More winning

[GooglyMooglyWooglyBoogly]

Doesn't look like he's a strict one. He co-sponsored a sugar subsidy and tariff bill, for example:

Thomas Massie on VoteMatch

Nobody’s perfect. But Massie is close to perfect.

 

[BradStevens]

Nobody’s perfect. But Massie is close to perfect.

He more libertarian than Paul?

WTF is up with Kentucky?

 

[snarlcakes]

Nobody’s perfect.

 

[The Original Happy Goat]

Wait a second. This isn’t new. Nippon had been looking for a merger with UST for a while. Biden (or whoever had the auto pen) signed an EO on the way out the door blocking it. Then Trump, after initially indicating that his admin would block it, is now letting the merger go through.

How is this deal in any way attributable to Trump other than he finally decided to get out of the way?

Because Trump said so.

 

[UncleMark]

Because Trump said so.

If the Knicks win tonight, Trump will take credit for it.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

He more libertarian than Paul?

WTF is up with Kentucky?

I don’t know. But I’d like to see more of it, that’s for sure.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

Yes, there are. And Massie is a genuinely smart guy. Has 2 engineering degrees from MIT. They don't hand those out.

Rand is more malleable than his father ever was. But he's still more principled than most of the other Republican senators IMO. It will be interesting to see where he comes down on this bill. My guess is that he ends up voting for it.

I have very, very mixed feelings about the bill. But ultimately I just find myself wishing they could and would do a helluva lot better than this.

Rand is a No on the “Big Beautiful Bill”. Good to hear. It’s wonderful that there is more Republican pushback in the Senate than there was in the House.

 

[bailey777]

 

[BradStevens]

I don’t know. But I’d like to see more of it, that’s for sure.

@UncleMark , you a libertarian??

 

[UncleMark]

@UncleMark , you a libertarian??

Not really, although I appreciate some of their positions. Government has its place, but I think it also is more involved in some areas than it should be. There's an "all things to all people" approach that too many expect from the government. While the Liberatarians go to far in the other direction (IMO), I agree that sometimes the government has no place in many affairs it finds itself in. Student loans is one obvious example.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

Not really, although I appreciate some of their positions. Government has its place, but I think it also is more involved in some areas than it should be. There's an "all things to all people" approach that too many expect from the government. While the Liberatarians go to far in the other direction (IMO), I agree that sometimes the government has no place in many affairs it finds itself in. Student loans is one obvious example.

At least these rare birds (talking about electeds here) actually seem sincere.

The rest of them have a serious disconnect between words and deeds.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

Not really, although I appreciate some of their positions. Government has its place, but I think it also is more involved in some areas than it should be. There's an "all things to all people" approach that too many expect from the government. While the Liberatarians go to far in the other direction (IMO), I agree that sometimes the government has no place in many affairs it finds itself in. Student loans is one obvious example.

I should add, though, that with the partisan divides being where they currently are - especially in the House - it’s probably way too hopeful to think we might actually get a good bill out of Congress.

As the old saying goes, a camel is a horse designed by a committee.

 

[BradStevens]

At least these rare birds (talking about electeds here) actually seem sincere.

The rest of them have a serious disconnect between words and deeds.

We could start The Sincerity Party. Founding members: Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders.

 

[snarlcakes]

Rand is a No on the “Big Beautiful Bill”. Good to hear. It’s wonderful that there is more Republican pushback in the Senate than there was in the House.

View embedded media

I like him and Massie, but they're basically children at this point. Austerity isn't happening. Voting against it and raising everyone's taxes is dumb. I do think if Massie was the decisive vote he would vote for it.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

We could start The Sincerity Party. Founding members: Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders.

Or at least a caucus of them. They’ll never agree on any policies, of course. But at least they’ll agree on being forthright. And that would put them ahead of their colleagues in one way…even if only symbolic.

As it stands, I’d settle for a dose of pragmatism. Everybody talks about the problem. Nobody seems interested in addressing it.

Massie was right. This bill adds coal to the Titanic’s boilers and sets its course directly for the iceberg….that we all know is right there.

 

[BradStevens]

Or at least a caucus of them. They’ll never agree on any policies, of course. But at least they’ll agree on being forthright. And that would put them ahead of their colleagues in one way…even if only symbolic.

As it stands, I’d settle for a dose of pragmatism. Everybody talks about the problem. Nobody seems interested in addressing it.

Massie was right. This bill adds coal to the Titanic’s boilers and sets its course directly for the iceberg….that we all know is right there.

It's an issue of incentives.