Octopus Overlords

A tiny part of me is suspicious that Trump's really announcing Tariffs to get people to get out and spend money to get stuff in under the wire. I did further research and discovered that my phone is no longer supported and will cease even security updates in less then a year. So I bought the google pixel 8a.

Trump isn't that subtle or sophisticated. He understands bribery, and he understands bludgeoning with a club. That's the limit of his statecraft.

GreenGoo wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 3:56 pm Fuck it. Zarathud is now "ole Lampy" from now on.

So decreed.

edit: Ole is not old.

Why does the Blind Man Need a Lantern?

To me, he’s now Zarthaud….which brings us closer to

hepcat wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 10:43 pm To me, he’s now Zarthaud….which brings us closer to

This is the best movie ever!

As "market correction" territory is within view (now at 8% off its high) The GOP is telling you to shut up about egg prices while warning a recession is what it might take to Make America Great Again. That's his concept of a plan that he couldn't give details on while he railed on egg prices and inflation and failed economy that was humming along.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/shut-egg-pri ... 51005.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurk ... n-economy/

And the band played on.

Feel free not to click through. It's nothing we don't all already know.

It's absolutely crazy to me how the GOP (and Republicans in general, at least my locals) are absolutely silent about all this. 6 months ago, Biden was destroying the economy, but when Trump is literally promoting a trade war for absolutely no reason (and no benefit), they have nothing at all to say. Nothing.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:36 am It's absolutely crazy to me how the GOP (and Republicans in general, at least my locals) are absolutely silent about all this. 6 months ago, Biden was destroying the economy, but when Trump is literally promoting a trade war for absolutely no reason (and no benefit), they have nothing at all to say. Nothing.

If they look at their 401ks, they'll start talking about it soon enough unless all they are the stiggin' it folks, folks who don't have a retirement plan, or they're pension hypocrites. And one would think that those without any retirement plan, short of criming, are those who rely on the system to hum more than any others.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:36 am It's absolutely crazy to me how the GOP (and Republicans in general, at least my locals) are absolutely silent about all this. 6 months ago, Biden was destroying the economy, but when Trump is literally promoting a trade war for absolutely no reason (and no benefit), they have nothing at all to say. Nothing.

Fear of a trans and immigrant nation will keep them in line for now.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:36 am It's absolutely crazy to me how the GOP (and Republicans in general, at least my locals) are absolutely silent about all this. 6 months ago, Biden was destroying the economy, but when Trump is literally promoting a trade war for absolutely no reason (and no benefit), they have nothing at all to say. Nothing.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear trying to redirect Canadian tariffs onto his neighbours

However, the main point here is that Kentucky's governor and senators are now speaking out, due to economic damage Canadian tariffs are doing to their state.

It's a start, I guess.

I don't think the leaders speaking out is enough - governor is a Democrat and McConnell is a lame duck. KY went 64% for Trump. When the news is filled with people (excluding Louisville and Lexington) complaining, then maybe it'll be working.

Governor Beshear is a Democrat, for reference. It's great he's speaking out and drawing attention to the specific things that are about to happen in KY, but I'm not sure Trump is going to care what a "filthy liberal" has to say about it.

If Project 2025 stays on track, Trump and his successors won't need to worry about what anyone has to say about anything. That's the beauty of a Putin-style managed democracy.

What are the chances that there is a congressional investigation into Trump(?) and his cronies shorting the market....
I am betting %0.00 that it happens but you just know people 'in the know' are making tons of money thanks to his yo-yo approach to tariffs.

We've been saying this for a while now. He admires how Putin has been "president for life," and he seems to want the same for himself. People used to argue that your government structure would prevent that from happening, but I have serious doubts about this at this point in history.

IceBear wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 9:45 am We've been saying this for a while now. He admires how Putin has been "president for life," and he seems to want the same for himself. People used to argue that your government structure would prevent that from happening, but I have serious doubts about this at this point in history.

In Putin Fashion, I fully expect to see him stepping down and then insisting to "run" the party while out of office. Of course, he's actually a figure for the little bird who whisper in his ear and make him feel strong. The question is can (and will) the US electorate stop the GOP from making us in to a one party state ruled by his billionaire shadows and other poisonous string pullers before they become too entrenched. It's a battle being lost day by day.

The only bright side I see (assuming I am not completely blinded and I might be) is that 2024 didn't already put is in the one party state forever camp. So 2026 brings us another chance to not burn us the ground, even as the GOP is actively setting every aflame and no retardants are in sight.

I saw a clip from Fox yesterday. Their economics panel was discussing the likelihood that a recession was incoming.

Of course they immediately called it the "Biden Recession" and repeated the label several times to cement the branding.

Yes, absolutely. That's why I think he's moving so quickly to break stuff - so that it's close enough to Biden's administration that he can claim it's all happening because of what Biden did. Remember how he left us with that terrible economy right before Trump was sworn in? It was terrible. Everyone was saying how terrible the economy was.

If things don't tank until June or September, it's going to be harder (but not impossible) to blame Biden.

Holman wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 10:27 am I saw a clip from Fox yesterday. Their economics panel was discussing the likelihood that a recession was incoming.

Of course they immediately called it the "Biden Recession" and repeated the label several times to cement the branding.

Lutnick said zero chance of a recession which makes me think it's a 100% guarantee.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump- ... rcna195522

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that Americans should “absolutely not” brace for a recession as President Donald Trump said the United States is in a “period of transition” as the administration plans to implement far-reaching reciprocal tariffs on goods from foreign countries.

“There’s going to be no recession in America. ... Global tariffs are going to come down because President Trump has said, ‘You want to charge us 100%? We’re going to charge you 100%,’” Lutnick told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

The markets are loving it.

Holman wrote: Thu Mar 06, 2025 7:33 pm My marriage is ending and I'm preparing to move out and buy a small house or condo. My wife is buying me out of our shared house. Our timescale is for me to have found a new place by the end of June.

I can't believe this is happening as if the world is normal and that all the necessary systems and jobs and securities will be in place four months from now, let alone in perpetuity. It feels very weird.

I’m sorry. I’m in a similar situation in terms of family turmoil. I know how sucky it is. And of course selling a house or buying one in Trumpland is freaking nerve wracking.

Unagi wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 10:39 am The markets are loving it.

Wonder what this great Canadian would think. And I think when he was acting as Us president he was far more credible .

Holman wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 10:27 am I saw a clip from Fox yesterday. Their economics panel was discussing the likelihood that a recession was incoming.

Of course they immediately called it the "Biden Recession" and repeated the label several times to cement the branding.

I'm convinced that this is the root cause of political turmoil in the US. It's not a difference of political opinion, it's pure gaslighting and it's unbelievably harmful to how people are able to process reality.

It's super villain level of manipulation and mind washing.

stessier wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 9:33 am I don't think the leaders speaking out is enough - governor is a Democrat and McConnell is a lame duck. KY went 64% for Trump. When the news is filled with people (excluding Louisville and Lexington) complaining, then maybe it'll be working.

It's definitely not enough. But it's something. Need to grasp as many straws as I can while they are within reach.

BTW, did you see these Tesla sales in Toronto back in January. They claim that one dealership sold 1200 cars on one day. Musk gaming the system again.

IceBear wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 12:53 pm BTW, did you see these Tesla sales in Toronto back in January. They claim that one dealership sold 1200 cars on one day. Musk gaming the system again.

In Tesla Motors.



It's not a surprise. Mr. Government Efficiency built his empire on government handouts.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:31 am As "market correction" territory is within view spitting distance(now at 8% 9% off its high)

Lamenting having lost the conservation with myself to move even more money in to cash equivalents than I was already moving back in mid to late January, rather choosing to largely increase safety in broad ETFs.

At least the mainstream media seems to be putting the economic blame where it's due - squarely on Trump's shoulders.

Ontario uses an export tariff to fight US's import tariffs:



I wonder if Trump is going to learn from this and also implement export tariffs?

He's putting a 25% tariff on all Canadian electricity and increasing the steel and aluminium tariffs from Canada to 50% from 25%.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/11/business ... index.html

Lol. And the world recoils in surprise at his brilliant strategic move. No one expected this!

I don't know what it's going to take, but even as someone that is going to experience the result, Canada needs to push back even harder.

There exists a group of people that simply won't believe you when you tell them the stove top is hot; they need to feel it for themselves - it's the only way they learn.

Holman wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 2:42 pm

If Spicer and Huckabee had a baby....

Ontario's Ford is suspending the 25% surcharge on electricity. He says it's not the Trump threats, but because Lutnik called him and invited him to come to Washington this week to discuss the matter. He said it felt like an olive branch so he decided to suspend it in good faith. Good saving face Ford.

All I can think of is Ford going through a Zekensky-style shakedown with it being an entirely one-sided discussion. On the other hand, maybe just maybe it's having an effect. I'll only believe it once I see it happen.

Rumpy wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 3:25 pm All I can think of is Ford going through a Zekensky-style shakedown with it being an entirely one-sided discussion. On the other hand, maybe just maybe it's having an effect. I'll only believe it once I see it happen.

Same. As much as I dislike Lutnik he seems a little more reasonable

Well, I dunno. All I've seen about Lutnik so far is that he's been parroting Trump, almost word for word about the reasoning for the threats, so excuse me if I don't believe he's sincere. All I can hope is that it's got them panicking.

No, I agree...hence why I said I "dislike" him. He does seem to sometimes say things that are a little more reasonable (not a lot, a little) but generally the orange guy holding his leash will override those things anyway.

I just want things to go back to when most Americans forget Canada is even there (and that hasn't necessarily changed) and relations between our nations was boring