Werewolf said:

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The naivety of the majority of Americans adults is very simply astounding. The inability of our people to discern what is underway is almost unbelievable.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kathyellise/video/7057763689805401391

Our country is being systematically destroyed as we sit idly by......barely a peep from most. If you think this character Joe Biden is a bumbling imcmpetent dumbass you a gravely mistaken. What is underway has been carefully thought out and is being carried out systematically with great calm all the while carefully cloaked with incompetence sold as the excuse for what is underway.

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I heard something today that said, "we are slowly losing our country, and Americans are paying for it with their taxes."

^ An intentionally slow bleed of America.........slow and methodical to not raise significant alarm.

The acting and appearance of incompetence can accomplish this.......as many of us mock and make fun of him.......all the while they slowly strip us of our sovereignty and wealth. This troubles me as we are being lulled to sleep with this act.

At some point many will be living on such a thread of existence and dependence on the GOVT that we will not be able to resist.

Not only is our federal government captured but many of our state legislatures and larger county and city governments are highly compromised.

Fox News and Newsmax are essentially the controlled opposition. The appearance is they represent your values and they lead you down a path of deception and ultimately to an erroneous finding.

Can anybody with half a brain actually believe this cockamamy bunch of crap?

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/591590-biden-leading-trump-desantis-by-similar-margins-in-new-poll

This is what we're up against in 2022 and 2024 without changes in voting laws......another massive theft.

wolfman18 said:

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Seriously *** are we doing in Ukraine? I feel like we are just escalating tensions when even Ukraine is telling us to chill out.

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Getting worked by Putin is what we're doing. Putin has no real plan to invade Ukraine, he's just pulling strings to get things that he wants and to show domestically that he's an equal to the US President.

Putin needs Ukraine to remain an unstable country. He needs that buffer now as the affects of his autocracy continue to hurt the Russian economy. He's used up all of his early capital he achieved by plundering all the free market stuff Yeltsin set up. That's all gone now and all that's left is the severe corruption that eroded the free market over the last decade plus. Putin can't have Ukraine being shown as a successful western style democracy because it will cripple his power domestically.

Biden, his advisers, and the US media have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

^ You actually believe that Ukraine resembles a so-called Western style democracy?

Actually, as I ponder my question to you, it actually may. Corruption to the hilt with 95% of its political system corrupted by money.

Steve Videtich said:

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Werewolf said:

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Can anybody with half a brain actually believe this cockamamy bunch of crap?

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/591590-biden-leading-trump-desantis-by-similar-margins-in-new-poll

This is what we're up against in 2022 and 2024 without changes in voting laws......another massive theft.

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All these polls and studies don't mean ****! They are trying to spin a narrative to win votes. I saw a story on MSNBC earlier that said a new study shows that those that watch Fox News are less informed than those that don't watch any news. Any State grad knows you can make a study to show anything you want it to. Depends on how you shape the parameters.

I'm finalizing a study of me and 5 of my friends that says MSNBC is making up 97% of the stuff the say. I'll send everyone a link when it's finalized.

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I agree with the hoax poll. The intent of the hoax poll is to prep those conservative small government voters that continue their existence in the matrix that somehow someway Joe Biden or his heir eek out another POTUS win. This in 2024 after the country has spent four years falling further and further into the abyss. Communism is real and has already entangled us in its grip. We must somehow begin to pull its tentacles from around us.

Werewolf said:

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^ You actually believe that Ukraine resembles a so-called Western style democracy?

Actually, as I ponder my question to you, it actually may. Corruption to the hilt with 95% of its political system corrupted by money.

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no it's not even close to a western style democracy. It could without Russian interference is the point.

The United States - returned to a true Republic can survive. We have evolved into a modern-day oligarchy. This has been underway for more than a hundred years and expedited and a now clearly visible now-termed technocracy.

The Biden Bunch seeks to slowly destroy this country. It might be phrased as "death by a thousand cuts".

Steve Videtich said:

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https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/biden-s-first-year-economic-growth-reached-38-year-high-n1288089

That's what happens when you shut down large portions of the economy. Knock it down to near zero and hooray for the natural growth that results! Sad and pathetic!

---

Presidents generally get too much blame and credit for the economy.

In my opinion Biden shouldn't get very much credit for the growth just like he shouldn't be targeted as being the key cause of the inflation we're experiencing. Both are the consequence of the economic contraction in 2020 and associated disruptions and mitigations, and the subsequent reemergence as vaccines rolled out.

But however you parse it the credit and blame should be in relative accordance with each other.

It makes zero sense for him to get all the blame for inflation but no credit for growth.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/01/estimated-2-million-original-2020-election-ballot-images-illegally-erased-georgia-no-one-held-accountable-jail/

Nothing to see here.....in the matrix!

an impeachable offense?

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/28/politics/president-joe-biden-zelensky-putin-russia-ukraine/index.html

You know, I'm a glutton for punishment...


A Pennsylvania court on Friday ruled that the state's mail-in voting law is unconstitutional.


Three Republican judges ruled that no-excuse mail-in voting is prohibited under the state's constitution. Two Democrats on the panel dissented. Governor Tom Wolf will appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, triggering a stay and leaving the law in place while the high court considers the case.

The Pennsylvania state legislature passed a law in 2019 to allow no-excuse mail voting for all voters.

Steve Videtich said:

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Civilized said:

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Steve Videtich said:

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https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/biden-s-first-year-economic-growth-reached-38-year-high-n1288089

That's what happens when you shut down large portions of the economy. Knock it down to near zero and hooray for the natural growth that results! Sad and pathetic!

---

Presidents generally get too much blame and credit for the economy.

In my opinion Biden shouldn't get very much credit for the growth just like he shouldn't be targeted as being the key cause of the inflation we're experiencing. Both are the consequence of the economic contraction in 2020 and associated disruptions and mitigations, and the subsequent reemergence as vaccines rolled out.

But however you parse it the credit and blame should be in relative accordance with each other.

It makes zero sense for him to get all the blame for inflation but no credit for growth.

---

It was long useless shutdowns by Democrat leaders that shut down the economy to create the large growth from. Gas prices soared after taking office combined with prolonged pay for people to sit home, which caused a lot of the supply chain issues, have contributed to the inflation rising. Add in the need to keep throwing more useless spending bills into the economy. No he doesn't get all the blame, but a large portion is sitting in the White House right now probably taking a nap.

---

What shutdowns? When?

What Democrat leaders? The Biden administration?

The shutdowns were early/mid 2020 and the corresponding sharp economic contraction was second and third quarters of 2020. It's been a pronounced recovery since. Biden catching blame for stuff that happened before he was in office?

Tracking the Post-Great Recession Economy



The contraction was well before Biden took office and the recovery started before Biden was inaugurated. As previously mentioned, neither Biden or Trump deserve significant blame or credit for either.

Also, people like to ***** about inflation but you know what they'd really be *****ing about? A bad, lingering recession. Everyone's got such short memories but after the Great Recession our monetary and fiscal policy was insufficient to kick-start the economy again. We did too little to stimulate the economy and the result was a historically long and painful recovery.

Really easy to play Monday Morning QB with interventions but the one mistake that couldn't be made again was moving too slowly or doing too little monetarily or fiscally.

Civilized said:

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Steve Videtich said:

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Civilized said:

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Steve Videtich said:

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https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/biden-s-first-year-economic-growth-reached-38-year-high-n1288089

That's what happens when you shut down large portions of the economy. Knock it down to near zero and hooray for the natural growth that results! Sad and pathetic!

---

Presidents generally get too much blame and credit for the economy.

In my opinion Biden shouldn't get very much credit for the growth just like he shouldn't be targeted as being the key cause of the inflation we're experiencing. Both are the consequence of the economic contraction in 2020 and associated disruptions and mitigations, and the subsequent reemergence as vaccines rolled out.

But however you parse it the credit and blame should be in relative accordance with each other.

It makes zero sense for him to get all the blame for inflation but no credit for growth.

---

It was long useless shutdowns by Democrat leaders that shut down the economy to create the large growth from. Gas prices soared after taking office combined with prolonged pay for people to sit home, which caused a lot of the supply chain issues, have contributed to the inflation rising. Add in the need to keep throwing more useless spending bills into the economy. No he doesn't get all the blame, but a large portion is sitting in the White House right now probably taking a nap.

---

What shutdowns? When?

What Democrat leaders? The Biden administration?

The shutdowns were early/mid 2020 and the corresponding sharp economic contraction was second and third quarters of 2020. It's been a pronounced recovery since. Biden catching blame for stuff that happened before he was in office?

Tracking the Post-Great Recession Economy



The contraction was well before Biden took office and the recovery started before Biden was inaugurated. As previously mentioned, neither Biden or Trump deserve significant blame or credit for either.

Also, people like to ***** about inflation but you know what they'd really be *****ing about? A bad, lingering recession. Everyone's got such short memories but after the Great Recession our monetary and fiscal policy was insufficient to kick-start the economy again. We did too little to stimulate the economy and the result was a historically long and painful recovery.

Really easy to play Monday Morning QB with interventions but the one mistake that couldn't be made again was moving too slowly or doing too little monetarily or fiscally.

---

Civ, honestly.. whether you think Biden is the blame for where we are (with or with our your data), the country thinks Biden is the blame. You are in the minority and you are pushing a boulder up a hill!!!

https://www.conservativereview.com/after-white-house-denial-cnn-scrubs-report-on-alarming-leak-from-biden-s-call-with-ukrainian-president-2656497550.html

This idiot is dying to go to war so he can prove he's "The Big Guy".

Steve Videtich said:

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Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

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Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

caryking said:

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You know, I'm a glutton for punishment...


A Pennsylvania court on Friday ruled that the state's mail-in voting law is unconstitutional.


Three Republican judges ruled that no-excuse mail-in voting is prohibited under the state's constitution. Two Democrats on the panel dissented. Governor Tom Wolf will appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, triggering a stay and leaving the law in place while the high court considers the case.

The Pennsylvania state legislature passed a law in 2019 to allow no-excuse mail voting for all voters.

---

Truth must be defended......the mockers will always be mockers.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/01/exclusive-az-state-rep-mark-finchem-working-resolution-reclaim-arizonas-2020-electors-actually-resolution-markup-right-now-video/


Not sure what's coming 1st, decertification of the election by three or four states,,,, or the massive evidence of child trafficking by the Elites & Hollywood class.

TheStorm said:

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Steve Videtich said:

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Civilized said:

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Steve Videtich said:

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Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

---

Steve... don't waste your time on him. He will continue to keep his head buried in the sand that this has anything to do with the Democrats whatsoever.

---

Oh I know. It's all just a coincidence!

Steve Videtich said:

---

TheStorm said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

---

Steve... don't waste your time on him. He will continue to keep his head buried in the sand that this has anything to do with the Democrats whatsoever.

---

Oh I know. It's all just a coincidence!

---

The coming recession will have nothing to do with him either.

Steve Videtich said:

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Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

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Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

---

I think he is doing the best he can, but that's not actionable information. I don't think anyone becomes president and then goofs off. I think Trump did the best he could. We're all limited and flawed, and those flaws come out in our performances even when we're "doing our best."

My take is that he (and Trump, and every president) should take the blame for things reasonably in their control and not be blamed for forces and events that aren't.

My take is also that these situations are all nuanced and multifactorial.

Examples:

I think it's dumb to blame Biden "for gas prices going up" but fair to blame him for the timing or outcome of the federal land oil and gas exploration lease moratorium or the timing our outcome of the Keystone XL deal. Now's not the time to put upward pressure on gas prices.

I think it's dumb to blame Biden "for inflation." Biden didn't cause production pullbacks amongst OPEC nations; on semiconductors in China and Vietnam; or on lumber in Canada (or the weather or insect impacts to Canadian lumber crops) or many of the other global or domestic supply chain disruptions. It's fair to blame him for increasing Canadian lumber tariffs; the timing of the aforementioned oil/gas policies; for giving out too much cash with the third stimulus (and/or not enough travel vouchers or other non-cash stimulus aimed at the most damaged portions of our economy) or for interest rates probably remaining low a little too long since he doesn't control the Fed.

packgrad said:

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Steve Videtich said:

---

TheStorm said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

---

Steve... don't waste your time on him. He will continue to keep his head buried in the sand that this has anything to do with the Democrats whatsoever.

---

Oh I know. It's all just a coincidence!

---

The coming recession will have nothing to do with him either.

---

Brother if we follow up a quick, deep pandemic recession with short and limited recovery and then rather quickly transition into a long slow traditional recession we're all in big trouble.

caryking said:

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Civ, honestly.. whether you think Biden is the blame for where we are (with or with our your data), the country thinks Biden is the blame. You are in the minority and you are pushing a boulder up a hill!!!

---

Agree, Cary.

His approval ratings are low and much of the country blames him for inflation and the continued effects of COVID on our nation. Some of the blame he deserves and some he doesn't but it's the job he signed up for.

Soooo. Biden has a call with the Ukrainian President and warned him that Kiev was going to be sacked as soon as the ground over there froze enough for large scale troop movements. Ukraine basically tells him to calm the f down. Multiple media outlets (CNN, AXIOS, Buzzfeed among others) report it. The White House denies it. Then CNN tries to scrub any evidence of the reporting from their websites and Twitter accounts. This is complete incompetence with a large side order of madness. Let's see the unredacted, unedited transcript Joe. He's trying his best to gin up a war.

flylike44 said:

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Soooo. Biden has a call with the Ukrainian President and warned him that Kiev was going to be sacked as soon as the ground over there froze enough for large scale troop movements. Ukraine basically tells him to calm the f down. Multiple media outlets (CNN, AXIOS, Buzzfeed among others) report it. The White House denies it. Then CNN tries to scrub any evidence of the reporting from their websites and Twitter accounts. This is complete incompetence with a large side order of madness. Let's see the unredacted, unedited transcript Joe. He's trying his best to gin up a war.

---

I seem to recall a president being impeached not to long ago for a conversation with Ukraine....

cowboypack02 said:

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flylike44 said:

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Soooo. Biden has a call with the Ukrainian President and warned him that Kiev was going to be sacked as soon as the ground over there froze enough for large scale troop movements. Ukraine basically tells him to calm the f down. Multiple media outlets (CNN, AXIOS, Buzzfeed among others) report it. The White House denies it. Then CNN tries to scrub any evidence of the reporting from their websites and Twitter accounts. This is complete incompetence with a large side order of madness. Let's see the unredacted, unedited transcript Joe. He's trying his best to gin up a war.

---

I seem to recall a president being impeached not to long ago for a conversation with Ukraine....

---

Never happened. Anything they do gets memory holed

Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Civilized said:

---

Steve Videtich said:

---

Okay, large scale shutdowns in democratic states like NY, NJ and CA never happened. Not by Biden, but by democrat leadership that has played this have wrong. And you're saying soaring gas prices and labor shortages have no effect? All that money that tit said was needed to jumpstart the economy, how much of it actually went to issues directly related to the problem? Maybe 10% if that? That's a lot of money forced into the economy that adds to inflation.

I agree, inflation was going to happen. But, it hasn't had to last as long or be as bad as is been. He's made it worse.

---

Shutdowns happened in major industries nationwide. That wasn't a phenomenon limited to blue states.

And sure gas prices have an effect but gas prices aren't a one-trick pony. The US has very little to do with global market forces on petroleum or OPEC output, and Biden hasn't implemented policies that curtail current production of oil and gas. Those are primary drivers of gas prices. He has made noise about curtailing future exploration on federal land and he killed the Keystone permit, which gets baked into the market some. I don't think those have had the same effect as the other gas market inputs, especially since the market also bakes in the probability of some of these policy impacts potentially changing depending on who lands in office in 24.

When your economy shrinks 31% in a quarter like ours did in Q2 of 20, talking about inflation is like worrying about a sprained ankle when your hair's on fire.

Fiscal policy isn't a neurosurgeon's scalpel. It's not precise action with highly predictable outcomes. It's a sledgehammer. And the biggest risk was not swinging it hard enough.

We'd have an even bigger problem on our hands if we fell into recession in the midst of a pandemic than we do fighting inflationary pressure. It's not to say it's not a problem; it is. It appears we avoided recession and have some economic momentum; now use the monetary policy and fiscal policy tools available to you to try to pump the brakes a little and bring inflation back in check.

---

So your take is that Biden just inherited a lot of unfortunate circumstances and that hes doing the best he can?

---

I think he is doing the best he can, but that's not actionable information. I don't think anyone becomes president and then goofs off. I think Trump did the best he could. We're all limited and flawed, and those flaws come out in our performances even when we're "doing our best."

My take is that he (and Trump, and every president) should take the blame for things reasonably in their control and not be blamed for forces and events that aren't.

My take is also that these situations are all nuanced and multifactorial.

Examples:

I think it's dumb to blame Biden "for gas prices going up" but fair to blame him for the timing or outcome of the federal land oil and gas exploration lease moratorium or the timing our outcome of the Keystone XL deal. Now's not the time to put upward pressure on gas prices.

I think it's dumb to blame Biden "for inflation." Biden didn't cause production pullbacks amongst OPEC nations; on semiconductors in China and Vietnam; or on lumber in Canada (or the weather or insect impacts to Canadian lumber crops) or many of the other global or domestic supply chain disruptions. It's fair to blame him for increasing Canadian lumber tariffs; the timing of the aforementioned oil/gas policies; for giving out too much cash with the third stimulus (and/or not enough travel vouchers or other non-cash stimulus aimed at the most damaged portions of our economy) or for interest rates probably remaining low a little too long since he doesn't control the Fed.

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We would just agree to disagree. I know you want in your heart of hearts or Biden to workout because hes not trump. But, he bears responsibility.

I think most are expecting a recession.