One fact sticks out about the election

The country is doing so well in so many ways. Inflation at a low, the market at a high, so many good economic factors, the infrastructure bill, manufacturing growing, and much more.

Yet 2/3 polled say the country is 'on the wrong track'. This is only explainable to me by the 'messaging' causing it, misleading people. How does someone running to continue an administration win when 2/3 say that? This is a hell of a problem for the country.

The far left’s inability to question its beliefs is often breathtaking.

Craig234 said:

The country is doing so well in so many ways. Inflation at a low, the market at a high, so many good economic factors, the infrastructure bill, manufacturing growing, and much more.

Yet 2/3 polled say the country is 'on the wrong track'. This is only explainable to me by the 'messaging' causing it, misleading people. How does someone running to continue an administration win when 2/3 say that? This is a hell of a problem for the country.

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The US has traditionally got into a war every ten years or so.

So that's my guess about "on the wrong track." US taxpayers want to see their money being used to blow up brown people.

And despite his record, I think it's quite likely Donald Trump will deliver. There's only so many times you can use the Mad Man Strategy, before you pick a fight with an actual mad man.

NatMorton said:

The far left’s inability to question its beliefs is often breathtaking.

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Which belief is not being questioned in the OP?

Airyaman said:

Which belief is not being questioned in the OP?

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I’ll give you three guesses.

NatMorton said:

The far left’s inability to question its beliefs is often breathtaking.

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Oh right. We should question beliefs like "Inflation at a low, the market at a high, so many good economic factors, the infrastructure bill, manufacturing growing, and much more." Tangible facts.

Let's pretend that everything is terrible, and it will all be better with a few immigrants deported and some tariffs.

Your guy is an economic simpleton. He believes whatever the foundations tell him. Frankly "day one" should be Trump resigning, giving away all his money, and going to work at a McDonald's for four years.

NatMorton said:

The far left’s inability to question its beliefs is often breathtaking.

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What “beliefs”? The economy is objectively doing phenomenally well by any measure. This includes consumer purchasing power (which takes into account inflation). Wages have been outpacing inflation for almost 2 years now. The median worker today can purchase all the goods and services that they could in even the best of the Trump years, and still have over $1000 to save or spend as you wishes.

So other than powerful right wing propaganda, it’s not clear where all this gloom is coming from.

The Stars Tremble said:

Frankly "day one" should be Trump resigning, giving away all his money, and going to work at a McDonald's for four years.

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McDonald’s does not hire anyone with felony conviction records.

ataraxia said:

McDonald’s does not hire anyone with felony conviction records.

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And even if they did, they would probably fire Trump for carelessness around a deep fryer.

The Stars Tremble said:

Oh right. We should question beliefs like "Inflation at a low, the market at a high, so many good economic factors, the infrastructure bill, manufacturing growing, and much more." Tangible facts.

Let's pretend that everything is terrible, and it will all be better with a few immigrants deported and some tariffs.

Your guy is an economic simpleton. He believes whatever the foundations tell him. Frankly "day one" should be Trump resigning, giving away all his money, and going to work at a McDonald's for four years.

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You're only proving my point. If you've read anything about the exit polling from this election then yes, you should be questioning your belief about the current state of the economy. But I suspect you will not do that. You'd rather rant about the "simpleton" who just wiped the floor with the Democratic party.

ataraxia said:

What “beliefs”? The economy is objectively doing phenomenally well by any measure. This includes consumer purchasing power (which takes into account inflation). Wages have been outpacing inflation for almost 2 years now. The median worker today can purchase all the goods and services that they could in even the best of the Trump years, and still have over $1000 to save or spend as you wishes.

So other than powerful right wing propaganda, it’s not clear where all this gloom is coming from.

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You're in denial. See post 10.

Spending trillions coming out of a pandemic, wonder why there's inflation, blame it on 'worldwide' inflation, lie and say it's transitory, spend more trillions, then blame it on Trump and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

Clearly opening our borders, open the path for millions of illegals, lie constantly and continue it unabated for four years and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

Support men in women's sports, tampons in boys restrooms, permit very young children to become accustomed to tipping men pretending to be women, applaud their participation and then wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

Massive crime, gangs of shoplifters raiding stores across the country, letting the criminals right back on the street and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

And on and on it goes.......there's so many elephants in the room, but for the hatred of Donald Trump they can't see them and wonder what's wrong with most of the country. It's been a show.

NatMorton said:

You're only proving my point. If you've read anything about the exit polling from this election then yes, you should be questioning your belief about the current state of the economy. But I suspect you will not do that. You'd rather rant about the "simpleton" who just wiped the floor with the Democratic party.

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Thanks to a whole lot of simpleton voters who never watch Economic news. Having multiple channels and on-demand streaming, they skip straight to the sports news and get their economic understanding from the "seat of their pants".

The economy is good, and if you claim otherwise you're just gaslighting.

I miss the days when GHW Bush (the last good Republican President) said "it's the economy, stupid!" Back then, people shared in basic economic knowledge. They had to sit through it, to get to their sports news.

So many people now are willfully stupid, and so mentally lazy they don't know the economic indicators.

Tell me you're better than that! The economy right now IS STRONG? Yes, or no.

The Stars Tremble said:

Thanks to a whole lot of simpleton voters who never watch Economic news. Having multiple channels and on-demand streaming, they skip straight to the sports news and get their economic understanding from the "seat of their pants".

The economy is good, and if you claim otherwise you're just gaslighting.

I miss the days when GHW Bush (the last good Republican President) said "it's the economy, stupid!" Back then, people shared in basic economic knowledge. They had to sit through it, to get to their sports news.

So many people now are willfully stupid, and so mentally lazy they don't know the economic indicators.

Tell me you're better than that! The economy right now IS STRONG? Yes, or no.

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The economy is recovering from where it was, but no, I would not call it strong right now. If it were strong Harris would have done far better than she did.

What you're not seeing -- and what I think the Democratic leadership was not seeing -- is the damage done by inflation. Yes, the current inflation rate is approaching the long desired 2% target, but the effects of high inflation remain with us. It's as if you folks believe that because the inflation rate is down that somehow prices have come down with it. They have not. People fell behind in 2021 and 22 and they're still behind because prices are still high. That is what so many of you on the left fail to grasp, and, more than any other single reason, it's why Donald Trump will be our next President.

The Stars Tremble said:

The US has traditionally got into a war every ten years or so.

So that's my guess about "on the wrong track." US taxpayers want to see their money being used to blow up brown people.

And despite his record, I think it's quite likely Donald Trump will deliver. There's only so many times you can use the Mad Man Strategy, before you pick a fight with an actual mad man.

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Obama killed more brownies than Trump did I think

redbeer said:

Spending trillions coming out of a pandemic, wonder why there's inflation, blame it on 'worldwide' inflation, lie and say it's transitory, spend more trillions, then blame it on Trump and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

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Trump could have vetoed the COVID stimulus.

If it had such terrible effects, then why didn't Trump say "any states paying workers not to work, or supporting businesses which choose to shut down, won't get a cent from my government" ..?

Well obviously he was taking advice. He was with Congress, in putting a very high price on human life.

He was right. But it seems you're saying he was wrong.

redbeer said:

Clearly opening our borders, open the path for millions of illegals, lie constantly and continue it unabated for four years and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

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Did an illegal immigrant steal your girlfriend?

And don't say they commit crimes. All sorts of people commit crimes. There are figures showing that legal immigrants commit the least crimes, illegal immigrants the second least, and citizens the most. Deporting illegal immigrants will actually lead to more crime per capita, or in other words a greater chance that you personally will be a victim of a crime.

redbeer said:

Support men in women's sports, tampons in boys restrooms, permit very young children to become accustomed to tipping men pretending to be women, applaud their participation and then wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

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Trans people are not causing problems to "most of the country." If you don't want your children attending a drag show then don't take them to a drag show.

This is what strikes me about the American right: they're utterly indifferent to other people's problems, but they're so very eager to pretend they are personally harmed. It's like their lives are perfect, but they have to stick their nose in other people's business, so they can pretend to have a problem.

redbeer said:

Massive crime, gangs of shoplifters raiding stores across the country, letting the criminals right back on the street and wonder what's wrong with most of the country.

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Crime isn't particularly high. But I expect the FBI or other authorities aren't being invited on the news. What people want to hear is "crime, everywhere, no-one is safe" because as above ... they're jealous of people who have real problems. They want to have a problem.

Particularly a problem they can solve with their gun.

redbeer said:

And on and on it goes.......there's so many elephants in the room, but for the hatred of Donald Trump they can't see them and wonder what's wrong with most of the country. It's been a show.

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The first two years of Biden were magnificent. If Democrats had held the house, the next two years would have been good too (though blighted by inflation.) Unfortunately, the 2022 election let the naysayers back into government.

You're going to get a big taste of that when Democrats sweep the House and Senate in 2026. Donald Trump has two years, and you should be talking about all the "great" things he will do ... instead of sulking about how Democrats had a turn.

The Stars Tremble said:

Trump could have vetoed the COVID stimulus.

If it had such terrible effects, then why didn't Trump say "any states paying workers not to work, or supporting businesses which choose to shut down, won't get a cent from my government" ..?

Well obviously he was taking advice. He was with Congress, in putting a very high price on human life.

He was right. But it seems you're saying he was wrong.




Did an illegal immigrant steal your girlfriend?

And don't say they commit crimes. All sorts of people commit crimes. There are figures showing that legal immigrants commit the least crimes, illegal immigrants the second least, and citizens the most. Deporting illegal immigrants will actually lead to more crime per capita, or in other words a greater chance that you personally will be a victim of a crime.




Trans people are not causing problems to "most of the country." If you don't want your children attending a drag show then don't take them to a drag show.

This is what strikes me about the American right: they're utterly indifferent to other people's problems, but they're so very eager to pretend they are personally harmed. It's like their lives are perfect, but they have to stick their nose in other people's business, so they can pretend to have a problem.




Crime isn't particularly high. But I expect the FBI or other authorities aren't being invited on the news. What people want to hear is "crime, everywhere, no-one is safe" because as above ... they're jealous of people who have real problems. They want to have a problem.



The first two years of Biden were magnificent. If Democrats had held the house, the next two years would have been good too (though blighted by inflation.) Unfortunately, the 2022 election let the naysayers back into government.

You're going to get a big taste of that when Democrats sweep the House and Senate in 2026. Donald Trump has two years, and you should be talking about all the "great" things he will do ... instead of sulking about how Democrats had a turn.

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Lol, keep talking to your liberal friends here in America and we'll thank you for both 26' and 28'......keep denying, stir up more trouble, obstruct to the hilt. They just got handed their pink slips here in the USA for the same direction.

NatMorton said:

The economy is recovering from where it was, but no, I would not call it strong right now. If it were strong Harris would have done far better than she did.

What you're not seeing -- and what I think the Democratic leadership was not seeing -- is the damage done by inflation. Yes, the current inflation rate is approaching the long desired 2% target, but the effects of high inflation remain with us. It's as if you folks believe that because the inflation rate is down that somehow prices have come down with it. They have not.

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No, but wages are increasing to gradually undo the effects of inflation.

NatMorton said:

People fell behind in 2021 and 22 and they're still behind because prices are still high.

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I cannot deny that some people are still behind. The bottom end of wages is still tied to a barbaric level of minimum wage. But I'm not expecting Trump to fix that.

NatMorton said:

That is what so many of you on the left fail to grasp, and, more than any other single reason, it's why Donald Trump will be our next President.

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So it was just inflation. In that case, where is Trump's plan to reverse inflation (or raise the minimum wage)?

It's not just inflation. The failure of Democrats to bring about deflation, isn't the only reason they lost. Trump isn't going to deliver deflation ... at least I hope not. Deflation is poison to the economy, it's the stuff that recessions are made of.

The Reserve Bank under Biden raised interest rates, which brought inflation back down. What more do you want? Do you want government subsidies for food, rent and energy? Do you want interest rates of 15% to force deflation? What is the secret plan of the Trump team, to bring prices DOWN?

It's sheer economic illiteracy. Trump just intends to ride Biden's curve (increasing wages, low inflation) and hope that this tariffs don't cause another round of inflation.

redbeer said:

Lol, keep talking to your liberal friends here in America and we'll thank you for both 26' and 28'......keep denying, stir up more trouble, obstruct to the hilt. They just got handed their pink slips here in the USA for the same direction.

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And you keep doing victory laps. You'll be all tired out when Trump takes office, and we find out if he learned anything in the last four years.

My guess is NO. He's more angry and destructive now, and lower IQ, but he hasn't learned from his mistakes. It's not in his character to do that.

The Stars Tremble said:

No, but wages are increasing to gradually undo the effects of inflation.




I cannot deny that some people are still behind. The bottom end of wages is still tied to a barbaric level of minimum wage. But I'm not expecting Trump to fix that.



So it was just inflation. In that case, where is Trump's plan to reverse inflation (or raise the minimum wage)?

It's not just inflation. The failure of Democrats to bring about deflation, isn't the only reason they lost. Trump isn't going to deliver deflation ... at least I hope not. Deflation is poison to the economy, it's the stuff that recessions are made of.

The Reserve Bank under Biden raised interest rates, which brought inflation back down. What more do you want? Do you want government subsidies for food, rent and energy? Do you want interest rates of 15% to force deflation? What is the secret plan of the Trump team, to bring prices DOWN?

It's sheer economic illiteracy. Trump just intends to ride Biden's curve (increasing wages, low inflation) and hope that this tariffs don't cause another round of inflation.

Click to expand...

I'm not here to tell you how, or if, Trump will make things better. I am saying that the perception that "the economy is strong!" is not widely held, and Tuesday's results prove that. I also think it's a mistake to believe that the power of "right wing messaging" is the reason why. People are still hurting, and they let that hurt be known this week.

The one fact that sticks out about EVERY Republicrat $election is that we are force-fed shit puppet monetary ignoramus candidate$ whose puny rotten ideas are no threat to the miserable exi$ting order/the $tatus quo. ugh...

It's the right wing disinformation bubble.

Hell, you see it here.

The Stars Tremble said:

And you keep doing victory laps. You'll be all tired out when Trump takes office, and we find out if he learned anything in the last four years.

My guess is NO. He's more angry and destructive now, and lower IQ, but he hasn't learned from his mistakes. It's not in his character to do that.

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It's all going to depend upon the other Republicans in the House and Senate. With the majority in all three branches, the democrats can only cry foul.....and so it has begun, lol.

CaughtInThe said:

It's the right wing disinformation bubble.

Hell, you see it here.

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Ime, as to the most important thing$ Republicrats are in a 'NO INFORMATION bubble'... ugh...

I've asked countless Republicrats, 'Who creates dollars and how do they do it?' and the VAST MAJORITY are worse than butt-ignorant..

By the way, Federal minimum wage in Australia is AU$24.10.

The Australian dollar is worth less though, so that's US$16

So minimum wage is still relevant here. I think (former) Senator Joe Manchin had the right idea: a phased increase from $7.25 to about $10, but WITH INDEXING. It would increase every year, indexed to CPI, but would only become $15 (in 2020 dollars) if Congress passed more legislation.

Relevancy is my argument. The minimum wage should influence all low wages. At this point, increasing US minimum wage from $7 to $9 wouldn't affect that many workers, while increasing it to $15 would be great for workers in the South, but would cause business failures. Using indexation makes payroll easier for businesses, and minimum wage workers never fall behind cost of living. A modest raise, but introducing indexation, would be good for the economy (low wage earners have more to spend) and would keep the minimum wage relevant.

Think about what happens in the future, if the Bernie Sanders model of $15 with formerly tipped work gradually rising to that level, were to be implemented. People would lose jobs, and businesses would fail. You don't get an Australian system overnight. You need indexation to smooth over the political bumps.

US Social Security payouts are indexed. So it's not an entirely foreign concept. If the Republicans index minimum wage (even without any one-off increase) I would applaud that.