4 ms·

We can dispense with polite formulations under current circumstances. One would have to be a moron or literally mentally ill to "believe in these policies," e

We can dispense with polite formulations under current circumstances. One would have to be a moron or literally mentally ill to "believe in these policies," either having no understanding, or, having invested in some delusional confabulated make believe universe where the fundamental order of our civilization is collectively reworked (including by enemies and competitors at every scale) in a context of rapidly degrading climate, to suit your ideology.

chneu 1y ago
The president doesn't even believe in these policies. Trump says anything he can think of and then whatever people respond to he goes with. That + the last person to discuss something with him are his two leading decision making policies.
antifa 1y ago
> One would have to be a moron or literally mentally ill to "believe in these policies," Playing devils advocate, I think most people thought the incoming tariffs were going to be a lot smaller, also maybe assumed there would be an industrial policy.
- vkou 1y ago
  Those people should have probably paid attention to the clown parade of 2016-2020, with the administration's revolving door of one incompetent person being brought in after another (many of them getting fired, and a bunch of others went to prison). Followed by 2021-2024, where all the adults in the room were talking to the press, explaining how hard they had to work to convince Trump why he shouldn't carry out his worst ideas. Followed by all of those people getting fired in January of 2025, and replaced by lickspittles, sycophants, and other flavors of yes-men. There's no way that someone who surrounds himself with the kind of cabinet that he does, or reacts to criticism and feedback the way he does is going to be making good decisions.
  - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
    > should have probably paid attention to the clown parade of 2016-2020 For what it's worth, the economy grew under Trump 1.0. This second one is just not making decisions himself, with policy noticeably varying based on who is physically around him [1]. I won't be surprised to learn in a few years that he's being stage managed as tightly as Biden was in his final months in office. [1] https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-tariff-pause-navarro-bessent-lutnick-b9e864fb https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-tariff-pause-navar...
jpster 1y ago
I mistakenly assumed Scott Bessent knew better and would do better, given his financial markets experience. From Wikipedia: “He was hired by Soros Fund Management, eventually becoming the head of its London office. In this role, in September 1992, he was a leading member of the group that profited by $1 billion on Black Wednesday, the British Pound sterling crisis.”
- ethbr1 1y ago
  I mean, he did supposedly get Peter Navarro kicked away from the president's ear as a result of the bond market turmoil. When you're part of a circus, sometimes the least-bad option is a relative win.
  - jpster 1y ago
    Supposedly. But Pete was on CNBC today doing all kinds of tortured math to justify the GDP miss. They didn’t kick him far enough.

chneu 1y ago

The president doesn't even believe in these policies. Trump says anything he can think of and then whatever people respond to he goes with. That + the last person to discuss something with him are his two leading decision making policies.

antifa 1y ago

> One would have to be a moron or literally mentally ill to "believe in these policies," Playing devils advocate, I think most people thought the incoming tariffs were going to be a lot smaller, also maybe assumed there would be an industrial policy.

vkou 1y ago
Those people should have probably paid attention to the clown parade of 2016-2020, with the administration's revolving door of one incompetent person being brought in after another (many of them getting fired, and a bunch of others went to prison). Followed by 2021-2024, where all the adults in the room were talking to the press, explaining how hard they had to work to convince Trump why he shouldn't carry out his worst ideas. Followed by all of those people getting fired in January of 2025, and replaced by lickspittles, sycophants, and other flavors of yes-men. There's no way that someone who surrounds himself with the kind of cabinet that he does, or reacts to criticism and feedback the way he does is going to be making good decisions.
- JumpCrisscross 1y ago
  > should have probably paid attention to the clown parade of 2016-2020 For what it's worth, the economy grew under Trump 1.0. This second one is just not making decisions himself, with policy noticeably varying based on who is physically around him [1]. I won't be surprised to learn in a few years that he's being stage managed as tightly as Biden was in his final months in office. [1] https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-tariff-pause-navarro-bessent-lutnick-b9e864fb https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-tariff-pause-navar...

jpster 1y ago

I mistakenly assumed Scott Bessent knew better and would do better, given his financial markets experience. From Wikipedia: “He was hired by Soros Fund Management, eventually becoming the head of its London office. In this role, in September 1992, he was a leading member of the group that profited by $1 billion on Black Wednesday, the British Pound sterling crisis.”

ethbr1 1y ago
I mean, he did supposedly get Peter Navarro kicked away from the president's ear as a result of the bond market turmoil. When you're part of a circus, sometimes the least-bad option is a relative win.
- jpster 1y ago
  Supposedly. But Pete was on CNBC today doing all kinds of tortured math to justify the GDP miss. They didn’t kick him far enough.