain is particularly acute for the US Navy, which has been forced to stretch its capacity to meet wartime demands. The longer the operation continues, the harder it becomes to maintain forces in the Middle East without weakening America’s readiness elsewhere.

For Trump, that creates a growing strategic dilemma. He wants to force Iran into accepting US terms, but Tehran has shown little willingness to capitulate despite the mounting military and economic pressure.

Iran refuses to break — and Washington is running out of room

The military warnings expose the increasingly difficult choices facing the administration. Keeping tens of thousands of troops deployed for months longer could increase the risk to US forces and the homeland while consuming equipment needed for other global commitments.

Iran, meanwhile, appears to be betting that America’s military strain and the war’s unpopularity will eventually force Washington to reconsider its strategy.

US military turns on Pete Hegseth over mounting risk: report

53 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I might bother to take the time to do research to counter or agree with you, but when your very first words are to insult me? GFY.

He quotes percentages without realising what else an increasing percentage within a group means. It might mean people with a differing view are leaving, ie purged.

Take 100 party registrants. 10 indicate support for MAGA. 10%

Of the 90 who don't, 20 say, <deleted> it, this Party is no longer for them. Voter registrations are declining, for both parties. Now 12.5% of registered Republicans declare allegiance to MAGA. Another 20 soft Republicans decide <deleted> it, and move on. Now 17% support MAGA.

Normally the UK follows US social trends, but it might now be the other way around. The UK right, following Brexit, has gradually disintegrated, with Farage now being basically an enabler of Labour. The American Right is disintegrating, and become more fractious. Now people like Carlson, Greene might well set up their own parties, and win some support, but like other American 3rd Parties they will fail, because they don't contest local seats

46 minutes ago, Roadsternut said:

He quotes percentages without realising what else an increasing percentage within a group means. It might mean people with a differing view are leaving, ie purged.

Take 100 party registrants. 10 indicate support for MAGA. 10%

Of the 90 who don't, 20 say, <deleted> it, this Party is no longer for them. Voter registrations are declining, for both parties. Now 12.5% of registered Republicans declare allegiance to MAGA. Another 20 soft Republicans decide <deleted> it, and move on. Now 17% support MAGA.

Normally the UK follows US social trends, but it might now be the other way around. The UK right, following Brexit, has gradually disintegrated, with Farage now being basically an enabler of Labour. The American Right is disintegrating, and become more fractious. Now people like Carlson, Greene might well set up their own parties, and win some support, but like other American 3rd Parties they will fail, because they don't contest local seats

Thank you for taking the time to filter through that irrational garbage. I just won't engage any more with people who exhibit troll-like behavior. There is a staunch MAGA member (avatar looks like Paul Newman in a hockey uniform). He is polite, inciteful, and admits when he's wrong. I haven't seen many posts from him, I think he's like the Republicans who were caught admitting they're plain exhausted trying to defend this ridiculous regime any more. It's costing us all in every way imaginable.

So the top brass of the US armed forces are getting increasingly frustrated with the orders given by Pete, and they're letting their feelings known through the "non-concur" replies to the SDOB - Secretary of Defense Orders Book (see article).

This is really a damning overall commentary on the s**t show that Hegseth has created. Ultimate responsibility for this mess rests with trump, but the SecDef is the architect.

It's also time to put the spotlight on general Caine. So far he's been given more or less a free pass by the media.

https://archive.ph/yTLeY

"Several U.S. military leaders have advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks weakening their ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the U.S. homeland, according to people familiar with a recent assessment prepared for the Pentagon chief.

The warnings — detailed for Hegseth by the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force and the four-star commanders overseeing U.S. operations throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America — appear in the Aug. 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book (SDOB), these people said.

Leaders of the U.S. European Command, the U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. Southern Command, along with the Navy’s top admiral, responded with what is characterized in the SDOB as a “non-concur,” those familiar with the assessment said — meaning they disagree with the secretary’s order to extend their forces but will execute it nevertheless."

The complete failure to defend one of the most important US forward bases in the Middle East, the U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) in Bahrain, is one of the biggest blunders of the war in Iran, perhaps only surpassed by the decision to go to war in the first place.

The destruction of this base is the reason aircraft carriers and other US naval vessels sailed for months with inadequate food (and other) supplies.

No wonder Pete desperately tried keeping this under wraps for as long as possible.

'The devastation of NSA Bahrain is a national security warning'

https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2026/08/28/the-devastation-of-nsa-bahrain-is-a-national-security-warning/

"It’s important to understand that NSA Bahrain is more than just a headquarters. Among its many functions, the installation provides a regional naval operating base for U.S. Navy forces in the Middle East. NSA Bahrain is home to NAVCENT and U.S. Fifth Fleet, along with numerous tenant commands.

The installation provides the physical infrastructure that keeps American military power continuously available in a strategically vital region. It is foundational to America’s ability to project maritime power in this critical theater."

US army chief resigns after tension with Hegseth.

Dan Driscoll, the US army secretary, has resigned from his role and will leave the Pentagon in the coming days.

His departure follows months of friction with Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, who has sought to rid the military of dissenters and traditional military leaders.

Mr Driscoll objected to Mr Hegseth’s decision to fire much of the Pentagon’s senior leadership and had been at odds with the defence secretary for months.

He was a rising star in the Pentagon and a favourite to replace Mr Hegseth should he be sacked from the role.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/01/us-army-secretary-dan-driscoll-resigns-tension-hegseth/

Dan Driscoll, one of the few non-muppets remaining in the top of the hierarchy of the Def Sec has had enough. Interestingly, he had a meeting with trump where he laid out his reasons for resigning, and apparently trump was surprised at the number generals being kicked out.😆

"During a White House meeting last week, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll brought his concerns about the future of the Army under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directly to President Trump—a sign of how far tensions between the two Pentagon leaders had escalated, and of the dysfunction inside the building, four people familiar with the conversation told us.

Trump was surprised when Driscoll told him how many generals and other top officers had been fired, pushed out, or passed over for promotion under Hegseth, one of the people said. Driscoll argued that the Army could not transform itself the way it needs to, because of the departure of so many leaders, this person said, adding that Trump expressed concern about the deep cuts to the Army’s senior leadership."

On 8/28/2026 at 10:05 AM, Cameroni said:

Nobody better to be at the helm of the economy than Bessent.

That is why his Bond market intervention did not work at all? The yen lost >50% from what it gained during the intervention and the 30yrs is where it came from, whilst the short term yields making new year highs...

His borrowing of money on the short end to pay it to the long end was a shooting US tax payers in their feet. The same thing under Biden was what back then he heavily criticized (back then of course without coming up with alternatives, and what we see now he does not have any).

Difference is that his boss promised to get rid of the US debt... good joke...

On 8/31/2026 at 3:17 AM, bannork said:

US military leaders have delivered an unusually blunt warning to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over Donald Trump’s six-month war with Iran, telling him that prolonging the conflict could put the American homeland at greater risk. Senior commanders reportedly believe the operation has become unsustainable as equipment, personnel and military capacity are stretched.

Generals warn the pressure is becoming dangerous

Army, Navy and Air Force leaders, alongside four-star commanders overseeing US operations abroad, raised their concerns through the August 14 edition of the Secretary of Defense Orders Book, according to the Washington Post.

One insider said the message from military leadership was that the Iran operation had become “too much for too long”. Some generals and admirals were reportedly unusually direct in challenging orders to keep supplying personnel and equipment while the conflict’s eventual outcome remains uncertain.

50,000 troops could face months more on alert

Trump’s efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are adding to the pressure. US Central Command must maintain roughly 50,000 troops on alert in the Middle East, with some deployments now extending into September and others potentially running into 2027.

That prolonged commitment is creating problems elsewhere. US operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America have reportedly lost ships, aircraft and other equipment to the Iran conflict, reducing the military’s ability to carry out other missions.

The Navy is being pushed to its limits

The strain is particularly acute for the US Navy, which has been forced to stretch its capacity to meet wartime demands. The longer the operation continues, the harder it becomes to maintain forces in the Middle East without weakening America’s readiness elsewhere.

For Trump, that creates a growing strategic dilemma. He wants to force Iran into accepting US terms, but Tehran has shown little willingness to capitulate despite the mounting military and economic pressure.

Iran refuses to break — and Washington is running out of room

The military warnings expose the increasingly difficult choices facing the administration. Keeping tens of thousands of troops deployed for months longer could increase the risk to US forces and the homeland while consuming equipment needed for other global commitments.

Iran, meanwhile, appears to be betting that America’s military strain and the war’s unpopularity will eventually force Washington to reconsider its strategy.

US military turns on Pete Hegseth over mounting risk: report

All of which begs the question why was America so unprepared, and why did they think that Israel was correct in stating that this would be a two-week war?

So either nobody knew what the hell they were doing, or Trump and his dumb, tone deaf, arrogant, out of touch, feckless, unstable, and inexperienced minions simply ignored all advice from the experts.

The ladder is likely the case As Trump rarely ever reads briefings or listens to his experts. Why listen to an expert when you're the smartest man in the world and you're already know everything anyway?

Little Pete is no doubt the dumbest, the least competent and the least prepared SEC DEF in American history. He wouldn't be qualified to manage the department store. That goes for Trump too, he is no doubt the worst president in American history.

This whole Iran thing has been a fiasco, they have shown the world that no matter how large your military is, and no matter how bloated your budget is you're still incredibly vulnerable if faced with highly intelligent enemies.

Both Pete and Don have diminished American influence to such a dramatic degree it cannot be overstated. We can only hope and dream that Pete will be drive for war crimes at some point in his incredibly sorry life.

Woe is America.

13 minutes ago, zappalot said:

That is why his Bond market intervention did not work at all? The yen lost >50% from what it gained during the intervention and the 30yrs is where it came from, whilst the short term yields making new year highs...

His borrowing of money on the short end to pay it to the long end was a shooting US tax payers in their feet. The same thing under Biden was what back then he heavily criticized (back then of course without coming up with alternatives, and what we see now he does not have any).

Difference is that his boss promised to get rid of the US debt... good joke...

That's a misrepresentation. Clearly it did work for a limited time. And neither the Yen, nor the 30 year bond yield have surged to all time highs. Obviously it's a short term fix. Much better would be invading Canada and taking its 51 trillion USD of assets.

Just now, Cameroni said:

That's a misrepresentation. Clearly it did work for a limited time. And neither the Yen, nor the 30 year bond yield have surged to all time highs. Obviously it's a short term fix. Much better would be invading Canada and taking its 51 trillion USD of assets.

Much better if you would stop your lame outrage farming, otherwise known as trolling.

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

1. Clearly it did work for a limited time.
   
   2. all time highs. Obviously it's a short term fix.

1. the yields, after the intervention, never left the short term range that cost tax payers a fortune.

2. to look good we now need to refer to all time highs? Do you know how much money this "short term fix" cost the tax payer?

Is he any worse then the other chap many years ago who blantly went to the UN and claimed to the world that Irak had WMD's or whatsoever...just as an excuse to invade and rob their oil. So nothing really changes now. Maybe the style and the lexical change with Trump...but on the whole, America is just doing what is has always been doing since 1947.

So Pete keeps showing us what the bottom of the barrel looks like. The former weekend Fox talking head, cosplaying Christian "warrior" with a drinking problem and a less than stellar military career is once again a walking, talking example of how not to recruit for senior positions.

Using public funds to create a troll army - genius!

'Hegseth Builds Secret MAGA Influencer Army'

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/hegseth-builds-secret-maga-influencer-150323814.html?guccounter=1

"The Department of Defense has employed a number of conservative military veterans with large social media followings in civilian government roles, The Washington Post reported Sunday. It's not exactly clear what their official roles or assignments are, but these influencers are boosting Hegseth's pet culture war issues and attacking the Trump administration's critics.

Among the veterans currently included on the Pentagon's payroll are Rob Maness, a retired Air Force colonel with more than 135,000 followers on X, and Kurt Schlichter, a retired Army colonel and columnist with nearly 620,000 followers on X, according to people familiar with the matter."

Edited Tuesday at 07:43 AM5 days by BLMFem

12 minutes ago, zappalot said:

1. the yields, after the intervention, never left the short term range that cost tax payers a fortune.

2. to look good we now need to refer to all time highs? Do you know how much money this "short term fix" cost the tax payer?

The mistake here, however, is the Democrats', and Janet Yellen in particular, Bessent's predecessor. Yellen could have issued debt when interest rates where at their all time lowest, but she missed that golden opportunity, which is widely regarded as the biggest blunder by any Treasury Secretary. Trump's team now has to fix this, and it's not easy, nor for free, obviously.

Edited Tuesday at 07:45 AM5 days by Cameroni

14 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Is he any worse then the other chap many years ago who blantly went to the UN and claimed to the world that Irak had WMD's or whatsoever...just as an excuse to invade and rob their oil. So nothing really changes now. Maybe the style and the lexical change with Trump...but on the whole, America is just doing what is has always been doing since 1947.

They made Colin Powell lie publicly to the UN. Thankfully Trump has done no such thing.

On 8/28/2026 at 5:46 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Hmmm . . . mostly straight and VERY white men. Does that reasonably represent the makeup of America or Murikkka?

Talking about "straight" men and make -up!

You can't make that up!

Maybe he should try a little more orange tint?

More like his master? First we had the ear plaster then the diaper i think all maga should paint

their faces orange.

But only if they are true maga of course.

33 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Yellen could have issued debt when interest rates where at their all time lowest,

Wait a minute, they should have borrowed money when they did not need it? The higher demand would have raised rates. You probably do not know how new debt is processed/procurred, it is similar to an auction.

I remind you how your super team could have refilled the oil reserves that were sold under Biden for 8x $/barrel (which was called foolish by "your team" with the promise to fill it to the brim after Trump get back into the white house). He could have refilled the reserves for 6x $ barrel. Instead, in the year before the war, "your team" did nothing. Now, during a useless war, not only the emergency oil stock is even lower but also company held stock piles are at their lowest.

"Your team" is putting the US as a whole at risk at a level not seen in decades.

5 minutes ago, zappalot said:

Wait a minute, they should have borrowed money when they did not need it? The higher demand would have raised rates. You probably do not know how new debt is processed/procurred, it is similar to an auction.

I remind you how your super team could have refilled the oil reserves that were sold under Biden for 8x $/barrel (which was called foolish by "your team" with the promise to fill it to the brim after Trump get back into the white house). He could have refilled the reserves for 6x $ barrel. Instead, in the year before the war, "your team" did nothing. Now, during a useless war, not only the emergency oil stock is even lower but also company held stock piles are at their lowest.

"Your team" is putting the US as a whole at risk at a level not seen in decades.

Interest rates were at an all time low, Yellen should have made use of that golden opportunity. It was perfectly foreseeable that the government would continue to require IOUS as sources of finance.

5 minutes ago, zappalot said:

You probably do not know how new debt is processed/procurred, it is similar to an auction.

Lol, I'm a former capital markets lawyer and know perfectly well how debt is issued.

6 minutes ago, zappalot said:

I remind you how your super team could have refilled the oil reserves that were sold under Biden for 8x $/barrel (which was called foolish by "your team" with the promise to fill it to the brim after Trump get back into the white house). He could have refilled the reserves for 6x $ barrel. Instead, in the year before the war, "your team" did nothing. Now, during a useless war, not only the emergency oil stock is even lower but also company held stock piles are at their lowest.

All academic, since Trump's greatest oil deal in history will now usher in a golden age of lower petrol prices. This administration truly is the finest there has ever been.

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

All academic, since Trump's greatest oil deal in history will now usher in a golden age of lower petrol prices. This administration truly is the finest there has ever been.

Sure, the deal is so great that oil market are up up up since he announced the deal for this super heavy, sour and dense, sulfur rich crude, that so far no one want to touch. It would take years, many years to build the infrastructure to process it. The US does not have this infrastructure. So how would it help now in case of an emergency where strategic oil reserves would be needed urgently?

And I need to correct myself: Biden sold the oil for 95, so they could have refilled it for a huge profit. But Trump and promises....

"Elect a 🤡 get a clown show"

When they nuke Iran and Jesus don't come back and your son's still gay and there's no cheap gas, will you be still be bitching about men playing women's sports? 🫠

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

They made Colin Powell lie publicly to the UN. Thankfully Trump has done no such thing.

I will give TRUMP one possitive thing!

TRUMP does all the lying himself

34 minutes ago, zappalot said:

Sure, the deal is so great that oil market are up up up since he announced the deal for this super heavy, sour and dense, sulfur rich crude, that so far no one want to touch.

Not true, Chevron is already in Venezuela touching it. And several others are poised to come in as well apparently.

35 minutes ago, zappalot said:

It would take years, many years to build the infrastructure to process it. The US does not have this infrastructure.

Obviously the US has the expertise and the capital to build this infrastructure in record time.

In due course the oil problem will be solved. Trump saw to that.

2 hours ago, BLMFem said:

Much better if you would stop your lame outrage farming, otherwise known as trolling.

BEST if just added to the phantom zone aka ignore. It's a waste of precious time and expensive electrons engaging with these stooges.