The Real timschochet

Are you in favor of immediately halting all government subsidies to the oil and gas industries?

Your statement that there is no “silver bullet solution” (which I agree with) contradicts your earlier assertion that Mexico can easily step up and avoid these tariffs entirely.

Fair enough. Having read a lot about this topic, I believe I do. And I think Trump is making a terrible mistake here for our country. But let me add that there is always the possibility that you and @RLLD are correct, that this will cause Mexico, Canada, and China to change policies to our benefit, that it will help with migrants and fentanyl, that Trump will declare victory and the tariffs won’t happen or will be quickly removed. I hope that is the case. I hope he turns out to be the brilliant master negotiator that RLLD is claiming. We’ll see.

Mexico responds: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/mexico-suggests-impose-tariffs-retaliate-trump-tariffs-116234357 They will retaliate with tariffs of their own. They are already helping us with the migrant issue. And our consumption of illegal drugs is an “American problem.” She also pointed out that Trump signed an agreement with Mexico prohibiting tariffs so he will be breaking his solemn word.

Thats a rather vague answer don’t you think?

Will it? Please explain in detail what Mexico needs to do to “step up and avoid these tariffs entirely”.

Then you have a short memory. I complained heavily about Biden’s tariffs. They made things worse and contributed to inflation. They never work. I would argue that we benefit from free trade with China even if they have unfair trade practices. But putting that aside, please explain what we gain by tariffs on Canada and Mexico?

If the subject matter weren’t so serious this thread would be hilarious. All of those opposed to the new tariffs have offered serious reasons why (inflation is only one of them; there are all sorts of negative ramifications for employment, industrial growth, the entire economy.) Meanwhile, on the other, pro-tariff side, this is what we get: You liberals are all idiots! You lost, sit down and shut up! Maybe they’ll use this to replace income tax . Oh, NOW you care about inflation! Fock Mexico! Fock China! Not one serious argument in defense of what Trump is proposing. The closest is the rather vague notion that this is grandstanding and Trump will get a “better deal”. What sort of better deal will we get from Mexico and Canada? No answer. The funniest thing is I know that many of you, if not most, don’t even like tariffs. Interference in the free market has never been, you know, exactly a conservative ideal. But once again “owning the libs” is really the only thing that matters for most of you. Your heads are all so far up Trump’s ass that you’ll support any idea he has, no matter how crazy or stupid, if it appears to “own the libs” even for a short time. Your posts prove it.

Bad isn’t it? Why the hell would you want it higher?

I’ll care. I don’t need people to suffer in order to prove me right. And I shop too.

I think this is a terrible idea and I have said so many times. Trump’s original idea to place tariffs on ALL countries would have been catastrophic; hopefully he’s backed away from that. But this is bad enough. That being said, it wasn’t a secret. Trump campaigned on this and the public voted for him so this is clearly what they want. So let it happen I guess. I can only hope that the people who claim this is a negotiating tool are right. I don’t think they are, but I always hope for the best.

Yeesh my fault for asking I guess.

Thank you. Follow up question: the viable alternatives to fossil fuels- nuclear, solar, wind etc. are all obviously quite different but they have one thing in common: they all require large government funding to subsidize them at least at first. While you’re opposed to government “forcing things” (which I assume means restrictions on fossil fuels) are you also opposed to funding? And what if China makes a major push towards nuclear energy and is government funded? Should our position remain “we’re gonna wait until the market does it”?

Is there a connection between your response and my question to RLLD?

Let’s also be very clear: the vast majority of scientists who study man made climate change tell us that it is approaching catastrophic proportions for the human race but that there is still time to fight it by attempting to restrict fossil fuels. A small minority of scientists say that it’s already too late, the catastrophe is coming no matter what we do. Another small minority (though magnified by the conservative movement in this country) argue that the whole thing is overblown and we don’t have anything to worry about. Our new President agrees with this last position, while Biden agreed with the vast majority.

@RLLD question for you: you wrote that Biden attacked the energy industry which increased inflation. Assuming that’s correct, are you suggesting that our policy should be to ignore all concerns about climate change and simply give oil and coal companies carte blanche to do whatever they want? This was Trump’s exact campaign position, I just want to see if you agree with it 100%.

These numbers don’t surprise me but I also don’t expect them to last. Starting in January, Fox News will spend all its time praising and defending the new Administration, which is frankly boring. Meanwhile CNN and MSNBC will be criticizing and attacking which is far more interesting. So their ratings should go up.

Yeah no. Globalism isn’t going away because we’re right. And that means we will win out eventually no matter the obstacles. Deal with it.

2 competing theories regarding this: 1. In the social media age, in which people are more tuned in to TikTok, podcasts, Netflix etc than they are to live television, spending money on campaign ads doesn’t really work anymore. Folks aren’t paying attention. 2. Donald Trump is such a unique figure in American politics that none of the election rules applied to him. But because he is so unique we shouldn’t over correct in terms of how to spend campaign money; when he’s gone the old rules will still apply. I don’t know which is true. Perhaps they’re both partly true.

I hope so. Honestly I hope you and everyone else doing this makes as much money as you can. So long as it doesn’t cause me to lose money, why not? But I still don’t get it.

I agree. And I’ll add, while it’s fine for a guy like @Engorgeous George to argue that it was not really a thrashing, liberals shouldn’t do it. It looks weak and whiny. We lost. No excuses, no “yeah but”, no “it was closer than it seems.” Fock that. We got our asses kicked. Take the l, hope we can do better next time.

George, insulting me in this manner is pretty boring too. It’s also useless, I’m immune to it. I’ll likely continue to offer my opinions. Some of them will no doubt appear hyperbolic. Some of them you may find thoughtful and some absurd. Feel free to comment or not. I actually appreciate being refuted when it’s done thoughtfully.

All of it boring as hell.

If the filibuster is used successfully to stop important parts of Trump’s agenda, he will insist that it be removed, just as he did 4 years ago, and this time I suspect the Senate Republicans will go along.

Lol no it isn’t (interesting.)