Trump Victory

[Squaretail]

It’s a lot worse than that.

The Left tried to bankrupt him.

He's declared bankruptcy lots in his life. I don't think that was going to stop him from doing anything.

The Left tried to imprison him with Lawfare and convicted him of 34 garbage felonies. On Tuesday an activist judge will try to imprison him.

Won't happen. Trump falls into that class of people who get to skate on anything they do. If you or I had done the things he did, we would be in jail already, or fighting it would have bankrupted us. There was only a far outside chance that Trump ever risked actual jail time. People who did stuff for him took the fall and did serve jail time, though many of them not lots since they fall into the class of people like Trump.

The Left raided his house, went through his wife’s underwear and made up some bullshit about classified documents meanwhile Joe Biden has documents loose all over his garage.

He did have classified documents. He's on TV saying he had a right to them. So did Joe, the only difference is Joe gave them back and cooperated, Trump did not. If you believe otherwise, well I won't be able to convince you.

When none of the above stopped him, the Left tried to kill him. Twice. Even money they try again before Jan 20th. You have no idea how crazed all these Marxists are.

First, the violence in politics has only increased since Trump ran his first time, and violence against the US president is nothing new, I'm old enough to remember the day Reagan got shot. Second, I didn't hear you upset when that guy mailed a bomb to Obama and Hilary and unlike the guys who made attempts at Trump who's motives as of yet are unknown, Cesar Sayoc was a pretty clear Trump supporter. I mean by and large crazy leftists aren't also gun owners. I hate to keep pointing out that paradox.

Shiny, are you proud of all the above? I just voted for the guy so I probably don’t get an opinion - I’m told I should go kill myself - but over half of America thinks that he is fighting for us.

Proud of the above? What on earth are you talking about. If you voted for the guy and think he's fighting for you, I only think you're mistaken. He's a real estate developer from New York who gained a lot of fame on a terrible TV show (and my wife loved that show so I ended up watching a lot of it) The crazy left people out there aren't the bogeyman you're led to believe, and the fact that you haven't moved to Texas means while you might be unhappy with what left leaning policies bring your state (I mean, I'm always stunned by how many warning labels there are on everything in California, how do you guys get anything done?) "Radical lefties" spend most of their time on their pronouns, eating raw vegetables and worrying about virtue signaling about how much they recycle. The election showed that these people don't represent a majority of the vote, and if they did would primarily grind the government to a halt with nonsense pandering to incredibly small fractions of the populace.

Personally, spending as much time as I do now south of the border, I do worry now that some of Trump's goons he'll put in office will be after people like me. A "Mexican with a sweater" as I was described as last trip. In spite of the fact that I got a mound of paper to be there and am working to the benefit of the American tax payer. Anyone down there who felt they needed to let me know how they were voting (always red, no one told me they were voting blue, which led me to believe Harris wasn't going to win) also had some nutbar conspiracy theory they for some reason the felt the need to open up to me about. Not sure why this is unless I'm just too friendly and look trustworthy. Space lasers, Government controlling the weather, 5G mind control, the earth being flat... one guy told me about how the traffic sensors he believed was a system in place to control the populace "when the time comes"... for me its hard to take people seriously and I do a lot of smiling and nodding. There are valid grievances the right has about the left, but these people aren't basing their vote on those things, they're basing it on unreal bullshit. I mean I get asked about contrails by PEOPLE WHO WORK IN AVIATION, way more than I would like. And if I try to dissuade them on it, I'm just part of the conspiracy.

So you'll forgive me when the guy who votes Trump also asks me if I've seen the wall of ice at the edge of the world when I've been to the Territories, I have a hard time believing that guy is voting based on reality. If there's crazy lefties out there, they're in the minority, or at least have the presence of mind to keep their opinions to themselves. This election to me proved that left voters in America are in the minority, and that's borne out by experience talking to these people.

I mean, I feel alone out there as a "leftie" and I'm only considered that because I believe that workers deserve to be paid fairly and don't mind some of my tax dollars going to help people worse off than myself, even if that means some of it helps people not so deserving. I still burn a lot of fuel, eat meat, own guns and ride motorcycles. But that's not pure enough these days for the folks on the right.

[Colonel]

If you don’t think Americans should be able to determine what America should be, I don’t know what else to say expect that if you don’t like America, feel free to go someplace else like North Korea or Venezuela where their policies are aligned with yours.

I find this fascinating

[Nark]

I don't think it will either, but I do think things will shift. I think the next few years are going to be less good for Americans making less than $50K a year.

That’s the thing with the campaigns: were you better off under Trump or Biden (Harris). Overwhelming answer.

Fun fact: under Trump more people were lifted out of poverty and in to the middle class than ever before (well, only since they started tracking those sort of things in the 60’s/70’s)

I’m optimistic that a recovery is on hand, and there will be prosperity.

Of course I’m not naive to the political pandering. There were a lot of factors outside the control of the politicians that fed a strong economy. That’s only one of many reasons the Reds won bigly.

[Squaretail]

I’m optimistic that a recovery is on hand, and there will be prosperity.

Of course I’m not naive to the political pandering. There were a lot of factors outside the control of the politicians that fed a strong economy. That’s only one of many reasons the Reds won bigly.

There already is prosperity. I mean in the last two years, America is friggin' busy. Arguably it's economy has been the strongest in the world. And that's evident travelling around America. Restaurants are busy. Airports are busy. People have new vehicles everywhere (except New Mexico where they seem to prefer old Saturns). People have disposable income. Grocery prices are high (higher than Canada in most cases) but I never see people not leaving with full carts, and even the high end places the usual liberal leaning folks shop at are busy. People got money for a ten dollar bottle of lemonade. Line ups everywhere there's a decent meal. Hotels are a pain to book because they're always full.

Yet you hear the family of six travelling by air say that the economy is bad. Its bizarre, but then I'm from Alberta where people think if you can't afford a one ton truck to pull your gigantic fifth wheel well then you're poor.

If you don’t think Americans should be able to determine what America should be...

Did I say that? Please don't put words in my mouth. Americans can do whatever the fuck they want. I'm just opining that I don't think it will turn out like they think, and that some of them are basing their vote on some pretty out there stuff. I mean if you voted for Trump because you feel that Biden can control hurricanes, well I'm not sure what to tell you except that you're in for a rude surprise when hurricanes still happen under Trump. And yeah, that was a conversation I had. I mean I'm Canadian so maybe people think I'm a really nice guy and feel free to open up to me, or there's something about me that attracts them. I have to figure that out.

I should say that its getting the same up here, its not just Americans. I vote against Trudeau because I don't like a lot of his policies. But someone told me the other day that they figured out Trudeau was a serial killer in the 90's who had murdered a dozen people or so. I mean he may be a lot of things, but forgive me if I'm a skeptic on that one. Vote on real world stuff, there's enough of it to use. You don't have to make up shit.

[Colonel]

From 2020-2024 the economy sucked. Inflation out of control. Foreign policy sucked. Border was open. Crime exploded.

All of the above were horrible and exactly what the Marxists wanted. We don’t want that. We voted against it. We don’t give a shit if that hurts anyone’s feelings.

You don’t like America, fine. Go someplace else that suits you.

[Squaretail]

From 2020-2024 the economy sucked. Inflation out of control.

I'd only disagree after about 2022. I could see the economy turn around down south, see the examples I give. Inflation was more under control in the US than everywhere else, so I think its a matter of perception. I mean since I travel back and forth more frequently its noticeable. I mean how many times have you left California in the last 4 years? I've spent time in Canada and almost half of the states. Things aren't even consistent across the states, or provinces for what its worth. Like I said, for a "bad" economy, people were sure out spending money, that makes me feel like there's a bit of a disconnect there.

Foreign policy sucked. Border was open. Crime exploded.

Won't disagree on any of those.

All of the above were horrible and exactly what the Marxists wanted.

I don't think its what anyone wanted. You make it sound like there's some powers with hands directly on the switch, which there isn't.

We don’t want that. We voted against it. We don’t give a shit if that hurts anyone’s feelings.

You think you did, but you voted on your feelings about it. Was the border completely solved under the last Trump administration? If not why not? What policies are "Marxist"? I don't recall the proletariat seizing the means of production anywhere. What specifically do you think is going to happen better in this next administration? I need something to read the next few days, so don't spare details.

You don’t like America, fine. Go someplace else that suits you.

I never said that. I'm only saying that I think things won't magically be solved under the next administration because Presidents alone aren't genies who can snap their fingers and make things happen. All in all, America is still a good place to be around, was for the last 4 years, probably won't be too bad for the next 4 years. I've expressed that some things worry me, that's not the same thing as saying that I hate the place. But if pretending someone like me who slightly disagrees is a mortal enemy makes you feel better, well have at it.

In all the people I run into, even with as crazy ideas that they may subscribe to, I don't look at any of them as bad people. I still can agree that we're all probably taxed too much, the politicians aren't exactly what we would like and the weather is too damned (insert current condition here). Even the odd person who might have a "Canadians go home" bumper sticker, probably just doesn't realize how much money I bring to their town when I show up. The smell of jet fuel is the smell of money after all.

[Colonel]

Just have a visa when you show up at the border and you’re not a citizen, if you want to work here.

We’re going to try being a nation of laws, for a change. You know, enforce them equally like the Constitution requires.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Protection_Clause

This is another incredibly important right that is missing in Canada:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Due_Process_Clause

You may recall that the Government of Canada seized my laptop and phone in 2016, never charged me with anything and told me to fuck off.

I won’t mention either of the 1st or 2nd Amendments because Canadians don’t believe in them.

[Squaretail]

Just have a visa when you show up at the border and you’re not a citizen, if you want to work here.

Actually there are a host of exemptions to that, but I'm sure you knew that. My feeling is that, like the last Trump administration, one is going to get harassed by customs more, even following the rules. Maybe it will make you feel better that my life will become more inconvenient, and ultimately cost you as a tax payer more, but as long as you feel good about it right?

We’re going to try being a nation of laws, for a change. You know, enforce them equally like the Constitution requires.

I'll believe it when I see it. Again, we have precedent here. Did this change for the better under his last 4 years he had? I tell you what: when the first CEO is jailed for employing undocumented workers we'll talk about this again in a different light. Until that time, all that's going to happen is the "equal enforcement of laws" is just going to make a lot of poorer people's lives harder. Enforcement will be of a purely performative basis. At extensive taxpayer expense i might add.

Immigration needs reform, and the border needs more security. I dont see either of those in the next administration's policies. Its reactionary, but fails to adress root issues.

Consider the reason that i can work stateside is driven by a need in the US economy. Obviously if the need is great enough, lawmakers are motivated enough to legislatively address such issues. The real problem with immigration is that too many benefit from undocumented workers (yourself included) to keep the system as is. The US economy needs more workers because its doing so well. Less people came in during Trump's last administration, partly because of some measures they took, but also because the economy was doing worse by the end of his first 4 years. More people are coming now because the economy is doing better at the end of Biden's 4 years. Supply and demand in action.

[Nark]

Squaretail,

I don’t mean to pile it on, but getting rid of of 100% of illegals will be a 100% benefit to citizens.
Don’t take my word on it, take Steven Camarota’s testimony to congress’s word on it. He is Director of Research Center for Immigration Studies.
https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/ho ... 240111.pdf

TL:DR:

Illegal immigrants are a net fiscal drain, meaning they receive more in government services than
they pay in taxes. This result is not due to laziness or fraud. Illegal immigrants actually have
high rates of work, and they do pay some taxes, including income and payroll taxes. The
fundamental reason that illegal immigrants are a net drain is that they have a low average
education level, which results in low average earnings and tax payments. It also means a large
share qualify for welfare programs, often receiving benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born
children. Like their less-educated and low-income U.S.-born counterparts, the tax payments of
illegal immigrants do not come close to covering the cost they create.

It’s not anecdotal that you bring in thousands/millions of revenue. It’s that the government pays out billions in welfare and other social benefits to the families of illegals.
It’s really hard to nail down exactly per capita expense of illegals, because they are hard to track in total numbers.


Then, add in government representation. Our congress (House of Rep’s) district is based upon population, not citizens. It’s comes from census data, where they’re not allowed to ask about citizenship status. In theory you can have an entire district full of non-citizens having a representative in Congress. How is that not insane?


Before you get hot and bothered, I think a lot of us who vote republican are conservative’s and libertarians. My sister, (born, raised and lives in Canada, but works for an American airline) doesn’t know the difference between Republicans and conservatives. She’s not alone in that regard.

[Rosco P Coltrane]

Pretty sure I warned this scudrunner guy to stop posting political garbage. This is why we can’t have nice things.