(07-19-2019 11:03 AM)illiniowl Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 09:59 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 09:47 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 09:09 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 08:36 AM)illiniowl Wrote:  Weren't you the one trying to sell the idea a few weeks ago that a liberal audience that booed a speaker's rejection of socialism was not actually thereby expressing support for socialism? That their motivations were actually layered and complex and involved pushing back against the supposedly false narrative that Democrats are embracing socialism?

You could easily lump that description in under “ignorant that their booing could be misconstrued as supporting socialism,” and I wouldn’t argue against that idea.

I'm not sure this is really related, but it's one of these stories that's still a bit of a head-scratcher, 20 years after the fact:
Remember when some DC politicians got upset because someone from the Mayor's office described a proposed budget using a Norse-derived word that means "stingy"?
Julian Bond, then chairman of the NAACP, reacted to the kerfuffle as follows: "You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people's lack of understanding."

I think it’s related.

There are certainly terms and phrases that can be used that carry significant weight for certain people (be it groups or individuals), and while we shouldn’t walk around on egg shells, worried that a single instance of a slip of the tongue could cause ruin, I think it’s important to take into consideration someone’s perspective if that does happen, and someone is offended. We shouldn’t immediately respond to that offense by digging into our bunker and saying “**** your feelings” and the person being offended shouldn’t also immediately go on the attack. Often situations like that are because of someone’s ignorance on either side of the comment.

Maybe the term ignorant carries some unwanted connotations with it, but in reality, many of us are ignorant of a heck of a lot of topics, especially as it pertains to the experience and perspective of others.

Does the admonition for sensitivity you are proposing also apply to those who cry "racist!" at people who, at bottom, just simply have a political dispute with a person who happens to be a POC? I mean, you did say that what crowds do can be misconstrued, did you not? Isn't that's what's going on here -- the casting of simple political opposition to progressive views as racist? And has been going on in some form or fashion for decades now?

Or is it only progressive crowds that can be misconstrued?

No sane person would dispute that if Ilhan Omar had a miraculous conversion experience, like Paul on the road to Damascus, and suddenly started espousing conservative views, she'd be adored at the same rallies where she is now excoriated. Ergo, the opposition to her isn't racist. If some people throw in some ad hominem component to their opposition, well, I'm sorry, but political rallies aren't salon debates and I'd chalk that up to simple, universal (and universally flawed, to be sure) human nature.

A portion of the Illinois GOP may not feel that way. Someone needs to teach a gosh darn social media course to anyone running a social media feed for anything.

Quote:The Illinois Republican County Chairmen’s Association (IRCCA) shared and later apparently deleted a movie poster-style meme labeling four Democratic minority congresswomen the “Jihad Squad.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch...e-labeling

Meanwhile in news that matters, Congress reaches a bi-partisan effort to avoid a government shutdown for the next two years. It's also bi-partisan in that both the far left and far right (or at least fiscal conservatives) aren't happy - the former because they feel Trump has extra power now in moving around some budget to pay for his wall, and the latter because it does nothing to limit spending or reduce the debt.

So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/2...mp-1426696

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Meanwhile in news that matters, Congress reaches a bi-partisan effort to avoid a government shutdown for the next two years. It's also bi-partisan in that both the far left and far right (or at least fiscal conservatives) aren't happy - the former because they feel Trump has extra power now in moving around some budget to pay for his wall, and the latter because it does nothing to limit spending or reduce the debt.

So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/2...mp-1426696

I am shocked I tell you, shocked, that Republican lawmakers so quickly and easily passed a revised debt ceiling.

I’m surprised Ted Cruz didn’t break out another Suess story to try and stall these negotiations.

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Whataboutism 101, right here. No, it's really the Democrats, who lost control of the House in 2010, Senate in 2014, and Executive Branch in 2016, that hold the majority of the responsibility for the current deficit.

When we see the Trump tax cuts spur the economy in a way that increases revenues, I think your point will be valid. But given that Republicans are the reason those tax cuts hit, and why we're at a trillion dollar deficit currently, your response is completely irrelevant.

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

(07-23-2019 08:41 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Whataboutism 101, right here. No, it's really the Democrats, who lost control of the House in 2010, Senate in 2014, and Executive Branch in 2016, that hold the majority of the responsibility for the current deficit.

When we see the Trump tax cuts spur the economy in a way that increases revenues, I think your point will be valid. But given that Republicans are the reason those tax cuts hit, and why we're at a trillion dollar deficit currently, your response is completely irrelevant.

Correct wording, Lad. Well done. Indeed, it is “when”, not “if”. It takes awhile for rainwater to trickle down into the acqifer.

(07-23-2019 08:41 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:
1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?
2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?
Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.
I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Whataboutism 101, right here. No, it's really the Democrats, who lost control of the House in 2010, Senate in 2014, and Executive Branch in 2016, that hold the majority of the responsibility for the current deficit.
When we see the Trump tax cuts spur the economy in a way that increases revenues, I think your point will be valid. But given that Republicans are the reason those tax cuts hit, and why we're at a trillion dollar deficit currently, your response is completely irrelevant.

And it's not until democrats lost control of the house in 2010 that "Obama" started reducing those deficits. When 3/4 of the deficit was baked into the cake by legacy programs from the Obama era, and the tax cuts are a relatively minor component by comparison, it is a perfectly valid point.

Democrats played the word game pretty well on this. First we heard about how Obama had "reduced the deficit" although he had created the deficit in the first place and it was the republican house that finally started to cut spending. The we heard how the 2017 tax law was a "trillion dollar tax cut," totally blowing up what was estimated to be a $100 billion a year cut by taking a decade-long number. Now we hear about "Trump's trillion dollar deficit," which is, of course, attributable to that "trillion-dollar tax cut." Except, of course, it isn't, but that would require honesty.

And by the way, if you want to say that 2005 deficit was Bush's, because presidents always pass the budget for their outgoing year, then keep in mind two things: 1) "always" didn't happen, Bush didn't sign that 2005 budget, Obama did, and 2) if you can attribute 2005 to Bush, then you have to attribute most of this to Obama.

And oh, one more thing, exactly WTF do future revenue increases due to growth have to do with the composition of the 2020 budget.

(07-23-2019 09:11 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:41 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:
1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?
2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?
Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.
I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Whataboutism 101, right here. No, it's really the Democrats, who lost control of the House in 2010, Senate in 2014, and Executive Branch in 2016, that hold the majority of the responsibility for the current deficit.
When we see the Trump tax cuts spur the economy in a way that increases revenues, I think your point will be valid. But given that Republicans are the reason those tax cuts hit, and why we're at a trillion dollar deficit currently, your response is completely irrelevant.

And it's not until democrats lost control of the house in 2010 that "Obama" started reducing those deficits. When 3/4 of the deficit was baked into the cake by legacy programs from the Obama era, and the tax cuts are a relatively minor component by comparison, it is a perfectly valid point.

Democrats played the word game pretty well on this. First we heard about how Obama had "reduced the deficit" although he had created the deficit in the first place and it was the republican house that finally started to cut spending. The we heard how the 2017 tax law was a "trillion dollar tax cut," totally blowing up what was estimated to be a $100 billion a year cut by taking a decade-long number. Now we hear about "Trump's trillion dollar deficit," which is, of course, attributable to that "trillion-dollar tax cut." Except, of course, it isn't, but that would require honesty.

And by the way, if you want to say that 2005 deficit was Bush's, because presidents always pass the budget for their outgoing year, then keep in mind two things: 1) "always" didn't happen, Bush didn't sign that 2005 budget, Obama did, and 2) if you can attribute 2005 to Bush, then you have to attribute most of this to Obama.

And oh, one more thing, exactly WTF do future revenue increases due to growth have to do with the composition of the 2020 budget.

The entire argument for the Trump tax cuts and why increasing the deficit in the short-term was OK is because future growth was anticipated, leading to an increase in revenues and eventual decrease in the deficit. I don't buy that argument, but that is what Republicans told themselves to allow them to be completely hypocritical regarding deficit increases.

And when did I bring up the 2005 deficit?

(07-23-2019 09:21 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  The entire argument for the Trump tax cuts and why increasing the deficit in the short-term was OK is because future growth was anticipated, leading to an increase in revenues and eventual decrease in the deficit. I don't buy that argument, but that is what Republicans told themselves to allow them to be completely hypocritical regarding deficit increases.

If you don't buy this argument, what do you think tax cuts generally lead to?

What do businesses and people generally do when their taxes are cut?

(07-23-2019 09:52 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 09:21 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  The entire argument for the Trump tax cuts and why increasing the deficit in the short-term was OK is because future growth was anticipated, leading to an increase in revenues and eventual decrease in the deficit. I don't buy that argument, but that is what Republicans told themselves to allow them to be completely hypocritical regarding deficit increases.

If you don't buy this argument, what do you think tax cuts generally lead to?

What do businesses and people generally do when their taxes are cut?

Sorry, should have been more clear. I don't buy that the tax cuts will lead to sufficient growth to cover the loss in revenue.

And yet y’all think Democrat dollars in people’s pockets will increase spending, but Republican dollars will not.

conspiracy theorists AND believers in the occult.

I guess we need another junk car rebuy, not more jobs coming back and more people being employed at higher wages.

Which of the following can Democrats just not stand:

More people working
Higher wages
Jobs returning
More oil and gas production
Higher stock market
Low inflation
Low unemployment

Oh, yeah, all of them.

(07-23-2019 09:52 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 09:21 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  The entire argument for the Trump tax cuts and why increasing the deficit in the short-term was OK is because future growth was anticipated, leading to an increase in revenues and eventual decrease in the deficit. I don't buy that argument, but that is what Republicans told themselves to allow them to be completely hypocritical regarding deficit increases.

If you don't buy this argument, what do you think tax cuts generally lead to?

What do businesses and people generally do when their taxes are cut?

The prevailing Democrat theory is that they bury their tax savings in coffee cans in the back yard. They cannot see any way the extra money will be used to buy anything, or used to finance any activity.

(07-23-2019 08:55 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:41 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Whataboutism 101, right here. No, it's really the Democrats, who lost control of the House in 2010, Senate in 2014, and Executive Branch in 2016, that hold the majority of the responsibility for the current deficit.

When we see the Trump tax cuts spur the economy in a way that increases revenues, I think your point will be valid. But given that Republicans are the reason those tax cuts hit, and why we're at a trillion dollar deficit currently, your response is completely irrelevant.

Correct wording, Lad. Well done. Indeed, it is “when”, not “if”. It takes awhile for rainwater to trickle down into the acqifer.

1) apparently lad thinks capital spending is an an insto presto thingy impact on everything. example: drop a million and half bucks on a capital project means an instant million and a half right then and there impact; and multipliers thereof on a time basis -- both on the expended capital side *and* on bigger returns.

2) I do see that there is no comment being directed at the factual concern about the back end loading of Obamacare. Just moving away from that factual point.

As for spurring revenues -- I guess you have been in a blinder about the GDP growth rates, think about the compounding effect of those. Did you actually think the revenue growth was going to be an I Dream of Jeannie nose twitch event? Seriously....

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

(07-23-2019 02:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

I'm not defending Trump's competence, but I'm surprised you used that example. That's an eminently sensible statement, and completely true.

I think sometimes what upsets people more than what Trump says is how he says it. It's not couched in euphemisms and ellipses - it's too blunt and truthy. Or, maybe the very fact that he doesn't use circumlocutions like a polished politician is the reason you consider him incompetent in this instance.

(07-23-2019 02:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

Odd That you think not killing 10 million people is a bad thing.

I am going by results, and the left is going on manner.

How did the stock market do today? Is the left happy with that?

I Live off my investments. I will not choose bankruptcy in favor of manners. Every democrat candidate wants to bankrupt me.

PS. You are very welcome here.

(07-23-2019 03:23 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 02:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

I'm not defending Trump's competence, but I'm surprised you used that example. That's an eminently sensible statement, and completely true.

I think sometimes what upsets people more than what Trump says is how he says it. It's not couched in euphemisms and ellipses - it's too blunt and truthy. Or, maybe the very fact that he doesn't use circumlocutions like a polished politician is the reason you consider him incompetent in this instance.

Agree. There are 100's of better ways to lay out a strong case for Trump's incompetence.

(07-23-2019 03:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 03:23 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 02:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

I'm not defending Trump's competence, but I'm surprised you used that example. That's an eminently sensible statement, and completely true.

I think sometimes what upsets people more than what Trump says is how he says it. It's not couched in euphemisms and ellipses - it's too blunt and truthy. Or, maybe the very fact that he doesn't use circumlocutions like a polished politician is the reason you consider him incompetent in this instance.

Agree. There are 100's of better ways to lay out a strong case for Trump's incompetence.

Are you referring to the incompetence that has the economy Roaring?

In any case, incompetency is not grounds for impeachment.

He is incompetent at writing a book on manners, I will give you that. Obama knows how to bow and apologize, let him write it.

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

(07-23-2019 03:35 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 02:18 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:52 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 08:18 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-23-2019 05:12 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So we're on pace for a trillion dollar debt again in 2019, and Trump has done nothing to cut spending. Trillion dollar Trump. Deficit Don? Those are two more good nicknames to use about Washington.

Two questions:

1) Are you aware that we were on pace back to a trillion-dollar deficit by 2022 or 2023, based solely on the legacy spending inherited from Obama? See CBO's January 2017 economic and budget projection at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-04...lumn_1.pdf and note that CBO notes specifically on page 1 that that projection reflects solely Obama administration policies and not Trump's? Obama, the master of deception, once again did a masterful job of timing implementation of Obamacare and other programs so that the deficit bottomed out near the end of his term, so he could claim to be a deficit cutter, but skyrocketed as soon as he was gone, sticking his successor with a major problem?

2) Are you aware that in our governmental system it is congress, and specifically the house of representatives, that has primary control of the purse strings, and therefore Trump can't really cut anything without Pelosi?

Neither of these are intended to imply in any way that Trump or the republicans are blameless in this. But hanging it all on Trump implies that democrats are blameless, particularly when contrasted with comments about how Obama "reduced the deficit," and such implications are simply dishonest.

I'm disgusted with both parties for a total lack of fiscal discipline. But if you're going totally about "Deficit Don," you need to be sure to give about 3/4 of the blame to "Trillion Dollar Barack." Not to mention "Gazillion Dollar Bernie/Fauxcohontas/Kamala/Spartacus/AOC."

Obama, the Master of Deception, seems to have successfully worked his craft on FBO.

I'm not a Rice graduate so I have an excuse. I can't figure out how so many Rice grads actually think Trump is competent. He seems to be getting more and more insane every day (i.e. - his comment yesterday about being able to end the war in Afghanistan in a week but not wanting to kill 10,000,000 people).

Odd That you think not killing 10 million people is a bad thing.

I am going by results, and the left is going on manner.

How did the stock market do today?

Live off my investments. I will not choose bankruptcy in favor of manners. Every democrat candidate wants to bankrupt me.

The stock market is immaterial if we're in the middle of a nuclear war.

Let's put it this way, Trump's comment sounds like a threat you just as likely would hear from Kim Jong-un.

There are certain times when you can be too truthy and blunt. Afghanistan's president has already asked for 'clarification' on Trump's remarks (which were made during a meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister).