U.S. Politics

[Lone Star]

It was announced yesterday that Trump has appointed and had confirmed over 144 federal judges as of today.

I look forward to the continued confirmations of Originalist judges to the federal bench. This effort is genius. By appointing Constitutionalists, Trump is blocking the LIB workaround of going to activist federal judges who legislate from the bench and undermine the rule of law.

STEADY WINNING that is preserving American Justice.

[Lone Star]

In the Democrat debates, they are NOT debating each other. They're not fighting for the job of POTUS. As a group, they are fighting for the socialist agenda.

They are -- as a group -- trying to convince enough Americans to stop defending the Constitution, abandoning Free Enterprise and giving up their Individual Liberty.

These candidates are one huge socialist body with two dozen heads who all believe and promote the same thing.

[Lone Star]

Latest US Department of Labor statistics reflect that there are approximately 1.6 million more JOBS available than there are Americans looking for work. It's the first time this has ever occurred in the US.

STEADY WINNING for Main Street.

[Doodoo]

Here it comes maybe not next week but maybe 2020

Definition of a Tariff (Oxford Dictionary)
a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
synonyms:
tax, duty, toll, excise, levy

*May 2019 jobs figures 180,000 expected actual 75,000
*Jobs losses in the Solar industry, GM, BMW, Harley, Volvo
*Fedex loses $2Billion and predicting World economy slowing next year
*US Steel Corp idling 3 blast furnaces due to steel glut in USA
* Now some BAD news 40,000 jobs lost due to Tariffs on aluminum in the BEER INDUSTRY
*Soybean farmers subsidized $4.3 Billion due to tariff war with China (Those are your tax dollars being spent)
*Savings rate of Americans, In early 2015, Americans were able to save six percent of their income. Now, that figure is around three percent—a drop of around 50%.
*While real disposable income has recently been increasing by two percent, the growth rate has tumbled a lot over the past few years. This is a far cry from early 2015, when disposable income was growing at five percent.
If disposable income drops, it directly impacts consumption, and ultimately, the overall economy.
* Studies show that forecasters are generally blindsided by recessions, precisely because they tend to be preceded by economic strength. There is little reason to believe that it is different this time.

[Doodoo]

"The ratio of unemployed workers to job openings dropped below one in April for the first time since the Labor Department started collecting data in 2000, the agency reported Tuesday."
Data has not been collected prior to 2000.

With this information it is another indicator of a possible Recession on its way as indicted by 46% polled

"There’s a famous quote from investor Warren Buffett along those lines: “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”"

[Lone Star]

Outstanding announcement from the US Energy Information Administration . Renewable energy production, through wind and solar, provided 23% of America's electricity. Renewables surpassed coal-fired generation for the first time.

Coal only provided 20% of US electricity.

STEADY WINNING.

[Lone Star]

NBC had audio technical problems in their debate. They figured out what happened.

[Lone Star]

Well, Democrats have finally been exposed -- through their own missteps and in their eagerness to resist anything Trump.

- full amnesty for all illegal aliens
- abortion on demand to include up to the moment of birth and beyond
- federal funding of abortion paid for by taxpayers
- wealth confiscation of the top 1% to 10% depending upon who you ask
- forgiveness of student loans in the billions, putting taxpayers on the hook for it
- open borders with no criminal consequences
- reparations for slavery
- promoting Sanctuary cities rejecting federal immigration law
- reparations for gay people
- repeal of the Trump tax cuts
- representation of non-citizens at the expense of US citizens
- college as a right
- health care as a right
- job as a right
- housing as a right
- free or reduced college tuition for illegal aliens
- violating the 1st Amendment (speech and religion)
- violating the 2nd Amendment
- violating the 5th Amendment (due process)
- violating the 14th Amendment (equal protection under the law)
. . . and there's more.

. . .

For those who watched the Democrat debates over two nights, you will see that EVERY single point listed was proposed in some way and in some degree. If you don't believe it, get busy watching. It was ALL there.

[Giggle]

A bona fide freak-show.

[jackspratt]

If you don't believe it, get busy watching. It was ALL there.

I am pretty certain almost everyone on UM is happy to leave that chore to the zealots and political evangelists.

[Lone Star]

.

Trump Budget Reflects Cuts and New Emphasis in Energy Department

Simply put, the 2020 budget takes emphasis away from renewables and places more emphasis on clean coal and nuclear. The Energy Department describes their new budget in terms of representing three pillars.

Energy Security is the first pillar and will reflect the diverting of $2.3 billion from renewables to clean coal and nuclear.

Senior Energy Official in media conference call:

“We are requesting $2.3 billion to secure energy independence, to fund innovations for more affordable, viable and efficient energy sources, such as new nuclear and fossil energy investments.”

“Funding for energy independence also focuses on early-stage research and development for new technologies across all of our energy resources.”

Emphasis will be placed on the early-stage research and development for low-emissions coal-fired power plants and on the commitment to revitalize the US nuclear industry.

Some of the priorities within the renewable energy office will change toward energy storage technologies, which will improve energy security, reliability and improve the energy grid.

Scientific innovation makes up the second pillar of the Energy Department's budget. $5.5 billion will fund this pillar. The Energy Department justifies the renewable energy cuts by pointing out the numerous advances in wind and solar by the private sector. If those private sector efforts have surpassed coal-fired energy, then they are doing just fine.

National security priorities as it relates to energy are the third pillar of Energy Department funding. $23.7 billion has been allocated for this area.

Energy Department spokesperson:

Energy Secretary Rick Perry believes “that you can’t have national security without energy security, and our energy is only as secure as our grid is."

The areas within this pillar include cyber attacks against the US grid, an increase in funding for cyber security, energy security, environment security, and emergency response.

Cleanup will continue at legacy nuclear weapons facilities. The majority of the department funds will go to maintaining the nuclear arsenal and development of new weapons.

The Energy Department's budget is 11% lower than the previous fiscal year. The cuts in the Energy Department are part of across-the-board cuts in many departments within the federal government.

In the words of Bayrack: "Elections have consequences."

[Lone Star]

S&P 500 on the verge of reaching the 3,000 pinnacle.

The S&P 500 advanced to 2,941.74 -- and an almost 7% advance just in June. It reflects the best June numbers since 1955. More importantly, the S&P is up 17% so far this year -- the biggest first-half gain since 1997.

STEADY WINNING.

[Udon Map]

The S&P 500 advanced to 2,941.74 -- and an almost 7% advance just in June. It reflects the best June numbers since 1955.

Well, yes, but you're cherry-picking the numbers. May was a terrible month, and saw the S&P drop, in May alone, to a level not seen since the first week in March. If you're going to give him credit for the good periods in the market, it seems only fair to give him the blame for the bad ones, too. June's high was the same as that reached in April. But for the precipitous drop in May, it would have been much higher.

[Lone Star]

The S&P 500 advanced to 2,941.74 -- and an almost 7% advance just in June. It reflects the best June numbers since 1955.

Well, yes, but you're cherry-picking the numbers. May was a terrible month, and saw the S&P drop, in May alone, to a level not seen since the first week in March. If you're going to give him credit for the good periods in the market, it seems only fair to give him the blame for the bad ones, too. June's high was the same as that reached in April. But for the precipitous drop in May, it would have been much higher.

The article sourced only provided that information.

BUT ...

It really doesn't matter since the first half of the year is the GREATEST since 1997.

It reflects the best June numbers since 1955. More importantly, the S&P is up 17% so far this year -- the biggest first-half gain since 1997.

I guess I could say the same thing about you cherry-picking the month of May.

[Lone Star]

Much clarity after two nights of Democrat debates.

They're coming after more of your money. The tax cuts are gonna be gone -- for everyone top to bottom. They're gonna end private health care insurance and have the government take it all over. They're gonna give billions of your tax dollars to illegal aliens, eliminate all immigration laws at border crossings, pay for illegal alien health care, and provide abortions on demand to anyone and everyone (including illegal aliens) with your tax dollars.

The thing about US elections since BJ Clinton is that the independent voters -- those in the middle -- usually decide these things. I don't think Democrats won more than 2% of their vote with the socialist rhetoric pouring over the NBC airwaves; and I would bet the farm that not one single Trump voter from 2016 jumped the fence. WORKING Americans aren't likely to be fond of any of it. They are used to earning their way.

Democrats can't win this way, and it's going to be difficult for them to recover because most of those voters who didn't like what they saw/heard aren't likely to tune in again to the other nine debates -- Yes, NINE MORE debates.

Two things are certain:

1. The official language of Democrats is Spanish.

2. 2020 Democrats have a great deal for anyone NOT American.

[Lone Star]

Talks back on with China, but I'm not anticipating a huge breakthrough unless China's economy continues to head south in a bad way. Xi is there for life, and he's probably just waiting for the 2020 election -- if he can afford to do so. If Trump wins in 2020, Xi may very well continue to slow-walk the entire process, which seems to have been his strategy up to this point. Xi probably thinks his odds would be better in manipulating a Democrat in the White House. However, the odds look bad for that happening at this point.

In the meantime, current US tariffs are still in place. Trump has given permission for US companies to sell components to Huawei. China has agreed to allow even more US agricultural products into their country.

[Lone Star]

[tamada]

How about you keep all your comments, on any subject, to this thread....... cause they all sound the same

Why are you browsing and commenting here on LS's 'private line' which is a thoroughly agreeable way for him to exercise his constitutional rights to post about things he feels passionate about on this forum without upsetting the snowflakes and getting into pissing contests on the other threads.

Are you that bored?

[Lone Star]

Another Democrat BACKFIRE.

Gallup reports that Immigration is now the most pressing concern for voters at 23%. That's the highest it has ever been since it showed up on Gallup's radar in 1993 -- during BJ Clinton's time in office.

All of the political posturing by Democrats, claims of phony crisis on the border and refusal to close loopholes while preventing funding, has come back to bite. Add the two-ring debate circus to the mix, and we are revisiting classic unintended consequences.

Democrats are the undisputed Champions of Unintended Consequences.

[stereolab]

Lone Stars' private line is the only reason I visit Udon Map these days.