Ooo, I like these. (I know it was not meant for me but, whatever)
I am somewhere with both C and E.
The challenge with your E is "overwhelming evidence". I doubt there is such a thing since it would mean both sides agree on it. I would expect one side or the other to disagree just because the other one likes it and I cannot imagine the "overwhelming" nature that would overcome that in today's partisan bickering.
No, I am not. Yet this is show the glaring weakness in our system. Under the current system there is no practical way to remove a single dollar from the federal budget.
I wish I had a legal way to make this better. I do not have one.
"I could explain that foreign aid from all sources, about $72 billion in 2023, is only about one percent of the federal budget. US AID’s budget, at $40 billion is slightly more than half of that."
It should bother you that 72 billion is being called negligible.
"I could explain that most foreign aid money is spent in the United States. US AID typically purchases large amounts of American agricultural products to send to needy countries. Those purchases have stopped, which will negatively impact American farmers."
If this includes eggs, I am very glad it has stopped.
"I could point out that Trump’s new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio (who, by way of full disclosure, I volunteered for in 2016), was a staunch supporter of US AID until a week or so ago. So were Melania and Ivanka Trump."
Funny how this happens when you learn details about something and find out it is doing too many things you disapprove of.
"While I do have problems with some of the items that have been funded by US AID, the lawful process for dealing with these expenditures is to go back to Congress which is controlled by Republicans, and fix the problems in the new budget."
Finally, this is the real issue. President Trump is going about this the wrong way. While I get wanting to bypass the swamp, Trump should have gone to congress to have USAID defunded. Which would have languished for years as congressmen knife fight each other over their pet projects.
In the end this is just an amazing PR stunt that makes Trump look like he is doing what he said he would, if it weren't for those terrible Democrats and letting the Democrats defend aiding Guatemalans transitioning.
2/10 - Trump approve = +9 and +8
2/9 - Direction of Country = Wrong +3
2/4 - Direction of Country = Wrong +10
2/2 - Direction of Country = Wrong +3
1/29 - Direction of Country = Right +4
Biden's last approval 1/19 - Direction of Country = Wrong +51 and Wrong +29
Biden's last of 2024 - Direction of Country = Wrong +27
Seems President Trump is doing much better by the people's opinion.
Part of me is curious. When the next batch of illegal immigrants are ready to be sent off, will whatever country that is send their own planes for pick up? Thus saving the US the money needed to send them back.
Nice moving of the goal posts. The actual goal is removing the people. It does not matter how they are moved. They ARE moved.
You should read the art of the deal by Donald Trump. In it he talks about starting from a point much more aggressive than what he is willing to accept to achieve his goal. Then when negotiations happen he gives up somethings but still makes his goal, he wins.
How
https://apnews.com/article/colombia-immigration-deportation-flights-petro-trump-us-67870e41556c5d8791d22ec6767049fd
"“We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. “We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights.”'
Many
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-deportation-flights-trump-retaliation/
"Colombia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement the country had "overcome the impasse" with the U.S., and said its foreign minister and ambassador would travel to Washington, D.C., "in the next few hours" to continue discussing the agreement.
"We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them dignified conditions, as citizens subject to rights," the Foreign Ministry said. The ministry's statement made no mention of U.S. military planes, but said Colombia's presidential plane would be used to return migrants who had been scheduled to be deported Sunday morning."
sources
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-petro-will-not-allow-us-planes-return-migrants-2025-01-26/
'In a statement late on Sunday, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said: "We have overcome the impasse with the U.S. government".'
'"The government of Colombia ... has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights."'
It really come down to just how biased these folks are to Trump. Trump said China was the cause, so they had to believe anything that said that was not true. Because Trump cannot be right about anything.
Like this whole Columbian thing. Trump cannot have a win, so sources like CNN and BBC are believing and spreading lies. It must be because TRUMP CANNOT WIN!
Nice to see a person admit they were wrong. Though I wonder how many people here will say the CIA is lying because TRUMP CANNOT BE RIGHT ABOUT ANYTHING!
Interesting praise from Politico.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/politico-editor-in-chief-calls-trump-greatest-american-figure-his-era-due-his-influence
"derision and mockery for attempting to inflict pain and suffering on a tiny number of children"
Funny, I would use this myself against your opinion on this. My position saves children from the pain and suffering of sterilizing and/or militating themselves before being and adult. We don't let children drink, smoke, own guns, or marry until then.
Also, a large number of children with gender dysphoria do not continue into adulthood.
One such study
https://www.transgendertrend.com/children-change-minds/
This is a no brainer to add to the list for me and let the children's bodies and brains continue to grow naturally and see how they finish in adulthood.
"Thomas Sanders, who in 2010 kidnapped and then shot 12-year-old Lexis Roberts four times and cut her throat in Louisiana — days after the girl watched as Sanders murdered her mother on a road trip near the Grand Canyon."
"Anthony Battle, who murdered an Atlanta prison guard with a hammer in 1994 while serving a life sentence for raping and murdering his wife, a US Marine, in 1987 at Camp Lejeune, NC."
"Jorge Avila-Torrez sexually assaulted and stabbed to death two girls — Laura Hobbs, 8, and Krystal Tobias, 9 — who had been riding their bicycles in their neighborhood in a suburb north of Chicago in 2005. Four years later, he strangled naval officer Amanda Snell, 20, inside her barrack in Arlington, Va."
"Iouri Mikhel, another clemency recipient, was convicted of murdering five Russian and Georgian immigrants after kidnapping them for ransom, which in some cases was paid before he killed them anyway."
"Kaboni Savage, meanwhile, was convicted of committing or ordering the deaths of 12 people including four children as a Philadelphia drug dealer"
"James Roane, Jr. participated in the murder of 11 people as a drug dealer in Richmond, Va."
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Deficits, Debt, and DOGE”
Ooo, I like these. (I know it was not meant for me but, whatever)
I am somewhere with both C and E.
The challenge with your E is "overwhelming evidence". I doubt there is such a thing since it would mean both sides agree on it. I would expect one side or the other to disagree just because the other one likes it and I cannot imagine the "overwhelming" nature that would overcome that in today's partisan bickering.
"
"But what if “leaving” means being homeless? What if it means getting into a relationship with an even more abusive person?"
This is just fear of the unknown. The right choice is STILL leaving. Then you deal with what come from that choice.
"
Very nice article. Well done! Not shocked at the response from this group.
One thing"
" We pretty much have to raise payroll taxes to deal with Social Security and Medicare at some point."
There is another unpalatable option. Raise the minimum age from 67.
On “Open Mic for the week of 2/10/2025”
LOL, you don't need help when you are doing nothing.
Or maybe all he had was help since he did nothing and everyone else ran the Federal government while he sipped tea in a ricking chair.
On “The USAID Fight Is About Power, Not Spending”
No, I am not. Yet this is show the glaring weakness in our system. Under the current system there is no practical way to remove a single dollar from the federal budget.
I wish I had a legal way to make this better. I do not have one.
"
"I could explain that foreign aid from all sources, about $72 billion in 2023, is only about one percent of the federal budget. US AID’s budget, at $40 billion is slightly more than half of that."
It should bother you that 72 billion is being called negligible.
"I could explain that most foreign aid money is spent in the United States. US AID typically purchases large amounts of American agricultural products to send to needy countries. Those purchases have stopped, which will negatively impact American farmers."
If this includes eggs, I am very glad it has stopped.
"I could point out that Trump’s new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio (who, by way of full disclosure, I volunteered for in 2016), was a staunch supporter of US AID until a week or so ago. So were Melania and Ivanka Trump."
Funny how this happens when you learn details about something and find out it is doing too many things you disapprove of.
"While I do have problems with some of the items that have been funded by US AID, the lawful process for dealing with these expenditures is to go back to Congress which is controlled by Republicans, and fix the problems in the new budget."
Finally, this is the real issue. President Trump is going about this the wrong way. While I get wanting to bypass the swamp, Trump should have gone to congress to have USAID defunded. Which would have languished for years as congressmen knife fight each other over their pet projects.
In the end this is just an amazing PR stunt that makes Trump look like he is doing what he said he would, if it weren't for those terrible Democrats and letting the Democrats defend aiding Guatemalans transitioning.
On “Open Mic for the week of 2/10/2025”
2/10 - Trump approve = +9 and +8
2/9 - Direction of Country = Wrong +3
2/4 - Direction of Country = Wrong +10
2/2 - Direction of Country = Wrong +3
1/29 - Direction of Country = Right +4
Biden's last approval 1/19 - Direction of Country = Wrong +51 and Wrong +29
Biden's last of 2024 - Direction of Country = Wrong +27
Seems President Trump is doing much better by the people's opinion.
On “The Colombia Gambit”
Part of me is curious. When the next batch of illegal immigrants are ready to be sent off, will whatever country that is send their own planes for pick up? Thus saving the US the money needed to send them back.
"
Nice moving of the goal posts. The actual goal is removing the people. It does not matter how they are moved. They ARE moved.
You should read the art of the deal by Donald Trump. In it he talks about starting from a point much more aggressive than what he is willing to accept to achieve his goal. Then when negotiations happen he gives up somethings but still makes his goal, he wins.
This is great example of it. Well done Trump.
"
This is a great wrestling promo. Then reality set in and he caved.
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/20/2025”
How
https://apnews.com/article/colombia-immigration-deportation-flights-petro-trump-us-67870e41556c5d8791d22ec6767049fd
"“We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. “We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights.”'
Many
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-deportation-flights-trump-retaliation/
"Colombia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement the country had "overcome the impasse" with the U.S., and said its foreign minister and ambassador would travel to Washington, D.C., "in the next few hours" to continue discussing the agreement.
"We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them dignified conditions, as citizens subject to rights," the Foreign Ministry said. The ministry's statement made no mention of U.S. military planes, but said Colombia's presidential plane would be used to return migrants who had been scheduled to be deported Sunday morning."
sources
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-petro-will-not-allow-us-planes-return-migrants-2025-01-26/
'In a statement late on Sunday, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said: "We have overcome the impasse with the U.S. government".'
'"The government of Colombia ... has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights."'
does it take?
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/27/2025”
It really come down to just how biased these folks are to Trump. Trump said China was the cause, so they had to believe anything that said that was not true. Because Trump cannot be right about anything.
Like this whole Columbian thing. Trump cannot have a win, so sources like CNN and BBC are believing and spreading lies. It must be because TRUMP CANNOT WIN!
Nice to see a person admit they were wrong. Though I wonder how many people here will say the CIA is lying because TRUMP CANNOT BE RIGHT ABOUT ANYTHING!
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/20/2025”
This is hilarious. The TDS is so bad you cannot even trust a liberal source like CNN or BBC. Get help.
"
Trump backed down? Really?
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/26/politics/colombia-tariffs-trump-deportation-flights/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20p36e62gyo
Wow, that sure look like Columbia is doing what Trump wanted. Normally that IS a victory for Trump. Your TDS is showing.
"
Interesting praise from Politico.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/politico-editor-in-chief-calls-trump-greatest-american-figure-his-era-due-his-influence
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/6/2025”
Welp, at least this is not as bad as Harris' "I'm a Man" add (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLzYPbtklGs). But that is a low bar to step over.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/montage-senate-democrats-pledging-oppose-trumps-bad-policies-mocked-cringe
"
Oh, I expect most of this to be a troll on his part. But this one seems more pointless than the others.
On “Meta Ends Fact-checking Program”
"At the very least we are going to see Teapot Dome levels of corruptions, probably much worse.
This strikes me as being the status quo.
would Bezos and Zuckerberg be folding so quickly if Harris won? No.
I look at Zuck’s speech and don’t see a man “folding”. I see a man ceasing to fold. Unfolding."
So much truth here Jaybird.
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/6/2025”
So, for some reason, this is important. Yeesh.
https://www.mediaite.com/trump/just-in-trump-announces-plans-to-change-gulf-of-mexico-to-gulf-of-america/
"
"derision and mockery for attempting to inflict pain and suffering on a tiny number of children"
Funny, I would use this myself against your opinion on this. My position saves children from the pain and suffering of sterilizing and/or militating themselves before being and adult. We don't let children drink, smoke, own guns, or marry until then.
Also, a large number of children with gender dysphoria do not continue into adulthood.
One such study
https://www.transgendertrend.com/children-change-minds/
This is a no brainer to add to the list for me and let the children's bodies and brains continue to grow naturally and see how they finish in adulthood.
"
Ooops, missed it on the main thread.
"
Trudeau to go. Official now.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-news-conference-1.7423680
On “Open Mic for the week of 12/23/2024”
I agree Jaybird. Huge story that our government pushed to cover this up.
Main stream media labelled anyone that said this a tin foil hat wearer.
It looks to be true and now very few seem to care. Pretty sad.
On “Open Mic for the week of 12/30/2024”
I liked X becoming Elon's poop machine. That was funny.
On “Joe Biden Agrees that Some People *DO* Deserve the Death Penalty”
Let's meet a few of the lucky ones and their commutable crimes.
https://nypost.com/2024/12/23/us-news/biden-commutes-death-sentences-of-child-killers-and-mass-murderers-2-days-before-christmas/
"Thomas Sanders, who in 2010 kidnapped and then shot 12-year-old Lexis Roberts four times and cut her throat in Louisiana — days after the girl watched as Sanders murdered her mother on a road trip near the Grand Canyon."
"Anthony Battle, who murdered an Atlanta prison guard with a hammer in 1994 while serving a life sentence for raping and murdering his wife, a US Marine, in 1987 at Camp Lejeune, NC."
"Jorge Avila-Torrez sexually assaulted and stabbed to death two girls — Laura Hobbs, 8, and Krystal Tobias, 9 — who had been riding their bicycles in their neighborhood in a suburb north of Chicago in 2005. Four years later, he strangled naval officer Amanda Snell, 20, inside her barrack in Arlington, Va."
"Iouri Mikhel, another clemency recipient, was convicted of murdering five Russian and Georgian immigrants after kidnapping them for ransom, which in some cases was paid before he killed them anyway."
"Kaboni Savage, meanwhile, was convicted of committing or ordering the deaths of 12 people including four children as a Philadelphia drug dealer"
"James Roane, Jr. participated in the murder of 11 people as a drug dealer in Richmond, Va."
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.