Politics Thread

[Lloyd Braun]

single....way too expensive to include wife on this plan. I know there are other plans, but STRS pays a big portion of mine.

Your portion of the premium is up 23%, but I wonder what the entire cost increase of the premium is. STRS and other traditionally great plans (unions etc) are forcing the employee to cover more of the cost. These were traditionally great benefits, and many of the employers have lost their ability to bargain for great rates.

I feel like $380/month for a single is high though. I hope your deductible didn't increase much too because that would be highway robbery.

[GoMuskies]

Donald Trump will be our president at the end of the week. I guess I hadn't considered until today that this week would start with MLK Day...and end with Donald Trump as our president.

"I have a nightmare..."

I think we'll survive, though.

[boozehound]

This is going to be one interesting shit show. It's becoming increasingly clear that the Republican establishment can't control Trump at all. They don't seem to have any idea what he will say/do, and it often contradicts their agenda. They hoped that Priebus and Pence would be able to keep him somewhat in line with core conservative values, but it's not looking good so far.

Russia - Republicans have spent 8 years being critical of Obama's policy toward Russia as being overly soft. Trump loves Russia. So much.

Economy - Republicans have traditionally been the fiscally conservative party and would generally oppose the kinds of massive infrastructure projects that Trump seems to be vocally promising / pushing for. Both Trump and the GOP establishment like tax cuts though, so we can count on some of those.

Healthcare - The most recent doozy. Trump seems to be pushing for a Healthcare system that is far more inclusive / costly than the ACA. He claims he has it 'almost ready' (which I don't believe for a second). Repealing and replacing the ACA is already politically difficult, the last thing that they need is Trump making promises that they cannot even come close to keeping.

It's an interesting choice for Congressional Republicans: (1) Contradict Trump, (their president) and risk the fallout from his populist pandering or (2) completely flip-flop and abandon some of their core values. So far many, including his cabinet nominees, have been choosing to act like they don't hear the more ridiculous things he has been saying. I don't think that's going to work long term though.

My prediction: the GOP gets their tax cuts, Trump gets his spending, deficit goes up. That's a very easy can to kick down the road. Deficit spending is always politically popular because people are getting something now and paying for it later. We love that in America.

[Caf]

This is going to be one interesting shit show. It's becoming increasingly clear that the Republican establishment can't control Trump at all. They don't seem to have any idea what he will say/do, and it often contradicts their agenda. They hoped that Priebus and Pence would be able to keep him somewhat in line with core conservative values, but it's not looking good so far.

Russia - Republicans have spent 8 years being critical of Obama's policy toward Russia as being overly soft. Trump loves Russia. So much.

Economy - Republicans have traditionally been the fiscally conservative party and would generally oppose the kinds of massive infrastructure projects that Trump seems to be vocally promising / pushing for. Both Trump and the GOP establishment like tax cuts though, so we can count on some of those.

Healthcare - The most recent doozy. Trump seems to be pushing for a Healthcare system that is far more inclusive / costly than the ACA. He claims he has it 'almost ready' (which I don't believe for a second). Repealing and replacing the ACA is already politically difficult, the last thing that they need is Trump making promises that they cannot even come close to keeping.

It's an interesting choice for Congressional Republicans: (1) Contradict Trump, (their president) and risk the fallout from his populist pandering or (2) completely flip-flop and abandon some of their core values. So far many, including his cabinet nominees, have been choosing to act like they don't hear the more ridiculous things he has been saying. I don't think that's going to work long term though.

My prediction: the GOP gets their tax cuts, Trump gets his spending, deficit goes up. That's a very easy can to kick down the road. Deficit spending is always politically popular because people are getting something now and paying for it later. We love that in America.

I break pretty heavily from Democrats on the Russia issue. Obama's approach toward Russia was overly soft. Sanctions in the face of unlawful annexation is soft, I don't see how one can make the argument that it isn't. There are obviously a lot of sketchy Trump ties to Russia i.e. hacking, dosier, Tillerson's affiliation, to watch carefully, but Obama has literally sat and watched Russia do whatever it wants.

Trump's Team Looks Smarter on Russia - Bloomberg

Tillerson's remarks at the hearing are the clearest, most coherent statement of intent in U.S. policy vis-a-vis Russia heard so far this century.

[boozehound]

I break pretty heavily from Democrats on the Russia issue. Obama's approach toward Russia was overly soft. Sanctions in the face of unlawful annexation is soft, I don't see how one can make the argument that it isn't. There are obviously a lot of sketchy Trump ties to Russia i.e. hacking, dosier, Tillerson's affiliation, to watch carefully, but Obama has literally sat and watched Russia do whatever it wants.

Trump's Team Looks Smarter on Russia - Bloomberg

I agree. Interesting article. I, like many others, will be interested to see how this shakes out. It seems to be in direct conflict with Trump's rhetoric on Russia.

[Emp]

Looks like Ford is canceling their Mexico plant and investing in Michigan. Not a deal brokered by Trump, but certainly a result of his campaign.

Hopefully it becomes a trend, and US companies are incented to continue it.

My significant other is a veteran auto industry analyst. Big ticket vehicles with bigger profit margins can be manufactured in the US. Trucks and SUVs. Luxury and niche cars. Even pricy electrics.

Not so small cars for the US market and export. Ford can't make a Focus in the US and make a profit at a competitive' affordable sale price, unless they basically finance it for free over 72 months. If Trump manages to "fix" the free market with a tariff on Mexican and South Korean small car imports, the price of getting to work for Joe and Nancy Bag of Donuts goes up.

We're living in an oil price bubble right now, driving down the demand for smaller, fuel efficient and cheaper vehicles. When the demand for oil heats up again and gas goes back to $4+. Trump has no control over that market. If the price dam breaks in the next four years, it will be interesting to see how he dodges the bullet.

[Caf]

I agree. Interesting article. I, like many others, will be interested to see how this shakes out. It seems to be in direct conflict with Trump's rhetoric on Russia.

Add the commutation of Chelsea Manning to the list of confounding actions by Obama in relation to Russia/Wikileaks.

[bjf123]

We're living in an oil price bubble right now, driving down the demand for smaller, fuel efficient and cheaper vehicles. When the demand for oil heats up again and gas goes back to $4+. Trump has no control over that market. If the price dam breaks in the next four years, it will be interesting to see how he dodges the bullet.

And when that happens, Trump will be blamed for the price hike, just like W was. However, when it hit that range under Obama, radio silence as to him having any responsibility. When it dropped though, the media was all over how great he was doing in bringing the price down.



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[ArizonaXUGrad]

Was it ok when Bush commuted the sentence of Libby? That guy outed the identity of a sitting CIA agent.

Add the commutation of Chelsea Manning to the list of confounding actions by Obama in relation to Russia/Wikileaks.

[Emp]

And when that happens, Trump will be blamed for the price hike, just like W was. However, when it hit that range under Obama, radio silence as to him having any responsibility. When it dropped though, the media was all over how great he was doing in bringing the price down.



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Could you point me to this media outpouring of credit to Obama for bringing gas prices down? Every report I've read attributed it to the Saudis refusing to cut production; and lower demand in China, India and the emerging economies.