- More government revenue = more government fraud, grift and graft.

Only in your tiny single cell brain. In the real world, as in the aforementioned Nordic countries, they are among the least corrupt Govs in the world.

IF voters could see actual proposals for the Benefits they would share at the cost of a VAT tax; free edumacation, healthcare, 6 week vacations, year-long newborn paid leave for a parent, better workplaces, better pay, and much more... based on their purchases rather than all on their income... and the kind of transparency in Gov and Corporate dealings in Nordic countries, then yeah, a legit case could be made that the majority of voters would be better off.

Of course, billionaires would werk against it, and myopic libertarians who think that sidewalks are communism, drivers licences are fascism, and the Invisible Hand of the Market is the Holy Grail, would still be living in their manly self-built forts.

The point is that to many Americans a system more oriented to the People than to the Corporations is more and more appealing considering the corrupt, and violent, authoritarian grift monkeys they see running the country today.

"The fossil fuel industry and their allies bought their way into the Trump White House with hundreds of millions of dollars in political donations, after Trump promised fossil fuel bigwigs at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser that he'd do anything and everything they wanted, for the right price," Whitehouse said in a statement.

"Now, their minions run the government from the inside, driving up energy bills to deliver payouts to the donors that put Trump back in office," he continued.

"Our new report exposes this old-fashioned corruption, by a thuggish government and a desperate industry, that is squeezing every last dollar out of Americans' pocketbooks while they still can."

Sen. Whitehouse outlines the quid pro quo:

Boomers make up less than half of MAGA, around 40 percent, and Gen X is right up there, too... just for a little factual postage.

Gee, Brain, what do these poll results REALLY mean?

"Xi invoked the phrase in his meeting with Trump in Beijing in May, asking the US president how he planned to avoid it.

Xi also extolled his personal relationship with his American counterpart, saying:

"President Trump and I have respect for each other. We have built personal rapport and stayed in touch."

"Despite the trade war between the two countries, Chinese imports have continue to surge into the US. China is on course to run a $1tn trade deficit for the second year running."

;;

Imagine what sort of a low-life character one has to be to have, 'great respect' for DJT... even if you are just placating his ego.

Most Corrupt Countries (higher the number the more corrupt)

I liked him better as, '------'... and the name was a better fit.

make up (lateish editing)

Democratic socialist capitalist countries year after year vote themselves the Happiest Peoples in the World; the Corporations make good profits while paying a Living Wage, the Govs are less corrupt, and the People have great working conditions, benefits, education, and healthcare, all of which more than make of for the taxes they pay.

So, not attractive at all to authoritarian Oligarchs and Crony Capitalists around the world in Russia, China, NK, and now in Trump's America.

- dare some here to challenge me.

The Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World!

- most here don't have anything to lose or they're too dumb to really know how they are being impacted.

And a billionaire genius, too! What a guy!

#112

More ad hominem, less fun, makes Eb a dull boy.

Dummy with the Wig On Top - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody

- it was about me.

It was about Willowby's comment about 'adapting' rather opposing corruption in the People's Gov.

Of course, everything here is about you, which is why you went into full-blown ad hominem right away.

#103

I did make a point... she's one of many incompetent loyalists in a Cabinet full of incompetent loyalists, which is enough to trigger a lot of people.

Not loyal Republicans who can't make an argument and have to rely on ad hominem alone, obviously, but a lot of other people.

Being a sycophant to a tyrant wannabe in a Cabinet full of incompetent loyalists is reason enough to annoy most sensible people.

In politics, fighting is voting and giving support to those who werk for the People rather than those who corrupt the System with money and influence.

aww... Eb comes down off that fence to kneel before his Oligarch Masters for all to see.

Judge orders White House to restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico

In granting a temporary restraining order while the news outlets' legal challenge proceeds, Judge Timothy Kelly said that President Donald Trump's ban was likely unconstitutional.

Adapting to corrupt politicians is surrendering the Constitution to their Oligarch owners without a fight.

aka cowardice.

Jared wept.

precidence

Trump-appointed Judge puts a Hold on this media ban calling it "probably unconstitutional" while the media companies Appeal.

Trump calls the Judge "disloyal" says he will Appeal the Ruling.

Loyalty to the King taking presidency over the Law don't cha' know.

"The Worlds That Donald Trump and Xi Jinping Want

Whether Xi is moved by Trump's bonhomie may be immaterial. Analysts see China working quietly in the shadow of Trump's blustering disruption.

In some sectors, it is gingerly filling the void left by Trump's America First agenda, including buttressing parts of the global humanitarian system gutted by the Administration's dismantling of U.S.A.I.D.

More broadly, China is gaining ground simply by existing in contrast to Trump's United States " a more predictable power that's not launching unprovoked wars, installing puppet regimes in petro-states, or erratically lashing out at longtime friends and partners.

(New polling confirms the impression of China's growing popularity around the world, relative to the United States.)

On Tuesday, at the dais of the U.N.'s General Assembly, Trump denounced the institution's "globalist bureaucrats who nobody ever elected" and its "far-left" agendas, attacking bodies such as its human-rights council, and the International Criminal Court.

He laid out possible strikes against Iran, musing, "Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?"

(The King of Jordan, speaking right after Trump, bemoaned the global instability wrought by the Iran war.)

Trump also celebrated his military operation, earlier this year, in Venezuela, to remove Nicols Maduro from power, asserting that the U.S. "will use our unmatched military might to secure the vital national interests of the United States."

Here was the leader of the global hegemon, reminding the world of his hegemony."