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- #21
I'll add completing a comprehensive audit of all Federal agencies to eliminate waste which should be done first thing. Then a balanced budget might actually happen.
Election Predictions....What Say You?
- Thread starter THD
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Cookie
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
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I hate to say this, I could see Kamala winning the Electoral college and Trump winning the Popular vote. It is so hard to win the electoral college when you can't win California and other high populist states.
I will comment on Term limits, I used to be in favor big time for them. I am not so sure now, maybe 15 years or something. 4 or 8 years is too short. In most cases it takes a couple of years to build your allies and learn the job. Also, do we think there is enough people that want to fill those spots if they are removed at 8 years? I see fewer and fewer people wanting to be in the political arena, social media has made the job ten times harder due to the constant attacking and lies. Nobody wants to put their family thru all of this.
I will comment on Term limits, I used to be in favor big time for them. I am not so sure now, maybe 15 years or something. 4 or 8 years is too short. In most cases it takes a couple of years to build your allies and learn the job. Also, do we think there is enough people that want to fill those spots if they are removed at 8 years? I see fewer and fewer people wanting to be in the political arena, social media has made the job ten times harder due to the constant attacking and lies. Nobody wants to put their family thru all of this.
Rockwood
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
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Term limits? Don't care. What needs to change is corporations contributing to campaigns and these "non-profits" set up by politicians.
Budget: we need to cut waste, reduce idiotic requirements, and stop this annual budget bullshit. Here's why:
1. Waste. Well, that's easy to under
2. Idiotic requirements. There are about a billion requirements to buy anything because someone somewhere did something shady/stupid/illegal/all 3. I get it, but fuck, just disbar/prosecute them and leave the rest of us alone. I spend more time filling out justifications on cheap parts than I do buying the actual part. This has cost of compliance associated and we're all paying for it.
3. Annual budgets. This is horseshit since THINGS DON'T WEAR OUT ANNUALLY!!! Sometimes things wear out every 3 years. Sometimes every 6 months. The sub-annual replacements are easy. The multi-year items are a major problem though because the Program has to budget for this with some sort of Care Plan (expensive) or bloat their budget to digest the replacement in year 3, but blow money on stupid shit like Varidesks and new monitors in the off years so they don't run afoul of "use it or lose it".
Budget: we need to cut waste, reduce idiotic requirements, and stop this annual budget bullshit. Here's why:
1. Waste. Well, that's easy to under
2. Idiotic requirements. There are about a billion requirements to buy anything because someone somewhere did something shady/stupid/illegal/all 3. I get it, but fuck, just disbar/prosecute them and leave the rest of us alone. I spend more time filling out justifications on cheap parts than I do buying the actual part. This has cost of compliance associated and we're all paying for it.
3. Annual budgets. This is horseshit since THINGS DON'T WEAR OUT ANNUALLY!!! Sometimes things wear out every 3 years. Sometimes every 6 months. The sub-annual replacements are easy. The multi-year items are a major problem though because the Program has to budget for this with some sort of Care Plan (expensive) or bloat their budget to digest the replacement in year 3, but blow money on stupid shit like Varidesks and new monitors in the off years so they don't run afoul of "use it or lose it".
Rockwood
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
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US election 2024 result: Donald Trump is winning six battleground states, exit poll shows
US election 2024 trends from North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have emerged. As per the latest trend, Donald Trump is leading against Kamala Harris in battleground states.
Looking decent so far.
In my world being a politician should not be a career. I am sick of all politicians, the corruption,etc. Thus my reason for term limits. I would also eliminate serving your term and retiring with benefits for life. We no longer have anyone interested in serving the people, they are only serving themselves. I vote to nuke the system and start over. lol
MWB
Well-known member
- May 3, 2021
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I believe Trump will win Az but Lake will lose. She is a terrible candidate and the only reason I did vote for her is because Ruben is even worse. I would take the pink Tootoo wearing Senima over him all day long. She at least proved she was hiding a set of balls and did what she felt was best for Az, not for her party. That she immediately left.US election 2024 result: Donald Trump is winning six battleground states, exit poll shows
US election 2024 trends from North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have emerged. As per the latest trend, Donald Trump is leading against Kamala Harris in battleground states.economictimes.indiatimes.com
Looking decent so far.
I do think Lake will end up in DC though on Trumps team. I can see her doing what she did best for so many years reading off the teleprompter as Press Secretary. Unfortunately, I don't think the GOAT of all Press Secretaries will return, you know the cute blonde girl with the notebook that knew all of the answers and had back-up with her at all times.
South Bay
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- May 5, 2021
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Under U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton the SC ruled that state governments cannot limit the terms of members of the national government. And does anyone think that congress would ever institute them for themselves ?
South Bay
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- May 5, 2021
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My prediction. Harris' Blue Wall holds, she gets to 270 and maybe picks up one or two more with women putting her over because of Dobbs . . .
1HasBeen
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 1,414
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I don't disagree, but I think term limits go hand-in-hand with reducing corporate influence. What incentive is there to "invest" big money in a candidate if you can't bank on long term influence?
- Thread starter
- #30
It seems to me that a lot of blame is placed on the politicians for the chaotic mess the government has created, but in my opinion it falls on the constituents that keep electing the corrupt politicians to fix the problems they created. I am more disappointed in how shallow/uneducated voters have become. Politicians on both sides offer shiny objects in return to get votes. And those shiny objects are what is killing us slowly.
And bring back an emphasis on civics in our schools!!
And bring back an emphasis on civics in our schools!!
South Bay
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- May 5, 2021
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There's a weird axiom of politics that when you ask people about Congress, the results will overwhelmingly be that everyone hates Congress, but when asked about their own local representative, constituents will state that they approve of them. Which helps to explain why it is so hard to beat incumbents (gerrymandering aside).
Dockmaster
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- May 5, 2021
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As the saying goes; it’s all about the economy stupid. Curious what you all have heard in specific policy ideas from either candidate that you believe will help or hurt the economy?
I haven’t heard many specifics from Kamala other than to go after corporate price gouging - what ever that means and looks like? And Trump’s tariffs will only cause more inflation and hurt consumers. Oil prices are pretty low so drill baby drill ain’t gonna do much either. Sure wish we had better options on the ballot.
I haven’t heard many specifics from Kamala other than to go after corporate price gouging - what ever that means and looks like? And Trump’s tariffs will only cause more inflation and hurt consumers. Oil prices are pretty low so drill baby drill ain’t gonna do much either. Sure wish we had better options on the ballot.
Rockwood
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- May 5, 2021
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These guys are invested in from the state/local governance level. I'm part of an organization investing in one now to try to save CA public OHV lands.
Wash 10 Crew
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- May 5, 2021
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Dont forget, Biden can pardon Hunter!!!!!
- Thread starter
- #35
My take with some baked in bias due to my preferred candidate.
Harris- Opportunity economy which means diddly without details. Giving first time home buyers 25k to purchase a home will only raise prices. (free COVID money proved that theory) 50k to small business start ups. Bad investment considering 20% will fail in the first year and 50% will fail within 5yrs. And what Mac said above.
Trump- I think he will use tariffs more strategically than how he poorly communicates his intentions. He knows how powerful of a tool they are to negotiate favorable terms and to punish bad actors. He will cut taxes and that will benefit the middle class as was proven in his first term. The real numbers back that up. Release the leash on energy production. Even though the prices have eased, further decreases will help ease inflation (energy prices affect virtually every industry in the world) and stimulate more growth. And it will allow more growth in energy exports, mainly natural gas, and dramatically grow that industry while helping our allies and hurting our foes. But the 2 most important goals are cutting regulation and auditing all Federal agencies for waste and fraud. These 2 actions alone would unleash growth and cut Federal spending. dramatically. And what Mac said above.
And while I agree that it's the economy stupid, geopolitics are a close 2nd for me. Under the current admin, the world has become more chaotic and it will only get worse until we get competent people in place to deal with world issues. Just saying "Don't" is not a strategy!
SLIM
Well-known member
- May 6, 2021
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Who Pays Tariffs? Americans Will Bear the Costs of the Next Trade War
Contrary to President Trump’s claims, Americans will bear the costs of the next trade war in the form of lower incomes as tariffs cause prices of imported goods to rise.
taxfoundation.org
Economists Pablo Fajgelbaum, Pinelopi Goldberg, Patrick Kennedy, and Amit Khandelwal examined the tariffs on washing machines, solar panels, aluminum, steel, and goods from the European Union and China imposed in 2018 and 2019. They found that US firms and final consumers bore the entire burden of tariffs and estimated a net loss to the US economy of $16 billion annually, including more than $114 billion in losses to firms and consumers, offset by small gains to protected producers and revenue gains to the government.
Rockwood
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Rebuttal:Who Pays Tariffs? Americans Will Bear the Costs of the Next Trade War
Contrary to President Trump’s claims, Americans will bear the costs of the next trade war in the form of lower incomes as tariffs cause prices of imported goods to rise.
Economists Pablo Fajgelbaum, Pinelopi Goldberg, Patrick Kennedy, and Amit Khandelwal examined the tariffs on washing machines, solar panels, aluminum, steel, and goods from the European Union and China imposed in 2018 and 2019. They found that US firms and final consumers bore the entire burden of tariffs and estimated a net loss to the US economy of $16 billion annually, including more than $114 billion in losses to firms and consumers, offset by small gains to protected producers and revenue gains to the government.
I prefer the Narcos down the street to the communists across the ocean.
Tariffs take a while to change market conditions. Yes, there's temporary pain, but the long-term goal is worth it. I'm tired of sending trillions to a country that wants nothing more than to destroy us.
Secondly I would revoke lifetime pensions, and exemptions from the laws they pass on the masses. Third no more paid lobbyist's. It's nothing more than corrupt bribery and extortion, and we are footing the bill. Until those changes are made. (will never happen) nothing changes. IMHO eventually the left will complete the circle and any and all remaining freedoms will continue to systematically be stripped and removed.
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- #40
China has already been pushing products through SE Asian countries to work around trade rules and tariffs. I'm sure Mexico is a cheaper way of getting goods into the US to skirt trade rules, so I would not be surprised to see this tactic grow even more.
