$2 Trillion Deficit

@wildgrass said
No, absolutely not absolute. But if that is the case then a deal is impossible and the war/blockade goes on forever.

Don't forget the part where the "negotiators" are 2-bit hucksters who normally sell suckers on bad real estate deals. They're trying to make a deal with a religious fundamentalist?

This is like asking a 2 year old child to mow the lawn. They can't even reach the handlebar, and Iran knows it. That's why Iran is asking for ridiculous things.

Iran knows what? They know that Trump means business, so, simply put, he will let them die. So, no negotiation. Your comments are thus moot. geez. You seem to ignore Trump's options? One is that he WILL NOT walk away.
I really don't get your point. Trump listens (pretends to) their 'wants', then, without bothering to give them the satisfaction of hearing from President of USA, he will proceed with What The Savages Know Is Coming. (Marauder is offended by the word Savages).
Trump patience wains, here it comes. Only he knows what he will do. Bombs away. All of you carry a hint o pacifism........ouch.

@AverageJoe1 said
Someone catch this faerie up.

⛸️🌷 🌺🌸

You mean, you’re just defecating random words out your mouth, and claiming they make sense.

@AverageJoe1 said
Iran knows what? They know that Trump means business, so, simply put, he will let them die. So, no negotiation. Your comments are thus moot. geez. You seem to ignore Trump's options? One is that he WILL NOT walk away.
I really don't get your point. Trump listens (pretends to) their 'wants', then, without bothering to give them the satisfaction of hearing from P ...[text shortened]... es. Only he knows what he will do. Bombs away. All of you carry a hint o pacifism........ouch.

You wish he knew what to do. You should read this. It's the official 2026 counterterrorism strategy released by the White House (I think Trump lives there now). It's full of typos, false equivalencies, hyperbole, and seems to be obsessed with Joe Biden.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-USCT-Strategy-1.pdf

But the bigger problem with the "strategy" manual, which is supposed to help guide intelligence, law enforcement, and diplomatic activities throughout the government, is that it's not a strategy at all. You can't find anything remotely resembling a strategy. Instead, it's a list of grievances that reads like some weirdo who watches way too much FoxNews just started writing down what people said on there.

Past administrations who were more serious about this used to hire people who know what they're doing. It's obvious that is not what is happening here.

As this article points out, the counterterrorism strategy was written by someone who has no experience at all in counterterrorism. Does that seem like a good idea?

... it contains almost no strategic recommendations other than to do obvious things, such as identifying “terror actors and plots before they happen”; cutting off “their arms, funding, and recruiting streams”; and then destroying them by “taking necessary and specific actions in self-defense to neutralize imminent threats to the United States.” These generic exhortations are not a strategy. A strategy entails specific discussions of priorities and goals, how the instruments and means of national power will be brought to bear on those objectives, and the risks and rewards of various options.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/trump-sebastian-gorka-counterterrorism/687148/

@shavixmir said
You mean, you’re just defecating random words out your mouth, and claiming they make sense.

Joe thinks the $2 trillion will be paid by good vibes and poor people. Anything to avoid mentioning the idea that we should tax people who actually have money.

@Mott-The-Hoople said
Republicans give those poor folks opportunities to improve their lives. Democrats keep them broke.

Hahahahahahahaha!! You're kidding me, right?

Do outrageous food and gas prices improve their lives? Really?

How about outrageous rent and forget about actually being able to afford a house.

And have you seen car prices compared to even five years ago?

"Improving the lives of poor people." Give me an f'ing break.

@wildgrass said
You wish he knew what to do. You should read this. It's the official 2026 counterterrorism strategy released by the White House (I think Trump lives there now). It's full of typos, false equivalencies, hyperbole, and seems to be obsessed with Joe Biden.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-USCT-Strategy-1.pdf

But the bigger problem with the "stra ...[text shortened]... s.[/quote]
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/trump-sebastian-gorka-counterterrorism/687148/

It's just that Trump just doesn't give a damn about the lives of *shudder* "ordinary" people.

And all he wants from his underlings is uncompromising fealty. That's it. Competence not required, because it might shine a light on how much he sucks at his own job.

@Suzianne said
It's just that Trump just doesn't give a damn about the lives of *shudder* "ordinary" people.

And all he wants from his underlings is uncompromising fealty. That's it. Competence not required, because it might shine a light on how much he sucks at his own job.

The typos are particularly problematic because, as you know, we've had spellcheck in Microsoft Word since 1995 to check for these things.

This tells you that no one in the administration even read or proofread it.

Like whenever Pete Hegseth is asked a question about military strategy and he says "Why would I tell you?" which he did over and over and over again at the congressional hearing, it's that he doesn't have an answer. There is no strategy. It's possible they don't know what that word even means.

@AverageJoe1 said
The man is a builder. And, you know, the markets don't agree with Wiiiildgrass.

Not one of you has acknowledged the boom that will hit after Iran is put down. Oh, maybe you think Iran will best Trump..... 😆 .

So when the economy takes off (see markets) will YOU back off of your 'blame'.? You'll be telling your partner, Ernie, look at the gas price drop.
Blame is ...[text shortened]... at like we will have handled Iran. Trump sends messages. But you guys are not getting the message.

Too bad everything he "builds" sucks.

Home Depot plastic trim painted gold? Other heads of state have noticed.

He should have stayed in his dream job, a used-car salesman. He got fired because he insisted every car be painted gold.

Your Trump cheerleading is really getting pathetic.

@wildgrass said
You wish he knew what to do. You should read this. It's the official 2026 counterterrorism strategy released by the White House (I think Trump lives there now). It's full of typos, false equivalencies, hyperbole, and seems to be obsessed with Joe Biden.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-USCT-Strategy-1.pdf

But the bigger problem with the "stra ...[text shortened]... s.[/quote]
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/trump-sebastian-gorka-counterterrorism/687148/

!??!??! """Past administrations who were more serious about this used to hire people who know what they're doing. It's obvious that is not what is happening here"""
This passage simply slays me. YOU hired Biden, who did not know what he was doing. (yes, just my opinion), but the real takeaway.....Biden, YOUR president, hired Kamala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. SHe knew nothing of what she was doing.
Now THAT is a fact, my Biden assessment, that was an opinion.

So, I hereby counter your post with your people 'not knowing what there were doing.' Were you for the Biden not-Border ? Another killer (2 of them) hit last night, shot a pregnant teenager, killed the baby. So, how 'you boys doin?

@AverageJoe1 said
!??!??! """Past administrations who were more serious about this used to hire people who know what they're doing. It's obvious that is not what is happening here"""
This passage simply slays me. YOU hired Biden, who did not know what he was doing. (yes, just my opinion), but the real takeaway.....Biden, YOUR president, hired Kamala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. SHe ...[text shortened]... ller (2 of them) hit last night, shot a pregnant teenager, killed the baby. So, how 'you boys doin?

Stop lying.

Biden had a long career of representing the People.

Trump only represents himself.

@AverageJoe1 said
My posting is so simple, so practical, so correct. Nothing conflicting, no rambling like you and sonhouse. Factual, to the point. Dems are racist for instance,...I proved it above.

You could learn how to use the backspace key.

@wildgrass said
When you are in a negotiation with another person or country, is it a good idea to come to the bargaining table with an attitude of "I don't care what the other party is asking for?" Art of the Deal says that's a bad idea.

Every day the war burns billions of tax dollars for no reason, gas gets more expensive, the deficit grows. You and Mott have both said in this thread ...[text shortened]... FBI? He does not know whether or not it's a crime to lie under oath, and seems to do it frequently.

Too right.

@AverageJoe1 said
Marauder, see that there are 2 diff defs of 'investment.
Capital goods, etc on the one hand, and then you have financial markets which DIRECT 'savings' into those (productive) investments. Not the same thing.
And no sense in me writing the obvious benefits of buying stock,.which of coourse lowers the cost of raising capital,,,,but you know that. If you start focusing ...[text shortened]... ighten out your priorities, and quit trying to force an impossible society. Won't work. Never has.

Since virtually all transactions on financial markets consist of A buying a share of stock from B with none of the proceeds going to the company that issued the stock, how is that "directed" to productive economic investment any more than the money I paid to the plumber?

I have no objection to financial markets or any other type of gambling; I just don't think one type of gambling should get preferential tax treatment because 90% of it is done by the top 10% wealth holders.

Finally, these discussions would be more useful if you refrained from making ridiculous, untrue claims about what I supposedly believe. While I think massive differences in income and wealth are unnatural and undesirable, I never have remotely suggested that all individuals have to be equal in either.

@AverageJoe1 said
In this case, I am with the Art of he Deal author, Trump. At some point, there is an impasse, you see.
If you and I negotiate, and you ask for the impossible, your reasons for same would be met by me with a response of 'What you want?.... i don't care 'why' you want something, whatever , you will not get it":. I Don't Care. Stop talking.
You see, it starte ...[text shortened]... You think that this 'We must care about the other party's position is absolute!?!?? You are naive.

Well, here's the problem.

Donald Trump didn't write "The Art of the Deal".

Tony Schwartz did.


Wikipedia says:
"Tony Schwartz (born May 2, 1952) is an American journalist and business book author who ghostwrote the 1987 book The Art of the Deal, which was credited to Donald Trump."
"In 1985, Schwartz began interviewing Donald Trump to ghostwrite Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), for which he was credited as co-author. According to Schwartz, Trump wrote none of the book, choosing only to remove a few critical mentions of business colleagues at the end of the process."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Schwartz_(writer)


https://www.npr.org/2016/07/21/486924253/art-of-the-deal-ghostwriter-on-why-trump-should-not-be-president

@no1marauder said
Since virtually all transactions on financial markets consist of A buying a share of stock from B with none of the proceeds going to the company that issued the stock, how is that "directed" to productive economic investment any more than the money I paid to the plumber?

I have no objection to financial markets or any other type of gambling; I just don't think one typ ...[text shortened]... al and undesirable, I never have remotely suggested that all individuals have to be equal in either.

And we thought we had a housing bubble in 2008.

Lots of Americans will lose their retirement accounts when the stock bubble bursts.