The organization has been criticized for requiring volunteers to sign a controversial Statement of Faith which disavows homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall after a very restful summer exploring the Great Canadian Wilderness and beaches, listening to Pearl Jam, Headstones, Watchmen, Queens of the Stone Age, and many others.
In my absence, please refer to the following for any reasoned debate on any given matter (please note this list is not exhaustive):
The organization has been criticized for requiring volunteers to sign a controversial Statement of Faith which disavows homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Here is my original post from 4 days ago: "*It is very easy to forget the hell that some of our fellow Americans in North Carolina are still induring EVERY day and night since Hurricane Helene struck them in late September 2024. It's COLD outside! We Pearl Jam fans are a relatively well-off group (witness the recent success of the "Mystery Bag" sales at, I believe, $80. a pop, with many people buying multiple bags). There are many ways that YOU can help today. I use and recommend www.samaritanspurse.org. to donate, but please choose whichever mode you are comfortable with and donate today. THANK YOU in advance!"
Quote OK, you don't like Samaritan's Purse. That's fine. So please, be helpful and tell us how you are going to donate, so others here may follow suit. Thank you very much for your generousity!
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
either plain ignorant , which can be excused or or worse willfully ignorant which is imo inexcusable.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
either plain ignorant , which can be excused or or worse willfully ignorant which is imo inexcusable.
Don't be so tough on yourself.
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,450
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
either plain ignorant , which can be excused or or worse willfully ignorant which is imo inexcusable.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
Fun fact: Texas is the only state in the entire US that measures crime by immigration status. And all the data coming out of the state shows that undocumented immigrants are up to 20% less likely to commit violent crimes. So whenever you hear someone saying "migrant crime" it's fear mongering plain and simple.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
Fun fact: Texas is the only state in the entire US that measures crime by immigration status. And all the data coming out of the state shows that undocumented immigrants are up to 20% less likely to commit violent crimes. So whenever you hear someone saying "migrant crime" it's fear mongering plain and simple.
Well there is MS13, Russian Mob and Chinese gangs. Maybe he meant them, lol.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
I don't think an executive order can undo the constitution. I may be wrong but I think he can't do that.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
I don't think an executive order can undo the constitution. I may be wrong but I think he can't do that.
Correct. I was quoting him more for the sake of motives and to watch all the people who voted for him fall in line suddenly, as if 10-12 years ago they had an issue with birthright citizenship. I’m thinking most of his EOs won’t hold up in court, then he can conveniently play victim and attack the judicial system.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
I remember him saying that. The plan was to rewrite the 14th amendment. I don't recall anything about revoking the citizenship of those who already have it. And I don't have an issue with that. The 14th amendment was written as part of the reconstruction act for freed slaves. I have no issue with amending it to qualify to those born here legally. The idea of an "anchor" baby is so weird to me.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
Fun fact: Texas is the only state in the entire US that measures crime by immigration status. And all the data coming out of the state shows that undocumented immigrants are up to 20% less likely to commit violent crimes. So whenever you hear someone saying "migrant crime" it's fear mongering plain and simple.
I don't believe I've ever claimed migrant crime was higher. I still support deporting illegal violent criminals and many other crimes.
You good with this Jose? I’m not. There are people in Western North Carolina living in tents. Why is this acceptable to you?
I live in NYC and I am ok with this. The people need somewhere to live so they don't have to live on the streets. They need help getting on their feet when they first come here. Maybe, in North Carolina they can open a hotel for their people as well so they don't have to live in tents. There are a lot of foreign investors in NYC real estate, so I doubt this is the only building where rent is being paid to a foreign entity.
On a related note, this is rather interesting. I doubt that Mayor Adams considers himself a Conservative or a nazi or a racist.
This is a bit out of context. He said he would work with them to deport violent criminals who are here illegally. I don't think he is supporting mass deportations.
But isn't that largely trumps plan? I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
I remember him saying that. The plan was to rewrite the 14th amendment. I don't recall anything about revoking the citizenship of those who already have it. And I don't have an issue with that. The 14th amendment was written as part of the reconstruction act for freed slaves. I have no issue with amending it to qualify to those born here legally. The idea of an "anchor" baby is so weird to me.
yeah I don't really have a problem with that either but it does seem like an odd thing to focus on...kind of a racist vibe when your admin is known to dance on the racism line
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018) The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
I believe you questioned POOTWH’s intent to deport more than just “violent, illegal immigrants.” It now seems that you acknowledge that or at least “every single illegal immigrant” but question the source of funding to accomplish such an endeavour. Tell us you voted for POOTWH without telling us you voted for POOTWH.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
Not to mention where do you detain all those people before they get deported
Or what country is gonna take all of them. Not every country of origin will just “take people back”. And if we find an accepting country we have to pay them to take and house these people.
Because it’s Trump/Miller, it’s gonna be as cruel as possible. That being said, logistically it’s incredibly difficult, time and money consuming making it less practical. But again, Trump/Miller will probably be cruel and just leave these people in a prison.
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,450
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
Not to mention where do you detain all those people before they get deported
Or what country is gonna take all of them. Not every country of origin will just “take people back”. And if we find an accepting country we have to pay them to take and house these people.
Because it’s Trump/Miller, it’s gonna be as cruel as possible. That being said, logistically it’s incredibly difficult, time and money consuming making it less practical. But again, Trump/Miller will probably be cruel and just leave these people in a prison.
Good questions, both. Considering his penchant for bullying, it's almost a certain thing his methods will be brutal.
And it will be difficult to watch knowing there is little the average person can do to help. In our situation, all we're come up with is bumping up our donations to organizations like Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU. And I'm hoping that some states that depend on migrant workers (Texas and California to start with), will do what they can at the state level.
Dan Rather covered this issue (among others) quite well in his letter today:
Playing Chicken with the Economy
We’re watching Trump like a raven on roadkill
Let’s set today as a marker. December 9, 2024, will serve as our day
to see where the American economy is. We’ll come back in six months, and
a year from now (God willing) to see if Donald Trump’s guiding hand on
America’s economic levers have improved our lives, or they have not.
Will we prosper, or as many fear, will it look like he’s trying to play
the piano with boxing gloves — difficult to watch, harder to listen to.
President-elect
Trump is a very lucky man. Rarely has an incoming president been handed
such a robust and growing economy, except maybe the economy Trump
inherited from Barack Obama in 2017.
Today the unemployment rate
is 4.2%. Inflation is dropping, now at 2.6%. Last month, 227,000 jobs
were added nationwide. The gross domestic product is up nearly 5 percent
from last year. Joe Biden has overseen a booming stock market,
double-digit growth, and the lowest unemployment rate in decades — a
rare bright spot in the post-pandemic global economy.
If Trump
simply changed nothing, he could not only sit pretty for the next four
years but reap the political rewards of strong economic growth. But you
and I both know that’s not going to happen.
Trump issued several
economic campaign pledges that he has vowed to make good on: tax cuts,
tariffs, and mass deportation. Individually each of these policy changes
could have deleterious effects on the U.S. economy. If he manages to
make all three happen, it could mean an economic earthquake. With a
perceived mandate, majorities in the House and Senate, and more blind
loyalists surrounding him, the probability of some, if not all, of this
coming to pass is frighteningly high.
TAX CUTS Trump
has floated a number of changes to the tax code. His most discussed tax
cut is an extension of the one he championed during his first term.
Those tax cuts disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans. He
has also signaled a desire to cut corporate taxes and exempt certain
income like Social Security, tips, and overtime pay. All these tax cuts
and exemptions would cost the U.S. Treasury dearly, adding billions to
the deficit. Trump says not to worry — his new tariffs will make up the
difference. But at what cost?
TARIFFS A
tariff is another name for an import tax. The United States is the
largest importer of goods in the world. Trump has proposed massive
tariffs, also known as taxes, on everything coming into the country: 25%
on imports from Mexico and Canada; a whopping 60% on Chinese imports;
and 20% on everything else. The nonpartisan Peterson Institute for
International Economics estimates the new tariffs would cost every
American household an average of $2,600 a year, so effectively a new
tax.
The incoming president claims the tariffs will not
only pay for his tax cuts but will be used to make Mexico, Canada, and
China stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs from flowing into the
U.S.
For an electorate that is overwhelmingly worried about the
economy — 7 in 10 Americans said they were very concerned about the
price of food — tariffs are a risky choice. At best, companies will pass
on the added cost to consumers. At worst, whole industries could be
shuttered.
Everything from groceries and clothing to gas and
automobiles will be affected by tariffs. Walmart, which imports 70-80%
of its inventory from China, has already warned of price increases.
Mexico grows more than half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in
this country. Oil and gas imports from Canada are at an all-time high.
The
auto industry will also be hard hit if the tariffs go into effect.
General Motors imports 30% of the cars sold in the U.S. GM’s stock price
took a nosedive when Trump announced his plans to tariff goods from
Mexico and Canada. With the average price of a new car at a record high,
it is not an ideal time to make them more expensive. And if you want to
fix your old car, it will cost more to repair it, because most
replacement parts are made overseas.
These new tariffs could lead
to a trade war. Countries that import goods from the United States will
likely retaliate with their own tariffs, causing American manufacturers
and farmers to suffer losses.
The specter of rising prices and
inflation has not deterred Trump. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” Sunday, he said he can’t “guarantee” tariffs won’t raise prices,
though he is skeptical it will happen. He defended tariffs by saying
“they will make us all rich.” Please define “us” and “rich.”
MASS DEPORTATION Part
of Trump’s winning election strategy was to characterize the U.S.
border as a sieve allowing millions of criminals and degenerates to pass
through. While that is not true, a lot of people believed him.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are at least 11 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States, a majority of whom
have been here for more than a decade.
Trump’s plan is to totally seal the border — not really possible — and expel the undocumented. All of them.
The
number of issues with this plan are myriad: logistical, legal, ethical,
diplomatic, and financial. For the purposes of today’s post, let’s
focus on the economic impact.
The direct costs of attempting to
deport 11 million people are astronomical. It will take years to find,
detain, process, and deport that many people to their home countries.
Currently Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deports between
100,000 and 150,000 people a year with 20,000 agents and a budget of
$420 million. Trump says he will declare a state of emergency and use
the military to aid ICE.
It will take hiring hundreds of thousands
more personnel, expanding the already overburdened immigration court
system, and building dozens of facilities to detain the immigrants for
months — maybe years. To put this in perspective, the total U.S. prison
population is 1.9 million, which includes prisoners in every local,
state, and federal facility.
The American Immigration Council estimates it will cost $88 billion a year for a decade. That is almost $900 billion dollars.
The
indirect cost to the American economy could be much more significant.
More than 8 million undocumented immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, a
majority of them in farming, construction, and health care, industries
most Americans choose not to work in.
At a time of low
unemployment, the prospect of removing laborers from the workforce is a
bad idea. To find people willing to take these jobs, wages will have to
increase, which will in turn create inflation and suppress growth. The
Peterson Institute estimates deporting 8.3 million people would push
prices up 9.1% by the end of Trump’s second term.
We have already
experienced a mini version of this phenomenon. The beginning of Trump’s
first term saw a slowdown in immigration and then a hiatus during the
pandemic. This caused a worker shortfall that added to price increases,
supply issues, and wage increases that all led to high inflation.
Knowing
all of this, you would think Trump or someone around him might suggest
these policy shifts are not a wise political or economic strategy. But
by surrounding himself with yes-men, and a few women, there is no one
near the president to save him from himself.
Steady was created to
be a guiding hand through the new political wilderness we found
ourselves in four years ago. The posts would contain context and
analysis, as well as highlight positive points in an effort to keep
everyone anchored, steady. I believe this charge is more important than
ever, though finding the positive will be increasingly challenging. I
caution you to please pay attention, never lose hope, but know that the
next few years are likely to test us all in ways we have never been
tested before. Among the most important things we can do is stay
informed and never stop working to hold the powerful accountable.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
Not to mention where do you detain all those people before they get deported
Or what country is gonna take all of them. Not every country of origin will just “take people back”. And if we find an accepting country we have to pay them to take and house these people.
Because it’s Trump/Miller, it’s gonna be as cruel as possible. That being said, logistically it’s incredibly difficult, time and money consuming making it less practical. But again, Trump/Miller will probably be cruel and just leave these people in a prison.
Good questions, both. Considering his penchant for bullying, it's almost a certain thing his methods will be brutal.
And it will be difficult to watch knowing there is little the average person can do to help. In our situation, all we're come up with is bumping up our donations to organizations like Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU. And I'm hoping that some states that depend on migrant workers (Texas and California to start with), will do what they can at the state level.
Dan Rather covered this issue (among others) quite well in his letter today:
Playing Chicken with the Economy
We’re watching Trump like a raven on roadkill
Let’s set today as a marker. December 9, 2024, will serve as our day
to see where the American economy is. We’ll come back in six months, and
a year from now (God willing) to see if Donald Trump’s guiding hand on
America’s economic levers have improved our lives, or they have not.
Will we prosper, or as many fear, will it look like he’s trying to play
the piano with boxing gloves — difficult to watch, harder to listen to.
President-elect
Trump is a very lucky man. Rarely has an incoming president been handed
such a robust and growing economy, except maybe the economy Trump
inherited from Barack Obama in 2017.
Today the unemployment rate
is 4.2%. Inflation is dropping, now at 2.6%. Last month, 227,000 jobs
were added nationwide. The gross domestic product is up nearly 5 percent
from last year. Joe Biden has overseen a booming stock market,
double-digit growth, and the lowest unemployment rate in decades — a
rare bright spot in the post-pandemic global economy.
If Trump
simply changed nothing, he could not only sit pretty for the next four
years but reap the political rewards of strong economic growth. But you
and I both know that’s not going to happen.
Trump issued several
economic campaign pledges that he has vowed to make good on: tax cuts,
tariffs, and mass deportation. Individually each of these policy changes
could have deleterious effects on the U.S. economy. If he manages to
make all three happen, it could mean an economic earthquake. With a
perceived mandate, majorities in the House and Senate, and more blind
loyalists surrounding him, the probability of some, if not all, of this
coming to pass is frighteningly high.
TAX CUTS Trump
has floated a number of changes to the tax code. His most discussed tax
cut is an extension of the one he championed during his first term.
Those tax cuts disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans. He
has also signaled a desire to cut corporate taxes and exempt certain
income like Social Security, tips, and overtime pay. All these tax cuts
and exemptions would cost the U.S. Treasury dearly, adding billions to
the deficit. Trump says not to worry — his new tariffs will make up the
difference. But at what cost?
TARIFFS A
tariff is another name for an import tax. The United States is the
largest importer of goods in the world. Trump has proposed massive
tariffs, also known as taxes, on everything coming into the country: 25%
on imports from Mexico and Canada; a whopping 60% on Chinese imports;
and 20% on everything else. The nonpartisan Peterson Institute for
International Economics estimates the new tariffs would cost every
American household an average of $2,600 a year, so effectively a new
tax.
The incoming president claims the tariffs will not
only pay for his tax cuts but will be used to make Mexico, Canada, and
China stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs from flowing into the
U.S.
For an electorate that is overwhelmingly worried about the
economy — 7 in 10 Americans said they were very concerned about the
price of food — tariffs are a risky choice. At best, companies will pass
on the added cost to consumers. At worst, whole industries could be
shuttered.
Everything from groceries and clothing to gas and
automobiles will be affected by tariffs. Walmart, which imports 70-80%
of its inventory from China, has already warned of price increases.
Mexico grows more than half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in
this country. Oil and gas imports from Canada are at an all-time high.
The
auto industry will also be hard hit if the tariffs go into effect.
General Motors imports 30% of the cars sold in the U.S. GM’s stock price
took a nosedive when Trump announced his plans to tariff goods from
Mexico and Canada. With the average price of a new car at a record high,
it is not an ideal time to make them more expensive. And if you want to
fix your old car, it will cost more to repair it, because most
replacement parts are made overseas.
These new tariffs could lead
to a trade war. Countries that import goods from the United States will
likely retaliate with their own tariffs, causing American manufacturers
and farmers to suffer losses.
The specter of rising prices and
inflation has not deterred Trump. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” Sunday, he said he can’t “guarantee” tariffs won’t raise prices,
though he is skeptical it will happen. He defended tariffs by saying
“they will make us all rich.” Please define “us” and “rich.”
MASS DEPORTATION Part
of Trump’s winning election strategy was to characterize the U.S.
border as a sieve allowing millions of criminals and degenerates to pass
through. While that is not true, a lot of people believed him.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are at least 11 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States, a majority of whom
have been here for more than a decade.
Trump’s plan is to totally seal the border — not really possible — and expel the undocumented. All of them.
The
number of issues with this plan are myriad: logistical, legal, ethical,
diplomatic, and financial. For the purposes of today’s post, let’s
focus on the economic impact.
The direct costs of attempting to
deport 11 million people are astronomical. It will take years to find,
detain, process, and deport that many people to their home countries.
Currently Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deports between
100,000 and 150,000 people a year with 20,000 agents and a budget of
$420 million. Trump says he will declare a state of emergency and use
the military to aid ICE.
It will take hiring hundreds of thousands
more personnel, expanding the already overburdened immigration court
system, and building dozens of facilities to detain the immigrants for
months — maybe years. To put this in perspective, the total U.S. prison
population is 1.9 million, which includes prisoners in every local,
state, and federal facility.
The American Immigration Council estimates it will cost $88 billion a year for a decade. That is almost $900 billion dollars.
The
indirect cost to the American economy could be much more significant.
More than 8 million undocumented immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, a
majority of them in farming, construction, and health care, industries
most Americans choose not to work in.
At a time of low
unemployment, the prospect of removing laborers from the workforce is a
bad idea. To find people willing to take these jobs, wages will have to
increase, which will in turn create inflation and suppress growth. The
Peterson Institute estimates deporting 8.3 million people would push
prices up 9.1% by the end of Trump’s second term.
We have already
experienced a mini version of this phenomenon. The beginning of Trump’s
first term saw a slowdown in immigration and then a hiatus during the
pandemic. This caused a worker shortfall that added to price increases,
supply issues, and wage increases that all led to high inflation.
Knowing
all of this, you would think Trump or someone around him might suggest
these policy shifts are not a wise political or economic strategy. But
by surrounding himself with yes-men, and a few women, there is no one
near the president to save him from himself.
Steady was created to
be a guiding hand through the new political wilderness we found
ourselves in four years ago. The posts would contain context and
analysis, as well as highlight positive points in an effort to keep
everyone anchored, steady. I believe this charge is more important than
ever, though finding the positive will be increasingly challenging. I
caution you to please pay attention, never lose hope, but know that the
next few years are likely to test us all in ways we have never been
tested before. Among the most important things we can do is stay
informed and never stop working to hold the powerful accountable.
The whole thing is just terrible. I'm from Canada and watching this election play out was incredibly frustrating. Wish there was more I could do from up here.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
Not to mention where do you detain all those people before they get deported
Or what country is gonna take all of them. Not every country of origin will just “take people back”. And if we find an accepting country we have to pay them to take and house these people.
Because it’s Trump/Miller, it’s gonna be as cruel as possible. That being said, logistically it’s incredibly difficult, time and money consuming making it less practical. But again, Trump/Miller will probably be cruel and just leave these people in a prison.
Good questions, both. Considering his penchant for bullying, it's almost a certain thing his methods will be brutal.
And it will be difficult to watch knowing there is little the average person can do to help. In our situation, all we're come up with is bumping up our donations to organizations like Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU. And I'm hoping that some states that depend on migrant workers (Texas and California to start with), will do what they can at the state level.
Dan Rather covered this issue (among others) quite well in his letter today:
Playing Chicken with the Economy
We’re watching Trump like a raven on roadkill
Let’s set today as a marker. December 9, 2024, will serve as our day
to see where the American economy is. We’ll come back in six months, and
a year from now (God willing) to see if Donald Trump’s guiding hand on
America’s economic levers have improved our lives, or they have not.
Will we prosper, or as many fear, will it look like he’s trying to play
the piano with boxing gloves — difficult to watch, harder to listen to.
President-elect
Trump is a very lucky man. Rarely has an incoming president been handed
such a robust and growing economy, except maybe the economy Trump
inherited from Barack Obama in 2017.
Today the unemployment rate
is 4.2%. Inflation is dropping, now at 2.6%. Last month, 227,000 jobs
were added nationwide. The gross domestic product is up nearly 5 percent
from last year. Joe Biden has overseen a booming stock market,
double-digit growth, and the lowest unemployment rate in decades — a
rare bright spot in the post-pandemic global economy.
If Trump
simply changed nothing, he could not only sit pretty for the next four
years but reap the political rewards of strong economic growth. But you
and I both know that’s not going to happen.
Trump issued several
economic campaign pledges that he has vowed to make good on: tax cuts,
tariffs, and mass deportation. Individually each of these policy changes
could have deleterious effects on the U.S. economy. If he manages to
make all three happen, it could mean an economic earthquake. With a
perceived mandate, majorities in the House and Senate, and more blind
loyalists surrounding him, the probability of some, if not all, of this
coming to pass is frighteningly high.
TAX CUTS Trump
has floated a number of changes to the tax code. His most discussed tax
cut is an extension of the one he championed during his first term.
Those tax cuts disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans. He
has also signaled a desire to cut corporate taxes and exempt certain
income like Social Security, tips, and overtime pay. All these tax cuts
and exemptions would cost the U.S. Treasury dearly, adding billions to
the deficit. Trump says not to worry — his new tariffs will make up the
difference. But at what cost?
TARIFFS A
tariff is another name for an import tax. The United States is the
largest importer of goods in the world. Trump has proposed massive
tariffs, also known as taxes, on everything coming into the country: 25%
on imports from Mexico and Canada; a whopping 60% on Chinese imports;
and 20% on everything else. The nonpartisan Peterson Institute for
International Economics estimates the new tariffs would cost every
American household an average of $2,600 a year, so effectively a new
tax.
The incoming president claims the tariffs will not
only pay for his tax cuts but will be used to make Mexico, Canada, and
China stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs from flowing into the
U.S.
For an electorate that is overwhelmingly worried about the
economy — 7 in 10 Americans said they were very concerned about the
price of food — tariffs are a risky choice. At best, companies will pass
on the added cost to consumers. At worst, whole industries could be
shuttered.
Everything from groceries and clothing to gas and
automobiles will be affected by tariffs. Walmart, which imports 70-80%
of its inventory from China, has already warned of price increases.
Mexico grows more than half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in
this country. Oil and gas imports from Canada are at an all-time high.
The
auto industry will also be hard hit if the tariffs go into effect.
General Motors imports 30% of the cars sold in the U.S. GM’s stock price
took a nosedive when Trump announced his plans to tariff goods from
Mexico and Canada. With the average price of a new car at a record high,
it is not an ideal time to make them more expensive. And if you want to
fix your old car, it will cost more to repair it, because most
replacement parts are made overseas.
These new tariffs could lead
to a trade war. Countries that import goods from the United States will
likely retaliate with their own tariffs, causing American manufacturers
and farmers to suffer losses.
The specter of rising prices and
inflation has not deterred Trump. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” Sunday, he said he can’t “guarantee” tariffs won’t raise prices,
though he is skeptical it will happen. He defended tariffs by saying
“they will make us all rich.” Please define “us” and “rich.”
MASS DEPORTATION Part
of Trump’s winning election strategy was to characterize the U.S.
border as a sieve allowing millions of criminals and degenerates to pass
through. While that is not true, a lot of people believed him.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are at least 11 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States, a majority of whom
have been here for more than a decade.
Trump’s plan is to totally seal the border — not really possible — and expel the undocumented. All of them.
The
number of issues with this plan are myriad: logistical, legal, ethical,
diplomatic, and financial. For the purposes of today’s post, let’s
focus on the economic impact.
The direct costs of attempting to
deport 11 million people are astronomical. It will take years to find,
detain, process, and deport that many people to their home countries.
Currently Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deports between
100,000 and 150,000 people a year with 20,000 agents and a budget of
$420 million. Trump says he will declare a state of emergency and use
the military to aid ICE.
It will take hiring hundreds of thousands
more personnel, expanding the already overburdened immigration court
system, and building dozens of facilities to detain the immigrants for
months — maybe years. To put this in perspective, the total U.S. prison
population is 1.9 million, which includes prisoners in every local,
state, and federal facility.
The American Immigration Council estimates it will cost $88 billion a year for a decade. That is almost $900 billion dollars.
The
indirect cost to the American economy could be much more significant.
More than 8 million undocumented immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, a
majority of them in farming, construction, and health care, industries
most Americans choose not to work in.
At a time of low
unemployment, the prospect of removing laborers from the workforce is a
bad idea. To find people willing to take these jobs, wages will have to
increase, which will in turn create inflation and suppress growth. The
Peterson Institute estimates deporting 8.3 million people would push
prices up 9.1% by the end of Trump’s second term.
We have already
experienced a mini version of this phenomenon. The beginning of Trump’s
first term saw a slowdown in immigration and then a hiatus during the
pandemic. This caused a worker shortfall that added to price increases,
supply issues, and wage increases that all led to high inflation.
Knowing
all of this, you would think Trump or someone around him might suggest
these policy shifts are not a wise political or economic strategy. But
by surrounding himself with yes-men, and a few women, there is no one
near the president to save him from himself.
Steady was created to
be a guiding hand through the new political wilderness we found
ourselves in four years ago. The posts would contain context and
analysis, as well as highlight positive points in an effort to keep
everyone anchored, steady. I believe this charge is more important than
ever, though finding the positive will be increasingly challenging. I
caution you to please pay attention, never lose hope, but know that the
next few years are likely to test us all in ways we have never been
tested before. Among the most important things we can do is stay
informed and never stop working to hold the powerful accountable.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
Not to mention where do you detain all those people before they get deported
Or what country is gonna take all of them. Not every country of origin will just “take people back”. And if we find an accepting country we have to pay them to take and house these people.
Because it’s Trump/Miller, it’s gonna be as cruel as possible. That being said, logistically it’s incredibly difficult, time and money consuming making it less practical. But again, Trump/Miller will probably be cruel and just leave these people in a prison.
Good questions, both. Considering his penchant for bullying, it's almost a certain thing his methods will be brutal.
And it will be difficult to watch knowing there is little the average person can do to help. In our situation, all we're come up with is bumping up our donations to organizations like Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU. And I'm hoping that some states that depend on migrant workers (Texas and California to start with), will do what they can at the state level.
Dan Rather covered this issue (among others) quite well in his letter today:
Playing Chicken with the Economy
We’re watching Trump like a raven on roadkill
Let’s set today as a marker. December 9, 2024, will serve as our day
to see where the American economy is. We’ll come back in six months, and
a year from now (God willing) to see if Donald Trump’s guiding hand on
America’s economic levers have improved our lives, or they have not.
Will we prosper, or as many fear, will it look like he’s trying to play
the piano with boxing gloves — difficult to watch, harder to listen to.
President-elect
Trump is a very lucky man. Rarely has an incoming president been handed
such a robust and growing economy, except maybe the economy Trump
inherited from Barack Obama in 2017.
Today the unemployment rate
is 4.2%. Inflation is dropping, now at 2.6%. Last month, 227,000 jobs
were added nationwide. The gross domestic product is up nearly 5 percent
from last year. Joe Biden has overseen a booming stock market,
double-digit growth, and the lowest unemployment rate in decades — a
rare bright spot in the post-pandemic global economy.
If Trump
simply changed nothing, he could not only sit pretty for the next four
years but reap the political rewards of strong economic growth. But you
and I both know that’s not going to happen.
Trump issued several
economic campaign pledges that he has vowed to make good on: tax cuts,
tariffs, and mass deportation. Individually each of these policy changes
could have deleterious effects on the U.S. economy. If he manages to
make all three happen, it could mean an economic earthquake. With a
perceived mandate, majorities in the House and Senate, and more blind
loyalists surrounding him, the probability of some, if not all, of this
coming to pass is frighteningly high.
TAX CUTS Trump
has floated a number of changes to the tax code. His most discussed tax
cut is an extension of the one he championed during his first term.
Those tax cuts disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans. He
has also signaled a desire to cut corporate taxes and exempt certain
income like Social Security, tips, and overtime pay. All these tax cuts
and exemptions would cost the U.S. Treasury dearly, adding billions to
the deficit. Trump says not to worry — his new tariffs will make up the
difference. But at what cost?
TARIFFS A
tariff is another name for an import tax. The United States is the
largest importer of goods in the world. Trump has proposed massive
tariffs, also known as taxes, on everything coming into the country: 25%
on imports from Mexico and Canada; a whopping 60% on Chinese imports;
and 20% on everything else. The nonpartisan Peterson Institute for
International Economics estimates the new tariffs would cost every
American household an average of $2,600 a year, so effectively a new
tax.
The incoming president claims the tariffs will not
only pay for his tax cuts but will be used to make Mexico, Canada, and
China stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs from flowing into the
U.S.
For an electorate that is overwhelmingly worried about the
economy — 7 in 10 Americans said they were very concerned about the
price of food — tariffs are a risky choice. At best, companies will pass
on the added cost to consumers. At worst, whole industries could be
shuttered.
Everything from groceries and clothing to gas and
automobiles will be affected by tariffs. Walmart, which imports 70-80%
of its inventory from China, has already warned of price increases.
Mexico grows more than half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in
this country. Oil and gas imports from Canada are at an all-time high.
The
auto industry will also be hard hit if the tariffs go into effect.
General Motors imports 30% of the cars sold in the U.S. GM’s stock price
took a nosedive when Trump announced his plans to tariff goods from
Mexico and Canada. With the average price of a new car at a record high,
it is not an ideal time to make them more expensive. And if you want to
fix your old car, it will cost more to repair it, because most
replacement parts are made overseas.
These new tariffs could lead
to a trade war. Countries that import goods from the United States will
likely retaliate with their own tariffs, causing American manufacturers
and farmers to suffer losses.
The specter of rising prices and
inflation has not deterred Trump. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” Sunday, he said he can’t “guarantee” tariffs won’t raise prices,
though he is skeptical it will happen. He defended tariffs by saying
“they will make us all rich.” Please define “us” and “rich.”
MASS DEPORTATION Part
of Trump’s winning election strategy was to characterize the U.S.
border as a sieve allowing millions of criminals and degenerates to pass
through. While that is not true, a lot of people believed him.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are at least 11 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States, a majority of whom
have been here for more than a decade.
Trump’s plan is to totally seal the border — not really possible — and expel the undocumented. All of them.
The
number of issues with this plan are myriad: logistical, legal, ethical,
diplomatic, and financial. For the purposes of today’s post, let’s
focus on the economic impact.
The direct costs of attempting to
deport 11 million people are astronomical. It will take years to find,
detain, process, and deport that many people to their home countries.
Currently Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deports between
100,000 and 150,000 people a year with 20,000 agents and a budget of
$420 million. Trump says he will declare a state of emergency and use
the military to aid ICE.
It will take hiring hundreds of thousands
more personnel, expanding the already overburdened immigration court
system, and building dozens of facilities to detain the immigrants for
months — maybe years. To put this in perspective, the total U.S. prison
population is 1.9 million, which includes prisoners in every local,
state, and federal facility.
The American Immigration Council estimates it will cost $88 billion a year for a decade. That is almost $900 billion dollars.
The
indirect cost to the American economy could be much more significant.
More than 8 million undocumented immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, a
majority of them in farming, construction, and health care, industries
most Americans choose not to work in.
At a time of low
unemployment, the prospect of removing laborers from the workforce is a
bad idea. To find people willing to take these jobs, wages will have to
increase, which will in turn create inflation and suppress growth. The
Peterson Institute estimates deporting 8.3 million people would push
prices up 9.1% by the end of Trump’s second term.
We have already
experienced a mini version of this phenomenon. The beginning of Trump’s
first term saw a slowdown in immigration and then a hiatus during the
pandemic. This caused a worker shortfall that added to price increases,
supply issues, and wage increases that all led to high inflation.
Knowing
all of this, you would think Trump or someone around him might suggest
these policy shifts are not a wise political or economic strategy. But
by surrounding himself with yes-men, and a few women, there is no one
near the president to save him from himself.
Steady was created to
be a guiding hand through the new political wilderness we found
ourselves in four years ago. The posts would contain context and
analysis, as well as highlight positive points in an effort to keep
everyone anchored, steady. I believe this charge is more important than
ever, though finding the positive will be increasingly challenging. I
caution you to please pay attention, never lose hope, but know that the
next few years are likely to test us all in ways we have never been
tested before. Among the most important things we can do is stay
informed and never stop working to hold the powerful accountable.
The whole thing is just terrible. I'm from Canada and watching this election play out was incredibly frustrating. Wish there was more I could do from up here.
Thank you, EC. It is tragic indeed. I will say, I am hugely grateful for our Canadian friends here in the Pearl Jam Community. The perceptive and support we get from several of you folks (you know who you are!) is huge. I know a lot of the world must look at the U.S. as having gone full insane asylum (and much of it has), but I also know you know we have not all gone off the deep end in MAGA-mania.
To be this ignorant regarding POOTWH’s plans for mass deportations and immigration at this stage is astounding and a testament to how easily duped some people can be.
Where is he going to get the resources and funding to track down and deport every single illegal immigrant?
I believe you questioned POOTWH’s intent to deport more than just “violent, illegal immigrants.” It now seems that you acknowledge that or at least “every single illegal immigrant” but question the source of funding to accomplish such an endeavour. Tell us you voted for POOTWH without telling us you voted for POOTWH.
Both. That interview the other day he said he’ll make exceptions for dreamers. And says he’ll “start with the criminals, then some others, and see where it goes from there.”
Considering he says he’ll make a pathways for dreamers and “see where it goes,” combined with the logistical issues of departing over 11 million people, I just don’t see it happening.
Comments
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Thank you very much for your generousity!
I have never heard trump or anyone else saying they want to deport immigrants. It's only illegal immigrants. And they plan to start with violent criminals. So deporting violent illegal immigrant criminals is the "mass deportation".
‘In May of last year, Trump released a campaign video renewing his call to end the long-standing constitutional right, saying he would sign an executive order on day one of his presidency that would ensure that children born to parents who do not have legal status in the U.S. will not be considered U.S. citizens.
“The United States is among the only countries in the world that says even if neither parent is a citizen or even lawfully in the country, their future children are automatic citizens the moment the parents trespass onto our soil,” Trump said in the video.’
and revoke citizenship for some who are naturalized.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
either plain ignorant , which can be excused or or worse willfully ignorant which is imo inexcusable.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Haha, yes! Long live The Torch!
system.
And I don't have an issue with that. The 14th amendment was written as part of the reconstruction act for freed slaves. I have no issue with amending it to qualify to those born here legally. The idea of an "anchor" baby is so weird to me.
I still support deporting illegal violent criminals and many other crimes.
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
Actually let the parents stay too.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Senior's medicare and social security?
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Playing Chicken with the Economy
We’re watching Trump like a raven on roadkill
Let’s set today as a marker. December 9, 2024, will serve as our day to see where the American economy is. We’ll come back in six months, and a year from now (God willing) to see if Donald Trump’s guiding hand on America’s economic levers have improved our lives, or they have not. Will we prosper, or as many fear, will it look like he’s trying to play the piano with boxing gloves — difficult to watch, harder to listen to.
President-elect Trump is a very lucky man. Rarely has an incoming president been handed such a robust and growing economy, except maybe the economy Trump inherited from Barack Obama in 2017.
Today the unemployment rate is 4.2%. Inflation is dropping, now at 2.6%. Last month, 227,000 jobs were added nationwide. The gross domestic product is up nearly 5 percent from last year. Joe Biden has overseen a booming stock market, double-digit growth, and the lowest unemployment rate in decades — a rare bright spot in the post-pandemic global economy.
If Trump simply changed nothing, he could not only sit pretty for the next four years but reap the political rewards of strong economic growth. But you and I both know that’s not going to happen.
Trump issued several economic campaign pledges that he has vowed to make good on: tax cuts, tariffs, and mass deportation. Individually each of these policy changes could have deleterious effects on the U.S. economy. If he manages to make all three happen, it could mean an economic earthquake. With a perceived mandate, majorities in the House and Senate, and more blind loyalists surrounding him, the probability of some, if not all, of this coming to pass is frighteningly high.
TAX CUTS
Trump has floated a number of changes to the tax code. His most discussed tax cut is an extension of the one he championed during his first term. Those tax cuts disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans. He has also signaled a desire to cut corporate taxes and exempt certain income like Social Security, tips, and overtime pay. All these tax cuts and exemptions would cost the U.S. Treasury dearly, adding billions to the deficit. Trump says not to worry — his new tariffs will make up the difference. But at what cost?
TARIFFS
A tariff is another name for an import tax. The United States is the largest importer of goods in the world. Trump has proposed massive tariffs, also known as taxes, on everything coming into the country: 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada; a whopping 60% on Chinese imports; and 20% on everything else. The nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates the new tariffs would cost every American household an average of $2,600 a year, so effectively a new tax.
The incoming president claims the tariffs will not only pay for his tax cuts but will be used to make Mexico, Canada, and China stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs from flowing into the U.S.
For an electorate that is overwhelmingly worried about the economy — 7 in 10 Americans said they were very concerned about the price of food — tariffs are a risky choice. At best, companies will pass on the added cost to consumers. At worst, whole industries could be shuttered.
Everything from groceries and clothing to gas and automobiles will be affected by tariffs. Walmart, which imports 70-80% of its inventory from China, has already warned of price increases. Mexico grows more than half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in this country. Oil and gas imports from Canada are at an all-time high.
The auto industry will also be hard hit if the tariffs go into effect. General Motors imports 30% of the cars sold in the U.S. GM’s stock price took a nosedive when Trump announced his plans to tariff goods from Mexico and Canada. With the average price of a new car at a record high, it is not an ideal time to make them more expensive. And if you want to fix your old car, it will cost more to repair it, because most replacement parts are made overseas.
These new tariffs could lead to a trade war. Countries that import goods from the United States will likely retaliate with their own tariffs, causing American manufacturers and farmers to suffer losses.
The specter of rising prices and inflation has not deterred Trump. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, he said he can’t “guarantee” tariffs won’t raise prices, though he is skeptical it will happen. He defended tariffs by saying “they will make us all rich.” Please define “us” and “rich.”
MASS DEPORTATION
Part of Trump’s winning election strategy was to characterize the U.S. border as a sieve allowing millions of criminals and degenerates to pass through. While that is not true, a lot of people believed him. According to the Pew Research Center, there are at least 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, a majority of whom have been here for more than a decade.
Trump’s plan is to totally seal the border — not really possible — and expel the undocumented. All of them.
The number of issues with this plan are myriad: logistical, legal, ethical, diplomatic, and financial. For the purposes of today’s post, let’s focus on the economic impact.
The direct costs of attempting to deport 11 million people are astronomical. It will take years to find, detain, process, and deport that many people to their home countries. Currently Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deports between 100,000 and 150,000 people a year with 20,000 agents and a budget of $420 million. Trump says he will declare a state of emergency and use the military to aid ICE.
It will take hiring hundreds of thousands more personnel, expanding the already overburdened immigration court system, and building dozens of facilities to detain the immigrants for months — maybe years. To put this in perspective, the total U.S. prison population is 1.9 million, which includes prisoners in every local, state, and federal facility.
The American Immigration Council estimates it will cost $88 billion a year for a decade. That is almost $900 billion dollars.
The indirect cost to the American economy could be much more significant. More than 8 million undocumented immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, a majority of them in farming, construction, and health care, industries most Americans choose not to work in.
At a time of low unemployment, the prospect of removing laborers from the workforce is a bad idea. To find people willing to take these jobs, wages will have to increase, which will in turn create inflation and suppress growth. The Peterson Institute estimates deporting 8.3 million people would push prices up 9.1% by the end of Trump’s second term.
We have already experienced a mini version of this phenomenon. The beginning of Trump’s first term saw a slowdown in immigration and then a hiatus during the pandemic. This caused a worker shortfall that added to price increases, supply issues, and wage increases that all led to high inflation.
Knowing all of this, you would think Trump or someone around him might suggest these policy shifts are not a wise political or economic strategy. But by surrounding himself with yes-men, and a few women, there is no one near the president to save him from himself.
Steady was created to be a guiding hand through the new political wilderness we found ourselves in four years ago. The posts would contain context and analysis, as well as highlight positive points in an effort to keep everyone anchored, steady. I believe this charge is more important than ever, though finding the positive will be increasingly challenging. I caution you to please pay attention, never lose hope, but know that the next few years are likely to test us all in ways we have never been tested before. Among the most important things we can do is stay informed and never stop working to hold the powerful accountable.
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