On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, pothead wrote:
> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>> train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>> If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>>
>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>>
>> Swill
>
> As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
> Why?
> Because they are not scientific.
> So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
> projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else. People don't realize the
> majore effect that the US has on the world economy.
> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>
> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.

You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... I am
likely the oldest one still posting (79 soon). I have a BSEE then an
MBA and after many years in the USAF and the aerospace industry I
returned to law school and practiced for over forty years. I have lived
in Ohio, NY, Florida and now back to my birth place, Louisiana. I spent
most of my work life before law traveling in almost all the states. Your
"work" will determine where you live for a long time.

All empires fail ... many on these groups apparently do not read
anything "historic" and many seem to think that there is only one
"correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.

We in the USA have enjoyed a quite difficult history during our
beginning and middle and now we may be slipping a little into the "late"
stages. I hope not, but history has a way of repeating itself.

Read about Genghis Khan ... absolutely amazing. Rome ruled the world.
The sun did not set on the British Empire.

I do not know who will be our next president. I hope it is not Biden
and we get away from this path we are on. It is not just the president
that needs to be changed. We need to get back to a middle. Hope springs
eternal. It is who comes after our next president that matters most.

On 2024-02-15, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, pothead wrote:
>> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>> train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>>> If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>>>
>>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>>>
>>> Swill
>>
>> As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>> Why?
>> Because they are not scientific.
>> So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>> projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else. People don't realize the
>> majore effect that the US has on the world economy.
>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>
>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>
> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... I am
> likely the oldest one still posting (79 soon). I have a BSEE then an
> MBA and after many years in the USAF and the aerospace industry I
> returned to law school and practiced for over forty years. I have lived
> in Ohio, NY, Florida and now back to my birth place, Louisiana. I spent
> most of my work life before law traveling in almost all the states. Your
> "work" will determine where you live for a long time.

You've got me beat by "a few years".

> All empires fail ... many on these groups apparently do not read
> anything "historic" and many seem to think that there is only one
> "correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.

Sad but true.

> We in the USA have enjoyed a quite difficult history during our
> beginning and middle and now we may be slipping a little into the "late"
> stages. I hope not, but history has a way of repeating itself.

I am afraid that indeed we are.

> Read about Genghis Khan ... absolutely amazing. Rome ruled the world.
> The sun did not set on the British Empire.

Roman Empire I know a little about. Same for British Empire.
Genghis I know of but nothing about.
I'll check him out.

> I do not know who will be our next president. I hope it is not Biden
> and we get away from this path we are on. It is not just the president
> that needs to be changed. We need to get back to a middle. Hope springs
> eternal. It is who comes after our next president that matters most.

We do. I hope it's neither Trump or Biden.
As a nation the extreme left and right are both destructive, just in different ways.
It's why I say that the Republican party is no longer the party of Reagan and the Democrat party is
no longer the party of JFK.
I suspect we are in for a very rough ride.

--
pothead
Tommy Chong For President 2024.
Crazy Joe Biden Is A Demented Imbecile.
Impeach Joe Biden 2022.

On 2/15/2024 7:02 AM, da pickle wrote:
> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, "pothole"/"Sakran", lying Nazi fuck, lied:
>>
>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>
>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>
> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ...
> Your "work" will determine
> "historic" and many seem to think that there is only one "correct" way to view
> the world ... "their" way.
>
> slipping a little into the "late" stages.

This pompous egotistical fat fuck reminds me of the late Alan Bond
(OrigInfoJunkie). Bond constantly put unnecessary and meaningless quotes around
words.

On 2/15/2024 1:51 PM, Ubiquitous wrote:
> On 2/15/2024 7:02 AM, da pickle wrote:
>> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, "pothole"/"Sakran", lying Nazi fuck, lied:
>>>
>>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>>
>>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>>
>> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... Your
>> "work" will determine "historic" and many seem to think that there is
>> only one "correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.
>>
>> slipping a little into the "late" stages.
>
> This pompous egotistical fat fuck reminds me of the late Alan Bond
> (OrigInfoJunkie). Bond constantly put unnecessary and meaningless quotes
> around words.

Not fat but might be a little egotistical and do like to fuck ... but
what is your excuse for "existing"?

On 2/15/2024 1:22 PM, pothead wrote:
> On 2024-02-15, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, pothead wrote:
>>> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>>> train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>>>> If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>>>>
>>>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>>>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>>>>
>>>> Swill
>>>
>>> As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>>> Why?
>>> Because they are not scientific.
>>> So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>>> projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else. People don't realize the
>>> majore effect that the US has on the world economy.
>>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>>
>>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>>
>> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... I am
>> likely the oldest one still posting (79 soon). I have a BSEE then an
>> MBA and after many years in the USAF and the aerospace industry I
>> returned to law school and practiced for over forty years. I have lived
>> in Ohio, NY, Florida and now back to my birth place, Louisiana. I spent
>> most of my work life before law traveling in almost all the states. Your
>> "work" will determine where you live for a long time.
>
> You've got me beat by "a few years".
>
>
>> All empires fail ... many on these groups apparently do not read
>> anything "historic" and many seem to think that there is only one
>> "correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.
>
> Sad but true.
>
>
>> We in the USA have enjoyed a quite difficult history during our
>> beginning and middle and now we may be slipping a little into the "late"
>> stages. I hope not, but history has a way of repeating itself.
>
> I am afraid that indeed we are.
>
>> Read about Genghis Khan ... absolutely amazing. Rome ruled the world.
>> The sun did not set on the British Empire.
>
> Roman Empire I know a little about. Same for British Empire.
> Genghis I know of but nothing about.
> I'll check him out.
>
>
>
>> I do not know who will be our next president. I hope it is not Biden
>> and we get away from this path we are on. It is not just the president
>> that needs to be changed. We need to get back to a middle. Hope springs
>> eternal. It is who comes after our next president that matters most.
>
> We do. I hope it's neither Trump or Biden.
> As a nation the extreme left and right are both destructive, just in different ways.
> It's why I say that the Republican party is no longer the party of Reagan and the Democrat party is
> no longer the party of JFK.
> I suspect we are in for a very rough ride.

I wonder if the young K can make it?

On 2/15/2024 12:23 PM, da pickle wrote:
> On 2/15/2024 1:51 PM, Ubiquitous wrote:
>> On 2/15/2024 7:02 AM, da pickle wrote:
>>> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, "pothole"/"Sakran", lying Nazi fuck, lied:
>>>>
>>>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>>>
>>>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>>>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>>>
>>> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... Your "work"
>>> will determine "historic" and many seem to think that there is only one
>>> "correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.
>>>
>>> slipping a little into the "late" stages.
>>
>> This pompous egotistical fat fuck reminds me of the late Alan Bond
>> (OrigInfoJunkie). Bond constantly put unnecessary and meaningless quotes
>> around words.
>
> Not fat but might be a little egotistical and do like to fuck

You're a fat fuck. The point is the alliteration.

> ... but what is your excuse for "existing"?

You don't know how or when to use quotation marks, you stupid egotistical
pretentious fat fuck.

On 2/15/2024 2:27 PM, Ubiquitous wrote:
> On 2/15/2024 12:23 PM, da pickle wrote:
>> On 2/15/2024 1:51 PM, Ubiquitous wrote:
>>> On 2/15/2024 7:02 AM, da pickle wrote:
>>>> On 2/14/2024 7:33 PM, "pothole"/"Sakran", lying Nazi fuck, lied:
>>>>>
>>>>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>>>>
>>>>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>>>>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>>>>
>>>> You sound like you might "young" (and Swill sounds "old") ... Your
>>>> "work" will determine "historic" and many seem to think that there
>>>> is only one "correct" way to view the world ... "their" way.
>>>>
>>>> slipping a little into the "late" stages.
>>>
>>> This pompous egotistical fat fuck reminds me of the late Alan Bond
>>> (OrigInfoJunkie). Bond constantly put unnecessary and meaningless
>>> quotes around words.
>>
>> Not fat but might be a little egotistical and do like to fuck
>
> You're a fat fuck. The point is the alliteration.
>
>> ... but what is your excuse for "existing"?
>
> You don't know how or when to use quotation marks, you stupid
> egotistical pretentious fat fuck.

No excuse ... seems like it.

On 2/15/2024 1:22 PM, pothead wrote:
> On 2024-02-15, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:

>> Read about Genghis Khan ... absolutely amazing. Rome ruled the world.
>> The sun did not set on the British Empire.
>
> Roman Empire I know a little about. Same for British Empire.
> Genghis I know of but nothing about.
> I'll check him out.

He was really worth learning about. An amazing man ... an amazing empire.

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>train wreck for most under Biden.

That's not true. It's rightist screed and the MSM has picked it up because it generates
clicks and viewer ship. The fact is that by any measure the economy is better than it was
before Biden was elected, certainly better than when Trump and earlier, Obama, came into
office. People are not indifferent to this. They're upset about inflation but that dog
has gone back under the porch and wages are still catching up.

The right can't depend on any perception of poor economic performance to sweep them into
office. The economy is simply too strong.

>>My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.

So, your investments are doing better under Biden but you still support Trump?
You have said Trump is a shyster and a poor judge of character, but you still support him?
No President is king. He *presides* over an executive team. Trump is a bad judge of
character, as you have said, and hires based or loyalty over competence, as we all have
seen, yet you still support him?

Your economy is better under Biden than Trump.
Trump is a shyster operating on the edge of criminality.
He is a poor judge of hiring.

Why would you support him? How many more reasons are you going to give for not supporting
him?

He is an isolationist who thrives on conflict as has been attested by many of his former
staffers. He seems to really enjoy setting folks against each other, then sitting back to
watch the fireworks.

How is this conducive to a world striving for peace?

>>>If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.

>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.

I'll remind you that homes are still selling well. My brother, for example, sold his
house (owned for 16 years and bought for around 80+k), for a six figure profit and it sold
within a month.

>As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>Why?
>Because they are not scientific.
>So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else.

Which is WHY right wing isolationism is a bad idea. They have no idea what would happen
to us if we simply withdrew from the world. Look what happened when Trump withdrew from
Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Germany and expressed his desire to withdraw from NATO.
Putin invaded Ukraine and Xi became aggressive about Taiwan. Putin has now stalled in his
conquest and Xi is no longer ending every speech with, "And then we're going to take
Taiwan."

Violence is erupting around the world perpetuated by American adversaries like Russia and
Iran. The main reason China hasn't roused is because they're now only the second most
populous country and virtually all of its neighbors, at least the powerful ones, are
friends and allies of the United States which is expanding it's net to contain China.

The Quad: The United States, Australia, India and Japan.
AUKUS: Australia, United Kingdom and United States.

>People don't realize the
>majore effect that the US has on the world economy.

Yeah, they do. It's *Americans* who don't realize how much our choices affect the rest of
the planet. Trust and believe, EVERYBODY but Joe Sixpack understands it! Joe still
thinks the rest of the world is none of our business and vice versa. The fact is, as you
point out, the US, indeed the entire planet, is already so integrated that what we do *is*
the rest of the world's business.

>These are things that can't be measured by metrics.

They can, to some degree.

>Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.

No, we don't, and you have no objective measurement for saying so. You're simply
repeating partisan screed because you've decided not to like the guy.

A major difference between Trump and Biden is that Biden hires based on competence, Trump
hires based on loyalty, and isn't Putin hiring based on loyalty why Russia is weak,
failing and has spent two years failing to occupy a tiny and poor agricultural neighbor?

>The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.

Things are in turmoil because under Trump, the United States signaled a desire to end Pax
Americana by withdrawing from its dominance on the world stage.

This is the global equivalent of defunding the police and has allowed belligerents to
believe we won't do anything to stop them. Putin now knows this was a miscalculation
while Iran and their Houthi clients are finding that out as well.

Biden's strength in leading resistance to both the Evil Empire and the Axis of Evil has
shown why Trump should not be returned to the White House. Because of its philosophy of
isolationism and withdrawal from global affairs, the hard right WILL cause massive war and
turmoil to follow if allowed into power.

Notice that most of the world is lined up behind the West because they know that no other
planetary leadership is going to grant them as much freedom, sovereignty *and* security.

Example: Euro-Asian Trade is impinged through the Suez by a small group of terrorists.
The US and UK are acting as defacto global police by protecting ALL trading nations from
Houthi attack. Who would be doing that if the US chose not too? What would happen to
global trade in that case? The rise in prices of oil alone would have a significant
effect on inflation, production and trade.

Swill
--
Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show! First episode is on Youtube.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBPm0b9de

The Daily Show streams on the Paramount network (includes Showtime, CBS
and your local CBS station). https://help.paramountplus.com/

Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!

Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!

Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!

Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
<https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:21:47 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:26:48 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>
>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>
>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>
>>>>> Swill
>>>>
>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>
>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>
>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>
>>>That's me.
>>>
>>>
>>>> What do you think comes next
>>>>
>>>> WWIII
>>>> Depression
>>>> Loss of our currency
>>>> Fascism
>>>> Communism
>>>
>>>At least in part, all of them.
>>
>> That's nothing. I hear that the sun is going to run out of hydrogen.
>
>Read those items and tell us that we are not headed in that direction.
>Will it actually happen?
>I dunno but it doesn't too good.

The hard right is moving in that direction. Btw, choose between fascism and communism.
You can't have both because fascism is right wing extreme while communism is left wing
extreme. If you can't be accurate, don't post.

>>>> Is there a possibility of a return to independent States and less
>>>> federal control over EVERYTHING?

I certainly hope not.

>>>That's me again.
>>>The more government gets involved, the worse things are.

Then go back in time and enlist in the Confederate Army. That ship has sailed and you've
missed it by a century and a half.

>>>> Do you like your state? Why not let those who like their states to
>>>> continue living different that what you want?

They can, within limits and those limits are due to us all living in the same country.

>>>I used to like my state but not anymore.
>>>The democrats are running it into the ground.
>>
>> Then leave.
>
>I am looking into it.
>
>
>> Florida is a red state, has no state income taxes and no snow.
>
>I've been there several times.
>Too hot.
>Super bugs.
>High humidity.
>Lately difficulty getting insurance.

Try north Texas. Not as many bugs or heat but does get snow once in a while. It's also
windy so when it gets hot, it's not as bad as you might think. But if it gets cold, it
cuts like a knife. I've seen places in Texas where the trees are permanently bent away
from the prevailing winds.

Swill
--
Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show! First episode is on Youtube.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBPm0b9de

The Daily Show streams on the Paramount network (includes Showtime, CBS
and your local CBS station). https://help.paramountplus.com/

Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!

Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!

Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!

Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
<https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:49:59 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>Actually democrats should be worried about Pennsylvania because Fetterman is going center instead
>of far left.
>The guy is starting to make sense.

This is not worrisome. This is what appeals to the center and that's where the votes are.
Iow, the right's fears of growing far left power are not solidly based. Democrats are
striving to appeal to the middle and that is why they've been gaining ground since Obama.

The left always votes left.
The right always votes right.
The center makes the decisions.

Swill
--
Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show! First episode is on Youtube.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBPm0b9de

The Daily Show streams on the Paramount network (includes Showtime, CBS
and your local CBS station). https://help.paramountplus.com/

Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!

Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!

Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!

Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
<https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

On 2/15/2024 4:43 PM, Governor Swill wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>
>> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>> train wreck for most under Biden.
>
> That's not true. It's rightist screed and the MSM has picked it up because it generates
> clicks and viewer ship. The fact is that by any measure the economy is better than it was
> before Biden was elected, certainly better than when Trump and earlier, Obama, came into
> office. People are not indifferent to this. They're upset about inflation but that dog
> has gone back under the porch and wages are still catching up.
>
> The right can't depend on any perception of poor economic performance to sweep them into
> office. The economy is simply too strong.

You live in a dream, Swill.

On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>>train wreck for most under Biden.
>
> That's not true. It's rightist screed and the MSM has picked it up because it generates
> clicks and viewer ship. The fact is that by any measure the economy is better than it was
> before Biden was elected, certainly better than when Trump and earlier, Obama, came into
> office. People are not indifferent to this. They're upset about inflation but that dog
> has gone back under the porch and wages are still catching up.

For ME. IOW I did much better under Trump.
I rarely follow advice from the MSM because they are heavily biased on both sides.
Regardless of what the numbers say, why are people so pissed off?
Claims of not being able to buy even the same amount of goods for even more money, under Biden?
Most people have no idea what the numbers mean but are surely capable of seeing how far their money
goes.

> The right can't depend on any perception of poor economic performance to sweep them into
> office. The economy is simply too strong.

But it's not just the right. It's the left as well.
Example, a reporter went to interview average people on the street in the Bronx NYC and they gave
her an earful about Joe Biden.
The Bronx is heavily democrat BTW.
And national polls back this up.

>>>My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>
> So, your investments are doing better under Biden but you still support Trump?
> You have said Trump is a shyster and a poor judge of character, but you still support him?
> No President is king. He *presides* over an executive team. Trump is a bad judge of
> character, as you have said, and hires based or loyalty over competence, as we all have
> seen, yet you still support him?

Not better than under trump, but better than under Biden at least in his first 2 years or so.
My 401k tanked under Biden but it's recovering slowly.

> Your economy is better under Biden than Trump.

Nope.
Try buying a house or car under Biden.
Eating out?
I can't say for FL but here in NY prices are insane even for Chinese take out and it's due to the
cost to transport the raw materials due mostly to the price of gas/diesel. It all flows down to the
consumer one way or the other.

> Trump is a shyster operating on the edge of criminality.
> He is a poor judge of hiring.

In business he is certainly out for himself.
In NYC back when he was building stuff, the unions were extremely powerful and corrupt.
You had to grease the correct palms or you would be stonewalled.

I think even Rodney Dangerfield mentioned something similar in the movie "Back To School".
Not NYC in particular but in general.

And sadly from what I can tell, Trump carried that type of business acumen into the WH.
Read his book "The Art Of The Deal" to get an idea of how Trump operates.
One takeaway is that Trump uses other people's money to develop projects. For obvious reasons.

I agree that Trump is an awful judge of hiring and people's character. TBH I can't imagine how he
could have been in business as long as he has with that fault.
Just look at his "fixer" lawyer Cohen for example. The guy is literally an ambulance chaser.
My theory is he hires yes people who suck up to him and fires those who don't.

> Why would you support him? How many more reasons are you going to give for not supporting
> him?

I supported Trump for several reasons:

1. His put America first promise.
2. Getting out of useless money sucking organizations like WHO.
3. Getting out of the BS Iran Nuclear Deal.
4. Stopping the US piggy bank for the world.
5. The border.
6. Getting NATO countries to pay their fair share. And no I would not refuse to support them if
attacked. That's stupid.
7. Drill baby drill. No war on fossil fuels.
8. Women's right to privacy. Started at the very end of his office though.

Things I didn't / don't like:

1. Capping SALT. Killed me in NY where taxes are insane. I do get it though as to why other states
shouldn't have to pay for NY's horrid waste of money. And capping SALT has helped them.
2. He spent the first 2 years dawdling around when he had the senate and congress. Big mistake.
3. COVID response. While overall I think Trump did well in an uncharted ocen in hindsight leaving
it up to the states to organize the distribution of the vaccines was a huge mistake.
4. A revolving door WH policy. I could barely keep track of who was who in the zoo. Bad optics.
5. His response to Jan 6th. While I see no real evidence that Trump was the cause of the riots, he
should have reacted much sooner and told the rioters to stand down. Big mistake.
6. The petty name calling. Yea it's funny for a while but quickly grows moldy.

> He is an isolationist who thrives on conflict as has been attested by many of his former
> staffers. He seems to really enjoy setting folks against each other, then sitting back to
> watch the fireworks.

At times being an isolationist is a good thing.
Not sure of the fireworks but I do believe he drops bombs on purpose during his speeches
It never fails to give him tons of free press.

> How is this conducive to a world striving for peace?

Adversaries are far less willing to attack when strength is projected.
Peace by strength works, especially in the middle east where those people want us all dead.

If Trump was so bad, why didn't all of this world turmoil happen under his watch?

Evidently he was on good terms with Xi, Putin and Kim Jong Un. He even was permitted to walk across
the border into NK.
That is unprecedented.
If Biden managed to do that, without falling down of course, he would be called by the MSM the next
Churchill.
BTW Putin told Tucker Carlson that he prefers Biden as POTUS because he is predictable.
That's code for weak.

>>>>If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>
>>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>
> I'll remind you that homes are still selling well. My brother, for example, sold his
> house (owned for 16 years and bought for around 80+k), for a six figure profit and it sold
> within a month.

There is certainly money to be made but it depends.
But people currently in mortgages are staying put because it would cost them a lot more to move and
pay the current interest rate. Assuming they need to mortgage of course.

>>As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>>Why?
>>Because they are not scientific.
>>So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>>projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else.
>
> Which is WHY right wing isolationism is a bad idea. They have no idea what would happen
> to us if we simply withdrew from the world. Look what happened when Trump withdrew from
> Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Germany and expressed his desire to withdraw from NATO.
> Putin invaded Ukraine and Xi became aggressive about Taiwan. Putin has now stalled in his
> conquest and Xi is no longer ending every speech with, "And then we're going to take
> Taiwan."

Putin and Xi aggression began because of Biden's weakness.
The Afghanistan withdrawal was all on Biden. He made the decision to abandon the airbase, evacuate
the troops before the citizens and rely on the Taliban for security.

The bottom line is there was world peace under Trump. And if he was so incompetent as POTUS why
didn't all of this world mess start under his leadership?

They have attacked because Biden is a weak appeaser.
Even worse than Obama and his line in the sand crap.

> Violence is erupting around the world perpetuated by American adversaries like Russia and
> Iran. The main reason China hasn't roused is because they're now only the second most
> populous country and virtually all of its neighbors, at least the powerful ones, are
> friends and allies of the United States which is expanding it's net to contain China.

The main reason is because China, among others, own Biden.
Look carefully at Biden's decisions and you will see that for the most part he sucks up to China,
Iran and others.
Why has he not approached Xi about the fentanyl issue?
Anything negative to China that Biden does is way offset by the positives.
They own him.

> The Quad: The United States, Australia, India and Japan.
> AUKUS: Australia, United Kingdom and United States.
>
>>People don't realize the
>>majore effect that the US has on the world economy.

On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:21:47 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:26:48 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Swill
>>>>>
>>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>>
>>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>>
>>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>>
>>>>That's me.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> What do you think comes next
>>>>>
>>>>> WWIII
>>>>> Depression
>>>>> Loss of our currency
>>>>> Fascism
>>>>> Communism
>>>>
>>>>At least in part, all of them.
>>>
>>> That's nothing. I hear that the sun is going to run out of hydrogen.
>>
>>Read those items and tell us that we are not headed in that direction.
>>Will it actually happen?
>>I dunno but it doesn't too good.
>
> The hard right is moving in that direction. Btw, choose between fascism and communism.
> You can't have both because fascism is right wing extreme while communism is left wing
> extreme. If you can't be accurate, don't post.

The classic definitions of Communism, Fascism or even Marxism no longer apply.
Things have changed drastically as have both parties.

>>>>> Is there a possibility of a return to independent States and less
>>>>> federal control over EVERYTHING?
>
> I certainly hope not.
>
>>>>That's me again.
>>>>The more government gets involved, the worse things are.
>
> Then go back in time and enlist in the Confederate Army. That ship has sailed and you've
> missed it by a century and a half.

Not even related.
It's a well known fact that whenever government is involved things go south real fast.
Remember $800 hammers? Or something like that.
The US government is the poster child for inefficiency.
The private sector is much more efficient.

>>>>> Do you like your state? Why not let those who like their states to
>>>>> continue living different that what you want?
>
> They can, within limits and those limits are due to us all living in the same country.
>
>>>>I used to like my state but not anymore.
>>>>The democrats are running it into the ground.
>>>
>>> Then leave.
>>
>>I am looking into it.
>>
>>
>>> Florida is a red state, has no state income taxes and no snow.
>>
>>I've been there several times.
>>Too hot.
>>Super bugs.
>>High humidity.
>>Lately difficulty getting insurance.
>
> Try north Texas. Not as many bugs or heat but does get snow once in a while. It's also
> windy so when it gets hot, it's not as bad as you might think. But if it gets cold, it
> cuts like a knife. I've seen places in Texas where the trees are permanently bent away
> from the prevailing winds.

Been to Austin and Dallas.
Yuck.
Don't understand the fascination with these places.
Honestly if CA was COMMIEFornia, I would move there.

> Swill
> --
> Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show! First episode is on Youtube.
><https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpBPm0b9de
>
> The Daily Show streams on the Paramount network (includes Showtime, CBS
> and your local CBS station). https://help.paramountplus.com/
>
> Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/
>
> Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!
>
> Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!
>
> Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!
>
> Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
><https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

--
pothead
Tommy Chong For President 2024.
Crazy Joe Biden Is A Demented Imbecile.
Impeach Joe Biden 2022.

On 2/15/2024 6:17 PM, pothead wrote:
> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>>> train wreck for most under Biden.
>>
>> That's not true. It's rightist screed and the MSM has picked it up because it generates
>> clicks and viewer ship. The fact is that by any measure the economy is better than it was
>> before Biden was elected, certainly better than when Trump and earlier, Obama, came into
>> office. People are not indifferent to this. They're upset about inflation but that dog
>> has gone back under the porch and wages are still catching up.
>
> For ME. IOW I did much better under Trump.
> I rarely follow advice from the MSM because they are heavily biased on both sides.
> Regardless of what the numbers say, why are people so pissed off?
> Claims of not being able to buy even the same amount of goods for even more money, under Biden?
> Most people have no idea what the numbers mean but are surely capable of seeing how far their money
> goes.
>
>> The right can't depend on any perception of poor economic performance to sweep them into
>> office. The economy is simply too strong.
>
> But it's not just the right. It's the left as well.
> Example, a reporter went to interview average people on the street in the Bronx NYC and they gave
> her an earful about Joe Biden.
> The Bronx is heavily democrat BTW.
> And national polls back this up.
>
>
>>>> My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>
>> So, your investments are doing better under Biden but you still support Trump?
>> You have said Trump is a shyster and a poor judge of character, but you still support him?
>> No President is king. He *presides* over an executive team. Trump is a bad judge of
>> character, as you have said, and hires based or loyalty over competence, as we all have
>> seen, yet you still support him?
>
>
> Not better than under trump, but better than under Biden at least in his first 2 years or so.
> My 401k tanked under Biden but it's recovering slowly.
>
>> Your economy is better under Biden than Trump.
>
> Nope.
> Try buying a house or car under Biden.
> Eating out?
> I can't say for FL but here in NY prices are insane even for Chinese take out and it's due to the
> cost to transport the raw materials due mostly to the price of gas/diesel. It all flows down to the
> consumer one way or the other.
>
>> Trump is a shyster operating on the edge of criminality.
>> He is a poor judge of hiring.
>
> In business he is certainly out for himself.
> In NYC back when he was building stuff, the unions were extremely powerful and corrupt.
> You had to grease the correct palms or you would be stonewalled.
>
> I think even Rodney Dangerfield mentioned something similar in the movie "Back To School".
> Not NYC in particular but in general.
>
> And sadly from what I can tell, Trump carried that type of business acumen into the WH.
> Read his book "The Art Of The Deal" to get an idea of how Trump operates.
> One takeaway is that Trump uses other people's money to develop projects. For obvious reasons.
>
> I agree that Trump is an awful judge of hiring and people's character. TBH I can't imagine how he
> could have been in business as long as he has with that fault.
> Just look at his "fixer" lawyer Cohen for example. The guy is literally an ambulance chaser.
> My theory is he hires yes people who suck up to him and fires those who don't.
>
>
>> Why would you support him? How many more reasons are you going to give for not supporting
>> him?
>
> I supported Trump for several reasons:
>
> 1. His put America first promise.
> 2. Getting out of useless money sucking organizations like WHO.
> 3. Getting out of the BS Iran Nuclear Deal.
> 4. Stopping the US piggy bank for the world.
> 5. The border.
> 6. Getting NATO countries to pay their fair share. And no I would not refuse to support them if
> attacked. That's stupid.
> 7. Drill baby drill. No war on fossil fuels.
> 8. Women's right to privacy. Started at the very end of his office though.
>
> Things I didn't / don't like:
>
> 1. Capping SALT. Killed me in NY where taxes are insane. I do get it though as to why other states
> shouldn't have to pay for NY's horrid waste of money. And capping SALT has helped them.
> 2. He spent the first 2 years dawdling around when he had the senate and congress. Big mistake.
> 3. COVID response. While overall I think Trump did well in an uncharted ocen in hindsight leaving
> it up to the states to organize the distribution of the vaccines was a huge mistake.
> 4. A revolving door WH policy. I could barely keep track of who was who in the zoo. Bad optics.
> 5. His response to Jan 6th. While I see no real evidence that Trump was the cause of the riots, he
> should have reacted much sooner and told the rioters to stand down. Big mistake.
> 6. The petty name calling. Yea it's funny for a while but quickly grows moldy.
>
>
>
>> He is an isolationist who thrives on conflict as has been attested by many of his former
>> staffers. He seems to really enjoy setting folks against each other, then sitting back to
>> watch the fireworks.
>
> At times being an isolationist is a good thing.
> Not sure of the fireworks but I do believe he drops bombs on purpose during his speeches
> It never fails to give him tons of free press.
>
>> How is this conducive to a world striving for peace?
>
> Adversaries are far less willing to attack when strength is projected.
> Peace by strength works, especially in the middle east where those people want us all dead.
>
> If Trump was so bad, why didn't all of this world turmoil happen under his watch?
>
> Evidently he was on good terms with Xi, Putin and Kim Jong Un. He even was permitted to walk across
> the border into NK.
> That is unprecedented.
> If Biden managed to do that, without falling down of course, he would be called by the MSM the next
> Churchill.
> BTW Putin told Tucker Carlson that he prefers Biden as POTUS because he is predictable.
> That's code for weak.
>
>
>
>>>>> If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>>
>>>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>>>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>>
>> I'll remind you that homes are still selling well. My brother, for example, sold his
>> house (owned for 16 years and bought for around 80+k), for a six figure profit and it sold
>> within a month.
>
> There is certainly money to be made but it depends.
> But people currently in mortgages are staying put because it would cost them a lot more to move and
> pay the current interest rate. Assuming they need to mortgage of course.
>
>>> As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>>> Why?
>>> Because they are not scientific.
>>> So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>>> projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else.
>>
>> Which is WHY right wing isolationism is a bad idea. They have no idea what would happen
>> to us if we simply withdrew from the world. Look what happened when Trump withdrew from
>> Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Germany and expressed his desire to withdraw from NATO.
>> Putin invaded Ukraine and Xi became aggressive about Taiwan. Putin has now stalled in his
>> conquest and Xi is no longer ending every speech with, "And then we're going to take
>> Taiwan."
>
> Putin and Xi aggression began because of Biden's weakness.
> The Afghanistan withdrawal was all on Biden. He made the decision to abandon the airbase, evacuate
> the troops before the citizens and rely on the Taliban for security.
>
> The bottom line is there was world peace under Trump. And if he was so incompetent as POTUS why
> didn't all of this world mess start under his leadership?
>
> They have attacked because Biden is a weak appeaser.
> Even worse than Obama and his line in the sand crap.
>
>> Violence is erupting around the world perpetuated by American adversaries like Russia and
>> Iran. The main reason China hasn't roused is because they're now only the second most
>> populous country and virtually all of its neighbors, at least the powerful ones, are
>> friends and allies of the United States which is expanding it's net to contain China.
>
> The main reason is because China, among others, own Biden.
> Look carefully at Biden's decisions and you will see that for the most part he sucks up to China,
> Iran and others.
> Why has he not approached Xi about the fentanyl issue?
> Anything negative to China that Biden does is way offset by the positives.
> They own him.
>
>
>
>
>> The Quad: The United States, Australia, India and Japan.
>> AUKUS: Australia, United Kingdom and United States.
>>
>>> People don't realize the
>>> majore effect that the US has on the world economy.
>
> That is true and is the answer to the often asked question as how does Biden affect the inflation
> rate or fuel prices in other countries.
>
>> Yeah, they do. It's *Americans* who don't realize how much our choices affect the rest of
>> the planet. Trust and believe, EVERYBODY but Joe Sixpack understands it! Joe still
>> thinks the rest of the world is none of our business and vice versa. The fact is, as you
>> point out, the US, indeed the entire planet, is already so integrated that what we do *is*
>> the rest of the world's business.
>
> Agree.
> I used to deal with professionals all over the world and there is no doubt that they are legions
> above the average American in terms of world business etc.
>
> As an example, back in the 90's I attended a symposium in Colorado. So on the last day we all
> headed out to a club for dinner and drinks. There was a very quiet Brazilian guy in the class and
> he was ragged on all week by some ignorant redneck from Alabama.
> So it was BAU at dinner as the redneck started ragging on the Brazilian guy.
> So the Brazilian guy finally spoke up and confronted the redneck. He started with some line like
> "you do know we have electric lights and running water in Brazil?"
>
> From there it escalated to the Brazilian guy humiliating the redneck with questions like "who was
> the 13th POTUS? What is the capitol of Montana? What is the Bill Of Rights? And so forth.
> The redneck couldn't answer a single question.
>
> The Brazilian guy ended with something like "see, I know more about your country than you do".
> The redneck went to the bathroom and never came back. Sadly we were stuck with his tab.
> It was worth it though.
>
>
>
>>> These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>>
>> They can, to some degree.
>
> A zillion different opinions.
> Unlike science where I throw a ball up and I know it will come down and how fast it will hit the
> ground and at what force etc.
>
>
>
>>> Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>>
>> No, we don't, and you have no objective measurement for saying so. You're simply
>> repeating partisan screed because you've decided not to like the guy.
>
> I suggest you watch some Youtube vids.
> The guy is a basket case.
> He is still trying to appease Iran for some nuclear deal that they will never follow.
>
>
>> A major difference between Trump and Biden is that Biden hires based on competence, Trump
>> hires based on loyalty, and isn't Putin hiring based on loyalty why Russia is weak,
>> failing and has spent two years failing to occupy a tiny and poor agricultural neighbor?
>
> So why did he announce he would hire a black female as SCOTUS?
>
> <https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/biden-supreme-court-black-woman-pick-february/>
>
>
>>> The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.
>>
>> Things are in turmoil because under Trump, the United States signaled a desire to end Pax
>> Americana by withdrawing from its dominance on the world stage.
>
> Wrong.
> none of this started under Trump.
>
>> This is the global equivalent of defunding the police and has allowed belligerents to
>> believe we won't do anything to stop them. Putin now knows this was a miscalculation
>> while Iran and their Houthi clients are finding that out as well.
>
> Putin knows full well that Biden is weak and predictable.
> He said Biden is predictable.
>
>
>> Biden's strength in leading resistance to both the Evil Empire and the Axis of Evil has
>> shown why Trump should not be returned to the White House. Because of its philosophy of
>> isolationism and withdrawal from global affairs, the hard right WILL cause massive war and
>> turmoil to follow if allowed into power.
>
> Biden = strength?
> Come on Swill, you can't be that stupid.
> I get it you don't don't like Trump but Biden is a weak disaster which is why the world is in
> turmoil.
> Trump was unpredictable, a loose cannon if you will, so these conflicts didn't happen because for
> all these players knew, Trump would launch the nukes.
>
> Syria tested him and along with the UK he responded with missals.
>
>
>> Notice that most of the world is lined up behind the West because they know that no other
>> planetary leadership is going to grant them as much freedom, sovereignty *and* security.
>
> They always do.
> We have bottomless pockets.
>
>
>> Example: Euro-Asian Trade is impinged through the Suez by a small group of terrorists.
>> The US and UK are acting as defacto global police by protecting ALL trading nations from
>> Houthi attack. Who would be doing that if the US chose not too? What would happen to
>> global trade in that case? The rise in prices of oil alone would have a significant
>> effect on inflation, production and trade.
>>
>> Swill
>
> So far IMHO Biden isn't doing too bad with the Israel situation.
> TBH I'm not even sure if what is being reported is the truth.
> What I do know is Hamas started this one.
> And they never would have done that under Trump because they had 4 years and did nothing.

On 2/15/2024 4:17 PM, pothead wrote:
> On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:

>>>> My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>
>> So, your investments are doing better under Biden but you still support Trump?
>> You have said Trump is a shyster and a poor judge of character, but you still support him?
>> No President is king. He *presides* over an executive team. Trump is a bad judge of
>> character, as you have said, and hires based or loyalty over competence, as we all have
>> seen, yet you still support him?
>
>
> Not better than under trump, but better than under Biden at least in his first 2 years or so.
> My 401k tanked under Biden but it's recovering slowly.

It did not tank under Biden. It tanked in 2020 under Trump. It might not have
rebounded immediately after Biden was inaugurated, but it didn't go any lower
and now it has risen spectacularly.

>> Your economy is better under Biden than Trump.
>
> Nope.

Yep. It is absolutely not in dispute that the economy has *steadily* improved
under Biden. Trump tanked it in March-April 2020, due to his complete and
unmitigated mishandling of the pandemic. Trump didn't cause the pandemic, but
his bungling made it orders of magnitude worse. It recovered some between April
2020 and January 2021, but it really took off after Biden was in office.

You get absolutely nowhere saying that the economy today is worse than it was at
its best under Trump. That simply is not so.

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:17:07 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>>>train wreck for most under Biden.
>>
>> That's not true. It's rightist screed and the MSM has picked it up because it generates
>> clicks and viewer ship. The fact is that by any measure the economy is better than it was
>> before Biden was elected, certainly better than when Trump and earlier, Obama, came into
>> office. People are not indifferent to this. They're upset about inflation but that dog
>> has gone back under the porch and wages are still catching up.
>
>For ME. IOW I did much better under Trump.

"My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago."

>I rarely follow advice from the MSM because they are heavily biased on both sides.
>Regardless of what the numbers say, why are people so pissed off?

Part of it is inflation but most of it is the polarization presented in the media. For
example, why do you excoriate Biden so badly? His team is doing excellent work and I can
find little to disagree with.

Btw, "The US Navy's Wild Plan to Defeat China"
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlQQwm7N_mY>

>Claims of not being able to buy even the same amount of goods for even more money, under Biden?
>Most people have no idea what the numbers mean but are surely capable of seeing how far their money
>goes.

They can see the improvement as well. Look, you keep posting Biden's approval is 30% or
~30% range. It's not but you keep posting that it is. Why? Is it because some media is
telling you this? Most folks attitudes are because of what they see in the media.

>> The right can't depend on any perception of poor economic performance to sweep them into
>> office. The economy is simply too strong.
>
>But it's not just the right. It's the left as well.
>Example, a reporter went to interview average people on the street in the Bronx NYC and they gave
>her an earful about Joe Biden.
>The Bronx is heavily democrat BTW.
>And national polls back this up.

That's questioning about candidates. Try asking them about issues _only_. You'll find
that overwhelmingly voters support Democrats.
As long as you don't point that out to them. ;)

But the moment you say Trump or Biden, they switch party support. The Republicans have
become masters at distracting voters from the real issues by manipulating them
emotionally.

>>>>My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>
>> So, your investments are doing better under Biden but you still support Trump?
>> You have said Trump is a shyster and a poor judge of character, but you still support him?
>> No President is king. He *presides* over an executive team. Trump is a bad judge of
>> character, as you have said, and hires based or loyalty over competence, as we all have
>> seen, yet you still support him?
>
>
>Not better than under trump, but better than under Biden at least in his first 2 years or so.
>My 401k tanked under Biden but it's recovering slowly.

Your 401k tanked in reaction to Covid. That's a problem for both candidates. Covid
related issues make them both look bad because it happened in an election year they both
ran in. Trump gets crap from the left about ending his administration with job losses
(strictly Covid caused, not his fault) while Biden gets crap for inflation and market
losses (strictly Covid caused, not his fault).

I don't understand how people can NOT take these things into account. Economies don't
turn on a dime. Wars don't start in a day. These kinds of things develop over long time
spans. Further, a President is not a king. If you don't like something that's going on,
don't simply blame the "king". It might have been something Congress did, or some other
nation's policy change, or the weather or a global pandemic that sent politicians
scrambling for a fix.

The President isn't responsible for everything. That would be unAmerican.

>> Your economy is better under Biden than Trump.
>
>Nope.

I meant your investments, sorry.

>Try buying a house or car under Biden.

My brother made a six figure profit on his house and it sold in less than a month.

Car sales are doing well.

>Eating out?

No. I love to cook and can put up better food than most restaurants. Why would I waste
my money on them? That said, I was out and about one day and was shocked that two fish
filets and a small drink came to $11 at McDonalds!

>I can't say for FL but here in NY prices are insane even for Chinese take out

Get a pepper grinder and a good, sharp chef's knife and learn to cook. :)

>and it's due to the
>cost to transport the raw materials due mostly to the price of gas/diesel. It all flows down to the
>consumer one way or the other.

Fuel prices aren't that bad. They've floated back down to near their prepandemic rates
plus inflation.

One problem is that so many businesses and suppliers took advantage of an inflationary
period to jack up prices without taking the blame for it.

No problem. As a shopper I can put it back on the shelf if I think I'm being ripped off.

Most importantly, I know that inflation was an ENTIRELY bipartisan effect. It was due to
trillions being pumped into the economy to mitigate the damage of Covid. It started under
one President and Congress and continued under the next. I honestly don't blame the
government for that inflation. We all cashed our stimulus checks, didn't we? :-/

>> Trump is a shyster operating on the edge of criminality.
>> He is a poor judge of hiring.
>
>In business he is certainly out for himself.
>In NYC back when he was building stuff, the unions were extremely powerful and corrupt.
>You had to grease the correct palms or you would be stonewalled.
>
>I think even Rodney Dangerfield mentioned something similar in the movie "Back To School".
>Not NYC in particular but in general.
>
>And sadly from what I can tell, Trump carried that type of business acumen into the WH.

For decades conservatives have complained that we need to run the government like a
business. Trump proves that doesn't work. A government is NOT a business.

>Read his book "The Art Of The Deal" to get an idea of how Trump operates.

I already know how he operates. LOL!

>One takeaway is that Trump uses other people's money to develop projects. For obvious reasons.

And has failed so often that he's having trouble getting money from other people.

That said, business can be transactional, government can't. Trump was a very
transactional President.

Presidents also have to be polite and caring or at least pretend to care. Trump had no
trouble flipping off and/or insulting anybody he cared to. Fortunately our closest allies
gritted their teeth and waited for him to be gone so things could go back to normal.

>I agree that Trump is an awful judge of hiring and people's character. TBH I can't imagine how he
>could have been in business as long as he has with that fault.
>Just look at his "fixer" lawyer Cohen for example. The guy is literally an ambulance chaser.
>My theory is he hires yes people who suck up to him and fires those who don't.

Just like Russia. Hiring and promoting based on loyalty is precisely why Russia's
military is so inept. Routine gulag and execution purges guaranteed the most competent
officers were consistently cut out of the pool. (Stalin did a major loyalty based
military officer purge in the late thirties just before WW II) A million winter uniforms
turned out to be an empty warehouse and nobody knew where they went.

This is the sort of government I fear Trump would create in the US.

>> Why would you support him? How many more reasons are you going to give for not supporting
>> him?
>
>I supported Trump for several reasons:
>
>1. His put America first promise.

Which is nothing more than jingoism. The fact is Trump puts Trump first. America is just
a means of gaining money/power.

>2. Getting out of useless money sucking organizations like WHO.

I don't agree with that at all. The UN and it's various agencies perform valuable
functions at very little cost.

>3. Getting out of the BS Iran Nuclear Deal.

I disagree with that too. Yeah, it wasn't a great deal but it wasn't supposed to be. It
was supposed to be the start of a journey that would turn Iran from the 'dark side'. But
Trump screwed that up and now Iran is attacking Israel and helping Russia attack Ukraine.

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:18:45 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:

>Thanks to both of you for your thoughts and opinions.

YW

Swill
--
Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

"I don't want everybody to vote. As a matter of fact, our leverage in
the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."
- Paul Weyrich, co founder of Heritage Foundation and Moral Majority

Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!

Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!

Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!

Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
<https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:26:05 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:21:47 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:26:48 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Swill
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>>>
>>>>>That's me.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> What do you think comes next
>>>>>>
>>>>>> WWIII
>>>>>> Depression
>>>>>> Loss of our currency
>>>>>> Fascism
>>>>>> Communism
>>>>>
>>>>>At least in part, all of them.
>>>>
>>>> That's nothing. I hear that the sun is going to run out of hydrogen.
>>>
>>>Read those items and tell us that we are not headed in that direction.
>>>Will it actually happen?
>>>I dunno but it doesn't too good.
>>
>> The hard right is moving in that direction. Btw, choose between fascism and communism.
>> You can't have both because fascism is right wing extreme while communism is left wing
>> extreme. If you can't be accurate, don't post.
>
>The classic definitions of Communism, Fascism or even Marxism no longer apply.
>Things have changed drastically as have both parties.

Translation: The ignorant rednecks on the right don't know what these words actually mean
so they use them as an insult, swear words.

Communism is communism and occupies the left end of the political spectrum. For how long
have rightists been holding the 'socialist' and 'commie' labels over the left's head?

Fascism is fascism and occupies the right end of the spectrum. As they so commonly do,
the right is attempting to change the definitions of words so they can't be accused of
anything they can't sling back at the left. See 'woke' and how rapidly the right turned
something noble into something nasty.

<snip>
>>>>>The more government gets involved, the worse things are.
>>
>> Then go back in time and enlist in the Confederate Army. That ship has sailed and you've
>> missed it by a century and a half.
>
>Not even related.
>It's a well known fact that whenever government is involved things go south real fast.

That is a myth that Reagan spread. The proof? He ran on smaller, less intrusive
government and reduced government spending. What he actually *did* was grow government at
a record pace, almost tripling the national debt. He ran on the urban welfare queen
despite the fact that white welfare queens outnumbered black ones 3 to 1.

>Remember $800 hammers?

Yes, that was the military hiding money. You don't think we'd actually announce the
Skunkworks' budget, do you? Carter canceled the B1 bomber but kept spending the money on
the F-117. That money had to be hidden somehow so the Soviets wouldn't get wise to the
fact that we had another, more secret military project we were pouring cash into.

If you don't want your adversary to know what you're spending on weapons R&D, you hide it
in apparent corruption scandals. Not that there weren't plenty of those already (see Fat
Leonard).

>Or something like that.
>The US government is the poster child for inefficiency.

No, it's not. We get a lot more bang for our buck than you want to believe. Nobody
enjoys paying taxes but that's a lame excuse for constantly accusing the government of
being inefficient. PJ O'rourke, in Parliament of Whores, praised government efficiency at
the bureaucratic level. The waste was in the wheeling and dealing in Congress as Senators
and Reps fought to nurse their states at the national teat.

>The private sector is much more efficient.

Is that why government workers get drab offices in gray blocks while corporations appoint
their fabulous glass towers with the most fashionable woods and furnishings?

Is that why CEOs make millions a year to export jobs from their consumer market? How much
sense does that make? How efficient is it to eliminate the salaries of the very people
you're trying to sell to?

>> Try north Texas. Not as many bugs or heat but does get snow once in a while. It's also
>> windy so when it gets hot, it's not as bad as you might think. But if it gets cold, it
>> cuts like a knife. I've seen places in Texas where the trees are permanently bent away
>> from the prevailing winds.
>
>Been to Austin and Dallas.
>Yuck.
>Don't understand the fascination with these places.
>Honestly if CA was COMMIEFornia, I would move there.

Lol! Now you get the point. Red states pretty much suck pretty much most of the time,
even in their best towns. I lived in Ft Worth for a while. Didn't care for it.

Seriously though, the Civil War did damage to the south that it still has not recovered
from.

Btw,
"80% of Americans test positive for infertility-linked chemical: Study"
<https://www.newsnationnow.com/health/chlormequat-americans-positive-chemical-study/>

Swill
--
Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

"I don't want everybody to vote. As a matter of fact, our leverage in
the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."
- Paul Weyrich, co founder of Heritage Foundation and Moral Majority

Not left, not right, https://www.forwardparty.com/

Heroyam slava! Glory to the Heroes!

Sláva Ukrajíni! Glory to Ukraine!

Putin tse prezervatyv! Putin is a condom!

Go here to donate to Ukrainian relief.
<https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/uk/pages/registration-forms/help-cities.html>

On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:11:01 -0600, da pickle
<jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 2/14/2024 11:26 AM, pothead wrote:
>> On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>
>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>
>>>> Perspective.
>>>>
>>>> Swill
>>>
>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>
>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>> appeal to you.
>>>
>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>
>> That's me.
>
>
>"That" is a LOT of voters.
>

Not according to people like Swilly. He insists that people like that
are "radicals".

>
>>> What do you think comes next
>>>
>>> WWIII
>>> Depression
>>> Loss of our currency
>>> Fascism
>>> Communism
>>
>> At least in part, all of them.
>
>
>You may be a prophet.

He's stating the obvious. The signs of all of them are here now.
Oddly the media tries to tell us the exact opposite is true. The
ignorant masses just listen to the major media and ignore the reality
that surrounds them.

>
>
>>> Is there a possibility of a return to independent States and less
>>> federal control over EVERYTHING?
>>
>> That's me again.
>> The more government gets involved, the worse things are.
>
>
>The "federal" government MUST do certain things ... those things were
>discussed in the original Constitution. ALL OTHER "things" are for the
>states to take care of. Lots of changes over the years, of course, but
>the FED has gone too far ... time for the FED to back off and let the
>states have at it. If you don't like your state then, you have lots of
>choices available.
>

Until the government takes *that* choice away. It's coming.

>
>>> Do you like your state? Why not let those who like their states to
>>> continue living different that what you want?
>>
>> I used to like my state but not anymore.
>> The democrats are running it into the ground.
>
>
>I like my state, but it is a small one and does not want to be in charge
>of the whole country.
>
>

Libs want California and New York to set policy for the whole nation.

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead
<pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On 2/14/2024 11:26 AM, pothead wrote:
>>> On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>
>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>
>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>
>>>>> Swill
>>>>
>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>
>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>
>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>
>>> That's me.
>>
>>
>> "That" is a LOT of voters.
>
>It is but they have to understand that they need to come out and vote.
>

AND understand for what they are voting. It isn't a popularity
contest of who's the most attractive. The candidates have specific
positions and you need to know what they are.

>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.

Your investments, at best, are the same as they were two years ago.
Keep in mind that inflation has devalued your investment value about
20%, without factoring actual performance.

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:33:21 -0000 (UTC), pothead
<pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:

>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>>train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>>If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>>
>> Economies, like businesses and women, have their cycles. Folks who'd planned to retire
>> between 2007 and 2012 felt pretty screwed in 2008.
>>
>> Swill
>
>As a degree engineer things like psychology and economics as well rub me the wrong way.
>Why?
>Because they are not scientific.
>So for example, the world economy is affected big time by who is the POTUS. When that person
>projects weakness, or strength it affects the market and everything else. People don't realize the
>majore effect that the US has on the world economy.
>These are things that can't be measured by metrics.
>
>Right now we have a limp, half dead fish as POTUS.
>The world is watching and reacting which is why things are in turmoil.

The psychologists should understand this as they study human behavor.
The "scientists" have helped create this mayhem with the global
warming and Covid BS.

Bluntly, they're in on it.

On 2024-02-17, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:26:05 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:21:47 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>On 2024-02-15, Governor Swill <governor.swill@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:26:48 -0000 (UTC), pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Swill
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>That's me.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What do you think comes next
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> WWIII
>>>>>>> Depression
>>>>>>> Loss of our currency
>>>>>>> Fascism
>>>>>>> Communism
>>>>>>
>>>>>>At least in part, all of them.
>>>>>
>>>>> That's nothing. I hear that the sun is going to run out of hydrogen.
>>>>
>>>>Read those items and tell us that we are not headed in that direction.
>>>>Will it actually happen?
>>>>I dunno but it doesn't too good.
>>>
>>> The hard right is moving in that direction. Btw, choose between fascism and communism.
>>> You can't have both because fascism is right wing extreme while communism is left wing
>>> extreme. If you can't be accurate, don't post.
>>
>>The classic definitions of Communism, Fascism or even Marxism no longer apply.
>>Things have changed drastically as have both parties.
>
> Translation: The ignorant rednecks on the right don't know what these words actually mean
> so they use them as an insult, swear words.

It happens on both sides. The terms have evolved over the years to mean different things to
different people.
And they get interchanged far too often because people do not understand the difference between the
various forms.

> Communism is communism and occupies the left end of the political spectrum. For how long
> have rightists been holding the 'socialist' and 'commie' labels over the left's head?

While the two share some common traits they are also very different in key ways.
They are not interchangeable.

> Fascism is fascism and occupies the right end of the spectrum. As they so commonly do,
> the right is attempting to change the definitions of words so they can't be accused of
> anything they can't sling back at the left. See 'woke' and how rapidly the right turned
> something noble into something nasty.

Both left and right do it.

><snip>
>>>>>>The more government gets involved, the worse things are.
>>>
>>> Then go back in time and enlist in the Confederate Army. That ship has sailed and you've
>>> missed it by a century and a half.
>>
>>Not even related.
>>It's a well known fact that whenever government is involved things go south real fast.
>
> That is a myth that Reagan spread. The proof? He ran on smaller, less intrusive
> government and reduced government spending. What he actually *did* was grow government at
> a record pace, almost tripling the national debt. He ran on the urban welfare queen
> despite the fact that white welfare queens outnumbered black ones 3 to 1.

That's one example.
Both sides have played the "they are for the rich" vs "we are for the poor".
That has been the stereotype of democrats (poor) and republicans (rich) for as long as I can
remember.
It never really was completely true except for talking points and rhetoric.
But it was more true in years gone by than currently and that's because the parties were more
towards the center where now they are both extreme left or right.

>>Remember $800 hammers?
>
> Yes, that was the military hiding money. You don't think we'd actually announce the
> Skunkworks' budget, do you? Carter canceled the B1 bomber but kept spending the money on
> the F-117. That money had to be hidden somehow so the Soviets wouldn't get wise to the
> fact that we had another, more secret military project we were pouring cash into.

The Soviets and now the Chinese probably know more about future weaponry being developed by the US
than the people at the top of government food chain. The government isn't exactly good about
keeping secrets and there are probably spies everywhere.

> If you don't want your adversary to know what you're spending on weapons R&D, you hide it
> in apparent corruption scandals. Not that there weren't plenty of those already (see Fat
> Leonard).

Partially.
I'm referring more to wasted pork on projects that are doomed from the start.
Solyndra for one.

>>Or something like that.
>>The US government is the poster child for inefficiency.
>
> No, it's not. We get a lot more bang for our buck than you want to believe. Nobody
> enjoys paying taxes but that's a lame excuse for constantly accusing the government of
> being inefficient. PJ O'rourke, in Parliament of Whores, praised government efficiency at
> the bureaucratic level. The waste was in the wheeling and dealing in Congress as Senators
> and Reps fought to nurse their states at the national teat.

That's part of the problem. States that have fossil fuel resources fight for investment, subsidies
and so forth for that industry. States that have large military bases do the same.
That's why the people elected them in the first place.

>>The private sector is much more efficient.
>
> Is that why government workers get drab offices in gray blocks while corporations appoint
> their fabulous glass towers with the most fashionable woods and furnishings?

They get drab offices because there is a standard in the government that agencies need to look and
run business the same for consistency.
So the poor schlep at the IRS more than likely has the same desk as someone at the FDA.
And it actually goes right down to the color of the paint on the walls, the carpeting, where the
water coolers are placed, etc.

I once visited the FAA and while I was waiting for my escort I noticed a very thick book on the
shelf. It was like 400 pages long and was titled something like 'The US Govt Guide To The Ergonomic
Workspace".
So some study, which probably cost tens of millions of dollars resulted in this book which
basically didn't reveal anything surprising.
This is what government does and the taxpayers have no idea what is going on.

Private corporations are beholden to the stock holders and it is difficult to hide things like that
so if they are spending money on lavish items they are either able to afford it or the company is
going to become fiscally unsound.
Meanwhile the government spends, spends and the accountability is not what it should be and
certainly the average citizen has no idea what is going on unless some congressional investigative
committee spills the beans.

> Is that why CEOs make millions a year to export jobs from their consumer market? How much
> sense does that make? How efficient is it to eliminate the salaries of the very people
> you're trying to sell to?

On 2024-02-17, NoBody <NoBody@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:11:01 -0600, da pickle
><jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2/14/2024 11:26 AM, pothead wrote:
>>> On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>
>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>
>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>
>>>>> Swill
>>>>
>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>
>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>
>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>
>>> That's me.
>>
>>
>>"That" is a LOT of voters.
>>
>
> Not according to people like Swilly. He insists that people like that
> are "radicals".
>
>>
>>>> What do you think comes next
>>>>
>>>> WWIII
>>>> Depression
>>>> Loss of our currency
>>>> Fascism
>>>> Communism
>>>
>>> At least in part, all of them.
>>
>>
>>You may be a prophet.
>
> He's stating the obvious. The signs of all of them are here now.
> Oddly the media tries to tell us the exact opposite is true. The
> ignorant masses just listen to the major media and ignore the reality
> that surrounds them.

They are spinning the numbers and counting on people being ignorant enough to believe them.
The problem is the people are suffering and no amount of spin can change that.

>>
>>
>>>> Is there a possibility of a return to independent States and less
>>>> federal control over EVERYTHING?
>>>
>>> That's me again.
>>> The more government gets involved, the worse things are.
>>
>>
>>The "federal" government MUST do certain things ... those things were
>>discussed in the original Constitution. ALL OTHER "things" are for the
>>states to take care of. Lots of changes over the years, of course, but
>>the FED has gone too far ... time for the FED to back off and let the
>>states have at it. If you don't like your state then, you have lots of
>>choices available.
>>
>
> Until the government takes *that* choice away. It's coming.

That's the big question.
They are already beating the war drums of censoring what they call "dis-information" and it's in
the best interest of society as a whole.

All of this loss of freedom began with The Patriot Act and has escalated dramatically in recent
years.

>>
>>>> Do you like your state? Why not let those who like their states to
>>>> continue living different that what you want?
>>>
>>> I used to like my state but not anymore.
>>> The democrats are running it into the ground.
>>
>>
>>I like my state, but it is a small one and does not want to be in charge
>>of the whole country.
>>
>>
>
> Libs want California and New York to set policy for the whole nation.

That would be disastrous as both places are self destructing rather quickly.

--
pothead
Tommy Chong For President 2024.
Crazy Joe Biden Is A Demented Imbecile.
Impeach Joe Biden 2022.

On 2024-02-17, NoBody <NoBody@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:02:14 -0000 (UTC), pothead
><pothead@snakebite.com> wrote:
>
>>On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 2/14/2024 11:26 AM, pothead wrote:
>>>> On 2024-02-14, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> On 2/14/2024 4:00 AM, Governor Swill wrote:
>>>>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:38:19 -0600, da pickle <jcpickels@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> if you are into the hard left folks, which you
>>>>>>> certainly are,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That's a fallacy. I'm a centrist, just left of center. You, otoh, seem to think that
>>>>>> anybody to the left of Mussolini is a radical leftie.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Perspective.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Swill
>>>>>
>>>>> Whatever you are, you are not near the "center" or you are so far away
>>>>> that you do not even understand the word "center".
>>>>>
>>>>> You post like a "radical leftie" so that is what must be the ideas that
>>>>> appeal to you.
>>>>>
>>>>> The "centrists" and those on either side of the "center" are the ones
>>>>> that will reelect Trump ... not because they "like" or really "want"
>>>>> Trump ... but because they KNOW that another four years of whoever is
>>>>> controlling out nation will hasten its collapse.
>>>>
>>>> That's me.
>>>
>>>
>>> "That" is a LOT of voters.
>>
>>It is but they have to understand that they need to come out and vote.
>>
>
> AND understand for what they are voting. It isn't a popularity
> contest of who's the most attractive. The candidates have specific
> positions and you need to know what they are.

And there lies the problem.
People still follow the old adage that democrats are for the poor/middle class and republicans are
for the rich.
The other problem is single issue voters.
That almost always leads to a poor choice but the voter has a right to vote however they wish.

>>TBH I am sick of both parties however I know that things were great for me under Trump and are a
>>train wreck for most under Biden. My investments are doing well but they were not 2 years ago.
>>If I were just starting out buying a house etc I would be screwed.
>
> Your investments, at best, are the same as they were two years ago.
> Keep in mind that inflation has devalued your investment value about
> 20%, without factoring actual performance.

They have almost recovered, not quite but a lot better than 2 years ago.
Not accounting for inflation though. I'm afraid to look :(

--
pothead
Tommy Chong For President 2024.
Crazy Joe Biden Is A Demented Imbecile.
Impeach Joe Biden 2022.