The Real timschochet

There is also this @shadrap: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/06/trump-usaid-money-american-farms/ “Administration’s gutting of USAID threatens billions for US farms, businesses” If this action has a serious negative impact on our economy, are we really saving any money?

Lots. 1. How does the US benefit by cutting off the aid to Africa and other poor nations that USAID helps? 2. Doesn’t the instability to other nations caused by ending USAID hurt our own stability which is key to our prosperity? 3. How are Americans better off if prices increase, which are the net result of most of Trump’s actions so far? 4. With a national debt of over 25 trillion, how does saving 40 billion (which won’t happen anyhow) impact the average American?

Probably so but it’s still a great song.

Are you willing to entertain the possibility that not all Palestinians are Hamas? Or is your condemnation for the entire population?

But see here once again we have the problem that we are seeing this through two different lenses. I am not for any “gangbangers” or violent criminals of any kind dodging ICE. I suspect neither is @squistion. However I am rooting for non-violent undocumented people dodging ICE in any way they can, because I think these people should be left alone by the government. I suspect this is what squistion thinks too. I know you disagree with me on this and that’s fine. But does it also make me a POS in your eyes? I hope it doesn’t.

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You keep repeating this and I keep trying to tell you: he’s absolutely TERRIBLE at real estate. Only our bankruptcy laws, and mysterious loans at the last second, have saved his ass again and again. I’m no real estate mogul but I am in the industry. I’ve been to countless conventions and seminars, got the chance to meet or listen to the serious developers like Rick Caruso, Ernie Hahn back in the day, Richard Ellis, etc. Trump is a joke to them.

It would make a great movie though. Sort of a Jurassic Park with Palestinian terrorists attacking instead of dinosaurs.

What’s not to like is that Palestine is their homeland. It’s where the Prophet Muhammad leaped off his horse El-Buraq at the Dome of the Rock and ascended into Heaven where he met Moses, Jesus Christ, and Allah. They ain’t giving it up.

I want something new too, but that something new has to involve an Israel willing to pull its settlers out of areas that have been designated for the Palestinians, willing to commit to a Palestinian state on its borders, and willing to grant the Palestinian people simple dignity. Once that happens then I think you will see some movement on the Arab side, and great pressure from the Arab countries on the Palestinians to ditch the extremists like Hamas and enter into real negotiations for a two or three state solution. Not before. And as for this idea of relocating the Palestinian people from Gaza it is NEVER going to happen.

No offense but I think you’re crazy. That or you’re looking for a way to defend Trump’s craziness. Either way it’s totally out there.

Crafty? What happens when they call our bluff? Are you prepared to go through with Trump’s proposal?

Well there should be some way to check this out right?

Interesting that supposedly you have put me on ignore yet you continue to reference me.

lol you must be trolling right? What sort of negotiations are you expecting? The Arab states want the Palestinians to have their own state in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. And they want all Palestinians to have the right to return to Israel and live there if they wish with full rights as citizens. These have been their core demands for peace for the the last 70 years and they have not changed. What kind of negotiation are you thinking is going to happen here?

I’m sorry but I have to challenge you. You wrote that “so far that has worked”. Exactly how? What players in the region have been compelled and provoked? To do what? Please explain. My own impression is that this has already driven Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan closer to Hamas, which is the exact opposite of our goals in the region. I base that impression on their immediate negative responses. But if you believe otherwise please offer some evidence.

I don’t think he’s doing good things. But in fairness I will withhold my ultimate judgment for several years. I could be completely wrong. Really the only question we need to ask is: will Trump’s actions result in a more prosperous United States in which things generally have improved, without cost to our liberties? We’ll find out.

You are the king of irrelevancies. Your comment has NOTHING to do with the discussion. When I brought up the founders I was referring to the legal document they set up, called the U.S. Constitution, NOT to their opinions about anything. And FTR they strongly disagreed with each other about foreign entanglements. And if this issue really concerns you talk to Trump about Gaza.

And you seem to be arguing here that every state in the union pays more into the Department of Education than they receive. I would be shocked if this is the case or even close to the case.

I threw out West Virginia as an example of a poor state and it is one. Of course if left to their own devices the good people of West Virginia would insist on spending money on special education. But the fact is they could use that money elsewhere. When I wrote that they couldn’t afford it I meant it. I firmly believe that special ed, and many other education programs, really do need federal funding and administration, and that’s why we need a department of education.

I know you’re being cynical. But even if you’re right it still doesn’t justify the President being able to remove programs or spending he doesn’t like on his own authority. That’s not the government the founders set up.

Then investigate the members that do and impeach and remove them. Doesn’t change anything I wrote.

To make a larger point in terms of this issue: nobody should oppose targeting wasteful government spending and corruption. We all know there is plenty of it, and we all know it needs to be dealt with. I only ask two things: 1. When you cut it, use a scalpel, not a hammer. Be very careful you’re not taking away things that are important or useful. My concern with the Trump folks so far is that, because they want to impress their supporters and the public, they’re eager to use the hammer. 2. Don’t use this as an excuse to try and get rid of or block programs you oppose ideologically without going through proper channels (which means Congress). If you truly think an agency like USAID is bad news, fine. But getting rid of it should require an act of Congress, not executive authority. Same with the Department of Education. If anyone disagrees with these two points please explain how I am being unreasonable.

I‘m not sure Politico is left wing. But no I’m not in favor of taxpayers funding ANY magazine. As I wrote earlier, I’m sure when you look carefully at this organization or any government entity you will find a lot of waste and some corruption. If Musk and company discover that and carefully get rid of it or reduce it, more power to them. On the other hand, using these instances of abuse as a excuse to terminate an entire government agency that does a lot of good from what I have read…that’s something else entirely, and I don’t think I’m for this. Are you?

Wondering if Elon give him the resettlement idea? In the 1950s the South African government forcibly “resettled” thousands of black residents of Capetown and Johannesburg into “bantustans”. It didn’t work out so well…