If Trump didn't have Twitter or some other mechanism to bypass the MSM, Hillary would be President, and none of the crimes committed by the FBI/DOJ would ever be known outside of the highest circles.

The media is a filter for news, especially politics. We aren't getting his messages filtered by them, and they can't stand it.  He trolls the media, Democrats and anyone else who use their bully pulpit to attack him.

We're seeing a change in the way government transparency is implemented. I like it much better than bald face lies with no whistleblowers running to the media.  The VA scandal went on for 4 years after Obama promised in his first campaign to fix that broken system.  It took a whistleblower to uncover 12+ month-long waits for some while the managers got huge cash bonuses for turning in fake waitlist data.  It took Trump to actually fix it.

I look at the critical things he's doing, and he's getting almost every one of the right the first time. The little stuff like calling Congressional Democrats and Kim Jong Un names is minor. Sticks & stones ...

There's that and a sense of no one is safe or immune. Liberal, conservative, R or D.  That's what I like about it.  Things are getting shaken up for sure and things are changing.  Are all of the changes for the good?  I would say probably not, but I do see a lot of positive changes.  But the shake up is also a part of the bigger picture.  Even has some liberals questioning things that for many years they never thought about, even to the point of seeing the hypocrisy of what the used to blindly believe in.   

That's what was getting at.  Folks are entitled to their opinions, but most criticism I see are so illogical.  It's "I hate Trump's policy/actions on _______".  Why? "Oh, because global warming".  I mean not that extreme in most cases, but it often is.  I just don't get the irrational fear that Trump inspires. 

I get what you're saying about hard to trust someone like that and I agree.  It is hard to justify his word to folks when I think many of his words are ill advised (to put it lightly).  If his actions and results weren't what I felt were positive, I'd be on the "F Trump" bandwagon too.  I do see a method to his madness when you look at his actions and results.  I also hope there's an orchestrated method to his madness in what he says that come off as just plain stupid.

I think part of the problem is that there are so many lies from him that Trump is hard to trust when he says anything. Even if he does get some good stuff done it still leaves allies, the economy, voters, and his own staff with no idea what to expect. Take for example the trade war thing. If you were in the metal business in America and worked with a Canadian firm you wouldn't know how to plan the future of your company. Plan for more tarrifs, then change direction because Trump said not on Canada, then change direction again because Trump said Canada would be included.

I agree actions mater but words matter to. How do you work with someone you cannot trust?

I think you are right in that a lot of the criticism is irrational fear. Trump is a Nazi, Trump is a fascist, Trump is a racist, that is all fear mongering, but there are many fair criticisms.

Will tariffs have a negative impact on Americans? I’m sure they will. Will they be overall better for America, I hope so and believ it’s more of a negotiating position than what we truly want. My opinion. However, there are also many things that can be done to help those negatively impacted by tariffs and it is my understanding that those measures are being looked at. Don’t see CNN or MSNBC mentioning that. Interesting that I’m hearing quite a bit about it through NPR, which definitely is not right leaning.

Interesting that I’m hearing quite a bit about it through NPR, which definitely is not right leaning.

Links please if possible...

Links please if possible...

Heard it on the radio. They often have transcripts of radio program online. Shouldn’t be difficult to find...

Will tariffs have a negative impact on Americans? I’m sure they will. Will they be overall better for America, I hope so and believ it’s more of a negotiating position than what we truly want. My opinion. However, there are also many things that can be done to help those negatively impacted by tariffs and it is my understanding that those measures are being looked at. Don’t see CNN or MSNBC mentioning that. Interesting that I’m hearing quite a bit about it through NPR, which definitely is not right leaning.

I started listening to a few NPR podcasts, some about science things but a few politics ones. They do seem to lean left a little but not as much as MSNBC. What NPR actually does well is in depth reporting instead of just surface reporting that can more easily lead to misunderstanding or misinformation. To give them credit I do hear them bring up conservative arguments though the overall feeling is a little left leaning.

One podcast that I really recommend is called Left, Right, and Center. The host is in the center position and then you have a conservative person and a liberal person on and they discuss the news topics of the day. They keep the debates pretty clean and civil and I feel it helps me to understand an issue better because I get the details of the topic and then I get two different views on it.
https://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/left-right-center

I started listening to a few NPR podcasts, some about science things but a few politics ones. They do seem to lean left a little but not as much as MSNBC. What NPR actually does well is in depth reporting instead of just surface reporting that can more easily lead to misunderstanding or misinformation. To give them credit I do hear them bring up conservative arguments though the overall feeling is a little left leaning.

One podcast that I really recommend is called Left, Right, and Center. The host is in the center position and then you have a conservative person and a liberal person on and they discuss the news topics of the day. They keep the debates pretty clean and civil and I feel it helps me to understand an issue better because I get the details of the topic and then I get two different views on it.
https://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/left-right-center

Yeah, I listen to that show.  I listen to whatevers on when I'm driving.  LRC isn't usually on, but I catch it here and there. 

NPR certainly leans left.  In some of the hosts, you can really tell by the way they treat different speakers.  Like comments I've noticed on articles in HNN, I have sensed a change there.  Even with some of the most left leaning hosts. 

My opinion. However, there are also many things that can be done to help those negatively impacted by tariffs and it is my understanding that those measures are being looked at.

I want to believe you but haven't found anything in particular. Mostly it's reporting on Trump telling us "fuck the Chinese, fuck the stock market, and fuck you".

"In the interview, which was recorded Thursday, Trump also indicated his willingness to endure stock market volatility as he pursues an aggressive trade agenda with China. Asked about the potential of a market downturn over his trade policies, he said: "If it does, it does. Look, I'm not doing this for politics."
https://www.npr.org/2018/07/20/630778994/trump-is-ready-to-go-all-in-on-trade-war-with-china

I want to believe you but haven't found anything in particular. Mostly it's reporting on Trump telling us "fuck the Chinese, fuck the stock market, and fuck you".

"In the interview, which was recorded Thursday, Trump also indicated his willingness to endure stock market volatility as he pursues an aggressive trade agenda with China. Asked about the potential of a market downturn over his trade policies, he said: "If it does, it does. Look, I'm not doing this for politics."
https://www.npr.org/2018/07/20/630778994/trump-is-ready-to-go-all-in-on-trade-war-with-china

I wasn't trying to prove anything to you.  And to put it bluntly, I don't care if you believe me. 

The discussion I was referring to was that apparently there are staff in the Trump administration that are aware that there will be people and businesses that will likely be affected by the tariffs.  That there are approaches being looked into to help those people and business affected.  Are those facts?  No, at least not yet.  But something more productive in finding solutions than irrational fear. 

Yes, and I'm asking for more information, that's all. To be clear, my "irrational fear" is not about the tariffs but about the impact on voters this November.

Yes, and I'm asking for more information, that's all. To be clear, my "irrational fear" is not about the tariffs but about the impact on voters this November.

Searched, but couldn't find the transcripts or online versions of the program. 

Here's one by PBS on tariffs.  It is my understanding that PBS is "slightly left leaning".  I found it while I was looking for the transcript from the NPR segment that I mentioned.  It isn't exactly what I was referring to, but it touches on many similar points. 

They go on to mention grants and subsidies that in effect bring jobs to the US.  Will the US gain overall?  Remains to be seen as businesses will continue to find ways around laws, tariffs, etc to maintain profit.  Ultimately, I believe many US companies got complacent and even lazy and manufacturers in other countries have in many cases progressed faster. 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/will-trumps-tariffs-help-u-s-workers-it-could-be-a-wash

Funny how the fake news yesterday was blasting him for his aggressive tweet to Iran.  Iran spoke today saying it would never attack the US.  Trump wins again.  And of course, no media coverage.

Funny how the fake news yesterday was blasting him for his aggressive tweet to Iran.  Iran spoke today saying it would never attack the US.  Trump wins again.  And of course, no media coverage.

I am trying to digest this one right now. Trumps comment do not seem to really be provoked by anything Iran has done or said recently at least not to the level that Trump's response took it.

Trump's comment seemed rather extreme as it implied quite a serious retaliation to Iran's comment.

By Iran saying they wouldn't attack the US, do you really think that means we win? To me it seems like the message is that if a war started it would be America starting it, not Iran.

Here is a link to Trump's tweet and the comment from Iran he was replying to.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2018/07/22/trump-iran-president-never-ever-threaten-america/cFQeBhDoI5Zp61qplD1D0J/story.html

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/will-trumps-tariffs-help-u-s-workers-it-could-be-a-wash

Thanks for the link. So here's what I got from the report.
1) Whirlpool share drops from 50% to 33% due to unfair, subsidized competition from Samsung in Korea.
2) US puts tariff on Korean washers so they move it to China.
3) Another tariff and they move it somewhere else.
4) Trump puts tariff on worldwide washers.
5) Samsung starts making washers in the US.
6) All prices go up 15%.
7) Other countries put tariffs on our exports so difficult to sell our washers outside of the country including Canada.
What happens next?

As mentioned in the report, will consumers gladly pay the increased costs or will they try to find a cheaper solution such as holding off buying a replacement until the existing washer breaks? Generally in Capitalism, higher prices do not equal higher profits. Personally, I see the tariffs to be a kind of protectionist tax. I'm interested to see if the tariffs will improve industries or if we're just chasing our tail.

Thanks for the link. So here's what I got from the report.
1) Whirlpool share drops from 50% to 33% due to unfair, subsidized competition from Samsung in Korea.
2) US puts tariff on Korean washers so they move it to China.
3) Another tariff and they move it somewhere else.
4) Trump puts tariff on worldwide washers.
5) Samsung starts making washers in the US.
6) All prices go up 15%.
7) Other countries put tariffs on our exports so difficult to sell our washers overseas.
What happens next?

As mentioned in the report, will consumers gladly pay the increased costs or will they try to find a cheaper solution such as holding off buying a replacement until the existing washer breaks? Generally in Capitalism, higher prices do not equal higher profits. Personally, I see the tariffs to be a kind of protectionist tax. I'm interested to see if the tariffs will improve industries or if we're just chasing our tail.

#8 - US factories and workers benefit from fairer competition.

Ppl tend to leave out costs of transportation, warehousing and returns. Products made in the US cost less to ship, and they can be stored at the manufacturer or distributor and "drop-shipped" when ordered by consumers online.

Thanks for the link. So here's what I got from the report.
1) Whirlpool share drops from 50% to 33% due to unfair, subsidized competition from Samsung in Korea.
2) US puts tariff on Korean washers so they move it to China.
3) Another tariff and they move it somewhere else.
4) Trump puts tariff on worldwide washers.
5) Samsung starts making washers in the US.
6) All prices go up 15%.
7) Other countries put tariffs on our exports so difficult to sell our washers overseas.
What happens next?

As mentioned in the report, will consumers gladly pay the increased costs or will they try to find a cheaper solution such as holding off buying a replacement until the existing washer breaks? Generally in Capitalism, higher prices do not equal higher profits. Personally, I see the tariffs to be a kind of protectionist tax. I'm interested to see if the tariffs will improve industries or if we're just chasing our tail.

To me it is all a huge hypocrisy. We subsidize various US industries so it is hard for us, or anyone else, to complain about unfair subsidization or unfair tariffs. Heard a podcast recently about how we outlawed flavored cigarettes but we left menthol out which just so happened to coincide with the fact that menthol ones were made in the USA while the other flavors were made overseas. Hard for us to claim any sort of high ground in this argument, really this seems like just a complicated web of political posturing.

Funny how the fake news yesterday was blasting him for his aggressive tweet to Iran.  Iran spoke today saying it would never attack the US.  Trump wins again.  And of course, no media coverage.

I agree with what Trump did. Iran’s president threatened us and Trump responded in an appropriate and measured way. I didn’t see the response you did, but their response I did see was from their military leader and not their president. In that type of government, the president holds all the power. To me this means they have backed down but still trying to save face with the citizens.

I think even more telling is the timing of the threat by Trump. The new sanctions are due to start on 8/6. Based on past performance, he will ramp up the rhetoric for a while. Trump still says Iran can call and negotiate. Giving them an out. Until all ways out are blocked, war is not inevitable. While no method of political and economic pressure guarantees the results we would like to see, this method has proven effective in the past. So like everything else Trump is doing, we’ll see what the end result is in due time.

I agree with what Trump did. Iran’s president threatened us and Trump responded in an appropriate and measured way. I didn’t see the response you did, but their response I did see was from their military leader and not their president. In that type of government, the president holds all the power. To me this means they have backed down but still trying to save face with the citizens.

I think even more telling is the timing of the threat by Trump. The new sanctions are due to start on 8/6. Based on past performance, he will ramp up the rhetoric for a while. Trump still says Iran can call and negotiate. Giving them an out. Until all ways out are blocked, war is not inevitable. While no method of political and economic pressure guarantees the results we would like to see, this method has proven effective in the past. So like everything else Trump is doing, we’ll see what the end result is in due time.

I guess I don't see Iran's president's comment as a threat so much as a defensive posture.

For context, here is the comment from Iran.
Rouhani said Sunday ‘‘American must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.’’

Edit: There was also another comment,  The Iranian leader also had a message for US President Trump: "do not play with the lion's tail, because you will regret it eternally."

This leaves Trump with a sort of unenforceable promise. So if Iran makes another threat Trump either has to keep his promise and declare war on Iran or he doesn't and looks weak. But are we going to go to war because Iran makes another threat? I doubt it and I don't think he could garner enough support for it either.

Sounds like socialism to me.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/24/trump-announce-support-farmers-caught-trade-disputes/825940002/