Underworld comments

itsonlyrocknroll

August 1st, if President Trump doubles down on his threat, could well change global trade relationships beyond recognition.

Immediate harm to everyone.

Where is the WTO here?

Reduced to an irrelevance?

The WTO only works if the members agree to its rules.

Trump is threatening to break its rules, but keeps chickening out. Once he breaks them, complaints can be lodged.

itsonlyrocknroll

EU lobbying for a comprehensive trade agreement is a non-starter.

US/EU have been "waffling" for decades, round and round in circles.

Rubbish, the WTO has been working for years.

Trump is clueless and has no idea what he is doing.

bass4funk

The administration argues now that Abrego Garcia is a danger to the community and can be deported before his trial to a country other than El Salvador.

With zero evidence.

bass4funk

Bass....you do understand the difference between an "indictment " and a " conviction "?

Why have Courts at all ?

Like I said, when Biden opened the National to millions of illegals,

he didn't.

not a word from these lib activists judges and it’s ironic that most of them are from DC, California, NYC, Colorado, how ironic, but why have courts?

Of course they did nothing. Because Biden didn't do anything illegal.

Well, I’m sure the SC justices are thinking that now about their lower court colleagues.

They upheld lower court colleagues in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

bass4funk

Do you agree that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law?

Pertaining to a US citizen, yes

No, not for illegals

Well, that is at odds with the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

bass4funk

Yes! And the reason is, bantering with you guys particularly the non-Americans ones means absolutely nothing to us and to this administration, they won’t stop,

Sure. We are here to show you how hypocritical and unethical this administration is.

the SC told these judges to knock off with these injunctions

No they didn't. And what injunction are you talking about in relation to Kilmar Abrego Garcia?

and so it’s now come to the point where this is just beyond absurd, they will do what the voters asked and Trump will keep his election promise,

Incorrect. Trump never promised to innocent undocumented immigrants with permission to live in the US.

that’s the only thing that matters and all the usual liberal anger and sniping is not going to change any of this.

Pointing out facts that what the Trump admin is doing is deporting innocent immigrants instead of what he promised.

Inconvenient, I know.

bass4funk

Indicted, not convicted. 

Therefore innocent.

Again, you think that, I’m fine with that,

It's not what I think, it is fact.

it’s still not going to stop this administration.

So deporting innocents rather than violent criminals... Got it.

bass4funk

Has Garcia been convicted of any crimes? Yes or no.

Yes. Kilmar Abrego García has been federally indicted on human‑smuggling charges in Tennessee. The indictment includes:

-Conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants into and through the U.S. for financial gain.

-Unlawful transportation of undocumented immigrants for profit.

Indicted, not convicted.

Therefore innocent.

bass4funk

He didn't promise to deport innocent undocumented immigrants with permission to live in the US.

That’s right so don’t worry and if you think Garcia is innocent, then that’s what you think, I’m not here to convince, I’m just glad that this administration will push on.

Has Garcia been convicted of any crimes? Yes or no.

If he hasn't, then he is innocent. End of story.

bass4funk

You can't expect the lawless Trump administration to do anything they aren't forced to.

Like I said, the Supreme Court ruled and this administration will proceed,

Indeed, the Supreme Court ruled that the DOJ had to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the US. Something you said the DOJ would never do.

if these lower court judges want to hold them in contempt, then that’s what they should do, but the deportations will continue, they will never back away from that campaign promise.

Trump promised to deport violent gang criminals. He didn't promise to deport innocent undocumented immigrants with permission to live in the US.

The administration argues now that Abrego Garcia is a danger to the community and can be deported before his trial to a country other than El Salvador.

A danger to the community without a shred of evidence.

The DOJ stuffed up, but are unwilling to admit it.

That's where justice dies.

Blacklabel

Activist Judge has wrongly certified the class.

Because you say? I don't think so.

The class doesn’t exist as they have neither been born nor denied any citizenship.

Indeed, the class does exists as the judge has determined.

itsonlyrocknroll

Brazil vows retaliatory tariffs against U.S. if Trump follows through on 50% import taxes....

Now what would this red mist huff puff actually achieve, other than an act of self harm.

No it wouldn't. Brazil has alternative sources for what it imports from the US.

President Trump is engaged on what he conciders to be a global trade policy for change,

I.e., meddling. Good on Brazil for pushing back.

Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada had to accept this fact

No, he didn't.

JJE

Interesting how the media doesn't mislabel this conflict "Russia's unprovoked attack on... etc" anymore.

Because it is well known that it was unprovoked.

At least we've moved on from that nonsense which simplified the causes into 'good vs bad'.

Russia is clearly in the wrong and Ukraine is innocent. Nobody has moved on.

Russia is the most sanctioned country in recorded human history - 30,000 illegal non-UN mandated sanctions. They thrive on sanctions, having spent the last decade and a half preparing. The more, the merrier. Watch.

And their economy is falling apart...

Blacklabel

class action cases, which this is.

not really as the “members” that supposedly represent the entire class….have not even been born yet.

Irrelevant. And the judge has certified the class:

Judge Joseph LaPlante ... certified a class action lawsuit including all children who will be affected.

bass4funk

Well, that's not good.

Trump's DOJ remind me of my little sister always running to Mom if she didn't get her way.

I see it the other way around. And it’s still not helping them as a party.

It's the DOJ that keeps running to SCOTUS, not the other way around.

One of the justices even mentioned that class action lawsuits would fit with the recent SCOTUS ruling.

No, they won't.

They most certainly will.

bass4funk

That would be contempt of court.

Ok

Well, that's not good.

Indeed, the judge is abiding by the Supreme Court decision on this.

No, this is why there is another emergency meeting with them,

Trump's DOJ remind me of my little sister always running to Mom if she didn't get her way.

which will rule in his favor again

No, they won't. One of the justices even mentioned that class action lawsuits would fit with the recent SCOTUS ruling.

bass4funk

It will get to the point where the administration in my opinion should just ignore these judges

That would be contempt of court.

particularly if there was a ruling made by the highest court.

Indeed, the judge is abiding by the Supreme Court decision on this.

While Trump has talked tough, it has not necessarily produced his desired political outcomes abroad.

And it's likely to backfire in this case.

Brazil imports more from the US than it exports.

Brazil can easily put tariffs on US goods, which are easily sourced from elsewhere.

Here we have an example of Trump shooting the US in the foot.

I guess Trump got away from facing crimes for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, so he wants his buddy Bolsonaro off the hook.

deanzaZZR

Rubbish diplomacy is closing off all contact. Learn from history. Did FDR enjoy meeting with Stalin? Likely not, but FDR did his job and duty for his country.

Well, that wouldn't be hard because Stalin was an ally.

Did Chamberlain meet with Hitler? Yes, he did, and thought he had peace. We all know how that went.

Learn from history.

deanzaZZR

Effective diplomacy is founded on the ability to meet and speak respectfully with friends and foe alike. At least Trump understands that.

Rubbish. Trump thought that Putin was a friend, now he is realizing that he is a foe.

Biden/Blinken never did resulting in failure.

Trump hasn't had any more success than Biden.

bass4funk

The voters entrust Congress to spend their money.

That’s why they want the president to take this action

No they don't. And Congress spends voters money, not the president.

And the president cannot take action that breaks the law.

Irrelevant.

If you want to have a sensible debate answer the question, if you don’t or won’t then you just want to argue like a spoiled then there is no need to take you seriously and listen to you bloviate. So again, who has more power higher educational institutions or the Federal government?

Indeed I want a sensible debate and not irrelevant questions.

But to humor you I will answer your question.

In this case Harvard are more powerful and here's why:

This case will be won or lost in the courts. Harvard have better lawyers than the DOJ, so Harvard have more power.

plasticmonkey

And Pete Hegseth got played by Elbridge Colby.

Indeed!

Blacklabel

I am a seller

not to your supermarket.

I didn't say that.

kinda ruins the narrative when you try to bring in a 3rd party, your employer, when trade is directly between 2 countries not 3.

I aren't bringing in a 3rd party.

I buy groceries from a supermarket. 2 parties involved. I'm a net buyer in this situation.

I sell my labor to my employer. 2 parties involved. I'm a net seller in this situation.

It all works out well.

the US doesn’t have to sell to Canada before they can buy from Japan.

Of course not. But the trade with both countries.

bass4funk

Indeed. Harvard are selling research that the state wants.

Not the voters

The voters entrust Congress to spend their money.

No. The courts will.

We shall see

Indeed.

No, because it is against the law.

That is not what I asked you. I asked you are these higher educational institutions more powerful than the government? Yes or No?

Irrelevant. The government cannot break the law.

I'm completely rational. No emotion at all.

Then just answer my question, refrain from bloviating

Calm down.

bass4funk

But they aren't taking money.

They are selling research.

Which is Federal money, which is funded by the taxpayer willing or unwilling

Indeed. Harvard are selling research that the state wants.

A normal business transaction.

They will not.

Because you will stop it, right?

No. The courts will.

They don't have the authority.

Because an educational institution is more power than the government?

No, because it is against the law.

Yeah, being emotional is just not helping you or your argument.

I'm completely rational. No emotion at all.

Blacklabel

I buy more goods there than I sell to the supermarket.

because “you” don’t sell anything that a supermarket would want.

You aren’t a seller and you have zero expectation that a supermarket would buy from you. So of course you are fine.

Indeed. But I am a seller to my employer.

This is too simple.

And so is global trade, but Trump can't get his head around it.

Like the supermarket, some countries are net sellers.

The US has a trade deficit with net sellers.

Like me and the supermarket, this isn't a problem and doesn't indicate that the US is getting ripped off.

bass4funk

They don't take money from the taxpayer.

They do.

Harvard receives over $600 million annually in federal research funding (varies slightly by year).

Indeed.

But they aren't taking money.

They are selling research.

This is why the administration will decide its fate.

They will not. They don't have the authority.

Blacklabel

Please explain why having a trade deficit is bad. I’ll wait

because we want other countries to buy more goods from us than we buy from them, not less.

Why?

When I go to the supermarket, I buy more goods there than I sell to the supermarket.

When I go to work, I sell my labor more than I buy from work.

It works out fine.

So that we receive more money then we spend.

Why do you want to receive more money than you spend?

Some countries you will have a trade deficit and some a trade surplus.

So that we have more money to pay for things we want and need as Americans.

How do you arrive at that?

bass4funk

They are private.

Yes, so they don’t need to take any money from the taxpayer,

They don't take money from the taxpayer.

The government pays them for research.

as long as they do, they can’t demand anything

They aren't demanding anything except for the department of HHS to not interfere with the New England Commission of Higher Education and their processes.