Trumponomics

[harryopal1]

After declaring that the word "tariffs" is a beautiful word Trump later conceded that tariffs would result in Americans paying higher prices for imports. Today the Us International Aid Agency has been closed. There are many people who would see international aid as America just being too generous and especially with countries where there may not be immediate political benefits to the US. The irony is that foreign aid is not just throwing away American resources. Much if not most foreign aid is directed to the purchase of American goods and services and the real function of aid giving, which has to be paid for by US taxpayers, is that it is actually a way of giving major subsidies to American grain producers and manufacturers.

It is hard to imagine that the huge benefits to the American agricultural sector and manufacturers is something that has not been raised as an important consideration in suspending foreign aid. It seems President Trump approaches international economic issues like a poker player where bluff and taking risks are very much to do with the way the cards play out.

 

[Shadrach]

After declaring that the word "tariffs" is a beautiful word Trump later conceded that tariffs would result in Americans paying higher prices for imports. Today the Us International Aid Agency has been closed. There are many people who would see international aid as America just being too generous and especially with countries where there may not be immediate political benefits to the US. The irony is that foreign aid is not just throwing away American resources. Much if not most foreign aid is directed to the purchase of American goods and services and the real function of aid giving, which has to be paid for by US taxpayers, is that it is actually a way of giving major subsidies to American grain producers and manufacturers.

It is hard to imagine that the huge benefits to the American agricultural sector and manufacturers is something that has not been raised as an important consideration in suspending foreign aid. It seems President Trump approaches international economic issues like a poker player where bluff and taking risks are very much to do with the way the cards play out.
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What a sad state of affairs when helping hungry, sometimes starving people is politicized! I don't think who produces the food is important. What is important is just get it to the people that desperately need it as quickly as possible. It just drives me crazy, when Trump speaks, that no one has the balls to speak directly to him and bust him in a lie! The press just goes round and round, and say nothing. He has all the Republican Senators, and Congressmen terrified of going against him, so they go along with everything he wants.
If this isn't the same as a Dictatorship, then what is? All the fools that voted for him, will be sorry, when his tariffs make the cost of all goods increase dramatically!
Oligarchy at its finest with Musk having his hands in the cookie jar!

 

[Hawk256]

So far Canada and Mexico are showing evidence to tuck their tails and China is working very hard for a deal as well. A trade war is only bad if you lose and so far that hasn't been the case. Look at Indonesia's spat with Apple. Apple went from 15 million to 100 million to 1 billion just to be able to sell the iPhone 16 here. So far the government is way ahead. They would have never gotten these deals from Apple without playing a little poker.

 

[Shadrach]

So far Canada and Mexico are showing evidence to tuck their tails and China is working very hard for a deal as well. A trade war is only bad if you lose and so far that hasn't been the case. Look at Indonesia's spat with Apple. Apple went from 15 million to 100 million to 1 billion just to be able to sell the iPhone 16 here. So far the government is way ahead. They would have never gotten these deals from Apple without playing a little poker.

From what I know, everyone loses in a WAR, sounds like highway robbery to me! Greed at its finest! So the people will end up having to pay much more, and get screwed just to buy a good phone.

 

[Ruserious]

Americas debt is very high and cuts need to be made to try to get to a budget surplus. Closing the international aid agency seems like a necessary but unfortunate part of this.

From what I know, everyone loses in a WAR, sounds like highway robbery to me! Greed at its finest! So the people will end up having to pay much more, and get screwed just to buy a good phone.

As for this...other asian countries got much more investment from Apple ($22bn in vietnam) and other phone manufacturers invested here. Indonesia is a huge market and if Apple want to be here then they should support the country. Yes the 1 billion offer was good and apple should have led with that - im sure it would have worked at that time.

If you cant buy an apple phone then just buy a brand that has invested here.

 

[Ruserious]

What a sad state of affairs when helping hungry, sometimes starving people is politicized! I don't think who produces the food is important. What is important is just get it to the people that desperately need it as quickly as possible. It just drives me crazy, when Trump speaks, that no one has the balls to speak directly to him and bust him in a lie! The press just goes round and round, and say nothing. He has all the Republican Senators, and Congressmen terrified of going against him, so they go along with everything he wants.

He won the election (including the popular vote)and is doing pretty much exactly what he promised to do. You may disagree with it but it seems like the voting population of the US asked for this so why would all these majority senators and congressmen go against him? FYI I am not a trump fan (and not American) but i am curious what the end result will be of a much smaller government.

 

[gemima]

He won the election (including the popular vote)and is doing pretty much exactly what he promised to do. You may disagree with it but it seems like the voting population of the US asked for this so why would all these majority senators and congressmen go against him? FYI I am not a trump fan (and not American) but i am curious what the end result will be of a much smaller government.

I think this is a bit of a stupid argument - he is currently acting out using executive orders - he is doing a lot of things that aren't actually legally allowed. Things that should be going through senate (which is supposed to spend the money - NOT the president). He's behaving like a King.
If a Democrat was behaving like Trump is right now there would be absolute pandemonium in the country (and rightly so). So go ahead and shrug your shoulders even if you say you are not a fan....people over there need to wake up.

 

[Ruserious]

people over there need to wake up.

I dont think ive ever seen a politician do what they have said they would in such a short period of time. Yes hes behving like a king and he could well go off the rails at anytime. Yes the tariff thing seems stupid (although some how he came out of it well).
But he 100% very clearly said this is what he would do during the election period and he was voted in to do that. If you disagree then you should call the American voters stupid as none of this is a surprise.

 

[centurion]

I think this is a bit of a stupid argument - he is currently acting out using executive orders - he is doing a lot of things that aren't actually legally allowed. Things that should be going through senate (which is supposed to spend the money - NOT the president). He's behaving like a King.
If a Democrat was behaving like Trump is right now there would be absolute pandemonium in the country (and rightly so). So go ahead and shrug your shoulders even if you say you are not a fan....people over there need to wake up.

Obama did it too (ruling via executive orders). And he had many resistance by the Republicans because of that.

 

[gemima]

I dont think ive ever seen a politician do what they have said they would in such a short period of time. Yes hes behving like a king and he could well go off the rails at anytime. Yes the tariff thing seems stupid (although some how he came out of it well).
But he 100% very clearly said this is what he would do during the election period and he was voted in to do that. If you disagree then you should call the American voters stupid as none of this is a surprise.

I dont think the tariff thing is stupid at all - that is not actually very interesting and he gets leaders to cower so he feels very big and powerful. We know he has a thing for tariffs. Its all the other stuff he is ordering, and the stuff that Musk is up to that I am referring to and most of that he didn't mention during the election.

 

[Ruserious]

Obama did it too (ruling via executive orders). And he had many resistance by the Republicans because of that.

There is a long history of them. Trump did 220 in his first term but 50 so far this term. Bush, Clinton, other bush....all high numbers. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/executive-orders

 

[Ruserious]

Its all the other stuff he is ordering, and the stuff that Musk is up to that I am referring to and most of that he didn't mention during the election

Can you be more specific? Maybe you know more than ive read online as i know sources nowadays only give one side of the story.
I for one knew that he was appointing musk as this so called DOGE head to cut government expenses. Seems like he has been very successfull at that. Next up is the department of education and that will cause a massive uproar despite the data clearly showing that Americas education system was better before it was founded and when it was left up to the states.

Again....he promised a small government and a cut back on what he deems over spending. I am curious to see what the end result of that is.

 

[gemima]

Can you be more specific? Maybe you know more than ive read online as i know sources nowadays only give one side of the story.
I for one knew that he was appointing musk as this so called DOGE head to cut government expenses. Seems like he has been very successfull at that. Next up is the department of education and that will cause a massive uproar despite the data clearly showing that Americas education system was better before it was founded and when it was left up to the states.

Again....he promised a small government and a cut back on what he deems over spending. I am curious to see what the end result of that is.

Yes Trump won the election - 31.9% of the eligible voting population voted for him.
America is supposed to be a democracy. The President is supposed to work via the established mechanisms. So its not possible (if you are doing things legally) to get rid of USAID or the Education Dept (or any government agencies) like he has "ruled" them to do. Those things are supposed to go to congress with 2/3 majority (not happening...he is a weak president so he needs to rule like a King). But right now Musk seems to think he can do whatever he likes.

I'm not disagreeing that there is a lot of waste in the system - I think Trump is right to go into places and give them a shake down but using Musk to do it with, with the methods they are using is absolutely nuts (and literally illegal).

You say "it seems like he (musk) has been very successful" - well he hasnt actually done anything yet - he got 1% of the federal work force to agree to quit (with 8 months paid leave). That literally the only thing he has achieved so far.

So it seems like what you are saying is - that you are okay with everything, because trump won and so long as it all ends up with a small government its going to be fine.
But at what cost?
Trump is trying to dismantle the way that American democracy works. Will you be okay with it when another candidate, a radical democrat wins 31.9% of the eligible votes and operates via this undemocratic route?

In a democracy you sometimes need to meet somewhere in the middle. America (and the world) would be a lot better off if there was a middle ground.

 

[fastpitch17]

Americas debt is very high and cuts need to be made to try to get to a budget surplus. Closing the international aid agency seems like a necessary but unfortunate part of this.

Yep, cuts need to be made. Needed that to happen the past 30 or so years. Cuts should mean management and not total elimination. I believe they have no people in mind that could look into these agencies and manage them so they take the easy road and just eliminate them. If eliminating them caused no harm to those in need that are allies of the US then fine. Problem is, a lot of people are going to die. As for that budget surplus. That's a joke simply because trump has stated loud and clear that will go into the pockets of big business owners. I'm sure the wool you keep pulled over your eyes isn't that thick where you can't get a little glimpse.

 

[fastpitch17]

f you disagree then you should call the American voters stupid as none of this is a surprise.

I'm first, (not really) American voters were incredibly stupid this time around. Some have figured that out already. "What, not me, oh no." Project 2025 in it's full glory. "Project 2025, never heard of it. I disagree with what I have seen of it." Just because they work for trump and his name is mentioned throughout evidently means he doesn't know the authors like he says.

Those that voted for trump should remember his promise to bring down prices. The main concern of all voters with immigration second. Now you just hear the prices are going to get much higher. People love it. Yeah trump. Yeah musk, the unelected ruler of the US. People love to be conned so love the con man.

 

[fastpitch17]

I for one knew that he was appointing musk as this so called DOGE head to cut government expenses. Seems like he has been very successfull at that. Next up is the department of education and that will cause a massive uproar despite the data clearly showing that Americas education system was better before it was founded and when it was left up to the states.

Cutting expenses. That is what you call eliminating entire government agencies and firing thousands of employees for doing the jobs they were assigned as a method of retaliation.

As for education. You do know how asinine you sound with your insights. The dept of Education spends a lot of money for each state. They help educate teachers. The money's spent have nothing to do with State's politics. What does have to do with the states is what is taught and how it is taught. The states set the school hours and days. The state dept of education sets the requirements for teachers and shells out the federal funds. Basically, education is in the hands of the states already. Where does that today leave education? It leaves it with red states having the lowest scores and blue states having the highest. Trump stated during the campaign he was for minimal education. Now he can get it. Trump dumbing down in the American students for what, to make them more like the lunitic he is? Maybe he just wants them to be more like the Russians he loves so much.

One thing for certain, the courts are going to be really busy and maybe he can learn the president or his overseer musk don't get to control the YS purse strings according to the Constitution.

 

[harryopal1]

It's all a bit reminiscent of Thatcher and Murdoch with a bash and trample on the unions or anyone else who gets in the way of the grand plans. Both had and still have their admirers.

 

[Shadrach]

I think people forget, T-rump is only looking out for the rich guys. He is an embarrassment. He continuously lies, and changes the facts. He actually is not that intelligent, but has many people backing him for their own benefits.
He is a convicted felon remember, and a predator! why isn't he in jail? When the cost of goods sky rocket, and the rest of the world sees America as a joke, it will be an awakening for the idiots that voted for him.
It's very scary to think an egomaniac like him, has his finger on the Nuclear button!

 

[Hawk256]

In a democracy you sometimes need to meet somewhere in the middle. America (and the world) would be a lot better off if there was a middle ground.

Not to nit pick but The United States isn't a democracy, it's a republic and popular vote has never been important to the process of electing a president.

 

[gemima]

Not to nick pick but The United States isn't a democracy, it's a republic and popular vote has never been important to the process of electing a president.

Change democracy to constitutional republic and the point is exactly the same.
There are supposed to be limits on the power of the president which they are currently attempting to bypass.

My point about the % who voted is to just to remind everyone that this isn't what the majority of people in the US want...there are a similar sized chunk of the population who have elected representatives who would vote down most measures...if things were being done the way the constitution lays out.