"America FIRST!" - What's Wrong with That?

I agree WTF, with the addition that the generation holding the reins in our country currently is the Me First generation. Our parents, and their parents were more willing to support programs good for the whole...interstate highway system, social security, medical research....we are now unwilling to even maintain the foundation laid before us. Many ME's now feel their wishes should outweigh those of the WE's. Hopefully the next generation will be different. Originally Posted by reddog1951

omg You truly dont understand America first! Some of your jargon are points! Yet you use them falsely .

And when Joe Biden says "buy American first", he means what exactly?

The orders direct federal agencies to procure carbon-free electricity and zero-emission vehicles, although specific procurement goals are sparse. To help spur job creation, those purchases also must be made in America, following Biden’s recent Buy American executive order.

... No worrys - President Trump will surely reverse all this
electric car bullshit and start DRILLING again come 2025.

And put "America First!" ...

#### Salty

Nope. Salty. You’re gonna be disappointed.

Nope. Salty. You’re gonna be disappointed. Originally Posted by 1blackman1

... Mate, the Greatest disappointment I've seen
is Joe Biden's decision-making the last two years.

... It's been "America Last"...

#### Salty

Frankly, Trump seems to be the only President to actually give AF about the country in my lifetime. The dude got pummeled by people who used to bend the knee, and lost an assload of money taking the job. He could’ve retired, played golf and banged supermodels for the rest of his life. That’s what I’d have done in his position.

I’m much more concerned with politicians who go to Washington broke, make a couple hundred K in one of the most expensive cities on earth to live in, and walk out with millions in offshore accounts. This is common, and exactly why 99% of politicians run for office. They don’t give half a flying fuck about the country or anyone in it, they’re there to get kickbacks and stock tips. It should be a requirement that anyone seeking national office is already rich and has no need to even engage the corporatocracy. Originally Posted by Jacuzzme

Don't agree, I have little trust with ultra rich politicians, they can buy whoever they want. They have the funds to ruin people with legal costs. That said I don't consider a low millionaire rich at that level. I'm talking about stupid rich 100s or billions... That's where it becomes a problem. It takes a lot of money to buy someone off at that level. A low millionaire wouldn't be able to afford it.

I'm sure ya'll will say "but Pelosi".... yawn.

Do agree that they should not be able to trade in single stocks while in office. Index funds only.

... Let's stay on-topic, mates.

Debate finances in another thread... This one's mine.

### Salty

... No worrys - President Trump will surely reverse all this
electric car bullshit and start DRILLING again come 2025.

And put "America First!" ...

#### Salty Originally Posted by Salty Again

Stay on topic Salty.

If you want to start a drill baby drill, start another thread.

... G'day lads,

... I surely see some of you cry and whine about
President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

Trump also got another one that's more direct - "America FIRST!"


#### Salty Originally Posted by Salty Again

The problem anyone with any intelligence at all has with Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan is that it is totally bogus. To be "great again" you have to be less great and when Trump was running for office and when he took office the US had just had one of the greatest runs in US history. During Obama's 8 years the stock market had gone up 168%, unemployment was so low it was at theorical full employment. US manufacturing output in dollars was close to all time highs. The US was the strongest economy and business climate in the world. I have three friends whose business did so well when Obama was in office they were able to sell their business and retire. The deficit, the difference between what the US pays out and what it takes in was cut in half and was falling. It was on the way to zero and an actual reduction in the national debt. So just how do you call to make the US great again when it was the greatest in the world in almost every measurement.

Trump was like the Robert Preston character in the movie The Music Man. A grifter who wanted to flim-flam the city into buying band uniforms he would never deliver. In the big number he sang a song called "You Got Trouble" telling the people of the city they had big trouble because a pool table was being brought in. Trump was the same with his slogan. He was making up lies about the US not being great when anyone could see the US was dominating the world.

And as far as that "America First" nonsense If you ever read the book "Co-opetition" by Brandenbgurger and Nalebuff. Business is different than games because it allows for more than one winner. The supply chain has become global. Look at iPhones. They are designed in the US, parts come from the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sicily, Brazil. "America First" is foolish because it is just not possible. Trump wants the US that existed from 1880 to 1910. When everything produced here was sold here, when everything we purchased was produced her, when national revenue came from trade tariffs. That US is gone forever and can never return. The US leads the world certain types of manufacturing while they have transferred the labor intense manufacturing to other countries to keep cost down and make the prices of goods reasonable. That is just smart business. Trump just does not understand that.

Stay on topic Salty.

If you want to start a drill baby drill, start another thread. Originally Posted by WTF

... You must have missed the FACT that I started this thread.
So therefore I will decide the flow of conversation.

Good conversation is good for America. ...
"America First!"

#### Salty

... No worrys - President Trump will surely reverse all this
electric car bullshit and start DRILLING again come 2025.

And put "America First!" ...

#### Salty Originally Posted by Salty Again

This may come as a complete shock to you but the oil industry is drilling plenty right now. They are also sitting on a lot of unused leases. The price of gas at the pump is down 40% in case you have not noticed. Little known fact, the US will always an oil importer because we are not capable of producing oil that can be turned into gasoline. That comes from the Saudi. Also there is currently a glut of oil at the refineries on the gulf coast

That “unused leases” narrative is totally bogus. You can’t repeatedly proclaim your hostility towards the energy industry and expect people to forget it when the sour fruits of your policies fall from the trees, or maybe you can.

... You must have missed the FACT that I started this thread.
So therefore I will decide the flow of conversation.



#### Salty Originally Posted by Salty Again

Actually that is not true....there is no rule stating that the thread starter is anything more than that.

The thread starter has to follow the same rules as everyone else once the thread was started.

Nice try though.

That “unused leases” narrative is totally bogus. You can’t repeatedly proclaim your hostility towards the energy industry and expect people to forget it when the sour fruits of your policies fall from the trees, or maybe you can. Originally Posted by Jacuzzme

Do you understand how much oil and gas this country is pumping right now?


No one is hostile towards the energy industry btw. There is a debate or transition going on about cleaner energy.

Which imho should include nuclear.

That Japanese fuck up may have hurt that option though.

Hi Big Louie, there are fallacies and misrepresentations in your posts, more so in the one about energy. Not intentional, perhaps you picked them up watching MSNBC. FYI, the St. Louis Fed and Energy Information Administration are good sources of unbiased data.

Responses to your first post below in red,

During Obama's 8 years the stock market had gone up 168%,

You could say something similar about just about any president during modern times except George W. Bush. Performance during Obama's administration was juiced because we were coming out of a deep recession. The recovery was anemic compared to others, perhaps in part due to increased regulation and higher taxes. Admittedly though, neither stock performance nor GDP growth have a lot to do with who's president.

unemployment was so low it was at theorical full employment.

Not true. Unemployment was 4.7% when Obama left office. It was 3.5% just before COVID hit.

US manufacturing output in dollars was close to all time highs.

U.S. manufacturing output hit an all time high in 2007. Given the growth in the U.S. population and GDP, you'd think it should have increased in the Obama administration and afterwards but it hasn't, I suspect largely because we've shifted to more of a services economy.

The US was the strongest economy and business climate in the world.

Not true. Singapore and Hong Kong come to mind, as places with stronger economies and better business climates when Obama left office.


I have three friends whose business did so well when Obama was in office they were able to sell their business and retire.

Whoop de doo

The deficit, the difference between what the US pays out and what it takes in was cut in half and was falling.

The deficit as a % of GDP was around 8.5% in 2010 and 2011, when budgets were set entirely by Democrats, who controlled the presidency, House and Senate through 2010. At that time the deficit was the highest since World War II. When Republicans took control of the House, where spending bills originate, deficits started shrinking.

It was on the way to zero and an actual reduction in the national debt.

Absolutely not true.


And as far as that "America First" nonsense If you ever read the book "Co-opetition" by Brandenbgurger and Nalebuff. Business is different than games because it allows for more than one winner. The supply chain has become global. Look at iPhones. They are designed in the US, parts come from the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sicily, Brazil. "America First" is foolish because it is just not possible. Trump wants the US that existed from 1880 to 1910. When everything produced here was sold here, when everything we purchased was produced her, when national revenue came from trade tariffs. That US is gone forever and can never return. The US leads the world certain types of manufacturing while they have transferred the labor intense manufacturing to other countries to keep cost down and make the prices of goods reasonable. That is just smart business. Trump just does not understand that.

Agreed.
Originally Posted by BigLouie