Wesley_Hilliard

Javert24601 said:

StrangeDays said:

sdw2001 said:

davidmalcolm said:

I suspect that Apple is really regretting not kicking both Truth Social and Twitter off the App Store. 

Tim got played by the right wing goons and now he’s trying to keep them from doing irreparable harm to Apple’s long term future. 

Don’t get me wrong, I like Tim as much as I can like any Billionaire. But it wasn’t the working class who rigged the system so that the only options were a disingenuous lady who couldn’t even say genocide was bad, and a geriatric baby who can’t remember what he said last sentence let alone last week. 

Apple could have been pushing Biden for more reforms that would have benefitted society. They could have been working with their unions. Instead Apple like everyone else kept acting like America could keep eating its own tail and it would never get to the head. 

And honestly now it’s too late for Tim to fight back in any meaningful capacity. The only thing that will give America a chance of avoiding complete collapse in the next three years is a heart attack, stroke or some other surprise illness. Or at least something that looks like one of those. 

America’s debt to GDP is out of control and the politicians want to slash taxes for those who need it the least so they can make… more innovative… restaurant delivery apps? 

The politicians are acting like they can squeeze the working class more to dig themselves out of the debt crisis that they’ve been fostering for decades.

America is being sacrificed on the alter of Reaganomics. 

I completely disagree.  I realize it's more than fashionable here to trash Trump, the tariffs, etc.  But the reality is that our trade policy has been a nightmare for decades, particularly with China.  We had been operating in the 20th-century paradigm, both for China and the rest of world.   For the former, the theory of the case was "free" trade (which was nothing of then kind) would enable economic growth in both countries, but that China would liberalize as its prosperity grew.   In fact, China went exactly the opposite way.  China has become more closed, more authoritarian, more corrupt and more aggressive.  For the latter, our policies were stuck in the post-war mentality, when Europe was devastated and we were helping them recover.   

What Trump is doing is resetting these relationships.  His plan should now be obvious to anyone who doesn't have--pardon me---"derangement syndrome."  That goal was to triangulate China into changing the way it does business...from tariffs, to non-tariff barriers, to theft of IP, etc.  Secondarily, the goal was to improve terms with our other trading partners or "allies."   As a supporter of the president, I have to admit that I didn't really understand the strategy of going after allies as well as foes (or frien-a-mies.).   After all, why not just target China and go the opposite way with allies?  Why not treat them in a more conciliatory way, but go hard on China?  

However, as deals with India, the UK, Vietnam  and others took shape, it dawned on me.  Trump hit everyone hard (but China harder) and then proceeded to quickly work on deals with those friendlier nations.  He was able to largely correct (or is in process of correcting) the trade problems we've  had with our allies, and leave China--pardon me again---standing with its junk in its hand.   It explains why they are now negotiating and willing to stand down.  Their economy is getting hammered, millions are unemployed, factories are closing....and Trump is running around making trade deals with everyone but them.  

I'll admit it's been somewhat chaotic.  Wall Street hates tariffs.   But we're already seeing the results.  Debt growth has slowed dramatically.  Inflation is nearing the 2% target.  Prices of staples (such as eggs) continue to fall.  Ditto on energy prices.  Private payrolls are showing solid growth.   Even last quarter's GDP reduction (-.3%) was misleading, as companies like Apple rushed to import goods before tariffs kicked in (this reduces GDP in the calculation).   

You've railed against debt, tax cuts, Reagannomics, etc.   Briefly:  

Debt:  We agree on the scope of the problem.  I would think you'd support things like DOGE, energy development, tax cuts for economic stimulation, etc.   I'd certainly think you'd realize both parties have historically been a nightmare on this issue, but that the Democrat party is currently far, far worse (just take 2021-24 alone).   

Tax cuts:  I don't know where this notion of "squeezing the working class" and "tax cuts for the rich" comes from, other than the Democrat party propagandists and their media allies.  The Trump tax cuts benefited the lower and working classes more than the wealthy.  That is simply a fact.  Another fact is that Trump and the GOP are considering actually raising taxes on the wealthy in the planned extension (reconciliation) package.  

Reagannomics:  I'm not sure I see the connection.  I also have my doubts that you have a full understanding of what "Reaganomics" even was/is.   You've no doubt been told (as nearly everyone has) that it was cutting taxes on the wealthy, slashing welfare and healthcare, and giving "tax breaks" to evil corporations and the mega rich.  Sound familiar?  I wonder why?  

This is nonsense. Tariffs remain higher than January, prices are higher than January, and it’s entirely self-inflicted. Tariffs are 100% a tax, paid by consumers to the US-based importers who pay them first. The Trump admin can’t even make up its mind if the tariffs are designed to cause pain and bring domestic manufacturing investment, or temporary negotiating tactics. It can’t be both. So they go back and forth, speaking out of both sides of its mouth on this. Meanwhile this is pure chaos that damages our portfolios and causes great unease in the markets, for reasons which should be obvious to you. 

If you don’t know where the tax cuts for for the wealthy are, what can I say, you haven’t been paying attention. He did it last time and will try it again. The middle class continues to get squeezed as our costs for things like healthcare go up and up with no relief in sight. GOP cuts so-called “entitlements”.  GOP votes against things insulin caps and other regulation designed to help the working class despite the loss of additional profit to wealthy corporations. Entirely departments of services are being cut by Musk, claiming they’ll be pushed down to the states, and yet our federal income tax remains the same, while we get less for it. States will be forced to cut services or charge more income tax. This is very standard and well understood stuff. The wealthy top percentage have added billions more to their hoarded wealth while minimum wage and general wages have remained stagnant. Your ignorance is bliss, I guess. 

Oh, please stop parroting the liberal nonsense.  Get your head out of the propaganda and look at the real world.  

Do you think every other country is levying tariffs on US products in order to tax their own citizens?  Yes, Canada was trying to "tax" their citizens 250% when buying US dairy products.  /s  The reality is that tariffs affect the seller country.  Often/Mostly it is the producers who absorbs the costs of the tariffs.  Do you need real world proof?  When Trump enacted the tariffs against China during his first administration, did you see that enormous spike in prices for products from China?  No?  Because prices did not change for the US consumer.  It was the Chinese companies that absorbed the tariff costs into their cost of doing business; this is what usually happens when tariffs are levied.  So, technically, yes, the US consumer "paid" the tariff, but since the product price remained the same (this is what liberals conveniently forget to mention), the net effect was that the Chinese companies made less money and were the ones who suffered.  Those tariffs were so bad for the US economy and consumers that Biden kept all of those tariffs in place.  Oh, the horror!  

The tax cuts from Trump's first administration largely benefited people in the working class.  https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Correcting-the-Record-Trump-Tax-Cuts-Went-to-Wealthy.pdf  There was also a recent study that was published in the last six months (earlier this year?) that showed largely the same thing.  

Despite your assertion that we are "getting less" for the taxes that we pay, eliminating wasteful spending is reducing the amount of debt that the US is accumulating.  It is hard to do math, but since our $37 trillion debt is so enormous, those millions and billions in savings do get lost as decimal points in the debt and interest payments.  Nevertheless, it does reduce the current debt and more importantly reduce the accumulation of future debt.

Getting back to the topic at hand, the author of this article/opinion piece has chosen to editorialize rather than just report the news.  If you are too weak to deal with the "tariff chaos", stop watching the news.  Regardless of how you feel about it, they are succeeding by motivating companies to invest in the US.  It is such a horrible problem to have companies invest $10 trillion into the US economy.  What is Saudia Arabia thinking of investing another $1 trillion here as well?!?!  /s  Apple has an enormous profit margin, so you anti-capitalists out there shouldn't lose any sleep.  Apple will be just fine.  If Apple chooses to increase its prices, it is doing so because it is convenient.  It can also decide to move more manufacturing to the US, just like it has been moving manufacturing from China to India.  I'm not saying it is easy or cheap, but having more manufacturing in the US is beneficial to all of us.  

Hopefully, I have been respectful in my discourse.

sdw2001 said:

davidmalcolm said:

I suspect that Apple is really regretting not kicking both Truth Social and Twitter off the App Store. 

Tim got played by the right wing goons and now he’s trying to keep them from doing irreparable harm to Apple’s long term future. 

Don’t get me wrong, I like Tim as much as I can like any Billionaire. But it wasn’t the working class who rigged the system so that the only options were a disingenuous lady who couldn’t even say genocide was bad, and a geriatric baby who can’t remember what he said last sentence let alone last week. 

Apple could have been pushing Biden for more reforms that would have benefitted society. They could have been working with their unions. Instead Apple like everyone else kept acting like America could keep eating its own tail and it would never get to the head. 

And honestly now it’s too late for Tim to fight back in any meaningful capacity. The only thing that will give America a chance of avoiding complete collapse in the next three years is a heart attack, stroke or some other surprise illness. Or at least something that looks like one of those. 

America’s debt to GDP is out of control and the politicians want to slash taxes for those who need it the least so they can make… more innovative… restaurant delivery apps? 

The politicians are acting like they can squeeze the working class more to dig themselves out of the debt crisis that they’ve been fostering for decades.

America is being sacrificed on the alter of Reaganomics. 

I completely disagree.  I realize it's more than fashionable here to trash Trump, the tariffs, etc.  But the reality is that our trade policy has been a nightmare for decades, particularly with China.  We had been operating in the 20th-century paradigm, both for China and the rest of world.   For the former, the theory of the case was "free" trade (which was nothing of then kind) would enable economic growth in both countries, but that China would liberalize as its prosperity grew.   In fact, China went exactly the opposite way.  China has become more closed, more authoritarian, more corrupt and more aggressive.  For the latter, our policies were stuck in the post-war mentality, when Europe was devastated and we were helping them recover.   

What Trump is doing is resetting these relationships.  His plan should now be obvious to anyone who doesn't have--pardon me---"derangement syndrome."  That goal was to triangulate China into changing the way it does business...from tariffs, to non-tariff barriers, to theft of IP, etc.  Secondarily, the goal was to improve terms with our other trading partners or "allies."   As a supporter of the president, I have to admit that I didn't really understand the strategy of going after allies as well as foes (or frien-a-mies.).   After all, why not just target China and go the opposite way with allies?  Why not treat them in a more conciliatory way, but go hard on China?  

However, as deals with India, the UK, Vietnam  and others took shape, it dawned on me.  Trump hit everyone hard (but China harder) and then proceeded to quickly work on deals with those friendlier nations.  He was able to largely correct (or is in process of correcting) the trade problems we've  had with our allies, and leave China--pardon me again---standing with its junk in its hand.   It explains why they are now negotiating and willing to stand down.  Their economy is getting hammered, millions are unemployed, factories are closing....and Trump is running around making trade deals with everyone but them.  

I'll admit it's been somewhat chaotic.  Wall Street hates tariffs.   But we're already seeing the results.  Debt growth has slowed dramatically.  Inflation is nearing the 2% target.  Prices of staples (such as eggs) continue to fall.  Ditto on energy prices.  Private payrolls are showing solid growth.   Even last quarter's GDP reduction (-.3%) was misleading, as companies like Apple rushed to import goods before tariffs kicked in (this reduces GDP in the calculation).   

You've railed against debt, tax cuts, Reagannomics, etc.   Briefly:  

Debt:  We agree on the scope of the problem.  I would think you'd support things like DOGE, energy development, tax cuts for economic stimulation, etc.   I'd certainly think you'd realize both parties have historically been a nightmare on this issue, but that the Democrat party is currently far, far worse (just take 2021-24 alone).   

Tax cuts:  I don't know where this notion of "squeezing the working class" and "tax cuts for the rich" comes from, other than the Democrat party propagandists and their media allies.  The Trump tax cuts benefited the lower and working classes more than the wealthy.  That is simply a fact.  Another fact is that Trump and the GOP are considering actually raising taxes on the wealthy in the planned extension (reconciliation) package.  

Reagannomics:  I'm not sure I see the connection.  I also have my doubts that you have a full understanding of what "Reaganomics" even was/is.   You've no doubt been told (as nearly everyone has) that it was cutting taxes on the wealthy, slashing welfare and healthcare, and giving "tax breaks" to evil corporations and the mega rich.  Sound familiar?  I wonder why?