Tractors and (upcoming) tariffs?

[jyoutz]

I lived in the states for 65 years, I have lived here for 4 years, I can tell you the government here in Portugal actually cares about the people, maybe liberal ideas, but the people here lived under a dictatorship until the carnation revolution in 1974 (worth looking into) I don't know that one can speculate on something they have not experinced.

I was making no speculation. Just an observation that you have public health care and retirement programs that people accept as normal. Something that many people in the U.S. would not accept. By all accounts I’ve read, your country is a beautiful place and people are content.

 

[Hay Dude]

Bash the USA, then move to a foreign country and bash the USA from their new crib in their new country?
Maybe they couldn’t cut it here?

Nobody thinks the USA is perfect. In fact, I’d like to see a lot of changes, but nobody ever promised you a rose garden.

 

[Portuguese Farmer]

If you don't know who PIMCO is this response to imposing tariffs won't mean much to you.

Pimco cuts exposure to long-dated US debt as deficits swell

"Pimco has become more hesitant to buy long-term American government debt as the $2tn US bond fund manager frets over “sustainability questions” and the prospect of rising inflation under Donald Trump.The bond giant said in a note on Monday that it was cutting its exposure to long-dated US debt because of what it termed deteriorating deficit dynamics, instead favouring shorter-term notes “where investors can find attractive yields without taking greater interest rate risk”......In a sign of worries already seeping through the $27tn US government debt market, the 10-year Treasury yield jumped significantly in October and early November as traders raised bets that Trump would win the US election — predicting the next administration’s plans for trade tariffs and corporate tax cuts would fuel inflation and expand America’s debt load."

Bash the USA, then move to a foreign country and bash the USA from their new crib in their new country?
Maybe they couldn’t cut it here?

Nobody thinks the USA is perfect. In fact, I’d like to see a lot of changes, but nobody ever promised you a rose garden.

Exactly why we left.

 

[sunandsand]

We already have a retirement program here (Social Security). It isn't perfect, there are some structural and upcoming financial issues, but I don't know a lot of people who refuse their SSI checks on the grounds that they are "socialist".

Events in NY indicate that people might now be more receptive to some form of "socialized medicine" instead of the patchwork of denials, exclusions, out-of-networks, deductibles and so on that we have now, which resulted in the CEO of a BIG health insurance company getting shot in broad daylight on a public street, and the great outpouring of public "sympathy" shown him.

We already have some "socialized medicine", anyone who uses the VA has it, and again, I don't see a lot of people opting out of the VA's medical care because it is "socialist". The VA may not be perfect (and in some cases it is far from perfect) but it absolutely beats the heck out of nothing - which is exactly what far too many people in the richest nation in the world have.

Public health is a good investment. If people are healthy, they can (and in many cases, want to) work, they can be productive, and they can pay taxes.

It is much less expensive to keep people healthy in the first place than to make them healthy after they get sick.

We need to cooperate more and squabble less. How well does your wagon work if one of the wheels falls off?

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[arrow]

Just about everything is cause and effect . Go to any supermarket and in the middle square footage of that building, you'll discover most of the cause of ill health.

 

[bvanek]

We already have some "socialized medicine", anyone who uses the VA has it, and again, I don't see a lot of people opting out of the VA's medical care because it is "socialist". The VA may not be perfect (and in some cases it is far from perfect) but it absolutely beats the heck out of nothing - which is exactly what far too many people in the richest nation in the world have.

How rich are we after we pay our bills? .... and don't have the growth and diverse working population needed to sustain economic viability and to fund these un-vetted social programs....
if we keep throwing money at something that has no outside audit, veiled accountability, proven waste, and politically tainted with false compassion (DEI as just one example) then the problem has the same declining resolve that simply compounds itself into more of a problem.

Scandinavian market socialism seems to be fairly self-sufficient but taxes are very high

some points in a model online;

Strong property rights and contract enforcement coupled with an overall ease of doing business
Free trade combined with collective risk sharing, allowing the benefits of globalism while protecting against many of the risks
Low levels of regulation on product markets
Low levels of corruption – in 2015 five of the top ten spots were taken by Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland in the Corruption Perceptions Index
A partnership between government, businesses and unions leading to everyone feeling invested in a system that works well for all
A relatively high personal tax burden. At 45.9%, Denmark has one of the highest tax burdens in the world. Tax rates are also fairly flat so even medium and lower income households pay relatively high levels of tax compared with the progressive systems in most Western countries

This is what works for them, nothing more ....(There is no perfect system ) Solutions that fit us will come when "the smart people" step up and take the issue to heart. Continuing down the same old political roller coaster has been voted out.

"Trust" in government can no longer be "faith in", because they have not given us good results when you do the math on give and take. The USA and several European countries have this problem and likely contributes to cultural socialism that divides rather than unites.

We were once the model for the free world and some countries refined that to use the global market and still keep their nation sovereign and economically above water....seemingly people happy and safe as well.... Sweden did have huge problems with immigration and cultural integration and they learned a hard lesson.. compromising people's heritage is not too popular.....

I don't think it is too speculative to form an opinion of big government. The bigger it is the more likely for corruption. We need an overhaul so I say we give this new admin. a chance to prove their worth.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Fellas, may I express some gratitude about this thread?

I'm grateful that we live in a country where we can disagree on an open forum and everybody gets to have his say.

We are very blessed indeed.

 

[bvanek]

Why do the eastern and western coasts harbor leftist minded populations when the initial draw for these areas was about commerce developed by hard working individuals and not giveaways?

To answer that I would only be able to offer a "storied" version of West Coast experience only..figured it would be too long and not that interesting, so I will try to condense: The East Coast is likely different

I live in a pretty remote/secluded area and in reality out of touch with society as a whole, but I'm not quite a hermit and when I saw some disturbing signs from my grandson who lives in Portland I started to take more notice.

1.School indoctrination and an "education" rooted in oppression vs oppressed. (white people are inherited racists) ( the USA is a bad country, capitalism bad) (sexual identity outside of the realm of two genders)
2. Decriminalizing drugs, including street sales and distribution. No bail release, selective prosecution.....(Soro's DA and other political activists including judges)
3. Allowing anarchists, to liberal causes, such as BLM and Antifa to take over the town.
4. cultural Marxism in teaching and leadership roles.
5. and probably much of this attraction. The sanctuary hoax. It brings in hoards of criminals, drugs, and dependency. A literal breeding ground for off the charts left societies.

Also the job market has diminished to mostly low wage service jobs that doesn't provide advancement to a higher standard of living. (a national trend for decades so not unique) But political virtual signalling as to the environment (lots of natural and recreational resources along with scenic beauty to sell to the public) But that sell has become land use delegated to the state instead of local more community oriented use like most other states. hence our local land use is delegated out of Portland extremely liberal influence. The lumber and fishing industry where good solid jobs and a staple of income for a large number of people. (again those people were both liberals and conservatives and the mindset on actually working for a living was mutual)

The large cities and metropolitan areas are a breeding ground for drugs, criminals, welfare recipients, and a urban plantation type workforce. So hence it's this type of population that flocks to these cities.

But as with most larger states, rural communities are entirely different and work ethic and family values are more up front..... but the population density in the cites is what controls policy. In particular the greater Portland metropolitan area. Outside of this, most of the State is what the political map suggests (conservative or independents in the middle)

 

[arrow]

To answer that I would only be able to offer a "storied" version of West Coast experience only..figured it would be too long and not that interesting, so I will try to condense: The East Coast is likely different

I live in a pretty remote/secluded area and in reality out of touch with society as a whole, but I'm not quite a hermit and when I saw some disturbing signs from my grandson who lives in Portland I started to take more notice.

1.School indoctrination and an "education" rooted in oppression vs oppressed. (white people are inherited racists) ( the USA is a bad country, capitalism bad) (sexual identity outside of the realm of two genders)
2. Decriminalizing drugs, including street sales and distribution. No bail release, selective prosecution.....(Soro's DA and other political activists including judges)
3. Allowing anarchists, to liberal causes, such as BLM and Antifa to take over the town.
4. cultural Marxism in teaching and leadership roles.
5. and probably much of this attraction. The sanctuary hoax. It brings in hoards of criminals, drugs, and dependency. A literal breeding ground for off the charts left societies.

Also the job market has diminished to mostly low wage service jobs that doesn't provide advancement to a higher standard of living. (a national trend for decades so not unique) But political virtual signalling as to the environment (lots of natural and recreational resources along with scenic beauty to sell to the public) But that sell has become land use delegated to the state instead of local more community oriented use like most other states. hence our local land use is delegated out of Portland extremely liberal influence. The lumber and fishing industry where good solid jobs and a staple of income for a large number of people. (again those people were both liberals and conservatives and the mindset on actually working for a living was mutual)

The large cities and metropolitan areas are a breeding ground for drugs, criminals, welfare recipients, and a urban plantation type workforce. So hence it's this type of population that flocks to these cities.

But as with most larger states, rural communities are entirely different and work ethic and family values are more up front..... but the population density in the cites is what controls policy. In particular the greater Portland metropolitan area. Outside of this, most of the State is what the political map suggests (conservative or independents in the middle)

It explains the eastern coast as well. My state has been democrat controlled for 80 years but none of these controlled bastions are what they initially stood for.
The next question is how it got where it got and l think surprisingly, it was about college professors influence. So the media comes out with most college educated people voted democrat. Why are so many college professors leftist in belief systems?
Brown University came out against the war where we were attacked by the Japanese.

 

[jyoutz]

We already have a retirement program here (Social Security). It isn't perfect, there are some structural and upcoming financial issues, but I don't know a lot of people who refuse their SSI checks on the grounds that they are "socialist".

Events in NY indicate that people might now be more receptive to some form of "socialized medicine" instead of the patchwork of denials, exclusions, out-of-networks, deductibles and so on that we have now, which resulted in the CEO of a BIG health insurance company getting shot in broad daylight on a public street, and the great outpouring of public "sympathy" shown him.

We already have some "socialized medicine", anyone who uses the VA has it, and again, I don't see a lot of people opting out of the VA's medical care because it is "socialist". The VA may not be perfect (and in some cases it is far from perfect) but it absolutely beats the heck out of nothing - which is exactly what far too many people in the richest nation in the world have.

Public health is a good investment. If people are healthy, they can (and in many cases, want to) work, they can be productive, and they can pay taxes.

It is much less expensive to keep people healthy in the first place than to make them healthy after they get sick.

We need to cooperate more and squabble less. How well does your wagon work if one of the wheels falls off?

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

Good points. And yes we do have a retirement system in the U.S. But there are a lot of people who complain about it and want to derail it.