Stuck In The Middle With You (Common Ground Thread)

[Sandstone Outcropping]

I was in the store yesterday and a King-Sized Snickers bar is $1.99. Seems really pricey.

[sonofdaxjones]

Sure would be cool to know what the drones are.

DHS-FBI-DOD-NJSP-USCG-FAA-NTSB et al . . . Nobody seems to know.

Would hate to think that our trillion dollar a year military - intelligence complex is completely impotent against a few larger drones.

I’m sure someone knows.


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[star seed 7]

Cocaine is still $100 a gram, inflation proof.

[Stupid Fitz]

Cocaine is still $100 a gram, inflation proof.

Coke and Bananas are a great combo.

[mocat]

Cocaine is still $100 a gram, inflation proof.

Coke and Bananas are a great combo.

Bananas and blow!

[Dugout DickStone]

Prices start dropping like the 7th?

[CNS]

Prices start dropping like the 7th?

For posterity: tonight’s bone-in ribeye was $25.99/lb and rough ridin' delish.

[Dugout DickStone]

Prices start dropping like the 7th?

For posterity: tonight’s bone-in ribeye was $25.99/lb and rough ridin' delish.

Somewhere 22by end of January25?

[Pete]

Prices start dropping like the 7th?

I assume. This is going to be the best common ground thing ever.

[Pete]

Another great Trump promise that everyone seems to support, capping or lowering interest rates on credit cards!

From Elon’s Grok 2 AI:

Donald Trump has proposed a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at around 10%, a policy he highlighted during his campaign. This initiative aims to alleviate the burden on working Americans by reducing the high interest rates, which have been reported to average around 21.5% as of May 2024 according to Federal Reserve data. Here's a breakdown of the perspectives and implications:

**Proponents' View:**
- **Consumer Relief:** Advocates argue that capping rates at 10% would significantly reduce the financial strain on individuals carrying credit card debt, potentially helping them pay off their balances quicker.
- **Political Support:** Both progressive and populist voices, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, have expressed willingness to collaborate on this issue, seeing it as a way to protect consumers from what they consider to be predatory lending practices.

**Critics' View:**
- **Impact on Credit Access:** Critics, including financial experts, suggest that such a cap might reduce the availability of credit, particularly for those with lower credit ratings. Banks might find it unprofitable to lend to higher-risk borrowers at a 10% rate, potentially pushing these consumers towards less regulated, higher-cost borrowing options like payday loans.
- **Market Distortion:** There's a concern that artificially lowering rates could distort the credit market, leading to less innovation in credit products and potentially reducing or eliminating rewards programs that consumers value.

**Legislative and Practical Challenges:**
- **Congressional Action Required:** Implementing this cap would require legislation, which has historically faced opposition due to lobbying from banks and credit card companies. Previous attempts to cap rates, even at higher percentages, have not gained traction in Congress.
- **Temporary vs. Permanent:** Trump described the cap as "temporary," leaving ambiguity about how long it would last and what the transition back to market rates would look like.

**Public Sentiment:**
- Posts on X reflect a mix of enthusiasm for relief from high interest rates and skepticism about the feasibility and unintended consequences of such a policy.

In summary, while Trump's promise to cap credit card interest rates has garnered support for its potential consumer benefits, its practical implementation and broader economic implications remain subjects of significant debate.

[Pete]

YET ANOTHER Trump promise that everyone seems to be very excited for is the replacement for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with “something beautiful!” This was also promised in 2016 with a House and Senate that were both republican majorities but this time I bet he really means it.

From Elon’s Grok 2 AI:

Donald Trump's campaign promises regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, and his plans for its replacement have been a significant part of his political narrative, both during his 2016 presidential campaign and in his 2024 run. Here's a detailed look at these promises:

### Promise to Revoke the Affordable Care Act:

- Historical Context: Trump's opposition to Obamacare dates back to his 2016 campaign when he vowed to "repeal and replace" the ACA, criticizing it for high costs, loss of choice, and being a "disaster".

- Efforts During First Term:
  - Legislative Attempts: Early in his first term, Trump supported the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in the House, which aimed to dismantle much of the ACA's structure, including subsidies and the individual mandate. Despite passing the House, it failed in the Senate.
  - Executive Actions: Trump used executive orders to weaken enforcement of some ACA provisions, like allowing states to offer alternative, less comprehensive health plans and significantly reducing the advertising budget for ACA sign-ups.
  - Legal Challenges: His administration backed lawsuits against the ACA, including one that reached the Supreme Court, aiming to nullify the law.

- 2024 Campaign:
  - Trump has continued to criticize the ACA, at times reiterating his desire to repeal it but also showing a nuanced approach. He has said he would not terminate the ACA without a replacement but has not detailed a comprehensive plan.

### Promises for "Something Beautiful":

- Vague Promises: Trump has frequently used the phrase "something beautiful" or similar terms to describe his vision for healthcare reform. However, specifics have been notably absent.
  - Concepts of a Plan: In debates and speeches, Trump has mentioned having "concepts of a plan" rather than a fully fleshed-out policy. This includes broad ideas like increasing transparency in healthcare pricing, promoting competition, and possibly block-granting federal funds to states for Medicaid.

- Past Proposals:
  - 2020 Budget Proposal: Trump's administration once proposed replacing ACA premium subsidies with a block grant to states, capping federal Medicaid spending, and providing relief from ACA insurance rules, which would have led to significant reductions in federal healthcare spending but lacked detail on how health coverage would be ensured.

- Public and Political Reaction:
  - Skepticism and Criticism: There's widespread skepticism about the feasibility and specifics of Trump's healthcare promises, especially given the failure to replace the ACA during his first term. Critics argue that without concrete details, his promises remain more rhetorical than actionable.
  - Populist Appeal: Despite this, the idea of a simpler, less costly health system resonates with some voters, particularly those who feel burdened by healthcare costs or opposed to government mandates.

- Current Stance (Post-2024 Election):
  - After winning the 2024 election, Trump has again stated intentions to improve the ACA rather than outright terminate it, promising to make it "much better, stronger, and far less expensive." However, the lack of specifics continues to be a point of contention and debate.

In summary, Trump's promises to revoke the ACA and replace it with "something beautiful" have been a consistent theme but have remained largely conceptual. The challenges of navigating Congress, the complexities of healthcare policy, and the political implications of stripping away protections like pre-existing condition coverage have made these promises among the most ambitious yet least concretely defined in his political agenda.

[CNS]

People who are constantly saying high volumes of crap never remember what they say. 

[Rage Against the McKee]

Make Chickens Egg Again needs to start now.  I can't handle buying 18ea eggs for $4.  It's unsustainable.

I bought some bananas the other day and they rang up for $0.69. I'm betting that same bunch would have rang up for $0.50 a few years ago.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Agree that Trump lowering grocery prices by an appreciable measure as promised is a good thing?

[Stupid Fitz]

Agree that Trump lowering grocery prices by an appreciable measure as promised is a good thing?

It is really hard, especially when you don't give any fucks or have any plans at all to lower them and just said that because knuckle dragging dumbasses will believe anything you say and vote for you.

[Dugout DickStone]

between being duped about groceries and trump rythmically thrusting his nose into brandon's belly button some of the maga I know are angry

[sonofdaxjones]

So a Candidate Five Pinot Jumbo's campaign promise . . . has been offloaded on to Don Trump?

Fascinating if so . . .

[Dugout DickStone]

President-elect Donald Trump says Americans not being able to afford groceries will be a relic of the past. “They’re going to be affording their groceries very soon,” he said Thursday before ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, where he was honored as Time’s “Person of the Year.”

[sonofdaxjones]

Things that are hard to do can be done.

I am going to mark this one up right next to #blueanongE's inability to understand that more than one thing can right at the same time.

[Dugout DickStone]

Things that are hard to do can be done.

I am going to mark this one up right next to #blueanongE's inability to understand that more than one thing can right at the same time.

GOL

[sonofdaxjones]

It's a flurry of tapouts now . . .

[Pete]

Trump vows to eliminate daylight savings time!!!!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9gjvgv4neo.amp

[Pete]

I’m losing track of all of the things that sound awesome that Trump is going to do.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Trump vows to eliminate daylight savings time!!!!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9gjvgv4neo.amp

He would pick the wrong one to get rid of.

[Dugout DickStone]

Sure would be cool to know what the drones are.

DHS-FBI-DOD-NJSP-USCG-FAA-NTSB et al . . . Nobody seems to know.

Would hate to think that our trillion dollar a year military - intelligence complex is completely impotent against a few larger drones.

I’m sure someone knows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ROTFG