sherpa

I get what you're saying. I think that Trump is getting on the wrong side of the free agency competition, and I don't think he's good enough without a lot of help.

Understood and agree. Having the White House on your resume is a pretty desirable thing. If not for current value, then for family legacy. Gary Cohn didn't need the White House. There are two people that I have immense respect for, based on watching a lot of interviews with them. Paul Ryan is one, Gary Cohn is the other. I'm not sure if his plan wasn't to bail after the tax legislation got passed, but if it was, it was poorly handled, as it looks like the steel and aluminum tariffs tipped the scale. I hate to see it, because I don't think Trump can afford to lose much intellectual capital in advisory roles. Oh well....We'll see.

I think he did plenty wrong, second most important was creating an environment of burdensome, unnecessary regulation. First was being a divisive figure faking a good guy persona. I think Trump is an idiot. Losing Gary Cohn is a really big deal, in my view, and another unforced error. His thrust on this trade issue, in my view, is never going to result in anything really serious. It will be two weeks of media compost, then reasonable heads will prevail.

By historical standards, they are very low, but that isn't the issue. During Obama's term, they were below the inflation rate. That is historically accomodative. The trend is up, and that is necessary, as it's the first arrow in the FED's quiver to prevent, delay or mitigate the effect of the next, (inevitable), recession. Obama and his ilk were an anchor to US growth because of unnecessary, counterproductive regulatory burdens. Obama did plenty of really stupid things, in my view. He didn't start a trade war, and neither will Trump when the dust settles. What he did, and is obvious from some of your posts, is continue the Democrat thrust of demonizing American industry, unless it is in their state. Not to the level that Bernie or Elizabeth Warren would have, but a no doubt domestic economy anchor.

Late thought. By the way, I would attribute most any gains during Obama's tenure to an historically FED easing program. Almost impossible to not be extremely stimulative.

I'm all aboard with "not pretending." There has been a very significant change in US corporate expansion plans since Obama retired. I'm not sure you follow this stuff but the change is palpable.

I get that you post from a completely partisan position, and I have no issue with that. What is not intellectually honest is to post something, suggest it is a negative when it isn't, and them either avoid or disregard many other indicators that don't support your argument. There is nothing wrong with stock buybacks or increased dividends. About 50% of Americans hold stock. Pension plans, 401k's, 403bs, benefit mightily by such programs. More important is what is going on off the headlines of stock buybacks? Have you ever paid any attention to various corporate associations and what they are saying. You know, real decision makers. The people who really do the heavy lifting away from political posturing? Here's a link to the National Association of Manufacturers, the group that actually represents job creators, capital investors, manufacturing expanders. This is from their survey just prior to tax reform passage. "“Four quarters of record-setting optimism don’t happen by accident,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “It is the direct result of manufacturers witnessing a sea change in policymaking in Washington, D.C., empowering them to hire more, invest more and build more—all in America." http://www.nam.org/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2017/12/NAM-Survey--Manufacturers--Optimism-Reaches-Record-High-Amid-Progress-on-Tax-Reform/ Last week, the president of the NAM was even more positive, stating that well over 60% planned on expansion and additional hiring. Yesterday, the Chairman of the Dallas Fed said we could see a 3 handle on the unemployment rate. That is far more important in grasping the big picture than the specious argument that stock buybacks are anything other than a positive. If Trump doesn't screw this up with this silly tariff thing, letting US business do it's thing is a huge positive.

Or Sweden. Welcome to Sweden

Not sure how they do it there. In VA, there is only one registration, so we don't have that issue. I s'pose they could run the registration program that shows eligible voters to only show an individual as eligible for a specific election, but since the Nov elections include state and local options as well as national, there must be something else involved. The authorized voter screen we use shows name, DOB, address and once you've signed them in, it shows them as "voted," so they can't do it twice.

No. We had one guy in particular who used to make gross attempts to draw attention himself and this issue. Every year he would come in with this stupid hat and large, clown-like bow tie. When he got to the table to be checked for valid registration he would start his scripted lecture on why he didn't need to show any ID. Nobody cared to listen. In Virginia, if you refuse to show ID you have to sign an affidavit that affirms you are who you say you are. I was a asst. chief, and after I saw his act the second time, I just intercepted him and asked if he was going to do this again. He said he intended to, and I told him that we didn't have any interest in his annual lectures, and to just sign the affidavit and be on his way. As volunteers on a mandatory 15 hour day, nobody really cares to listen to stupid sermons.

Do you actually read what you write before you post? Did you mean "countries" but mistakenly posted "counties?" "Europe is targeted orange juice?" You then post a theory that what this goof said was a temper response, and claim it as fact.

I don't understand this claim. I was an election official for eight years in Virginia, and there is no different standard for registration or voting in any election. There is no such "understanding." You are either either registered or you're not. The problem is that the proof is so minimal that anyone can do it with little effort, and proof of who you are at the polls is equally minimal.

Evidently, Delta granted this NRA discount 13 times in its history. They should have just shut up.

I will reserve judgement until I see the final wording and logic behind it. I'm quite certain he is not trying to initiate a trade war. My entire career was spent traveling to other countries, and it is absurd the way the US is disadvantaged intentionally, on both sides of trade.

Georgia has an unusually high state tax on jet fuel. In 2014, it was .15/gallon, the 11th highest in the nation. Seems to me, that with such a high rate in comparison to other states, it isn't "corporate welfare." Normalizing a tax in comparison to what other states charge isn't welfare. Either way, rewarding or punishing corporations for agreeing with a state legislator's view is a long term bad policy. North Carolina was going to do the same thing to American a few years back for a similar thing, but backed off. Cost to Delta is about $100/flight, about half the cost of the average domestic ticket.

I'm not a Trump supporter, but that has little to do with my point. Do those who are "outraged" by this have any idea how the US is disadvantaged in trade? Have you ever been to China and seen what US goods are priced at? Is your outrage a reasonable response based on knowledge of how unfair and protectionist many of our trade partners are?

I had Mick Jagger on a trip once. Talked to him for about five minutes. Such a tiny guy.

Please. Rome has to be one of the most insane driving experiences one could experience. Depending on what you call "the civilized world," Brazil and Argentina are far worse than the US.

No. Jacobs, Stratton, John Tracey.

Japan has some serious cultural oddities. Some make it nice, like the immense social pressure to not be a criminal, as it shames your family for awhile. Others are not so nice, like their resistance to integrate other races or cultures. Add that to a serious demographic problem, agricultural problems of all sorts and the unbelievable earthquake/tsunami threat and you have quite a situation. I really don't think the place will be around in the same form in 50 years. Simply unbelievable amount of relatively serious seismic activity there and in the nearby ocean floor. It is realy unusual to spend a couple days there and not feel some trembler. It's the only place I routinely traveled to that I dept a get-away kit on my nightstand. Clothes, flashlight, passport, wallet etc., and we always briefed a rendezvous point in case we had to abandon the hotel.

I was there also, and you could clearly hear the hit. I thought Lincoln was dead. He wasn't OK. He had at least one broken rib.

Here's a bit of Ron McDole trivia. He had a migraine problem. He used to get some kind of physiological warning about five minutes before a migraine, but it was a serious issue. Great player. Not Sestak, but really good.

I just sent this suggestion to my state delegate. I'll see what happens. I am certain that the community that I live in could get enough in contributions to fund a test of this, and who knows? I have had the idea for quite a while, but never got around to proposing it to an elected official. I did propose a similar suggestion on another issue, I suggested to my state rep and both senators that explosive manufactures be required to impregnate high explosives used in hand held bombs, like C4 etc., with strong scents or other easily detectable markers. Much like we require natural gas to have a specific odor so leaks can be in detected in a home. It would be very easy to detect explosives attempted to be carried on an airliner if they were impregnated with some detection component. Interestingly, my state rep and both senator's staffs claimed it was a great idea, one stating it was a "no brainer." Noting has ever been done.

A beagle makes more sense.

Put a trained sniffer beagle at the door. Classes take turns taking care of it. End 90% of this crap.