Politics

[Wishfulthinker580]

You have to watch it sometime to get the other half of the story. The US is split, somewhere close to 50-50 on nearly everything. Sometimes you need to listen to different opinions. Sometimes the different opinions are really not so different.

I don’t disagree on needing a variety of sources for information but these people have lost all credibility in my mind. Not that they had much to begin with. It’s important to know the left’s opinion on things but I have zero respect for any of it.

 

[CJW]

Speaking of left wing media lunacy, Joy Reid has been canceled.

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5160187-msnbc-cancels-joy-reid-show-in-major-shake-up/

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yep, second verse same as the first…… is the bats name Anthony?

New bat coronavirus discovered in China sparks pandemic concerns

The discovery of a new bat coronavirus in China has sparked concerns of another pandemic. The virus, HKU5-CoV-2, is similar to to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Tundra Tiger]

The government organization that employs a very good number of the people in my town always has a big purse of money they spend frivolously at the end of the fiscal year. I might suggest, if I had someone’s influential ear, that we might seek out ways to better manage the “use it or lose it” process. Because I tell ya, the new stuff, that they really don’t need, that shows up after Sept 30 is something to behold. This is but a very small sample of one National Park in Alaska. I cannot imagine what it must look like system

Ditto. I have often thought the same thing about where I work and the use or lose money at the end of the fiscal year. The whole process seems asinine to me.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Speaking of left wing media lunacy, Joy Reid has been canceled.

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5160187-msnbc-cancels-joy-reid-show-in-major-shake-up/

They could show old reruns of "Happy Days" in her place.

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

They could show old reruns of "Happy Days" in her place.

It would pair well with their penchant for shark jumping!

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Speaking of left wing media lunacy, Joy Reid has been canceled.

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5160187-msnbc-cancels-joy-reid-show-in-major-shake-up/

Giving The ReidOut new meaning.

 

[Tanks]

I thought the tariffs were going to be paid by the other guys?

 

[gbflyer]

Ditto. I have often thought the same thing about where I work and the use or lose money at the end of the fiscal year. The whole process seems asinine to me.

TT I don’t think there is a single employee out there that agrees with the use or lose either. At least the ones I’ve talked to about it.

 

[mdwest]

you understand how tariffs work...

they are indeed a tax on import... which absolutely makes the price of an item go up...

it also discourages you to purchase that item.. and pushes you to look for alternatives either made in your home country, or somewhere else where the tariff either doesn't exist or is lower..

which drives the country that you have put a tariff on to enter into negotiations, because they are no longer selling as much of their product to the US consumer groups..

which is exactly what just happened with the EU and their 10% tariff on US manufactured vehicle last week..

they don't want a US tariff on EU vehicles... but they have imposed tariffs and penalties across the EU for decades that drive down US vehicle sales there.... Trump has threatened them with a counter tariff of equal or greater magnitude.. and they don't want to lose the US market... so they are now willing to talk...

FWIW the US represents 25% of all MINI vehicles sold annually (owned by BMW).. roughly 20% of BMW's global sales for BMW branded vehicles.. its not a small market that they stand to lose..

if/when the EU dumps the 10% vehicle tariff, the US will dump its intended tariff.. and the prices of EU vehicles will not go up, while more US vehicles will be sold abroad, providing more work/jobs/profits/etc to the US auto industry..

the other side "pays"... because they stop selling goods... which incentivizes them to negotiate and give something in return for dropping the tariff..

 

[Tundra Tiger]

TT I don’t think there is a single employee out there that agrees with the use or lose either. At least the ones I’ve talked to about it.

As someone who was a public school teacher for almost 2 decades prior to beginning federal employment, I find the whole process vexing, to use a popular Larry McMurtry word.

 

[Russ16]

you understand how tariffs work...

they are indeed a tax on import... which absolutely makes the price of an item go up...

it also discourages you to purchase that item.. and pushes you to look for alternatives either made in your home country, or somewhere else where the tariff either doesn't exist or is lower..

which drives the country that you have put a tariff on to enter into negotiations, because they are no longer selling as much of their product to the US consumer groups..

which is exactly what just happened with the EU and their 10% tariff on US manufactured vehicle last week..

they don't want a US tariff on EU vehicles... but they have imposed tariffs and penalties across the EU for decades that drive down US vehicle sales there.... Trump has threatened them with a counter tariff of equal or greater magnitude.. and they don't want to lose the US market... so they are now willing to talk...

FWIW the US represents 25% of all MINI vehicles sold annually (owned by BMW).. roughly 20% of BMW's global sales for BMW branded vehicles.. its not a small market that they stand to lose..

if/when the EU dumps the 10% vehicle tariff, the US will dump its intended tariff.. and the prices of EU vehicles will not go up, while more US vehicles will be sold abroad, providing more work/jobs/profits/etc to the US auto industry..

the other side "pays"... because they stop selling goods... which incentivizes them to negotiate and give something in return for dropping the tariff..

Yes it gets much more complicated when you have a car assembled in the US but some of the parts are imported. And in some cases you have parts that are made here that go to Mexico where they are assembled into components that come back to the US and are assembled into the full vehicle.

So the consumer is trying to buy a US made car doesn’t know that parts come from elsewhere and the tariff is just baked into the cost.

There are also products that can’t be made here. Like tequila, under US law you can’t call it tequila if it isn’t made in Mexico. Even if we had enough agave production in the US (we don’t) you could make a similar product but couldn’t call it tequila. So if you want a margarita you pay the tariff.

Thats where the blanket tariffs present challenges.

 

[mdwest]

lets look at what Trump is doing on a larger, strategic scale.. not just one isolated issue like tariffs or Ukraine...

Im not saying I agree with everything he is doing, or how he is doing it.. I don't think anyone here is in 100% agreement other than maybe just a few.. so no reason to go there..

but... look at how even just these two things intersect on a classic vin diagram..

tariffs, whether we like them or not, are definitely going to put EU countries and EU businesses in an economic crisis.. they are going to be forced to negotiate, or they are going to see sales volumes drop.. the US economy has considerably more staying power to outlast the EU in a long term financial conflict.. while it could (would most likely) create some financial problems in the US, the impact on the EU would be substantially greater.. and both sides know it..

combine that with Trump potentially backing away from further support of Ukraine (if they don't give up minerals).. EU's options are pretty simple.. do nothing differently (which doesn't seem to be appealing to any of the larger/more significant member states).. or increase their spending and support to Ukraine.. which also puts financial pressure on all of those countries..

In addition to that, cut off all US subsidies and US support to Europe through USAID, the State Dept, etc.. AND cut off major programs that the EU sees as critical in the developing world (Africa, Asia, etc).. USAID spent $11B in 2024 in Africa alone and the EU has already declared it does not have the financial resources to backfill or cover that withdrawal of funding..

Most people don't realize that USAID and DOS both have spent hundreds of millions annually even in the developed countries in Europe.. France got just under $125M last year for example..

So now, in addition to having the financial burden of tariffs, having to pick up the slack in Ukraine, not getting their hundreds of millions individually from USAID each year, AND having to pick up USAID and DOS slack across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, etc.. what do we think happens to the economies of Germany, France, Spain, Italy, etc..etc..?

All the saber rattling and rhetoric in the world doesn't change the facts.. the EU cant handle the burden they are being threatened with.. they can start to relent on a few things like tariffs, and not taking money for LBGTQ+ plays to be performed in their countries at the US's expense.. or, they can be bankrupt in a few years..

What are the other options? If they exist, Im not seeing them....

Granted.. Trump is playing hardball... and no one outside the US is enjoying it very much (except for Argentina.. their President seems to be loving it all)..

But.. had the EU actually been pulling its weight in NATO all of these years.. had they been engaging in fair trade for the last several decades.. etc etc.. we probably wouldn't be where we are today...

Whether that's the EU's fault to not living up to the contracts (i.e. NATO, etc) they signed and agreed to.. or the US's fault for letting them get away with it for so long doesn't really matter does it?

The facts/truth remain the same..

 

[Tanks]

you understand how tariffs work...

they are indeed a tax on import... which absolutely makes the price of an item go up...

...

I know, I was being facetious based on Trump's comments on tariffs.

https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/who-pays-trumps-tariffs-china-or-us-customers-and-companies-idUSKCN1TK1V7/

It also discourages you to purchase that item.. and pushes you to look for alternatives either made in your home country, or somewhere else where the tariff either doesn't exist or is lower..

Well, in a lot of cases there are not alternatives made here.

I ordered ten of these for employees/contractors. No one here makes them.

FlipAction Pro 16” Gen 2

The SOTSU FlipAction Pro 16" offers versatile productivity for professionals on the move with a portable design and Retina matching performance. Top engineering combined with anodized aluminum alloy design results in a premium quality monitor that feels and looks even better. Designed with an...

www.sotsu.com

 

[Brent in Az]

Dan Bongino to serve as deputy director of the FBI

 

[mdwest]

I know, I was being facetious based on Trump's comments on tariffs.

https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/who-pays-trumps-tariffs-china-or-us-customers-and-companies-idUSKCN1TK1V7/

Well, in a lot of cases there are not alternatives made here.

I ordered ten of these for employees/contractors. No one here makes them.

FlipAction Pro 16” Gen 2

The SOTSU FlipAction Pro 16" offers versatile productivity for professionals on the move with a portable design and Retina matching performance. Top engineering combined with anodized aluminum alloy design results in a premium quality monitor that feels and looks even better. Designed with an...

www.sotsu.com

that is going to be very true with a lot of things made in China...

I've been going down a "mil-spec" rabbit hole lately (things made to very specific military specifications).. I'm blown away about how much US military mil-spec is sourced only in China.. or what the cost differences are for US manufactured mil spec is vs pretty much anywhere else it is manufactured on earth..

as an example, if our military (or one of its materials providers) wants to procure a million linear feet of mil-spec tubular nylon.. they can get that out of China for about 1/5th the cost of the exact same item made to the exact same specs made in a textile mill in Rhode Island.. and have it on a boat headed our way in a matter of days... but will have to wait for the textile mill in RI to actually make the stuff to order (might take several weeks)..

 

[Doubleplay]

Clearly neither you or Doubleplay lead organizations.. or work for the US govt..

All of my employees can tell you exactly what they did last week…

All but a handful of them work for the US govt (my firm is a services provider to the state dept, DoD, and the intel community, among others)…

All of my “customers” (the US government) expect regular/routine reports on my employees activities…

If they’re not working and doing what they get paid to do, the govt doesn’t intend on paying for them..

So the same standard shouldn’t apply to the govt?

Do you really think Amazon, General Electric, or Ernst & Young leaders aren’t tracking their employees for productivity and results?

Or let’s bring this down to the AH level..

Do you really think @Tanks or @WAB or other senior business leaders don’t have a grasp of employee productivity and results? And aren’t monitoring regularly?

The government admits (to include even Chuck Schumer) that it is inefficient, and over staffed…

So accounting for people actually working (when, again, several agencies already track this, and have it automated) is a bad idea?

This is not about you or it's not about what they did last week or government being overstaffed.
This is simply about how they're treated and disrespecting and bypassing their supervisors and directors who should know what they're doing and tracking.
I ran a medium size business with couple dozen employees but never bypassed the middle management.
Do you really think DOGE have thousands of people with clearance and ready to read the answers and take action?
Even if they did it'll take months...
This is about intimidation and nothing else.
I'm all for reducing waste and spending but this is not the right way to do it.
When bright young people who has a lot of potential see this they might think twice to work for government in the future.

 

[mdwest]

Dan Bongino to serve as deputy director of the FBI

Im been largely good with Trumps more off the beaten path nominations and appointees.. because you can look 1 tier up or down and see someone wholly qualified to do the job sitting outside the limelight that's likely actually running the organization...

Hegseth would be an example.. while he's growing on me a bit.. he clearly isn't experienced or qualified to run what amounts to the largest corporation in the world.. he doesn't have the leadership experience, he doesn't have the business experience, he doesn't have the education, etc..etc.. (although I will concede he does bring other things to the table of value.. he is excellent in front of the camera.. he is smart, sharp, personable, likeable, etc).. the Deptuy SECDEF is Stephen Feinberg though.. who brings all of the things to the table that Hegseth doesn't.. I think the two of them, if they are able to work well together, have the potential to do a fine job running the pentagon...

Im not nearly as comfortable about the FBI..

I was hopeful Trump would find someone a bit more qualified than Bongino.. I don't dislike Bongino (although I find him a bit over the top at times.. definitely stretching things to try to appeal to the camera, his audience, etc).. but at the end of the day, you've got a guy that spent a few years in NYPD, then spent a few years at the USSS, who then became a podcaster and guest commentator on conservative news networks (and Fox.. I don't really qualify Fox as a "conservative" network even though they are more right leaning than left)...

Neither Bongino or Patel have managed or run large, complex organizations before.. Neither have been senior administrators in any law enforcement organization.. etc etc..

While Im hopeful that they can do a good job... and hopeful that they are sensible enough to surround themselves with the experts they need to run the FBI efficiently, legally, and in the interest of the American people... Im a little bit hesitant to believe they can/will at this point.. Im going to be a Doubting Thomas on this one... Im going to need to see the holes in their hands before I believe it..

 

[mdwest]

This is not about you or it's not about what they did last week or government being overstaffed.
This is simply about how they're treated and disrespecting and bypassing their supervisors and directors who should know what they're doing and tracking.
I ran a medium size business with couple dozen employees but never bypassed the middle management.
Do you really think DOGE have thousands of people with clearance and ready to read the answers and take action?
Even if they did it'll take months...
This is about intimidation and nothing else.
I'm all for reducing waste and spending but this is not the right way to do it.
When bright young people who has a lot of potential see this they might think twice to work for government in the future.

Funny... In the last 72 hours Ive personally spoken with about a dozen federal employees across several agencies (FBI, DEA, DOS, VA, and USBP).. none of them are saying they feel disrespected at all..

In fact, every one of them has said whats already been said in earlier posts "the government knows exactly what I do every day.. there are files and logs that track activities"..

the ones that show up and work every day don't seem to have a problem telling you what they do, how long it takes to do it, and why they do it..

some that haven't been showing up or doing much are clearly upset (feel threatened)..

but you think they are disrespected by the email... why is that? other than the MSM or a Democrat politician, who has told you that they were disrespected?


The question about DOGE having thousands of people with clearances to read answers demonstrates how unplugged you are from reality...

almost everything DOGE is doing is driven by AI, automation, LLMs, and other technologies..

do you really think DOGE, by name identified the 1000 people that Patel sent out of FBI HQ to the field offices after he had been in office for 24 hours (out of the 7300 assigned to the HQ? Or that Patel did that himself?

Or do you maybe think there was a computer or two involved?

 

[Brent in Az]

I anticipated Bongino to be tapped as head of SS. Especially considering the network of people he knows within that agency, and how it operates.