BS: Let's talk about the US election

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Helen
Date: 20 Dec 24 - 12:23 PM

I read this ABC (Oz) article yesterday and I don't fully understand how the US political system works so I was a bit confused, but my previous comment about a glimmer of hope was definitely sparked:

US Congress rejects Trump-backed spending plan leaving government on brink of shutdown

"In short:

"A day before a potential government shutdown, the US Congress resoundingly rejected president-elect Donald Trump's new plan to fund operations and suspend the debt ceiling.

"Democrats blasted the bill and 38 Republicans voted against it too, with one representative saying he was 'sickened' by the package.
What's next?

"Speaker of the House Mike Johnson advised the US to 'stay tuned' and said 'we will come up with another solution'."

I get really confused about the option to shut down the government, which includes not paying Federal government employees for a month. Why? What's the point or benefit of even considering doing that?

I also watched the short video on Bill D's link, with the heading "'Government is for grown-ups and Republicans are children': Musk, Trump spark chaos on spending bill". The commentary on that was good, in my opinion.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Dec 24 - 01:10 PM

MSNBC is my go to source for careful analysis of current events. I watch it live on TV, and then do to its website for reminders. Lawrence O'Donnell worked as a Senate staffer years ago and in my opinion does the best clarification of the issues. He often has Andrew Weissman and Neil Katyal on to really dig deep on constitutional issues.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Dec 24 - 07:54 AM

Robert Riech says the 2 trillion dollar spending cuts will come from Social Security, Medicare, removing regulations of safety and health, removing anti-trust measures, lower taxes on billionaires, and labor laws for unions all to serve the interest of billionaires and free up money to be divided by the wealthy.

Musk will shield Trump from the blowback regarding the cuts in these third-rail issues that began with FDR. Time will tell if Musk makes much headway beyond tax cuts for billionaires. Defense spending is probably excluded from the 2025 DOGE plans.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 21 Dec 24 - 02:27 PM

I wish you Yanks would speak English. WTF are ‘third rail issues’? We don’t all speak in your secret code.

---

The "third rail" is the electrified one in the subway that will kill you if you step on or touch it. It is to the far side of the track from the platform, and is in view in any subway station you're in, but if anyone gets down on the tracks, it must be avoided at all costs. ---mudelf

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Dec 24 - 03:45 PM

The third rail of a nation's politics is a metaphor for any issue so controversial that it is "charged" and "untouchable" to the extent that any politician or public official who dares to broach the subject will invariably suffer politically. from wiki

Backwoodsman, i have no idea if this is what donuel means

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Dec 24 - 06:20 PM

From what I understand (which isn't much) resistance to the Trump juggernaut will be pretty much impossible, futile even.

I'm uncomfortable with the labelling of Trump voters as stupid.

Can that many people be stupid?

Someone said to me, who had never voted tory in their life when Thatcher kept getting elected.
Maybe its the government we need at this point. I didn't see it at the time. Not sure I do now, but the future seems quite imponderable.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Dec 24 - 03:47 AM

Never underestimate the power or stupidity of the mob, Al. Especially when the media are winding them up.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Dec 24 - 04:19 AM

I would prefer to wait and see what his policies are, to do otherwise is making a prejudgement

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: gillymor
Date: 22 Dec 24 - 06:31 AM

I've already seen his shit show once, that's more than enough for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Dec 24 - 10:05 AM

”Never underestimate the power or stupidity of the mob, Al. Especially when the media are winding them up.”

Right on the button Dave, the UK’s own act of wilful self-harm - Brexit - being the prime example.

Subject: RE: BS: Let's talk about the US election
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Dec 24 - 11:49 AM

Blame it on an inability to understand the economy and how policy influences it. Trump inherited the economy from Obama that had done a lot of work to rescue people after Bush's 2008 crunch. Trump gave away all of the benefit to rich folks with the tax breaks, the new tax forms took away the ability of regular people to itemize things like mortgage payments and removed the incentive to make charitable donations. He left a mess that Biden cleaned up but everything still costs more now and those who look fondly at the Obama economy believed Trump telling them he'd bring down the price of groceries. He won't, and they're about to find that out the hard way.

Trump can't keep his mouth shut and keep his hands off of the Biden administration so we're watching all of his tampering. It is encouraging that the House and Senate Republicans finally decided to ignore Trump's demand about the debt ceiling (he wanted the damage done to the Biden administration now, not to his own). The things taken out of the first bill that Musk squashed and Trump jumped in to agree were mostly added back with a subsequent bill later in the day (mostly to do with cancer research for children.) Raising the debt ceiling would have let he get away with a lot of fiscal nonsense (more tax cuts for the folks who are even richer now than they were four years ago).

We are expecting that behind the scenes some kind of preemptive private pardons are being offered and witnessed, only to be revealed if the Trump folks go after managers and witnesses in the January 6 or in the two impeachment hearings. All it takes is a hint of that happening and the upcoming toxic Justice Department will back off.