Reminds me of what I said to my Leftist sister in the early days when he was just getting started on USAID: better strap on your big girl panties bc it's going to be a wild ride & you're going to hate every minute of it! I'm loving every minute of it!
Alice, about what age range are you and do you own or rent your accommodation and do you work or are you retired and do you have any savings and are they in the stock market and or just 401ks?
I read his "likes" on his profile. He has serious TDS and is very afraid. Fear makes people do crazy things,(like wearing double masks alone in their car, still wearing one today and getting fully boosted), which is why the globalists use it so often. He is convinced DT is going to destroy "the economy" and people's retirement. This, the questions. Glad you did not bother to reply. Obvious troll.
There used to be a lot of factories on the outskirts of cities. My father was an industrial engineer and worked at them. I worked in them putting labels on boxes as a high school student in summer. I'd say half the ones he worked at are gone. They seem very concentrated now in certain areas. Areas that are usually cities and expensive, or out in the middle of absolutely nowhere where no family would want to go and raise kids--the workers do a temp thing. Or they drive really, really far to work. Or they don't have families.
And my husband now works in factories, too, and also must live in/near expensive cities. I, for one, would LOVE to see factories strategically placed where people want to, and can afford to, live in smaller towns. I have money in the market, but not enough to really affect my lifestyle.
Add to this about the heartland. We also had a family farm for generations, and it became "more trouble than it was worth" money wise, I was told. I did not agree with that, as it was in CRP and hunting leases and not subject to crop failure or crop prices, and thought the market or urban real estate more unstable, but the elder stakeholders sold it. They wanted cash in hand, not something that would provide generationally, as it had consistently, at a perhaps slightly lower level than they saw when the market was good. It is absolutely true that family farms are being sold off to big ag or foreign countries or very wealthy individuals to use for hunting, and factories have closed in many places outside cities.
Trump is breaking old guard politics, the deep state, and synchronized, legacy media/fake new. These people are rabid, wounded and cornered animals fighting for their lives and their old way of life. It's going to get very ugly before they are finally defeated. Trump and his appointees have the will to do it. Not sure the Republicans in congress do.
Substack writer Jeff Childers shows how Trump is our third founding president in his post from today: “Between this budget package, the stock market, and the global tariffs, progressive “economic experts” have been doomcrying about recession and malaise, and prophesying general economic collapse.
But they have no idea what they are talking about. Nobody has ever trieed this kind of radical fiscal surgery on the American economy before. Between the tax cuts, slashed regulations, pruned federal overhead, DOGE recoveries, stimulus provisions, and the whole-of-government effort, there is simply no way the experts can really predict the outcome.
We are on a whole new economic map. The 1981 Reagan cuts and deregulations came close in ambition, but lacked the global trade disruption; the New Deal was a spending surge, not a tax-slashing one. This is genuinely new. It’s a 5-D economic puzzle.
I would describe it as Trump giving himself multiple ways to win. The beauty of this, from Trump’s angle, is he doesn’t need every piece to fully succeed. Tax cuts spark a boom? Win. Tariffs bring factories back? Win. Deregulation unleashes a sector like energy? Win. DOGE cuts stabilize the budget? Win. Any combo that delivers jobs, growth, or a "strong America" vibe could claim victory, even if other parts lag— such as tariffs spiking prices or debt climbing.
It’s a bold, multi-front offensive. Success on any axis could cement his legacy. The President is not betting on one horse; he’s rigged the race with five. Whether the economy cooperates is the trillion-dollar question, but the setup virtually guarantees that something’s bound to stick.
💰 Let us also recall the historical nature of the new tax cuts: tips, Social Security, and overtime. Tips are already hard to police; many think it costs more to track them down than the government makes in recovered revenue. Social Security taxes offend seniors, a key voting constituency who will forever remember Trump’s tax relief. And de-taxing overtime will almost certainly spur a productivity surge, as companies relax rules and allow workers who want to work, to work more.
There’s another intriguing possibility. Stripping income taxes from these three massive populations could create a tax-free slip-N-slide, eventually canceling all income taxes. It’s not obviously fair that waitresses and seniors should live tax-free. Why not everybody? It’s a political Pandora’s box— once you sell “no tax on effort” (tips and overtime) and “no tax on earned benefits” (Social Security), the logic creeps inexorably toward “no tax on any work.”
These aren’t just tax tweaks. It’s a reimagining of who pays, and why. No U.S. package has ever so surgically freed up “earned” income streams while daring to sidestep enforcement headaches (tips) or political third rails (Social Security). It’s historic for its audacity. Past cuts broadened bases or lowered rates, but these cuts pick winners in a way that could wind up rewriting the tax debate.
Setting aside speculative future possibilities, the tax cuts will return hundreds of billions to workers and retirees— right as the tariffs hit their stride. None of the experts’ so-called “economic models” consider these side effects.”
A very small group of presidents who returned the nation to its founding principles. Washington, of course, is there almost by default since he was the first. However, in his two terms, he stayed true to those values instead of veering away from them to something closer to the British monarchy model. I
But we not should see these men as heroes without fault. All three “misread the room” at times, but overall their impact on our nation was restoration rather than revolution.
Indeed, Trump makes us ask of the status quo: "Why does it have to be that way? And why do so many people in power want to block us from asking this question?"
Being consistent in your message helps. Trump has been talking about how 'China and the world has been ripping us off' for 40 plus years, and guys that work on stuff in garages with our drinking buddies have been saying the same shit for just as long. Buying 'Made in the U.S.A' until we no longer had a choice. First Solar is up 5% today. Buy American or bye, bye, America. Remember we are the biggest customer on the planet and 'the customer is always right'. The sell off in the market today is an opportunity to buy low. Hint, any company that makes stuff here or will.
I thought it was insanity years ago when America and Western nations sent their manufacturing base off to China. Handed over massive control, in many ways. To a Communist country! Which would then become wealthy on this, buy up our real estate, money-launder here, and build a great big powerful military. Which could rise against us.
Did anyone actually THINK before they did this? Or were the decision-makers already in the pocket of the CCP?
No, it was because Corporate America wanted to lower labor costs to increase their margins, to increase their stock price, which would increase the value of their stock options. Since Congress is bribed, sorry lobbied, by Corporate America they simple went along with it.
Bill Clinton made the move to make China a "most favored nation" and that opened the doors wide to trade with them. A group of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress tried to stop it, but couldn't. Yes, big biz was pushing them to do it, with the fantasy of China becoming more "free" while dealing with us. I blame it partly on lack of education, such as:
The Cultural Revolution in China was blood thirsty mayhem. When I was in college many decades ago, a speaker who was in China during the cultural revolution spoke of when his city was hit by the Red Guard and how they went in and ki11ed all those who didn't succumb (professors, lawyers, etc.) and then put white smocks on the children and told them to run through the streets and apartments/neighborhoods and get the blood from those they ki11ed (some the children personally knew, no doubt) and wipe it on their smocks and then go to the town square, where the children with the most red (blood) on their smocks got prizes and candy.
And I'll also note that before Clinton and Congress made this move, the GDP of China was at about 1.8%!!! They may've just imploded like the USSR did, if we left them alone or strategically put pressures on them.
Interesting you say that. My family's manufacturing company in WI has managed to chug along for 92 years. There have been some really lean years and some really great years depending on the weather (outdoor power equipment company). The difference in this company vs so many others? No union.
That was very, very stupid indeed. If I had had their ear for five minutes, I could have pointed out the one-track Communist mind to them. Although it may have bounced off still.
Before Bill Clinton gave China "most favored nation status", which opened the doors to free trade with China, there was a minority in Congress (both Republicans and Democrats; mostly Democrats, believe it or not) who tried to fight it and lost.
BTW, we need to give ourselves Most Favored Nation status on drug prices. We get what the lowest in the world gets. Simple. WRT tariffs, change the language. To sell foreign made here, you need to pay a license fee to access our markets. Also, simple and real.
Not to sound like a creeper, but I've seen yo on X, that is if you use the same moniker. I'm also in WI and all the talk has been about Tuesday's election so I think I saw your moniker on WisconsinRight. Anyway, great post.
If this guy is not a writer by trade? He should be one. Trump is a disruptor. And he was handcuffed during is first term. America has been overdue for this SINCE Reagan. As I watch my investments in free fall, I know this will be a long game and an experiment.
Imagine how much more prosperous this country could be without financing the rest of the world, free or not? I am optimistic that Trump is exactly described by this man’s view.
I'm not looking at our investments. Not being an ostrich, just feel it wouldn't do us any good and now that the the 'tariff' uncertainty (risk) has been unleashed, the market will recover, and more.
Agree with you. If I am willing to gamble on investment, I am also doubling down on his policies and directives. He may be a loose cannon with words, but I believe in his mission and I am willing to weather this. I truly believe the means will justify the end result.
Do we have any other choice? (and Trump knows it all could end tomorrow, so "full steam ahead"). We can't keep going the way we are going. We're used to being free and living somewhat comfortably (and for some, VERY comfortably and I'd hope they could handle a little less comfort to personally help their follow man). People rebel if they can't have air conditioning, heat, fast internet and a new phone every few years. The Democrat's answer was to bring about a crash (a la the "Great Reset") so we'd have to get in line with the rest of the world - hot water bottles in bed for warmth, limited air conditioning, low pay, little to no money to do repairs on our homes, low amount of choice in food/produce, sketchy internet, etc.
I like that Donald Trump has laid more than a few things bare — exposing the grift and those who benefit from it — questioning old and antiquated processes makes government more efficient and affordable — devolving and decentralizing decision authority recenters democracy and makes it more accountable. Mr. Trump is a leader!
So you're FOR spending a couple of million dollars of YOUR (and mine and American's) money on a transgender opera in Serbia? So you're FOR spending a BILLION DOLLARS on a survey for the IRS, or HUD or some agency that wasn't even USED and consisted of like, 12 questions? And that's just a fraction of the grift they've discovered.
NASA Contracts: SpaceX has been a significant partner for NASA, with contracts totaling approximately $14.6 billion. These agreements encompass missions such as resupply trips to the International Space Station and the development of lunar landers for upcoming moon missions.
Department of Defense (DoD): The company has secured contracts with the DoD, including a $733.5 million agreement for national security space missions, involving launches for the Space Development Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office.
Starshield Program: SpaceX is developing Starshield, a satellite network designed to provide military capabilities, including target tracking and missile warning systems. This initiative includes a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government for constructing hundreds of spy satellites.
Tesla:
Energy Sector Engagements: Tesla has benefited from government contracts and subsidies, including a $767 million deal to supply battery systems for Puerto Rico's power grid.
Other Ventures:
Neuralink and The Boring Company: While specific government contracts for Neuralink and The Boring Company are less prominent, these companies' operations intersect with federal interests, particularly in areas like infrastructure and advanced technology development.
It's important to note that Musk's dual role as a government official and a business leader has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given the significant government contracts awarded to his companies.
What is your problem with a business working for government? This isn't a handout, this isn't a "you wash my hand, I'll wash your's". This isn't a grift or money laundering like so many of the things done at USAID!
This piece, ‘Grifterism: The Economic Engine of Democrats,’ should be right next to ‘The Secrets of Life’ on the go-to reference shelf. Thank @CynicalPublius for connecting the dots!
- Trump-Owned Properties: His hotels, golf courses, and resorts saw increased business, particularly from GOP events, foreign dignitaries, and lobbyists. The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., for example, became a hub for political gatherings.
- Mar-a-Lago Membership Fees: The initiation fee for his private club doubled from $100,000 to $200,000 after he became president.
2. Campaign and Political Spending at Trump Properties
- Republican Events: The Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign spent millions at his properties.
- Secret Service Payments: The Secret Service was required to rent space at Trump properties while protecting him and his family.
3. Foreign and Domestic Influence
- Foreign Governments Spending at Trump Businesses: Countries like Saudi Arabia spent money at Trump hotels and properties, which some critics argue was an attempt to curry favor.
- Business Deals and Licensing: While Trump claimed to have stepped away from day-to-day operations, the Trump Organization continued to seek new deals, and existing properties gained prestige.
Except for Truth Social, which he was forced into, after his first Administration, Trump would have been the only modern President that left office poorer than when he went in.
Forced into... not long ago Truth added multibillions of $s to his net worth. Since the company has seen expenses far exceed revenue during every quarter of its existence, it's only adding about $1.4 billion to his net worth currently so still far in excess of its actual worth.
Trump's net worth did decrease after his first presidential term. According to estimates by Forbes and other financial outlets, his wealth declined by several hundred million dollars during and shortly after his presidency. The decline was attributed to several factors, including:
- Decline in real estate values in some parts of his portfolio, especially urban office and retail spaces.
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitality and commercial properties he owned.
- Lost business deals and brand value, as some companies distanced themselves from the Trump brand during and after his presidency.
Estimates vary by source, but Forbes estimated his net worth dropped from around $4.5 billion in 2015 to about $2.5 billion by 2021.
TMTG merged with a publicly traded special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC). After a long delay and regulatory scrutiny, the merger was finalized in March 2024, allowing Trump Media to be listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol DJT.
Upon the listing:
The market valued Trump Media at over $5–6 billion at one point.
Donald Trump owned roughly 60% of the company (about 78 million shares).
That stake instantly added billions to his paper net worth — estimates say $3–4 billion or more, making him a billionaire again on paper, even though the company itself loses money hand over fist.
And proof that "the company loses money hand over fist"? And how would the company add net worth if if does? I'm just wondering why you weren't so curious about Joe Biden and the Biden family's businesses.
I could not disagree with the following that appears at the beginning, more, but I appreciate all the rest as insightful regarding Trump the disrupter.
"he doesn’t even seem interested in the same version of reality the rest of us are living in. He operates in a space that feels disconnected, like he’s improvising everything in real time with no filter, no script, and no concern for how it lands."
Trump cares deeply about the reality of the life that average Americans are experiencing - seemingly unlike the rest of the political class who are absolved of the personal consequences of their decisions. He has a great deal of concern for "how it lands" on the average American, as opposed to its impact on the global elites, and especially the journo class.
Disruption IS his script. That's why he decided to run in 2016. He looked at how the career pols (in both parties) had so screwed things up, that he said: "These people are nothing special; I can do much better!"
Exactly. Trump was merely playing the face-up cards on the table that nobody would dare touch (and we all see why with what he has had to put up with for 9 years, nearly costing his life).
Agreed. I voted for Trump three times because I was fed up with the status quo and decided it was time to pull the pin. It just didn't matter that Mister Hand Grenade wasn't going to be anyone's friend any more.
Wow, what a way to put it. The truth is that "Mister Hand Grenade" (if you're speaking of the "system") was in the process of blowing up anyway, just at a slower (and no doubt, faster at the end) pace.
Amen. Well said. Trump really has forced us all to ask a whole lot more questions about what the president can do, what the government does, how it operates and affects us every day, and what are the guardrails that are the core of our Republic, checks and balances and federalism. Again, we need to participate in the discussion way way more.
I am fond of reminding people that a healthy country would never elect Trump. It seems a simple observation, but most people don’t comprehend the depth of sickness that we had fallen to. Certainly almost no Democrats have the slightest idea how sick they are. Many of us woke up one day and observed our intelligent, vital friends doing the intellectual equivalent of bashing their teeth out with a hammer. We expressed concern and they replied, “what? This is normal. Everyone is doing it!” So it is going to take years, If not a decade, for them to start to grow their teeth back.
Look at the Supreme court race in Wisconsin as an example. The person who was dead set against voter ID won, then the measure that require voter ID won overwhelmingly. If it had been left up to the incoming supreme court justice, it never would have been done. People blindly vote the brand.
Back in 2016 I told people I was voting for Trump to "shake up the system" and because he was the "bitter pill" that the sick patient needed to stay alive.
Tom, you're absolutely correct, it's going to be a long time before Trump's newly planted trees will bear a full load of fruit. I hope the American people aren't so shortsighted that they'll give up & stray back down the lefty path, that would only lead to further disaster....
Reminds me of what I said to my Leftist sister in the early days when he was just getting started on USAID: better strap on your big girl panties bc it's going to be a wild ride & you're going to hate every minute of it! I'm loving every minute of it!
what an absolute hoot. I'm still laughing!!!! I'll wake up tonight at 2 am and laugh again. Outstanding.
I'm so glad you got to have a belly laugh today!
Alice, about what age range are you and do you own or rent your accommodation and do you work or are you retired and do you have any savings and are they in the stock market and or just 401ks?
What difference would that make?
I read his "likes" on his profile. He has serious TDS and is very afraid. Fear makes people do crazy things,(like wearing double masks alone in their car, still wearing one today and getting fully boosted), which is why the globalists use it so often. He is convinced DT is going to destroy "the economy" and people's retirement. This, the questions. Glad you did not bother to reply. Obvious troll.
❓❓❓
Ryan subscribes to Sasha and to "Decoding FOX News".....so there you go.
Serious TDS. Completely terrified. Glad you ignored him.
There used to be a lot of factories on the outskirts of cities. My father was an industrial engineer and worked at them. I worked in them putting labels on boxes as a high school student in summer. I'd say half the ones he worked at are gone. They seem very concentrated now in certain areas. Areas that are usually cities and expensive, or out in the middle of absolutely nowhere where no family would want to go and raise kids--the workers do a temp thing. Or they drive really, really far to work. Or they don't have families.
And my husband now works in factories, too, and also must live in/near expensive cities. I, for one, would LOVE to see factories strategically placed where people want to, and can afford to, live in smaller towns. I have money in the market, but not enough to really affect my lifestyle.
Add to this about the heartland. We also had a family farm for generations, and it became "more trouble than it was worth" money wise, I was told. I did not agree with that, as it was in CRP and hunting leases and not subject to crop failure or crop prices, and thought the market or urban real estate more unstable, but the elder stakeholders sold it. They wanted cash in hand, not something that would provide generationally, as it had consistently, at a perhaps slightly lower level than they saw when the market was good. It is absolutely true that family farms are being sold off to big ag or foreign countries or very wealthy individuals to use for hunting, and factories have closed in many places outside cities.
Best understanding of Trump I’ve ever read!
Trump is breaking old guard politics, the deep state, and synchronized, legacy media/fake new. These people are rabid, wounded and cornered animals fighting for their lives and their old way of life. It's going to get very ugly before they are finally defeated. Trump and his appointees have the will to do it. Not sure the Republicans in congress do.
Eric Weinstein said there are three presidents who are in the Founder category: Washington, Lincoln, and Trump.
Substack writer Jeff Childers shows how Trump is our third founding president in his post from today: “Between this budget package, the stock market, and the global tariffs, progressive “economic experts” have been doomcrying about recession and malaise, and prophesying general economic collapse.
But they have no idea what they are talking about. Nobody has ever trieed this kind of radical fiscal surgery on the American economy before. Between the tax cuts, slashed regulations, pruned federal overhead, DOGE recoveries, stimulus provisions, and the whole-of-government effort, there is simply no way the experts can really predict the outcome.
We are on a whole new economic map. The 1981 Reagan cuts and deregulations came close in ambition, but lacked the global trade disruption; the New Deal was a spending surge, not a tax-slashing one. This is genuinely new. It’s a 5-D economic puzzle.
I would describe it as Trump giving himself multiple ways to win. The beauty of this, from Trump’s angle, is he doesn’t need every piece to fully succeed. Tax cuts spark a boom? Win. Tariffs bring factories back? Win. Deregulation unleashes a sector like energy? Win. DOGE cuts stabilize the budget? Win. Any combo that delivers jobs, growth, or a "strong America" vibe could claim victory, even if other parts lag— such as tariffs spiking prices or debt climbing.
It’s a bold, multi-front offensive. Success on any axis could cement his legacy. The President is not betting on one horse; he’s rigged the race with five. Whether the economy cooperates is the trillion-dollar question, but the setup virtually guarantees that something’s bound to stick.
💰 Let us also recall the historical nature of the new tax cuts: tips, Social Security, and overtime. Tips are already hard to police; many think it costs more to track them down than the government makes in recovered revenue. Social Security taxes offend seniors, a key voting constituency who will forever remember Trump’s tax relief. And de-taxing overtime will almost certainly spur a productivity surge, as companies relax rules and allow workers who want to work, to work more.
There’s another intriguing possibility. Stripping income taxes from these three massive populations could create a tax-free slip-N-slide, eventually canceling all income taxes. It’s not obviously fair that waitresses and seniors should live tax-free. Why not everybody? It’s a political Pandora’s box— once you sell “no tax on effort” (tips and overtime) and “no tax on earned benefits” (Social Security), the logic creeps inexorably toward “no tax on any work.”
These aren’t just tax tweaks. It’s a reimagining of who pays, and why. No U.S. package has ever so surgically freed up “earned” income streams while daring to sidestep enforcement headaches (tips) or political third rails (Social Security). It’s historic for its audacity. Past cuts broadened bases or lowered rates, but these cuts pick winners in a way that could wind up rewriting the tax debate.
Setting aside speculative future possibilities, the tax cuts will return hundreds of billions to workers and retirees— right as the tariffs hit their stride. None of the experts’ so-called “economic models” consider these side effects.”
A very small group of presidents who returned the nation to its founding principles. Washington, of course, is there almost by default since he was the first. However, in his two terms, he stayed true to those values instead of veering away from them to something closer to the British monarchy model. I
But we not should see these men as heroes without fault. All three “misread the room” at times, but overall their impact on our nation was restoration rather than revolution.
Excellent analysis!
Indeed, Trump makes us ask of the status quo: "Why does it have to be that way? And why do so many people in power want to block us from asking this question?"
Being consistent in your message helps. Trump has been talking about how 'China and the world has been ripping us off' for 40 plus years, and guys that work on stuff in garages with our drinking buddies have been saying the same shit for just as long. Buying 'Made in the U.S.A' until we no longer had a choice. First Solar is up 5% today. Buy American or bye, bye, America. Remember we are the biggest customer on the planet and 'the customer is always right'. The sell off in the market today is an opportunity to buy low. Hint, any company that makes stuff here or will.
Sasha You Rock !!
I thought it was insanity years ago when America and Western nations sent their manufacturing base off to China. Handed over massive control, in many ways. To a Communist country! Which would then become wealthy on this, buy up our real estate, money-launder here, and build a great big powerful military. Which could rise against us.
Did anyone actually THINK before they did this? Or were the decision-makers already in the pocket of the CCP?
You give them too much intelligence. They were stupid enough to think they could turn China into America East.
No, it was because Corporate America wanted to lower labor costs to increase their margins, to increase their stock price, which would increase the value of their stock options. Since Congress is bribed, sorry lobbied, by Corporate America they simple went along with it.
Bill Clinton made the move to make China a "most favored nation" and that opened the doors wide to trade with them. A group of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress tried to stop it, but couldn't. Yes, big biz was pushing them to do it, with the fantasy of China becoming more "free" while dealing with us. I blame it partly on lack of education, such as:
The Cultural Revolution in China was blood thirsty mayhem. When I was in college many decades ago, a speaker who was in China during the cultural revolution spoke of when his city was hit by the Red Guard and how they went in and ki11ed all those who didn't succumb (professors, lawyers, etc.) and then put white smocks on the children and told them to run through the streets and apartments/neighborhoods and get the blood from those they ki11ed (some the children personally knew, no doubt) and wipe it on their smocks and then go to the town square, where the children with the most red (blood) on their smocks got prizes and candy.
And I'll also note that before Clinton and Congress made this move, the GDP of China was at about 1.8%!!! They may've just imploded like the USSR did, if we left them alone or strategically put pressures on them.
Interesting you say that. My family's manufacturing company in WI has managed to chug along for 92 years. There have been some really lean years and some really great years depending on the weather (outdoor power equipment company). The difference in this company vs so many others? No union.
True. I think of it as the Shsrk Tankification of the nation.
That was very, very stupid indeed. If I had had their ear for five minutes, I could have pointed out the one-track Communist mind to them. Although it may have bounced off still.
A group of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress tried to stop it and couldn't.
NWO 2030 plan. It's written, it's out there. The Greeat Reset. They had to crush the U.S. economy first, we're too independant and we're armed.
This has been going on for a LONG time!
I agree with you, Carily. The totalitarian destruction and indoctrination has been going on to one degree or another since the 60s.
if only ppl would wake up or just read the books the globalist's like klaus and mark carney have put out. they wouldn't sleep for a week!
Before Bill Clinton gave China "most favored nation status", which opened the doors to free trade with China, there was a minority in Congress (both Republicans and Democrats; mostly Democrats, believe it or not) who tried to fight it and lost.
BTW, we need to give ourselves Most Favored Nation status on drug prices. We get what the lowest in the world gets. Simple. WRT tariffs, change the language. To sell foreign made here, you need to pay a license fee to access our markets. Also, simple and real.
They thought - but only of themselves.
Sasha does rock! I wish I knew her personally.
Not to sound like a creeper, but I've seen yo on X, that is if you use the same moniker. I'm also in WI and all the talk has been about Tuesday's election so I think I saw your moniker on WisconsinRight. Anyway, great post.
Not me on x, hopefully they don’t tarnish the Badgers 🦡
LOL....no haven't seen any Badger bashing.
Ya, sure, buy it low! Who will have any $ to buy much of anything?
I already don't have any money to buy anything due to Biden/Harris inflation!!!
If this guy is not a writer by trade? He should be one. Trump is a disruptor. And he was handcuffed during is first term. America has been overdue for this SINCE Reagan. As I watch my investments in free fall, I know this will be a long game and an experiment.
Imagine how much more prosperous this country could be without financing the rest of the world, free or not? I am optimistic that Trump is exactly described by this man’s view.
I'm not looking at our investments. Not being an ostrich, just feel it wouldn't do us any good and now that the the 'tariff' uncertainty (risk) has been unleashed, the market will recover, and more.
Agree with you. If I am willing to gamble on investment, I am also doubling down on his policies and directives. He may be a loose cannon with words, but I believe in his mission and I am willing to weather this. I truly believe the means will justify the end result.
Same here. I suspect many of us feel the same. Not withstanding the 21% or so of what's left of the left.
You might enjoy this commentary that Sasha Stone published on her stack about Trump. One of the best I've seen.
https://sashastone.substack.com/p/astute-observation?publication_id=66221&post_id=160523132&isFreemail=false&r=l3nzx&triedRedirect=true
Thank you for sharing this!
Do we have any other choice? (and Trump knows it all could end tomorrow, so "full steam ahead"). We can't keep going the way we are going. We're used to being free and living somewhat comfortably (and for some, VERY comfortably and I'd hope they could handle a little less comfort to personally help their follow man). People rebel if they can't have air conditioning, heat, fast internet and a new phone every few years. The Democrat's answer was to bring about a crash (a la the "Great Reset") so we'd have to get in line with the rest of the world - hot water bottles in bed for warmth, limited air conditioning, low pay, little to no money to do repairs on our homes, low amount of choice in food/produce, sketchy internet, etc.
And I want more disruption.
See my reply to Jeff above.
I like that Donald Trump has laid more than a few things bare — exposing the grift and those who benefit from it — questioning old and antiquated processes makes government more efficient and affordable — devolving and decentralizing decision authority recenters democracy and makes it more accountable. Mr. Trump is a leader!
Not sure what grift he's exposing other than his own & Elon Musk's.
So you're FOR spending a couple of million dollars of YOUR (and mine and American's) money on a transgender opera in Serbia? So you're FOR spending a BILLION DOLLARS on a survey for the IRS, or HUD or some agency that wasn't even USED and consisted of like, 12 questions? And that's just a fraction of the grift they've discovered.
Ryan Adams is aa obvious troll. Just ignore his posts.
Another astute observation!
Musk:
SpaceX:
NASA Contracts: SpaceX has been a significant partner for NASA, with contracts totaling approximately $14.6 billion. These agreements encompass missions such as resupply trips to the International Space Station and the development of lunar landers for upcoming moon missions.
Department of Defense (DoD): The company has secured contracts with the DoD, including a $733.5 million agreement for national security space missions, involving launches for the Space Development Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office.
Starshield Program: SpaceX is developing Starshield, a satellite network designed to provide military capabilities, including target tracking and missile warning systems. This initiative includes a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government for constructing hundreds of spy satellites.
Tesla:
Energy Sector Engagements: Tesla has benefited from government contracts and subsidies, including a $767 million deal to supply battery systems for Puerto Rico's power grid.
Other Ventures:
Neuralink and The Boring Company: While specific government contracts for Neuralink and The Boring Company are less prominent, these companies' operations intersect with federal interests, particularly in areas like infrastructure and advanced technology development.
It's important to note that Musk's dual role as a government official and a business leader has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given the significant government contracts awarded to his companies.
Whatever money he's getting, the man has delivered like no one else in decades.
What is your problem with a business working for government? This isn't a handout, this isn't a "you wash my hand, I'll wash your's". This isn't a grift or money laundering like so many of the things done at USAID!
For example, RFK Jr says 20% of Doge’s health agency job cuts were mistakes - says roles will need to be reinstated.
This piece, ‘Grifterism: The Economic Engine of Democrats,’ should be right next to ‘The Secrets of Life’ on the go-to reference shelf. Thank @CynicalPublius for connecting the dots!
https://amgreatness.com/2025/03/31/grifterism-the-economic-engine-of-democrats/
Trump:
1. Increased Business Revenue
- Trump-Owned Properties: His hotels, golf courses, and resorts saw increased business, particularly from GOP events, foreign dignitaries, and lobbyists. The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., for example, became a hub for political gatherings.
- Mar-a-Lago Membership Fees: The initiation fee for his private club doubled from $100,000 to $200,000 after he became president.
- https://www.trumpstore.com/collections/45-47/
- https://www.donaldjtrump.com
- https://melaniatrump.com
2. Campaign and Political Spending at Trump Properties
- Republican Events: The Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign spent millions at his properties.
- Secret Service Payments: The Secret Service was required to rent space at Trump properties while protecting him and his family.
3. Foreign and Domestic Influence
- Foreign Governments Spending at Trump Businesses: Countries like Saudi Arabia spent money at Trump hotels and properties, which some critics argue was an attempt to curry favor.
- Business Deals and Licensing: While Trump claimed to have stepped away from day-to-day operations, the Trump Organization continued to seek new deals, and existing properties gained prestige.
Except for Truth Social, which he was forced into, after his first Administration, Trump would have been the only modern President that left office poorer than when he went in.
Forced into... not long ago Truth added multibillions of $s to his net worth. Since the company has seen expenses far exceed revenue during every quarter of its existence, it's only adding about $1.4 billion to his net worth currently so still far in excess of its actual worth.
As per Forbes and The Financial Times, Trump LOST a billion dollars from being president his 1st term!
Trump's net worth did decrease after his first presidential term. According to estimates by Forbes and other financial outlets, his wealth declined by several hundred million dollars during and shortly after his presidency. The decline was attributed to several factors, including:
- Decline in real estate values in some parts of his portfolio, especially urban office and retail spaces.
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitality and commercial properties he owned.
- Lost business deals and brand value, as some companies distanced themselves from the Trump brand during and after his presidency.
Estimates vary by source, but Forbes estimated his net worth dropped from around $4.5 billion in 2015 to about $2.5 billion by 2021.
TMTG merged with a publicly traded special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC). After a long delay and regulatory scrutiny, the merger was finalized in March 2024, allowing Trump Media to be listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol DJT.
Upon the listing:
The market valued Trump Media at over $5–6 billion at one point.
Donald Trump owned roughly 60% of the company (about 78 million shares).
That stake instantly added billions to his paper net worth — estimates say $3–4 billion or more, making him a billionaire again on paper, even though the company itself loses money hand over fist.
Big picture people!
And proof that "the company loses money hand over fist"? And how would the company add net worth if if does? I'm just wondering why you weren't so curious about Joe Biden and the Biden family's businesses.
LOL wow 😮
A very astute observation, indeed. I agree, and I hope for the best. We’re very lucky. I think to have TRUMP at this moment in time.
I could not disagree with the following that appears at the beginning, more, but I appreciate all the rest as insightful regarding Trump the disrupter.
"he doesn’t even seem interested in the same version of reality the rest of us are living in. He operates in a space that feels disconnected, like he’s improvising everything in real time with no filter, no script, and no concern for how it lands."
Trump cares deeply about the reality of the life that average Americans are experiencing - seemingly unlike the rest of the political class who are absolved of the personal consequences of their decisions. He has a great deal of concern for "how it lands" on the average American, as opposed to its impact on the global elites, and especially the journo class.
Disruption IS his script. That's why he decided to run in 2016. He looked at how the career pols (in both parties) had so screwed things up, that he said: "These people are nothing special; I can do much better!"
Exactly. Trump was merely playing the face-up cards on the table that nobody would dare touch (and we all see why with what he has had to put up with for 9 years, nearly costing his life).
Agree. I love how people think they “know” Trump. Lol.
Very insightful.
Agreed. I voted for Trump three times because I was fed up with the status quo and decided it was time to pull the pin. It just didn't matter that Mister Hand Grenade wasn't going to be anyone's friend any more.
Wow, what a way to put it. The truth is that "Mister Hand Grenade" (if you're speaking of the "system") was in the process of blowing up anyway, just at a slower (and no doubt, faster at the end) pace.
Trump isn’t an anomaly. He is where the system goes when it seeks equilibrium.
That’s it! Ed, you nailed it.
Action and reaction. Karma. The system was so corrupt, ingrown and dysfunctional that it attracted an outsider to come in and shake things up.
When the pendulum swings too far to one end....it needs to balance again.
Sure hope the pendulum swing takes out taxpayer funded NPR/PBS.
☺️
Indeed! Worth re-posting. The salt metaphor is spot on. Thank you.
America needs this type of incursion if the country is going to be a long time leader in the future or just a minor hiccup in world leadership.
Amen. Well said. Trump really has forced us all to ask a whole lot more questions about what the president can do, what the government does, how it operates and affects us every day, and what are the guardrails that are the core of our Republic, checks and balances and federalism. Again, we need to participate in the discussion way way more.
The Deep State doesn't trust us or want us in the discussion.
Trump is culling that deep state herd as we speak.
I think there's still a lot of fight left in them. They're powerful, and cornered. They will turn vicious.
Love reading unique perspectives on situations, and love you for sharing it. Thanks!
Brilliant
I am fond of reminding people that a healthy country would never elect Trump. It seems a simple observation, but most people don’t comprehend the depth of sickness that we had fallen to. Certainly almost no Democrats have the slightest idea how sick they are. Many of us woke up one day and observed our intelligent, vital friends doing the intellectual equivalent of bashing their teeth out with a hammer. We expressed concern and they replied, “what? This is normal. Everyone is doing it!” So it is going to take years, If not a decade, for them to start to grow their teeth back.
Look at the Supreme court race in Wisconsin as an example. The person who was dead set against voter ID won, then the measure that require voter ID won overwhelmingly. If it had been left up to the incoming supreme court justice, it never would have been done. People blindly vote the brand.
Back in 2016 I told people I was voting for Trump to "shake up the system" and because he was the "bitter pill" that the sick patient needed to stay alive.
Tom, you're absolutely correct, it's going to be a long time before Trump's newly planted trees will bear a full load of fruit. I hope the American people aren't so shortsighted that they'll give up & stray back down the lefty path, that would only lead to further disaster....