February 28, 2019

"President Trump and Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, abruptly ended their second summit meeting on Thursday after talks collapsed with the two leaders failing to agree on any steps..."

"... toward nuclear disarmament or measures to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 'Sometimes you have to walk,' Mr. Trump said at an afternoon news conference in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. He said Mr. Kim had offered to dismantle the North’s most important nuclear facility if the United States lifted the harsh sanctions imposed on his nation — but would not commit to do the same for other elements of its weapons program. That, Mr. Trump said, was a dealbreaker. 'It was about the sanctions,' Mr. Trump said. 'Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, but we couldn’t do that.' The premature end to the negotiations leaves the unusual rapprochement between the United States and North Korea that has unfolded for most of a year at a deadlock.... It also represents a major setback at a difficult political moment for Mr. Trump, who has long presented himself as a tough negotiator capable of bringing adversaries into a deal and had made North Korea the signature diplomatic initiative of his presidency."

Writes Edward Wong in the NYT.

A Trumpist would say this is what tough negotiation looks like. Looking unsuccessful is what makes it tough.

I'll just say what I regard as a Trumpism: We'll see what happens.

219 comments:

1 – 200 of 219   Newer›   Newest»
Seeing Red said...

Lil kimmee still hasn’t learned. He pulled this before, but we are in trade negotiations with China.

Henry said...

For whatever it's worth, Trump was supposed to have failed the last time he "walked".

Wait and see.

Birkel said...

Trump is not negotiating with Kim. He is negotiating with China's pawn, Kim.

Also, he is negotiating with China directly on related matters.

We shall see.

Yancey Ward said...

There is a deal to be made, but it really does depend on the North Koreans to give up the weapons program in its entirety in a way that is fully trustworthy. You can't lift the sanctions for half-measures- at best you might do so bit for bit, but even that isn't much use without a solid verification procedure.

In the end, the North Korean people will have to solve the issue, or not.

mccullough said...

Kim went for too much. He should have asked for some money and aid to close the main spot. Considered it a step 1 and then go from there.

Kim went home with nothing.

gspencer said...

Amusing to hear the lefties criticize Trump on this.

No one else has been able to bring the NK problem closer to resolution than Trump. Yet he's the boob.

Birkel said...

Remember when Reagan failed at Reykjavik?

Remember when Chamberlain succeeded at Munich?

Limited blogger said...

Back on your train, back to the hermit kingdom.

Gretchen said...

Yeah cause nothing says success than turning over pallets of cash for a pile of BS.

Seriously, Trump isn't done and neither is Kim. Of course, the Democrats did a lovely job of making Trump look weak the their dog and pony show. If the other guy thinks you will be embroiled in an impeachment battle and no longer be in power before the end of the year, it isn't helpful.

However, the Democrats did get the revelation that Trump was tipped off AFTER Wikileaks publicly stated they were dumping Hilary's emails and had the gall to say "that's great" because you know, that is MUCH worse than the FBI spying on his campaign based on false information paid for by Hillary, advanced by Obama and the media.

JohnAnnArbor said...

You have to be willing to walk away.

Iran knew that Kerry and Obama desperately wanted a deal. "Peace in our time" and all that. So the Iranians gave up basically nothing and got all the reward (billions in small unmarked bills).

n.n said...

Kim probably wants assurance that the next American administration will not Gadaffi him and his people.

steve uhr said...

Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier. He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election. I wonder if there is an official DSM-IV diagnosis for someone who constantly lies yet believes everyone tells him the truth.

Yancey Ward said...

Steve, do you think governors are aware of every grievous injury suffered by prisoners in state prisons? Do you automatically assume such injuries are state policies directed from on-high?

In Trump's position, I would also accept Kim's statement on its face- it is unlikely that the president of the country would be directing such an assault as it happened.

As for Russia, where is the evidence they interfered? I have seen literally nothing but unsupported allegations to date. Maybe Trump has seen it, maybe not, but I haven't and neither have you.

Sebastian said...

"Major setback" is progspeak for not caving.

steve uhr said...

Yancy -- You really believe that the stalinist supreme leader doesn't keep tabs on the ONE American in his torture chamber prison system? Really??

Mark said...

Need for a distraction is over, so thus are the talks.

Wagged the dog pretty well.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Whaaaaat?! No Nobel for Trump.

jack said...

'Sometimes you have to walk,'

New chapter title for the soon to be released reissue of 'Art Of The Deal'.

Darrell said...

As for Russia, where is the evidence they interfered?

Google said that Russia spent $2500 in ads. That's a lot of money!

Birkel said...

steve uhr believes we should insult our enemies before asking them for concessions.

steve uhr also believes Trump believes the things he says when ingratiating himself to those who can give something to Trump that is good for the United States.

Imagine the self-delusion necessary to believe those things.

Darrell said...

Pateince.

Obama couldn't get through a garden gate with an umbrella in the same amount of time.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier. He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election. I wonder if there is an official DSM-IV diagnosis for someone who constantly lies yet believes everyone tells him the truth.”

Indeed, that comment of his made my blood run cold. After all the (fake) sympathy and even inviting Wambiers parents to sit in the private box with Pence at the Olympics. Proves my theory that he has no empathy or sympathy and merely uses grieving families for his political purposes.

He tells me he didn’t know about it and I’ll take him at his word.”
Donald Trump

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Mark said...

Need for a distraction is over, so thus are the talks.

The talks are not over, Cohen and the Senators are still talking behind closed doors.

I assume that is the distraction you are talking about, since the Trump-Kim summit was scheduled well before the Cohen testimony

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Being willing and able to walk out is the best tool when your negotiating from strength. There’s no doubt the USA is in a stronger position than NoKo here, and it likely sends a signal to Xi that we need China to push Kim toward more concessions.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Obama couldn't get through a garden gate with an umbrella in the same amount of time.”

Trump couldn’t figure out how to collapse his umbrella before stepping into Air Force One.

Howard said...

Trump handled it well.

Birkel said...

Royal ass Inga believes Trump must call evil dictators evil if he really wants to get positive results like denuclearization and lower threat of war.

Royal ass Inga knows that strategy works from all her years of negotiating the buttons on an elevator.

CWJ said...

Steve uhr wrote -

"Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier."

Trump also "says" things. Believing is another matter. Look. They're in a negotiation. Warmbier's dead regardless. What possible leverage do we gain by publicly raking our opposite number over the coals on this? Playing nice only hurts us when we take hardball or walking out off the table. Or worse roll over and send billions in cash to our opponents. It's the final deal that counts. Virtue signalling is cheap.

narciso said...

actually the times has the same measured tone, it does whenever republicans don't give away the farm,

https://www.38north.org/2019/02/editor022819/

Ignorance is Bliss said...

steve uhr said...

Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier. He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election. I wonder if there is an official DSM-IV diagnosis for someone who constantly lies yet believes everyone tells him the truth.

If you believe Trump constantly lies, and Trump says he believes Kim and Putin, then why do you conclude that Trump believes Kim and Putin?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

that comment of his made my blood run cold.

No that was your reptilian nature. Try sitting on a rock in the sun.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Virtue signalling is cheap.”

Having principles is expensive.

Darrell said...

Trump couldn’t figure out how to collapse his umbrella before stepping into Air Force One.

Idiot. The release was frozen. It took a few seconds to unstick it.

That's a world away from not knowing to collapse an umbrella before you enter a narrow space to begin with.

Birkel said...

Before first summit Lefties were all like:
Trump will give Kim everything because he wants to make a deal.

After second summit Lefties were all like:
Trump should have insulted Kim and given into Kim's demands.

History begins anew. Like an Etch-a-Sketch.

John Ray said...

As one who has spent 40+ years on negotiating deals (nothing like nukes, of course, or even close), I state: One should know when to get up and basically say "Well, think about it, we'll talk another day, hopefully soon".

It has been 70 years of "at war" stance. We can wait a bit longer. I can see Omar, AOC, Harris, Booker or even Obama. "O.K., will you turn down your bellicose statements and in return, we will send unmarked currency in an unmarked plane and we will implement release of those 90,000 bottles of vodka captured in Belgium, and we will lighten the sanctions."

narciso said...

Lawrence walsh was part of the paris delegation who wanted to give away the store, during the Vietnam war, no wonder he was praised so fervently as independent counsel

Jersey Fled said...

Trump is a businessman. He doesn't treat these negotiations like a politician would.

Politicians look for political wins.Kerry would get on a plane and negotiate for three days and walk out with the whatever he could get. He had to come out with a deal. It made the optics good. The other side knew this and played him for three days. Ergo some of the crap deals he made.

Trump is a real estate developer. These deals often take years to pull together. You don't have a deal until you have a profitable deal. Sometimes you just walk away. In the meantime, North Korea has not had a nuclear test since September 2017.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Trump arranges the exception high. If he falls short - like his predecessors - it's all Trump's fault because orange man bad.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“No that was your reptilian nature. Try sitting on a rock in the sun.”

I’d suggest you crawl back under the rock you crawled out from, a little sun might singe you.

narciso said...

well the framework captained by wendy Sherman, gave kim the 2nd, massive cash, and few restrictions, then aq khan came in through the back door,

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Idiot. The release was frozen. It took a few seconds to unstick it.”

Suurrrrre, excuses, excuses.

Darrell said...

Suurrrrre, excuses, excuses.

Reality is a puzzler for you, isn't it?

jack said...

"He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election." - steve uhr

True statement.

Their's is a bromance made in heaven.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Darrell, your Trump sycophancy is boring.

Darrell said...

The people that say it couldn't be done always want to be put in charge of doing it, when someone else tries.

Darrell said...

Inga, your Leftist lock-step is predictable. Hive mind.

Darrell said...

Many brains. One 100 IQ.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

"He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election." - steve uhr

“True statement.

Their's is a bromance made in heaven.” - jack

“President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be.” - Donald Trump

Anonymous said...

Birkel and johnannarbor have it.

In order to successfully negotiate, the other side needs to know that you'll walk away from the table if the deal isn't good enough

see Chamberlain and Munich
see Obama/Kerry and Iran

The subject matter is different, but Trump has sat across the table in tough talks before

as I understand it, the Korean position was 'pull all the sanctions off and give us stuff first'.

we walked

Achilles said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Virtue signalling is cheap.”

Having principles is expensive.

I would like to see you explain what principles you have.

So far we have support of racists, rapists, crazy shooters like Hodgkinson, open borders, and support for infanticide.

Oh and stalinist investigations because you didn't like the outcome of an election.

Or is it taking money from people and giving it to other people?

Endless wars?

Seriously what principles do you have? I can easily explain and describe the first principles. Due process, freedom of speech, association, the right of self defense, and equal protection under the law are all clear and easy.

The only one in evidence for you is your will to power.

gspencer said...

"Back on your train, back to the hermit kingdom"

It was a 70 hour train trip each way. Trump's already home, gave Melania a kiss and a feel, relaxed with a drink both on the plane and at home, and ate 2 scoops of ice cream.

Meanwhile, little fat man is still traveling.

narciso said...

you want to know how many names of political prisoners, dishonored by Obama's spiking the ball at the end of his term,

Seeing Red said...

It’s like buying a home. You have to be willing to walk away.

roesch/voltaire said...

The danger of not working with diplomats before a one on one meeting, and once again Trump praises a dictator and gets very little in return.

fivewheels said...

This does not look like the product of someone in the midst of trying to drive a hard bargain on an existential threat to U.S. national security and willing to walk away if the deal isn't good enough.

Media yesterday: Trump doesn't have the stones or the intelligence to walk away from a bad deal, what a loser.

Media today: Trump walked away without a deal, what a loser.

steve uhr said...

Ignorance is Bliss -- I said he constantly lies. I didn't say he always lies. There is a difference. But you do have a point. Hard to know how to deal with the boy who cries wolf. Glad you have it figured out.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

R-V supplying the daily gnat swarm at the picnic. If that’s his best take Trump really did disappoint the hate-America crowd. Too bad Whoa Fat couldn’t R-V back to the glorious NoKo with him.

fivewheels said...

A lot of people who are being deliberately stupid (to give them more credit than they likely deserve) are pretending to have no idea what the phrase "I take him at his word" means. Or it's just proof of more failure of our education system.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, the real Trumpist position is that the Democrats have been ardently proclaiming that Trump is going to be thrown out of office, and Kim made the mistake of believing it, and that Trump would settle for giving up sanctions in return for nothing in order to forestall his impeachment.

Wrong.

Trump is willing to walk away if the deal is not a deal.

If there is impeachment, then (A) the Senate will vote to acquit, and (B) the Democrats will pay a huge price in 2020.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Seriously what principles do you have? I can easily explain and describe the first principles.”

Civil Rights
Democracy
Gender and racial equality
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press
Equal Rights for women and a Women’s right to choose
Social Safety nets, caring for our society as if we are members of it.

“Due process, freedom of speech, association, the right of self defense, and equal protection under the law are all clear and easy.” That’s a given for liberals as well as conservatives. What you might want to work on is your extremist belief that liberals are your enemy.

Greg P said...

Althouse writes:

"A Trumpist would say this is what tough negotiation looks like. Looking unsuccessful is what makes it tough."


Wrong. Anyone who knows anything about negotiation will say "looking /being desperate for a deal guarantees you'll get a bad deal."

Walking away makes Trump look "not desperate". Which is what he wants.

As opposed to what Obama did for 8 years.

That's not "Trumpist", it's just "not incompetent"

Jon Burack said...

Thank goodness we have a president who does not fake it and who is patient in dealing. My own view is it is idiotic to suppose NK will give up all its nukes, or to think it has to for us to achieve a real stabilizing arrangement. Of course, the press will call ANYTHING Trump gets from this process a failure - including the neocon podhoretz gang, who I normally like. Oh well, can't win 'em all. In my view, NK can only use nukes for deterrence. It's neighbors effectively contain it otherwise (unlike with Iran). If it ever used just one bomb, its existence would be over, and I am sure Kim knows this. But I know of no fully nuclear regime that has ever given their nukes up. Their use to NK is solely as insurance. Hence, the aim should be to start to integrate them into a world economy and social order. If Trump does this his entire presidency will have justified itself. Despite CNN's attempt to distract from it all with its ludicrous Cohen reporting.

Darrell said...

The American Action Forum just tallied up the expenses associated with the freshman Congresswoman Donkey Chompers' "Green New Deal" and come up with a final cost of $93 trillion.

$6 Billion for the Wall is waaay too much!

Democrats worry about deficits!

Big Mike said...

Kim chose ... poorly.

Darrell said...

Kim's advisers told him that Trump has been weakened by the Democrat media and will not walk away without a deal.

They were as wrong as the Democrat media.


Greg P said...

Blogger steve uhr said...
Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier. He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election.

Trump believes, correctly, that the Russians didn't interfere in the 2016 election for the purpose of getting Trump elected. In fact, they significantly colluded with the Clinton campaign (every single story Steele got from a "Russian source" was collusion with Putin, because that's who was directing those sources).


"I wonder if there is an official DSM-IV diagnosis for someone who constantly lies yet believes everyone tells him the truth."

Yeah, it's called "being a member of The Resistance!!11!"

CWJ said...

"Having principles is expensive."

Inga, I take it back. Virtue Signaling can be very expensive if all it accomplishes is making you feel good at the cost of lost opportunities. So again I ask what possible leverage do we gain by publicly raking our opposite number over the coals on this?

R/V,

"The danger of not working with diplomats before a one on one meeting, and once again Trump praises a dictator and gets very little in return."

But what did we lose? This is only act Two. Lord, I swear you, Inga, Uhr and I don't know how many others are more obsessed with appearances than the saving face attributed to the NORKs.

Greg P said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Virtue signalling is cheap.”

Having principles is expensive.



Yes, we're aware of that. It is, after all, WHY you leftists have no principles

gg6 said...

ALTHOUSE says: 'We'll see what happens.'..Yup, I'd agree with that. BUT I'd say it's already pretty certain Mr. Wong of the NYT knows really nothing about negotiation.

Achilles said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Seriously what principles do you have? I can easily explain and describe the first principles.”

Civil Rights
Democracy
Gender and racial equality
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press
Equal Rights for women and a Women’s right to choose
Social Safety nets, caring for our society as if we are members of it.

“Due process, freedom of speech, association, the right of self defense, and equal protection under the law are all clear and easy.” That’s a given for liberals as well as conservatives. What you might want to work on is your extremist belief that liberals are your enemy.


How many rapists are you going to vote for/support and still pretend you are for gender equality? This woman supports in no particular order: Bill Clinton, Menendez, Fairfax, Gore.

This woman called Nick Sadnmann a racist and supported having him expelled from school and blacklisted from college.

This woman thinks Brett Kavanaugh is a gang rapist and assaulted a woman who couldn't name the place or the year it happened.

This woman thinks Steve Scalise should rethink his support for the second amendment after getting shot by a crazy leftist.

This woman thinks Trump colluded with Russia because Russia has a video tape of Trump paying hookers to pee on a bed Obama slept in.

This woman supports leftist mobs attacking people wearing MAGA hats.

This woman supports killing babies that survive abortion attempts.

So yeah none of the things she listed are actually applied to any individual circumstance.

They are just talking points throw out there to be expediently ignored.

Darrell said...

When Inga tried to blow up a bus she burned her lips on the exhaust pipe.

To her credit, though, she kept blowing until it blew up.

Greg P said...

"He said Mr. Kim had offered to dismantle the North’s most important nuclear facility if the United States lifted the harsh sanctions imposed on his nation"

Who says it's actually "the North’s most important nuclear facility"? Who says (believably) that North Korea won't be able to refine any more Uranium if that facility is shut down?

Answer: No one honest

The Works insisted on a bad deal. So Trump did the right thing, and walked away.

Even better, Trump walked away after the "signing ceremony" was announced.

Why's that good? Because he's shown he can't be embarrassed into a bad agreement.

No one gives you a good agreement if they think you'll take a bad one. Which is why Obama got nothing but bad agreements.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

No one had been able to crack this nutter - Lil' Kim. He's a crazy mega-commie Potemkin village dictator.

Orange man bad.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

If Lil Kim is acting like Nancy P - I'd walk out too.

Drago said...

There is literally no complaint about Trump that hasn't been lodged by the left against every other republican for the last 70 years.

It's really rather amusing.

Bilwick said...

I'm amused that Nancy Pelosi wanted Trump to be tougher with Kim. Because if history shows us anything, it's that no one is more tough and anti-communist than "liberal" Democrats!

Drago said...

William Chadwick: "I'm amused that Nancy Pelosi wanted Trump to be tougher with Kim. Because if history shows us anything, it's that no one is more tough and anti-communist than "liberal" Democrats"

Well played.

Jim at said...

The same people who were bitching yesterday that Trump was being too friendly with Kim ... are the very same people who are bitching today that Trump walked away from him.

Seems all these people do is bitch. That and call other people nasty names.

Darrell said...

Did Pelosi contact Kim?

The Democrats have a history of that. Ask Ted Kennedy.

narciso said...

our wise betters

https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/germany-probes-apparent-payment-to-deported-9-11-convict-1.570755

Inga...Allie Oop said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inga...Allie Oop said...

“How many rapists are you going to vote for/support and still pretend you are for gender equality? This woman supports in no particular order: Bill Clinton, Menendez, Fairfax, Gore.

This woman called Nick Sadnmann a racist and supported having him expelled from school and blacklisted from college.

This woman thinks Brett Kavanaugh is a gang rapist and assaulted a woman who couldn't name the place or the year it happened.

“This woman thinks Steve Scalise should rethink his support for the second amendment after getting shot by a crazy leftist.

This woman thinks Trump colluded with Russia because Russia has a video tape of Trump paying hookers to pee on a bed Obama slept in.

This woman supports leftist mobs attacking people wearing MAGA hats.

This woman supports killing babies that survive abortion attempts.

So yeah none of the things she listed are actually applied to any individual circumstance.

They are just talking points throw out there to be expediently ignored.”

Ah, sadly the extremist mind took over. I had for a fleeting moment thought that Achilles was going to be rational today. Now go and find instances of where I said what you accuse me of, copy and paste them here with links.

bagoh20 said...

It took Reagan and Gorbachev five meetings to make a deal. We are under no pressure. Time does not hurt us. Our sanctions are hurting Kim more every day. Walking away was a great opportunity for Trump, and I don't think most recent U.S. Presidents would have done that. They would have given Kim something, and got the usual back - nothing burger with a side of lies, and then the next President would have to do it all over again. Trump may be the only leader capable of permanently ending this decades-long circus.

bagoh20 said...

The "Presidential" thing to do would be to cave to Kim, and then tell the world how we have achieved a great peace agreement and safety for the world. Fuck that old story again.

CWJ said...

Jersey Fles wrote -

"Trump is a businessman. He doesn't treat these negotiations like a politician would.
Politicians look for political wins."

True dat! And that is what is driving the administrative state and MSM crazy. You would think this would be evidence in favor of R/V's observation that politicians should come in only after the diplomats had done their work, but that assumes the diplomats aren't themselves politicians once removed looking for political wins. Facts not in evidence.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

The same people who claim to hate Russia - want their own personal Putin-Russian style "Democracy" here in the US.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

The media have a narrative to push. Inga eats it up like RAchel Maddow pudding.

Darrell said...


TheBlaze

@theblaze
Ocasio-Cortez hit with FEC complaint alleging she funneled thousands in campaign money to her boyfriend http://bit.ly/2TbXdZe
340
12:15 PM - Feb 28, 2019

Ambrose said...

Since it is the NYT, you have to Fox Butterfield the quote: "Despite being a tough negotiator, Trump holds firm in negotiations."

Birkel said...

DB@H,

I would try a spoonful if it was made from real Rachel Maddow.

Curious George said...

All you lefties ripping on Trump, can you explain why the Norks haven't had a missile test since Sept 2017?

Bay Area Guy said...

Most sane people would like the Norks to join us in the 21st century and not threaten peaceful countries with their missiles. Trump, to his credit, understands this simple fact and trying to use his China negotiations as leverage to accomplish something with the Norks.

It may work, it may not, but he's on the right track.

Drago said...

Temporary Topical Sojourn: It appears the Inga Kiss of Political Death has now fully engulfed the 4th of her moronic "New Leaders of the Free World" Designees.

A quick recap in the order that Inga identified them just 2 years ago as humanities best hope to keep the world free (stop snickering, she really meant that.....okay, maybe a little snickering is warranted....)

1) Merkel's-- internal support collapsed and she had to announce in 2018 that she would not seek re-election and has already designated her successor

2) May--LOL, enough said. She's done this year

3) Macron--seriously, Inga actually threw this Frog joker up as some light to the world! Stop laughing, seriously, stop laughing!! His internal approval is about 20% and there is doubt he can even stand for another election;

"Riots, low ratings … where did it all go wrong for Emmanuel Macron?"
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/28/emmanuel-macron-populism-french-president

4) Justin Trudeau!! I kid you not. Inga actually threw this child up as a new leader of the free world! I guess Inga wasn't quite confident enough to list her grandchild as a contender for the role vs Trudeau.

"Justin Trudeau refuses to resign over claims officials interfered in bribery prosecution"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/27/canada-trudeau-snc-lavalin-jody-wilson-raybould


If you are a candidate and Inga happens by to laud you as the next "Real Leader of the Free World", you might as well resign on the spot.

Seeing Red said...

Ah, sadly the extremist mind took over. I had for a fleeting moment thought that Achilles was going to be rational today. Now go and find instances of where I said what you accuse me of, copy and paste them here with links.

Do your own homework.

Drago said...

Curious George: "All you lefties ripping on Trump, can you explain why the Norks haven't had a missile test since Sept 2017?"

Easy.

Delayed Obama Magnificence Syndrome

Drago said...

In other good news, it appears CNN has started the long process by which Gov Coonman and LtGov Rapist of Virginia will slowly be transitioned to "republicans" by refusing now to list their party affiliation in stories about them.

This is on top of CNN admitting that they stock their "Totally Spontaneous TownHall Meetings with Just Plain Folks Y'all" with actual Democrat Party functionaries.

This is nothing new of course. Who can forget the Larry King interview of HW Bush where in taking calls from around the country the first call that just so happened to get through, "like, totally random" was from George Stephanopolous of the Bill Clinton campaign.

Sometimes its not worth hiding it, is it?

bagoh20 said...

"RAchel Maddow pudding."


ewwwww! A doctor can get her something for that.

Birkel said...

3.1% GDP growth in 2019 is merely a distraction from all Trump's failures, like North Korea, which is totally and only on Trump!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

belief that liberals are your enemy.

Where are these classical Liberals of which you write? If you really believe in those things you listed you are indeed a Classical Liberal or a Conservative for the Progressives who run the DNC-Media complex despise the “negative rights” delineated in the Constitution. They’ve obviously abandoned due process, presumption of innocence and separation of powers. They have turned on the Electoral College and are sullying the word “democratic” by pairing it with Socialism.

Drago said...

Mike: "They’ve obviously abandoned due process, presumption of innocence and separation of powers. They have turned on the Electoral College and are sullying the word “democratic” by pairing it with Socialism."

Indeed.

Its been said before: You can vote your way into Socialism, but you ALWAYS have to shoot your way out of it.

Drago said...

The single most defining feature of the modern left/liberals/Democrats is their unquenchable thirst and drive to destroy individual rights and replace them with Identity Group Rights with benefits allocated and administered within a marxist framework.

For that the Constitution has to be ignored or trashed.

And every single institution that is captured by the left demonstrates the above conclusively.

But you have to remember, to this day Inga still labels as "propaganda" any discussion of the lefties shutting down speech on college campuses via their identity politics/hate speech constructs.

bagoh20 said...

Lets admit it. There are a lot on the left that would prefer Trump fail at fixing the NorKo problem. Just like many would prefer a recession to prosperity under Trump. These are our fellow Americans, our friends, coworkers, and fellow commenters. Don't deny it. You know you want it.

Birkel said...

Also propaganda according to Royal ass Inga:
The 120 million or so bodies in mass graves that happened under socialism.

Meanwhile Scandinavian countries have re-introduced pro-free market ideas into their own economies.
Puzzler!

Birkel said...

2018 GDP growth: 3.1%

Trump is a con man.

Inga...Allie Oop said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JackWayne said...

Another Tempest In A Teapot. 98% of Americans may vaguely realize nothing happens with North Korea. Shrug. Who Cares? And it’s no use to point out what a pussy Obama was. Nobody cares. Why do we need a treaty with the Norks? No one can explain it.

Brian said...

Trump never said he "believed" Kim. He said "I take him at his word". It may be a similar sounding statement, but those are two VERY different statements.

And people say Trump is careless with his language...

He speaks PowerTalk. Another example of this is in his conversation with McCabe over his wife losing her election. McCabe was clueless, and took it as an insult.

But Trump knew what he was doing. He was telling him he was in charge, he knew McCabe was doing, that it would end badly for McCabe, and that he should retire now (or negotiate surrender). Only someone versed in PowerTalk would get it though.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Socialists, Stalinists, the Left!”

You people are a broken record. And boring as hell.

traditionalguy said...

The Korean tyrant's days are numbered. There is no way he can go back to the old days of murdering his own people because he is insane. With DJT's help, Kim has exposed himself as rational jerk and a total failure. And Trump only has to wait for a call. If Kim remains stuck on stupid, then Trump can always Space Weapon the SOB again.

Drago said...

Inga: "You people are a broken record. And boring as hell"

All Stalinists say that.

Not to worry. No one is saying that in Venezuela. They are too busy having professionally trained people dig thru garbage for food while cuban trained troops invade their capital offices and shoot up protestors.

But hey, no complaints.

JackWayne said...

We may be boring. But it’s better than being ignorant to the point of stupidity.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“U.S. economic growth in 2018 misses Trump's 3 percent target”

If the economy weakens Republicans in the House and Senate may be less subservient...

Drago said...

In other terrific "Inga" news, NYPD reports MS-13 illegal gang-members are targeting police officers AT THEIR HOMES.

Looks like we can expect alot more of Inga/Pelosi's "Spark of Divinity" attacks on police officers and their families.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“We may be boring. But it’s better than being ignorant to the point of stupidity.”

Indeed, don’t be so ignorant then.

Drago said...

Inga: "If the economy weakens Republicans in the House and Senate may be less subservient..."

LOL

The economy has "weakened" under Trump to about 2x obama's!!

Too funny.

Still, its healthy for Inga to be transparent in her desire for the US economy to crater to help her side politically.

That's another of Inga's many "principles"!

Drago said...

Inga: "Indeed, don’t be so ignorant then."

History Reset gal offers advice.

Let's pay attention....

Martin said...

It's pretty clear that Mr. Wong and the NYT have no clue what hi-level negotiation really involves.

I'm sure Trump would have preferred a breakthrough but I'm also sure he would have been surprised had it happened. "Mild disappointment" might be more like it.

Drago said...

As Barack Obama The Magnificent himself proclaimed, the days of 3% growth are long over and any suggestion that it's possible to get that high again would require a literal "magic wand".

LOL

But he did look dreamy as he rubbed Medvedev's inner thigh while promising to be much more flexible for Vladimir after his next election....and guess what? Obama WAS much more flexible.

That was sweet of him.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Lets admit it.

Every Congresscritter who voted for the wall now denies it funding, putting policy and natsec behind saying no to Trump.

Nancy could get ANYTHING on her wish list if she worked Trump and she knows it. But her caucas would bolt, cuz Trump.

Everybody loves a robust economy. But it’s never in the news, cuz Trump.

Journalists have ethics. Except now, cuz Trump.

Birkel said...

The press is choosing a new statistic to report 2.9% GDP growth.

The old statistic shows 3.1% growth.

Never trust Pravda or Izvestia.

Darrell said...

For 2018 as a whole, growth was 2.9 percent, below the Trump administration's projected target of 3 percent.

Big miss!

Recall the Left was trying to engineer a collapse for the 2018 midterms.

steve uhr said...

Brian -- just about everyone in the world, sans Brian, understands that the statements "I take him at his word" and "I believe him" mean pretty much the same thing.

Drago said...

Birkel: "The press is choosing a new statistic to report 2.9% GDP growth.

The old statistic shows 3.1% growth."

Correct.

The dems/left don't like how a long used stat makes the republicans appear, so they change it!

They famously did this with border crossers as well, changing how they counted those turned back/sent back to inflate obambi's numbers.

Changing the formula's and statistics used for news reports is another in the Inga/lefty set of "principles".

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Never underestimate the coming revision to currently reported numbers. Especially quarterly GDP numbers and year-end numbers.

Drago said...

steve uhr: 'Brian -- just about everyone in the world, sans Brian, understands that the statements "I take him at his word" and "I believe him" mean pretty much the same thing."

Yeah Steve. Whatever you say.

We'll be back to "love child", "beating Melania in an elevator" and "paying for abortions" with these guys again soon.

LOL

Darrell said...

Targets are now campaign promises. Read my lips, 3% growth.

What will growth be under the Democratic Party's Green New Deal" with a final cost of $93 trillion?

Birkel said...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/finance.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/4q18-gdp-first-and-second-estimate-130025490.html

Royal ass Inga thinks Yahoo and Google are in on the new con.

Birkel said...

Darrell,
Do not believe Royal ass Inga's lies.

steve uhr said...

Drago -- sure .. whatever you say. Makes no sense to me but I'm sure it does to you.

Drago said...

Mike: "Never underestimate the coming revision to currently reported numbers. Especially quarterly GDP numbers and year-end numbers."

It will be quietly reported or ignored altogether so the Headline news of the day carries the message the lefties want.

As always.

And I fully expect Powell to begin in earnest this year to tank the economy by raising the interest rates further. It would not surprise me in the least to hear this jerk announce he will raise rates a minimum of 4 times between now and June of 2020 with zero inflation and the economy not overheating.

This will be a full court establishment press to get rid of Trump and tanking the economy a la Volcker is something they won't hesitate to pull.

traditionalguy said...

The Korean tyrant's days are numbered. There is no way he can go back to the old days of murdering his own people because he is insane. With DJT's help, Kim has exposed himself as rational jerk and a total failure. And Trump only has to wait for a call. If Kim remains stuck on stupid, then Trump can always Space Weapon the SOB again.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Birkel said...

The press is choosing a new statistic to report 2.9% GDP growth.

Could you explain this? What was the old statistic, and what is the new, and what is the difference in how they are calculated?

Links would be appreciated

Birkel said...

After all, she doesn't.
Even belief requires a baseline of knowledge.

Darrell said...

Do not believe Royal ass Inga's lies

I don't see any worry there.

Ignorance is Bliss said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

steve uhr: "Drago -- sure .. whatever you say. Makes no sense to me but I'm sure it does to you."

It's already been explained upthread over and over again what Trump is doing and why but you want to play little prissy boy on the playground.

Just keep repeating the rote talking points. No one cares.

Birkel said...

Ignorance is Bliss,
Follow the link I provided above @ 2:39 PM

Rick said...

“Due process, freedom of speech, association, the right of self defense, and equal protection under the law are all clear and easy.” That’s a given for liberals as well as conservatives. What you might want to work on is your extremist belief that liberals are your enemy.

The left has been working to restrict every one of these values you claim to support for decades, especially on campuses and within other institutions they control. If you opposed this process you would have at some point criticized them. This has literally never happened. Instead you criticize those who oppose restricting these values.

Yet those critics, liberal and otherwise, have been proven correct not just because left-institutions have continued to erode those values but also because the left is now more successful in exporting that program off campus to the broader culture [James Damore, Kevin Williamson, twitter deplatforming, vacuous claims of fear to shut down speech or association]. If you supported these values you would be one of a handful of left supporters and your voice would be clearly identifiable. Instead you refer to the one clear liberal opponent as a "stupid bitch".

So you might want to work on your absurd belief you're a liberal.

donald said...

Kim saw what happened to Khadafy. It’s going to tale a lot of work to get any tinhorn dictator to give up their only levers of power.

Thanks Obama. I would say Clinton, but Obama was the man, the evil crone was his tool
Of destruction.

Achilles said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“U.S. economic growth in 2018 misses Trump's 3 percent target”

If the economy weakens Republicans in the House and Senate may be less subservient...

Inga thinks the power of democrats is more important than the well being of Americans.

How can you be more degenerate? How ridiculous are you going to allow yourself to be?

I will note that you didn't actually address your support for the Democrat party of the KKK, rape and infanticide.

Because you know you are all terrible people driven by hatred and will to power.

Is there a hoax you will not fall for?

Darrell said...

Trump's numbers always get a upward revision. The Resistance shoots for today's news cycle. People never read the corrections.

Achilles said...

steve uhr said...
Drago -- sure .. whatever you say. Makes no sense to me but I'm sure it does to you.

It makes no sense because you are being stupid.

Either willfully or by circumstances beyond your control.

Birkel said...

From my link:

"Despite the softening in GDP in the fourth quarter, overall growth in 2018 was solid. Real GDP grew at a pace of 3.1% in 2018, measured from the fourth quarter of 2017 to the final quarter of 2018. This represented a stronger pace of annual growth than the 3% targeted by the Trump administration."

Real GDP is the traditional number used by everybody in years past.
Now Democrats are seizing on some other number besides year-over-year comparisons of GDP.

Weird, huh!?!

Michael said...

Inga
Principals are important. And that is why Trump walked.

steve uhr said...

Drago -- I'll take your word for it that "love child" is explained somewhere on this thread. I don't have time to read all the comments. This blog is a fun hobby, not my life.

Achilles said...

donald said...
Kim saw what happened to Khadafy. It’s going to tale a lot of work to get any tinhorn dictator to give up their only levers of power.


It can't be underlined enough just how despicable Obama and Clinton were in Libya and how much worse they made it for anyone who came after them.

"We came. We saw. He died."

That is a literal quote from a lying criminal 65 million people voted for for president.

Only about 60 million were citizens and legal voters at least.

Democrats are just terrible people.

Birkel said...

Oh, and personal consumption (70% of GDP overall) did not meet expectations in the 4th Q while GDP growth (4th Q) beat expectations. This means business were ramping up considerably.

Now tell me, should we believe experts or the businesses who are playing with their own real money?

Howard said...

Trump is just being diplomatic taking UN at his word. He's done well with the Norks so far. I hope he's successful before he has to make a deal to keep Junior out of Club Fed

traditionalguy said...

It is good to accept authentic liberal thoughts from Inga. All conservative all of the time is boring. My authority for that is the Amazing Jordan Peterson.That guy is a guy who is a truly educated word warrior fighting the good fight for for reality. And our Inga is a nice person, unlike the Chuck charade.

We also need to remember that compared to the immense courage required of the WWII boys of 1942-1945 who fought dedicated and intelligent foes to the death, we have it extremely easy.

Birkel said...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/finance.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/4q18-gdp-first-and-second-estimate-130025490.html

Drago said...

steve uhr: "Drago -- I'll take your word for it that "love child" is explained somewhere on this thread."

Its explained by the farce of the show trial your dems threw in DC yesterday.

Birkel said...

Howard,
The North Korean leader's family name is Kim.
I appreciate that you are genuinely pro-American on this issue, snark aside.

Wince said...

Kim had to think that Trump might bend in order to achieve a deal that would overshadow any domestic political damage from yesterday's House hearing that was inarguably intended for the purpose of inflicting maximum political damage.

Any strategist would have advised Kim to test Trump in that way.

That obvious fact means the Democrat's timing of the hearing was literally in tacit collusion with the North Korean regime and China.

bagoh20 said...

"If the economy weakens..." you can have a party with your friends to celebrate.

Sorry about the GDP. I know you were praying for < 1%. That would have been so awesome!

Darrell said...

And our Inga is a nice person

How the fuck did you reach that conclusion?

I thought they stopped selling goofballs?

Birkel said...

Ignorance is Bliss:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/hassett-rips-bad-math-on-us-economic-growth

Further explanation at this link.

Kevin said...

We'll see what happens.

The crippling sanctions remain in place.

That's what happens.

Drago said...

It appears the lefties are running about trying to pretend that the consumer spending during the Government "Shutdown" (snort) wasn't as high as it was.

Remember, the dem line is that the "shutdown" crushes the economy. But of course, it did not. In fact, no issue at all.

So what do the dems pull?

Hey, lets use "annualized" GDP instead of what we have always used in the past: Real GDP. That way we can discuss a 2.9% number instead of the actual and real Real GDP growth of 3.1% which makes Trump look better.

Unexpectedly, every reporting outfit goes along with this. Immediately. Without question. Almost as if they are all on the same team...

Gretchen said...

@EDH

Exactly!!!

Charlie Currie said...

Trump = Reagan
Obama = Chamberlain

I'm sure others have already made that comparison and I apologize for being late to the party.

Paying full price is not negotiating. Obama always paid full price and the msm called it a success.

Birkel said...

Drago,
Be fair to google and yahoo who stayed with Real GDP numbers.

ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX (before they were corrected on live TV by Hassett(?)), NYT, WaPo, and others who used a novel method of reporting GDP.

Drago said...

Birkel: "Drago,
Be fair to google and yahoo who stayed with Real GDP numbers."

They are aggregators and couldn't ignore the reporting bodies that aren't going along with the nonsense.

Darrell said...

Next they'll be calling this the Trump Recession.

Charlie Currie said...

Blogger steve uhr said...
"Yancy -- You really believe that the stalinist supreme leader doesn't keep tabs on the ONE American in his torture chamber prison system? Really??"

Yeah, and Trump calling him a lying sack of shit would certainly move the ball forward. Really?

Diplomatic - look it up.

Birkel said...

Drago,
Fair point but google could bury the yahoo story if it wanted.
They didn't.
It is the first link you see when you google 2018 gdp growth.

Birkel said...

Leftists still take Trump literally.
Life is hard.
It is harder when you are willfully stupid.

steve uhr said...

Charlie -- God forbid that we mention "human rights" when negotiating with the Kim. Don't want to upset the poor misunderstood fat boy with the weird hair. Both of them.

Quaestor said...

Deals are easy to reach when one party doesn't mind being raped.

Birkel said...

And here comes steve uhr, on cue, to make my point.
Great timing, tiger!

Jim at said...

Brian -- just about everyone in the world, sans Brian, understands that the statements "I take him at his word" and "I believe him" mean pretty much the same thing.

No. 'I take him at his word' is a nice way of not publicly calling someone a liar.

And if Trump would've publicly called him a liar, you people would be bitching about that, too.

Brian said...

Steve, "Take him at his word" and "Believe him" don't mean the same thing. And everybody with an average level of understanding about the English language understands that.

In your desired movie, however, Trump is supposed to jump up and down and call Kim a "liar, liar pants on fire".

Trump did that but with much more subtle language. Allowing Kim to save face (able to say to others, see Trump says he believes me), while knowing that Trump doesn't.

Note that with Trump's language, Kim can't let it happen again. Because if he does, then his WORD is no longer good. No it doesn't bring back Otto Warmbier, but nothing will.

It's a masterful use of language, and was done on the fly.

Rick said...

It is good to accept authentic liberal thoughts from Inga.

I guess we'll have to wait until she has one to see how it plays out.

Jim at said...

So you might want to work on your absurd belief you're a liberal.

She's not a liberal. She's a leftist. A totalitarian, leftist thug.
Only a fool would not consider the likes of her to be an enemy.

Jim at said...

And our Inga is a nice person, unlike the Chuck charade. - trad guy

Maybe you should read some of her comments in yesterday's 400+ thread about the Cohen farce and see if you change your tune.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Birkel-

Thanks for the links. I think I now understand the different ways the numbers are calculated. Ideally, I'd go back and check which numbers were used in past reports, but I doubt I'll have the time. And I don't expect you to provide more links.

stevew said...

I don't negotiate international disarmament agreements, and I don't negotiate large, complex, big city real estate deals, but I have been negotiating multi-million dollar business to business deals for about thirty years. We have a saying: the deal won't happen until someone says no.

In agreeing to dismantle their nuclear program Kim knows that he is trading away ALL his leverage and negotiating strength. Before he does that he decided he had to test the US (and Trump) to see if he could get what he wants - removal of the sanctions - without dismantling first.

Trump made it quite clear the answer is no, and he cancelled the remainder of the talks so that Kim would understand he's serious. Trump also established that the next move is Kim's, and has given him a way to come back to the table.

But what do I know. I'm with Ms. Althouse on this: We'll see what happens.

Howard said...

What's the standard deviation of these growth numbers? I suspect the variation between 2.9 and 3.1 is not significant of a signal trend.

Birkel said...

Ignorance is Bliss,

Real GDP has been used in past years.
Go back and compare to 2017 and before, e.g.:

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPC1/
Or
https://www.statista.com/statistics/188165/annual-gdp-growth-of-the-united-states-since-1990/
Or
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-gdp-preview-q1-2017-2017-4
Or
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/28/2q-2017-us-gdp.html
"The government's annual GDP revision, which covered data from 2014 through the first quarter of 2017, also showed the economy performing worse than previously estimated in 2016."

(Is it odd that GDP was worse than the government reported and Americans were not interested in continuing his policies by electing Hillary? It is as if the average American knew better the economic condition of the United States than government officials. Imagine that!

Ann Althouse said...

"Althouse writes: 'A Trumpist would say this is what tough negotiation looks like. Looking unsuccessful is what makes it tough.'
Wrong. Anyone who knows anything about negotiation will say "looking /being desperate for a deal guarantees you'll get a bad deal." Walking away makes Trump look "not desperate". Which is what he wants."

"Desperate" is your word. I don't like being disagreed with like that. You've made a strawman and are calling it me.

Read what I actually wrote. A pro-Trump person would credit Trump with doing a tough negotiation because he is willing to leave without a deal, which makes him look unsuccessful. It's tough to accept looking like that: "Looking unsuccessful is what makes it tough." Nothing about being desperate there. The desperate person makes the deal to avoid looking unsuccessful!

Birkel said...

Howard,
Your question makes no sense. Real GDP growth was 3.1% year-over-year from 2017 to 2018.
Many MSM firms are attempting to use a different, non-traditional calculation never publicized before to attempt to diminish Trump.
It is a stupid, partisan and easily discovered deception.

The MSM has eaten the seed corn of trust and are entering the Donner Party phase of the business cycle.

Bad Lieutenant said...

steve uhr said...
Trunp believes Kim when he says he knew nothing about what happened to Otto Warmbier. He believes Putin when he says Russia didn't interfere with the 2016 election. I wonder if there is an official DSM-IV diagnosis for someone who constantly lies yet believes everyone tells him the truth.

2/28/19, 12:30 PM


Diplomacy, how does it work!?!


steve uhr said...
Charlie -- God forbid that we mention "human rights" when negotiating with the Kim. Don't want to upset the poor misunderstood fat boy with the weird hair. Both of them.

2/28/19, 3:18 PM


Focus on priorities, how does it work?!?


Steve, I see two possibilities:

--You're better than this
--You're not

Which is it?

Bad Lieutenant said...

Read what I actually wrote.

Yes, Ann, and you wrote it badly. Have the good grace to suffer correction from time to time.

Curious George said...

I think it's also funny that these moron lefties want to criticize Trump over the Wambier discussion but forget that Obama left him for dead.

Ken B said...

We will see what happens. But this disproves the CNN claim that the negotiation was just a distraction, and the claim Trump would get fleeced by Kim, and the theory Trump loves dictators so gives into them, and the theory Trump has no goals in his policy. That's a lot of disproving in a short time.

Skeptical Voter said...

This opera ain't over until Little Fat Man sings the song Trump wants him to sing.

The two are still willing to talk---and will talk again. Apparently no bridges were burned.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“So you might want to work on your absurd belief you're a liberal.”

You might want to stop being absurd.

narciso said...

the problem has been germinating for a while, the hermit kingdom, with it's Stalinist roots, still reached out to it's lesser enemy, communist china, (that tale shibumi, and the sequel, satori, suggest how they might have a falling out,) both worked against what they consider the puppets in the south, which go back to the Japanese occupation, which was headed by kishi. noboruku, the current prime ministers' grandfather, the Chinese and the soviets pooled their resources to build up what would become yong byon, which of course is just a feeder to this point, as kahuta is to the Pakistani nuclear program,

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Bill Clinton saved us all from North Korean Nuclear proliferation.

*whew*

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

According to CNN - everything is a distraction from the cult of Trump derision.

Drago said...

I can recall at least 3 times that Bill Clinton "saved us from N Korean proliferation".

At least, that's what the media told us.

Little did we know that the Chinese were feeding the Norks some, not all, of the technology that Billy Boy handed over for that sweet sweet commie general campaign cash.

narciso said...

true but the Ukrainians were supplying the boosters, from yuralmash:


https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/forget-north-korea-pakistans-nuclear-weapons-program-truly-terrifying-45632

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Hindsight is twenty twenty - but it's fun to listen to articulate democratics spread the bullshit far and wide.

"This is a good deal for the US"

No - Kim Jung Ill - Lil's Kim's father- was as big a liar and creepy human death machine maniac as his crazy maniac son.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

btw- Even bitter hypocrite lives behind walls rich wealthy leather face leftwing coo-coo-nut Nancy said Trump did the right thing by walking out.

ooooo - Inga's head just exploded.

Molly said...

We don't have the patience to wait and see what happens. Those of us who hate Trump must interpret every step of the way as failure, failure, failure (read the WaPo headlines like "Trump suffers humiliating setback in negotiations.") Those of us who love Trump must interpret every step of the way as brilliant, brilliant, brilliant ("Sometimes you have to walk before you can run.") By getting in first with failure,failure,failure, we have the possibility of having that become a self-fulfilling story.

Birkel said...

Those of us who are hoping for the best result for the United States are hoping the president cares about results more than optics or narrative.

Francisco D said...

Howard asked: What's the standard deviation of these growth numbers? I suspect the variation between 2.9 and 3.1 is not significant of a signal trend.

I do not know if it has been calculated because of the assumption that the number of variables used in calculating GDP is huge. Therefore, the SD is going to be very small.

If there is a trend, we will need more quarterly numbers to determine it. What is important is the average GDP in a POTUS term (negatively affected by a recession and positively affected by a recovery). Trump's average is 2.9%. GW Bush's average was 1.7% when the 2008 recession is factored in. Obama's was 2.1% with the recovery (and regression to the mean) factored in.

Birkel said...

Trump has returned us to the US long-term average between 1945 and 2000.

Bush and Obama used excessive government intervention to thwart American free market growth.

So there's that.

Achilles said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
“So you might want to work on your absurd belief you're a liberal.”

You might want to stop being absurd.

I am a liberal.

I believe in individual freedom.

You are a stalinist.

You believe in collectivism.

One of us believes individuals have a right to speak anywhere. The other thinks some people who say the wrong things deserve to be beaten up by radical leftists and shouted out of restaurants.

One of us believes we have a right to bear arms and defend ourselves and our families. The other is a gun grabbing fascist.

One of us believes everyone is equal under the law. The other one thinks Hillary should be president.

One of us believes in due process. The other one bashes high schoolers because they wear MAGA hats and thinks Brett Kavanuagh is a rapist.

One of us has mixed race kids. The other supports Affirmative Action, thinks black people are too stupid to get ID's to vote, and is the definition of racist.

One of use believes in private property. The other thinks we should have 70% tax rates.

There is nothing liberal about the democrat party.

iowan2 said...

There is nothing liberal about the democrat party.

What a concise Fisking.

The response to this is going to be non-existent, or an epic, clueless failure.

Gretchen said...

@Achilles

PERFECTLY STATED!!!

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