If there are tariffs, Americans are going to pay them — in the form of higher prices, fewer choices and growing poverty. Tariffs are just another way to get wealth from 'The People' to the elites.
Anyone with common sense knew he was using the tariff threat as a bargaining tool and it worked but the media that is so Trump deranged fell for it and tried to scare the American people. I am shocked by my lifelong democrat family members praising Trump as the first president in a long time that is actually putting Americans first. I think the harris/biden admin has really set the dem party way back. The media which is so extreme left biased (with the obviously exception of Fox) has lost so much credibility when everyone saw them lying to protect biden. CNN laying off and firing and msnbc is always declaring bankruptcy.
I usually abstain from commenting but this particular article struck me because whether DJT used tariffs or he didn't use tariffs he was just dumb. It seems to me that the previous administration allowed the overdosing of some 200,000 Americans annually and made no effort to stem the death toll. DJT should be praised for his outstanding gamesmanship. Love him or hate him, he gets results...the final outcome of many of those still to be determined
That the previous administration allowed the overdosing of 200,000 Americans is a matter for some debate.
Should we blame Canada, Mexico, the Biden administration or an incompetent law enforcement agency for these deaths?
Surely the 200,000 Americans who died by their own hand were not that uninformed as to the risks of getting into this dangerous practice in the first place. The war on drugs will never be won through force. It a costly waste of time and energy. Did the failure ot the Prohibition teach us nothing.
"Should we blame Canada, Mexico, the Biden administration or an incompetent law enforcement agency for these deaths? Surely the 200,000 Americans who 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 were not that uninformed as to the risks of getting into this dangerous practice in the first place."
Maybe place a little blame on the suppliers and a little blame on the distributors. But you nailed the group that deserves the most blame for the OD's.
That being what is kryptonite to the left: Personal Responsibility...
With regard to suppliers and distributers; where a market exists it will be filled legally or otherwise A simple fact of economics whether one likes it or not
Regarding the failed "War in Drugs" it should be noted that before the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 drugs like cocaine and heroin were legal. There were addicts, but it was a medical not criminal issue. I've read that addiction rates were similar but there was no involvement of organized crime. We should have learned our lesson from Prohibition - it didn't stop people from drinking, just enriched organized crime and corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials. You can stop the flow if fentanyl but another drug will appear. Maybe drugs made right here in the US like methamphetamines.
C’mon Bill, he’s making an omelette and we all know you’ve got to break a few eggs to make it right. You don’t really think he’s as dumb as you make him out to be. By the way, it’s already working!
Yes, I know, in fact I knew the guy who wrote that book at the time he was writing it. By the way, he denies it now, as a lifelong lib, but at the time he thought Trump was pretty terrific.
Most all of them thought he was pretty terrific - and they gave him "Citizenship" Awards for his inherent anti-racism.
Then he came down the golden escalator as a Republican, and the Conditioning Chip that runs every leftarde's brain was switched out to "Trump is literally Hitler" programming.
SE: And I’m sure Whoever gave him the “Citizenship Award” didn’t know his history since a lot of people didn’t at that time. By the way, I don’t think Trump is literally Hitler programming. I think Hitler was much smarter, at one time, than Trump…but, maybe, Trump will surprise us all.
JG: The book was written with Tony Schwartz who later stated “his greatest regret in his life.” The books publisher, Howard Kaminsky, alleged that Trump had played no role in the actual writing of the book. Who knows??
Leverage worked Bill. Trump got what he wanted with only a few words of warning. You need to look at the big picture. If tariffs are so bad, why does almost every other country use them against the United States. I believe tariffs should be reciprocating. If you tariff our products expect the same back.
You're welcome. My point (being taken out of context) was look at all the Countries that impose tariffs on US goods versus who/how many we impose tariffs on. Quite the disparity...
I got your point, StarboardEdge. I think our friend missed it.
The vital point, I think, is that in a global economy tariffs primarily enrich the governments and leeches, while penalizing the common people.
In the early days of our nation(s), when we worked, bought, and sold locally, THEN tariffs probably were a tax on the rich. That is still an individual choice today. Work, buy, and sell locally and tariffs won't affect one as much. Maybe Mr. Trump understands and wants this, but....
I agree - and yes, it is a BIG "but" for sure. So far, the threat of Tariff is accomplishing the end goal. When that stops working and actual tariffs are (may be) imposed, it's all bets off. Just because they "worked" 120ish years ago doesn't mean they will "work" for the American people now...
While I can certainly understand why Trumps disruptive methods are concerning to those whose preferences are for more diplomacy, I'm still waiting for a coherent policy alternative to be put forth by his critics.
Simply throwing up ones' hands at the potential futility of Trumps policy in preference for the absolute futility of having no coherent policy makes no sense to me.
A wise man once advised; "even a bad decision is better than no decision at all, as any decision puts events in motion where subsequent corrective decisions can be made. A policy of "paralysis by analysis", on the other hand, is just a means of locking in failure, while seeming to be thoughtful".
Mostly Therapy at this point. Nobody gives a rat's ass about what they say or do anymore - they have yet to figure that out, so they continue to provide the rest of us with excellent entertainment...
When I was a kid, my mom told me a story about a country overseas that needed a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread! Then I was amazed my such a story. Now, I'm 50 years older and looking at my mom's story in real life. OMG!
As fare as blaming other countries for the fentanyl addiction epidemic maybe,like charity, drug addiction begins at home. There are estimates that between 40 - 80 % of fentanyl addicts began their drug use with legal prescription pain killers. Look over there - it's the Chinese or Mexicans doing this to us- and meanwhile the Sackler family walked away almost scott free and with billions of dollars even though they played a major role in drug addiction.
What If those pouring thr gasoline are here in the US? While the US occupied Afghanistan poppy production skyrocketed. Now it has been greatly reduced once again by the Taliban. What if the CIA was involved in the opium trade and had now loss a source of income? Just like they were involved in the cocaine trade in the 1980 they could now be involved in the fentanyl trade.
I may be a blind squirrel but there are a lot of us here in the good ol' USA. How many "blind squirrels" know that a lot of the fentanyl addicts began with legal prescription drugs? How many realize that the Sacklers of Perdue Pharma walked away with billions of dollars after helping to jump start an addiction problem with their fraudulently marketed OxyContin? Yet it's always the other countries that cause our problems.
Having concerns with Trump and his style I must admit it’s wonderful what the Trump team is finding as they lift the rocks in the slimy DC stream! Kudos to Musk so far!
Bill, ask yourself this question: "Am I truly free if I don't own my own labor?" I would venture to guess that most of us here would answer a resounding no to this question. Under the current income tax regime, the average U.S. citizen has the same economic standing as a medieval Serf. Now ask yourself this question: "Would the average U.S. Citizen be freer under an Income Tax or Tariff regime?" I'd take the Tariff regime in a heartbeat. I'd also venture that American's would figure out a way to work around the higher prices that the establishment uses to defend their current regime. Bill, smaller government is the only way out of this quagmire. The establishment is not going to voluntarily shrink itself. You of all people should know this :-)
So true. Yet for whatever reason, Bonner refuses to give ANY credit to anything Trump that begins moving us in this vital direction. Instead he sneers and lambasts what most of us see as extremely positive developments.
My feeling is that he is very close to losing readers because of the nonstop gaslighting and ignoring or misrepresentation of what is happening. Not that he would care, but still - how disingenuous can he get? Seems he should be nearly maxed-out now, but I fully expect him to sink lower over the coming months as things continue to improve under the LEADERSHIP of Donald John Trump...
I like to be challenged as I'll be the first to tell I don't have all the answers. To your point; don't throw the baby out with the bath water just because you don't like Trump. Wall Street played a leading role in the off-shoring of U.S. manufacturing. Equity owners benefited from this with higher valuations coming on the back of the higher earnings. The losers were the American middle class and cities that once housed the manufacturing base. When we look at the trade deficit, hardly anyone asks how much of this comes from U.S. corporations who've off-shored their manufacturing operations. Trump wants to use Tariffs and the income tax regime to coerce these corporations to re-shore their manufacturing. Tariffs and re-shoring will hurt the earnings and thus the valuations of these U.S. corporations. The losers will be the equity holders, roughly 10% of the population. The winners will be the middle class and working poor. I'm absolutely fine with this even though I'll be one of the losers. Without a large vibrant middle class the America I know and love will cease to exist. Bill's using economic theory to debunk the Tariffs. When using economic theory with respect to free trade you have to assume all the actors are behaving the same. In the real real we know this isn't the case. Since most if not all nations attempt to protect their manufacturing base, free trade is a ruse. If all your trading partners are protecting their manufacturing base and you're not, who's the loser :-)
Interesting discussion. Ol' DT and the Art of the Deal. Here on display it has targeted America's two (2) neighbors - one to the north and the other to the south. Seems the whole show was just to tighten up the borders with drugs thrown in to appeases us peons. They have to have something us working stiffs in America have been told and told and told is EVIL - drugs. So between reducing illegal immigrants and increasing the price of drugs seems much ado about nothing. Let's see if ol' DT is able to get America out of most of its foreign entanglements and re-focus the money and commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure and re-focusing on education, achievement, and merit as opposed to some pronoun or wokeism. As to the rest of the World - hopefully, DT doesn't continue to play the Big Bully. The BRICS and most other nations are tired of America's bluster. Hoping he can figure a different strategy than huffing and puffing!
Everything the President attempts you shot down, Bill you are quick to draw, shoot blanks and run and hide. I have been reading your prose for over 20 years and I must say, you have become very negative, on the republican platform, you had very little to say about the buffoon before Trump and yet you still offer nothing in the way of alternatives. Just Draw and shoot - I wished you would stick to the issues and drop your BS blather. Do I expect you to read this. NO. It is good you have Dan and Tom, else your BPR would be nothing but a negative narrative, worthless.
So who here is betting significant personal money on a quick MAGA Big Win?
Talk is cheap entertainment, but I suspect that most or all of us are focused on avoiding the Big Loss - the stated, persistent "worthless narrative" of BPR.
Could all be true - but if you stay under the bed and don't float at least a little money into the coming Trump-driven market BOOM, you will have, once again, completely missed out on significant returns by sticking to the letter of the BPR law.
For all the Trump cheering and those who criticize those of us who are cautious. We shall see if the use of bullying and manipulation will be positive in the long run. Definitely vintage Trump but beware the blowback
Anyone with common sense knew he was using the tariff threat as a bargaining tool and it worked but the media that is so Trump deranged fell for it and tried to scare the American people. I am shocked by my lifelong democrat family members praising Trump as the first president in a long time that is actually putting Americans first. I think the harris/biden admin has really set the dem party way back. The media which is so extreme left biased (with the obviously exception of Fox) has lost so much credibility when everyone saw them lying to protect biden. CNN laying off and firing and msnbc is always declaring bankruptcy.
Try Newsmax. They never fired Tucker.
I usually abstain from commenting but this particular article struck me because whether DJT used tariffs or he didn't use tariffs he was just dumb. It seems to me that the previous administration allowed the overdosing of some 200,000 Americans annually and made no effort to stem the death toll. DJT should be praised for his outstanding gamesmanship. Love him or hate him, he gets results...the final outcome of many of those still to be determined
That the previous administration allowed the overdosing of 200,000 Americans is a matter for some debate.
Should we blame Canada, Mexico, the Biden administration or an incompetent law enforcement agency for these deaths?
Surely the 200,000 Americans who died by their own hand were not that uninformed as to the risks of getting into this dangerous practice in the first place. The war on drugs will never be won through force. It a costly waste of time and energy. Did the failure ot the Prohibition teach us nothing.
"Should we blame Canada, Mexico, the Biden administration or an incompetent law enforcement agency for these deaths? Surely the 200,000 Americans who 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 were not that uninformed as to the risks of getting into this dangerous practice in the first place."
Maybe place a little blame on the suppliers and a little blame on the distributors. But you nailed the group that deserves the most blame for the OD's.
That being what is kryptonite to the left: Personal Responsibility...
I agree with your last paragraph
With regard to suppliers and distributers; where a market exists it will be filled legally or otherwise A simple fact of economics whether one likes it or not
Wow Mr Bonner seems surprised. His yesterday rant appears to be a bit outdated.
And his most loyal herold and defender Luca K. ....
Truely sad.😁
Btw, try a smile.
Regarding the failed "War in Drugs" it should be noted that before the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 drugs like cocaine and heroin were legal. There were addicts, but it was a medical not criminal issue. I've read that addiction rates were similar but there was no involvement of organized crime. We should have learned our lesson from Prohibition - it didn't stop people from drinking, just enriched organized crime and corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials. You can stop the flow if fentanyl but another drug will appear. Maybe drugs made right here in the US like methamphetamines.
C’mon Bill, he’s making an omelette and we all know you’ve got to break a few eggs to make it right. You don’t really think he’s as dumb as you make him out to be. By the way, it’s already working!
Tom, it’s called the “Art of the Deal”…..DT knows exactly what he’s doing…..
Yes, I know, in fact I knew the guy who wrote that book at the time he was writing it. By the way, he denies it now, as a lifelong lib, but at the time he thought Trump was pretty terrific.
Most all of them thought he was pretty terrific - and they gave him "Citizenship" Awards for his inherent anti-racism.
Then he came down the golden escalator as a Republican, and the Conditioning Chip that runs every leftarde's brain was switched out to "Trump is literally Hitler" programming.
They are so laughably pathetic and simple...
SE: And I’m sure Whoever gave him the “Citizenship Award” didn’t know his history since a lot of people didn’t at that time. By the way, I don’t think Trump is literally Hitler programming. I think Hitler was much smarter, at one time, than Trump…but, maybe, Trump will surprise us all.
I guess you never heard of any of these "leaders" in the African American community:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhEWQIFCd_4
SE: I think overall Trump’s accomplishments for the black population wasn’t that great.
JG: The book was written with Tony Schwartz who later stated “his greatest regret in his life.” The books publisher, Howard Kaminsky, alleged that Trump had played no role in the actual writing of the book. Who knows??
I do. I knew Tony at the time and he was meeting with Trump while writing the book .
JG: That’s debatable.
Leverage worked Bill. Trump got what he wanted with only a few words of warning. You need to look at the big picture. If tariffs are so bad, why does almost every other country use them against the United States. I believe tariffs should be reciprocating. If you tariff our products expect the same back.
"...almost every other country..." Simply not true.
https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/USA/Year/LTST/TradeFlow/Import/Partner/by-country - thanks to StarboardEdge.
You're welcome. My point (being taken out of context) was look at all the Countries that impose tariffs on US goods versus who/how many we impose tariffs on. Quite the disparity...
I got your point, StarboardEdge. I think our friend missed it.
The vital point, I think, is that in a global economy tariffs primarily enrich the governments and leeches, while penalizing the common people.
In the early days of our nation(s), when we worked, bought, and sold locally, THEN tariffs probably were a tax on the rich. That is still an individual choice today. Work, buy, and sell locally and tariffs won't affect one as much. Maybe Mr. Trump understands and wants this, but....
I agree - and yes, it is a BIG "but" for sure. So far, the threat of Tariff is accomplishing the end goal. When that stops working and actual tariffs are (may be) imposed, it's all bets off. Just because they "worked" 120ish years ago doesn't mean they will "work" for the American people now...
While I can certainly understand why Trumps disruptive methods are concerning to those whose preferences are for more diplomacy, I'm still waiting for a coherent policy alternative to be put forth by his critics.
Simply throwing up ones' hands at the potential futility of Trumps policy in preference for the absolute futility of having no coherent policy makes no sense to me.
A wise man once advised; "even a bad decision is better than no decision at all, as any decision puts events in motion where subsequent corrective decisions can be made. A policy of "paralysis by analysis", on the other hand, is just a means of locking in failure, while seeming to be thoughtful".
"Simply throwing up one's' hands..."
Don't forget to add in the constant name-calling and hysterical histrionics...
Yes. The "seeming to be thoughtful" reaction as theater or therapy.
Mostly Therapy at this point. Nobody gives a rat's ass about what they say or do anymore - they have yet to figure that out, so they continue to provide the rest of us with excellent entertainment...
When I was a kid, my mom told me a story about a country overseas that needed a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread! Then I was amazed my such a story. Now, I'm 50 years older and looking at my mom's story in real life. OMG!
Yep, that is called inflation.
Alice S: True story. Germany 1930’s. You had a great mom too!
Fred, to be precise it was 1923, November, when those things happened.
As fare as blaming other countries for the fentanyl addiction epidemic maybe,like charity, drug addiction begins at home. There are estimates that between 40 - 80 % of fentanyl addicts began their drug use with legal prescription pain killers. Look over there - it's the Chinese or Mexicans doing this to us- and meanwhile the Sackler family walked away almost scott free and with billions of dollars even though they played a major role in drug addiction.
I agree but just because a fire already has flames doesn’t mean it needs more gasoline.
What If those pouring thr gasoline are here in the US? While the US occupied Afghanistan poppy production skyrocketed. Now it has been greatly reduced once again by the Taliban. What if the CIA was involved in the opium trade and had now loss a source of income? Just like they were involved in the cocaine trade in the 1980 they could now be involved in the fentanyl trade.
Dingdingding!! A nearly-blind squirrel finds an acorn...
I may be a blind squirrel but there are a lot of us here in the good ol' USA. How many "blind squirrels" know that a lot of the fentanyl addicts began with legal prescription drugs? How many realize that the Sacklers of Perdue Pharma walked away with billions of dollars after helping to jump start an addiction problem with their fraudulently marketed OxyContin? Yet it's always the other countries that cause our problems.
I was agreeing with your post and further, have felt for years that the Sacklers should ALL be in prison...
But worth appreciating
Having concerns with Trump and his style I must admit it’s wonderful what the Trump team is finding as they lift the rocks in the slimy DC stream! Kudos to Musk so far!
Bill, ask yourself this question: "Am I truly free if I don't own my own labor?" I would venture to guess that most of us here would answer a resounding no to this question. Under the current income tax regime, the average U.S. citizen has the same economic standing as a medieval Serf. Now ask yourself this question: "Would the average U.S. Citizen be freer under an Income Tax or Tariff regime?" I'd take the Tariff regime in a heartbeat. I'd also venture that American's would figure out a way to work around the higher prices that the establishment uses to defend their current regime. Bill, smaller government is the only way out of this quagmire. The establishment is not going to voluntarily shrink itself. You of all people should know this :-)
So true. Yet for whatever reason, Bonner refuses to give ANY credit to anything Trump that begins moving us in this vital direction. Instead he sneers and lambasts what most of us see as extremely positive developments.
My feeling is that he is very close to losing readers because of the nonstop gaslighting and ignoring or misrepresentation of what is happening. Not that he would care, but still - how disingenuous can he get? Seems he should be nearly maxed-out now, but I fully expect him to sink lower over the coming months as things continue to improve under the LEADERSHIP of Donald John Trump...
I like to be challenged as I'll be the first to tell I don't have all the answers. To your point; don't throw the baby out with the bath water just because you don't like Trump. Wall Street played a leading role in the off-shoring of U.S. manufacturing. Equity owners benefited from this with higher valuations coming on the back of the higher earnings. The losers were the American middle class and cities that once housed the manufacturing base. When we look at the trade deficit, hardly anyone asks how much of this comes from U.S. corporations who've off-shored their manufacturing operations. Trump wants to use Tariffs and the income tax regime to coerce these corporations to re-shore their manufacturing. Tariffs and re-shoring will hurt the earnings and thus the valuations of these U.S. corporations. The losers will be the equity holders, roughly 10% of the population. The winners will be the middle class and working poor. I'm absolutely fine with this even though I'll be one of the losers. Without a large vibrant middle class the America I know and love will cease to exist. Bill's using economic theory to debunk the Tariffs. When using economic theory with respect to free trade you have to assume all the actors are behaving the same. In the real real we know this isn't the case. Since most if not all nations attempt to protect their manufacturing base, free trade is a ruse. If all your trading partners are protecting their manufacturing base and you're not, who's the loser :-)
Interesting discussion. Ol' DT and the Art of the Deal. Here on display it has targeted America's two (2) neighbors - one to the north and the other to the south. Seems the whole show was just to tighten up the borders with drugs thrown in to appeases us peons. They have to have something us working stiffs in America have been told and told and told is EVIL - drugs. So between reducing illegal immigrants and increasing the price of drugs seems much ado about nothing. Let's see if ol' DT is able to get America out of most of its foreign entanglements and re-focus the money and commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure and re-focusing on education, achievement, and merit as opposed to some pronoun or wokeism. As to the rest of the World - hopefully, DT doesn't continue to play the Big Bully. The BRICS and most other nations are tired of America's bluster. Hoping he can figure a different strategy than huffing and puffing!
Surely, more bluster...
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/developing-trump-white-house-drafting-executive-order-abolish/
So much fun to see bb try to put lipstick on a pig.
Can be done ,but it ain't gonna be pretty.
Day-um Tom. Did we read the same article?
If that was trying to put lipstick on you-know-who - well...
Good account from both Bill and Dyson.
Everything the President attempts you shot down, Bill you are quick to draw, shoot blanks and run and hide. I have been reading your prose for over 20 years and I must say, you have become very negative, on the republican platform, you had very little to say about the buffoon before Trump and yet you still offer nothing in the way of alternatives. Just Draw and shoot - I wished you would stick to the issues and drop your BS blather. Do I expect you to read this. NO. It is good you have Dan and Tom, else your BPR would be nothing but a negative narrative, worthless.
So who here is betting significant personal money on a quick MAGA Big Win?
Talk is cheap entertainment, but I suspect that most or all of us are focused on avoiding the Big Loss - the stated, persistent "worthless narrative" of BPR.
Shame on Bill, eh?
Could all be true - but if you stay under the bed and don't float at least a little money into the coming Trump-driven market BOOM, you will have, once again, completely missed out on significant returns by sticking to the letter of the BPR law.
To each his own...
Respectfully, What investments of a maga big win could be made?
A meme coin, a watch, ...? I think there are
gold trump shoes out there too.
Or maybe we could short some of the companies with the contracts through USAID representing the NGOs that do the government's bidding.
For all the Trump cheering and those who criticize those of us who are cautious. We shall see if the use of bullying and manipulation will be positive in the long run. Definitely vintage Trump but beware the blowback
Perhaps - but I'd submit that ANYTHING (including "blowback") is better than what we had for "leaders" over the last 4 years...