"the next guy is definitely going to use all the power that Trump amassed, along with presidential immunity from law, to its full extent. That is very scary."

Assuming the next guy is a guy, I'm sure future Presidents will take as examples all that has transpired before. As if ethics are the exclusive province of one political party rather than another. If you think party affiliation is any measure of character you're more deluded than is tolerable in honest company. Prove me wrong.

Yes, but clearly you don't hear much of what he says.

Consider the complexities of killing whoever transmitted AIDS to you. Family member, spouse, acquaintance...

TDS: a set of beliefs,irrational, illogical hatred of the individual known as Donald J Trump, his statements and actions. Hated despite any evidence or facts contradictory to such a hatred. Such hatred expanded, often, to include hatred of any who do not share this set of beliefs and emotional responses. The sources, impetus, foundations of this syndrome vary, but are commonly and consistently expressed as the described hatred. Often this syndrome is manifested by virulent, violent, and prolonged outbursts. It is consistent with the syndrome that sufferers take violent action against Trump or associates, real or imagined.

That's about the best I can do I haven't looked for any official or accepted definition. Mine is derived from observation, direct and indirect.

The difference between knowing and not carrying. And the whole 'why'. Knowing how Trump has so often framed these actions, I suspect he sees the US global contribution as substantially out of proportion to that of the rest of the world. Regions severely impacted by AIDS are notably poorer and less able to fund their own programs. Whether we've spent more than we ought to have been expected to I do not know.

Maybe, maybe not. But disagreeing with you doesn't prove he didn't care.

Despite continuing hallucinations from all corners of the extreme, Trump is constitutionally ineligible for reelection in '28. At least many knowledgeable in that are believe so. I agree.

I'm an American, not a bot or agent. But it's cheap to insert that variable, I understand.

I don't though the economy is going to tank over the next 4 or even 8 years. But I'm not a fortune teller.

Things have 'been' real bad. You notice at all?

Aside from the TDS, you're not making enough sense to excuse you from relying on the Leftist media for your assigned opinions. Have at it.

I'll be keeping your comment handy. And keeping score. Four years from now, we'll see...

Of course, Trump won't run in 2028, but the future isn't clear to me yet.

Always good to get the insight of a mind-reader. Telepathy is an unappreciated talent on earth.

I paid my share of Social Security and Medicare taxes for over 50 years. My employers paid their share, the opportunity cost there meant I may have received less pay overall.

That's where the money came from, and still comes from. And that's why working and earning you living is important beyond merely sustaining yourself and giving you purpose.

Think you're being cheated by paying into a questionable system? You may not be wrong. Work better or harder, invest in your future, minimize reliance in that system, and be secure in your own. Or not.

"Neither are capital gains SS taxed"

It's not SS, but let me share with you a tidbit about capital gains and Medicare...

My wife and I took substantial capital gains in 2023, sale of an investment property. Paid substantial taxes. It was worth it. I also in 2023 finally enrolled in Medicare, my employer subsidized health insurance finally lapsed.

This year, 2025, Medicare assessed us each a little over $500/month increased premiums, due to IRMAA ( income related monthly adjustment amount) based on our one-time large income reported 2 tax years before. That's about $12,000 total increased premiums for us. Being also on SS, both of us, that's not inconsequential.

Next year we will petition for a reduction based on a much lower income in 2024 {two tax years back), and get relief. And they didn't ask. It's deducted from your SS payment. And no advance notice, though I was unhappy with all my advisors, especially my Medicare agent, that we had no notices. And no we didn't study Medicare regulations sufficiently to recognize this.

Understanding that these 'entitlement' programs bloat the federal budget in different ways than, say the departments of Education, State, Justice, the CIA, FBI, so forth, is I think important. Our federal government is overall much too large. Expensive. And does not give a return on investment that is deserved.

Why would I not include Defense in the list of bloats? Some agencies provide good ROI. I submit Defense is one, Agriculture, EPA, ICE others. Always worth examination, but there are few substitutes for food, water, border security, and self-defense (at a national level). The rest need to prove their worth.

That's Baastin, you ignorant ^H^H^H^H LOST CARRIER

Oh, dear God, you missed the class on the OSI model, TCP/IP, class v classless addressing, and Ethernet. If you get a chance, take the class on aliases...

True or false: Trump isn't finished yet.
True or false: Trump alone is not enough.

Your halfway there. Rand Paul hangs his moral hat on the debt ceiling, which will go up. Unless, in reconciliation, budget items are struck off. And that's the process that's referred to by those who say 'we'll fix it in reconciliation'.

It's been so long since regular order produced a budget that we forget how it worked. Ultimately the budget is sent, by Congress, to the President for their approval, and is then law.

You're looking to blame? Blame Congress first. After decades of CRs and pretending to 'pass a budget', they fear the voters, and for good reason. They also fear leadership, and losing their positions of power and influence. So preparing the end of the Department of Education, an agency with no positive effect on education (check the results), existing only to redistribute federal money, is sheltered why?

I've watched this my entire adult life. And I'll wait just a few months more to see more and different results. You think I'm following Trump like a lost puppy? To do not understand the movement yet. Next year we move to the next step - changing Congress. Maybe. It's not over yet.