Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Yeah No]

40 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Ted Bundy could also be very charming.

What was it that people said about Hitler when trying to make him sound like a good leader?  He made the trains run on time?

Bill Maher is one of those people that will criticize Democrats for not doing something but when Trump does one tiny little thing correctly Maher will say at least he gets the trains to run on time. 

At his core Bill Maher is a rich white man.  That is the eyes he sees the world through. The view might be fuzzy since he is probably always high but his concerns aren't going to be the same as most of us. He might give lip service to some progressive issues but he was telling the truth when he and Jerry Seinfeld said if Trump was elected a second time it wouldn't bad for them personally.

I agree with you about Maher. I think he likes getting people riled up by pointing out the one positive thing in a huge pile of horrible things. He's getting attention with that. He thinks he's being profound or provocative or something, but he's no great journalist or interviewer so he should just cut it TF out. I also think he's doing it for his own gain somehow. I watched a video by a psychiatrist that is mystified by Maher's reaction to Trump, like he expected more of him and thinks he was fooled by Trump. I don't agree on that. I think Maher is fully aware that Trump is full of BS, he's just playing into it for his own reasons. The shrink also thinks that this is new behavior for Maher, when meanwhile even I have noticed how Maher has been engaging in similar behavior for at least a couple of years now on all manner of subjects. Maher seems to lean more right now than he used to. Perhaps he thinks he's going to be more popular with independents, who knows? Maybe his producers have asked him to do that? I personally don't think it's going to get him anywhere especially if he alienates Democrats with it. I also now think that like Trump, he's a chameleon and blows with the wind for his own gain. 

That said, I do think this psychiatrist is spot-on about Trump, though, and why people are so inclined to think he's sincere and like him on a 1-1 basis. He's fully aware that it's all an act, though. It is worth watching him talk on that subject.

 

[Yeah No]

9 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

We've talked about this before here but the lack of empathy is just simply shocking to me.  And I don't know what has caused it.  Social media?  The toxic environment on the political extremes? Our soldiers on D Day knew some of them knew were going to die but they still stilled stormed the beaches of Normandy.   I don't think that would happen today.  And not just because we have drones and whatever else that has replaced boots on the ground. I don't know if we can ever fix the real problems in this country.  And a big one is a lot of the people who live  here.

This is an interesting question I've grappled with quite often. I don't have the time to write that much about it now, but I think all those things have something to do with it, but that it stems originally from a lack of in-person socialization thanks to young people being mostly immersed in online or gaming activity and not real life social interaction. It's easy to demonize people and misunderstand them when you aren't face to face with them. When you are too distant from them it's easy not to see them as real people with real feelings that deserve to be cared about. You don't learn to really understand or empathize with people without first hand experience with them in a REAL in-person relationship. Unfortunately young people are not learning the nuances of interpersonal relationships and are unable to see the shades of gray in them. They are only able to see black and white/good and evil. Nothing and no one is that simple or extreme and appearances online can be very misleading. They are misconstruing those appearances with reality and aren't learning how to separate truth from those false appearances, and so are easily lead by people that want to control them. I think well meaning parents are at a loss to counteract this in many cases. It's a very sad and sorry situation and in my opinion the only way out of it is one I'm sorry to say would be near impossible to achieve now. We may have gone past the point of no return in having any hope of making any headway toward solving the problem. 

I should also say that some older people can fall prey to this phenomenon and "unlearn" and be "reprogrammed" to have a lack of empathy even if they were raised without the internet. But perhaps they had a tendency to lack empathy to begin with, and that existed before the internet too, just not to the degree we're seeing now. And psych. people have written articles about this. Narcissism and lack of empathy are on the rise.

[Cementhead]

24 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

We've talked about this before here but the lack of empathy is just simply shocking to me.  And I don't know what has caused it.  Social media? 

Social media is a scourge on society, so yes to that.  Something really bad also happened because of Covid.  People forgot how to act as a society.  As a whole.  The 'every man for himself' attitude that many people adopted during the pandemic has never went away and social niceties have been tossed out the window.  Community is gone.  Social norms are gone.  A lot is just gone.  And nobody seems to care.

[tres bien]

This for me sums up the kind of person Trump is

After no statement about the arson attack on the governor’s mansion in PA reporters asked him about it on Monday 

His reply “I heard it wasn’t a Trump voter “

That’s it always the same no matter what the circumstances it’s always me me me 

So now we have a large portion of people that believe every lie and every unacceptable thing that he spews out everyday 

It’s just sad that America and Americans don’t have a president that cares about them and instead is still finding ways to penalize anyone that told the truth and stood up for democracy in 2020

Or attacks law firms and universities and states that won’t bend to his demands 

This may be unpopular but Gretchen Whitmer made a mistake and is the latest politician that thought she could work with this unreliable jerk. Not even so much a fan of Gov Newsom but he has and is always standing up and basically giving Trump the finger every day 

Would we ever have a country that would rally around the president like everyone did after 9/11 . It seems doubtful. No matter that dems were pissed off after the SCOTUS handed W the election there was never a question about his loyalty to the country and the constitution in the immediate aftermath of 9/11

Edited April 16 by tres bien

[peacheslatour]

9 minutes ago, tres bien said:

This for me sums up the kind of person Trump is

After no statement about the arson attack on the governor’s mansion in PA reporters asked him about it on Monday 

His reply “I heard it wasn’t a Trump voter “

That’s it always the same no matter what the circumstances it’s always me me me 

So now we have a large portion of people that believe every lie and every unacceptable thing that he spews out everyday 

It’s just sad that America and Americans don’t have a president that cares about them and instead is still finding ways to penalize anyone that told the truth and stood up for democracy in 2020

Or attacks law firms and universities and states that won’t bend to his demands 

This may be unpopular but Gretchen Whitmer made a mistake and is the latest politician that thought she could work with this unreliable jerk. Not even so much a fan of Gov Newsom but he has and is always standing up and basically giving Trump the finger every day 

Would we ever have a country that would rally around the president like everyone did after 9/11 . It seems doubtful. No matter that dems were pissed off after the SCOTUS handed W the election there was never a question about his loyalty to the country and the constitution in the immediate aftermath of 9/11

So if it's not about him, he's not interested.

[bluegirl147]

22 minutes ago, tres bien said:

This may be unpopular but Gretchen Whitmer made a mistake and is the latest politician that thought she could work with this unreliable jerk

Her trying to hide made is so much worse.  She should have just said I'm sorry this isn't why I came here. What would Trump have done?  Scream at her? Call her names?  OK then he looks bad instead of her. 

24 minutes ago, tres bien said:

So now we have a large portion of people that believe every lie and every unacceptable thing that he spews out everyday 

And I blame them for that.  They choose to continue to be part of the cult.  If they don't on some level know he is lying or being an asshole then there is no hope for them and I'm not going to act like they are just misguided.

26 minutes ago, tres bien said:

No matter that dems were pissed off after the SCOTUS handed W the election there was never a question about his loyalty to the country and the constitution in the immediate aftermath of 9/11

According to Nancy Pelosi at some meeting towards the end of W's second term he said to her you are going to miss me when I'm gone and she said NO.  If only he was the worst Republican President of this century.

18 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

So if it's not about him, he's not interested.

But that's the thing.  He truly believes everything is about him.  He made 9/11 about him. The man is incapable of considering anyone else at all.  And you know if it had been a Republican governor he still would have reacted the same way.  Unless the perpetrator was a person of color of course.

[annzeepark914]

20 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

So if it's not about him, he's not interested.

Have we ever before had a president who ignored a life-threatening attack on another politician? I can just imagine the indignant screeches of Republicans if a Democratic president did this. Trump is such a self absorbed, petty nebbish.

[Dimity]

2 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And I blame them for that.  They choose to continue to be part of the cult.  If they don't on some level know he is lying or being an asshole then there is no hope for them and I'm not going to act like they are just misguided.

If I hadn't already given them up as a lost cause this latest nonsense with him claiming the recent unanimous Supreme Court ruling was in his favour and the cult members smiling and nodding would have done it for me.

Most of them, hell, probably all of them know he's lying but not one has the guts to speak up. 

[Affogato]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

For some.  There are however a lot of people out there who don't feel hopeless.  They may not agree with Trump or his policies but basically they don't care.  If their lives aren't being disrupted it's all good.

Perhaps they are gaining some short term hope. Finally, the white man is given his due again. No more will illegal immigrants… what was it?…yeah, eat my pets. Oh, and plastic straws! 

Edited April 16 by Affogato

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, annzeepark914 said:

Have we ever before had a president who ignored a life-threatening attack on another politician? I can just imagine the indignant screeches of Republicans if a Democratic president did this. Trump is such a self absorbed, petty nebbish.

Biden and Harris both reacted appropriately to the assassination attempt on Trump.  He seemed shocked that they would reach out to him.  Because of course this is something he would never do.  He'd have been gloating and taking credit had the shoe been on the other foot.

[peacheslatour]

6 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Her trying to hide made is so much worse.  She should have just said I'm sorry this isn't why I came here. What would Trump have done?  Scream at her? Call her names?  OK then he looks bad instead of her. 

 

 

 

Exactly. He calls everyone names. So what? At this point we should consider him calling someone an insulting name a badge of honor. Anything that pisses him off (and really, what doesn't?) is aces in my book.

[bluegirl147]

6 minutes ago, Affogato said:

Oh, and plastic straws! 

And stronger showers now.  And coal is coming back. But it's clean you know. And measles too.  According to Booby everyone had measles when he was growing up. People are dying and he still doesn't care.

[peacheslatour]

23 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

And stronger showers now.  And coal is coming back. But it's clean you know. And measles too.  According to Booby everyone had measles when he was growing up. People are dying and he still doesn't care.

Do these anti vax nut jobs even get their pets vaccinated? How soon will we see rabies come back? I'll never forget the chapter in To Kill a Mockingbird where Atticus shot a rabid dog in the middle of the street.

[tessaray]

What I don't understand is that vaccination itself is basically a natural process. Don't they have those elementary school books about Pasteur anymore? The dairy maids who got cow pox (a milder disease) and thus avoided the deadly and disfiguring small pox? And are they really going to embrace cancer too when/if mRNA research produces viable treatments? 

Of course, with all the federal agencies, grants and research disruptions it all may be moot. 

[Dimity]

10 minutes ago, tessaray said:

Of course, with all the federal agencies, grants and research disruptions it all may be moot. 

All the loyal little Trumpers are giggling because they think this means no more research into :gasp: the humanities.  What they can't seem to realize is that this is also affecting life saving research.  

 Meghan McCain, for instance, was cheering on everything Trump and Musk were doing until she found out they were  halting research into brain cancer (which is what killed her father).   She will be far from the only one who is going to wake up and find that cutting university and hospital budgets will have very serious repercussions.

[tres bien]

First I dislike Meghan McCain who only has a platform because of her honorable father. That she even hopped on the MAGA train is disgraceful 

[Kemper]

10 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

No shit. But if I'm tenant, I can decorate however the hell I please.

Exactly! 

He is NOT on CNN.

Yes he is. I think on Saturday nights. It is called "Real Time" ...it might be a rerun of his usual show. I do read the reviews. Some here on this Board; might be in the "Talk Show/News thread" category as Morning Joe, etc.  I can make mistakes, but I do try not to post things that are not factual.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

Do these anti vax nut jobs even get their pets vaccinated? How soon will we see rabies come back? I'll never forget the chapter in To Kill a Mockingbird where Atticus shot a rabid dog in the middle of the street.

Some of them do, it really depends on where they live and how they acquired their dogs. And also what type of antivaxxer they are. The crunchy urban and suburban ones will vaccinate their dogs. Those dogs are either adopted from shelters which will mandate regular vet care and vaccinations or expensive breeds where the owners will do everything to protect their investment. The rural religious ones can go either way. It really depends on how they view animals. Some are very conscientious and their dogs see the vet more often than they see a medical doctor. 

[fairffaxx]

What is the religious objection to vaccination?  Does it vary by religion?  Is it more specific than just not interfering with the lord's will?  So many questions.... 🐱

[peacheslatour]

For all my Canadian friends.

[ProudMary]

2 hours ago, tres bien said:

This may be unpopular but Gretchen Whitmer made a mistake and is the latest politician that thought she could work with this unreliable jerk. Not even so much a fan of Gov Newsom but he has and is always standing up and basically giving Trump the finger every day 

Would we ever have a country that would rally around the president like everyone did after 9/11 . It seems doubtful. No matter that dems were pissed off after the SCOTUS handed W the election there was never a question about his loyalty to the country and the constitution in the immediate aftermath of 9/11

As to Newsom, I had been a fan, but he's officially on my shit list now.

Gavin Newsom's podcasts with Trump loyalists anger Democrats amid 2028 presidential speculation

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/gavin-newsoms-podcasts-with-trump-loyalists-anger-democrats-amid-2028-presidential-speculation/3821441/?os=httpwww.nbcchicago.comu0026refapp

Quote from above article: "As a wounded Democratic Party struggles to regroup, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is holding mostly chummy conversations with prominent conservatives on a new podcast he’s touting as a way for the party to grapple with the MAGA movement’s popularity.

In doing so, he appears intent on showing he is more than a progressive warrior. But he has stunned some members of his own party by agreeing with his guests on issues such as restricting transgender women and girls in sports. Newsom called dismantling police departments “lunacy” and remained silent when Steve Bannon, an architect of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, falsely said Trump won the 2020 presidential election."

And as for GWB, I sure as hell questioned his loyalty in the days immediately following 9/11, when he facilitated flights out of the US for membrrs of the Bin Laden family, while US airspace was completely shut down!

Bin Laden Family Evacuated

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bin-laden-family-evacuated/

 

From Bush's actions regarding Osama Bin Laden's family to the Trump/Kushner/Mnuchin multi-billion dollar payoffs from Mohammed bin Salman, especially following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, both Republican presidents' cuddling up to the Saudis has always put their loyalties in question.

[Ohiopirate02]

14 minutes ago, fairffaxx said:

What is the religious objection to vaccination?  Does it vary by religion?  Is it more specific than just not interfering with the lord's will?  So many questions.... 🐱

It does vary by religion and sect. For the Christian sects that are against vaccinations, only Christian Scientists have anything close to doctrinal reasons to oppose. The rest tend to boil down to "the government is not going to tell me what to do with my body" with a bit of anti-abortion rhetoric thrown in (cognitive dissonance at its finest). There are some vaccines that use or used fetal cells in their production. I was once subjected to someone who tried to explain this to me, but I ended up tuning them out because the official Vatican position on this did not match their outrage. Apparently,one of the 3 main Covid-19 vaccines did use the verboten fetal cells while the other 2 did not, and the person was trying to tell me that all were against Catholic teachings. Nope, the Vatican would rather we all be vaccinated if there is no other option available, not forgo the vaccine altogether.

[tres bien]

There is not one sane person that can listen to Jr and think he’s not a whackadoodle

In some crazy speech today on autism Jr laments that “these kids (autistic) will never pay taxes they’ll never hold a job they’ll never play baseball they’ll never write a poem they’ll never go out on a date many will never use a toilet unassisted”

I bet he’s never met a person with autism 

Edited April 16 by tres bien

[Ohiopirate02]

5 minutes ago, tres bien said:

There is not one sane person that can listen to Jr and think he’s not a whackadoodle

In some crazy speech today on autism Jr laments that “these kids (autistic) will never pay taxes they’ll never hold a job they’ll never play baseball they’ll never write a poem they’ll never go out on a date many will never use a toilet unassisted”

I bet he’s never met a person with autism 

I am hella confused after reading this. It sounds like he's describing his Aunt Rosemary after her lobotomy.

[Dimity]

4 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I am hella confused after reading this. It sounds like he's describing his Aunt Rosemary after her lobotomy.

He's describing what many of us thought autism was  years ago.  The classic/low functioning/severe form. How unsurprised am I to learn that junior has no idea what he's talking about.

[bluegirl147]

16 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I am hella confused after reading this. It sounds like he's describing his Aunt Rosemary after her lobotomy.

I was going to say the same thing.  I think he has a lot of unresolved issues with his family's history.

23 minutes ago, tres bien said:

In some crazy speech today on autism Jr laments that “these kids (autistic) will never pay taxes they’ll never hold a job they’ll never play baseball they’ll never write a poem they’ll never go out on a date many will never use a toilet unassisted”

That is a slap in the face to people with autism.  If that is what really thinks that is how people with autism live all the more reason he should not have the job and power he has.  

[tres bien]

Trump has twisted the arms of law firms and universities till they screamed uncle and have given him billions of dollars 

He’s tried every which way to bully and threaten China but haha they don’t give a crap about him

His new target is the UK where he is requiring them to get rid of laws protecting LGBTQ people and repeal laws on hate speech before he’ll agree to a trade agreement with them 

Gramps is a lunatic and the UK response “not a feature of trade talks “

Edited April 16 by tres bien

[annzeepark914]

IMO, Newsom is groveling for GOP & Independent voters (with an eye on '28). He & Big Gretch have done themselves no favors lately.

Re: the patriotism of "W"? He had many warnings re: bin Laden--from the Clinton admin's national security staff & then his own staff. I've never forgotten what Bill Clinton said about their pre-inauguration mtg in the oval office. While BC was telling "W" about the increasingly urgent warnings re: al quaeda, George looked bored & restless.

[tres bien]

I am definitely not defending W in anyway and I think he was incompetent and unqualified to be president and in 2000 he was selected not elected 

I was only saying that JMO W never tried to tear up the constitution shakedown law firms and universities and spit out absurd lies 24/7

He also had respected people serving in his administration for the most part

He did not surround himself with crazy conspiracy theorists and talk show personalities and people wholly unqualified for the positions that they were put in charge of. (Of course the republicans in the senate are responsible for most of how that happened in 2025)

[tessaray]

6 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

He's out of his mind. I mean he has gone raving, fucking insane. 25th his stupid ass, now!

How does the 25th Amendment work?

The vice president becomes president if the president dies, resigns, or is unable to perform their duties

Isn't Vance owned by most of the same people backing YKW? And Vance doesn't have the same ability to terrorize the Congress, so until their tax cuts are locked in, they need 47. 

[peacheslatour]

Just now, tres bien said:

I am definitely not defending W in anyway and I think he was incompetent and unqualified to be president and in 2000 he was selected not elected 

I was only saying that JMO W never tried to tear up the constitution shakedown law firms and universities and spit out absurd lies 24/7

He also had respected people serving in his administration for the most part

He did not surround himself with crazy conspiracy theorists and talk show personalities and people wholly unqualified for the positions that they were put in charge of. (Of course the republicans in the senate are responsible for most of how that happened in 2025)

I can't think of any American president who has been as incompetent, irresponsible and downright cruel as Donald.

[bluegirl147]

19 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

The government of El Salvador denied a request from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to see or speak to his Maryland constituent who was mistakenly deported there, the senator said during a visit to the country on Wednesday.

Unfortunately I think Garcia is dead and Trump knows it.  And that is why he is fighting the order of his return.  The truth is coming to come out at some point and while  his MAGA base won't care the rest of the world is going to call him out for being the monster that he is.  And oh yeah his administration is going to get sued for this.

[tres bien]

This is  what kept Gramps busy today 

After freezing $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts he now has the IRS working to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard University 

He fired the 2 democrats on the 3 board National Credit Union Administration Board so he could gain control over the independent agency 

 

Edited April 16 by tres bien

[Affogato]

Since Musk has come out as autistic can we assume he doesn’t go on dates or pay taxes?

[peacheslatour]

Just now, Affogato said:

Since Musk has come out as autistic can we assume he doesn’t go on dates or pay taxes?

Or play baseball or write a poem. This administration should really meet once in a while to get their lies straight.

[suomi]

The 10th amendment to the Constitution of the United States:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"

What are we waiting for?

[Anela]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

Unfortunately I think Garcia is dead and Trump knows it.  And that is why he is fighting the order of his return. 

I’m afraid that this is true now, too.  Damn it.  

Edited April 16 by Anela

[Affogato]

11 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Or play baseball or write a poem. This administration should really meet once in a while to get their lies straight.

Of course, I imagine he would look like a derp playing baseball. So would Kennedy. Shrug. 

[Annber03]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I can't think of any American president who has been as incompetent, irresponsible and downright cruel as Donald.

Easily the worst president I've had to deal with in my lifetime. Not even a contest. 

And he's absolutely going to be among the very worst of our nation's history as a whole. 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

He's out of his mind. I mean he has gone raving, fucking insane. 25th his stupid ass, now!

2 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

Unfortunately I think Garcia is dead and Trump knows it.  And that is why he is fighting the order of his return.  The truth is coming to come out at some point and while  his MAGA base won't care the rest of the world is going to call him out for being the monster that he is.  And oh yeah his administration is going to get sued for this.

I'm really starting to wonder whether I'm actually a pawn in some kind of alien's holographic game. Like they want to see how crazy it has to get before I realize it's all a hoax being played on me?

The fact that this lunatic's base is mum and won't call him out for being the crazy monster he is after something like this is just beyond the pale for me. I can't....I just can't get over it. I think "Trump derangement syndrome" applies to his base, NOT Democrats!  Not ONE of them has any integrity AT ALL even in the face of something as heinous and twisted as THIS? How on earth could this be happening? I weep for the future of this country and for all of us.....

[Annber03]

15 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

No shit. But if I'm tenant, I can decorate however the hell I please.

Not when you completely disrespect the office of the presidency, actively dismantle every important aspect of our govenrment, and have a history of actively trying to overthrow a democratic election, you don't. He doesn't respect the place he lives, so no, he shouldn't get to do shit with it. He shouldn't even still be allowed to be IN the White House at all at this point. He should've been thrown out on his ass and barred from ever being allowed back a long time ago. 

[jessiebell]

I too have thought that Garcia is dead.  Why else would Trump be so adamant about refusing to bring him back especially since they admitted it was a mistake to send him there.    THe situation is confusing but I've read that in 2019 the judge ruled he couldn't be deported to El Salvador specifically which was in trump's first term and he didn't appeal that decision then.  Garcia came to the US because he and his mother were under threats from gangs.  If he's this horrible threat why can't the admin show proof.  

The whole name of the game with this administration is be as cruel as possible whether it's dealing with immigrants, foreign students, or federal workers.

Well this "trade" war is really working out well for us.  Maybe Trump could take a bit of time away from golfing to come up with a clear and coherent plan but that is beyond his ability.  A great business man wouldn't have filed for bankruptcy 6 times so why anyone touts his business acumen is beyond me.  

[Anela]

11 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I'm really starting to wonder whether I'm actually a pawn in some kind of alien's holographic game. Like they want to see how crazy it has to get before I realize it's all a hoax being played on me?

The fact that this lunatic's base is mum and won't call him out for being the crazy monster he is after something like this is just beyond the pale for me. I can't....I just can't get over it. I think "Trump derangement syndrome" applies to his base, NOT Democrats!  Not ONE of them has any integrity AT ALL even in the face of something as heinous and twisted as THIS? How on earth could this be happening? I weep for the future of this country and for all of us.....

Oh an acquaintance recently shared something that was the usual “someone thinks they’re always right, and it’s you” thing, focused on liberals, as usual, because it’s mostly us who are vocal, and not happy.  I’m so fucking tired of it. We never get that for the virtue-signaling GOP, who continue to vote for the worst things, and the worst people.  

 

[fairffaxx]

2 minutes ago, jessiebell said:

A great business man wouldn't have filed for bankruptcy 6 times

Some people view the Bankruptcy Code as a business tool to use as much as possible -- why pay your rent when you can legally use that money elsewhere instead?  I'm a retired bankruptcy lawyer & am in favor of those laws, but there's no question in my mind (& Liz Warren's, if I may speak for her) that they do leave room for abuse & unscrupulous people do manipulate them.  

[Eri]

23 minutes ago, jessiebell said:

Well this "trade" war is really working out well for us.  Maybe Trump could take a bit of time away from golfing to come up with a clear and coherent plan but that is beyond his ability.  A great business man wouldn't have filed for bankruptcy 6 times so why anyone touts his business acumen is beyond me.  

Quelle surprise! I think it's working for some people as @fairffaxx mentioned ;)

"One of his loudest allies in Congress was already poised to benefit.

A disclosure made public on Monday said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene poured between $21,000 and $315,000 into the stock market on Tuesday and Wednesday, investing in 17 companies, including Apple, Elon Musk's Tesla, Nvidia, and Palantir.

Members of Congress are only required to disclose the ranges of their purchases — Greene made 21 different stock purchases, each valued between $1,000 and $15,000.

Trump's tariff pause announcement sent markets soaring on Wednesday, and anyone who purchased stocks in the final hours or days before Trump's post would have seen significant gains on paper.

Greene has said that she doesn't control her trades, telling Business Insider in a statement on Friday that she signed a "fiduciary agreement to allow my financial advisor to control my investments."

"All of my investments are reported with full transparency," Greene added."

https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-purchased-stock-trump-tariff-pause-2025-4?r=US&IR=T

Edited April 16 by Eri

[PRgal]

Canadians:  anyone watching the French debate?  I’m hearing that it’s basically a bunch of kids bickering.  The English debate is tomorrow.  

[tres bien]

Today Senator Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador in an attempt to see Kilmer Armando Abrego Garcia one of Van Hollen’s constituents 

He was denied a visit and was told by the VP of El Salvador that the reason Garcia is being held in CECOT is that the Trump administration is paying El Salvador 

When asked if he could have a phone call with Garcia or visit him Van Hollen said he was told he had to prearrange it in advance and that might be possible if it was requested by the US Embassy but the VP would make no promises 

Van Hollen may return next week if he can get the help of the US Embassy 

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Not when you completely disrespect the office of the presidency, actively dismantle every important aspect of our govenrment, and have a history of actively trying to overthrow a democratic election, you don't. He doesn't respect the place he lives, so no, he shouldn't get to do shit with it. He shouldn't even still be allowed to be IN the White House at all at this point. He should've been thrown out on his ass and barred from ever being allowed back a long time ago. 

Not only that but a tenant is prohibited to materially  change the landlord's property. They may not paint, replace flooring or cabinets. They may not damage or cause repairs to be needed unless they are willing to reimburse the property owner for said damages or alterations.

[tearknee]

12 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

In theory pacifism and socialism are meant to be good things. Believing the earth is flat is not even close to those two things.  It's not even apples and oranges.  It's apples and caterpillars. And if a ceasefire in Ukraine stops the killing I'm all for it.

 

pacifism has no place. A ceasefire is coddling Putin and leaving people under his yoke.

Elections have consequences. So do crank ideologies, however admirable, if not tempered by realism and pragmatism.

[peacheslatour]

10 minutes ago, tearknee said:

 

pacifism has no place. A ceasefire is coddling Putin and leaving people under his yoke.

Elections have consequences. So do crank ideologies, however admirable, if not tempered by realism and pragmatism.

Only because Putin is a liar and so is Trump. A real ceasefire would be different.