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| via Tea Party on FB |
I don't have an issue with the police; in fact, one of my nephews is one. I am concerned over abuse of authority and the double standards in the justice system, civil forfeiture, and Trump's militarization of police.
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Trump's opposition is getting creative. From Twitter:
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A sample economic illiterateTrumpkin on Twitter (sigh!)
@DNC agenda-trade deficits.-more entitlements less jobs.-silence free speech-open borders-take our guns-take our god-take our freedoms.
@realDonaldTrump agenda. America First Trade plan-more jobs fewer entitlements. Restore Christian values.protect our
rights.close border.#MAGA
First of all, our last trade surplus was in 1975. We have had trade deficits under Reagan, both Bushes, and Trump. Trade deficits are not bad for the economy; they reflect capital surpluses: foreigners want to invest in the US. Exports are our price for financing imports.
Yet, despite trade deficits in the past and ongoing ones, US growth has continued, even as Trumpkins want to credit him for improving government statistics on jobs.
This "America First Trade plan" is basically little more than corrupt mercantilism. Trump has attacked win-win NAFTA and isolated us from TTP and other pacts. Whereas no trade pact is perfect, these quid pro quos generally lower existing barriers between trading partners, and this usually translates into bigger markets for exporters and better variety and prices for consumers. Often domestic consumers and industries have other domestic companies and their employees who seek corrupt politicians to protect them against competition; for example, domestic sugar producers sell above world prices; that's not good if you're a candy or cookie manufacturer competing with higher costs. And it certainly isn't good for consumers who would be able to stretch their income or savings. Politicians like Trump come down on the side of the few with concentrated benefits (sugar producers) vs. diffuse costs (commercial or personal buyers).
The fact is Trump and his administration is no surrogate for the collective genius of over 320 consumers, who do not need Big Government to tell them what to buy or from whom.
As for "fewer entitlements", Trump himself has protected senior entitlements and Medicaid, which are the 70% or so of the federal budget and highest cost drivers.
Democrats are hardly "open borders"; their union constituency has always oppose immigration for labor-protectionist reasons. Obama sabotaged 2007 immigration reform and did not prioritize Dreamers when he had a super-majority in the 111th Congress.
No, as a Catholic and Christian, I oppose the integration of church and state. I respect everyone else's choice of religion or against religious; I believe in liberty.
Expecting Trump to protect our rights when he threats companies like Carrier, Ford, Apple or Nabisco which make decisions he disagrees with, when he espouses eminent domain to seize people's property, when he doesn't have an issue with his minions or the police of being rough with protesters, when he openly attacks judges who make decisions he disagrees with (e.g., Bergdahl, pro-execution of Snowden. Curiel). challenges one's credulity.
This is part of the problem I had for years on Twitter. These trolls pack so much garbage in one tweet; it's difficult to unpack it in one 140-character or even 280-character tweet.
