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Posts Made By: Rod Kaufman

March 9, 2025 07:25 PM Forum: Politics

Walmart Warns/Stocks Collapse/Jan Economic Contraction

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"Trump says tariffs on Mexico and Canada ‘could go up,’ declines to rule out possible recession"

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/09/business/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-recession/index.html

Now that's confidence and decision-making at its finest, don't you think?

March 9, 2025 09:53 PM Forum: Politics

Walmart Warns/Stocks Collapse/Jan Economic Contraction

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"One underappreciated Biden accomplishment: No recession"

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-underappreciated-biden-accomplishment-no-recession-193011060.html


But, of course, the source for the team supporter of the Trump "JD" Putin commie team believes THIS:

"Maria Bartiromo says a ‘recession’ is coming — but ‘it would be Biden’s recession’

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/fox-news-maria-bartiromo-recession-biden-trump-b2711204.html

March 10, 2025 05:52 PM Forum: Politics

Walmart Warns/Stocks Collapse/Jan Economic Contraction

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman
"One underappreciated Biden accomplishment: No recession"

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-underappreciated-biden-accomplishment-no-recession-193011060.html


But, of course, the source for the team supporter of the Trump "JD" Putin commie team believes THIS:

"Maria Bartiromo says a ‘recession’ is coming — but ‘it would be Biden’s recession’

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/fox-news-maria-bartiromo-recession-biden-trump-b2711204.html
"Stocks dropped on Monday as the selling pressures that dragged Wall Street last week persisted, with investors worried about an economic slowdown after President Donald Trump didn’t rule out a recession with U.S. tariffs being implemented."

“We are in the throes of a manufactured correction. I say manufactured because it’s really based in response to the new administration’s tariff programs, or at least threats of tariffs, and what kind of an impact that will have on the economy. Now, with people talking about potential recession, I think it’s just adding to investor concern,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. “

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/09/stock-market-news-today-live-updates.html

"The U.S. stock market’s sell-off is worsening Monday as Wall Street questions how much pain President Donald Trump is willing for the economy to endure in order to get what he wants."

"The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through surveys showing increased pessimism. And a widely followed collection of real-time indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta suggests the U.S. economy may already be shrinking."

https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-economy-tariffs-trump-rates-174603e75feb9d5cca96c08817e0c7c2

February 20, 2025 04:40 PM Forum: Politics

Walmart Warns/Stocks Collapse/Jan Economic Contraction

Posted By Rod Kaufman

“If Walmart is giving bad guidance, you should be paying attention to it,” said Tom Fitzpatrick, managing director at R.J. O’Brien and Associates."

"Worries over the state of the economy also weighed on the market after The Conference Board said its Leading Economic Index unexpectedly contracted in January." "Treasury yields fell, while bank stocks such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley dipped as well."

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/19/stock-market-today-live-updates.html

Is Trump gonna blame that on Biden, too?...

February 21, 2025 12:02 AM Forum: Politics

"It Doesn't Add up!"

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"A new online tracker on the Department of Government Efficiency's website puts a dollar amount on the estimated savings from the DOGE effort to slash federal government spending at $55 billion."

"But an NPR analysis finds the numbers don't add up."


"The doge.gov/savings page then lists a "wall of receipts," DOGE's first major data release that initially claimed to show more than $16 billion in savings from ending contracts. After correcting an apparent clerical error, it now shows $8.5 billion."

"An NPR review of the more than 1,100 contracts in that initial release finds that DOGE's "maximally transparent" calculations still overstate its estimated savings totals by billions of dollars."


"NPR's analysis found that, of its verifiable work completed so far, DOGE has cut just $2 billion in spending — less than three hundredths of a percent of last fiscal year's federal spending."

"Think of Congress and its budget as the debt-ridden dad on the way to buy a $250,000 Ferrari on the credit card, and DOGE is the $2 off gas card he used along the way," Riedl said. "It's great that he saved $2 on gas, but I think his wife may be more concerned about the $250,000 car."


"Spokespeople for the White House and DOGE did not respond to multiple requests for clarification about the DOGE data and savings claims shared online."

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/19/nx-s1-5302705/doge-overstates-savings-federal-contracts

February 25, 2025 09:04 PM Forum: Politics

Lunatic leftist James Carville once again is ranting like the psychotic freak that he is. what a buffoon!

Posted By Rod Kaufman

There's nothing quite like a roomful and a street full of ticked-off Trumptoids:   

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/us/video/belton-missouri-townhall-trump-musk-digvid

In a scene, one of many, playing across the country...

February 26, 2025 05:25 PM Forum: Politics

Axis of Evil now includes the USA

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by James Brown

There is also only one way to view a Canadian who posts something this snarky.  So, I have to ask - which will be more upsetting to you personally - four more years of war and countless Ukrainian deaths - or a peace deal that may not be perfect, but which happened to be brokered by Trump?

Snark out of my system, did you read anything about the competing resolutions, beyond your Facebook cut/paste?  UN gamesmanship is not my cup of tea, but it appears Trump's team and some allies are trying to broker a deal, and buttering up Putin is no doubt part of the overall plan.
It's not just the view of the "Canadian to the North":

"Republican lawmakers are sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s pointed refusal to blame Russia for starting the war in Ukraine, and they are highly skeptical about negotiating any lasting peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom some describe as a war criminal."

"The Republican criticism of President Trump’s strategy for ending the war in Ukraine comes after the United States voted with Russia and its allies, such as North Korea and Belarus, against a United Nations resolution condemning Russian aggression toward Ukraine and calling for the withdrawal of its troops from the country."

"Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) said he was “deeply troubled” that the U.S. voted Monday with Russia and North Korea and against traditional allies such as Britain and France, which supported the resolution condemning Russia and calling for a restoration of Ukraine’s borders."

"He warned that any end to the war “must be achieved on terms that ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security” and “deter” Putin from future territorial aggression."


"Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Tuesday marked the third anniversary of Russia’s “unprovoked war on Ukraine.”

“We all want this senseless war to end, but ending it on Russia’s terms would be a devastating mistake that plays right into Putin’s bloody hands,” Murkowski posted on social media.

"She later noted Trump has “the authority” to pursue a peace deal but warned that any such deal would be “unacceptable” if Putin sets the terms."

"Some of the strongest pushback in the conference came from McConnell, who now leads the Senate’s Appropriations defense subcommittee."

“America is right to seek an end to this war, but an end that fails to constrain Russian ambition, ensure Ukrainian sovereignty or strengthen American credibility with both allies and adversaries is no end at all. Instead, such a hollow peace would invite further aggression,” he said in a statement Monday.

"Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said he “disagreed” with the U.S. vote against the resolution condemning Russian aggression."

“Putin is a murderer who’s ordered the systematic capture, kidnapping, rape and torture of countless numbers of Ukrainians,” he said. “That would have been my vote recommendation.”

"He argued Putin can’t be trusted to uphold any peace deal, a warning echoed by other GOP lawmakers."

Several Republican senators Tuesday, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), avowed that Russia is solely to blame for the conflict.

“We’re not confused about the facts. That is a fact,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said.

"Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said “Russia’s clearly the aggressor.”

"Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally and prominent voice on national security issues, said “Russia is the aggressor.”

"Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) last week rejected Trump’s lenient view of Putin, telling CNN in an interview that the Russian president is a “war criminal who should be in jail for life.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5164032-republicans-blast-trump-russia-ukraine/

February 27, 2025 12:36 AM Forum: Politics

Axis of Evil now includes the USA

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by James Brown

Got lots of good wide angle and close up data.   The solar close ups are easier to process, here is one.  I'll work on a full disk wide angle later.
Awesome image, Jim!cool

BTW, I was interviewed by a reporter yesterday from a local newspaper for their upcoming article on T Coronae Borealis, an updated and more detailed one from the article I did with them last year:

https://signalscv.com/2024/07/looking-up-tips-on-how-to-see-rare-nova-explosion-from-scv/

In the meantime, ya 'all join ESO observatories in this year's T Corona Borealis watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPpXXq9Pfs

February 27, 2025 03:03 AM Forum: Politics

Was A 40 Year Old Trump Recruited By The KGB In Moscow?

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Chris Pagan
Rod are you sure you want to go there?

Chris
Do you want to go here instead?

"ICE contract that DOGE listed as $8 billion, when, in reality, it was $8 million."

"...his company was listed on DOGE's wall of receipts as having a contract for almost $10 million. But Taylor Jones told "News Hour" that not only was the amount of money wrong — it was actually $100,000 — but it was not a guaranteed payment. It was a credit line and the agreement with the government was never signed."

"At this point, the $2 billion in savings identified by Elon Musk would pay for 1/75th of 1 percent of the entire national debt. I have not found any legitimate evidence of fraud in the spending that Elon Musk has highlighted"

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-look-at-the-misleading-and-incorrect-claims-on-doges-wall-of-receipts

"Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE expected to produce no savings"

"That’s usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so."

“It’s like confiscating used ammunition after it’s been shot when there’s nothing left in it. It doesn’t accomplish any policy objective,” said Charles Tiefer, a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. “Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesn’t accomplish anything for saving money.”

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/02/25/nearly-40-of-contracts-canceled-by-musks-doge-expected-to-produce-no-savings/

March 3, 2025 06:58 PM Forum: Politics

Was A 40 Year Old Trump Recruited By The KGB In Moscow?

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"US suspends offensive cyber operations against Russia, senior US official says"

"President Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to suspend offensive cyber and information operations against Russia, according to multiple reports."

"Why it matters: It's the latest in a series of foreign policy reversals that appear favorable to The Kremlin, setting off alarm bells for U.S. allies, supporters of Ukraine and critics of the Trump administration."

"The directive, issued last month and first reported by the Record, is another example of the U.S.'s about-face on Moscow."


"The Pentagon declined to comment to Axios."

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/03/hegseth-trump-russia-cyber-operations-ukraine