Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 18/03/25

I'd imagine Chinese companies like Huawei and SMIC providing their own chips has taken a huge chunk out of their traditional global business.

Biden Derangement Syndrome

There's a difference, though, between the Brexit situation you describe and what I think the chart is showing.

If you're poor in Britain, you have a safety net and free health care. If you're poor in the US you're living under a highway in a box and visiting food banks to keep from starving. You might get some medical care in emergency situations but good luck with no insurance.

THis is where the mention of Medicaid in the chart is really important. (the amount of money one gets from Social Security is based on some 1950's model of expenses and incomes and is laughably small. Likewise if you have disability, which takes 18 months to qualify for, you might be eligible for a bit more.) If 25% of Americans are relying on Medicaid to handle their medical expenses, that means 25% of Americans are living under something like 13k year as individuals. Barely 1k/month. Think about that in 2020. What my point is, is that the number of people living at this absurdly low income level in Red states skyrocketed, and I think it's long term effects of the shift of jobs overseas (Nafta, outsourcing), lack of construction jobs (for whatever reasons, Biden's admin took small steps to move that along), automation (robots) and, well, the cause of all problems these days, unchecked population growth, so more people for fewer jobs. The minimum wage is still very low and likely not going to climb - why should it, there's plenty of people that'll work for it. Lack of union representation (the 'right to work for peanuts' states) doesn't help.

Trump, of course, made things worse in his first administration with his tax cut, and is actively destroying everything now. But Trump didn't arise in a vacuum, these are system problems with no obvious fixes for either part. Grim times indeed. Plus the extra bonus in the US that no matter what they'll be able to afford firearms.

The presidents who were better presidents than him seem to live rent-free in his head.

As I glance recently on the Dow Jones, it seems to fluctuate dramatically arising from any statement issued by president Trump, be it negative or positive. Huge gyrations, often over 1,000 point movements. Doesn't look healthy to me but I am no financial expert.

I'd imagine the stock market is mainly built on bullsh!t and hype.

And anything that's built on bullsh!t and hype is very open to being hit with a bat to the face if something threatens to impart reality and reason on it.

Take TESLA for example. Pretty much the definition these days of more hype than substance, massive share prices based on being the vision of the future. But get down to the nitty gritty, and they're not going as well as others sales wise, they're technology is falling behind, and they won't meet their promises. And once that reality hits, the stock price will tumble to nothing.

Once something doesn't live up to the hype, downwards she goes.

That's the problem the US is facing under Trump, and possibly beyond him too. The whole thing seems to be based on hype, and now that it's being shown America isn't all that and the future isn't so great and the rest of the world can move on without them, then the hype is starting to fall away, and so is the stock market.

Apparently, the CEOs of three of the nation's biggest retailers — Walmart, Target and Home Depot — privately warned Trump that his tariff and trade policy could disrupt supply chains, raise prices and empty shelves, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

That's why he backed down on China. He was told by businessmen who haven't actually managed to bankrupt their businesses that his policies are idiotic, and like a child being chastised by an adult, he backed down. MAGA will spin it the other way though.

There is a 40-60% drop across US ports for arrivals starting in May, the effect of this wont be seen on store shelves until mid May but they are absolutely going to start feeling pain from what he did and nothing he has done since then has actually stopped the bleeding its just not visible yet.

Also seen reports that trucking companies are already finding it hard to keep drivers busy as they dont have enough work.

The US has been promoting hyper consumption, waste and bad debt for decades. Generating economies across the world that are dependent on people buying **** and generating debt. Creating resource wars and huge environmental problems.

This is not just a Donald issue. He's a reflection of the greedy and selfish people in the world.

Edit ...it's true ...but ...

I'll get off my high horse 🐴 now 😁

Chinese suppliers are going to give preferential treatment to other markets and us retailers will have to pay upfront before shipping so sellers don't get burned.

This is the new normal.

This day on the WH lawn was heavily sponsored, think it is a certainty Melania stuck in an invoice for appearance fee.

I saw this mentioned also recently - regardless of what happens next some damage at least has already been done. A summary was posted only this evening.

I was making the point that the tariffs will impact their ability to import the resources required to fabricate in the US and their ability to bring in chips made by Taiwan.

"I also saw a clip from a China spokesperson saying they wouldn't be changing their strategy based on comments from Trump"

A situation where Trump reduces significantly from the current 145% tariffs on China because the stock market spooks him and China respond by....doing nothing and keeping the current 125% tariff on US goods would be objectively hilarious

Possibly. NPR reported at the weekend that they were already looking for a replacement.

Thing is though, if they had decided to remove him, you'd think they'd just shut up and not give people a stick to beat them with or do anything to make them look indecisive.

But, strategy on these matters is clearly not their strong suit.