American Politics

[Spidy]

Ferengi Rules of Acquisition #35: Peace is good for Business!

Nice, apropos Trekkie reference!

"Peace is Good for Business," I agree. Ferengi's may be ugly, short mother fuckers, but they're damn smart! They're like the Swiss used to be.

I don't know for sure, but I've watch enough Star Trek, that it wouldn't surprise me, if the Ferengi, do not have a rule of acquisition, that said, "War is good for business!" (...kkkk!).

Like the Ferengi, the American Fuhrer, the fascist war mongers and billionaire robber barons on the right, have both war and peace covered. (ie. The bodies are still warm and Gaza is already being eyed and spied, for its real estate. The Ukraine for its minerals and rare earth, with more to follow, if the American Fuhrer, continues to suck Putin's dick).

You can book it!

PS: Oh wait, I think they do have a rule, #34 before "Peace is good... ", or #43. Depending where you look!

[Spidy]

... when little France is number 1 for tourism, showing culture and way of life aura ...

Yeah, but no doubt, to preserve that French culture and way of life, in 42 cities, including Paris and Lyon, effective Jan 1st, 2025, EVs are welcomed and ICE vehicles are not. C'est la vie!

Regulations have again increased and tightened, surrounding the French Low Emission Mobility Zones (ZFE), as outlined in the Climate and Resilience Act, against ICE vehicles and banned them, from driving in the city center of major French cities.

So, whatever the type of "E85 "zero 0% CO2 emissions, on technical control" fuel you put in your Audi ICE fuel tank, it won't matter, you still won't be allowed to drive, in or near any major French city centers. And don't forget your 12 pass tickets to drive into the city centers!

Remember, if push comes to shove, you can always ditch your Audi ICE-E85 vehicle, on the outskirts of Paris (or Lyon...etc) and "leg it", into city center! (...kkkk!)

[Sirioja]

New name was found for your shameful schizophrene robber Trump = andron and his fool Musk. Robin Wood robbed rich to give to poor, but your shame threaten blackmail rob poor to give to rich.

Roman Neron for Trump new name given. Good, Canada want to resist to Trump. More and more in our world start to hate crazy Trump and USA. Shameful Trump gives new image of USA, kind of aggressive robbers.

[EihTooms]

Trump tried to smooth the way for domestic and foreign corporate corruption during his Trump's Pandemic Part 1 term but didn't have enough corrupt Repubs on his team to make it happen. He has rectified that oversight now during his Trump's Pandemic Part 2 second term:

President Trump Orders FCPA Freeze; DOJ Announces Major Policy Realignment De-Emphasizing Corporate Investigations and Enforcement.

https://natlawreview.com/article/pre...realignment-de

The much-heralded end to prosecutions brought pursuant to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)1 never materialized during the first Donald Trump administration, but the second Trump administration has the potential to bring major change to the US Department of Justices (DOJ) approach to FCPA enforcement.

On.10 February 2025, President Trump issued an executive order2 freezing the initiation of all new FCPA investigations and enforcement actions for 180 days. The executive order also instructs newly confirmed Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi to promulgate guidelines on FCPA enforcement and conduct a comprehensive review of existing and historical FCPA investigations and resolutions.

President Trumps directive comes on the heels of more than a dozen policy memoranda3 issued by AG Bondi on 5 February 2025, that will fundamentally realign DOJs operations and enforcement priorities during the second Trump administration. Two key DOJ directivesthe memorandum on "Total Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO Memo) and DOJs new General Policy Regarding Charging, Plea Negotiations, and Sentencing (General Policy Memo)when taken in concert with the new executive order, have the potential to bring about a seismic shift in DOJs approach to corporate investigations and enforcement.

Political and Corporate Corruption has always been the life-blood of the Repub Party. It could not exist without it.

LOL. Imagine a Political Party spending Trillions more, adding Trillions more to the USA debt and deficit than its Democratic Party counterpart for more than 100 years yet, even when it controls the White House, House and Senate, still NEVER managing to propose, fight for and pass a single piece of legislation to benefit the majority of the American people destined to become revered and defended to this day?

Not one Repub legislation comparable to ANY of ALL of them proposed, fought for and passed by The Democratic Party when they controlled the White House, House and Senate, even though they spent less of the American tax-payers' money to accomplish it!

Amazing.

Social Security (nothing like a Ponzi Scheme, BTW).

Unemployment Insurance.

Medicare.

Medicaid.

The 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Affirdable Care Act.

The American Rescue Plan Act.

The Inflation Reduction Act.

The Science and Chips Act.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

And so on.

Meanwhile, in more than 100 years Repubs have only managed to make America's wealthiest people wealthier, widen the income gap between them and everyone else, produce every Great Depression, Great Recession and Massive Jobs Destruction and facilitate domestic and foreign corporate corruption.

And they spent Trillions more than the Dems in ordee to accomplish that!

Repubs' Sucker Social / Culture Issues vs Dems' Legitimate Economic Issues in a nutshell:

[The Cane]

The French have always been full of themselves. Just compare their revolution to ours. BUT, I do like the look of their women, their baguettes, and some of their truly classic movies. Check out "Mississippi Mermaid" (La sirne du Mississipi) by Franois Truffaut now streaming on Prime, "Daybreak" (LE jour se lve) by Marcel Carne, "The Rules of the Game" (La Aregle du Jeu) by Jean Renoir, "Belle de Jour" by the master Luis Buuel, and Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la bete) by Jean Cocteau and you will know what I mean.

(yeah, I know Bunuel was a Spainard, but his masterpiece was made in France.).

We Americans like to make fun of the "Frenchies", but the truth is that many of our notions about liberty, freedom, and justice actually came from them. And they admired us so for going down that same path, gifting the United States the Statue of Liberty.

[Elvis 2008]

That's unlikely to happen for Elvis' example. The call price of a bond is set higher than the issue price. For example, say a bond was originally sold at 100 with a coupon rate of 8%. The call price, being the price at which the company has the right to repurchase the bond, might be 105. Now, say the price of the bond has fallen from 100 to 50, so that instead of 8%, it yields 16%. The company won't pay 105 to call the bond. It may try to buy bonds back on the open market at 50 though, if it can get the money to do so from the banks.

SC said it is a problem if you buy something for $500 and sell it for $1050? LOL. Yeah, he had best stick to speculative stuff.

[Axel Heyst]

Learn the difference between the definition of the word complaint and observation. If after you have reviewed the definition of both of those words get back with me.

Observation

Whatever you say, SubCmdr, but you did post this:

A South Carolina man is executed by firing squad, the first US prisoner killed by this method in 15 years.

Wat da fuc?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/south-car...231942156.html

America, what a country!

Which in my humble opinion is more than a mere observation since the post appears to have all the hallmarks of an opinion. Note the highlight in Bold of "what the fuc" and your final sentence followed by an exclamation point! So, in follow up, I asked a simple question:

What's the complaint SubCmdr?

I could have just as easily asked what is your point? Or let's phrase it this way: what is your "apparent" objection to the execution of this convicted murderer? Is it that you object to capital punishment or this particular form of capital punishment? It is a fair question, and obviously you don't have to answer it if you don't want to. I just wanted to know your opinion on the subject. It is not a biggie or a gotcha moment. There are legitimate points of view on both sides of the issue.

A. H.

[EihTooms]

If Musk is a "racist" you will have to prove it to me because I HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. I understand, however, that this is the latest BS line of attack from the Dems and their talking heads. Business as usual with these fucks. The real question is why is the left so virulently against finding corruption and waste in Gov't spending? Everybody should be interested in exposing and eliminating this crap. The national debt is over 30 trillion and rising. It is becoming a real threat to our very well being. It says a hell of a lot about what the left's priorities truly are. Apparently, they live and breathe on the corruption.

If President Musk was really concerned about reducing the debt, deficit, waste, fraud and abuse, he would have backed Harris and every other Democratic Party candidate on the ballot over any Repub Party candidate but especially Trump:

Democrats vs. Republicans: Who Had More National Debt?
Dec. 16, 2024

https://www.investopedia.com/democra...l-debt-8738104

The national debt passed the $36 trillion threshold in November for the first time ever, as the combined debt held by the U.S. public and the federal government grows.

Republican presidents have added slightly more to the national debt per term than Democratic presidents, according to inflation-adjusted data from the U.S. Treasury Department and the Bureau of Labor Statistics dating back to 1913.

Looking at U.S. presidents since 1913, Republican presidents added about $1.4 trillion per four-year term, compared to $1.2 trillion added by Democrats.

Think that $0. 2 Trillion difference is a fair trade as long as Repubs keep a tranny out of the toilet stall next to yours? Bear in mind that difference is more than all the cuts President Musk will ever produce with his Chainsaw.

And then there is this:

Trump added twice as much to the national debt as Biden: Analysis.
6/24/24

https://thehill.com/business/4736740...olicy-deficit/

Trumps administration borrowed $8.4 trillion during the former presidents time in office, while Biden has borrowed $4.3 trillion, according to an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a Washington think tank.

Ignoring the pandemic relief measures enacted by both presidents, the proportion of debt addition still holds around 2-to-1, with former President Trump adding $4.8 trillion in non-pandemic-aid fiscal debt and Biden adding $2.2 trillion.

A special note about the difference between Trump's $4. 8 Trullion non Trump's Pandemic expenditures vs Biden's $2. 2 Trillion; Trump's produced no discernable benefit to the USA Economy, producing at least a Million fewer jobs pre Trump's Pandemic with it than without it and not one sentence of Infrastructure projects and improvements vs Biden's record-breaking jobs recovery and creation and historic Infrastructure projects that corrupt Repub liars who voted against them are still falling over each other to falsely claim credit for passing them in their Red States.

And this:

Despite DOGE, Trump's agenda calls for adding trillions of dollars to U.S. debt.
Budget experts say Trumps tax and spending priorities would increase red ink, even as he boasts of balancing the budget. I dont think their rhetoric matches reality," one says.
Feb. 19, 2025

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/dog...ebt-rcna191665

Seriously. You know all this President Musk DOGE theatrics is just a scam to make way for the Trillions more he, Trump and the corrupt Repub Party want to add to the deficit in order to further enrich the Repub Party donor class and impoverish everyone else, right?

[Elvis 2008]

If either of you had bothered to follow the chain of posts, regarding "mandates", you'd know that, on several other occasions, I've already mentioned (to SubCmdr in a couple different posts) the only mandates I know of are those for the manufacturers, I'm not aware of one mandated for consumers to buy an EV?

That is really, really weak. I agree with Tiny. You showed real knowledge with EVs and China. The problem with the climate change weirdos is they have to sell their wares with the world is going to end crap. Solar and wind make sense for a lot of places. EVs do too. You were blasting Trump for getting rid of a program that never should have existed in the first place. What he did made total sense to me.

I did not even get into the new and more reliable plug standard Tesla is rolling out and how the government charging stations were already out of date. That Biden program was a total waste. As of now, EVs are massively inferior to ICE or hybrid vehicles for long trips, and government subsidies were not going to change that.

[SubCmdr]

What does the worlds richest man have against the agency that helps the worlds poorest people? Well, it was investigating his satellite company Starlinks contracts in Ukraine. But also, in their quest to cut trillions from the federal budget to finance tax cuts for billionaires like themselves, Musk and Trump have to believe they can get that money from things other than Social Security and Medicaid. So theyre tapping into Americans collective misbelief that we spend about a quarter of the budget on foreign aidin actuality, it is about 1 percentto claim they can square that math. And theyre flooding the zone with disinformation with claims of USAID waste and abuse, because this is their playbook. Never mind that they clearly dont know what USAID does, or that gutting it is also having devastating impacts on US farmers, who grow a lot of the food we provide as relief.

Who benefits from eviscerating USAID? Basically foreign dictators like Vladimir Putin, who hates that this soft power was part of Americas Ukrainian relief effort, or Xi Jinping, who sees our food aid to African countries as a plot to undermine Chinas belt and road program of development. We dont just lose moral stature when we renounce foreign aid, we lose our competitive advantage in global relations too. So when Trump states in an executive order that USAID efforts destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries, please realize that this is echoing the talking points of Putin and Xi.

But no matter, Musk and Trump wanted to start with what they saw as the weakest, wokest government agency, to slaughter it and hang it on a pike as a warning not to disobey the king. Slashing USAID scratches a racist itch central to the MAGA cause. Lets not forget how Trump slurred shithole countries. Trump, who says Hitler did some great things, and says he wants generals like Hitler had. Trump, who believes he has good genes. Trump, you know the list: housing discrimination, Central Park Five, birtherism, Mexican rapists, very fine people, go back where they came from, theyre eating the dogs, theyre eating the cats.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics...la-doge-trump/

Is the OP who has a problem with my statements going to address them directly to me like a man, or will he continue to express his emotions in a passive / aggressive fashion like a girl man (in other words like a *****)?

[Sirioja]

The French have always been full of themselves. Just compare their revolution to ours. BUT, I do like the look of their women, their baguettes, and some of their truly classic movies. Check out "Mississippi Mermaid" (La sirne du Mississipi) by Franois Truffaut now streaming on Prime, "Daybreak" (LE jour se lve) by Marcel Carne, "The Rules of the Game" (La Aregle du Jeu) by Jean Renoir, "Belle de Jour" by the master Luis Buuel, and Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la bete) by Jean Cocteau and you will know what I mean.

(yeah, I know Bunuel was a Spainard, but his masterpiece was made in France.).

For sure, USA can't compete for culture and without french de La Fayette, maybe never USA but under UK.

[Sirioja]

If Musk is a "racist" you will have to prove it to me because I HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. I understand, however, that this is the latest BS line of attack from the Dems and their talking heads. Business as usual with these fucks. The real question is why is the left so virulently against finding corruption and waste in Gov't spending? Everybody should be interested in exposing and eliminating this crap. The national debt is over 30 trillion and rising. It is becoming a real threat to our very well being. It says a hell of a lot about what the left's priorities truly are. Apparently, they live and breathe on the corruption.

New name was found for your shameful schizophrene robber Trump = andéron and his fool Musk. Robin Wood robbed rich to give to poor, but your shame threaten blackmail rob poor to give to rich.

[SubCmdr]

What's the complaint SubCmdr?

Learn the difference between the definition of the word complaint and observation. If after you have reviewed the definition of both of those words get back with me.

Observation

Why is Trump erasing certain groups of my fellow Americans from the historical record visually documenting their service to the The Constitution of the United States of America?

[Axel Heyst]

The French have always been full of themselves. Just compare their revolution to ours. BUT, I do like the look of their women, their baguettes, and some of their truly classic movies. Check out "Mississippi Mermaid" (La sirne du Mississipi) by Franois Truffaut now streaming on Prime, "Daybreak" (LE jour se lve) by Marcel Carne, "The Rules of the Game" (La Aregle du Jeu) by Jean Renoir, "Belle de Jour" by the master Luis Buuel, and Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la bete) by Jean Cocteau and you will know what I mean.

(yeah, I know Bunuel was a Spainard, but his masterpiece was made in France.).

GDP per capita:
USA $69,231.
France: $41,500.

Car ownership rate:
USA 0.88/ person.
France 0.6/ person.

Average home size:
USA 2500 square feet.
France 1200 square feet.

Percentage of population with air conditioning:
USA 90%.
France 20%.

Percentage of population with a university degree:
USA 44%.
France 32%.

Investment in New Technologies:
USA 5. 6% of GDP.
France 2. 5% of GDP.

[Axel Heyst]

If Musk is a "racist" you will have to prove it to me because I HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. I understand, however, that this is the latest BS line of attack from the Dems and their talking heads. Business as usual with these fucks. The real question is why is the left so virulently against finding corruption and waste in Gov't spending? Everybody should be interested in exposing and eliminating this crap. The national debt is over 30 trillion and rising. It is becoming a real threat to our very well being. It says a hell of a lot about what the left's priorities truly are. Apparently, they live and breathe on the corruption.