The Morning After

Plus: Eric Adams' clown show, Matt Taibbi's lawsuit, and more...

Why does free trade matter? "Trade has undeniable human costs—dislocated and unemployed workers, some of whom struggle to find dignified ways to support themselves and who may be left with dreary lives without meaning," wrote economist Russ Roberts back in 2016. "What are the benefits? One benefit is obvious—less expensive clothes, toys, and gadgets. But if that's the end of the story, it's a pretty bad deal."

There's much more to it—economic revolutions, brought forth from new technology or expanded trade (or both), bring extraordinary benefits that ripple far beyond what most people see. The transition out of manufacturing employment—the decline of the Rust Belt that Vice President J.D. Vance claims needs to be reinvigorated—brings worries "that not enough of those manufacturing workers have found good alternatives. But, argues Roberts, "I don't think we know just how easy or how hard it has been for out-of-work manufacturing workers to find new jobs. What I do know is that the question of whether trade with China or the increased use of technology in manufacturing has been good for America isn't just about those lost jobs vs. cheap toys. What we have to remember is that spending less on toys (and clothes and cars and smartphones) creates a lot of opportunity elsewhere. That's why trade and innovation and growth matter. That's let the American workforce expand by 12 million jobs since 2000 even in the face of a horrific recession in 2008."

"Trade and innovation are really the same thing," Roberts notes earlier in the piece. "They are ways to get more from less. Ways to be more productive. Ways to increase our standard of living overall though not every single person will benefit. But when we find ways to get more from less, that means more resources available to expand opportunities elsewhere in the economy. That expansion is unseen." (The whole thing is worth a read.)

The Trump administration could stand to read some Russ Roberts (or some Eric Boehm, our resident trade guy).

Here's what happened following yesterday's insane tariff announcement: News emerged that the "reciprocal" tariffs weren't really reciprocal at all, and that the administration had lied about the tariffs levied on U.S. companies when seeking to make the case for the tariffs we're now imposing. Stocks plummeted globally. Recession forecasters updated their predictions, and not in a good way. And while we were sleeping, China retaliated, imposing 34 percent tariffs on all U.S. goods that enter their ports—going into effect April 10, a day after President Donald Trump is set to impose his most recent round of tariffs.

China also took a variety of other aggressive actions, signaling that trade relations have deeply soured, including restricting exports of seven types of rare earth metals; halting imports of poultry products from two major American producers; putting 11 defense companies of ours on an "unreliable entity list" due to their cooperation with Taiwan (whose independence the Trump administration accidentally alluded to, by listing it separately when announcing the tariffs); halting sorghum imports from an American company; and more. Basically, China went a bit scorched-earth.

"I think it's going very well," said Trump yesterday, assessing the fallout from his tariff announcement before jetting off to a golf tournament (truly). "The markets are going to boom, the stock is going to boom, the country is going to boom," he added. "The rest of the world wants to see if there any way they can make a deal."

If that's his game plan, OK: The idea is that this will bring other countries to the negotiating table to get them to remove any tariffs they levy on us. But it doesn't seem like this is what's going to happen. It seems like he's obsessive about trade deficits, and sees them as weak or undesirable, and that he wants to revitalize American manufacturing, not realizing or not caring about the degree to which Americans will be made poorer—in short-term budgetary terms and in long-term innovation terms—from his choice to cut us off from the rest of the world.

For more on this, watch this episode of Just Asking Questions on tariffs, starting roughly one hour in:

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Scenes from New York: Clown/Mayor Eric Adams to run for reelection as an independent, not a Democrat.

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QUICK HITS

• "The European Commission plans to present a proposal to cut back the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR for short, in the next couple of weeks," reports Politico. "Slashing regulation is a key focus for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as part of an attempt to make businesses in Europe more competitive with rivals in the United States, China and elsewhere." Finally, they learn! Bless the Europoors, may they come to see the error in their ways.
• "President Donald Trump said the US was close to unveiling a plan that would spare the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from a US ban, with multiple investors involved in discussions for a deal," reports Bloomberg. The deal reportedly involves Oracle, Blackstone, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, but no details have been released yet.
• Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress during a congressional hearing at which he was a witness. So yesterday he filed a $10 million libel lawsuit against that member "for allegedly falsely accusing him of sexual harassment and amplifying her claim on her social media accounts," per National Review. "These statements are demonstrably false and were made with actual malice—either with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for their truth," reads the lawsuit.
• Journalist Daniel DiMartino explains in three minutes why tariffs will make you poorer.
• Yep:

Trump could've followed the Milei path, but he decided he'd rather be Juan Peron. https://t.co/iD3fxRFJ9f

— Zach Weissmueller (@TheAbridgedZach) April 3, 2025

• Beautiful:

Not every stock is down today. And yeah, I get it. pic.twitter.com/BGc9vzKJNb

— Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) April 3, 2025

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

The idea is that this will bring other countries to the negotiating table to get them to remove any tariffs they levy on us. But it doesn't seem like this is what's going to happen.

Seems a little early to make that pronouncement.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

We’ve never had problems before now!

[Chinny Chin Chin]

"Trust government," said every libertarian, ever.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Bailey says that all the time.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

The irony is you want to trust government and globalists by using managed trade ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

End goal always being managed, with tariffs and trade agreements.

End goal here is to get rid of tariffs.

[Quicktown Brix]

End goal here is to get rid of tariffs.

Phew!

[sarcasmic]

The end goal is to get rid of tariffs while keeping high trade barriers to protect domestic industry while shifting federal revenue from income tax to tariffs.

Trump's tariffs are magic. They can simultaneously be zero, be small enough to not change spending habits so they can generate revenue, and be high enough to change spending habits so they can be protectionist. All at the same time!

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Sarc knows all about small things.

[Incunabulum]

We hope.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

No it isn't. He has many conflicting end goals, one of which is to raise prices so high that Americans start producing what used to be imported. That's why they're called protective tariffs. If tariffs went to zero, hey presto! No protection.

Another stated end goal is to protect American workers by raising tariffs high on products from countries with different labor and environmental policies. But if tariffs go to zero, hey presto! No protection.

You're still as economically ignorant as Trump. Basic logic isn't your strong suit either. Maybe you'd be better off finding some penguins to tax.

[sarcasmic]

Oh yeah? Well you're an economic dogmatist lol! You support slavery and oppose IP lol! You want to destroy domestic industries and ship jobs overseas lol! You.... You.... You.... I just refuted all your arguments!
-Jesse

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Bet you didn't read SGT's post.

[The Average Dude (Who's Smarter Than You)]

Haha, love it. Trolling done right.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

"One of which is to raise prices so high that Americans start producing what used to be imported."

True story, although he's more oriented on production costs than retail prices, which of course become the same thing in the end though.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Add Vietnam to the list of no tariffs and even an agreement to monitor Chinese goods to ensure they aren't used as a pass through to avoid tariffs.

STG will be by soon to say why this is bad.

[The Average Dude (Who's Smarter Than You)]

Uh huh. Only good can come from all this. Everything working out exactly according to plan. I see now. Such clear, cogent thinking you offer.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Did you say something of worth here?

Let me do it in the opposite.

Only the status quo works. Us tariffs bad, foreign tariffs good.

Did I get that right?

Such clear cogent thinking.

Imagine getting upset to 2 countries agreeing to no tariffs lol.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Imagine how Israel feels, having reduced their tariffs to zero, and then getting slapped with heavier tariffs than Iran.

[sarcasmic]

"Trust Trump," said no libertarian, ever.

[THX1138]

"Trust Sarcasmic," Said no rational-thinking person, ever.

I've tried...for years I've tried to read your opinions and see some tiny sliver of libertarian thought.

Welcome to my grey box.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Poor Sarcasmic, that's about the worst thing anyone can do to him. Good or bad he craves attention.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Who?

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

You know, the guy who isn’t here very much.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

He probably won't even see he is muted until next week.

[sarcasmic]

You mean you won't be leaving any more inane replies to my comments? Aw shucks.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

That slice is solely to hide his support of Democrats. You see the same behavior as Mike and Jeff.

Start with a Democrat or leftist position, attempt to wrap it in a libertarian argument. That's all he is doing.

Look at how he defends tariffs when in large trade bills or in other countries but attacks any Trump tariff.

[Quicktown Brix]

Start with a Democrat or leftist position, attempt to wrap it in a libertarian argument. That's all he is doing.

That's what you're doing.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Well, maybe the libertarian justice warriors.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Seems a little late to make the announcement after multiple countries already have.

[Quicktown Brix]

When will Trump drop tariffs on those nations?

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Already done

[Quicktown Brix]

???

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Quick, huh?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Mike had gone full sea lion. He has been doing this to every link. Even to ones of prior 9th circuit rulings regarding TPS or prior rulings in DHS having sole discretion.

His mask is off.

Primary sources are bad or mean the opposite of what they say because he has feels.

[Quicktown Brix]

Whatever. Why don't you address my arguments rather than just insulting without countering facts days later?

[Quicktown Brix]

What nations? Where is this being reported?

[Quicktown Brix]

Crickets...

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Sorry. Canada for one.

[Quicktown Brix]

He didn't lower any tariffs. He just exempted some items in the USMCA. This does not qualify as reducing tariffs in response to other nations offering to lower theirs, as was the claim above.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Seems a little hypocritial to impose tariffs AFTER countries dropped theirs.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"I think it's going very well," said Trump yesterday, assessing the fallout from his tariff announcement before jetting off to a golf tournament (truly).

The villainy knows no end.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Liz is just giving the next assassination in the bushes a heads up.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Speaking of villainy: whose independence the Trump administration accidentally alluded to, by listing it separately when announcing the tariffs

How dare he merely allude to the fact that Taiwan is an independent country! He should come right out and say it.

Though, of course, China doesn't have to be independent from Taiwan. I would also accept the submission of Beijing to the leadership of Taipei.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...economic revolutions, brought forth from new technology or expanded trade (or both), bring extraordinary benefits that ripple far beyond what most people see.

While I personally doubt it, there is the possibility that Trump's bullshit yesterday will actually yield something positive. Who knows.

[Spiritus Mundi]

It is just wait and see at this point. And buy the dip, but maybe wait a few more days for the bottom.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I am not a fan of tariffs - theirs or ours - but with every corporate journalist to a man telling me how bad this is going to be, I am forced to being open to Trump's plan.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Yeah, when progressives, establishment types, the WEF, commercial media, and Paul Krugman all agree, I want to consider whatever it is they hate.

[Spiritus Mundi]

In the same boat.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Buy the dip? With the cost of chewing tobacco at this rate?

[Spiritus Mundi]

The dollar will go to zero, we will need the cheesy poof index in barter town to figure out the tobaky price.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Whats funny is this dip is the same dips we've seen a few times the last 5 years.

[Nelson]

Clearly you aren’t in the market. The S&P was up over 25% last year. Anyone in the market made a killing.

This year? Down over 4%, and that was before the tariff announcements.

Do you just say the things that you want to be true without checking the facts? Or do you really think +25% is worse than -4%?

Hint: buying the dip requires stocks to go down. This is the first time in several years that it’s been possible to buy the dip because there hasn’t been one in a while.

[Spiritus Mundi]

A while, like 2022?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Me: 5 years.
Retard leftist: last year!!!

God you're a fucking idiot.

Then makes a claim he checks facts lol.

Nelson. You're a fucking retard. I knew the 22 dip linked above lol.

[Beezard]

Or every couple of months in crypto.

[Quicktown Brix]

there is the possibility that Trump's bullshit yesterday will actually yield something positive.

Like impeachment?

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

But wouldn’t that bring on another constitutional crisis?

[Quicktown Brix]

I was just joking, but I'll take your question seriously.

It would create crises, but not the constitutional type. Then again, yeah, probably, due to the complications of everything legal.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Consti-what now?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I heard from no less than the Chief Justice of the US that threatening impeachment is a terrible way to handle disagreements.

[Quicktown Brix]

Disagreements about abuse of power?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Yes, disagreements about what constitutes the abuse of judicial authority, and the boundaries of that authority. Surely the same applies to disagreements about what constitutes abuse of executive authority, and the bounds of that authority?

Unless we are to presume that district court judges are the true masters of the executive branch, and challenges to that notion is an abuse of the supposed authority the executive holds?

[Quicktown Brix]

You make good points. I guess it's only historical norms that separate the 2.

You've revealed my bias to me and I'm grateful for that. The more I'm aware, the less hypocritical I will be going forward.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I guess it's only historical norms that separate the 2.

We've had more Presidential impeachments than Judicial ones throughout our history. Particularly recently. It's not shocking that people would find the latter more jarring, though I would have hoped for the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court to have known better. I don't recall him chiding Congress over their multiple impeachments of Trump. Hell, if he had I'd think it was less vaginal sandiness on his part when he bitched about Trump suggesting it for a judge vastly overstepping their bounds. At least it would be consistent. As it is, it just makes him look like a tribal nitwit.

[Zeb]

I have serious doubts as well, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. If this is what's happening then I guess I hope I'm wrong and it works out well.
The conflation of trade deficits with tariffs (and the assumption that trade deficits are necessarily a bad thing) is not filling me with confidence that there's a good plan here. I suppose trade deficits will in some cases result from trade protectionism on the other side. But they can happen for lots of other reasons too.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Go watch some of the speeches and interviews with Bessent. He has explained it better.

Also a good article on it was posted yesterday in the roundup. Kevin Oleary has also been doing a good job on interviews.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Or you could just, you know, think. Jesse's as ignorant and illogical as Trump when it comes to tariffs.

1. Trade deficits are the measure of foreign investments. They have the same magnitude but opposite signs. These are not economic theories, they are definitions. Trump thinks he can raise one while decreasing the other. This is as algebraically meaningful as raising a Fahrenheit temperature while decreasing its Celsius counterpart. Trump is an economic moron.

   Trade balances between pairs of countries in a world of 200 trading countries are meaningless.

   • Country A sells $1B of spoons to Country B.
   • Country B sells $1B of knives to Country C.
   • Country C sells $1B of forks to Country A.

   They've all got trade deficits and credits with each other. Trump is an economic moron.

2. Reciprocal tariffs among countries A, B, and C are meaningless. Trump is an economic moron.
3. Tariffs are domestic internal taxes. Just as a bazooka has a dangerous back blast even while harming enemies, so do tariffs, by taxing consumers, giving the government more money to spend and waste, and substituting government collective one-size-fits-nobody idiocy for individual liberty. When tariffs are the only weapons in your arsenal, you have a lousy collectivist arsenal. Trump is an economic moron.
4. Trump claims he wants trade war to force other countries to reduce their tariffs, ideally to 0. He also claims he wants tariffs to protect American jobs from imports which are cheaper because they pay less. Yet he can only accomplish goal #2 by keeping tariffs high. Trump is an economic moron.

Anyone who thinks Trump is an economic genius playing 4D chess is an even bigger economic moron.

[sarcasmic]

Copy into notepad, then back into the browser. Unless your goal is different fonts.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Hard to read with beer googles?

[InsaneTrollLogic (Sarcasia’s disloyal opposition)]

Jealous, Sarc?

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't believe number 4 is accurate. A trade partner that removes tariffs on incoming American goods makes those imports more attractive to that country's consumers. In such a case keeping U.S. tariffs on that partner's goods would not strictly be necessary to reach some protectionist goals.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

What? How does importing more American goods affect the production and export price of their goods to America?

If the goal is to add tariffs equal to the foreign countries lower cost of labor and regulation, that has nothing to do with them importing more of our goods.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think what my chatbot was trying to say here is that it is possible to protect American jobs by increasing exports instead of restricting imports. Personally I doubt it would be the case but it's not impossible, especially with U.S. labor unions being descendent.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

What happens when Country A off-shores all flatware production to Country C, while Country B imposes tariffs on spoons?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

You'd be more persuasive to third parties if you threw fewer insults.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

He has become an idiot on this subject. He refuses to look at actual data and makes incorrect assumptions.

He also keeps changing it to an argument I've told him I'm not making.

He does so to keep the current unilateral theory he has been wrong about alive. To make excuses for supporting advantaged trade.

Everything he does is in support of no tariffs here while supporting tariffs there. Globalist managed trade.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

You'd be more persuasive to third parties if you threw fewer insults.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

You'd also be more persuasive to third parties if you threw fewer insults.

[Wizzle Bizzle]

This is what a libertarian-leaning person SHOULD be. Skeptical, particularly of government, but open to being wrong. Reason, on the other hand, lives by the motto: "Often wrong, never in doubt."

I think this shit is pretty crazy. But if (big if) Trump gets 50%-75% of these countries to quickly cave and lower tariffs / remove barriers to entry, there is every chance this is a win for both the US economy and global free trade. And if that does happen, I require every writer at Reason to commit mass seppukku on camera.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

They won't. They will transition to the Nirvana fallacy and claim since it isn't 0% around the world it is bad.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

On the bright side, we aren’t hearing much about Gaza this week.

[mamabug]

I think the best take on this I've seen so far was from a liberal economist who was, surprising, of the same opinion. He made a few good points about how the wealth of the global market economy has mostly gone to the stock market and the wealthy at the expense of the American working class. We won't really know what the effects of upending the current global economic status quo will be and it depends a lot on how other countries react. Too early for a freak out, but wise to be concerned because we are in uncharted territory.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

The crisis freak out and parade of horribles has been hilarious to watch. Media never learns.

From Trump is Hitler to constitutional crisis most everyone is tired of the boy crying wolf.

When all is said and done and people realize their lives haven't really changed, media will once again look stupid.

Then if we end up with reciprocal tariffs of zero with many countries, media and globalists will pretend it doesn't exist. When jobs and investments return domestically, they will claim it is bad. If welfare is finally retarded, it will be talked as if Trump is going against the poor, even as the poor end up better off through industry.

Please keep freaking out. It has been hilarious.

My favorite example from yesterday was MSNBC interviewing a shopper whose groceries went from 30 dollars to 75 dollars. Nobody questioned this shopper. Not understanding the tariffs aren't even active.

Meanwhile we had 2 months of egg prices, now ignored. 2 months of gas prices, now ignored.

Please continue to look like emotional ever reactive children as all your predictions fail.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Please continue to look like emotional ever reactive children as all your predictions fail."

You just summarized the modern Democratic Party.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

How's that penguin tax doing? Still think Trump's playing 4D chess?

[MT-Man]

I haven't kept up on this part, but did anyone explain, my first assumption (again didn't follow up) would be that is preemptively stops someone from setting up shop/distribution/fake distribution on that island/place/country/region through some tax loophole.

[Nelson]

No, it’s because the tariffs aren’t about who has tariffs on us, they are about reducing our trade deficit (which it won’t do), so they just start at 10% for everyone and raise it based on the trade deficit we have with that country.

That’s why Israel, which cut their tariffs on US goods to zero, have higher tariffs than Iran, who we don’t trade with at all.

It’s about as one dimensional and incoherent as economic policy gets. And self-destructive, because we’re all going to have to pay for it. Literally pay for it.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Iran is under sanctions dumbfuck lol.

A bit more rigid than tariffs.

Do you idiots just say stupid things because you don't know better or you're ignorant?

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Iran has lower tariffs, dumbfuck.

Oh, and I have it on good authority that "You'd be more persuasive to third parties if you threw fewer insults."

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

STG just repeats leftist narratives.

The island doesn't have permanwnt residents but it has fisheries that produce and trade products.

It would take STG 5 seconds of research but he prefers the narratives.

Why he screams penguins. That was the narrative. He doesn't know better. He's a fucking idiot.

[See Double You]

Trump also levied tariffs on countries with which the U.S. has a trade surplus. His "Liberation Day" tariff strategy moves the goalposts from his initial stated strategy of reciprocal tariffs by including factors that have nothing to do with the ordinary definition of a tariff (e.g., "currency manipulation").

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

It makes perfect sense to tax penguins. Fuckers are obviously rich, they're all wearing tuxedos all the time!

Well, I suppose they might also all be male strippers.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"If that's his game plan, OK: The idea is that this will bring other countries to the negotiating table to get them to remove any tariffs they levy on us. But it doesn't seem like this is what's going to happen. It seems like he's obsessive about trade deficits, and sees them as weak or undesirable"

I think this is perhaps the most "fair-take" summary I've seen on Reason, and one I'm very much in touch with. I think most of these tariffs are meant, at a high level, as cudgels to get other countries to reduce or eliminate their anti-American or generally protective tariffs or otherwise implement US policies (e.g., push Mexico to help prevent illegal border crossings). I also think Trump sees low-key tariffs eventually as a revenue stream.

But there's no way all manufacturing and all products can be USA-sourced, nor would we want to. And if that's what Trump has in his head, he's bonkers. Should we be concerned about a lack on US source for certain critical items? Probably, but that's a different question that saying people can't buy 99-cent sneakers from Temu.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

He doesn't want it all to be sourced here. Hes never said that.

His primary complaints have been the secondary effects many of us have noted for years. The offshoring of jobs and industry. The failure of the middle class. Increase in welfare.

Youre paying for the old policy through an ever expanding welfare system. Causes plans like Medicaid expansion and ACA. Those are costs as a direct result from the globalist economic policies.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Ah ah ah "Hes never said that."

And you tell us to ignore his words and only pay attention to his deeds. Shame on you!

One of his recent deeds is taxing penguins. What does that tell you?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

That penguins are antiamerican bastards.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

You'd look less stupid if you took 5 seconds and see there are fisheries that trade on the island instead of repeating corporate media narratives about penguins.

You think you're educated but you just repeat narratives without any thought or inspection lol.

It's been fun watching you repeat the exact same talking points as CNN and MSNBC though. Down to the penguins talking point.

Whats extra hilarious is I've already even said he went about it the wrong way yesterday. I just agree with the tit for tat strategy. This is why you're basically sarc now. You can't actual against what people actually argue.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Clown/Mayor Eric Adams to run for reelection as an independent, not a Democrat.

Ha. He's finally getting good advice.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"to run for reelection as an independent, not a Democrat"

Sounds counter-revolutionary. And you know how deplorable that is.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Poor sarc and JewFree.

Hamas ‘quietly drops’ thousands of deaths from casualty figures
Claims that 70 per cent of the fatalities are women and children are complete nonsense, says report

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/04/01/hamas-drops-thousands-of-deaths-from-casualty-figurures/

And that 70% number is 90% males 13 to 19 who are part of the Hamas child soldiers.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Worst genocide evah.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Now how are Sarcasmic, Misek and J(ew)Free going to keep the hate flowing?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Actually, it'll be super easy! Barely an inconvenience!

It's not like facts ever mattered to them before.

But who is that first person you mention? I haven't seen comments from anyone with that handle.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

A retarded wife-beating drunk from Maine, but he barely comes here anymore, so you probably haven't heard of him.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Ah, fair enough. That guy sounds like an asshole. I'm glad he doesn't hang out here.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Lemme guess --- they were liars before, but now they're telling the truth.

Pardon me for not believing either statistic. I go by their deeds, not their words.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

People usually admit to things against their self-interest only when they find themselves in a position where they have no choice but to tell the truth.

[Minadin]

Found the original source for the article without paywall.

https://honestreporting.com/vanishing-victims-hamas-scrubs-thousands-of-confirmed-civilian-deaths-from-its-fatality-list/

It's fairly detailed about how Hamas just straight-up lied about all of this:
- Failing to distinguish between civilians and combatants
- Overreporting fatalities among women and children
- Including individuals who died before the war began

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Geez, when you can't believe Hamas who can you believe?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Students at Columbia University?

Wait, basically the same thing. My bad.

[Randy Sax]

Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress during a congressional hearing at which he was a witness.

It was Sydney Kamlager-Dove for anyone wondering. I wonder why the name was omitted from the post.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Just hope he didn't file in NYC or he'll owe millions for saying he isn't.

[Randy Sax]

Filed in New Jersey. I read the filing.

In the 90's he and a guy wrote a fictional book where:
"In one passage, Ames describes a fictional scene in which an American female co-worker
complained about their treatment of Russian female staff, to which Plaintiff allegedly replied,
“But… it is funny.”"
Several news outlets wrote that this was something he actually said in real life to a woman. Matt made them all retract their stories and they did. The congresswoman referred to the original un-retracted articles to make her claim.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

So he has Russian ties!

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

I used to buy Italian ties. But now I wear Hawaiian shirts most of the time.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

https://pineapplepalaka.com/

Upgrade your style.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Hawaiian shirts with Russian ties? That sounds like quite the combination.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

I’m a trendsetter.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

No pants?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

DLAM is Toobin?

Would not have guessed... 😉

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Tobin is a copycat.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Serial sexual harasser?
He really really loves captain crunch

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Keep your hands off my lucky charms!"

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Trix are for sex workers!

[Randy Sax]

That's not *milk*.

[Spiritus Mundi]

*frosted* mini wheats

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Judge who issued TRO to force Trump to continue funding left wing group used to work with left wing group. No bond required.

https://freebeacon.com/trump-administration/federal-judge-orders-trump-admin-to-resume-funding-left-wing-immigration-groups-including-her-former-employer/

[damikesc]

Seems the lack of a bond should provide a reason to ignore.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Trump administration should place the money they are notionally "required" to continue to provide into a bond. That, of course, being quite literally the size of the potential damages should the suit eventually fail.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Not even trying to hide it any more.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Slashing regulation is a key focus for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen...

This goes against everything the EU stands for!

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Also, "Since WHEN?!" Fond'a Lyin' hasn't ever shown any interest in slashing regulations before, unless they were regulations against her stealing everything that isn't nailed down.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Jasmine Crockett admits her only qualifications are being black.

https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2025/04/03/i-cant-believe-jasmine-crockett-admitted-to-this-n4938562

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Skin color is the most important thing.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Power is the most important thing. Skin color is just a tactic.

[Ajsloss]

Thanks for the reminder! It's been a while.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I love Jasmine Crockett. She is just the gift that keeps on giving. Every single thing she says should be rebroadcast as widely as possible, while making sure that everyone is aware that she speaks for the Democrat Party.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

I didn't think we'd see anyone in Congress as dumb as Maxine Waters, Cori Bush, or MTG, but Crockett really is reaching for that brass ring.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

It's a pity this isn't Highlander, and there can't be only one member of congress that dumb.

[Beezard]

I’d settle for seeing how they fare against The Kurgan.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Acr Blue internal documents show them knowing they were allowing foreign people to commit fraud to donate and even loosened fraud detection in 2024.

https://justthenews.com/government/congress/actblue-adopted-more-lenient-donation-standards-received-foreign-money-during

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

What if Jeff was Chinese?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

He'd be less fat?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

He'd be the great fat of china.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Donald Trump said the US was close to unveiling a plan that would spare the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from a US ban...

BlackRock needs to buy it.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Or vice-versa.

[sarcasmic]

Depending on the context, the defense of Trump's tariffs shifts from "Tariffs are going to make us rich by protecting domestic industry and shifting taxes away from income" to "The goal is to force trading partners to lower tariffs to zero, then we'll lower tariffs to zero, and we will achieve true free trade."

Looks like classic Orwellian doublethink to me, because those two things are mutually exclusive. Can't balance the budget with 0% tariffs. That or his defenders are a bunch of liars. Probably both.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Increase domestic production then export the products tariff free. Yup, classic double think.

[sarcasmic]

Spoken like a true Trump defending economic ignoramus (redundant I know) who sticks his fingers in his ears and yells "La la la I can't hear you la la la" so he can't possibly learn or understand the basic foundation of the entire fields of study: comparative advantage.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Explain how he is wrong. Sarckles.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Easy. Anyone who does not hate Trump is wrong.

[sarcasmic]

"Anyone who understands economics has TDS." -Trump defenders

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Everyone who has TDS hates anyone who does not."

[Spiritus Mundi]

We can add double speak to the Sarctonary.

[EISTAU Gree-Vance]

Ya know, if you were here more often we might be able to get a better read on how you really feel about this issue, sarc.

Please do expand on these thoughts. Or just repeat them over and over and over and over……

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Pretty wild seeing the 90s democrats.

Schumer:

“This is an anti-fraud amendment. All over where we go, people say, why can't you stop illegal immigrants or others from coming here?"

"And the number one answer we give our constituents is when they come here, they can get jobs, get benefits against the law because of fraud."

"If you believe you want to stop fraud in immigration, you have no choice but to support this amendment."

https://x.com/WesternLensman/status/1907902248933535951

Pelosi:

"On this day, your member of Congress could have drawn the line to say to the President of the United States, do something about this US-China trade relationship that is a job loser for the United States."

https://x.com/mazemoore/status/1907836058005295612

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Did facts change?

And did the WEF change them?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress during a congressional hearing at which he was a witness. So yesterday he filed a $10 million libel lawsuit against that member...

I hope the dem cred she earned in front of the cameras was worth it.

[Spiritus Mundi]

She will be made whole by a NGO funded by USAID.......oh wait

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Somebody call the Soros foundation."

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I wonder how much of the deficit could be dealt with by impounding the assets of the Soros Foundation as those of an Alien Enemy.

[Marshal]

Universities still function in this role, that's why the top priority right now should be red states appointing new trustees and leadership to their university systems. The goal should be to eliminate unnecessary and political administrators like Title IX and DEI, as well as restaffing politicized faculty to eliminate campus extremism and return to a normal environment.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Is the Congressional slush fund for legal bills not a thing anymore?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

The left admires and supports Mao. They idolize him.

Natalie Winters
@nataliegwinters
WATCH: Leader of Soros-backed Indivisible Movement compares their Trump protests to Mao’s “Thousand Flowers Movement.”

This communist push led to the murder, imprisonment, and persecution of countless people.

https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1905646210964127775

[Fist of Etiquette]

Journalist Daniel DiMartino explains in three minutes why tariffs will make you poorer.

As long as it makes everyone else more poorer, we win.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Finally, a solution to income inequality.

[Jefferson Paul]

That's always been the "solution" to income inequality.

[mad.casual]

If you make something cheaper and more abundant and push it on people more incessantly it makes it more valuable, right?

I can explain how tariffs will make you poorer *and* tighten your abs in 3 minutes!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Trump could've followed the Milei path...

U.S. federal judges decided against that.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Trump's actions so far do seem pretty chainsaw-y.

[mad.casual]

Reason could've followed the Milei path, but they reluctantly and strategically decided they’d rather be Chase Oliver.

[TJJ2000]

"Because ... The ONLY innovation and trade that exists in the world is FOREIGNERS FIRST!!!!", Reason Magazine /s

What did you say domestic manufacturing tax-rates are and their regulatory burdens? Obviously Trump is all wrong to be Tax-Cutting and De-Regulating... /s FOREIGNERS FIRST! /s

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

KMW was literally arguing for expiration of the Trump tax cuts just a month ago. But apparently income taxes are the good taxes.

And barely said a word about 5T in regulatory growth.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Science has proven that reading Eric bohem makes you more retarded

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Trying to make Boehm an economist is like trying to make fetch happen.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Now that's science you can trust.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Trust or "believe"?

[Minadin]

Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress during a congressional hearing at which he was a witness. So yesterday he filed a $10 million libel lawsuit against that member

I know that members of congress are generally protected against legal retaliation for statements made during debate on the House floor in general sessions, but does that not apply to hearings? Or is it able to proceed because she also posted about it on Twitter?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

She posted it to X after. He waited until that action.

[Jefferson Paul]

Thank you. I was wondering the same as Minadin. Posting it to X was either so stupid or she figured she'd get away with it anyway because of Dem privilege in the courts when it comes to things like this.

[Randy Sax]

"The republications on X, BlueSky and Defendant’s website, made outside the scope of her
legislative duties, are not protected by the Speech and Debate Clause and are thus actionable"

From the suit.

[Nelson]

I love when someone waits and gives their opponent enough rope to hang themselves. I hope he takes her to the cleaners.

[JFree]

The protection is not for everything. Only for legislative activities/speech. That said - Taibbi is gonna have a tough time since Nancy Mace made a speech a few weeks ago accusing 4 men - by name - of rape, sexual exploitation, trafficking, etc and accused her GOP primary opponent for her likely 2026 Gov race of either covering it up or ignoring it.

No one in the R's has said boo and her excuse is overtly that she has immunity from the speech and debate clause. So it doesn't surprise me at all that DeRp's have now basically said that's not a red line for behavior/speech at all. This is who we elect to Congress and apparently what we want from them.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

The eu also bans political opponents of the globalists.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...the administration had lied about the tariffs levied on U.S. companies when seeking to make the case for the tariffs we're now imposing.

But there are tariffs levied on American goods. While pillorying Trump shouldn't we complain about those at least a little? Isn't his goal ultimately to rid the world of tariffs and open up true free trade? (But not in a gross commie utopia mindset like way.)

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

For many here the goal is 0 US tariffs and ignoring higher tariffs on US goods. They call this a free market.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

I think they also want cash bennies from the feds, to make their marketing truly "free".

[Nelson]

Strawman much?

[Truthfulness]

Nope, that's the reality. Time to fight back.

[sarcasmic]

Isn't his goal ultimately to rid the world of tariffs and open up true free trade?

Depends. If the argument is about free trade, then yes that's the goal. If the argument is about federal revenue then the ultimate goal is to shift from income tax to tariffs. If the argument is about jobs then the ultimate goal is trade barriers to protect domestic industry.

The ultimate goal is zero tariffs, low revenue tariffs, or high protectionist tariffs.

Just depends on who Trump and his defenders are lying to at the moment.

[TJJ2000]

"Just depends on who Trump and his defenders are lying to at the moment."

UR a joke.
If it's #1 = It's Trump and his defenders are lying.
If it's #2 = It's Trump and his defenders are lying.
If it's #3 = It's Trump and his defenders are lying.
If it's #4 = It's Trump and his defenders are lying.
If it's #5 = It's Trump and his defenders are lying.

Seriously? This is what TDS does to your brain.

[sarcasmic]

yasafi

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Are you having a stroke?

[sarcasmic]

you
are
such
a
fucking
idiot

yasafi

[Bertram Guilfoyle]

So yes he is.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Imagine needing an acronym to say that. That's something an idiot would do.

[Bertram Guilfoyle]

Wait... did he coin it???

[Nelson]

That’s basically most of what everyone under the age of 40 does, all the time. Are you suddenly discovering that it’s a thing?

WTF? ICYMI, it’s a common thing. IANAL, but I’m pretty sure it would be admissible in court. AFAIK, you’re not completely brain dead (although you are a paleocon), so you should know these things. SMH, YCFS.

[Truthfulness]

TL;DR GTFO

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

I didn't say "Imagine needing an acronym", trolltits.
I said "Imagine needing an acronym to say that".

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Ew, did not need that mental picture.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

He can tug it all he wants, but whiskeydick means Sarcasmic Jr. just lays limp in his hands.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Is that why he is always eager to provide a reach-around with Pluggo and Jeff?

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Jeff can only get hard when there's blood, and Sarc wants to be the hitter, not the hittee.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

The pathalogical drunk accusing others of lying is the most hilarious of projections.

[NealAppeal]

I'm having trouble finding solid numbers but presently US imposes overall 3-3.5% tariffs on Chinese goods. China imposes 18-24% tariffs on US goods.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

But China has cheaper labor so everything is cheaper there. Why would they need the tariffs!

[Nelson]

Revenue for the government. Their economy is struggling and they have huge soft power investments like Belt and Road to pay for.

Do you understand that there are multiple reasons to impose tariffs?

Especially if you’re somewhere like China and don’t particularly care what your citizens think. It’s a party dictatorship, they don’t have to care about public pain.

Wait until prices jump here and see what the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy looks like.

Also, FWIW, Chinese labor, especially in the metropolitan and costal areas, isn’t very cheap any more. They are a much wealthier country than they were back in the 70s, so they have to pay their workers more.

Vietnam, Indonesia, and India are the newer low cost/high quality production countries. Egypt, the Philippines, and Cambodia/Laos are looking like they’ll join that category soon, although when I retired a decade ago they still didn’t have reliable enough quality for anything except the cheapest goods like t-shirts.

The bottom line is that you keep saying stupid things about tariffs because Trump, ZeroHedge, and PJ Media are feeding you a load of crap and you are swallowing it whole.

[TJJ2000]

"the Chinese government state that China is a socialist democracy"
"Xi Jinping, China is also termed a whole-process people's democracy."

The "feeding you a load of crap" is pretending the USA is but a 'democracy' when it's a *Constitutional* Republic.

'democracy' doesn't ensure ONE-SINGLE Individual Liberty at-all.
The US Constitution does that. (or tries to at least against 'democracy' fan-fare)

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

I am on the record against these tarrifs, but I think a 2%-6% tariff is proper. Importers should pay for the costs of taxpayer funded services like security screenings.

That said its the job of Congress and only Congress to set tax rates.

[Nelson]

Agreed. Zero tariffs, while it would be awesome, isn’t realistic. Protectionist-level rates are too inflationary, are a terrible idea, and will never realize the ridiculous claims about jobs coming back that Trump is feeding his followers.

Tariffs are just one of many areas where Congress needs to take back their prerogatives from the Executive. Trump is just the inevitable result of too much power being ceded to the Presidency over the last 4-5 decades.

[TJJ2000]

Thanks to FDR[D] and a [D] trifecta congress.
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-Reciprocal-Trade-Agreement-Act-of-1934/

[Zeb]

I'll give some benefit of the doubt because it doesn't matter what I think anyway, so I'll hope for the best.
But (since this is supposedly a libertarian site), I will make the purer libertarian argument: Our government can't control what other governments do. Within their powers, they can maximize our liberty by not interfering with who Americans decide to trade with, regardless of the stupid policies of governments of countries where our trading partners might be. And if we're worried about jobs and wealth creation here, start with removing all the barriers to industry and entrepreneurship that our government has imposed before worrying about what others do. And treat people as individuals, not collective trading blocs.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

There's a recent story in regards to a Nigerian sextortion scam where the teenager killed himself.

Do you think it was wrong the US government went and had them arrested and moved to the US for trial?

What if a foreign country steals from a US firm. What actions besides war can the government take in response?

[Zeb]

I'm not saying the pure libertarian answer addresses every contingency. Just putting it out there. I'm honestly not sure what the best response to the examples you provide is. But sometimes bad things happen and there isn't much you can do about it. I'm not going to claim to have all the answers or a completely consistent opinion about absolutely everything.

[Nelson]

Well shit, Zeb. I’d vote for you with a platform like that. Wanna run for President? Please?

[Truthfulness]

Read JesseAz's reply above as to why that argument falls short.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

How is the tic tok app doing in China? Is it still banned?

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Nobody should say that Jeff and Buttplug don't know how to say "Thank you!"

A “thank you to Governor Walz” display is now up inside the Minnesota State Capitol. The sign thanks the Governor for “not standing in the way of spreading satanism inside the State Capitol Building.”

However, remember the wise words here of Sarcasmic a day or two ago when he said that the real problem was with the Trumper's Christianity. That was the cult stuff. Not this.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

I'm still wondering if Jeff got swept up in that pedophile site that got busted in Europe. 2M users. But the pizza place was fake so it didn't happen.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

♪There are two million pedophiles on the site
That's a fact
It's a thing we can't deny
Like the fact that Shike will be one 'til he dies♪

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

I'm still waiting for the art exhibit "piss Koran" to debut in deer bourn michigan

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Sponsored by Tesla?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Shouldn't it be "Piss Mohammad" instead?

[Medulla Oblongata]

A picture of Mohammad pissing on a quran would probably cause WW4.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

*starts retooling plans for art exhibition*

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

This time France surrenders within an hour.

[Randy Sax]

Mohammad with a vagina. For feminism.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Decorative fountain of a thoroughly "consummated" little nine year old Aisha giving Mohammad a golden shower?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Free trade" is when Americans can buy what we want from other countries, but people in those countries can't buy from us, right?

[sarcasmic]

Economists will tell you that unilateral free trade is best for consumers.

Producers will say that's unfair and demand tariffs to protect them from competition.

Trump defenders will say free trade means zero tariffs across the board. In the next breath they'll say tariffs should replace the income tax. And in the next breath they'll say we need high trade barriers to protect us from cheap imports.

That's not even doublethink. You guys are engaging in triplethink.

[TJJ2000]

"because anything that is a triple-solution is a triplethink and is bad cause 'Trump defenders'!", sarc. /s

Now I get why you were trying to indoctrinate so hard that a Tariff couldn't be tax-revenue and a independence-goal at the same time ... You wanted to spout that first line of BS and make someone believe it.

[sarcasmic]

If the goal is "true" free trade in the form of zero tariffs across the board, then tariffs cannot be used for revenue or protectionism.

If the goal is to generate revenue, then tariffs cannot be zero or be high enough to be protectionist.

If the goal is protectionism, then tariffs cannot be zero and cannot be low enough to generate revenue.

The three stated purposes of Trump's tariffs are all mutually exclusive. You're just too stupid to understand that fact.

[TJJ2000]

LOL... "I said they can't be more than ONE solution at a time!", sarc.
It's humorous how you write your own rules to meet your own ends.

[sarcasmic]

"I see stupid people. They're everywhere. They don't know even they're stupid."

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

In your mind, how many consumers are also producers? Are you?

[sarcasmic]

If it costs you more to produce something than it does to buy it, then you should probably be doing something else. That's what economists mean when they talk of comparative advantage and opportunity costs. You know, those foundational economic principles that Trump and his defenders will forever remain willfully ignorant of.

[TJJ2000]

"willfully ignorant" in believing imaginary unicorns make cost + shipping around the world < just the cost next-door.

If leftists didn't have Self-Projection; they'd have nothing.

[Nelson]

When the labor cost (the largest part of production cost) is 10x higher in the US than someplace like India or Vietnam and the shipping cost is relatively low ($15k or so per container), it’s really, really easy to make the math work.

Can you find someone in the US that’s willing to work for $2.50 an hour? Can you find a whole factory full of them?

So yes, landed cost of production overseas is lower than domestic production for pretty much every mass produced product.

[TJJ2000]

WHY have the people used 'Guns' (Gov-Guns) to make $2.50/hr work illegal? Never-mind the mandatory paid leave, insurance and endless this and that. [Na]tional So[zi]alist Gov-Guns *entitling* the people right out of being productive and put them all on the 'Fed' DEBT payroll?

You're not trying to address the ignorance spot what-so-ever.
You're just blaming the effect on the cause.
And pretending the status-quo of imaginary unicorns makes it so.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

So, not a producer?

[Zeb]

So it's better for the US government to do the same bad things to it's own citizens that other countries do to theirs?

[Nelson]

Yes. The Trump Administration will not be outdone in cruelty and ignorance by anyone else!

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Come on. Give Obama-Biden some credit.

[TJJ2000]

Like cutting Taxes and De-Regulating???????????????????

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

US Bans Sex Between Government Personnel and Chinese Citizens

Sarcasmic cancels his Asian trip, but hasn't realized that being on pogey doesn't make him a government employee.

[Randy Sax]

Ok, but that Baphomet figure is sick.

[Don't look at me! (No longer muted!)]

Is there an echo in here?

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Eric swawell flacidest hit

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

being on pogey doesn't make him a government employee.

And Thai lady-boys aren't Chinese.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Breaking news: Tim Walz changes his vacation plans.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

prohibiting American diplomats, their families and security-cleared contractors in China

Important limits to the prohibition. Federal dog catchers not covered

[mad.casual]

I must say the best part of this story is that I got it straight first and didn't here about this in the context of "Conservatives" and "anti-miscegenation" first and have to dig.

[Medulla Oblongata]

I know, I know. It's racist to even wonder if people with Chinese ancestry (or at least Chinese names) or Chinese people who have been naturalized as US citizen *might* *perhaps* be less than 100% "American" at heart...

I mean, I wonder how many John Smiths work for the CCP Ministry of State Security? Seems like only in America that Yuk Ching Ma can be a CIA employee.

From the article:

Jian Zhao, and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington...

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 71, of Honolulu, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to gather and deliver national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)...

From wikipedia:

Born in British Hong Kong in 1952, Ma and his older brother, David, born in nationalist Chinese Shanghai in 1936, moved to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968 and became US citizens, attending the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Following graduation, David joined the CIA as a clandestine officer assigned to the Far East at the height of the Vietnam war.

In 1983, David Ma resigned from the CIA after an investigation found he inappropriately used his position to assist Chinese nationals obtain entry into the United States. Within the same year, then 30-year old Alex joined the agency, also as a clandestine officer. Following training at The Farm, the younger Ma was also sent to the Far East.[2]

In 1989, Alex Ma abruptly left the agency, and around 1995 he moved to Shanghai.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

'"Slashing regulation is a key focus for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as part of an attempt to make businesses in Europe more competitive with rivals in the United States, China and elsewhere." Finally, they learn! Bless the Europoors, may they come to see the error in their ways.'

Hmm, any ideas of who motivated them?

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

There is still the regulation banning opposition to the wef

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

'Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress during a congressional hearing at which he was a witness. So yesterday he filed a $10 million libel lawsuit against that member "for allegedly falsely accusing him of sexual harassment and amplifying her claim on her social media accounts"'

False? Taibbi is a heterosexual male, right? So of course he is a harasser, if not a rapist. And as a white guy, he is probably a rapist.

Most of all, as an "ex-liberal", Taibbi is a heretic and must be punished.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Not only do MN police not arrest tesla vandalism. They call her the victim because people are saying mean things to her online.

https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1907878862786002991

[Randy Sax]

Pretty good community notes.

Context: Police Chief Booker Hodges said his department is yielding to the wishes of the Tesla owner and is not charging the suspect, due to the suspect paying for the damages and repair bill.

At least she paid for it.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Nope kill all marxists

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

So vandalism is OK if you pay the repair bill?

[Randy Sax]

If she did it to my car, I'd press charges, but the owner didn't. Following the wishes of the offended party doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

I don't know. Criminal acts are still criminal, even when the victim decides to forgive. I can see instances when the actions are debatable ("He shoved me.") and might be dismissed. But other actions ("He shoved me, and I fell down, and then he beat me with a bat.") as something that requires legal redress, regardless of how the victim feels.

[Randy Sax]

With violent crime I understand, with property crime, I think you can defer to the victim ~90 percent of the time.

[Truthfulness]

Crime is crime. Vandalism needs to be addressed in criminal court.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Rape is ok if you feel bad after. - Jeffy

[Medulla Oblongata]

It's also ok if you just hold her down while someone else *really* rapes her, because *you* didn't rape her. And let's not talk about just jerking off on her.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

The note tried to distract from the victim comment. The video was posted with the above comment so it added nothing.

She still isn't the victim. The note tries to switch the narrative.

[Marshal]

The weird aspect of this is the Chief's admonishment that leaders should lead and tone down the rhetoric which is leading to this outcome. He clearly directs this at unnamed "leaders" of the right as he saying it in the context of the vandal also being a victim. But I don't see any "leaders" campaigning for violence, the focus sems to be that she an awful person who should be accountable for her crimes.

But this is Jeffsarc level of propagandistic targeting. The entire targeting of Tesla is happening because of the left's intentional goading their followers into the actions - just as they did in Ferguson and also the riots after Floyd's death. But the Chief doesn't mention that - the left's culpability is subject to different standards and people encouraging vandalism and violence will never be held to account for doing so. This is Left Wing Privilege.

[Jefferson Paul]

I also wasn't a fan of him using "they/them" pronouns to describe the vandal. He already said it was a woman, so why the use of they/them, other than to virtue signal for the left?

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

Matt Taibbi just announced he filed a $10M libel lawsuit in federal court against
Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove over her false claims against him.

Know she would have been safe if she had simply kept her chemjeff-tier smear job to the house, but she was too smart for that and took them to X.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

Don't think her home-owner's policy is going to cover that.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Maybe she can hire legal expertise from Jasmin Crockett. She has a law degree and everything.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

No, she's qualified because she's black

[Rick James]

Here's me waiting for Reason's article condemning the lawsuit as an anti-free speech attack on Kamlager-Dove.

[damikesc]

I've long had an issue with the speech and debate clause.

Politicians can literally slander random people and the slandered have no recourse. That just seems like total bullshit.

[damikesc]

So, China is mad and is going to cut off exports of certain materials.

Got it.

Globalism proving its sheer usefulness, No concerns about relying heavily on others for necessities and all...

[sarcasmic]

You know what another term for self sufficiency is? Poverty. When you do everything for yourself, the result is being poor. When you specialize in what you're good at and buy what you're not good at, the result is wealth. That applies to individuals and nations as well.

But hey, what do economists know? Comparative advantage must be a leftist hoax, right?

[TJJ2000]

Pretty sure the current US Debt throws your USA is better-of working with socialists, than not, concept into the river.

Yes. It is a leftist hoax. The USA was FAR better off being a *Constitutional* Republic than it has ever been since 'socialists' took over.

[sarcasmic]

Wow. Why don't you just wave a sign that says "I am a moron"?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Cool story, bro. I guess self-sufficiency for the self-admitted incompetent looks pretty dismal.

Now what would an economy, and society, look like if it only included productive people?

[sarcasmic]

As expected you deliberately missed the point. Thanks once again for showing how willful ignorance of economics is a prerequisite for being a Trump defender.

[TJJ2000]

Sarc, "You know what another term for self sufficiency is? Poverty."
Earth, "I guess self-sufficiency for the self-admitted incompetent looks pretty dismal."

LMAO... Pretty sure he hit the point right on the head and then some.

That was great. I'm still laughing.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Trumpnhas to believe dependency is success.

He is dependent on alcohol.

He was dependent on government when homeless.

He is dependent on Psaki for his ideas.

Dependence = freedom.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"Now what would an economy, and society, look like if it only included productive people?"

Star Fleet?

[Dillinger]

yes!

[Nelson]

*Bows in respect*

You win today!

[Dillinger]

>>When you do everything for yourself, the result is being poor.

please never mentor or offer advice to another person.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Heh, remember that article just a bit ago about how terrible it was that Trump was removing barriers to American production of various minerals? Good times, good times.

I hope the "editors" at Reason are at least being reimbursed for the clown makeup as a business expense.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

For being Nazis, Orban and Trump are really bad at hating the jooz. They should take lessons from Ireland.

Hungary withdraws from International Criminal Court during Netanyahu visit

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Link broken.

[Mother's Lament - (Sarcasian Meanister of Foreign Affairs)]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c807lm2003zo

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Thanks!

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

*facepalm*

ICC spokesman Fadi El-Abdullah told the BBC: "On the visit of Mr Netanyahu, the court has followed its standard procedures, after the issuance of an arrest warrant. The court recalls that Hungary remains under a duty to cooperate with the ICC."

[Rick James]

the decline of the Rust Belt that Vice President J.D. Vance claims needs to be reinvigorated

JD Vance is wrong on the rust belt.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"...The Trump administration could stand to read some Russ Roberts (or some Eric Boehm, our resident trade guy)...."

The US never had tariffs before TRUMP!!!!!!
Fuck off and die, Liz.

[TJJ2000]

"The US never had tariffs before TRUMP!!!!!!" /s
^THIS. LOL [phone].

One has to be blind not to see that the sudden rage about Tariffs is really just a party-partisan rage against Trump who's doing such a Libertarian-Good job it's the only item they could dream-up to complain about.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Were those tariffs passed by EO? Less Bidens 4 years and O and GWs month(s) long ones.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"Less Bidens 4 years and O and GWs month(s) long ones."

What is your native language?

[Randy Sax]

Racist.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"I may be one of those put in jail”: Neil Young fears that he may be barred from re-entering the US"
[...]
"Writing on his Neil Young Archives website, Young said: “When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminium blanket. That is happening all the time now."
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/may-one-those-put-jail-095418577.html

Neil Young is full of himself and full of shit (which might be redundant).

[Rocinante]

I hope Neil Young will remember…

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

I know I read about entertainers put in jail for saying bad things about Trump all the time!

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Ellen and Rosie odonals got banished to Muslim hell holes

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

I think Ellen got shipped back.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I was unaware that Neil Young is not an American citizen.

[Dillinger]

I was unaware any human was unaware Neil Young is not American

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

I don't pay that much attention to him, honestly.

From Wikipedia: "Citizenship Canada United States (from 2020)"

[Dillinger]

cool, just pointing out Sweet Home Alabama was 1974 and Southern Man was 1970 the controversy trivial as it may be is old

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Hunh. Even with that, I figured Skynyrd was just calling him a Damned Yankee. So, I truly did not know that he was originally Canadian.

Still, my point stands that he literally cannot be turned away at the border just for saying anti-Trump things overseas. Shit, even that college professor chick wasn't turned away for saying anti-Trump things, she was turned away for attending the funeral of a fucking terrorist leader.

So, y'know, I guess if Young decides to go there he might face some static...

[Medulla Oblongata]

"I figured Skynyrd was just calling him a Damned Yankee. So, I truly did not know that he was originally Canadian."

Same here. Neither did I.

[Dillinger]

lol I average a 90 on Jeopardy most days because my brain is full of nonsense.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

The denim tuxedo didn't give it away?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

That sounds pretty American, frankly.

[Jefferson Paul]

It's usually used by people of a certain descent to mock that culture, often in a self-deprecating way. I'm of Irish (and other) descent, and always knew it as an "Irish tuxedo." My friend is of Mexican descent and grew up thinking of it as a Mexican tuxedo. Same for a bunch of Canadians.

I don't think any culture or nationality/ethnicity can claim it as solely theirs.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Since I hadn't realized that wasn't just a joke, and was actually a real thing, I just googled it. It seems that some of the first actual denim tuxedos were made by Levi Strauss after Bing Crosby was turned away by the concierge at a fancy Vancouver hotel for showing up in jeans and a jean jacket.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

All of his fan will be sad

[Gaear Grimsrud]

I never understood why the Hollies, I mean CSN thought they needed a male soprano. I mean Joni Mitchell was available.

[mad.casual]

I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminium blanket.

May? Fucking LOL! Making Arlo Guthrie's littering charge look like legit folk-hero street credit. Hit it Louis.

[JFree]

China retaliated, imposing 34 percent tariffs on all U.S. goods that enter their ports

There goes our comparative advantage re production of garbage.

[Truthfulness]

We can higher the tariffs on China. They go up, we go up. Simple as that.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Who says DEI is dead? Events in the coming week at the local state college:

Indigenous Nutrition Conference
Queer Community Building Circles
Bitch and Stitch
Queer Prom 2025
Consent and Communication Workshop with Title IX

[Randy Sax]

Indigenous Nutrition Conference
How many calories in a bottle of whiskey?
Queer Community Building Circles
They build in circles because they can't build buildings with straight angles.
Bitch and Stitch
Bitches who snitch get stitches.
Queer Prom 2025
Mostly just the decorating committee.
Consent and Communication Workshop with Title IX
How to make a pussy drier than the Sahara.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Indigenous Nutrition Conference

Enh. I can see this one actually having a reasonable scientific basis, given genetic variances in caloric processing.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Maybe, but given the activism on this campus it will likely focus on addressing colonial injustice through eating bugs.

[Super Scary]

"Indigenous Nutrition Conference"
The injuns call that "maize."

[Rick James]

"The European Commission plans to present a proposal to cut back the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR for short, in the next couple of weeks," reports Politico. "Slashing regulation is a key focus for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as part of an attempt to make businesses in Europe more competitive with rivals in the United States, China and elsewhere." Finally, they learn! Bless the Europoors, may they come to see the error in their ways.

By the way, I've been thinking a lot about this lately, but haven't posted anything on it here. There is a very good chance that Trump might just Make Europe Great Again by forcing Europe's hand to do things they've been needing to do for decades. Reducing regulations, dropping tariffs, rebuilding their militaries etc.

I mean, the EU is still an utter basket case and Ursula von der Leyen actually believes that the EU is a sovereign nation, but other than that...

[Dillinger]

I'd be even more hopeful if they'd stop hosting WEF

[Zeb]

Isn't that in Switzerland?

[Dillinger]

did Switzerland move from Europe?

[Moonrocks]

Switzerland isn't in the EU, technically.

[Dillinger]

>>Trump might just Make Europe Great Again

responding to this which contains the word Europe my apologies for confusing at least two people lol

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Dude, Davos is superior to Europe. Just ask anyone.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

MEUGA

[Dillinger]

mho: you collectively will fail to teach the economic lesson you seek to teach because your readers save for three are better educated than to believe the msnbcnn line

[Dillinger]

in fact, where are the Schumer Pelosi & Sanders vids? I don't see them posted here as counter-arguments to the new Schumer Pelosi & Sanders line Reason is tacking this month

[Dillinger]

>>Journalist Daniel DiMartino explains in three minutes why tariffs will make you poorer.

ya but neither you nor Jornolist Daniel DiMartino would ever make a jury because you lead with bias

[Medulla Oblongata]

Noticing a trend among my left-leaning friends on FB, the ones who were fairly sane in their presentation for the last few years, despite being pretty clearly left-leaning they were not posting cat-lady craziness or full TDS efforts. In the last few days, they've started snapping and positing completely unhinged TDS-level shit so that I'm starting to worry about them. I fully expect to be unfriended by several people I've known for decades.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

Look at what Trump has done to Reason: All orangemanbad, all the time.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

And "We miss our entrenched establishment government!"

[Dillinger]

>>Clown/Mayor Eric Adams to run for reelection as an independent, not a Democrat.

if you prefer nipple piercings on your mayors knock yourself out.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

It's not really a factor in a Mayor I'd ever considered before.

And given the places I have piercings, I don't see why I'd care.

[Randy Sax]

I wanted to get a prince albert in college. Gf said she wouldn't let me fuck her if I did.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

On the flip side, I've gotten offers from girls who were curious about my apadravya. 😀

[Dillinger]

>>I don't see why I'd care.

the former and now hopeful mayor led with his. he cares.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Well, I cannot deny that's an odd campaign platform...

[Dillinger]

"I'll Try Not To Murder The Oldie Hawns This Time!" - Cuomo '26

[Dillinger]

>>Matt Taibbi was called a "serial sexual harasser" by a sitting member of Congress

trial will be a hoot she crossed a line x3 but I'm not the federal jury.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Well he wisely didn't file the lawsuit in DC.

[Dillinger]

hopes are high Alina Habba will take care of things

[Marshal]

We've now gone a full week without anyone at Reason even mentioning the most important story of the year: that the Biden Administration has us far more operationally involved than he admitted in Ukraine War to the point that we provide targeting for their artillery (among other unknowns). We've serially blown past red line after red line created to limit both our involvement and the risk of a nuclear war during a time when the President had dementia, so who exactly is authorizing these actions?

I guess they think they're getting too much traction on Trump to risk bring up any other stories.

[Dillinger]

Boehm: Trump Tariffs Not Biden Strategic Reluctant Incompetence Will Cause WW3

[Medulla Oblongata]

Scenes from DC: The BLM plaza is no more.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-end-of-washington-dc-s-black-lives-matter-plaza-is-a-sign-of-the-times/ar-AA1C8Lco

Now, the site has changed again, an indicator of America’s political pendulum swings. Bowser announced early this month that the city would remove the words as she struggled with threats of encroachment from Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.

The work was supposed to take at least six weeks, but appears to be finishing ahead of schedule. Workers have completed removing the letters.

And the street signs reading Black Lives Matter Plaza have come down.

[Jefferson Paul]

They could have just stopped arresting people for leaving tire tracks on it, and the problem would have solved itself in a couple weeks.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Not that Colorado has distinguished itself to be much different than California--and perhaps even worse in some regards...

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) reflected on Gov Newsom's recent comments:

Appearing on HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher,” Newsom delivered a scathing critique of his own party, claiming the “Democratic brand is toxic right now” with favorability ratings below 30%. According to Newsom, Democrats “talk down to people” and “talk past people”

From ‘The Daily Wire’:

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO): “I do agree that the Democratic Party brand is really problematic. And I think that it is a brand that is, with all respect to my colleague from my California, is associated with New York and with California, is associated with the educated elites in this country, and not anymore with working people in this country,” Bennet said.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Colorado's on the same retarded trajectory because the state's dominated by the blue-voting morons in the Denver metro. The state legislature consists of some of the literal dumbest people you could possibly imagine, as if a bunch of theater and Model UN kids from high school were told to run the state.

Bennet's talking out of both sides of his mouth here because, like Newsom and fellow Senator Hickenlooper, he's a typical self-loathing white male leftist who's simply more corporatist in his politics, and has supported every single policy the party's put forth since he was elected to Congress.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

But hard to decide who is more non-entity, Bennet or Hick.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Scenes from Seattle:

'This legislation allows us to collectively heal from the shameful legacy of ‘Defund,’' the councilmember said

From ‘The Blaze’:

“A news release from the city council added that the resolution explicitly ‘reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past Councils to defund or abolish SPD,’ describing such efforts as a ‘failure.'”

https://mynorthwest.com/mynorthwest-politics/defund-seattle-police/4069710

The Seattle City Council is reaffirming its support for police and first responders and reversing past support for the “Defund Police” movement. The end goal is addressing the next steps in closing out federal oversight of the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

At Monday morning’s Public Safety Committee meeting, Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1) introduced Resolution 32167, which outlines Seattle’s progress under the 2012 federal Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice and charts a path forward focused on diversified response systems and community trust.

“The City recognizes that an effective, professional, and community-trusted police service that upholds the dignity and value of every person and holds offenders accountable is an essential function of city government,” the resolution states. “Through the adoption of this resolution, the City reverses any prior commitments or pledges to defund or abolish SPD services or personnel which led to the resignation of hundreds of police officers.”

“This resolution reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past councils to defund or abolish the police,” Saka said. “We know that these statements were routinely cited by departing police personnel as a reason for leaving. We also know that they are very divisive.”

Since the “defund the police” movement, the SPD saw over 700 officer separations, leaving the department with record low staffing.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"Ironically, at the time those ‘Defund’ commitments and pledges were made in the city of Seattle, there were zero, zero Black or African-American, African-descent councilmembers serving in the council at the time," he said mocking the idea that such commitments were made in the best interests of Black Americans like himself.

"I didn’t benefit from that," he said. "No communities that I’m involved with benefited from that. It hurt all communities!"

He reiterated his point and declared, "As a Black man, I’ll say, look, Black and Brown communities, we don’t need White saviors."

After saying that the Black community is both capable of speaking for itself and not a monolith, Saka argued that the commitment to the "Defund the Police" movement had been made after "people cherry-picked specific voices and specific perspectives from our Black community here in Seattle and held it up as ‘the perspective.’"

"It’s not," he said. "Wasn’t then, it’s not true now."

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

What happened to the insane commie cunt-woman on the council?

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

Maybe she spontaneously combusted after Trump was re-elected?

[Medulla Oblongata]

UK online "safety" act killing websites and forums left and right.

https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/04/04/how-the-online-safety-act-shut-down-a-hamster-forum/

Under the rules of the Online Safety Act, all online services and social media – from small online communities to giants like Facebook, X and TikTok – must complete lengthy risk assessments. This involves laying out how likely it is that a user will come across illegal content on their platform and how they intend to deal with it. Sites that fail to comply could face fines of up to £18million or 10 per cent of their annual turnover.

A particularly galling example is the Hamster Forum. Describing itself as ‘the home of all things hamstery’, it is the last place you’d expect to feel ‘unsafe’ online. Still, it too has posted a farewell notice to its users, announcing that it is shutting down. ‘While this forum has always been perfectly safe’, the administrator wrote, ‘we were unable to meet’ the compliance requirements of the Online Safety Act. The administrator of the Charlbury in the Cotswolds forum similarly wrote that the law was ‘a huge issue for small sites, both in terms of the hoops that site admins have to jump through, and potential liability’. As a result of the new rules, the forum was being forced to more strictly moderate its content.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

I hope this ends up well, because if it doesn't, we'll have a bad economy and - a related phenomenon - the return of Democrats to power.

[TJJ2000]

There wasn't a bad economy after Trumps 1st Term and Biden still got (supposedly) elected until there was a bad economy.

I'm not sure your claim holds much evidence.