A curious thing happened this week after a federal judge struck down the Biden Administration’s mask mandate for airplanes and mass transportation: nothing. In such high-profile litigation, the Justice Department will often announce an emergency appeal to stay the order of the lower court pending an appellate review. Instead, the Administration said it was studying the opinion but that the mandate was no longer in effect.
When U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority to ordering masks for mass transportation, many of us expected an immediate announcement of an appeal. Instead, there were crickets from the CDC and cheers from passengers.
It was a telling moment. The hesitancy of the Administration at that moment may have had more to do with scenes on airlines of passengers celebrating the decision. One pilot came out to tell the passengers: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. This is the most important announcement I’ve ever made. The federal mask mandate is over. Take off your mask if you choose.” Whole planes erupted in spontaneous celebrations at 40,000 feet.
The problem is that these scenes had the feeling of a “ding dong, the Witch is dead” party. It is far easier to ban than stop a party. The Administration will now fight to tell those same passengers to say that the witch is very much alive so re-mask.
The decision by Mizelle came at a time when airlines and experts are questioning the scientific or medical basis for the CDC rule. A group of 21 states last month sued to challenge the mask mandate.
Many in the public were also confused why they could go maskless at movie theaters, restaurants, sporting events, but not airlines or trains. Moreover, many have asked why the common surgical paper masks used on airplanes are required when even experts on networks like CNN call them “little more than facial decorations.” The CDC was enforcing the wearing of masks declared “useless” by experts.
Judge Mizelle accepted that masks can limit the transmission of Covid-19, but said that the question was the authority of the CDC to make such a decision unilaterally. The Court asked why the Administration did not want to allow the public to be heard on “a regulation that would constrain their choices and actions via threats of civil and criminal penalties.”
According to Mizelle, the answer from the CDC was basically “trust us we’re the government.” Mizelle noted that the Biden Administration did not offer anything of substance when pressed on why the public and transportation companies should not be heard in a “notice and comment” process. Instead, Mizelle said that the Administration shrugged off such requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act as “commonsense.”
The court insisted that the Constitution requires more than a shrug to prevent an agency like the CDC from becoming a government unto itself.
We have an Administration that insisted that public health demands the continued enforcement of the mask mandate, but now seems remarkably equivocal on the response to the rule. Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki chastised Fox’s Peter Doocy that he “is no doctor” when asked about the continuation of the mandate. However, she declined to say that the rule should continue to be enforced and said it was now “recommended” pending a decision on appeal.
What is most interesting about the conspicuous delay is that the CDC is afforded great deference in interpreting terms like “sanitation” under the regulations. However, the CDC has previously lost cases over national mandates or moratoriums. Last year, the CDC reissued a moratorium on evictions that some of us viewed as clearly unlawful. Yet, the CDC issued the order at the request of President Joe Biden (and the support of Harvard Professor Lawrence Tribe) only to have it struck down.
The Administration is going to have a hard time making this cat walks backwards. The cheering of passengers and pilots seemed as much as a communication to the Administration as it was a celebration. A large number of airlines immediately declared the mandate to be dead and unenforceable. It is like throwing a retirement party for an employee before they have decided to go. It is a tad awkward to express doubts when someone is showing you the door.
That is why those cheering videos could have a greater impact on the White House than any CDC or DOJ recommendation. The Biden Administration could still appeal as it has in past such cases. There will certainly be many DOJ lawyers asserting that they could win on appeal on the basis of agency deference. The question is who would tell the public. They may have to wait for the “ding, dong” parties to end.
Here is the opinion: mask-mandate-order
I am amazed! The same people who accused others of killing ‘granny’ by not wearing a mask in the grocery are the same who casually talk about engaging in a war with a nuclear armed country (i.e. Russia).
Is covid actually more dangerous than nuclear war?
What do I know, I’m a deplorable.
Please help!! I’m sure one of our morally superior and intelligent leftist readers can answer and confirm.
antonio
You’re being a spineless coward, not a deplorable.
@anonymous
You’re right I am a coward when it comes to nuclear war. Especially for a country that has no strategic interest for the US.
Tell me where did you serve or are you another chicken hawk advocating for a war that neither they or their children will be engaged?
And please clarify if you are a neocon or leftist version warmonger.
antonio
When it comes to a nuclear war, I am also a coward.
aninny:
You have my unyielding permission to launch into any war of fancy you choose and to arm yourself to the teeth in your courageous tilting at windmills. Just don’t involve me or mine in your war fantasies against Putin or whatever distraction you Dims see fit to spread before the midterms. I’m too busy planning my November party where I will prance merrily over the bodies of the dislodged Dim incumbents beaten to a pulp in our version of political warfare known as the election.
ATS, the Ukrainians could use a few more human sandbags. Sign up or shut up.
As a physician trained in pulmonary disease (lungs) and critical care, and therefore with a great deal of knowledge in infectious disease, I applaud the removing of the mask mandate. Those with higher risk are then free to wear or not wear a mask. I will wear a mask in certain areas because of my age and decreased immunity (transplant) but that does not require anyone else to wear a mask if they are healthy and low risk. Avail yourself of the list of higher risk states and then make plans individually to deal with them and let the rest of the world be free. Remember, life is a high risk state anyway.
Now, the only time a surgical mask should be wore is when you fuel up your vehicle and then and only then it should be worn over you EYES to prevent shock.
We won’t be Singing the Witch is Dead until Hillary/Biden/Harris/Pelosi/Schumer/Feinstein/AOC/Newsome, and The rest of the Democratic Rat Pack is Gone for Good!
Anny – I protest! Never connect that group with the Best group of singers and entertainers of all time.
This was the Great “Rat Pack”:
Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr
It’s perfectly ok, I shook Sinatra’s hand.
Another victory for common sense. We’ve known from the beginning of the pandemic that the masks being worn do not stop anyone from spreading or contracting the virus.
Then why do medical professionals in the operating room wear masks?
To prevent bacteriological infection, not viral transmission. A virus is millions of times smaller than the weave of even the best mask. Any doctor who wore one to prevent the transmission of a virus would have their license pulled so fast your head would swim due to lack of medical knowledge.
To prevent droplets from infecting a patient. The CDC has itself said that surgical masks are effective only against droplets, not against aerosolised respiratory viruses. For the latter, a professionally fitted N95 mask is said to be appropriate.
If you find yourself performing surgery on the red eye to LA, I recommend wearing a surgical mask.
Of course it won’t prevent you from getting covid, but hey – the bluecheck morons on twitter will give you a like, so you got that going for you.
CDC is a lying corrupted organization that not even medical doctors trust at this point. They do not trust Fauci, or the FDA or the NIH either.
Fauci did this. He belongs behind bars.
That’s why you see medical staff treating those with Ebola in full positive pressure bunny suits. It’s the only way to prevent viral transmission.
Wally – seriously Wally?
Surgical face masks (SFMs) provide a physical barrier between bacteria of oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal origin and an open patient wound. “OPEN WOUND”.
COVID is spread via respiratory droplets. All kinds of masks limit the spread of respiratory droplets.
Not true.
Do physical measures such as hand-washing or wearing masks stop or slow down the spread of respiratory viruses?
https://www.cochrane.org/CD006207/ARI_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses
Medical or surgical masks
Seven studies took place in the community, and two studies in healthcare workers. Compared with wearing no mask, wearing a mask may make little to no difference in how many people caught a flu-like illness (9 studies; 3507 people); and probably makes no difference in how many people have flu confirmed by a laboratory test (6 studies; 3005 people). Unwanted effects were rarely reported, but included discomfort.
N95/P2 respirators
Four studies were in healthcare workers, and one small study was in the community. Compared with wearing medical or surgical masks, wearing N95/P2 respirators probably makes little to no difference in how many people have confirmed flu (5 studies; 8407 people); and may make little to no difference in how many people catch a flu-like illness (5 studies; 8407 people) or respiratory illness (3 studies; 7799 people). Unwanted effects were not well reported; discomfort was mentioned.
It’s also why you wear a condom and not a sock to prevent the transmission of AIDS. A condom is impermeable. If a person wore what is necessary to prevent viral transmission over their face they would suffocate.
Why do you think in years past the CDC didn’t recommend people wear masks to protect themselves from the effect of secondhand smoke? The airborne carcinogens in smoke are far larger than a virus.
Wally, it’s a good question that has already been answered, but I want to clarify it. If your backyard were full of gnats, would you surround the area with a chain-link fence to keep the gnats out? Hint: get a picture of a chain-link fence and a gnat.
To protect the patient. Those masks are swapped every two hours.
Lots of populations relaxed covid protocols. After all this time, it is evident that what the virologist said is true. The virus is going to virus. If we wanted to save lives we would have isolated the vulnerable. Those with comorbidities, which include age. But Democrats instead, sent infected into nursing homes.
Emergency measures, we all agreed to. Democrats however refuse to cede power once the get to use it.
Lookimg back at this covid train wreck will never happen.
Typo: should read Big Dong Party
Imagine that? A judge who thinks democracies ought to vote on fundamental issues like the public’s health instead of having some bureacrat issue a fiat for all. Must be a Trump nominee judge. The Dims like control and they take every opportunity (i.e., crisis) to distract us while they seize even more control. Ukraine, Mandates, Putin Price Hike, George Floyd. Media bias … they’re all the same. They keep the storekeeper distacted while the Dim-inals loot the place. November can’t come soon enough.
So, I’d the populace educated in public health and/or infectious diseases?
Appeal to authority is a logical fallacy. But Stockholm Syndrome and Dunning-Kruger are real.
The reality is that the mandate – together with the VAIDS now killing thousands at accelerating rate – is part of a criminal enterprise. If the courts can strike this down they need to be addressing the monster issue of manslaughter by reason of peddling the forseeably harmful vaccines. The Paardekooper evidence alone should put the Pfizer board behind bars.
“Stopping the “Bing, Dong Party”: Will The Biden Administration Appeal the Mask Ruling?”
Turley again demonstrates his unwillingness to proofread his columns.
ATS, Has found something to sink his teeth into. Turley made a typo. Then his dog gave him 100 kisses on the lips with his tongue. “What a wonderful day.”_Anonymous the Stupid.
You are the one and only Anonymous the Stupid, aka Meyer the Troll Liar.
I’m praising you Anonymous the Stupid. Turley made a typo and you got right to it. You showed the world how smart you are while placing Professor Turley in a bad light. What a fantastic intellect you must have! (sarcasm off)
You remain the one and only Anonymous the Stupid, aka Meyer the Troll Liar.
Whenever you talk about Anonymous the Stupid, you are talking about yourself.
Gosh, Anonymous the Stupid, you accept compliments so well. Thank you.
Say hello to everyone , now that they know what you are made of.
And, his dog not only licks his own butt and genitals, but those of other dogs, too. It’s considered rude among dogs to fail to do so.
Trust me on this the Democrats (and I hate referring to them as the Democrats) will come up with something to try and derail the midterms. That crew in DC wanted to take credit for ending the mask mandate and just had the rug pulled from under.
They’re already starting with Marjory T Greene. They claim she’s an “insurrectionist” and not entitled to run for office. Their actually taking it to court, so hold on there’s probably more to come.
So if congress has a 10% approval rating, is being an insurrectionist a bad thing (to anyone not in Congress)?
Get ready for the Midterm Variant to be announced in August.
Marjorie Taylor Greene needs help. She is seriously mentally ill and completely unfit to serve in the Congress of the United States. She makes the State of Georgia look bad: you have to wonder whether everyone in Georgia would chase a school shooting victim down the street in DC and accuse him of being on the payroll of an anti-gun lobby, or whether they would go to the office of another member of Congress, bang on the door and demand that the colleague change her diaper and come out immediately and engage in a debate. She claimed that “Jewish space lasers” started the California wildfires, and she has mused about supporting the violent death of the Speaker, which is why she lost her committee assignments. That’s just for starters. Doesn’t the privilege of serving in Congress mean anything anymore, or do Georgians just want to be entertained by this nut job?
We need to elect more like her to Congress! More reps raising hellfire like MTG please!
The third section of the 14th Amendment says:
““No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress… who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress… to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof,…”
Greene not only supported the insurrection, she called it “our 1776 moment”. She gave aid and comfort to those who invaded our Capitol to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power that is a hallmark of American democracy. She’s not fit to serve, just based on her support for the insurrection, but her other zany conduct.
And, BTW, the lawsuit challenging her candidacy was brought by a number of Georgia citizens, not the Democratic party, and also BTW, Greene’s initial effort to get the lawsuit dismissed was denied.
We need more representatives like MTG. More, please.
Yup. Their last option is to try to strip non-dems from ballots altogether, and it is going to be ugly. Kavanaugh will be an affable s’mores roast by comparison. I don’t think at any time in our modern history have our votes and our voices mattered more, and how anyone can support these faux liberal monsters in good conscience anymore is beyond me.
Yes, I agree that at no time in our modern history have the people’s voices and votes mattered more, but not for the reasons you say. Trump was defeated the second time because Russia wasn’t there to help him cheat again and a record number of Americans voted his fat ass out and also tipped the Senate Democratic, which is why Republicans have been scrambling to make it harder for probable Democrats to vote. They saw what he was: a chronic, habitual lying narcissist hungry for power and willing to cheat to get into office. They saw someone who began lying about a “rigged election” (meaning one he couldn’t manipulate) even before Election Day because he was behind in the polls. They saw someone who praised White Supremacists as “fine people” even after they murdered a peaceful protestor, and whose spokeswoman tried to spin the lie away. They saw someone lie and downplay a deadly viral pandemic illness because it made him look bad, and who trashed the successful economy inherited by our first black POTUS due to lack of leadership and a stupid trade war with China that we’re still trying to recover from. They saw someone whose only legislative accomplishment in 4 years’ time was a huge tax break that mostly benefitted the ultra-wealthy, and which caused the deficit to rise to record levels. They saw someone who, after cheating his way into office with the help of Russian hackers, publicly sided against American intelligence in favor of a murderous psychopathic dictator, whom he has since praised as “smart, savvy and genius” for invading Ukraine and murdering innocent civilians, including women and children, due to his hunger for power. They saw someone pretending to be POTUS who lobbied to try to get Russia back into the G-7 and who trashed NATO and the EU because they stand behind democracy, something that the murderous dictator who helped him cheat his way into office fears. This was all BEFORE Election Day.
AFTER Election Day, he began spreading the Big Lie by going on “Stop the Steal” campaigns, trying to litigate his way back into power, and as a last-ditch effort to try to hang onto the power he stole in the first place, started in insurrection by telling his fans that they had to “fight like hell or you’re not going to have a country any more”. This loser was impeached, twice, which is a record in US history. This loser is the head of the Republican Party, which has chucked all of its values in favor of kissing the ring of the loser because he has the consistent support of the lowest common denominators of our society: those who believe in White Supremacy, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, and phobia of LGBTQ people and Islamophobia. His supporters are mainly non college educated whites who feel that what they perceive as their superior position in society is threatened by educated women and minorities. They fall for every sort of conspiracy theory there is and engage in every sort of pathetic culture war that is out there: that children are being “groomed” in public schools, that critical race theory and gender dysphoria are being pounded into the heads of young children. The latest conspiracy theory is that George HW Bush is somehow connected to Dr. Josef Mengele, and that his name was changed to hide this connection. The dupes fall for it, but what’s the excuse of the party that used to stand for family values, conservatism and patriotism?
How anyone can support a political party whose leader is so morally, ethically and intellectually incompetent, a party that spreads lies that cause people to distrust their government, a party led by someone who refused to support the peaceful transfer of power and a party that nonstop lodges unfair criticism against our legally-elected POTUS which and does everything possible to try to derail his success, and which also supports a murderer like Putin is a complete mystery to me. Biden has already accomplished more than Trump ever could, including reuniting with our NATO and EU allies and the inflation we are experiencing is the direct result of Trump’s trade war with China causing supply chain delays, and his incompetent handling of the pandemic, causing it to be prolonged, resulting in factory and business shut downs that have affected the supply chain. Biden’s job creation turn around is historic, as is the bipartisan infrastructure bill he got passed that will also create more jobs. Yet, what do you hear from the Republicans? How about some platform–something–anything–other than criticism of Biden, of Judge Jackson, more criticism? No, you don’t hear any platform because the Republicans don’t have one. All they do is complain about inflation caused by their exalted leader and falsely accuse Biden of senility and incompetence, and they attack Democrats for everything. Why would anyone vote for a political party that has NO platform or plan to do anything other than seize power? Biden has delivered on his infrastructure package. What, specifically, have the Republicans claimed they will do? If you don’t hear a plan, then why would you vote Republican?
“How anyone can support a political party whose leader is so morally, ethically and intellectually incompetent, a party that spreads lies that cause people to distrust their government…and a party that nonstop lodges unfair criticism against our legally-elected POTUS and does everything possible to try to derail his success”
AGREED! We all watched the disgusting actions, lies, frauds, hoaxes, riots, etc perpetrated by Democrats, their media, their Antifa brownshirts, thier BLM frauds, their Hollywood bigmouths, the collusion with Big Tech, during four years of Trump.
How can ANYONE support the Democrat Party of today? They are making a mess of things and intentionally destroying the country. They all must be swept out of office in November and beyond if America is to survive.
‘resident Joe Biden got 81 million votes? My a$$. THAT is the Biggest Lie of all.
The mere fact that you deny what led to the rise of populism tells us all we need to know. Backing that up with your continued insistence that Trump cheated in 2016 strips you of any credibility. And christ on a crutch, dude, you know f-ing-a well that the economy would still be roaring and Trump would still be president if COVID had not intervened. And infrastructure somehow saved us??? The hits just keep coming from you. Jobs creation?? What in the wide world of sports are you talking about?? We can’t keep chicken in the grocery store because there “aren’t enough workers” to process the chickens. Keep drinking the kool aid but don’t try to feed it to us. Moron.
The economy was “roaring” when Barak Obama was POTUS, then it went to hell under Trump because he tried to bully President XI into agreements to address the trade deficit, and when that failed, he enacted tariffs. He didn’t (and still doesn’t) understand that when a tariff is applied to an imported product, that cost is passed along to the purchaser, which results in higher prices and shortages because fewer goods are purchased. Then, there’s the pandemic that he admitted lying about to the American people, downplaying the significance, pushing for ineffective treatments, dominating news conferences with the CDC, refusing to wear a mask and trying to bully doctors to go along with his lies and false projections. As a result of his lying about the pandemic it was made much worse than it had to be– factories slowed down production and some shut down for various periods, also causing shortages of goods. Trump’s incompetence is mostly the reason for our supply-chain problems. We are just starting to catch up, but the shortage of computer chips that go into things like consumer goods, appliances and cars–that are imported from China (where they don’t pay decent wages like American workers would demand) –is still with us, and that IS Trump’s fault. This is the mess Biden inherited. Compare that with the roaring economy inherited by Trump.
Consider also the stunning list of business failures that Trump caused even before he ran for President: Trump Magazine, “Paris Is Out” (flopped Broadway play), USFL New Jersey Generals, Trump Casinos (3 of them failed), Trump board game, Trump airline shuttle service, Trump beverages: 2 beers and a soft drink, Trump University ($25 million payout for fraud), Trump Tower, FL Condo, Go Trump travel agency, Trump Mortgage Company, Trump, the magazine, Trump Vodka, Trump Steaks, Trump Steakhouse, Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel, “From the Desk of Donald Trump” newsletter, and Truth Social. It’s no wonder that he was such a dismal failure as President.
And, no, Trump would NOT “still be president” but for COVID. The American people rejected him in 2016, but he found a way to manipulate the Electoral College, with the help of Russian hackers spreading lies about Hillary Clinton. His campaign fed insider polling information to the hackers as to certain districts in certain states where support for Hillary was soft enough that the voters could be swayed, so the hackers began a campaign of spreading lies about her. The tactic worked, which is how he managed to cheat his way into office in 2016, all of which is proven not only by the Mueller investigation, but an independent investigation conducted by Senate Republicans. However, Trump never captured the approval of even 50% of the American people. The polls for 2020 were even worse for him than in 2016. He could NOT pull off a second win by having his Russian friends spread lies (although he tried to leverage aid to Ukraine that Congress had approved in exchange for ginning up lies about Biden). Because the majority of Americans saw how dangerously incompetent Trump is, there was a record turn-out and Biden beat him in a free and fair election, as all the investigations have proved. So, what does your narcissistic liar do? Begin lying, even before Election Day, that his glorious landslide victory was being “stolen”.
I ask again: what is the Republican Party’s platform? Does it even have a platform? If it doesn’t, why would anyone vote Republican?
In what alternate universe ?
Obama’s 8 year average growth was about 1.6%. Trumps average growth – including 2020 where the economy tanked and partly recovered was 2.0%, Trump’s average growth for the first three years was 2.5%.
While Trump exagerates how great his economy was – 2.5% is NOT a booming economy.
It just felt that way at the time – because we had had 16 years of 2% or lower growth under Obama and Bush.
Trump was at best an average president, But Bush and Obama were POOR presidents and Biden is challenging Buchannon for the title of Worst US president ever.
Trump was and still is the BEST president in the 21st century – by a long shot.
But average growth in the 20th century was 3.5%, growth in the 19th century was almost 7%.
I would further note that Trump proved – and Biden is reinforcing, several fundimental economic principles.
Taxes on investment are on net significantly negative.
Regulation is net harmful.
Restrictive energy policies are economically harmful AND they undermine the peace and stability of the world.
Trump ( and Biden as a counter example) Prove what Adam Smith said more than two centuries ago.
“Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things.”
According to “Money” Magazine:
In contrast with Trump’s numerous claims about building the greatest economy in history, Zandi found that by most measurements, the country’s economic health under both administrations is quite similar. “The reality is that the economy did equally well in the last three years of President Obama’s second term as in Trump’s first three years,” Zandi wrote.
Here’s a closer look at what the numbers say, based on Zandi’s report for Moody’s:
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
When Trump took office in 2017, he promised a targeted economic growth rate of 3% each year. While the administration failed to meet that target three years in a row, Trump’s real GDP (adjusting for inflation) was still slightly higher in his first three years than in Obama’s last three. In this case, “slightly” really means just that: Annual economic output under Trump was 2.5%, compared to 2.4% under Obama.
Jobs
The last three years of President Obama’s administration saw an increase of 8.1 million jobs and a 2 percentage-point drop in the overall unemployment rate, decreasing from 6.2% in 2014 to 4.9% by the end of 2016. It’s worth noting that when Obama took office in 2009, the country had recently lost around 8.6 million jobs due to the Great Recession.
Under Trump, the number of jobs increased by 6.55 million in his first three years, and unemployment dropped from 4.4% to 3.7%. At the same time, however, the growth rate of disposable income actually dropped, from 2.6% to 2.3%, according to the Moody’s report. This decrease is likely due in part to the rise of the gig economy; when people are working in positions like independent contractors like Uber drivers or Postmates deliverers, they typically don’t make as much per hour as they would in a position of full-time employment. This in turn lowers levels of disposable income, even as employment in general grows and unemployment rates decline. The rapid expansion of the gig economy did not begin under Trump, but his administration has seen more of its effects than previous administrations.
The Stock Market
During President Trump’s first three years in office, the S&P 500 rose by 12.2%, compared to a 7.5% increase in the last three years of the Obama administration. Is this purely because investors love Trump? Maybe, but probably not.
A more likely reason, according to Zandi, is that provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 meant large, publicly-traded corporations saw a sizable cut in the amount of taxes they had to pay in 2018 and 2019. Less taxes on corporations equals higher revenues, which in turn fuels interest in the stock market — and higher stock prices as more people look to get in on the action.
Budget Deficit
The federal budget deficit — accumulated when the government spends more than it receives in revenues — has ballooned from $15 trillion at the end of the Obama administration to over $25 trillion during Trump’s first three years in the White House. Soaring deficit levels come as a natural consequence of the 2017 tax cuts: researchers at the Tax Policy Center found that corporate tax revenue declined by 40% between 2017 and 2018, while income taxes paid to the federal government declined by 5.4%. With less tax money coming in but similar levels of spending going out, it’s no wonder the federal deficit has increased.
These figures do not include the last, disasterous year Trump was in office when unemployment went north of 10% and due to his utter incompetence, factories and other businesses shut down and kids couldn’t go to school. Trump was NOT an average, or even good President, just speaking economically, not to mention the endless lying, the alienation of our allies, his siding with a psychopathic mass murderer, his botched handling of the pandemic, his pandering to White Supremacists and racists, his refusal to concede, spreading the Big Lie and continuing to divide Americans in ways unprecedented in our history. Virtually all respected presidential historians put him almost dead last, just ahead of Franklin Pierce. Oh, and he was impeached, twice, which is a record.
You are almost correct – the difference between Obama’s 3 last years and Trump’s first 3 years is real but small.
But Trump was president for 8 years, and it took 5 of those years to build to a weak recovery.
The only other time the Economy has taken so long to recover was during the great depression – and both have massive government intervention in common.
Regardless Obama’s 8 year Growth rate was 1.68. Trumps was just over 2.0.
Not a huge difference – But Trump dealt with the covid collapse which was the worst ecopnomic collapse in US history – and also the fastest recover. We had a single quarter 25% drop in GDP and despite that never had an actual recession – 3 qtrs of negative growth.
Trumps 3 year growth rate was 2.5 – nothing to write home about – but far better than Obama.
Trumps economy was not as good as he claims – but it was still the BEST in the 21st century.
As to Money – AGAIN – who are you going to beleive – some expert or your own eyes ?
Are those of you on the left big on “lived experience” ?
Remember – we are not debating the economy of 1929 – when only a tiny portion of us were even alive.
We are debating the economy of the past 13 years – which we all lived through.
Specifically regarding Jobs – there is no doubt Obama’s last three years were better than the prior 5.
But it still took 8 years for Obama to get the UI rate back where it was before the great recession – again a recovery that weak has not been seen since the last time government decided that massive intervention was the means to recovery.
Trump took office with a blasie economy – Growth was poor – Obama’s last 3 years were closer to 2% not 2.4.
Further if you actually look at the quarter by quarter – the US was actually sliding slowly towards recession.
It is likely if Hillary had been elected there would have been a mild recession in early 2017.
Many economists were warning of that. Within 2 weeks of Trump’s election the market started to rise and growth trends reversed.
But specifically addressing unemployment – Trump inherited UI numbers that were supposed to be the best possible.
And he continued to drive UI Down, and he did so while growing the economy and without inflation.
Prior to Covid Trump’s unemployment numbers had never been seen before.
Further LFP rose during Trump – it did not under Obama. People left work PERMANENTLY under Obama, and they returned to work under Trump.
There are actual reasons based in facts that people FELT the economy was really good under Trump – Because it WAS much better than Obama. Trump should NOT have been able to lower unemployment from what he inherited from OBAMA – but as YOUR sources claim – Trump continued to drive UI down – from numbers that were supposed to be the lowest it could go.
One of Biden’s most serious problems is that People KNOW the economy can be much better. Because 3 years ago it was.
“Trumps 3 year growth rate was 2.5 – nothing to write home about – but far better than Obama.”
John, I mostly agree if we add the caveat that Trump was fighting an uphill battle against the bureaucracy, Democrats and even many in his own party. Add to that the lag times. When a President enters office, there is a time lag between policy creation and the results. There is also a time lag when the economy turns in the wrong direction as it was with Obama. Therefore, I believe Trump’s performance was far better than the numbers indicate, especially since he had only three years.
Reagan faced a downturn as well from the previous administration, and much of what he did couldn’t adequately be seen early in his Presidency.
Unemployment is easy to see. The comparison between Obama and Trump was like night and day. Trump did great. Obama’s were very slow.
Trump started out way ahead of where Obama started, so your effort to make Trump look like something HE did successfully is a false comparison. Obama turned around the disastrous economy left by Bush. What, specifically and exactly, did Trump do to affect unemployment? Name something, if you can. The economy was already booming when he took office. Trump had NO policy other than tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy donors to his campaign and rolling back environmental and consumer protection regulations to help out the industrial polluters and those who take advantage of consumers who are also his campaign donors. Name some economic “policy” of Trump’s if you can, other than the misguided tariffs imposed when he tried to bully China to address the trade deficit, the result of which is the supply chain problems we still have, especially in re computer chips. Trump is nothing but a bloviating blowhard, and he is neither smart nor savvy when it comes to business as the dramatic list of his business failures and bankruptcies prove. Trump actual “performance” as a leader was tested when COVID hit, so he did what he ALWAYS does: anything, everything to make him look good. Americans were getting sick and dying from a contagious virus for which there was no vaccine or cure, Trump had dismantled the pandemic playbook plan put in place before he took office, he had NO plan to replace the playbook, we had no stockpile of PPI, all of which made him look bad, so the usual lying started: “It’s one person coming from China” “15 cases will soon be zero cases” “you’ll be back in church by Easter”…. the list of lies and missteps goes on. He ADMITTED lying about the seriousness of the pandemic to Bob Woodward. The country was mostly shut down for about 2 years, including factories, which is another major contributing factor to the supply chain problems we are experiencing, but according to alt right media, this is all Biden’s fault. Trump wasn’t “great” at anything other than seeking attention and adulation, inciting a riot, spreading the Big Lie, which continues to divide Americans against each other, and fantasizing about being another Vladimir Putin whom he publicly praises as “smart, savvy, and genius”. Praising a mass murderer of innocent people is shocking for anyone, but unthinkable for someone believing himself to be worthy as the leader of the free world.
Natacha, it is difficult to argue with a crazy person who cannot discuss what she claims, point by point. It is even more challenging to deal with a person ignorant of their own rants.
You recently replied with a list of anti-Trump points, and I took a few of those points separately. What did you do? You disappeared and showed us that your words and ideas are meaningless.
I’ll post the last discussion below and more if needed.
Natacha, you are a waste. Every response you provide is a list of hate that is inappropriately cataloged. I offered explanations for two things showing how little you know and why all should ignore your comments.
Let me go further with some generalizations and specifics. The vast majority of new business adventures fail, so it is not unusual that some of Trump’s attempts failed. That is a good thing because it means he has the where with all to try again and succeed. He did. Trump’s successes far outweighed his failures. That is why he is rich, and you are poor.
There are several other things you need to know. Trump didn’t own all of those things you mentioned. He was good at what he did, and frequently other people took charge. He made money, so the failure is theirs if the business fails. You have a brand just like Trump. Trump’s brand is gold. The Natacha brand is a contaminated forest that no one likes to visit.
Another item, businesses rise and fall. That doesn’t mean that the entrepreneur doesn’t know his business. It’s part of being an entrepreneur. Just like the airline hit terrible times for the airline industry as a whole, the same thing happened to the gambling industry in New Jersey. Additionally, the top people that ran Trump’s casinos in NJ died in a helicopter crash.
You might think sound executives to be replaceable because you wouldn’t know how to run more than a poorly run mom-and-pop store, but good employees are hard to find. That alone was a disaster for the casino.
Let’s see if you can respond to this answer. Let’s see if you can add helpful information to anything you say. Based on your history, I would presume NO.
I would suggest that instead of citing purported experts – about times and events we all lived through that maybe you should consider that ordinary people KNOW a good economy – when they see one.
If you must – instead of using experts – use the actual data. Trump dis add slightly less jobs – he went from what is supposed to be Full employment to significantly better than full employment. When was the last time you say 3.7% unemployment ?
I do not think I have EVER seen it.
You are actually trying to blame Trump for school closings ? Shutdowns etc ?
Well atleast you are accepting that they were a STUPID idea.
I would also think after almost 3 years you would grasp that the Federal govenrment has almost no consequential role in public health.
That falls to the states. I would further note that your Dire economy of 2020 – was sort of worse than you claim – in blue states – and much better in red ones. Drops in GDP, in employment were substantially lower in Red states. Oops.
Can you read, John B. Say? I said that Trump LIED about the seriousness of the pandemic, as he ADMITTED to Bob Woodward. He misled the American people into believing that it would be very short-lived, despite knowing better, and therefore, people didn’t take it as seriously as they should have, all of which allowed it to spread unnecessarily and kill people. One official count I’ve read is that not less than 130,000 extra Americans died due just to Trump’s lying about the seriousness of the infection. Who are you to say that shutdowns, especially when there were known cases in schools and businesses, were a “stupid idea”? The WHO, the CDC and all public health officials recommended quarantining to limit the spread of the virus because it was NOVEL, meaning that we didn’t have herd immunity, AND it was killing people. Other countries did shutdowns, too, to save lives, while scientists were working furiously to create a vaccine. But, that’s not what the public heard from Trump: “it’s just one person coming from China”…15 cases will soon be zero cases”….”it’ll stop when warm weather comes”….”you’ll be back in church by Easter.” These are just some of the lies.
The “states” do not have the resources that a federal government has, including the labs, experts and relationships with the WHO and member countries to track sources of infections and trends. States also don’t control intra state or foreign travel, and therefore cannot impose regulations to limit the spread of disease like a federal government has. Trump didn’t cause COVID, but he made it worse because he didn’t have a pandemic playbook, didn’t maintain the stockpile of PPE, he intentionally lied and downplayed the seriousness and refused to defer to public health experts.
Again – reality check.
Which party claimed that the 2016 election was stolen as a result of Russian interferance and collusion ?
Which Party claimed there were Russian bounties on americans in Afghanistan ?
Which Part claimed that the dirt from Hunter Bidens own laptop was Russian disinformation ?
Which part is it that impeached the president for asking to investigate the political corruption of the Biden clan that no one is now capable of hiding ?
Which party is it (both through government and privately) was ACTUALLY spying on the other ?
I can go on and on.
I nearly chocked when someone claimed MIT had a study that found republicans lie more than democrats ?
Not on this planet.
Which party lied and called the parents of a daughter raped by a purportedly transgendered student a domestic terrorists ?
Which party is it that is calling parents unhappy with the education that public schools are cramming down their throats domestic terrorists ?
Which party is it that presided over this absolutely insane Whitmer Kidnapping nonsense ?
Which Party lied about Bret Kavanaugh ?
Which party lied and still lies about Clarence Thomas ?
Jussie Smollet – do I even have to explain ?
Which party has the ACTUALLY demented president ?
I can go on and on and on.
Trump kept or tried incredibly hard to keep his core campaign Promises – and the results were MOSTLY good for the country.
Biden has kept his promise to undo what Trump did – and as a result everything is going to hell unbeleivably rapidly.
Biden lied repeatedly during the debates – and the press and YOU defended him.
Trump for the last 6 years has told the truth far more than nearly any politician – low bar I admit, And YOU have called him a liar repeatedly.
You say Trump alienated our allies Really – How well has Biden done so far ? Or Afghan Allies are …. GONE – wiped out.
I strongly suspect that you are correct that many world leaders did not like Trump. But he got them to act in their own and our interests.
He pushed them to increase their defence spending – absolutely Obama got them to agree to spend more – but actual spending did not change until Trump.
Maybe world leader “like” Biden better – but they do not trust or respect him or the US – and that is incredibly important.
You rant because Trump killed the Iran deal. The Iran deal was STUPID – Iran will get nuclear weapons eventually no matter what – unless we are prepared to go to war. But the US deal with Iran pissed of nearly the entire middle east – you know “our aliies”.
Absolutely – most of these are no “good people”, but they are less bad people than Iran’s leaders.
And you wonder why when Biden comes hat in hand to Saudi Arabia for more oil to disempower Putin the Saudi’s tell him quite publicly to F off. This is your idea of the respect of foreign leaders ?
I would note that contra your idiotic claims Trump presided over the inflection point of the most important foriegn policy shift in recent history.
The shift of US foreign policy from Russia and Europe facing to asia and china facing.
Trump got everyone from India, and Vietnam, through Japan and Australia on the same page regarding China
The US is re-opening Subic Bay as we speak – because of Trump. We are working with Japan to open a large new base right off the south china sea that Radically changes the balance of power there. The US ability to project power and to protect our assets like a Super Carrier battle group is greatly enhanced by a huge base closer to china than Okinawa.
We are closer to India than we have been in 70 years. We are getting closer to Vietnam. We have better relations with the Philipines.
Japan is rebuilding as a naval power to counter China. Austrailia is rebuilding its navy. And on and on.
Mostly, Biden has not botched that so far. It is one of few things Trump did that Joe did not reverse without thought.
That Said Joe has been a DISASTER in the mideast. And it is likely to get much worse. If you think rising inflation and food prices in the US piss people off – the last time food prices rose – the mideast went up in flames under …. Obama. Oops.
If not for Biden’s stupid energy policies – the US would not care alot about the mideast – But Europe would. The mideast is where Europe must get what energy it does not get from Russia.
Regardless we can go thorugh Trump foreign policy almost by the numbers.
Trump is problem the most effective president in the area of Foreign policy since Nixon or Reagan.
Biden has OBVIOUSLY been a disaster. But for Biden’s idiotic energy Policies Putin would be cooling his heels not invading Ukraine.
Do you live in the real world ?
I did not expect Trump would be good at foreign policy – but he was incredibly good.
I would further note that Trump’s foreign policy accomplishments were done for the most part despite a HOSTILE fopreign policy establishment. Nearly everything I discussed above was accomplished by Trump, directly, the Trump whitehouse, or by members of Trump’s family representing Trump and the US.
Trump proved that “the experts” were clueless paper tigers.
While I am harder on Trump in other areas – in foreign policy he gets and A. Biden is working hard towards and F and Obama has a D-.
Trump was impeached by democrats for asking Zelenski to investigated the now obviously corrupt Biden clan.
That impeachment should not merely prove an embarrassment to most democrats – it should COST them seriously.
Turley was here cautioning democrats to follow the rule of law, to properly and openly investigate, to build an actual case – because all they had so far was inuendo. Turley was of the oppinion that real inquiry might actually lead somewhere.
AND IT DID.
The Biden clan corruption investigation did not start with Trump’s phone call to Zelensky in 2019. It started with Hillary Clinton in 2015.
Clinton crony Sydney Blumenthal was tasked to use reporters at the New York Times to take Biden out of the running for 2016.
And they did – they ACCURATELY reported on the then know information that suggested a massive conflict of interests that looked an awful lot like political corruption.
And Biden did not enter the 2016 presidential race.
But it is worse for democrats than that.
While Trump was being impeached for asking the Ukrainians to investigate the Bidens activities in Ukraine, the DOJ was already pretty deep into an extremely low profile investigation of Hunter Biden – that continues to this day – with the expectation that Hunter will be indicted soon.
While I doubt that, the mere existance of that investigation tanks the core thesis of the Faux Trump impeachment I.
That is that there was no foundation for an investigation. Of course there was – Clinton provided more than enough basis to open an investigation in 2015. And DOJ was already in the midst of an investigation that Trump was not aware of.
If there is a basis for DOJ to investigate the Biden’s – there is a basis for Trump to ask foreign leaders for an investigation.
There is not a logical way arround that. The requirements for DOJ were the same as those for Trump to legitimately ask Zelenski – actually DOJ’s requirements are HIGHER.
Had democrats done as Turley suggested – what is increasingly self evident – is they would NOT have found more damaging information on Trump. But they WOULD likely have tripped over the DOJ investigation.
There is actually a serious question regarding DOJ’s conduct – because DOJ knew about their investigation and the impeachment.
While they are supposed to keep quite about ongoing investigations, they are also required not to hide exculpatory evidence that would thwart a miscarraige of justice. My guess is that Barr calculated that Trump would not be impeached and did not inform Congress of his investigation – because that would have cut the leggs out of the impeachment.
Today we are beyond much of this – There was ALOT of damaging information about the Biden pay for play scheme prior to the impeachment – for anyone who wanted to know. John Solomon reported extensively. He aquired hundreds of documents outlining large portions of this – some from Ukraine or other eastern european sources – but alot from FOIA requests to the State Department.
Hunter Biden was lobbying the state department on Behalf of Burisma – so there was extensive correspondence between Hunter and his lawyers, and his partners and the state department. But there was ALSO lots of pleas to the office of Vice President to get Joe to shut this down as it smelled to high heaven and might require him to recuse himself from foriegn policy matters.
All this was known almost a year BEFORE the impeachment – long BEFORE the Zelenski phone call. Long Before Guiliani’s inquiies in Eastrn Europe and BEFORE the Hunter Biden laptop.
It is unlikely that DOJ was relying on solely that as the basis for investigating Hunter.
Regardless the existance of that investigation is PROF that DOJ had “reasonable suspicion” – or the higher probable cause standard required to get a warrant or subpeona records.
Conversely Trump was NOT required to have reasonable suspicion to ask a foreign leader to investigate Biden.
But he quite easily did.
Democrats went to extreme efforts to thwart inquiry into whether there was reason to suspect Corruption by the Bidens – This was not about the Bidens it was about Trump – and they were successful in their fraud.
But the fact is the legitimacy of Trump’s request to Zelensky hinges on one thing – was there a predicate justifying a request to investigate.
And the obvious answer – even then was “Hell Yes”
All this means something. Several things.
First it means Trump’s request was legitimate.
But next it means that the Democratic house investigation was itself either corrupt or incompetent – or both.
If the house investigation was another of these idiotic messes like the Whitmer kidnapping,
Then those members of the house and senate who voted to impeach essnetially participated in a coup attemtp.
Your lying is almost as stunning as Trump’s. Trump tried to leverage aid for Ukraine approved by Congress in exchange for faking up evidence of crimes by Biden or at least saying they were “investigating Biden”. Zelenskyy refused because there were no crimes and nothing to investigate, and THAT’S why Trump was impeached. He cannot leverage aid appropriated by Congress to Ukraine for to help his political ambitions. Where, other than alt-right media did you get the information that Hunter Biden is going to be “indicted’? Indicted for what, and what does that have to do with Joe Biden? There is not, and never will be, anything “legitimate” about Trump or his occupation of our White House, because he got there by cheating, confirmed not only by the Mueller investigation, but Dan Coats, appointed by Trump as head of US Intelligence, and a separate investigation by Senate Republicans.
Your lying is almost as stunning as Trump’s.
You win no battles by insulting people. Trump is/was a liar, a narcissist, a pig, and every other pejorative one can utilize, ust as one would to characterize Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Newt Gingrich, Matt Gaetz, Madison Cawthorn, and most politicians. No raging Trump supporter will ever get sympathy from me, just like Hillary supporters are arrogant, grifters, opportunists, liars and zealots.
The scientific data on COVID, starting from January 2020, has been evolving. As some of the regular folks on here know, I was here educating everybody on this issue. What was said back in 2020 about COVID has been largely proven wrong. I stated back in 2020 to medical colleagues and likely here, that it takes a minimum of 3 years to cull the data, analyze it and make somewhat certain pronouncements, subject to revisions. Medicine is always changing. Most Americans have unrealistic expectations of their medical care considering most lack any motivation to live healthy lives.
Our past, present and likely future handling of COVID has been disastrous. Suicide, addiction deaths, psychiatric comorbidities, violent crime, children developmental and educational milestones and their vaccines, cancer screenings,… the list is literally endless of the victims we created. Not worth any of it. We were wrong to do what we did. Same applies for how Bush handled SARS, and how Obama handled Ebola, the H1N1 flu pandemic and MERS, and how Reagan, Bush and Clinton handled AIDS. Recall Clinton’s disastrous “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. Full stop.
I am currently writing 2 scientific manuscripts on the innate immune system activation of the adaptive immune system regarding atherosclerosis at the molecular level, per request of medical department heads, one targeting medical researchers and one targeting clinicians, and few understand any of it, never mind Primary Care Physicians. These topics are complex, we cant see viruses, their targeted host receptors due to tropism, viral proteins that serve as antigens that activate monocytes and macrophages that activate cytokines that activate T cells that cause further tissue damage….all of this is new stuff that no one taught any physician in medical school. inflammation is an immensely dense topic, not rigid nor set in stone. You have to be flexible because medical science is always updating previous paradigms.
The biggest harm that both Trump and Biden have done to Americans re: COVID was their inflexible arrogance, including Fauci. So it would be helpful if you paused, assessed dispassionately without political leanings like I do, and let the chips fall where they may. You attract more flies with honey. You are better than this, Natacha, as an educated NP and JD. Cmon, up your game. Not everyone on this blog has the education you have received as an MSN and JD.
Crazy Lady, learn how such actions affect the capital markets.
“Trump was in office when unemployment went north of 10% and due to his utter incompetence, factories and other businesses shut down and kids couldn’t go to school.”
You really are a dishonest creature.
Those business and schools were shut down by fascist *state* and *local* politicians. And the killing of the economy was egged on by Fauci and the CDC.
Aparently you are unfamiliar with actual election investigations.
Natacha – I listed about a dozen items from Trump’s platform as listed by the BBC.
I beleive every single Trump platform item has the support of a majority and usually a supermajority of americans.
Most of Trump’s platform items are items in the top 20 concerns of americans.
Nor is any of this secret.
Do you have any doubt what Trump’s tax policies are ? What his energy policies are ? What his immigration and border control policies are ?
What his policies with regard to national defense and war are ? What his policies regarding trade are ?
With certainty you will spin each of those horrendously. But aside from your personal spin – you still fundimentally know what Trump’s policies are – and your attacks on him actually make that clear – even if you do distort them.
I do not agree with all Trump’s policies – But NONE constitute a threat to democracy.
During my entire life I have never had the oportunity to vote for a candidate that I thought was right about everything.
And I did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020 – but you would have had to put a gun to my head to get me to vote for Hillary or Joe.
Trump exagerates his own presidency – he is a braggart – even more so than most politicans.
He would get a C+ compared to most US presidents. But Bush and Obama were D presidents, and Biden is working furiously towards an F.
Trump was the best president of the 21st century so far – that is just such a low bar.
If Americans were so in love with Trump as you delusional disciples believe, then why did the majority of us disapprove of him the 4 years he had in office to convince us that he was capable? Why did most Americans vote against him in 2016 and 2020? Trump’s only “policies” are those that benefit the ultra-wealthy that donate to his campaign: lower taxes for the already wealthy, and rolling back of consumer and environmental protections. No one supports pollution of our waterways and aquifers. Then, there’s his pathetic effort to reverse our trade deficit with China: enacting tariffs that only increased the cost of goods because your dumbaxx hero doesn’t understand that the cost of tariffs are passed along to the consumer. His stupid trade war backfired and is responsible for the shortage of computer chips and other consumer goods originating in China. Most Americans stand against Trump’s “policies” we mostly support a woman’s right to choose, support NATO and the EU, support Ukraine and other Eastern European countries in their efforts to fight off Russian aggression, and believe that Putin is a war criminal, responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians instead of a savvy, smart genius as Trump effusively praised him. Most Americans believe in free, fair elections and are proud of our tradition of the peaceful transfer of power. All Trump knows is that his fragile ego is more important than the Constitution, the rule of law, and the will of the American people.
Biden has had to compete in an environment no other President has had to–with an endless cadre of alt-right media attacking him, his family and his administration all day every single day, lying about him, lying about Trump really “winning” in 2020, causing Americans to distrust our electoral system, but he was also handed a pandemic out of control, an economy in shambles, and an America more deeply divided than any period in our history other than the Civil War, all due to the massive ego of a failure of a man–Trump–who just can’t stop lying and continuing to divide America. Biden has done a wonderful job so far in reversing Trump’s 10% unemployment rate, in mending fences with our allies, in helping unite with our NATO allies, and getting an infrastructure package passed with bilateral support, something that has been overdue for decades. None of the lies your alt-right media tell about Biden being senile or a failure are true.
Presidential historians agree that Trump is the worst president ever, deservedly so.
Why is Biden’s approval rate now far below Trumps ?
Your argument rests on a false premise – that transitory measures are meaningful.
Though there is a big difference between Trump’s approval and Biden’s.
Trump’s approval rating was not based on what he actually did as president for the most part,
But on relentless and false attacks by the left, the media, democrats and you.
Biden’s approval has tanked – because of his own and democrat failures – despite until recently relentless favor of the left, the press, …
It should be noted that during the 2020 election Trump voters came out to vote in enormous numbers in person at the polls.
Biden voters were primarily couch potatoes who voted only because it did not require getting out of their chair.
That of course presumes that they were even real voters – as it is not really possible to know whether a vote by mail is reflects the actual vote of the person it claims to be from.
You make constant appeals to authorities that it is well established can not be trusted.
You say presidential historians agree – if so that is to their shame.
Regardless, Trump was not president a century ago. He was president 2 years ago.
There is no need for some “expert” to tell us what to think about things we all witnessed first hand.
We do not need presidential historians to indoctrinate us in your dogma.
I would note this is true beyond Trump. It is true of everything in our world.
It is true of Covid. You can claim that we should rely on Government experts to make policy regarding what we should do to avoid future harm. But eventually the future becomes the present and then the past. And each of us is as capable of any expert of assessing What DID work – as opposed to what WILL work. There is no expertise necescary to look at reality after the fact and weigh it.
There are no differences between states red or blue or countries throughout the world that are not completely explained by demographics and geography. Age, health, latitude, population density, race, gender, these are the major factors in covid mortality.
Many actual experts where silenced for saying that, and for noting that all current policies had been tried in the distant past – and failed.
But now as we have endured this for 2 years – it is harder and harder to bury the truth.
The same is true for CAGW warmist dogma. The planet has not warmed at all in almost 8 years. It has warmed very little in the past 22 years, Since 1979 the current deviation from norms is 0.15C. Since 1979 temperatures have risen 0.13C/decade on average – compared to 0.11C for the prior 200+ years. Reality has stepped in and demonstrates the “experts” were wrong – just as all prior malthusian claims have been wrong. And As Russia invades Ukraine – a war that is daily being paid for by European consumption of Russian gas and oil – now HOPEFULLY, you left wing nuts will grasp that the difference between peace and war – is bad policies on energy. The difference between prosperity and poverty is bad energy policies.
Biden seeks to blame US inflation on Russia, some in the press are noting that gas prices rose BEFORE the war.
But ultimately what does it matter – high gas prices, high food princes, inflation, the war – these are ALL the consequence of the many policy mistakes of the left.
You are clueless about reality. I beleive in a prior post you actually praised Obama’s economy.
Nutacha – Obama’s economy was the worst since the great depression. Like the great depression it was also the worst US economic recovery. Like the great depression it was also the last time government tried to meddle large scale in the economy.
Biden’s inflation is the consequence of leftist nonsense that money grows on trees – that any nation that controls its own money supply can not default, can not go bankrupt, can not have inflation. Wrong, Wrong. Wrong. You are daft and ignorant of history.
But Biden’s poor economic reputation is saved by Biden. Obama inherited a bad economy. His policies cause the economy to languish.
Biden inherited a good economy and has managed to destroy it quicker than anyone thought possible.
This is reality – this is why minority voters are fleaing democrats.
This is why the couch potatoes – those that exist are unlikely to both to vote in 2022 and 2024.
You have Failed.
We have a clear choice for our coming elections:
Evil vs Good. Freedom vs Tyranny. Save America or Destroy America. Global Collectivism vs Individual Liberty.
Choice has never been more clear.
Or put another way:
We are at a fork in the road where will will fight for our freedom and move ourselves toward the Great Awakening.
Or we sit back and passivley allow ourselves to fall under the tyranny of the Great Reset agenda being forced on the world by the Klaus Schwab/WEF globalist transhumanists (which is what these “vaccines” are all about).
Wake up America. It is time to fight for our freedoms.
Yes, we DO have a clear choice: a party led by a narcissistic liar, racist, misogynist, xenophobe and failure at multiple businesses who got into office by cheating with the help of a government run by a psychopathic mass murderer that he praises, and whom members of his party praise and side with, and who, if he and/or his party get back into power, will withdraw the US from NATO, clearing the way for Russia to take over Ukraine, then Lativia, Estonia and Lithuania, and other countries, all of which would start WW 3. Think I’m guessing or speculating? Did you know that 30% of Republicans in Congress recently REFUSED to vote to affirm the US’s commitment to NATO? Trump couldn’t even “save” his own multiple business ventures, much less America. He is literally the worst POTUS in US History: impeached twice, incited a seditious riot because he couldn’t cheat or litigate his way back into power. He decimated our successful economy because of his massive ego and utter lack of any semblance of leadership or understanding of how an economy works, the latter proven by his inability to even manage his own businesses. The only business at which he has succeeded was “The Apprentice”, a reality TV program based on the fake persona that Trump is a fabulously successful self-made billionaire. Republicans used to stand for family values, conservatism, patriotism and defense of democracy. Other than a handful, like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney, that has all gone to hell in favor of a reality TV host. with a massive ego.
What is the Republican Party’s platform? Opposition to inflation? Well, guess what? Everyone is opposed to inflation, so what would the Republicans do about it? They don’t say because have NO plan and won’t admit that their leader is the primary cause with his tariffs and allowing the pandemic to spiral out of control causing factory shut downs. Tell me: does Biden lie about inflation like your hero lied about the pandemic? Are he and the Democrats in Congress trying to do all they can about it? Yes, they are. So what are Republicans doing? Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas enacted a new vehicle “inspection” rule that requires re-inspection of trucks coming from Mexico that have already been inspected by US Border agents to be certain that no human or drug trafficking is occurring. Fresh fruits and vegetables are literally rotting while sitting in long lines, not to mention other consumer goods being delayed. Abbott is doing this for one reason only: to try to slow down the supply chain and keep inflation going. The cost of fruits and vegetables imported from south of the border will rise, all for political reasons. Republicans like Abbott are literally despicable.
You want to talk about “evil vs. good”? What could be more “evil” than endless lying, than a massive ego hungry for attention, adulation and praise, and a willingness to literally do anything to preserve power, including inciting an insurrection and a political party that refuses to stand against these things? Ask yourself: did Al Gore go on campaigns or attack his opponent when his victory was stolen? Did Hillary Clinton do this, either? Both won the popular vote, and both were cheated, so how did they handle this? Like the American patriots they are: they put America first, something your hero and the Republican Party that falls in line behind him are unwilling to do. All they want is power: power to lower taxes for the wealthy, power to roll back environmental and consumer protection laws and regulations, and power to appoint pro-business unqualified persons to the bench, just like the FLA judge who struck down the mask mandate: the ABA evaluated her and found her to be “unqualified”.
You want to talk about “tyranny”? What could be more tyrannical than refusing to concede, spreading a Big Lie about a nonexistent “landslide victory” being stolen, about a political party that refuses to vote in opposition to almost every bill submitted by the party in power, and 30% of which refused to vote to reaffirm America’s commitment to NATO. That same political party had numerous members who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power by refusing to accept the valid votes submitted by electors from various states, all based on nothing but the Big Lie put out by a narcissist that America never embraced: they were trying to prevent the will of the American people? And, you are trying to compare this to being required to wear a mask to prevent the spread of a deadly communicable disease that you call “tyranny?
Natacha says: “Tell me: does Biden lie about inflation like your hero lied about the pandemic? Are he and the Democrats in Congress trying to do all they can about it?
Yes! Joe Biden lies about inflation.
And the pandemic. And Putin. And the border. And China. And what he knew about his son’s business deals. And what he knew about his brother’s business dealings. All day long all they do in the Biden administration is LIE. And the corrupt media carry their water. It’s beyond disgusting.
Jen Psaki *actually lies* day in and day out the way the media pretended Kayleigh McEnany did.
Joe Biden lies to the American people about what he is doing as president when it can be verified and proven false in real time!
Biden says, “I am doing everything I can to lower gas prices.” A lie.
Biden says, “I will always give it to you straight.” A lie.
Biden says, “Inflation is due to Covid and Putin’s Price Hike.” A lie.
Biden did tell the truth about a few things, though. Biden said “There will be food shortages coming.” This is true. And he is the cause. His policies. His weakness.
IF the war in Ukraine, and Putin, are causing our skyrocketing inflation, through the roof gas prices, and coming food shortages, THEN why is Biden NOT doing everything he can to END the war in Ukraine now!
The answer is obvious. THEY WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SUFFER THROUGH THEIR BAD POLICY RAMIFICATIONS BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THEIR HIDDEN AGENDA.
All they do is lie to the American people all day long.
Bye Democrat Party. Buh bye. You suck and the American people will let you know just how bad come November.
Plus they are using the war in Ukraine to destroy all the evidence of Biden family corruption. Biden knows why there is war of distraction in Ukraine. He’s a disgusting filthy corrupt lying dog faced pony soldier who is UNFIT TO LEAD anything.
The evidence is slowly being added to he congressional records.
Biden DOES NOT LIE. Biden was handed a failed economy by Trump and he has set a record for turning around the 10%+ unemployment handed to him by Trump. You say that Biden is lying about “doing everything to lower gas prices”. So, what about that is a lie? What hasn’t he done to lower gas prices? You say that Biden is lying about “giving it to (us) straight”? What about that is a lie? Inflation is due to several factors, especially the Trump recession Biden inherited. Because Trump lied by downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic, COVID got out of control and the country was mostly shut down for 2 years: factories shut down production due to lower demand because people weren’t going to offices to work, and many factories closed, which has contributed to the supply chain problems we have. When things turned around, people wanted to start buying things again, but there is a backlog of materials needed and a shortage of workers because former factory workers went back to school or got other jobs, and all of this this is due to Trump’s botched handling of COVID. As to the computer chip shortage, this is the direct result of Trump’s trade war with China and his imposition of tariffs, which has led to shortages.
What “policies” of Biden’s are you criticizing? Be specific, just like I’ve been specific about Trump’s specific mistakes, his incompetence and mishandling of COVID and the economy. You think that Republicans will simply take over in November because people are mad about gas prices and inflation? What, specifically, have Republicans planned to do to address gas prices or inflation? Have you heard any plan? Do Republicans have any plan, or are they just going to keep on lying to the American people that all of the economic problems we have are due to Biden’s “weakness” because they know that economic factors are not simple and that most people don’t understand cause and effect to inflation? If anyone occupying the White House has ever been “weak”, it is the malignant narcissist who can’t even run a successful business as the long list of his failed businesses prove, as well as his endless lying about everything.
Biden is not doing “everything he can to lower gas prices.” He’s doing the opposite! He declared war on fossil fuels during his campaign.
Gas prices spiked after Biden killed Keystone, he froze U.S. oil/gas leases, and his policies tanked US energy independence we had achieved under Trump.
If Putin is causing inflation, gas prices to soar, then what is Biden doing to END THE WAR in Ukraine? Specifically what is he doing to END IT ASAP?
NOTHING.
He’s pumping billions MORE in aid money into Ukraine. Which is essentially now a money laundering operation. Biden is CREATING THE BURDEN on Americans. It is his POLICIES that are causing the problems. And then he stands there and lies about it.
Stop lying. The Keystone pipeline had just started construction, and wasn’t supplying crude oil, and still wouldn’t be supplying crude oil, so stopping it did nothing to affect the price of gas. When alt-right media claim that stopping Keystone caused high gas prices, they are lying. Biden has freed up oil and gas leases and there are thousands of them that the petroleum companies are intentionally NOT using because they are enjoying record profits that they are using for stock buy-backs. The US achieved energy independence under OBAMA. Trump repeatedly lies about this, but it’s still a lie, one of tens of thousands he has told. One additional reason gas prices are high is because production went down due to the Trump Recession because people stopped going on vacation and commuting to work and school. The oil companies haven’t ramped up the supply as people have returned to work, school, and going on pleasure trips. Trump bears responsibility for this. Exactly WHAT “policies” of Biden have “tanked” US energy–can you name any, or are you just repeating the alt-right lies you heard?
Biden has gotten Congress to appropriate billions in aid to Ukraine. Biden didn’t start the war–Putin did. The US can stand by and watch innocent people get slaughtered, or we can do everything possible to help, which we are doing. Biden’s first duty is to the American people–he’s not going to start WW 3 by directly attacking Russia, but he’s doing everything he can short of that to help the Ukrainian people. You are the one who is lying, but I see why: you are a disciple. You believe the lies put out by alt-right media.
This “war” in Ukraine would not be happening if Biden did not want it to be happening. It is now a corrupt money laundering kick back operation. Because Biden wants this war to be going on for a long time to come. Biden is doing nothing to end it, even as he lies to the American people insisting our inflation and gas prices are Putin’s fault!
Sorry Joe Biden. All of this pain the American people are feeling? ALL of it is on you. All of it.
I’m confused here: you’re saying that “weak”, “senile” doddering Joe Biden is controlling Vladimir Putin, and therefore, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is Biden’s fault? Biden is some sort of Svengali who manipulated Putin into mass murdering Ukrainians? Do you begin to realize just how stupid this is, and how it’s just more of the alt-right blather of blaming Biden for every problem the world is facing? Where did you get the notion that the supplies provided to Ukraine are involved with money laundering or kickbacks? Where’s the proof?
Thank God that a moron like you does NOT speak for “the American people”.
Crazy Lady, I think the guy is saying that Biden helped Putin fund a war he couldn’t pay for. Are you that daft?
Natacha insists: “Biden DOES NOT LIE.”
Biden LIES like an oriental rug. As his family rakes in MILLIONS from China. The man is corrupt. The man is compromising national security as we speak. He is a disgrace.
How do you know a politician is lying?
His mouth is moving.
Joe Biden has done nothing in his life but be a slimy corrupt lying politician who has been greedily enriching his family for decades. He and his horrid wife are pure filth.
Natacha — You know what else Biden lies about?
BIDEN: “I had the great pleasure of being listed as the poorest man in Congress… I didn’t think you should make money while you’re in office.”
Yet another Biden whopper that the corrupt media let him get away with.
Sure thing Big Guy, you liar. Now tell us how your family was raking in tens of millions from China, Russia and Ukraine Big Guy. Was that while you were a sitting Senator? Eight years as Vice President? Shut up, you liar.
Biden has been telling lies for so long that he actually believes his own lies.
Where’s the proof? Put up or shut up. Don’t you know that alt-right media puts out all of the lies about Hillary Clinton, Obama, Biden, Pelosi and other Democrats being crooks as a cover for the ACTUAL crimes committed by Trump and the endless lying that we’ve seen with our own eyes?
Crazy Lady, you did hear about Hunter’s laptop, didn’t you?
Nutacha
you are clueless.
I highly doubt the US will withdraw from NATO,
But it should be obvious that we should.
Russia is LOSING to Ukraine – do you honestly think they could take on NATO ?
This is quite simple and should be uncontroversial.
Europe is not the center of the world any more.
Russia is a 3rd rate military power that only remains a super power because they still have the worlds largest number of nukes.
That is it.
Poland ALONE could successfully defend itself against Russia.
NATO is a good thing and should continue to exist and the US should remain part of it.
But a MUCH smaller part.
It is way past time for Europe to take care of itself.
Further it is past time for Europe to take responsibility for the mideast.
The mideast is increasingly Europes source for energy – not ours.
and so long as Europe relies on Russian energy they are subject to russian blackmail.
As the world’s sole superpower our focus needs to be directed where the current threat is – Asia, and specifically china.
Maybe Xi will be deposed and China will return to the more west friendly development it had from Mao’s death through to Xi.
But in the meantime China needs contained – just as the USSR once did. And other asian nations can not do so without US backing.
Trump is a billionaire several times over. He clearly “saved” something.
The average successful person fails 7 times before they succeed.
Success is hard, and Trump has succeeded in more than half a dozen different domains.
That is RARE – Mush has not done that, Bezos has not done that Buffet has not done that.
The closest I can think of is Jobs and he is dead.
Trump CLAIMS to be a self-made multiple billionaire, but his niece says he’s in debt up to the rug on his head, that his father bailed him out of one financial disaster after another until a guardian was appointed to take over his finances due to his Alzheimer’s, which is when the 6 bankruptcies started happening. Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, testified that he keeps 2 sets of books: one for Forbes Magazine, with inflated values for his assets and deflated values for his debt, and a second set for the IRS, showing losses, which is why he pays little to nothing in taxes. He’s no longer among the top listings on Forbes. And, why do you think he keeps fighting to keep his financial statements and tax returns private? If the truth got out about how low his net worth is, it would pierce the Trump bubble, and his massive ego couldn’t take it. If he’s so wealthy, then why does he keep needing to borrow money? According to multiple sources, all of his businesses are under water financially. The Trump Hotel in the old post office began hemorrhaging cash from day one, and he just sold his interest in it. His golf resorts are flailing, too. I’ve previously provided the long list of failed business ventures, none of which is a risky type of business because other people have made money in these businesses, for instance, running a casino, selling steaks, a steakhouse, condos in Florida, board games, beer and vodka, mortgage companies, the USFL N.J. Generals (up and running now), Broadway plays, and a shuttle service. The common thread of Trump’s failures at these ventures is him. He’s no businessman–just a loudmouth blowhard who is not a successful dealmaker either. No, Trump has not succeeded in “more than half a dozen different domains”, other than self-promotion on “The Apprentice”, the basic premise of which is a lie–that he’s one of the richest people in the world, all due to his talent. His list of failures proves otherwise.
“a party led by a narcissistic liar, racist, misogynist, xenophobe and failure at multiple businesses who got into office by cheating with the help of a government run by a psychopathic mass murderer that he praises, ”
Nutacha – need I say more.
Hoist by your own petard.
I would suggest that you become more familiar with the constitution.
Presidential electors are appointed by state legislatures.
The provisions for congress to challenge electors exists because of such potential problems as Fraud.
You seem to think that what these congressmen and Trump wanted was outside the law and the constitution.
That is blatantly stupid and ahistorical. Look up the election of 1876.
According to the vote Tilden won. But there were fraud challenges in several states. The electors were challenged, and a commission of 5 representatives, 5 senators, and 5 supreme court justices was appointed to make recomendations.
As a result Harris was confirmed as President.
Nor was this the only time that electors were challenged. Democrats have challenged electors in every single election a republican won in my lifetime.
The reason you are ranting – is not because there was an challenge – but because there was an actual possibility it might have been successful.
The same is true of your J6 rants. What actually happened is inconsequential.
You are upset over what COULD have happened.
Trump did not incite violence – but he could have.
J6 protestors were not armed – but they could have been.
I do not actually think it will come to that – the 2020 election was a one off. Like so many stupid things democrats try – they work ONCE at most.
That said – if you attempt to steal another election – you had better get Miley to circle the capital with Tanks.
You say the election was not stolen – that is not what a plurality of people think.
You say there was no fraud – that is just stupid – there is always fraud.
Your very refusal to admit that evidence exists – much less weigh its value undermines your own credibility.
Regardless, given that you used Fraud, hoax and censorship to bury the Hunter Biden story – why is anyone supposed to beleive you would not commit election fraud ?
Regardless, that alone is “stealing an election”.
You claim Russia interfered in 2016 – by What ? making a few stupid political adds that were evenly distributed between Bernie, Trump and Clinton and were so bad they influence NO ONE ?
One of the OBIOUS weakness in the collusion delusion – was Trump and Russia colluded to do what ?
What is it that Russia did ? Did they hack the voting machines ?
It was a close election. Hillary could have won it – but she was so full of Hubris she wasted effort running up the popular vote numbers by campaigning in deep blue states in hopes of a claim to a mandate. But she ignored key states in the mid west, and Trump did not.
He barely won them – but he did win, and that accomplishment is more significant considering he got 2M more votes in those states than Romney.
Russia did not flip those states red – they were already going red and Trump grasped that before anyone else.
And Hillary did not. And that is why she lost.
One of the interesting things about 2020 is that Trump campaign in the places he needed to win.
Biden did not. Trump and Biden did exactly as expected everywhere in the country EXCEPT 6 cities that Biden did not visit, but that Zuckerburg dumped half a billion into. Zuckerburg is free to spend money for whatever candidate he wishes.
What he is not free to do is buy the election – litterally, but the election ofificals, and convert government election machinery into a democrat GOTV program.
And I have not address the lawlessness, nor the russian disinformation HOAX.
It is probable that there was ballot fraud. It is certain there was multiple other types of election fraud.
That is unless in your view the Russians are the only people NOT permitted to interfere in US elections.
Congress has NO authority to challenge the certified votes from the states. Trump told his fans to “fight like hell or you’re not going to have a country any more”. His followers had a cache of weapons outside DC, waiting for him to lead the charge to take over Congress, but he wimped out. You keep repeating the alt-right lies about 2016–Dan Coats, the Mueller investigation and a Senate Republican investigation prove you are wrong–Trump cheated. Trump lost the popular vote in 2016 and lost even worse in 2020, as was predicted. No one hacked any voting machines, so says Bill Barr and Chris Krebs, both Trump appointees. Biden beat Trump in the debates, in the popular vote and in the Electoral College vote–he won fair and square. There was no widespread voter fraud, as dozens of lawsuits, investigations and Bill Barr’s investigation prove. Trump was predicted to lose, and did lose because Americans were sick to death of him. We never wanted him in the first place.
“They” is an organization called Free Speech for People, and they already filed suit in March challenging MTG’s candidacy for re-election. Greene attempted to block the challenge, and last night, the Judge ruled that it can move forward. Greene will be deposed on Friday.
The names of these organizations are always the OPPOSITE of what they are doing.
91% of those who have had chronic or lethal reactions to this virus do not fly or attend large gatherings, they are or were in nursing homes. Most of what the CDC and the government bureaucracies offered was ill-suited to what was needed but did cover their respective a*sses at the cost of our economic and social health. I wore a “blue” paper mask (of no apparent use it appears now) only when some nazi required it.
As we will see in the next few minutes and hours JEffSilberman will comment 20 times about how Turley works for Fox and that the judge is a Trump appointee, ignoring the thousands cheering on planes and trains. Anonymous The Stupid will “opine” 100 times with 10 word comments attempting to “prove” that this decision will kill hundreds of people and how it is all Republicans fault. He will then claim that 50 or 60 other people commenting against him are all from one account and that the world is against him and that he needs his mommy to make the bad men stop commenting against him.
We will then see a 200 comment thread between Jeff and Anonymous the Stupid agreeing with each other about how this site needs to be improved so as to accede to their idiotic point of view.
Hey Jeff and ATS, go to another site and stop trying to ruin the comments section of this one. Jeff and ATS are like Taylor Lorenze, they can dish it out but they cry when confronted.
🙂
The answer is simple. If you want to wear a mask, wear one. If you are afraid you might come in contact with a person without a mask, wear two. That makes you ” even”. If you are still concerned , wear 4. I don’t care. Your choice.
Once again Paul, succinct and accurate – thank you
No problem. Just common sense. Something that most are born with. But some refuse to use.
This is like Manchin stopping the BBB bill, it saves the moronic Biden from himself. The administration was going to look the fool when they end Title 42 while continuing the mask mandate for AMERICANS, but now they can just let the mandate end with a whimper, or without even a whimper, and pretend they aren’t leading from behind.
If you’re mad about the mask mandate being lifted….. start your own airline.
Bryan, I love your comment.
Bryan:
I say if you’re mad about the mask mandate being lifted, start your own country — or leave. Either works.
Sensible people should still take the CDC’s mandate as sensible advise. Even if there iis only 5% effectiveness in wearing a mask it will still do a bit to surpress a sometimes dangerous and debilitating disease.
In normal healthy people the immune system is strengthened and reinforced by contracting and recovering from the occasional illness. The benefits far outweigh the costs. Having a whole population who are immunologically naive to common environmental pathogens around them is bad for our overall health.
Carlyle, let’s assume your logic is correct. Here is something to think about.
Is the 5% benefit for each risk or is it for all risks combined? The difference is like night and day.
Throwing out a number is meaningless.
Just admit that given the choice between learning what is going on in reality and telling people what to do based on your own ignorance and blind allegiances, you choose the latter every single time.
ATS, you are really Stupid. I was helping Carlyle with the math, calculating risk. You have proven you don’t understand what is meant when a mask is said to be an N-95 or a fictional mask N-5.
You brag about how good you are in math but can’t seem to use math in everyday situations.
Yeah. Don’t wear a mask. Don’t wear a condom when you go to the cathouse.
Don’t change Dicks in the middle of a screw: Vote for Nixon in 72!
Where’s my comment?
No mask people are like dumb smokers.
Guns are quicker you dumbschmuck.
Liberty2nd, wear your damn mask and shut the hell up.
Is this a parody account or simply a narcissistic troll out of touch with reality?
liberty2nd? Meet Safety Third.
You really drank the kool aid on this one. Would you have turned in Anne Frank with just as little prodding because of fear or fear of retribution? The big government claimed all sorts of scientific data as to why the Jews should be eliminated and many just swallowed that government issued garbage just the same “because the government said so” despite alternate scientific data to the contrary. Put a little perspective on ALL the available data first before acting quite so much little like the nazis