The Trump Card...

[muttly]

Also, far, far, far more voters pump gas than those who both pump gas and own stocks.

Thank you for your concession that high gas prices affect lower income folks that may not have the means to invest the stock market. But where was that concern from the Left when Biden was president and we had high gas prices for virtually his whole 4 years? Or Harris running on more of the same? The Left wholeheartedly endorsed more of the same and voted for it.
Grok:

 

[ATeam]

but if some are really bothered by the temporary spike,

You said the spike was temporary several weeks ago. With the war now over 3 months old and with no sign of the Straight of Hormuz being opened soon, and with Trump blockading Iranian oil from leaving Iranian ports, how temporary is temporary? six months from now, when fuel is even higher than it is now, will it still be a temporary spike?

Higher prices six months from now can be expected if Trump does not earlier get oil flowing again. At present, he is draining the US strategic petroleum reserve to keep prices from rising above their present levels. He criticized Biden for doing the same thing but Trump is draining the reserves at a greater rate. The drain itself places the US at a strategic disadvantage and it's worth mentioning that Trump himself created the emergency he is now draining reserves to address.

If Trump continues to be outfoxed by Iran, the reserves will be fully drained and US gas prices will spike even further ... giving us the worst of both worlds with Trump to blame.

 

[muttly]

You said the spike was temporary several weeks ago. With the war now over 3 months old and with no sign of the Straight of Hormuz being opened soon, and with Trump blockading Iranian oil from leaving Iranian ports, how temporary is temporary? six months from now, when fuel is even higher than it is now, will it still be a temporary spike?

Higher prices six months from now can be expected if Trump does not earlier get oil flowing again. At present, he is draining the US strategic petroleum reserve to keep prices from rising above their present levels. He criticized Biden for doing the same thing but Trump is draining the reserves at a greater rate. The drain itself places the US at a strategic disadvantage and it's worth mentioning that Trump himself created the emergency he is now draining reserves to address.

If Trump continues to be outfoxed by Iran, the reserves will be fully drained and US gas prices will spike even further ... giving us the worst of both worlds with Trump to blame.

After 4 years of high Biden gas prices, the Left went to the polls and voted for FOUR MORE YEARS OF THE SAME.
Fact. Pesky as it may be .

 

[ATeam]

After 4 years of high Biden gas prices, the Left went to the polls and voted for FOUR MORE YEARS OF THE SAME.
Fact. Pesky as it may be .

That may be but high fuel prices now that Trump alone induced with his illegal war of choice, and the consequent inflation those fuel prices is already producing, will motivate voters to vote blue in Nov. And I find nothing pesky about that. The economy sucks, thanks to Trump. That is pesky. But the fact that EVERYONE knows where to lay the blame sits quite nicely with those striving to destroy the Republicans at the polls in November.

 

[ATeam]

It Looks Like Trump Likes Forever Wars After All

Headline: U.S. and Iran still without deal to end war after Trump says he’s not in a ‘hurry’ (Source)

 

[ATeam]

The Developing Pattern and Evidence

Trump claims Iran has agreed to important peace terms and closing the deal is immanent. Iran denies that a deal is immanent. Trump continues his claims, boosting the markets. Iran says nothing more or different. The day of Trump's claimed deal comes and it turns out that Iran was telling the truth all along.

It is widely suspected that Trump and his cronies are illegally trading the markets on the non-public, inside information they possess. This suspicion is fueled by the highly suspicious timing of the trades observed, and the active and documented stock trading occurring within Trump's personal trust.

Vance and corporate spokespeople emphasize that the president is not sitting at a computer executing trades himself. The White House completely dismissed the notion of any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, stating simply that the president "only acts in the best interests of the American public" and that "there are no conflicts of interest." According to his corporate representatives, the entire structure was explicitly built "to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest," attributing the flurry of tens of millions of dollars in wartime trades strictly to automated, third-party model portfolios.

In the face of hard evidence, these explanations strain credulity. If Trump is indeed doing this, it provides a strong incentive for him to talk peace every week and prolong the war to make lucrative trades. Worry less about lowering fuel prices and more about trading on them. Make strategically placed Truth Social Posts that move markets, and open trades on those moves before the investing public knows what's coming.

 

[Ragman]

Iran attacks damage 20 US military sites since start of war, satellite images show​

Iran attacks damage 20 US military sites since start of war, satellite images show

Analysts told BBC Verify that Tehran's strikes were more extensive than publicly acknowledged.

www.bbc.com

 

[ATeam]

Iran attacks damage 20 US military sites since start of war, satellite images show​

Iran attacks damage 20 US military sites since start of war, satellite images show

Analysts told BBC Verify that Tehran's strikes were more extensive than publicly acknowledged.

www.bbc.com

I wonder why the White House is not mentioning the billions of dollars of losses the US has suffered in these attacks. The Trump administration has said it is the most open and transparent administration ever. Might it be that the White House does not know of the damage? Why would they not tell the American people about it if they are so open and transparent?

 

[ATeam]

Does Anyone Still Believe Trump is a Great Deal Maker?

U.S. oil prices jumped nearly 8% Monday, after Iranian state media said Tehran will halt talks with the U.S. and completely close the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. (Source)

 

[Ragman]

Does Anyone Still Believe Trump is a Great Deal Maker?

U.S. oil prices jumped nearly 8% Monday, after Iranian state media said Tehran will halt talks with the U.S. and completely close the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. (Source)

Yes, The brainwashed Maga Morons that are determined to tear up the U.S Constitution in order to have a right wing authoritarian country, still believe.

 

[ATeam]

Iran's Internal Divisions

While Iran has maintained its regime and projected a unified front since Trump started a war with them, and while they largely continue to do so, there are internal divisions and it is wise for us to remember that. Factions include:

• The pragmatists; civilians led by President Masoud Pezeshkian
• The hardliners; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which includes a military faction, the judiciary, and the ultraconservative parliament, and the judiciary.
• The clerics; high-ranking ayatollahs who have veto power over state affairs.
• The people; including labor unions, student groups, the urban poor, and the younger generation. Generally oppressed but may riot.
• The traditional army; about 350,000 uniformed troops focusing on coastal and border defense. Poorly funded and less favored by the clerics who favor the IRGC. Adequately equipped and trained to conduct asymmetric and guerrilla warfare against an invading force.
• Separatist groups; religious or ethnic minorities, wanting their own state or region. All attack or sabotage Iranian entities from time to time.

For context, factional strife exists in the US as well. The main factions include the Democrats and the Republicans. But I mention the Iranian factions because something could break to change the equilibrium.

Depending on the report, one or more of these groups is said to be rising or falling in influence. It's hard to know what is actually happening in that regard. The reports of increasing tensions between the factions make some sense as Trump's maximum pressure campaign is not without effect. However, Trump called on the people to rise up. They did not. Trump called for regime change and the deaths of numerous clerics and generals changed no regime. The war is over 3 months old and the Iranian factions are essentially unchanged.

I don't know what, if anything, will develop with these factions. I do know that none of the Iranian factions have responded the way Trump wants them to, and in some cases has called on them to.

 

[ATeam]

More Decisive Leadership From Trump

Headline: "Trump says ‘I don’t care’ if Iran talks over: ‘They started to get very boring’" (Source)

 

[ATeam]

"We Don't Need Anything [Canada Has]"

So said Trump at a Mar-a-Lago press conference in Jan. 2025. Canada is responding in kind.

In 2023, Canada committed to buy 88 Lockheed Martin F-35A fighters. After Trump shocked Canada with talk of making them an American state, and hitting them with tariffs, the contract was placed under review. Canada has a firm legal commitment for the first 16 aircraft and has begun long-lead-component payments to hold production slots for another 14. With that previously locked in, Canada turned their back on the US for future planes and looked to Sweden to purchase 60 Saab Gripen E/F fighters. That order is not yet finalized but is in the works.

When Trump said "We don't need anything they have," I guess that includes the $5 billion Lockheed Martin would have received on the 72 planes they would have otherwise sold, and the US jobs that sale would have supported.

I won't go into detail about the Canadian oil, softwood, aluminum, and potash the US imports; but you get the idea.

The truth is we need a great deal from Canada and its just plain stupid for Trump to pick catastrophic fights with our once friendly neighbor to the North like he is. Over a year into this, it's difficult to find any new US jobs or factories that have come of this. But it's easy to point to the higher prices that have.

With my own eyes in Florida, it's easy to see the vacant places Canadian snowbirds and tourists used to fill. I guess, per Trump, Florida does not need the estimated $52 billion Canadians used to spend here in season.

When Canadian snowbirds and tourists stop coming to Florida, how many new Florida jobs does that create? How many new US factories pop up?

 

[ATeam]

Why Are Americans Sinking in Trump's "Economic Boom?"

In his Feb. 2026 State of the Union Address, Trump said, "You’re going to see results in six months to a year. We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen."

Four months later, Trump-friendly spin doctors say the US economy is resilient. Unemployment remains relatively low, consumer spending has not collapsed, and the stock market continues to attract investment.

But there is a troubling question. If the economy is doing so good, why are Americans increasingly struggling to make ends meet?

Per the Federal Reserve Bank, Americans now carry a record $1.25 trillion in credit card debt. This is the highest level ever recorded. At the same time, credit card delinquencies have reached a 15-year high. 13% of all credit card accounts are now at least 90 days overdue. This is the worst level since the 2008 financial crisis. This financial stress explains why "consumer sentiment slip[ed] to record low."

Credit card debt and delinquencies do not get the headlines other economic calendar items do (Fed minutes, CPI, Jobs reports, etc.). That's part of how the Trump-friendly spin doctors can mask the truth. They do not say the stock market is up because of the obscene amount of money billionaires are pouring into highly speculative AI cap-ex. And they do not say the reason consumer spending stays level is because the consumer spending cuts people have made are going not into their pockets but into their grocery carts and gas tanks.

Americans are not increasing their credit card debt because they are buying more goods. They are doing it to make ends meet. The financial stress will increase as Trump's "boom economy" continues to develop.

Bad will become worse as the Trump-induced interest rate hikes will make it even harder to pay down these higher credit card balances.

 

[ATeam]

Exactly as I said. It is not always the case that the candidate with the most money wins.

We just saw another example that it's not always the case that the candidate with the most money wins. In the California primary, Tom Steyer spent $213 million dollars in his campaign for California governor, mostly self-funded from his personal billionaire pocket. The next closest rival in this crowded "jungle primary" was Matt Mahan, who spent $31.0 million, with most of that coming from tech-back committees pushing his effort.

California takes a long time to count its votes so we do not yet know the winners. The current frontrunners are Xavier Becerra (spent about $24 million from all sources) and Steve Hilton (spent about 15.0 million from all sources).

Steyer spent over 5 times the money the two frontrunners spent combined. With 56% of the votes counted, he holds a distant third place.

 

[ATeam]

Higher prices six months from now can be expected if Trump does not earlier get oil flowing again. At present, he is draining the US strategic petroleum reserve to keep prices from rising above their present levels. ...

We may not have to wait 6 months for US gas prices to spike even higher.

Oil industry warns Trump administration of price spikes within weeks (Source)

“We’re at dangerously low levels already,” said one industry executive who was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations with the administration. “We have shared those concerns at the highest levels of government about what’s coming in mid-to-late June. … I hope they are paying attention to inventories right now. You’re hitting tank bottom.”

Trump has been self-contradictory in his statements about the Straight of Hormuz. One moment it should be opened immediately. Another moment, he is in no hurry to open the Straight.

Based on his actions, the truth is clear. Trump is in no hurry to open the Straight of Hormuz. Or, he is so pathetically incompetent and woefully weak that he can't open the Straight of Hormuz. He'd rather spend his time in his Truth Social fantasy land, nursing his inner inadequacies by doing battle with Hillary and depicting himself as the pope, Superman, and Jesus.

So, as things stand now, it looks like our president is still insane, and another major gas price hike is coming soon.

 

[ATeam]

This is Astounding ... and Sad

Politico analyzed every Truth Social post Trump made in May. You can read the full analysis here. The summary image is below.

Two things astound and saddened me about this.

1. Trump posted over 800 times in May. That averages to 27 times a day. His late-night social media binges are not something mentally healthy people do.
2. Of 800+ posts, only 22 of them (2.75%) pertained to the economy. With midterm elections approaching, and Americans thinking a lot about their economic stress, Trump seems to care little about it.

 

[ATeam]

Steve Bannon: "We're going to lose the Senate."

 

[Ragman]

 

[ATeam]

Trump's Weakness Exposed by Netanyahu

“I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots,” Trump said in a phone interview with the Financial Times, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Axios, Trump told Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran, but on Sunday evening, Israel’s Defense Forces announced the country struck back against Iran, hitting military targets in western and central Iran. (Source)