Posts Made By: Rod Kaufman

The latest GOP return from the dead prediction:

"Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said Thursday that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is aiming to return to Capitol Hill from his months-long absence when the Senate reconvenes Sept. 14."

"Though Comer conceded that he had not spoken to McConnell directly, the GOP representative confirmed he was in regular contact with the senator’s staff."

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6069343-comer-mitch-mcconnell-absence-return-update/

What, Comer spoke to the staff and not Mitch himself? What about all of his GOP colleagues who claimed they all had separate 20 minute conversations with Mitch while he was convalescing?  
What, Mitch couldn't call into Faux news himself for a 30 second video appearance? I guess that rehab must be pretty exhausting...

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

How's that for a long title, Davis?

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trumps-5000-dividend-proposal-could-add-1-2t-federal-deficit-analysts-say

"Because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000," Trump told the crowd, adding that the dividend would have to be spent in the U.S."

"An analysis by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) estimated that issuing a $5,000 dividend to every adult citizen in the U.S. in 2027 would cost over $1.2 trillion, which the budget watchdog warned would be far more than all three of the COVID-era stimulus payments combined, as well as the 2027 cost of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

CRFB found the cost of the $5,000 dividend would more than double the federal government's primary budget deficit for next year, rising from $780 billion to $2 trillion, with the total projected deficit to $3.1 trillion. That would also push the deficit as a share of the economy from 5.8% of GDP this year to 9.4% in 2027."

I'm still waiting for my DOGE check and Tariff refund check. If you all think this is going to happen I have a brand new bridge to Canada here in Detroit to sell you.

Besides, isn't it illegal to buy votes?

Trump is not a Republican!

Heck, they got the money, Nutlick says so:

"When asked where the money would come from, Lutnick cited the Trump Platinum Card — which is not launched yet — that would require immigration applicants to join a waitlist and allows for future applicants to live in the U.S. for 270 days per year without being subject to tax on non-U.S. income."

"Applicants would have to pay a $15,000 processing fee, undergo Department of Homeland Security vetting and pay an additional $5 million contribution to the U.S. government to be guaranteed citizenship."

“We have a waitlist of more than 100,000 people who want to come,” Lutnick said. “That’s $500 billion dollars.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6085042-trump-dividend-not-taxpayer-funded/

If that's the case, why aren't they doing it? Not to mention, they must be "only the best people".

Admit it Jim, doesn't that assure you?

The $5000 quid pro quo by the numbers:   https://www.axios.com/2026/09/14/trump-republicans-5000-checks-mike-johnson-midterms

Rich Davis has told us what he thinks the $5000.00 per USA adult is not, i.e. a bribe, but I'd like to know what Rich Davis thinks it is?  Rich, tell us your opinion of this proposal from the man you supported for president.  
Rich, is it a reasonable, rational proposal that one would expect to originate from the president of the united states? Would you see it the same way if it originated from a democratic president?
Er, ah, I think we're in for a long wait...:'

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

Well, I'll post about it.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-attacks-supreme-court-justices-he-picked-for-rejecting-his-push-to-restrict-mail-ballots

"Justices Sam Alito and Clarence Thomas publicly dissented from the order, and Trump on Tuesday called them "legends both." Trump has nominated three of the justices on the Supreme Court — Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh.

"These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court, they are merely a shell of their original selves," Trump said. He asserted that the court "is costing the United States Trillions of Dollars with shockingly bad rulings that are of such magnitude that it won't be easily possible for our Country to recover or heal."

So Trump interviewed them and not nominated them? I guess among his many faults he's also not the best interviewer for prospective job applicants. LOL

Hmm, although you beat me to it, I'll add more context:

Firstly, Clarence and Sammy are generally in Trump's legendary camp, almost 100% of the time, even in a black and white case like this one.
They also lead the pack, by far, in accepted "gifts" from various "admirers".

Second, Trump didn't do himself by going after Kavanaugh today since Brett indicated he'd be quite open to rehear the case after the midterms even though this one was supposedly decided on the "merits of the case"...

Thirdly, I'd sure like to know what Jim B thinks about AG Todd Blanche acting as the WH spokesperson today from the Rose garden of the WH wherein he defended Trump for going after the judges in question...I can remember when a Democratic president was investigated/castigated for briefly talking to an AG on the tarmac of an airport...

BTW, anybody heard from Rich lately?

Well, as usual, Davis dodges my question as to whether or not he thinks Trump's quid pro quo proposal of $5000.00 per USA adult is a reasonable and rational idea from the president on the United States. 

As for child care, I guess Davis forgets that Trump account for kids : " Children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, are eligible for a one-time $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury." And that, of course, adds to the deficit, although it's a "paltry" 17 billion over the course of a decade so, when ya gotta 40 trillion dollar deficit now, what's the diff?

Oh, and one more thing, Trump's $5000/USA adult would add 1.3 trillion to the deficit---now we're talking!...So, Rich, do you support Trump's proposal and, if so, why?

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Well, as usual, Davis dodges my question as to whether or not he thinks Trump's quid pro quo proposal of $5000.00 per USA adult is a reasonable and rational idea from the president on the United States. 

As for child care, I guess Davis forgets that Trump account for kids : " Children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, are eligible for a one-time $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury." And that, of course, adds to the deficit, although it's a "paltry" 17 billion over the course of a decade so, when ya gotta 40 trillion dollar deficit now, what's the diff?

Oh, and one more thing, Trump's $5000/USA adult would add 1.3 trillion to the deficit---now we're talking!...So, Rich, do you support Trump's proposal and, if so, why?

Common Rich and answer---you know everybody here values your opinion...

Originally Posted by James Brown

Just checking in to see if there were any new posts.  Not surprisingly, Rich has gone dark.  Everyone should try to wrap their heads around something I noticed upon re-read.  Rich basically, regurgitates my positions, and then accuses me of dodging!  That is a special kind of weird.  If you don't believe me, consider that Rich posted the above (in post #34) after I posted:

 "This  little  example of pedantic gamesmanship is instructive, because I don’t think Trump‘s statements would ever be prosecuted as criminal bribery. On the other hand, it is clear to everyone with half a brain that Trump was trying to buy votes. I’m not as fussed about it as some since I think all politicians do this. For example, Biden was trying to buy votes when he canceled student debt. Trump was trying to buy votes when he passed the big beautiful Bill. Biden was trying to buy votes when he passed the inflation reduction act, and so on and so on and so on."  Post #24

"1. In my opinion, Trump would not be convicted of criminal bribery, because his offer to buy votes with government money was vague enough to be characterized in court as a routine “political promise” that he has no intention and no means to keep.  He carefully did not offer his own money for votes.  He offered my money, Rod’s money, and so on.  Maybe even yours.  (Do you pay taxes?).  There is enough ambiguity in his speech that I’m sure he would weasel out of actual criminal charges.

2.  In my opinion, Trump’s offer as made in his speech was a shameful heavy-handed lie, poorly conceived to buy votes.  It is an embarrassment and proves for the umpteenth time that he lacks any integrity. "  Post #31

"I’m not as fussed about it as some since I think all politicians do this. For example, Biden was trying to buy votes when he canceled student debt. Trump was trying to buy votes when he passed the big beautiful Bill."

While that may be correct, the magnitude of what Trump did the the so-called "big beautiful bill" and what he wants to do with the quid pro quo offer of $5000.00 per USA adult is ballistically higher than anything we've seen coming from any previous administration. I'll also reminds folks here that the covid relief checks had Trump's name on them...

So, I, among the many, are as fussed and more so than what has happened in your other examples. At least a number of students, for instance, who would have benefited from Biden's plan were likely victims of some of the institutional practices they had encountered as students...

Still, I do realize you understand the bottom line here with your statement of : "...Trump’s offer as made in his speech was a shameful heavy-handed lie, poorly conceived to buy votes.  It is an embarrassment and proves for the umpteenth time that he lacks any integrity."

Meanwhile, the latest with Trump and Iran:    https://www.axios.com/2026/09/17/trump-axios-interview-iran-war

Hmm, another "crossroads" moment...we'll all see where that one goes, if anywhere, just like the ones that have preceded it...

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/24/politics/video/bash-trump-white-house-media-ban-digvid

You oughta read the poop the Faux news viewers are posting, with righteous indignation, about how correct Trump is in his bogus claims against media outlets he doesn't like...it's, as you can imagine, about as bad as it gets:  https://www.foxnews.com/media/federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-restore-white-house-access-cnn-msnow-politico

November can't get here quickly enough and if the country regains its collective sanity, republicans will lose both the senate and the house and remove the orange stain from the WH...

Total SCOTUS-CON HS!   https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/25/politics/supreme-court-voter-roll-non-citizen-save