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I couldn't agree with you more! He isn't even trying to say he is innocent, just that he should be above the law.

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Jan 24·edited Jan 24Author

Let me add something, though, Dan. Until he refused to accept the election and did Jan. 6, Trump was not *nearly* as bad a real world president as George W. Bush, who is, I think the worst president in American history who did not sick a lynch mob on my elected officials. I will give Al that much.

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As usual, I couldn't agree more. Here's what you fail to grasp due to a blindspot of two perhaps. Trump(i.e. Satan, but not DeSantis) has a plan to increase wages for working people. Cut illegal Immigration, discourage off-shoring, Bi-lateral rather than multi lateral commerce negotiations. Among some other items. AND IT WORKED. Median real wages rose 9% under Trump. Now they have fallen 5% under Biden due primarily to inflation and a deteriorating energy picture. It's back to business as usual in Washington DC. I'm with you 100% on the corrupt Republicans in state government. And I argue with these right wingers all the time about the social value of declining wages. They're all for it. They have this idea that a broke public is properity. Because somehow that enables the "job creators". It's preposterous. But, because you hate Trump's guts, you can't see that a Nationalist Populist program is good for the country. Sigh. Remember the good old days when Liberals were smart? Europe had airtight immigration standards because you CANNOT have a generous mildly redistributionist welfare state(which you and support), with UNTRAMMEDLLED immigration. European Liberals USED to know that.

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Jan 24·edited Jan 24Author

"But, because you hate Trump's guts, you can't see that a Nationalist Populist program is good for the country." Come back to me when you can accurately summarize my point-of-view. Or even actually quote something. By the way, I hate to break this to you, but Paul Ryan made Trump his bitch with the most anti-worker corporate tax cuts in history. Again, come back to me if you're ever willing to talk accurately about reality.

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I would add: You are so addicted to how Trump makes you feel -- he has such a hold n your psyche -- that you have to invent emotions I do not feel. Trump is above all, a boring nasty gross old rich guy about whom I waste very little thought as you will know if you read my stuff honestly. He has such a hold on your psyche that you turn "don't want to live in a fake Christian forced birth J6 Lynch Mob dictatorship for the benefit of a rapist" into "hate Trump's guts". There is no J6 Lynch Mob dictatorship for the benefit of a rapist without *you*, Al. *All* of my critiques are aimed at *you*, who wants to live in a forced birth Capitol Lynch Mob dictatorship for the benefit of a rapist and criminal. We have a difference of opinion in how we want to live. You've given up on your country; you're willing to wage war on me just so you can quit and have some fantasy Trump take over. That's about you, not a senile old man screaming at the wind.

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Jan 24Liked by Billy Townsend

And aren't his "economic facts" wrong?

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Jan 24·edited Jan 24Author

That's a longer discussion. The early Trump economy was pretty good, coasting on the late Obama economy. Trump talked alot about "national populism," as Al puts it, and did some anti-global tariffy things. But they didn't amount to very much in my view. And he tried to repeal the imperfect but still massive economic and health benefit (Obamacare) that working people have voted for repeatedly. And Trump did the most pro-Big Capital, anti-middle class tax cut in history. Then COVID came and blew everything up in a way that all sides can claim and/or complain about. Trump's FED and treasury secretary printed gazillions to make sure no rich people lost any money on the value of the assets they own. Literally propped up the entire stock market, which is really what caused the inflation spike along with corporate greed. Now that Biden has beaten the inflation he inherited, the massive wage growth of lower wage workers during his first (largest in history, to my knowledge) is starting to pay off -- although housing and transportation costs remain a uniquely American challenge. As far as raw policy goes, I would say *nothing* Trump did compares with Biden's aggressive anti-monopoly enforcement stuff, which is the most "national populist" thing any president has done in a long time. I think Biden is a significantly better economic president so far than either Trump or Obama. As for Al's numbers, you can do a lot with numbers. Would need to see his sourcing etc. to assess if he's right or wrong. But, also, Trump is a retribution J6 dictator rapist criminal whose economic policy is mostly "pay me, or else" so I'm not terribly interested in debating nominal wage growth percentage points with somebody willing to inflict that on me. It tends to be a conversation stopper.

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Yes. I apologize for my many shortcomings.

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I'll never ask anyone for an apology. Just for honesty.

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I regret that I have disappointed you.

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You have not disappointed me. You keep attributing emotions to me that I do not feel -- which again kinda proves my point. If you're ever willing to state my positions accurately and discuss them, I'm always willing. What Trump does for you is make you feel like you've created emotions in other people that make you feel like you're sticking it to them. Or at least that's what I perceive. You can explain why I'm wrong.

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9% real wages gained is not an emotion. The emotions seem to be coming from you. Whenever I make a logical argument(to me) you respond with personal accusations. I'm aware that I'm not the best judge of my own actions which seem right to me. However, all I can do is apologize if you are correct. If I thought I was wrong I'd change my mind. And you have done a poor job of doing that, IMO. To me we just disagree. To you I'm a terrible person. Perhaps you're right. I've certainly done things that I regret.

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