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No the solution is to force those countries who've been raping us for years, to remove or lessen the "taxes" on US goods. That's happening slowly, but faster than many anticipated. Meanwhile, I'm glad to pay a little more even though I haven't noticed much other than costs of lumber products which started going up in 2020. What have you noticed personally that has increased from these "taxes"?Quote:
Originally Posted by arkansasbob
Grocery prices have been mostly flat to slightly decreasing since Trump took office. I have no view on durable goods like electronics since I personally haven't been buying any recently. We did purchase a new fridge and washer & dryer for our house this year. Prices were not extreme or seem overly high. Gasoline prices are dropping! Gas is 2.06 here. But that has more to do with the world market.
Saw an economist on a YouTube channel saying right now, based on best guesses, that Trump's tariffs have contributed to a 4% increase to American consumers. The middlemen in the international supply chain are eating the lion's share of the cost of tariffs, because they had enjoyed the largest margins in the chain. They have the most to contribute to absorbing tariff costs and still turn a profit. Back to the American consumer. That 4% increase has, in many cases, been offset by cost reductions thanks to Trump's policies. This economist and others are predicting, or warning, that American consumers may start seeing some cost increases later this year or first quarter 2026 because those middlemen in the international supply chain may, might, increase their prices in contract renewals to be negotiated. But that is just speculation. But already Trump has lowered the tariffs on China, Japan, and host of other countries. So, those cost increases will probably not be applied.
It also predictably turns summer jobs for high school kids into careers where suddenly unskilled laborers demand a "living wage" because all the good manufacturing jobs moved overseas, which probably causes more price hikes (taxes) than the tariffs ever could.Quote:
Originally Posted by arkansasbob
And as the affordability crisis gets worse, it predictably leads to communists like Mamdani getting elected, because the system is working for fewer and fewer people all the time.
Paying wages with cash or crypto will get bigger. Keeping the state and feds out of small private business is a good thing.
What do y'all think? Should Trump provide payment for SNAP? He just said he will not until the government is reopened, then he'll have no choice anyway. A libtard judge has ordered the administration to provide for SNAP payments. Isn't it funny how these rogue libtard judges change their minds on what authority the executive branch has or doesn't have depending on the situation. Sometimes it's OH NO! Congress has to approve such payments and other times it's OH NO! the executive branch has to step up.
But, I was thinking this could be a HUGE political win for Trump and thus the GOP if he does provide SNAP payments. This could be spun as "look at President Trump, he cares about people, providing food for the elderly, the poor, and children while those dastardly democraps tried to starve people to death!" Good help in the 2026 midterms.
Of course, should Trump do this, later when dems are back in power they will try to charge him with misuse of federal funds...even though a dem libtard judge ordered him to.
Louisiana has already agreed to pay the Danegeld, so they will never get rid of the Dane.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
Thoughts on Trump's proposed 50-year mortgages?
I like it. The banks will still make lending decisions on a case-by-case basis and will not simply hand out 50-year mortgages just because they can. The standard used to be 26-year mortgages. Then it was bumped to 30 years. The economy did not collapse. And, banks/lenders have used other terms such as 15-year mortgages, fixed and variable. The 50-year mortgage will be just another tool in the toolbox to benefit lenders and borrowers.
Of course, because it is Trump proposing this there are those who are screaming this will be UNFAIR to poor, ole stupid borrowers who will be taken advantage of by evil "large banks." Actually, I think it is the banks who will be concerned about such lengthy terms and will be extra careful before making 50-year mortgage loans.
The only thing the haters appreciate about capitalism is the stock market…if they have inside information
I think a 50 year mortgage would lead to a bunch of loan defaults and lead to a lot of folks who don't understand math and basic finance (given our public school system, that's probably a majority of the population) voting for socialist/communist freaks - aka democrats.
With such a loan, f you purchase a house for 330,000 and put 10% down, you will pay over 700,000 in mortgage interest over the life of the loan. Payments of almost 205,000 over the first ten years will get you a grand total of 11,000 of principal reduction. Any dips in real estate values will rapidly wipe out those kinds of paltry gains creating another banking crisis.
That's a lot of stuff for people to understand that have only been taught "white people bad", "orange man bad", "Hamas good, Jew bad", and "socialism good, work less get paid from rich".
Barack Obummer and Hakeem Jefferies among other democraps, and democrap donors, implicated in the Epstein Files.
You point out some legit concerns. But, the banks know all of this too. Heck, they lived it in 2006-2008! This is why I think most banks, especially the ultra-conservative local and regional banks, will avoid 50-year mortgages. One of my banks did not make any of those sub-prime mortgage loans. It's a regional bank. I remember asking my banker about sub-prime loans back in 2003. I thought it meant a bank making loans below the Prime Rate, which I could not understand how/why any bank would do that. My banker explained "sub-prime" in those cases meant "not exactly a "prime" borrower."Quote:
Originally Posted by DawgyNWindow
I think even the greedy big banks, who did make those "sub-prime" loans back then, have learned their lesson and will be very cautious about 50-year mortgages.
Just to illustrate this...
A $100,000 mortgage loan at 6%
30-year Monthly payment $599.55 Total interest paid over the life of the loan is $115,838.19
50-year Monthly payment $526.40 Total interest paid is $215,842.88
Not a huge difference in the monthly payment but an enormous difference in total interest paid. Heck, the house cost $100,000 which is equal to the difference in interest paid.
This is one case. But, the higher the cost of the house, say $300,000, the greater the monthly saving. At 50-yr it's $1,579 and at 30-yr it's $1,799. That $220 difference in monthly payment is what borrowers will find attractive and what will allow more people to afford to buy a house. Yeah, total interest paid is WHOA!! But, these mortgage loans will be set up to allow borrowers to pay extra toward the principle thus reducing the duration and reducing that overall interest paid.
Yeah, I know....some folks are kind of dumb. I get that.
Larry Summers, obummer's treasury secretary, has resigned from numerous positions due to being outed in the release of the files.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
We also know that in 2019 Epstein was actively working with the dems to try to get dirt on Trump. Plenty of evidence coming out about this. So...if Epstein knew, had anything on Trump in regards to pedophile activity then Epstein would have presented it to the dems. Today, one of Epstein's lawyers confirmed this and that Epstein told this lawyer, and others, he wished Trump had done something but he never did.
Game, set, and match for President Trump!
Of course, the brainless masses suffering from TDS are now insisting that Trump had the Epstein files scrubbed to remove his name. Right...which is why the dems never released the files during Biden's term when they had total control. You can't fix stupid, and everyday libtards rush to prove it.
More important than the Epstein Files is Tulsi Gabbard's findings in the Russia Hoax case. I doubt obummer et al will see a day in jail, but they should spend time in jail. Right up to the day of facing a firing squad for treason.