The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump

[Rumpy]

I feel like his first Presidency was all about seeing what buttons he could push and seeing what he could get away with; this next one seems like now that he knows all that, he's throwing away all pretense by hiring his 'dream' cabinet' of people just like him. He knows there's no stopping him now given what he got away with.

[coopasonic]

The last few posts caused me to actually look up 'captivated.' It seems I've been using a slightly off meaning for half a century. I always took it to means 'enthralled' or 'fascinated.' I never caught that it carried an implication of a positive reaction.

I would guess that most people have dozens, if not hundreds of words that they learned growing up whose meanings are just a hair off of the true meaning. And 99% of the time, you'd never notice in normal usage, unless there's a very specific context that makes you question yourself.

Interesting.

I don't know if we have a words thread, but this is better than talking about Trump. I also read "enthralled" and "fascinated" with positive connotations unless context says otherwise so your statement confuses me a bit. Not picking, but yeah picking.

[Skinypupy]

Oh hey look, it's the exact thing that literally everyone said would happen.

Walmart may have to raise some prices if Trump tariffs take effect, CFO says

We will soon hear that it’s totally fine if prices remain at current levels or even raise under Trump because tariffs are “making America great”. This will be mostly among people who couldn’t define what a tariff is their life depended on it.

But those same people will claim that the higher prices under Biden were concrete proof of his failed economic policies and were leaving our economy in shambles. Even though prices were less inflated than nearly everywhere else in the world post-COVID.

I would wager a very hefty sum on this outcome.

[Blackhawk]

I'm just trying to get rid of as much debt as possible before it hits.

[LordMortis]

We will soon hear that it’s totally fine if prices remain at current levels or even raise under Trump because tariffs are “making America great”. This will be mostly among people who couldn’t define what a tariff is their life depended on it.

Soon? I was hearing it October.

But those same people will claim that the higher prices under Biden were concrete proof of his failed economic policies and were leaving our economy in shambles. Even though prices were less inflated than nearly everywhere else in the world post-COVID.

And yes, the same voice that were telling me tariff inflation is best thing we can do for the economy were also attacking Biden on inflation from the moment he got in the office. They kept claiming COVID stimulus was causing inflation well in to 2023 and then totally lost it when when we started putting money toward building and rebuilding infrastructure.

Though not all inflation complainers were screaming bring on tariff inflation. They were instead screaming, "Illegal aliens are getting welfare!"

[LawBeefaroni]

Sigh. Shower of bastards.

Having long promised to gut the federal workforce and even eliminate some departments, Trump has foregone many of the norms associated with peacefully taking office. For example, Trump hast yet to meet with the General Services Administration, which is in charge of transferring the control of federal agencies, The Post reported. His transition team also hasn't met with counterparts at any of the federal agencies in Washington.

....

Mike David, president of the Article III Project, a nonprofit group that has defended Trump against criminal charges, told The Post that the president-elect is right not to trust “the politicized and weaponized” agencies that “hobbled his presidency the first time.”

“It’s a hostile takeover on behalf of the American people," David said.

[Grifman]

This covers a lot of ground on various issues, but I decided to post it here:

[Alefroth]

I wonder what happens if that irreconcilable conflict occurs. Does Musk use his considerable influence to undermine Trump? Would he become a pariah in MAGAland?

[hepcat]

I hate that the presidency is now covered in Musk.

[Kurth]

I'm just trying to get rid of as much debt as possible before it hits.

Wait. Isn't that the exact opposite of what you want to do if you are anticipating inflation?

[ImLawBoy]

I hate that the presidency is now covered in Musk.

You don't find it oddly alluring and S3XY?

[Blackhawk]

I'm just trying to get rid of as much debt as possible before it hits.

Wait. Isn't that the exact opposite of what you want to do if you are anticipating inflation?

I have no idea what the conventional wisdom is, but if prices go up, getting rid of the interest I'm paying may be my only chance to get through.

[Holman]

I wonder what happens if that irreconcilable conflict occurs. Does Musk use his considerable influence to undermine Trump? Would he become a pariah in MAGAland?

Musk is as much a narcissist as Trump, and eventually they're going to butt heads.

Plus, Steve Bannon apparently hates Musk. While he is not currently in the highest favor, you know that he and his wing of MAGA will be trying to wormtongue things to Musk's detriment.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, it's pretty clear they're going to have a spat at some point. I think I'm more concerned about the fallout for the average person. It'll be like two derpy Kaiju fighting and we're just all going to be collateral damage in their splash zone.

[Alefroth]

Lol... derpy Kaiju. Somebody should put that in an AI generator.

[Kurth]

I'm just trying to get rid of as much debt as possible before it hits.

Wait. Isn't that the exact opposite of what you want to do if you are anticipating inflation?

I have no idea what the conventional wisdom is, but if prices go up, getting rid of the interest I'm paying may be my only chance to get through.

I’m no financial advisor, so take this for what it’s worth, but as inflation increases, your debt is effectively reduced.

Think about it: If ten dollars buys you a basket of groceries, and you have $100 in debt, you have 10 grocery baskets of debt. If that same grocery basket costs you $20 in a year, your debt load has effectively been reduced to 5 grocery baskets of debt.

If you are worried about inflation increasing over the next year, you should be front loading your purchasing decisions and buying the things you anticipate needing over the next year. You shouldn’t be spending available cash to pay down your debt.

(If I’m ass backwards on this and someone with more financial savvy wants to correct me, please don’t let me steer Blackhawk wrong.)

[Blackhawk]

I can see the logic in that. My thinking is that if I'm bringing $1300 per month, and paying $350 per month in interest charges, getting that down to $200 a month makes it less likely that I'll be choosing between rent and food (as I've had to do in the past.) I certainly don't have the space to store a year's worth of (whatever.)

And yes, those numbers are the real ones.

[Kraken]

I can see the logic in that. My thinking is that if I'm bringing $1300 per month, and paying $350 per month in interest charges, getting that down to $200 a month makes it less likely that I'll be choosing between rent and food (as I've had to do in the past.) I certainly don't have the space to store a year's worth of (whatever.)

And yes, those numbers are the real ones.

It's also likely that your income will go down, as I'm sure you're aware.

[Blackhawk]

I can see the logic in that. My thinking is that if I'm bringing $1300 per month, and paying $350 per month in interest charges, getting that down to $200 a month makes it less likely that I'll be choosing between rent and food (as I've had to do in the past.) I certainly don't have the space to store a year's worth of (whatever.)

And yes, those numbers are the real ones.

It's also likely that your income will go down, as I'm sure you're aware.

I have very little wiggle room. As things stand, if prices go up by more than a couple hundred a month, or my income goes down that amount (or a combination thereof), I'll be in big trouble. I can't get a raise or a better job - I've got what I'm given. That's why reducing the debt becomes such a big deal - I could potentially double my wiggle room.