Politics

[randallhebert]

Interesting to see who is freaking out the most regarding USAID.

View attachment 662887

View attachment 662888

No time to shred papers and erase tracks is why their screaming bloody murder

 

[CJW]

Part of me thinks the video should be made available to the general public.

Trump to watch October 7 film for first time - report

Witkoff watched the film during his visit to Israel and said that Trump has to watch it himself to see with his own eyes what happened on October 7.

m.jpost.com

 

[Tanks]

Well, this didn't take long. Hurry and monetize being an ex-President before he keels over.

Joe Biden Signs With Hollywood Talent Agency CAA

Former President Joe Biden partners with CAA in a significant move for his post-presidential career, aiming to engage with a broader audience and explore e...

www.inkl.com

 

[lwaters]

You’re missing the point. Our friends are under constant threat of attack on their farms. Many have been killed. Their government, if not complicit, doesn’t seem to give a damn. I am absolutely certain that they support our move to try to bring pressure to bear to end this travesty.

I just hope that Trump isn't spreading false hope. The US has dumped on a few countries they were supporting. Vietnam Afghanistan maybe even eventually Ukraine

 

[mdwest]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/

Nobody is going to be talking about tariffs after this next EO gets signed..

The left is going to lose its mind... and the lawsuits will definitely be flying...

God I hope he is successful in pulling this one off though.. the travesty that Jimmy Carter started has long been overdue for destruction..

 

[lwaters]

Looks like Mexico responded with a commitment of 10,000 troops to the border and a promise to stop drug and illegals from entering America. Mexico just received a 30 day reprieve.

Instead of responding with better border security, Canada responded with Tariffs against America that targeted red state products the most. I feel bad for my Canadian friends but things are about to get much much worse this week. Trump is not a person to push back on. Hopefully Canada gets a change in leadership soon.

Yes and their border policy of checking driving records. Actually by Canadian law Trump can't enter their country. Us to he very easy for Americans or Canadians to cross the border

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/

Nobody is going to be talking about tariffs after this next EO gets signed..

The left is going to lose its mind... and the lawsuits will definitely be flying...

God I hope he is successful in pulling this one off though.. the travesty that Jimmy Carter started has long been overdue for destruction..

I like to think Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” has been playing in the background in DC since the 20th, the volume slowly increasing…

 

[WAB]

Agree with you regarding that the messaging to the American public seems unclear regarding the tariffs to Canada, Mexico and China.

Also agree with @mdwest that it is all about the border and drugs. Think it was Holman who said more illegals on the terrorist watch list have entered America through Canada than the southern border.

It seems it was clear to Shienbaum. She committed 10,000 troops and arrested a cartel leader earlier today. She received a 30 day moratorium.

It seems it was clear to Poilievre who said today that Canada needs to send troops to the border.

The individual who doesn't seem to get it or chooses to disregard it is Trudeau.

Words cannot adequately express my loathing of Trudeau.

 

[deewayne2003]

And while we're busy raiding his house per his request, can we please rip the flag of a foreign power off his damned lapel? (I don't care which foreign power, he's the commander in chief of a US State for crying out loud)

Two lapel pins….. When you take virtue signaling to epic level!

 

[deewayne2003]

Words cannot adequately express my loathing of Trudeau.

Personally….. I’d LOVE to hear you try!

 

[USN]

Remember when dummycrats tried similar stuff with school desegregation, Send the National Guard to facilitate the capture of the illegal. Governor Wallace, Little Rock, etc.
Dummycrats have been a blight on this country since before the civil war. God Bless President Trump on his mission to end the theft and lies. A governor showing off and trying to get the left worked up needs knocked down to earth.

 

[deewayne2003]

Well, this didn't take long. Hurry and monetize being an ex-President before he keels over.

Joe Biden Signs With Hollywood Talent Agency CAA

Former President Joe Biden partners with CAA in a significant move for his post-presidential career, aiming to engage with a broader audience and explore e...

www.inkl.com

You know its gonna be a “Weekend at Bernie’s” spin off!

 

[flatwater bill]

When Biden wandered off at the G7, went to take a leak, and tripped over that tree, I could envision a future in Hollywood. I was thinking, a re-run of Beavis and Buttigieg, maybe.
On another topic, I have two emails this morning from Africa, both from Black friends, both cheering the demise of USAID. It is high time for "them to die".......FWB

 

[Wheels]

The best thing that Paul Kagame/Rwanda did after the genocide was not allow politically connected NGO's into the country. It made it difficult rebuilding but Rwanda has arguably had the best 30 year run of any African country. America, EU and the UN have been frustrated that they have no control over Rwanda. Too bad other African countries didn't follow his lead. The payoffs for the political elites was just too great.

Getting rid of USAID will be a net benefit to Africa in the long run.

 

[Wheels]

GSA manages 7,500 leased buildings for the Federal Government. As of yesterday DOGE has turned back 22 buildings for a savings of $44.6 million.

Many REIT's like having government contracts in the buildings they own. If you own a REIT that focuses on government contracts it might be a good time to review your portfolio.

 

[cwpayton]

If Trump can fix illegal immigration on the southern and northern boarders destroy the DRUG cartels, reduce or stop the imbalance of trade tariffs, bring the Ukraine / Russia war to some kind of conclusion, stop all the insane hemorrhaging of our tax dollars overseas regain control of the Panama canal or at least bring it to our control by fiat, and stop the corruption of the FBI and CIA, all in 4 years , he is a genius and one of the greatest presidents of all time, and I don't care if he mumbles and drools while he speaks. OBAMA WAS A COOL talker and really smooth at lying and wasn't fit to be a dog catcher in Chicago. WHY anyone would not support a president who can do these things is either a democrat or has T D S. In my not so humble opinion. Its about the country man, not the man! focus on the country.

 

[rookhawk]

GSA manages 7,500 leased buildings for the Federal Government. As of yesterday DOGE has turned back 22 buildings for a savings of $44.6 million.

Many REIT's like having government contracts in the buildings they own. If you own a REIT that focuses on government contracts it might be a good time to review your portfolio.

What was happening is industrial real estate hit record-setting lease rates about 2.5 years ago. Insane prices, largely driven by Amazon, USPS, FedEx, and others.

There were numerous million square foot buildings sitting vacant but under lease. The old lease rates were so low, the world's largest companies were squatting on them or asking the REIT to pay them a a huge fee to convince them to surrender the lease. It was basically speculative hedging that demand/growth of the businesses would continue and lease rates would continue to soar. Why give up a lease at half the prevailing price per square foot, right?

That didn't pan out and a correction has occurred. The government was a huge leaseholder in the industrial space storing worthless stuff because its too much work for government to get rid of junk. DOGE is coming after them for their excessive industrial lease holdings. Simultaneous with that, there are reductions in headcount across all government agencies coming (most gov't workers weren't even going to the office) so the office space needs are plummeting for the government.

You're absolutely correct, this will impact REITs, especially Blackrock and the others. The REITs are in a course correction first because of slower growth, second due to government contraction, third because squatters are surrendering their speculative unoccupied leases and those rates are lower today, and lastly because the CMBS loans are skyrocketing and are only 3 year terms. (cost of capital has tripled)

Not a good time to have office/commercial/industrial REITs. As it was, the REITs returns were not that much higher than high interest checking accounts last year and many were denying redemption requests for the past two years.

 

[spike.t]

Trump sows uncertainty - and Xi Jinping sees an opportunity

President Xi Jinping has made no secret of his ambition for China to lead an alternate world order.

www.bbc.com

 

[Altitude sickness]

Getting rid of USAID does not mean the US will not help other countries. Just as doing away with DEI does not mean minorities should not be given a chance to succeed. Or that we do not want immigration into the US.

All straw man arguments.

The reason USAID is on the chopping block. Is when the DOGE asked. Exactly what do you do here? And wanted to see the books. It unearthed an unauthorized agency with no oversight from Congress.

Now the machine is going after Elon Musk for not being a paid government bureaucrat and that Musk may have asked for access to the highest level of secure programs. Basically that Musk broke the law regarding classified material.

USAID is a covert agency cloaked in foreign aid. That is actually involved in regime change, impacting foreign elections, disinformation campaigns inside other countries. Basically everything that we bemoan that Russia and China do.

Here is 100 million dollars. But here is a radio station or here is an app for your citizens. Or let us make sure your elections are fair. Let us arm your enemy.

The DC rats will not let USAID go away easily. Musk may become this Trump terms first sacrificial lamb.

Of course. I’m not opposed to operations like this. But they are supposed to have oversight. Otherwise a few people in charge usually end up causing our next war with 10-20 years.

 

[Altitude sickness]

The first TikTok

US secretly created 'Cuban Twitter' to stir unrest and undermine government

USAid started ZunZuneo, a social network built on texts, in hope it could be used to organize 'smart mobs' to trigger Cuban spring

www.theguardian.com