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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: July 27th, 2023

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  • The Republicans control both houses. If they can’t get a CR passed by themselves, they need to make significant compromises to pass a bipartisan bill, which they haven’t done. That’s basic politics and it’s been the case for hundreds of years.

    Acting like this is the Democrats fault is nonsense. If the government can’t pay the bills the people of the country need to finally see the incompetence and disdain for the American people that this administration has.

    As for the public sector workers, if you think this will save them you’re completely mistaken. This buys them weeks or a couple of months at most. Maybe a government shut down will remind the people what public servants do for them so they can start opposing this butchery of the government.



  • That’s a problem we have globally. Although it might seem like Trump style populism vs Canadian neo-liberalism(with all it’s pros and cons), we’re both purple. You guys just have a bit more right wing red in the dye mix. It’s plausible that Canada elects our own Trump then we can both be stupid.

    The only ideology that has a chance at stopping the populist wave is Sanders style social democracy because it addresses the same core issue of wealth disparity. But it doesn’t look like anyone is electing that anytime soon.



  • Dude that makes no sense at all. He wants to depreciate the dollar by putting on tariffs, an action you yourself admit depreciates all OTHER currencies, thereby increasing the value of the dollar?

    Then after that he’ll “negotiate” to have the other countries to appreciate their currencies? By buying US goods and companies?? Both of those things appreciate the US dollar. China has been selling their goods to the US (something which should appreciate their currency) without appreciating their currency by buying property and companies in the US so they never have to use the US dollar to buy their own currency. This increases the value of the dollar while decreasing demands for the Chinese currency. This has been widely seen as unfair currency manipulation by China.

    Things that increase demand for US dollars such as buying US goods and investing in the US APPRECIATE the value of of the US dollar. I haven’t read the article yet, but I hope your summary is incorrect, because Varoufakis is generally a very intelligent left wing thinker and I would be surprised to see this kind of gaffe in basic economics.

    Edit: here is a link to the article since the one above didn’t work for me.

    https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2025/02/21/donald-trumps-economic-masterplan-unherd/

    While tariffs would work against Trump’s plan (by deppreciating foreign currencies) they give Trump revenue he can spend with congressional approval. Then for the countries that make a deal he’ll either force them to appreciate their currencies by swapping US dollars for their own currency (to depreciate the dollar), OR make them buy very long term US bonds (stabilizing the US debt markets) and buying US weapons (diluting the cost of US military R&D). Trump hopes this lets him depreciate the dollar while keeping it as a reserve currency (having his cake and eating it too).









  • Last Trump admin the US tariffed China, China retaliated by tariffs on US ag goods. Eventually Trump caved (or genius negotiation depending on your political colour) and China lifted the tariffs. Ask American farmers if they got those contracts back once China developed relationships with Brazilian farmers instead. Look at how many small farms folded since then and have been bought by commercial interests. Think that’s a coincidence? Only megacorporations can afford to wait out the consequences of these actions.

    The consequences of this idiocy will last a long time.






  • That’s something I wish was do able in Ontario. Cars are downright hostile to cyclists here. One in 300 will actively try to “buzz” you or “roll coal” you in bike lanes or intersections. Even biking with my kids exclusively in protected lanes and using pedestrian crossings I’ve had more close calls than I can count. Some of these drivers (willingly or thorough sheer carelessness) go out of their way to endanger CHILDREN.

    Driving on the road taking up a lane requires a lot of focus and attention to keep yourself safe from the significant minority of drivers who actively disdain you. And that’s when you move to the side to let them illegally pass you at every opportunity. If you tried to take a full lane for any significant amount of time in Ontario you will 100% be hit on purpose. Maybe not every ride, but you wouldn’t survive a summer of “using your legal right to a full lane”.