J.C.MacSwell

Moldy ham as potential POTUS? Trump, moldy ham, Mike Johnson...hmm ... given potential 1 and current 3...moldy ham's not looking so bad

Maybe not quite as readily demonstrably incorrect, but cutting taxes, especially when they are excessive, can lead to growth. The key is to do it in a way that hurts people the least, and leads to the type of growth you want in the areas you want. Subsidies obviously can lead to growth, so if a cut in taxes does the same thing in the same area for the same entities, that should lead to the same growth, and probably more efficiently and effectively.

Not saying it doesn't need to be done at least somewhat accurately and fairly, or that politics won't get in the way... But throw me in the naive camp even though it will be hard to achieve. Governments need to set and enforce the rules of the game or corporations will feel entitled, and in fact obligated by shareholders, to choose a path for "winning" that won't take environmental factors into account, lest they diminish in favour of others that play the game better. Plus Governments need revenue. Might be a hard sell with increased costs of certain "cherished" goods and services but what better place to raise at least some of it? You get what you pay for...or forget to outlaw or tax, and enforce.

Nor was Stalin. Communism is a power vacuum that human nature abhors. Communista don't practice communism. They practice dictatorship.

The trick is to posture yourself such that you seem to represent the least painful choice, if not in fact the lesser evil. This I think is far easier to do locally than globally.

But with regard tro American Hubris , I think they're "Damned if they do, damned if they don't". We need to find a soft landing for the inevitable fall of American hegemony, without allowing Putin and Xi's "multipolar World" where the "poles" are autocracies. Certainly the UN has no answer, especially with the 5 current veto powers.

Max total size: 3.91 MB No one really comes close to the US in defence spending per capita. While Poland may be spending a slightly higher percent of their GDP, the US GDP per capita is almost 4 times higher. But that's defence spending by Nato countries, not "paying more to Nato".

Turtles all the way down!

Good News? Haley got more votes from the GOP than her counterpart did from the Dems... Her counterpart being "uncommitted".

LOL. can see a otherwise serious West Wing with everyone ignoring the fact that everytime he gets up he drags around a ball and chain version of the ankle bracelet...

When you think about it...it's brave of those in Alabama to speak up...with so many remaining soylent!

Cue Monty Python version of "All things Bright and Beautiful":

This is fairly recent, Feb 4: (my bold to emphasize an example in a key areawhere Biden is not getting as much credit as he might deserve) "Despite a growing economy and little opposition for his party’s nomination, President Joe Biden confronts a dissatisfied electorate and a challenging political climate nine months before he faces re-election, according to a new national NBC News poll. Biden trails GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump on major policy and personal comparisons, including by more than 20 points on which candidate would better handle the economy. And Biden’s deficit versus Trump on handling immigration and the border is greater than 30 points. The poll also shows Trump holding a 16-point advantage over Biden on being competent and effective, a reversal from 2020, when Biden was ahead of Trump on this quality by 9 points before defeating him in that election. And Biden’s approval rating has declined to the lowest level of his presidency in NBC News polling — to 37% — while fewer than 3 in 10 voters approve of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. All together, these numbers explain why the poll shows Trump leading Biden by 5 points among registered voters in a hypothetical 2024 general-election matchup, 47% to 42%. While the result is within the poll’s margin of error, the last year of polling shows a clear shift." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/poll-biden-trump-economy-presidential-race-rcna136834

I watched the SC polls and really didn't see the bump I hoped to see, but then in the actual primary Haley seemed to go up by 5% and Trump down by about 2. Those were around the numbers I hoped to see going into the primary which I would have then hoped they'd go a little higher for Haley, and a little lower indicating trouble for Trump. Not sure what to make of it other than though disappointed I'm glad to see Haley seem upbeat and remaining in the race and continuing to campaign at least toward Super Tuesday.

Yes. Depending on angle it can escape. Radially right down to the EH, where it would almost escape but approach infinite wavelength trying to get out if I understand it correctly.

Seems though, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, some think he's our only hope...

Or...like Obi-Wan Kenobi he should sacrifice himself for the greater good?

It depends on the time scale you're comparing it to...it's well known that it took the better part of a week...😀

In principle it should be reasonable to have inmates contribute to part of their costs of any just incarceration. From what I've seen in a few documentaries it can be pretty despicable in practice.

I can see it now..."High sperm count men in the lifeboats first!"

Exactly. Not the most democratic process. But I guess 36th place isn't bad: 36 United States of America 0.811 Deficient Democracy https://www.democracymatrix.com/ranking At least at this point it's still a democracy. But as Swansont correctly pointed out, that's the expected process.

No. Not that I can tell. Just the odd bit. How will we even know if or when he's in decline? They do point out his constant contradictions, from stretching the truth to outright lies, but since he's done that forever no one associates it with anything but Trump being Trump...except in some circumstances the Law... Back in the day even a small fraction of the type of things he says on a regular basis would kill a political career...we need those days back.

I'm hearing a fair bit about Trump having issues on a number of fronts. Unwillingness to comment on Navalny, asking Senate and House members to work against the border deal, very significant legal issues including rape and business fraud charges with very high negative monetary outcomes, age related concerns of his own, Zelensky calling him out on his unexplained "solution", etc. Also hear a lot about the US economy doing better than expected, inflation reasonable compared to much of the World and better than predicted, etc. I know Biden didn't defeat US Covid singlehandedly with hydroxychloroquine, but we can't expect him to do everything....

I really don't have an issue with his overall record the last 3 years, especially given the hand he was dealt and continues to be dealt. But he has aged 3 years and wants to continue for another 5 rather than the one left in his mandate. Why is the media, right left and centre, focused on GOP talking points? With regard to age and mental decline they are not the only ones bringing it up. Maybe they're not just GOP talking points? I've known a number of people with dementia that on good days seem sharp and engaged, though even then they tend to tire easily. Now I don't know that Biden has dementia, but we do know he has had 2 brain aneurysms requiring surgery and we do know that brain trauma increases risk of mental decline with age, beyond that of a significant association with aging itself. And we've heard him tell untrue stories that could medically be described as confabulation (as opposed to alternatively... intentionally lying) But yeah, I'd still take him over Trump. Not sure I would agree. She had lost a lot of popularity and hiding in the weeds while working in the background may have been best for her. I see at least a possibility of a come back. Currently she's still your Nation's plan B...compare with Plan C...House Speaker Mike Johnson Agree. Haley would be much better than either Biden or Trump, regardless of the fact she's younger and sharper.