This makes sense.

When the Trump tax cuts go through and the debt ceiling is raised, there are going to be far fewer overseas buyers for US debt. Given the weakness of the dollar relative to most other currencies, coming in and buying large swaths of places like Yellowstone or Yosemite might be attractive. At least it might mean the US doesn't have to start printing money as quickly.

Trump is literally the most communist president this country has ever had to endure. Comrade Bernie would have made a less communist president.

I know-he's technically not a communist. There has just never been a president, at least in recent times, who has exercised so much central planning in the national economy.

I just don't understand why the left is not applauding him.

"Good. The intended consequence will be NOT BUYING Chinese made crap."

Good???

You want to live in a country where some government ---- tells you what you can or cannot buy???

This ------- idiot president really just makes me want to buy more cheap Chinese crap.

#2

I actually spend quite a bit of time in one of those bunkers.

Smart. The Poles are developing a Home Guard. The HG is a cornerstone of Scandanavian Defense Strategy. It's why the Finns were so successful against the commies in WWII.

"Tell me where the labor will come from when unemployment is at about 4%."

There will likely not be a need for additional labor. I think you're thinking as though the US operates as part of a global economic network. That's not the case anymore. The market just went from planet earth to the US. A decrease of what? 640 billion potential customers.

"What are you? A communist?!"

Trump is the US's Hugo Chavez. What's crazy is the same people who would have gone to the brink of war over Chavez would now go to the brink of war over Trump.

"Good! We will learn how to be self sufficient and producing quality products again."

Yeah.

Maybe in 15 years you'll be able to buy a new blender for $300. A new TV for $2,000.

I hope you don't need any of these things until then. Oh, and I hope you don't mind paying a bit more, even though you'll be making less money.

"They have a lot in common with Netanyahu."

Yeah...maybe. I don't know that Israelis are willing to become Martyrs for Netanyahu in the same way Palestinians are willing to do so.

"Palestinians don't have much of a say. Hamas is not exactly a democratic organization."

Hamas was democratically elected under Palestinian procedure. Just like ya boi.

"It's about as okay as Israel geocoding them."

Would you not be open to genociding someone who was going to genocide you?

Or would you just let them genocide you on principle?

On the other hand, Hamas has said that all people can live peacefully under Islam.

Maybe they can all convert?

"They only added that part after Israel started geocoding them."

No, that actually started in 1948 at the end of the British Mandate.

At the time, there was a roadmap for a clear Jewish and Palestinian State, not to mention the Arab state in Jordan, and the two Muslim states (Pakistan and Bangladesh/East Pakistan) on the Indian subcontinent.

But the Palestinians couldn't abide any other dude, so they and a bunch of neighboring countries invaded the Jewish state. Not once, but three time, getting their asses kicked every time. Which brings us to where we are today. Which brings us to why Israel's neighbors no longer attack, and why none of them want anything to do with Palestinians.

Palestinians whining reminds me of the German HIAG-but worse. Palestinians seem absolutely unrepentant and refuse to acknowledge they had anything to do with the situation they currently find themselves in.

"Anyway. 1,200 raped and murdered civilians was the price Netanyahu was willing to pay for his forever war."

And what are the Palestinians willing to pay for their forever war?

The dudes in Dubia snorting coke off the asses of eastern European Hookers seem to suggest they're willing to sacrifice every Palestinians who isn't at their party.

If you support Palestinians-truly, you may be backing the wrong horse.

Just curious, has the World Court addressed the fact that the Palestinian community, writ-large, has genocide as one of their primary tenets?

Or is that OK?

"Buy up whatever you need now. I think emptier shelves and shortages are not to far in our future."

Sorry bro...you're proper ------.

It's not super easy for me living on a US dollar in Europe, but at least I have options. I don't think you do.

We shall see.

"Honestly, what pisses me off is all businesses including Mom & Pop stores have already increased their prices to take into account the new tariffs even on merchandise long before and tariffs took effect."

Because you want to buy the thing.

If you're willing to pay the price resulting from tariffs, why would you not be willing to do so for any other reason?

Your decision calculus regarding purchases has nothing to do with tariffs. Only whether or not what you're considering buying is worth more than the money you're willing to spend on it.

If you're still willing to buy the more expensive product, you're kinda suggesting that Trump was not wrong in imposing tariffs. My position would be that consumption decreases. If my blender or washing machine or TV breaks, I would have typically just gone and bought a new one. Now it may make more sense to pay someone to fix the old one, as buying something new would simply be too expensive.

When I was young, there still were people to fix washing machines and vacuums and blenders. Maybe that will be the new normal, as going and buying a new one would simply be too expensive.

The big question is why the White House would get their panties in a wad over tariffs if USans were supportive of them?

If people were fans of Tariffs, wouldn't they be thanking Amazon?

One must only conclude that USans aren't fanbois of paying more for stuff.

Amazon is considering displaying the additional tariff costs on some of its websites. WH is pissed!

In other news...rain is wet.

"Coincidentally, Pres Trump has been retreating, with his tail between his legs, from his prior hard line tariff positions."

He was trying to bluff with a bad hand. The other players opted not to fold.

"The people who took slave wages so you could have cheap lettuce?"

Trumper!

I'm sure ScottS agrees with you.

"Buy from based on unfair trade terms - YES."

Unfair for whom?

I rather like being able to purchase consumables at inexpensive prices.

Are you familiar with the economic concept of comparative advantage? It explains why advanced countries operate inefficiently when pursuing more basic economic functions.

Wanna test it? Go open a factory that produces lower quality goods, but charges high quality prices.

"Anymore winning and I'll have to get a job to survive retirement."

Best you get it in a European currency. You could send back remittances to your family members. Like the people coming up from Mexico and Central America do.

"He was illegally deported without Due Process."

He was illegally deported, period. An immigration court had previously ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador. ICE screwed up and deported him anyway.

"Yes, you are, and Trump is."

How so?

None of these guys, to the best of my knowledge, were arrested for committing any act other than entering the US illegally. In fact, they were all free to leave the US at any time of their choosing. With alleged criminals, the opposite is true. They are prohibited from leaving the country.

"Due process is everyone's right."

Unless you're a tourist arriving at an airport who gets told they are not allowed to stay. Isn't that individual deprived of due process within the jurisdication of the US?