Can't Buy Our Love

Plus: Child care affordability, Venezuela blockade, Israel's plans, and more...

Rebate checks for all? President Donald Trump is mysteriously addressing the nation tonight. One bit of speculation: that he will use the opportunity to announce that he's sending all Americans generous rebate checks using the money the government has collected from charging tariffs.

"Next year is projected to be the largest tax refund season ever, and we're going to be giving back refunds out of the tariffs, because we've taken in literally trillions of dollars," Trump telegraphed in a cabinet meeting last week. "And we're going to be giving a nice dividend to the people, in addition to reducing debt." Government-issued checks would be in the $2,000 zone, per whisperings from administration officials.

Of course, pumping money into the economy is likely to result in inflation. We learned this lesson during the first round of stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic, during Trump's first term, and we learned this during the American Rescue Plan round of stimulus checks, during former President Joe Biden's term. I understand that for politicians in power, trying to buy people's love and approval seems like the simplest path to a broad, frictionless mandate to govern, but it comes with all kinds of terrible unintended consequences. That Trump can't see this despite so many encounters with this precise dynamic in the last five years is disturbing.

"The calls for a tariff rebate resembled an idea that Mr. Trump had proposed at the start of his term, when he mused about paying a dividend to families based on savings extracted by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, as it slashed the ranks of federal government," notes The New York Times. That never happened, and cost-savings from DOGE were rather paltry. But Trump keeps wanting to have it both ways: Cost-savings or generated revenue he hopes will balance the federal budget (but end up being tiny drops in the bucket) can somehow also be repurposed to be handouts to the American people, to garner their loyalty and trust. It makes no sense.

What happened to childhood independence? "This month, The Argument polled voters about modern parenting. I found it striking how far our society has pushed back the age at which children are trusted with even the barest autonomy—or, from another angle, how many years we expect parents to dedicate all their time to closely supervising them," writes Kelsey Piper. "We asked 'At what age do you think it is appropriate for a child to stay home alone for an hour or two?' To my astonishment, 36% of respondents said that it was not appropriate until 'between the ages of 14 and 17.'…Or take the responses to another question we asked: 'When parents allow a 10-year-old child to play alone in a nearby park for three hours, should they be investigated by Child Protective Services for potential neglect?' Again, 36% of respondents said that they should—and since it only takes one person to make a CPS call, many of your neighbors thinking it's wildly inappropriate for a child to play alone at the park could amount to an effective ban on doing so."

"The role of CPS in accelerating this transition to a highly supervised, highly limited childhood is probably underrated," continues Piper. The whole piece is worth a read.

---

Scenes from New York: 

Interesting that NY mag thinks these are the only three options, isn't it pic.twitter.com/B2KIyT9vX3

— Inez Stepman ⚪️????⚪️ (@InezFeltscher) December 16, 2025

---

QUICK HITS

• "President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers going into and leaving Venezuela, ratcheting up pressure on Caracas as the US builds up its military presence in the region," reports Bloomberg. "The move threatens to choke off the economic lifeblood of a country that was already under severe financial pressure. But it will have a less profound impact on global markets due to the diminished status of Venezuela's oil industry."
• Israel's plan to kill Iran's top nuclear scientists
• "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday rejected bipartisan congressional demands that the Pentagon release footage of an airstrike that killed survivors of a first attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean," reports Politico. 
• A new homesharing app distinguishes itself from Airbnb, which has increasingly been regulated away in a lot of localities: "Part of what makes Kindred different is its selectiveness, accepting only about half of those who apply to join. Generally, your home has to be in an area where there is demand for visitors. And it has to look nice—'curated,' as Kindred says," per The New York Times. "Kindred encourages users to link their social media accounts to their profiles, and the majority of members choose to interview their potential guests. Having the ability to pick who stays in their homes is a policy that is meant to cultivate trust—but also one that may open the door to discrimination."
• Catch me on this week's Reason Roundtable:

• Ridiculous, silly thread for all your holiday party needs.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...he will use the opportunity to announce that he's sending all Americans generous rebate checks using the money the government has collected from charging tariffs.

Gimme that stimmy!

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

It’s my money, and I want it now!

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Maybe a hotline with a catchy song ending in cash now?

[Medulla Oblongata]

"It makes no sense."

If the purpose of the tariffs is to push trading partners into better, more level trade, to get them to remove the barriers they have, to re-shore some operations, and that sort of thing, then recognizing that US citizens will be negatively impacted somewhat in the interim, then sending them the proceeds to offset those costs makes some sense.

If the purpose of the tariffs is to generate revenue, then, no, it doesn't make much sense.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...pumping money into the economy is likely to result in inflation.

Don't try to stymie my stimmy!

[Minadin]

I don't like the checks. It's inflationary in nature. Pay off debt instead. Lower spending.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Same. Dont like the checks being pushed. He already let people be taxed less. Use it to pay down debt.

However congress needs to start pushing reconciliation also.

[Fist of Etiquette]

LAME. Get a load of Mr. Self Sufficiency over here. Some of us are living handout-to-handout.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Who bribed you to be for stimulus!!!

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Agreed. “Fuck you; cut spending”.

[Medulla Oblongata]

That's "Fuck you! Cut spending!"

[mad.casual]

In the vein of the "Scenes from New York" article, in order of preference:

1. Pay down the debt. Reduce regulations and other actual taxes.
2. Return "stolen" tariffpocalypse dollars to Americans to buy/invest in American-made goods.
3. Sit on the generated revenue.
4. Spend the generated revenue somewhere else.
...

[Roberta]

How can it be inflationary by nature, if it doesn't increase the money supply?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Increases to total debt increase the monetary supply.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Some pretty damning documents got released yesterday.

https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/6abombshell-fbi-memos-show-agents-didnt-believe-doj-had-probable

"WFO has been drafting a Search Warrant affidavit related to these potential boxes, but has some concerns that the information is single source, has not been corroborated, and may be dated. DOJ CES [Counterintelligence and Export Control Section] opines, however, that the SWs [search warrants] meet the probable cause standard," that memo read.

"DOJ has inquired as to an Ops Plan for a SW of MAL [Mar-a-Lago]. I let them know we are not in agreement for PC [probable cause] on the SW [search warrant] and that we already had an Ops Plan in place that will [sic] can be quickly updated between FBI/MM [Miami Field Office] and FBI/WF [Washington Field Office]," a redacted FBI agent in the nation's capital wrote in a July 12, 2022 email. "However, WF-[Redacted] does not believe we have PC for the 45 Office or the bedroom due to recency and issues of boxes versus classified information. Therefore, as we are in disagreement on the SW and its scope, we are not yet finalizing a SW as we are missing relevant logistics and details."

“We haven't generated any new facts, but keep being given draft after draft after draft. Absent a witness coming forward with recent information about classified on site, at what point is it fair to table this? It is time consuming for the team, and not productive if there are no new facts supporting PC?” an FBI official wrote in a July 13, 2022 email.

Im just glad a site who screams infinite due process for illegals didnt push Garlands lack of due process for trump. Right sullum?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Federal spending per person has exploded nearly 10,000 percent since 1916, according to the analysis. That was the year President Woodrow Wilson campaigned for a second term on the slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War.” Within five months of Wilson’s second electoral victory, that slogan would prove to be just another politician’s broken promise. America entered the First World War — the war to end all wars — and Wilson and his fellow Democrats began spending like there was no tomorrow.

In the recently ended fiscal year 2025, the federal government spent a record (again) $7.035 trillion, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. That’s $20,474.19 for every man, woman and child living in the country.

https://thefederalist.com/2025/12/17/buried-in-debt-report-finds-government-spending-per-person-soared-10000-percent-over-last-century/

[Spiritus Mundi]

It is always (D)ifferent when it comes to Trump. You see, he (D)eserves it, with the mean tweets and all.

[HorseConch]

To do democracy right and hard enough, sometimes you have to break a few laws.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Interesting that NY mag thinks these are the only three options, isn’t it...

No, they think there is only one option. Everything else they say is propaganda ment to disparage actual options and create the illusion socialism is the only way.

[Fist of Etiquette]

We asked 'At what age do you think it is appropriate for a child to stay home alone for an hour or two?' To my astonishment, 36% of respondents said that it was not appropriate until 'between the ages of 14 and 17.'

We can't trust our kids alone, what with all the pedos around... AND THAT'S JUST IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!

[mad.casual]

In fairness, I don't keep the liquor locked up because I'm worried somebody else's kids are going to break in and drink it.

I give 50/50 odds on whether Mrs. Casual (the one I'm married to) would approve of the appropriateness of any given two consecutive hours of my alone time. Probably 20/80 if there's an internet connection involved.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

The move threatens to choke off the economic lifeblood of a country that was already under severe financial pressure. But it will have a less profound impact on global markets due to the diminished status of Venezuela's oil industry."

The days are numbered for maduro .

[Randy Sax]

The days are numbered for maduro Venezuelans.

I'm no bleeding heart, but Maduro will not suffer as much as the people will. They need to revolt faster if they want to get anything done before they starve to death.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

That’s what I’m talking about.

[Fist of Etiquette]

When parents allow a 10-year-old child to play alone in a nearby park for three hours, should they be investigated by Child Protective Services for potential neglect?

To my knowledge they never caught must less prosecuted a single perpetrator from the Great Playground Clown Epidemic of 2016. They're still out there.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

I want to believe Trump deported them back to Outer Space. The truth is out there.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Simple audit finds 2000 ghost students, fake students to get fraudulent money, in Minnesota.

https://thefederalist.com/2025/12/16/ed-department-nearly-2000-minnesota-ghost-students-fraudulently-received-12-5-million/

[Minadin]

"They “collected checks from the federal government, shared a small portion of the money with the college, and pocketed the rest–without attending the college at all,” according to the letter."

Emphasis mine. So, the schools were in on the fraud? That seems like it should have some repercussions.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Just look at their acceptance numbers. This has always been the scam. Accept students they know will fail out.

UCLA report showed rhe average GPA of incoming students had a 4.0 in high school. 25% cant do middle school math.

[HorseConch]

1100 ACT scores on average for 4.0 students. Here in the midwest, it's primarily ACT, so I searched the equivalent score. It's lower than my kids got as freshmen in HS w/out any advanced math.

[Minadin]

1100 sounds more like an SAT score - is that the ACT converted into an SAT score? An 1100 SAT would be like a 24 ACT or so, if they convert directly.

The 'A' students (3.5 GPA+) in my high school graduating class averaged over a 30 on the ACT and a 1400 on the SAT. But that was 25 years ago. We also didn't have weighted GPA's back then, so a 'B' in gym hit you as hard as a 'B' in AP Calculus. And you couldn't get above a 4.0.

[MK Ultra]

"I'm an illegal Somalian, and I need cash now!"

[Kungpowderfinger]

♫ Call JG Darood Hawiye Rahanweyn… ♪

[Fist of Etiquette]

The role of CPS in accelerating this transition to a highly supervised, highly limited childhood is probably underrated...

I am waiting for someone to call CPS on me when I let the zoomers who work for me unsupervised for an afternoon.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

You, sir, are a monster.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

He has a large monocle collection.

[JFree]

"And we're going to be giving a nice dividend to the people, in addition to reducing debt.

Plus - dessert topping! and floor wax!

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Huge rare earth metal deposit found in Utah. Now watch democrats block all mining to continue dependency on china. The US is full of these deposits but most blocked from mining.

https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/12/utahs-desert-yields-rare-earths-motherlode-challenging-chinas-grip-on-critical-minerals/

[Gaear Grimsrud]

But won't we have to import a lot of African kids to dig it out? Sounds like work Americans won't do.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

They would also accept Haitians.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Well I worry about the cat population but probably worth the tradeoff.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Dem candidates in north Carolina found to have voted in multiple states multiple times. And then nothing happened.

https://avlwatchdog.org/state-board-of-elections-investigates-asheville-vice-mayor-antanette-mosley-amid-questions-about-her-residency-and-voting-record/

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Vote early, vote often!

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Ah, the motto of the City of Chicago.

[HorseConch]

They have the most religious voters. They even vote from Heaven.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Interesting that NY mag thinks these are the only three options, isn't it...

Libertarians know that there's always a foreign au pair or sending their offspring into the mines for a good day's labor.

[Minadin]

They yearn for the mines.

Just look at the popularity of Minecraft among that demographic.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Megan Basham
@megbasham
Whoa. Mark Halperin has heard that the family of Ella Cook, the Christian conservative student who lost her life at Brown university, has been told she was the shooter’s target.

[Chupacabra]

So that's why Brown's president is refusing to help the police.

[SCOTUS gave JeffSarc a big sad]

I wonder how many more democrat terror attacks it will take before we start rounding them up?

[Minadin]

I read that the day after the shooting.

https://x.com/JayFivekiller/status/2000387776899150106

[BYODB]

They have to downplay that kind of thing after the Kirk assassination. People might get the impression that the violence isn't solely coming from the far right, which all their favorite news sources have told them is the case.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The move threatens to choke off the economic lifeblood of a country that was already under severe financial pressure.

That oil money would have been used for the good of the people!

[Randy Sax]

They will starve before Maduro does, if they don't do anything about him quickly.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Israel's plan to kill Iran's top nuclear scientists

I thought the plan was to have Trump bomb them.

[ML (now paying)]

Sorta off-Topic but:

More people were killed in the Sudan in the last three weeks than the whole war in Gaza. Have you heard a peep? Nope. Why? Because it doesn’t further the case of dismantling western civilization.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Of course, pumping money into the economy is likely to result in inflation.

Wait... it isnt tariffs? If this is true then the massive spending under Biden is responsible for current elevated inflation. Does Boehm know?

[Quicktown Brix]

Everybody knows.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Oh really? Then show me when you and boehm werent blindly blaming tariffs for every issue this year dumdum.

Just one post of yours from any tariff thread will do.

[Quicktown Brix]

There is a HUUUGE difference between "tariffs cause prices to increase" and "ALL inflation is due to tariffs."

Then show me when you and boehm werent blindly blaming tariffs for every issue this year dumdum...Just one post of yours from any tariff thread will do.

...No federal policy in my life affected me as strongly as the stimulus package inflation of Trump and Biden...

https://reason.com/profile/comments-history/#comment-11156387

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Personally, I have found the creation of TSA to have a bigger impact on my life. But I travel a lot and my income grows faster than inflation, so I sympathize.

[Quicktown Brix]

That's good.

I rarely travel and my income usually keeps up or beats inflation, but not since 2022.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

You do know that if you dont add ?comments=true your link doesnt work right? Why give a broken link Mike? Why hide your post mike?

Even with the fix your link doesnt work. What article is this? What are you hiding with your post?

Amazing you cant even link properly to your post and spend time editing it.

Now show me from the tariff articles where you didnt solely blame tariffs this year.

[Quicktown Brix]

https://reason.com/2025/08/08/heres-what-happens-to-the-economy-if-trump-fires-jerome-powell-and-installs-a-loyalist-at-the-fed/?comments=true#comment-11156387

I find it absolutely absurd that you're going to criticize me for spend not "spending time editing a comment." It was a broken link. Big deal.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

So your link doesnt undo what I stated in my first post regarding blaming tariffs for current inflation.

Hell it doesnt even claim you havent spent all year blaming tariffs for current inflation.

It is a general comment not even regarding tariffs. Which is why you edited your comment.

So you added a broken link not responsive to my actual assertion.

Good work Mike!

Now. We have just over 3% inflation. Still living off stimulus and a fy25 Biden signed budget. Answer truthfully. Have you blamed tariffs for this just above 3% inflation this year? Yes or no?

Hint. I know the answer.

[Quicktown Brix]

So your link doesnt undo what I stated in my first post regarding blaming tariffs for current inflation.

This just proves your extremely entrenched confirmation bias because it directly disproves your statement.

You know it too, or you wouldn't be raising a fuss about a broken link like that doesn't happen to everybody from time to time.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

No. It doesnt. Because is specifically state tariff thread.

Oh really? Then show me when you and boehm werent blindly blaming tariffs for every issue this year dumdum.

You didnt respond to this.

You added a generalistic comment made 9 months of a narrative failed by data. You have spent 9 months blaming tariffs. Yes or no?

Why lie Mike?

[Quicktown Brix]

Because is specifically state tariff thread.

LOL

[Quicktown Brix]

Have you blamed tariffs for this just above 3% inflation this year? Yes or no?

This year? Yes, because the CPI was trending downward and Trump is otherwise good for the economy, so for the CPI to reverse trend and go back up to 3% is largely due to the tariffs. Most of the inflation was under Biden, but that had run it's course.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

It still went downward dumbfuck. It didnt reverse trend unless you are counting 1 quarter. A quarter AFTER fy25 was signed retard.

Youre again doing exactly what I claimed above lol.

You and Boehm predicted much higher inflation due to tariffs. The signal never appeared. And yet even here you continie to push the narrative despite 9 months of failed predictions.

Never change Mike.

You make another baseless assertion yo continue to push the narrative i called you out on lol.

[Quicktown Brix]

Use your eyes

https://www.statista.com/statistics/273418/unadjusted-monthly-inflation-rate-in-the-us/

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

News flash:
Losers have problems!

[Medulla Oblongata]

Except Boehm .

[JFree]

"Part of what makes Kindred different is its selectiveness, accepting only about half of those who apply to join.

They are leaning all in on the Kin thing aren't they.

If you are 'good' enough to marry my daughter and join the family, then welcome. Otherwise - fuck off.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

I can tell you right now, there is not a large pool of men good enough to marry my daughter.

[Idaho-Bob]

My sentiments with my own daughter. The current guy treats her well, is blue collar (+10), has been around my bullshit for two years, shoots, and is an avid fisherman.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

In my family the uncles spend some alone time with the prospective Romeo. It can get pretty intense. Some of these guys have actually run never to be seen again. Those that make the cut proceed to the next level. Mom reviews the evidence and makes the final decision.

[MK Ultra]

"Brides are always given away because it's illegal to sell them and impossible to get anything for them in trade except an out-of-work son-in-law."

--P.J. O'Rourke

Sigh. I wish he'd stayed as funny as he was in the earlier years.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday rejected bipartisan congressional demands that the Pentagon release footage of an airstrike that killed survivors of a first attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean...

Allegedly rejected alleged demands to release alleged footage of an alleged airstrike that allegedly killed alleged survivors of an alleged first attack allegedly in the Caribbean.

[Super Scary]

Throw in some "people familiar with" and baby, you got yourself a news article.

[Idaho-Bob]

"Bipartisan" demands...

[Incunabulum]

Allegedly.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Woohoo, printing more money has never caused any harm!

[Longtobefree]

They aren't printing money, they aren't even writing checks, it's just a bunch of electrons wandering around the banking system network.
What could go wrong?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

I guess I'm just a Boomer, now (I think that's what the kids are saying). I still write checks from a checkbook.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Part of what makes Kindred different is its selectiveness, accepting only about half of those who apply to join.

Uh-oh.

[mad.casual]

If it's the lower half, OF better watch its ass.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Having the ability to pick who stays in their homes is a policy that is meant to cultivate trust—but also one that may open the door to discrimination.

It's literally discrimination. That's what picking and choosing is. IS THERE ANOTHER DEFINITION OF THE WORD PEOPLE ARE USING?

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

But everyone is equal! Except for some are more equal and need special help.

[Kungpowderfinger]

“Thread of party ideas and games
1. No technology party. No phones, wifi off. No lightbulbs. No doors. No wheels” @Aella_girl

That’s some funny shit from a woman that got rich on onlyfans

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

She also ran a sex convention for incels in silicon valley you know.

[Minadin]

May have saved lives with that one.

[mad.casual]

Wow, uh, phones, lightbulbs, doors, or wheels huh... do penicillin and latex count as 'technology'? Asking for a friend.

[Quicktown Brix]

President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers going into and leaving Venezuela

uh huh

US military blows up 3 alleged drug boats in eastern Pacific, killing 8 more ‘narco-terrorists'
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5650556-us-military-strikes-alleged-drug-boats/

uh huh.

Trump Labels Fentanyl a ‘WMD’
https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2025/12/16/ron-paul-on-from-drugs-to-war-trump-labels-fentanyl-a-wmd/

oooOOOooo That's a classic! Nice touch Donald "Dick Cheney" Trump!

Donny has to drum up support for invading Venezuela since Maduro is forcing his hand into an unpopular regime change war or looking like a weak failure if he TACO's. What could go wrong?

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Do you know who else’s boats we used to sink?

[Quicktown Brix]

The loose lipped.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Didn't they sink their own ships?

[Quicktown Brix]

Hmmm...

My notion has always been that they revealed their location with their lax language allowing others to target and sink their ships.

I'm curious how others take it.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Barbary pirates?

[ML (now paying)]

The United States' African Slave Trade Patrol?

The United States' African Slave Trade Patrol was part of the Blockade of Africa suppressing the Atlantic slave trade between 1819 and the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861. Due to the abolitionist movement in the United States, a squadron of U.S. Navy warships and cutters were assigned to catch slave traders in and around Africa. In 42 years about 100 suspected slave ships were captured.

Bet they don't teach this in woke schools today.

[Longtobefree]

Nor do they teach about the Arab slave raiders coming down from the north and taking whole villages into slavery.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Bigot, tacos are a food associated with Mexico.

A more appropriate term to be used with Venezuela would be ARAPA’s.

https://www.universalclass.com/i/course/workplace-sensitivity-training.htm

[Quicktown Brix]

I accept your correction and your description of me.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"Donny has to drum up support for invading Venezuela since Maduro is forcing his hand into an unpopular regime change war or looking like a weak failure if he TACO's."

Quicky has to use diminutives to make sure we all know he's a TDS-addled steaming pile of lying shit who also has an active fantasy life.
Fuck off and die, shitstain.

[Quicktown Brix]

Aw shucks, Sevo, if I knew you were offended by mean names and vulgar languange I never would have...WAIT A MINUTE....

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Look at the democrat using failed democrat acronyms get upset.

Now can you post the actual link above?

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

Aw, shucks, Quicky, we all know you really don't like being called the TDS-addled lying pile of steaming shit you are.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

President Donald Trump is mysteriously addressing the nation tonight.

Prediction: He’s going to announce the exterior of the White House will be painted a gold color..

[Quicktown Brix]

He's going to announce the Maryland Dad is being gifted an all expense paid fishing trip in the Caribbean.

or we're going to war in Venezuela

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

You do have a war boner, don't you?

[Quicktown Brix]

A swing and a miss.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

HR, asswipe.

[Yuno Hoo]

Prediction: He's going to "eulogize" Rob Reiner.

[mad.casual]

As long as he got the information for his eulogy from the same source as Priscilla Villarreal, it's Constitutionally-protected free speech that we should all celebrate and defend to the utmost.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"...Having the ability to pick who stays in their homes is a policy that is meant to cultivate trust—but also one that may open the door to discrimination."..."

If I were the owner, I'd prefer discriminating against those who would trash my property.

[Medulla Oblongata]

DOGE, as it slashed the ranks of federal government," notes The New York Times. That never happened, and cost-savings from DOGE were rather paltry.

Of course EVERY SINGLE FUCKING STEP THEY TOOK was challenged, bitched about, sued over, injuncted by activist judges, complained about in the leftist press and Reason (but I repeat myself). So I'm not surprised that DOGE was not more successful at reaching any of its goals.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"...cost of childcare risen faster than inflation..."

Sure it has, just like every other fucking thing the government is deeply involved in. Housing? Higher education? Healthcare? Childcare? Everything the government subsidizes and overregulates shoots up.

[Medulla Oblongata]

After Failing to Engage Bondi Beach Terrorists, Guess Who the Australian Police Did Shoot

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2025/12/16/australian-cops-shot-bondi-beach-hero-n2667954

There was viral video of one man, Ahmed Al Ahmed, who snuck up on one of the terrorists and tackled him to the ground before taking his gun. Ahmed was wounded by the terrorists.

But there was another man who confronted the terrorists on the bridge from where they were firing on the crowd of Jews.

For his bravery, he ended up being shot by the police who refused to engage the actual terrorists.

A man who rushed in to help disarm one of the terrorists who fired at a crowd celebrating Hanukkah in Australia’s famous Bondi Beach was mistakenly shot by police and tackled by bystanders, according to a new report.

The heroic civilian, who was only described as a Middle Eastern refugee living with his Australian wife and kids, was in Bondi Beach when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire at a crowd of Jewish revelers.

At least 15 people were killed in the attack and dozens others injured.

Harrowing video shows the moment the good Samaritan runs up the bridge where the gunmen were firing from after one of them was hit by police returning fire, the Daily Mail reported.

[Medulla Oblongata]

https://x.com/mattvanswol/status/2000776037886570642

Matt Van Swol
@mattvanswol
So let me get this straight...

An absolute HERO charges the terrorist, takes his gun, DOES NOT SHOOT THE TERRORIST HE DISARMS...

...AND THE COPS WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING UP TO THIS POINT...

SHOOT THE HERO???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

I'm reminded of a school in Texas...

[Minadin]

Matt Van Swol is conflating the first hero (Ahmed) with the second guy (unnamed hero #2), but, yeah, basically.

The first guy who disarmed the guy (Ahmed) was already shot by one of the terrorists at that point. Then, a detective guy from the local police shot one of the terrorists from the other direction. This 2nd civilian guy runs up and kicks the rifle / long gun out of the reach of the shot terrorist.

Then one of the girl cops who had done nothing for the last 12 minutes or so, shot the 2nd hero.

[mad.casual]

Guess Who the Australian Police Did Shoot

Hitler?

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings?

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Australian woman, stay away from me
Australian woman, mama, don’t shoot me

[mad.casual]

Oi mate, please don't stend so close to me. - Australian Police

[Open Borders Libertarian (formerly Sandra)]

This kind of incompetence sure flies in the face of the arguments typically postulated here that we’d all be a lot safer if we had armed guards at schools, churches, parks, etc. Maybe you want to see how it works out when you give a 19 yo a gun and a $15/hr job to (presumably) use that gun, but I think a better strategy is to— at the very least— make sure that anyone buying a gun doesn’t have immediate plans to use that gun to blow his wife’s head off. Fair?

[Use the Schwartz]

"and the majority of members choose to interview their potential guests."

That'd be a big "NOPE" from me. Vet yourself right out of business.

[mad.casual]

I'm OK with it. It's little different than stratified elites lending each other their summer houses (or stoners and each others' couches) over SMS or whatever. To act like it's going to take down or even really compete with Airbnb and the issues it has run into is pretty grandiose.

[Use the Schwartz]

Yours is a good take.

[Incunabulum]

Is it because you are the sort of person who would damage the property that you're worried about being denied?

[Use the Schwartz]

It is because I'm the sort of person who doesn't want to have unnecessary F2F conversations.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"Immigrant truck drivers have become collateral damage in the state's war with Trump"
[...]
"Many asylum-seeking immigrants and DACA recipients with valid documents were among the 17,000 commercial drivers whose licenses were canceled last month by California amid pressure from the Trump administration, cutting them off from their livelihood amid the busy holiday driving season..."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/immigrant-truck-drivers-have-become-collateral-damage-in-the-states-war-with-trump/ar-AA1Ssbfx

The Chron is blaming Trump for CA's inability to handle routine paperwork and further, claims it 'was a rare case of the state yielding to Trump's pressure' rather than a rare case of complying with the law.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Should never have been given a cdl if you cannot speak and read English.

Has been a federal regulation for decades.

CFR Title 49 § 391.11 General qualifications of drivers.

(a) A person shall not drive a commercial motor vehicle unless he/she is qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle. Except as provided in § 391.63, a motor carrier shall not require or permit a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle unless that person is qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

(b) Except as provided in subpart G of this part, a person is qualified to drive a motor vehicle if he/she—
(1) Is at least 21 years old;
(2) Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;

[HorseConch]

I have traveled quite a bit of this country, and I'm yet to see road signs in any foreign language.

[Roberta]

Rebate checks aren't necessarily inflationary. If they're not new money, they don't increase M1. If this money gets spent faster than most, then by increasing the velocity of dollars, it might cause inflation temporarily, but not in the long run. If people just sock it away to make up for increased amounts they owed (as due to tariffs), then it won't even cause a temporary price inflation.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Careful there. Reason economists don't acknowledge M1. Inflation is only measured by the CPI.

[Incunabulum]

>but also one that may open the door to discrimination."

Yeah, that's the point.

They have these things they do not think about - 'democracy' is always good, 'discrimination' always bad. They do not think, they do not want to have to process real world facts.

[swillfredo pareto]

Part of what makes Kindred different is its selectiveness...Having the ability to pick who stays in their homes...may open the door to discrimination.

When I selectively choose to open my door I don't surrender my property rights and freedom of association. Like most area it has injected itself, the government has no role in the transaction.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

but also one that may open the door to discrimination.

They are discriminating by design and that's not a bad thing.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Likely based on prior experience. One would think there is a fee involved, which would make it a private enterprise that can accept or reject any member it wants. Just because one can join something doesn't mean they are entitled to.

[Dillinger]

>>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday rejected bipartisan congressional demands

good for him. separation of powers is delicious.

[Dillinger]

>>Of course, pumping money into the economy is likely to result in inflation.

Of course and is likely are very broad here

[Dillinger]

>> It makes no sense.

and yet works over and over. get on the trolley.

[Open Borders Libertarian (formerly Sandra)]

President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers going into and leaving Venezuela, ratcheting up pressure on Caracas as the US builds up its military presence in the region,

Ladies and gentlemen: Heeear’s the Peace President.

[Dillinger]

louder than bombs!

[ML (now paying)]

Fuck off, KAR, and stop using Sandra's (misspelled) nick. You're not tricking anyone.

[Open Borders Libertarian (formerly Sandra)]

I have a question for the commentariat: how many of you morons complaining about getting checks from the government are ex-military? As a libertarian I can assure you that I complained about giving you guys any of money in the service of murdering people in the Middle East.

What’s so wrong about giving stimulus checks to old people and those that need money (I don’t, BTW). I’d rather do that than waste it on the DoD rathole and fascists over at ICE.

[ML (now paying)]

Here we see KAR isn’t actually asking a question at all. He’s using a false dilemma to force a moral accusation, while poisoning the well to ensure no good-faith reply is possible. It’s troll rhetoric designed to provoke, not reason.

[Open Borders Libertarian (formerly Sandra)]

No, I’m just saying that I’d rather my tax money go to old people who need it instead of it going to fascist murderers who haven’t thought about (or are fine with it!) their role in fascist US hegemony. Further, why should we pay one fucking cent to these goons in ICE? Fuck them! I hope they get shot in the neck and bleed out.

[ML (now paying)]

Here KAR's no longer engaging in argument at all; he’s doubling down on a false dilemma and strawman while escalating into poisoning the well.
He insists the issue is a binary choice between giving money to “old people who need it” or funding “fascist murderers,” deliberately erasing the many positions people actually hold (opposing both kinds of spending, objecting on constitutional or inflationary grounds, supporting veterans while opposing wars, etc.).

At the same time, he replaces real views with a grotesque caricature, equating disagreement over stimulus with endorsement of fascist violence, so he can attack a villain he invented rather than the argument made.

KAR then abandons persuasion entirely in favor of appeals to rage and disgust, ad hominem, and outright dehumanization, culminating in explicit wishes of violence.

That move functions to pre-invalidate any reply (“poisoning the well”) and intimidate rather than reason.
Layered on top is bad-faith identity impersonation: he continues to claim a libertarian identity while advocating collective guilt, selective redistribution, and violent rhetoric that contradict libertarian principles.

In short, KAR’s replacing debate with moral intimidation and using false binaries, fabricated motives, and emotional abuse to shut down discussion rather than engage it.

[Bertram Guilfoyle]

1. I would happily allow you to quit paying taxes.

2. You should stop claiming to be a libertarian.

3. You should quit with the awful attempt at spoofing someone smarter than you.

4. You should consider suicide.

[Open Borders Libertarian (formerly Sandra)]

So, basically, you’re pissed off that you got money from the government by belonging to an organization that needlessly killed hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq and when someone calls you out you get pissy. Sad.

BTW, i made all my money in the private sector and never once considered joining the military. That last part is against my principles and beneath me.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Of course, pumping money into the economy is likely to result in inflation. We learned this lesson during the first round of stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic, during Trump's first term, and we learned this during the American Rescue Plan round of stimulus checks, during former President Joe Biden's term.

You, Liz, need a refresher course in Econ 101 as badly as Trump. Inflation is from an increase in the money supply. Taxing and redistributing money as Trump may propose does not increase the money supply. It is not inflation.