Post election prediction

[Shaggy Hiker]

It seems fentanyl is a problem of our own doing. Congress passed laws that created an opioid crisis in the country and made the pharmacies richer. Then they turned off the spigot creating another crisis. Fentanyl filled the gap. Pretty simple math...

We might have kickstarted it, but fentanyl is a growing issue in lots of countries where Congress had no impact. The bottom line is that it's a powerful synthetic drug. We've clearly demonstrated that going after the supply doesn't have any real impact on botanical sourced drugs. Thinking that we'd do better going after the supply for a drug that can be synthesized is pretty much insane. Any solution has to be on the demand side, and that costs money that nobody is willing to put forward.

[TysonLPrice]

We might have kickstarted it, but fentanyl is a growing issue in lots of countries where Congress had no impact. The bottom line is that it's a powerful synthetic drug. We've clearly demonstrated that going after the supply doesn't have any real impact on botanical sourced drugs. Thinking that we'd do better going after the supply for a drug that can be synthesized is pretty much insane. Any solution has to be on the demand side, and that costs money that nobody is willing to put forward.

The U.S. Tops the list for abuse though. And it helped to have such a large population of people already abusing opioids. Congress passed laws allowing for massive abuse, then pulled the plug, where else were they to go?

[sapator]

Argentina says it will pull out of World Health Organization
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/05/a...ntl/index.html

Fascists, right wingers and loons.

On the fun side , have you ever done a big corporation 1/20th server switch? I just got home started and ended roughly after 9 hours. I hope I don't have to go through it again in the near future, also time flied so fast that when I left I felt like I was only an hour in.

[dilettante]

What on earth are you talking about?

It must be nice when you selectively ignore news:

'These Are Some Of The Insane Priorities' USAID Has Funded: Karoline Leavitt

[FunkyDexter]

OK. Watched the video and I'm none the wiser but allow me to rephrase my question. What on earth is she talking about?

The most I can find is that the US gave $70K (so, yeah, practically your national deficit, right there) to a Irish company but there's no documentation on what for or whether that was even what she was talking about.

[dilettante]

Maybe you should redirect your efforts to those grooming gangs you have over there?

[TysonLPrice]

Maybe you should redirect your efforts to those grooming gangs you have over there?

Do you human hair dressers or dog groomers? They tend to gather together. What is a gang? One = One plus One until it is a gang?

[Shaggy Hiker]

Dil is playing "buzzword bingo", the hyperbolic version, at that.

[FunkyDexter]

Indeed. @Dil, Why was that at all relevant to the point you were making?

My theory: it had started to dawn on you that a government agency (whose mission statement as amended by Trump to remove reference to poverty and include promoting "inclusive growth" abroad) donating a trivial amount to a foreign organisation (which, among many other activities, happened to put on a musical about inclusivity) and declaring that donation on it's publicly available web site might not actually represent the jaw dropping scandal you were aiming for. With that in mind you decided to deflect because your face can only cope with so much omelette... probably due to the cost of eggs.

Hint: what you've heard about the grooming gangs is almost certainly a gross misrepresentation because there was a massive amount of politically motivated misinformation thrown out about it by the right and the far right. We can have that conversation if you like but it's not going to help you make your case about USAID.

[sapator]

I haven't really paid attention about grooming dogs and right wing loons but again the ultimate test would be if the income will go up or down.
And that is a privilege of US people to tell us.

[wes4dbt]

I haven't really paid attention about grooming dogs and right wing loons but again the ultimate test would be if the income will go up or down.
And that is a privilege of US people to tell us.

That's only true for those who believe their personal income is the most important aspect of life.

That philosophy ignores equality, the impoverished . Well, it completely ignore all humanitarian factors.

[Shaggy Hiker]

You sound like you understood that. I wasn't sure which country we were talking about, or whose income. If it is US income, it depends on income against inflation.

[wes4dbt]

You sound like you understood that. I wasn't sure which country we were talking about, or whose income. If it is US income, it depends on income against inflation.

I thought he was referring to another post where he said we should just "suck it up" and let him know when our income starts going down.

So, Yoga, breathing, good food and friends and suck it up for 4 years.
Also let me know when your income starts falling , tariffs barrifs clarifs , do you actually start losing income? That wold be a key factor.

[wes4dbt]

Indeed. @Dil, Why was that at all relevant to the point you were making?

My theory: it had started to dawn on you that a government agency (whose mission statement as amended by Trump to remove reference to poverty and include promoting "inclusive growth" abroad) donating a trivial amount to a foreign organisation (which, among many other activities, happened to put on a musical about inclusivity) and declaring that donation on it's publicly available web site might not actually represent the jaw dropping scandal you were aiming for. With that in mind you decided to deflect because your face can only cope with so much omelette... probably due to the cost of eggs.

Hint: what you've heard about the grooming gangs is almost certainly a gross misrepresentation because there was a massive amount of politically motivated misinformation thrown out about it by the right and the far right. We can have that conversation if you like but it's not going to help you make your case about USAID.

Misrepresentation and complete misinformation is so easily accepted by a significant segment of society. Some even seek it out because that's the only way they can justify their paranoia or delusional thoughts. Unfortunately there are plenty of people looking to exploit that. I'd say that is one of the negatives about the internet. It makes it much easier for these people to find people to affirm their beliefs.

What makes the situation worse is, currently people (not sure it's the majority, but at least the people in power) have been convinced that misinformation (I call them lies) is more acceptable than having fact checkers. Because of a fact checker bias.

[sapator]

I was referring to income taken in consideration that this will also provide for food refuge and heat and all the stuff that are important to lower income people. With a full belly you can thing of migration right wing loons and why Musk is helping Greece, be a keyboard warrior and Carol in the forums. Since you love stats https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ter-issues-us/ , Prices + Economy makes of 35% and impact lower fields. Of course other factors are important but what I was writing about is the main factor.

The last was a very interesting remark. So having forced fact checkers that you don't know and you blindly trust is more acceptable than people to have free speech no matter if they say wrong or right things. Interesting, very interesting mein herr .
Well, tough luck on the last one but maybe in 4 years...

[PlausiblyDamp]

The last was a very interesting remark. So having forced fact checkers that you don't know and you blindly trust is more acceptable than people to have free speech no matter if they say wrong or right things. Interesting, very interesting mein herr .
Well, tough luck on the last one but maybe in 4 years...

I really don't understand why you seem to be so happy that people in power can lie with impunity, love how you are now implying that people who want politicians and leaders to tell the truth are now nazis (or are you going to deny the "mein herr" quote was implying this?)

[wes4dbt]

I was referring to income taken in consideration that this will also provide for food refuge and heat and all the stuff that are important to lower income people.

Improving income doesn't help much if the all the aid to the very poor is cut off. It's not the "ultimate test" if the current government is making life better.

Since you love stats https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ter-issues-us

Don't know why you wanted me to see that. I've told you multiple times that the economy was the main factor in Trump being elected. I'm glad you finally agree. Whether or not the economy will get better or worse is still unknown. I will add, I don't think there was a major problem with the economy. Inflation was down, job market was strong and the stock market was strong.

Also, I think putting more money in our pockets doesn't justify cutting off aid to the starving people of the world.

So having forced fact checkers that you don't know and you blindly trust is more acceptable than people to have free speech no matter if they say wrong or right things. Interesting, very interesting mein herr .

No such claim was made. It's rarely wise to "blindly trust" anything, especially the media.

[wes4dbt]

I really don't understand why you seem to be so happy that people in power can lie with impunity

It's worse than that, it's lying with impunity for everyone. And the abuse and harm that accompanies it. I'm against that.

love how you are now implying that people who want politicians and leaders to tell the truth are now nazis

Everyone knows that Nazis where against lying.

[sapator]

First you said that claiming the economy only was unethical blaming me then you reversed it
Then you said that checker are above all the people that can freely write then you reversed it.
If I misunderstood then there is a language gap.
I wont comment plau , the Wokenes is hitting him hard.

[wes4dbt]

First you said that claiming the economy only was unethical blaming me then you reversed it
Then you said that checker are above all the people that can freely write then you reversed it.
If I misunderstood then there is a language gap.
I wont comment plau , the Wokenes is hitting him hard.

I don't know if you misunderstand or chose to misrepresent what I said. But I never said anything about being "unethical" or checkers being "above all".
But I wont comment.

[sapator]

OK. I blame it on the language barrier.

[TysonLPrice]

OK then...back to the fifties:

In a memo released Thursday, the Federal Highway Administration ordered states to halt a $5 billion program to build fast EV chargers on highways nationwide — an initiative that President Donald Trump cited as an example of the “Green New Deal.”

[sapator]

It's the e-bucket initiative. The climate change BS.
If Musk is not protesting that his interests are been allegedly hit then...
That has been covered extensively on a thread about alternative fuels. My point there was that since the is no solid Green solution then drilling for 100 years remains and find a solution in between cutting the climate change BS was a solution. Apparently Trump is reading my mail correspondence

[dilettante]

Ford to LOSE $5.5 BILLION on EVs as it reveals NEW powertrain!


Just let it go. The woke nonsense doesn't fly any more.


Trump Cancelled USAID That Was Funding The BBC! The Cope Is Real


Nobody is tolerating this propaganda any more.

[PlausiblyDamp]

Ford to LOSE $5.5 BILLION on EVs as it reveals NEW powertrain!


Just let it go. The woke nonsense doesn't fly any more.


Trump Cancelled USAID That Was Funding The BBC! The Cope Is Real


Nobody is tolerating this propaganda any more.

Have you ever considered that random youtube videos are not a source of truth? You seem to love posting utter nonsense from youtube as if somehow it is a convincing argument for whatever drivel you think is relevant...

Firstly, USAID didn't fund the BBC, the BBC is funded by licence payers in the UK.

BBC has a charity called Media Action, this is an international charity supporting free media around the world - it is NOT the BBC. The USA donated $2.6 million dollars to this charity, which made it the second largest donor, so this will impact the charity.

Couple of other points however... Have you considered how a person like Trump, who is quite frankly completely dishonest and lies about everything, might somehow not be a fan of the free press? He wants to control the message, anything that holds him to account is obviously seen as an enemy by him.

Also $2.6 million seems like a lot, however compare that to the $3.4 million dollars Trump charged to the taxpayer for his Secret Service every time he stayed at his own Mar-A-Lago resort; couple this with the additional over time costs for the palm beach country police which is apparently running at over $45 million

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...on/ar-AA1ykSQi
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/69168...ayers-millions

I love how there is no longer even any sane argument put forward - just the magic word "woke". Against fossil fuels destroying the environment = woke, against racism = woke, against homophobia = woke, pro environmental regulations = woke, think trans people are deserving of rights = woke, think people with disability deserve to work and basic dignity = woke, think women deserve some control of their own healthcare = woke.

But hey, if a youtube video or two makes you feel comfortable in your racist, homophobic, misogynistic hate filled life - then you carry on being what you are.

[wes4dbt]

If Musk is not protesting that his interests are been allegedly hit then...

Why would he? This is a good thing for Tesla. It means people will have to use their charging stations. Public charging stations would cut into their business.

[wes4dbt]

Have you ever considered that random youtube videos are not a source of truth? You seem to love psoting utter nonsense from youtube as if somehow it is a convincing argument for whatever drivel you think is relevant...

Dil has no other place to go to affirm his beliefs. It's not nonsense or drivel to him, he believes these things.

I love how there is no longer even any sane argument put forward - just the magic word "woke". against fossil fuels destroying the environment = woke, against racism = woke, against homophobia = woke, pro environmental regulations = woke, think trans people are deserving of rights = woke, thing people with disability deserve to work and basic dignity = woke, think women deserve some control of their own healthcare = woke

If that's what woke is then I'm going to just keep on woking.

[TysonLPrice]

Have you ever considered that random youtube videos are not a source of truth? You seem to love posting utter nonsense from youtube as if somehow it is a convincing argument for whatever drivel you think is relevant...

Firstly, USAID didn't fund the BBC, the BBC is funded by licence payers in the UK.

BBC has a charity called Media Action, this is an international charity supporting free media around the world - it is NOT the BBC. The USA donated $2.6 million dollars to this charity, which made it the second largest donor, so this will impact the charity.

Couple of other points however... Have you considered how a person like Trump, who is quite frankly completely dishonest and lies about everything, might somehow not be a fan of the free press? He wants to control the message, anything that holds him to account is obviously seen as an enemy by him.

Also $2.6 million seems like a lot, however compare that to the $3.4 million dollars Trump charged to the taxpayer for his Secret Service every time he stayed at his own Mar-A-Lago resort; couple this with the additional over time costs for the palm beach country police which is apparently running at over $45 million

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...on/ar-AA1ykSQi
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/69168...ayers-millions

I love how there is no longer even any sane argument put forward - just the magic word "woke". Against fossil fuels destroying the environment = woke, against racism = woke, against homophobia = woke, pro environmental regulations = woke, think trans people are deserving of rights = woke, think people with disability deserve to work and basic dignity = woke, think women deserve some control of their own healthcare = woke.

But hey, if a youtube video or two makes you feel comfortable in your racist, homophobic, misogynistic hate filled life - then you carry on being what you are.

It is as simple as to not feed the trolls when they post nonsense. Acknowledge the good stuff.

[Niya]

Out of interest I would love to know what you think of his handling of the recent tragedy involving the aircraft and a military helicopter.

Would you describe his lack of empathy, or even a basic attempt to be dignified, as being courageous and tenacious?

Do you honestly think he is doing the right thing by spouting lies about DEI being responsible for the crash?

You're being very disingenuous here PD. These questions are loaded. You could have simply asked what I thought about Trump's handling of this disaster without colouring them with your own anti-Trump prejudices. I mean do you really expect me to answer these in good faith?

Some of you need to face the fact that a lot of people like Trump and think the things he is doing is good. It's fine if you disagree but when you "reach across the isle" for dialog with such loaded rhetoric it helps no one and only serves to further hostility between people on both sides.

I'd never ask any of you guys a question, "What do you think of Trump's courageous actions on the day of the assassination attempt?" This question is loaded with the implicit assumption that the Trump hater it's directed towards thinks Trump is courageous which is extremely dishonest since we know that the anti-Trump people do not think this. It's almost disrespectful.

[Niya]

It must be nice when you selectively ignore news:

'These Are Some Of The Insane Priorities' USAID Has Funded: Karoline Leavitt

Twitter has been ablaze with this USAID stuff. The most shocking thing I've seen is that the few people defending this are not upset about the corruption itself but that it's being exposed. Let that sink in. The people defending this are not mad about finding out that the previous administration has been wasting tax payer's money on nonsense, they are mad about it being exposed. I find that so wild.

[wes4dbt]

I mean do you really expect me to answer these in good faith?

No. But that's normal for you, don't blame PD.

You could have simply asked what I thought about Trump's handling of this disaster without colouring them with your own anti-Trump prejudices

Considering your constant anti-left rhetoric complete with name calling, your asking for courteousness that you lack. So what do you expect.

[wes4dbt]

Some of you need to face the fact that a lot of people like Trump and think the things he is doing is good.

This has never been in question. So is that statement "in good faith"?

What's in question is if the things he's doing "are good".

[Niya]

Considering your constant anti-left rhetoric complete with name calling, your asking for courteousness that you lack. So what do you expect.

If I did that, I only mirror your behavior. I expect that kind of thing from you or Tyson, not PD. He always struck me as a more reasonable person.

What's in question is if the things he's doing "are good".

Most of what he is doing is good.

[Niya]

name calling

Also, if you're going to make an accusation like that, please tell me where in this thread did I call you or anybody any names?

[wes4dbt]

If I did that, I only mirror your behavior.

Also, if you're going to make an accusation like that, please tell me where in this thread did I call you or anybody any names?

Again you ask more from people than what you give. You did provide any examples. No.

Though I will clarify, I wasn't talking about you calling people on this forum names, I was talking about calling people that are on the political left names.

[Niya]

Though I will clarify, I wasn't talking about you calling people on this forum names, I was talking about calling people that are on the political left names.

You mean like you guys do with Trump and his supporters?

[wes4dbt]

You mean like you guys do with Trump and his supporters?

I'm outraged, no examples!!!

[FunkyDexter]

Just let it go. The woke nonsense doesn't fly any more.

Let what go? Repeatedly making you look foolish because you never bother to look into anything you post? Nah. It's just so easy and so much fun. Minimum effort, maximum reward. That's the woke way.

I would have explained the difference between the BBC and Media Action but PD annoyingly beat me to it. Ooooor.... you could have looked it up yourself. I tried it out as an experiment. Took less than 30 seconds. It's literally the top hit.

not upset about the corruption itself

Because it's not corruption. It's the USAID carrying out their mission statement. You may disagree with that mission but that's politics, not fraud. You really should learn the difference.

[PlausiblyDamp]

You're being very disingenuous here PD. These questions are loaded. You could have simply asked what I thought about Trump's handling of this disaster without colouring them with your own anti-Trump prejudices. I mean do you really expect me to answer these in good faith?

Feel free to answer in whatever way you see fit. Whichever way you look at it though, Trump used a tragedy that cost the lives of dozens of people and used it as a platform to spread lies that push his own personal agenda. Too bloody right I am anti-anyone who does that kind of thing, I would hope anyone would be against such an action!

Some of you need to face the fact that a lot of people like Trump and think the things he is doing is good. It's fine if you disagree but when you "reach across the isle" for dialog with such loaded rhetoric it helps no one and only serves to further hostility between people on both sides.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com.../donald-trump/ also shows a lot of people don't like him either. Also an awful lot of people who voted for him now seem to be quite unhappy with what he is doing.

[PlausiblyDamp]

Twitter has been ablaze with this USAID stuff. The most shocking thing I've seen is that the few people defending this are not upset about the corruption itself but that it's being exposed. Let that sink in. The people defending this are not mad about finding out that the previous administration has been wasting tax payer's money on nonsense, they are mad about it being exposed. I find that so wild.

None of this is corruption, this is what USAID was set out to do, and this information has been publicly available https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/a...opment?fy=2025 anyway. So if you can somehow describe finding information that was publicly available as "exposed" then you are stretching the language a fair bit!

Simply claiming people are angry about it being exposed is twisting the truth to suit your own narrative, people are angry that something that did a lot of good around the world is effectively being defunded by Elon Musk.