It's the economy, stupid. Trump wins as the U.S. economy soars

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 3:12pm

In the most recent installment of the Dismal Swamp News, your reporter declaimed (or proclaimed) "are you tired of winning yet?" Not too subtle reference to Commander Cheeto's pre-election promise that "we will get tired of winning". Well, El Trumpo is winning and has been winning. The Dems mistake whining for winning. The DNC (Does Not Compute) misunderestimates the roaring success of the economy.

Hence, the title's reference to the Economy.

With whom would you want to hang out with?

Keeping the Bern off the campaign trail is going to infuriate the Woke Generation / Antifa. When--not if--the DNC cheats Bernie out of the nomination, if such proves necessary* will literally result in blood on the streets along with broken windows and flaming tires. Associate with that lot, eh? Given the choice of going into a biker bar, where brawls are always on the menu, or a discreet wine bar, which would one rather choose? Sorry, those are your only choices.

Subsequently, I came across a recent Tim Pool video (whom at least one of our communitarians calls Tim Poop) makes the same points. Independently, we arrived not only at the same conclusions but a similar analogy.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK67GZNqoMo]

From the transcript, edited to correct for spelling:

12:31 Trump tells you all of these really great things and says America is doing great but we haven't even yet begun think about how great it will be after his reelection. [T]he Democrats get on the debate stage and they say life is miserable; everything is awful; Trump is evil; the economy is bad. [W]hat do you think people would like to drift to this is exactly what I've been talking about about in terms of one of the big factors why Democrats lose.

I imagine many Americans are standing in the middle of the road and they're looking for somewhere to hang out, maybe grab some food. [T]o their left is a restaurant full of people bickering and yelling and complaining about how awful the world really is; everything is bad. [T]o the right is a big old party with people handing out beers and you look to your right and you see a guy wave and he holds a beer up and he fans [beckons] you over. [A]nd over to the left they're pointing the finger, they're insulting you, calling the other side [names]. And you're where do you want to hang out?

Do you wanna hang out with the people who are complaining about everything, who hate each other, who are fighting each other, who are accusing each other of cheating or do you want to go to the party where everyone's got red caps on and they're having a drink in there, laughs now how great everything is?

Trump won re-election on multiple occasions, increasing his margin every time Dem fuckery became apparent. In other words, whenever the DNC makes a move, it backfires. Shampeachment 1.0. Nervous Nancy ripping up the State of the Union address copy given her by Commander Cheeto. How respectful and dignified. Trump won re-election early on: The Dems screwing over Bernie in '16, with many adducible examples we already know. Then, the Squad gets elected; PC becomes King/Queen/Holy; Wokeness awakens; more '18 fuckery (e.g. Brenda Snipes screwing over Tim Canova AGAIN); etc.

It must have been obvious to anyone possessing a brain the size of the average reptile, that the Dems care nothing about principles except two:
1. Stay on the gravy train
2. Emoluments to pad their net worth. (Some may call such remuneration bribes; insider stock tips, proceeds of money laundering, etc.)

Care about the poor illegals? You mean like AOC crying, shall I say alligator tears, at the poor detained cars in a parking lot? Or A New Path Forward? My,l oh my, this is gonna be a big seller to whom exactly? Those immigrants who came to this country legally are quite unhappy about this proposed massive giveaway to people who simply break the law which they themselves obeyed.

Let us talk now about the Democrat candidates for the Presidency. What a stellar team of certified losers. Please, any fellow swampers, name me a viable candidate, currently on the roster, with the semblance of a chance of defeating the Orange Man?

I'll pause, whilst you conjure up a suitable example.

Oh, Bernie some say! Of course. He of the de-ossified spine and oft-bended knee. Yeah, sure. To those who sincerely believe the Bern has a snowball's chance in Hell of winning I say Ha. Kyle Kulinsky thinks the Bern's got a chance. Despite his erudition, he makes a faulty judgement. Bernie, the panderer? Bernie, the knee-bender? Bernie, the Squad lover?

Ha, once more.

How about a certified product of the Establishment? E.g., the "inevitable" ByeDone? Remember Savior Beto of table dancing fame? You know, Vanity Fair's cover picture dude protecting El Paso from illegals flooding the border?

How about the top-tier Camel? She, the benevolent prosecutor because she didn't request the death penalty on marijuana users?

How about Amy K. who eats salad with a comb? What an inspiring image of ingenuity!

Mike Bloomberg? Trying to buy the election even more blatantly than Tom Steyer. Inspiring. Bloomy's legacy will be that any billionaire can be President, just like the Orange Man.

But wait, there's more. Liawatha? Fabled truth teller of the pseudo-progressive masaquerade she is.

Buttjiggle. Now he's got a real chance. An empty vessel whose pronouncements in response to serious inquiries leave the listener wondering what the magnificent verbiage just spewed from his Maltese-American mouth really means. I'm a little Buttjiggle, the CIA teapot, singing "fill me up and turn me out--for I will spout whatever you wish to hear in any of seven languages, none of which will contain substance". That is called bloviating. But he's handsome.

Nope. None of those dopes.

Waiting in the wings will be, as earlier forecasted in the Swamp Gazette will be H. Rodent Clinton (about whom nothing more will be said) or (choke Michelle "Mike" Obomba?

Winning. Winning. And more winning. It ain't the Dems.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNeXJg0Sh1Q]

Tags:

Trump

economy

Tim Pool

Vote

Comments

Submitted by Granma on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 6:06pm

Question because I'm curious

Set aside whether he will or wiil not, can or can not, win nomination, or election. I'm curious about why you are so down on Bernie Sanders?

Submitted by Pricknick on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 6:30pm

Only in your mind

and on MSM is the economy soaring.
Maybe you drool in your ability to be in the 1% but for the rest of the country it's all a facade.
Unemployment is up unless you work more for less.
Homelessness is up unless you live in your car.
The market is up as are all fake bubbles created by corporate buybacks.
Food costs are up unless you never eat.
Where the hell do you see a soaring economy?

—

Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 6:47pm

Ask yourself this

@Pricknick why do only 10% of Americans recently polled about their greatest concerns name the economy as number 1? In 2016, that number was 40%, down from 85% after the Great Recession. Yes, there is inflation. When has there not been? Yes, when have people often not worked more than one job? Certainly not during the Obomba years.

Dems rail that that the tax break gave most of the benefit to the 1% but still, the increase in personal income, earned by the 99% has gone UP. Yes, that figure should have increased more. But, you will see that the economy will re-elect Trump unless the corona virus shuts down world economies. And even then, many people will be unwilling to jump ship from Trump until reliable life boats are afloat. Name one Dem currently in the "top tier" who inspires mass confidence. Bernie, of course. But Bernie's hull is leaking steadily.

Submitted by Pricknick on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:14pm

Which one do I cherry-pick?

@Alligator Ed @Alligator Ed
Why do many polls say that most americans are comfortable yet 40% couldn't pay an emergency bill of $400 without using a credit card or borrowing from friends and family? Even the federal reserve admits that a full 12% could not cover it at all.
I myself, am financially ok but I don't wear a pair of blinders about what I see every day. One emergency room visit, even under obummercare, can ruin a whole families finances. You, of all people, must have seen it in your profession.
So I ask again, which one do I cherry-pick? Which one do you?
The economy sucks whether people want to admit it or not. That's also a problem. Pride prevents many from being honest about their true status.

—

Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:49pm

Wish I could answer your question

@Pricknick Many associated feelings, not directly dependent upon one another, affect our decisions (not just mine). We are all guilty of confirmation bias. I am guilty also. Before tricky Dick, it was illegal to profit under the practice of medicine--in other words, no for-profit insurance premiums. Then, to reward Henry J. Kaiser for loyalty, Nixon allowed the emergence of for-profit medical care (to be distinguished from for-profit pharmaceutical companies, etc.)

Things are tough all over. Tougher for some than others. If this month a family can go out to dinner 4 times, instead of the usual once or twice, they will see that as an improvement. You are rightly concerned with the unaffordability of medical care. It is unaffordable often. It shouldn't be. M4A is the solution. But in the situation of eating at restaurants, for example, people will think more positively about the short term benefit that the improved economy offers, rather than the long-term, often actualized disaster that health care emergencies so often generate.

A similar conundrum exists with benefits immediate and delayed hazards.

Why do people vote against their own interests? Propaganda. Mindlessness.

Submitted by on the cusp on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:27pm

People in the real world

keep up appearances by using credit cards. They do not want their neighbors to think they are poor. Then, when they die, and their surviving spouse comes to me to probate the will, they really regret that they get an inherited debt, no assets.
They kept up appearances to avoid the societal shame of being poor, and wound up being exposed anyway.
Al Ed, you are not getting your info on the economy from the same sources I check out.
In my info, wealth inequality, wage stagnation, 401K retirements (no pensions), and the 2 strata economic boom: great for Wall Street investors/suck for everybody else is a global crisis.
Gilet Jaune is in it's 66th week of protest. What they are protesting there is happening here. Our version of the protest is to support the Democratic Socialist for President because he understands working poors.

—

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by boriscleto on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:41pm

U.S. consumer debt

@on the cusp Is now $13.8 trillion. $13,800,000,000,000. Thirteen point eight million million. Thirteen point eight thousand billion.

Almost 14 of these.

Each one of those pallets is $100 million. And they're double stacked.

What does one TRILLION dollars look like

—

" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 8:00pm

This is a number only astrophysicists understand

@boriscleto I'd like to understand one million dollars. That's $3000 bucks a day for a year.

Submitted by Granma on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:47pm

So true

@on the cusp keeping up appearances and hoping things will get better before they go under. I do not know anyone who is doing well. I know people moving out of country for health care they can't afford here, taking on extra work hours, when they can get them, to make ends meet, doubling up with relatives to save on housing expenses. I could go on and on.

Submitted by on the cusp on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 12:39am

I could rant about this all week long

@Granma Example:
Young man is getting a divorce. Wife took the baby and went to another state. Gave birth to second baby there.
He was barely supporting his family on local wages. Father in Law is well heeled.
Now, Dad/divorcing husband is making $8,000 per month. Except he might be anywhere, in any state, work any hours, and has absolutely no scheduled time off for weekends or holidays. We had filed for custody. How do I do that when he is not there, could be anywhere, and to have this job, he has given up the parenting thing altogether, except mail in the check for monthly support.
This is a shitty country. If we are exceptional in any way, if it shitiness. Parent or work. Pick one. You can't have both.
Money or kids? Money for the kids?
The judge will decide.

—

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:41pm

People might be seeing more dollars in their paychecks

but lots of deductions went away which cost people more in taxes. Businesses can no longer deduct things that they need for their businesses. And those tax cuts will sunset soon which people will see as a raise in their taxes.

Trump and congress have rolled back most of the regulations put on banks during Dodd Frank which is setting up another crash. The Fed is going to keep it from happening until after the election.

Then there's all the deregulation of almost every industry which is going to cost people lives. He's opening the country to more and more drilling including in the national monuments of Utah. He is listening to people who want to privatize the national parks. More grift for the grifters. Yippee. Pretty soon the only people who will be able to visit them will be rich people cuz of course they will jackup the prices.

If this is winning I'd rather lose.

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 7:57pm

Disappearing deductions

@snoopydawg and other inequities inflicted by our convoluted tax code do disguise many of the so-called economic gains about which Trump brags--but within many mis-statements, are also grains of truth. It is through such tenuous associations between fact and make-believe (including hope-changey) that gives some believability to the ruse.

Increasing consumer debt is not unique to Drumpf's tenure. It is a product of consumerism, promulgated incessantly by our capitalist system, which is the major anchor preventing economic expansion benefitting to us poors.

Submitted by RantingRooster on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 8:23pm

It's always been about Economics...

First, let me just say, imho, to conflate Antifa, with the "woke" generation, is nothing short of journalist malpractice right there. Antfia are anti-fascist, and believe it's ok to shut down fascist free speech rights, because they are speaking fascist shit, is their principal argument, as explained in the Anti-fascist hand book.

"Insurgent activist movements need spokesmen, intellectuals and apologists, and for the moment Mark Bray is filling in as all three... The book’s most enlightening contribution is on the history of anti-fascist efforts over the past century, but its most relevant for today is its justification for stifling speech and clobbering white supremacists."—Carlos Lozada, THE WASHINGTON POST

(bold emphasis mine)

The woke generation, well they are something much, much different.

Woke (/ˈwoʊk/) as a political term of African-American origin refers to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice.[1] It is derived from the African-American Vernacular English expression "stay woke", whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues.

By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term and has been the subject of memes and ironic usage.[2] Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Of course the Owner class (Advertisingweek360) describes them this way...

When a generation preoccupied with pleasing their audience changes their identity to the situation — shirking labels in favor of results — it’s no wonder we see a rise in seemingly identity-baiting trends. The intention isn’t always malicious because of the complicated way Gen Z is choosing to express their group-influenced personal identity. If you’re gay, I won’t be totally straight so you don’t feel at-odds; if you’re black, I’ll try to meet you where you are by being less typically white. Misguided or not, these trends are a larger symptom of a generation whose identity is situational living in a world of endless situations. Gone are the days of identity as a fixed state, or a slow-changing process of growth. To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Every generation brings with them redefinition: what’s considered cool, the prevailing values and attitudes, the ever-changing lexicon. Gen Z is in the process of redefining the concept of identity — the very notion of what it is to be you. As Millennials grew to be known as Politically Correct, Gen Z may very well go down in history as the Situationally Correct generation."

Didn't KOS do a diary about Hillary's Situational Ethics / Integrity / Politics? Anyway, it would seem these kids are the product of their parent's situational politics they have been brought up on.

They seem to me, to embody the thinking that Thomas Paine warned us about over 200 years ago... "To think something not wrong, gives it the superficial appearance of being right".

Mayor Buttercup was all in for MedicareForAll, till he wasn't. The "situation" changed, he got a lot of billionaire backers and he changed his tune. Nothing wrong with that, right? Hillary has public and private positions, for what ever the "situation".

These two groups, Antfia and the Woke Generation, have really nothing in common expect some of them are about the same age group, and that's it.

Now, on to economics...

Think for a moment, it used to be here in America, only white guys, with property could actually vote. It's always been about economics, and who controls it, controls America.

If you're in the "owner class" (or your income tied to it), sure the economy has been good, but for everyone else, well, it's like looking into a bowl of one's own vomit, it ain't pretty.

Think for a moment, when Wall Street can get over night loans for less than 2%, and loan that money out at 20-30%, or purchase their own stock to goose their own stock price, they're making a killing off the FED's Repo (QE) operations, which have been ongoing since last September, over $6 trillion and counting, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Also consider, if the FED has had to "intervene" in the over night repo market, when market interest rates spiked to 10%, that means the "market" isn't working properly, ie something is wrong. Or it was working properly, increasing the interest rate by pricing the "systemic risk" of over night lending, but that spooked the broader markets (ie stock market) and required the FED to intervene to boost investor "confidence", ie the FED will bail them out if shit hits the fan again, which it will.

So in that respect, the economy is great. (continued socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest of us, ie the "status quo".)

The "strong jobs report" is a joke, but only if you analyze it, which seems to be beyond Tim Pool's, or any other media "economic analysts" analytical abilities, which has been my problem with him from first watching him, years ago. Doesn't seem he's improved any by the sound of it.

I do agree the "democrats" are morons. Heck, just trying to make everything about beating Trump is a losing strategy, which btw, IS the democrat strategy, ie losing.

If Democrats truly wanted to win, and truly wanted to beat Trump, all they would have to do is line up behind Bernie, and it's over. Bernie wins by a landslide, both in the popular vote and the EC.

It's a done deal if they would simply "unify" behind the one person, that every poll in America for the last how many years, says beats Trump! Right!?

However, if one thinks about it, from a certain perspective, ie economically speaking, Trump is actually good for establishment Democrats! Every stupid thing he does helps, their "political" fund raising. If Trump win's re-election, it doesn't "hurt" the "establishment" democrats.

They keep their cushy jobs, large salaries, and get the benefits of Trump's tax cuts to go along with it, while having an "enemy" to direct (or deflect ) popular anger at, or blame us, as they have, for not voting for their latest centrist moron.

People fall for this "propaganda" about how great the economy is, because they are fundamentally, economically illiterate, like Tim Pool.

Tim Pool, imho, is like some Gen X'er who read some libertarian shit from the Koch funded Cato Institute, and think's he's woke or has some real insight. Gee, what is Tim doing, bitching about, those that are bitching about being economically strangled in this shit hole country.

Gee, and those handing out the free beers, well those beers come with strings, strict "obedience", otherwise they'll take back the beer and kick your ass out. Try having a rational conversation about socialism, income inequality, how to pay for healthcare with any of them, and see how many free beers you get...

Imho, Tim has pretty much gone the H.A Goodman route, easiest route to internet fame, but journalistic principals, who needs them... red baiting is much more profitable as an internet (cough cough) "journalist" .

Lots of more shitty jobs does not make a great economy, as Prof. Wolff explains...
[video:https://youtu.be/aW5J5aiXPcc]

Trump will win re-election, not because of a "booming economy", but because establishment democrats don't want to win. They win, if Trump wins. If Bernie get's elected, many of them will loose their current gravy trains of political funding, lose their "power" and most importantly, will become marginalized, like the working class they cry crocodile tears for, but truly left behind decades ago.

I'm just saying...

—

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

Submitted by on the cusp on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 8:59pm

And saying it

@RantingRooster pretty damn well, sir.

First, let me just say, imho, to conflate Antifa, with the "woke" generation, is nothing short of journalist malpractice right there. Antfia are anti-fascist, and believe it's ok to shut down fascist free speech rights, because they are speaking fascist shit, is their principal argument, as explained in the Anti-fascist hand book.

"Insurgent activist movements need spokesmen, intellectuals and apologists, and for the moment Mark Bray is filling in as all three... The book’s most enlightening contribution is on the history of anti-fascist efforts over the past century, but its most relevant for today is its justification for stifling speech and clobbering white supremacists."—Carlos Lozada, THE WASHINGTON POST

(bold emphasis mine)

The woke generation, well they are something much, much different.

Woke (/ˈwoʊk/) as a political term of African-American origin refers to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice.[1] It is derived from the African-American Vernacular English expression "stay woke", whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues.

By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term and has been the subject of memes and ironic usage.[2] Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Of course the Owner class (Advertisingweek360) describes them this way...

When a generation preoccupied with pleasing their audience changes their identity to the situation — shirking labels in favor of results — it’s no wonder we see a rise in seemingly identity-baiting trends. The intention isn’t always malicious because of the complicated way Gen Z is choosing to express their group-influenced personal identity. If you’re gay, I won’t be totally straight so you don’t feel at-odds; if you’re black, I’ll try to meet you where you are by being less typically white. Misguided or not, these trends are a larger symptom of a generation whose identity is situational living in a world of endless situations. Gone are the days of identity as a fixed state, or a slow-changing process of growth. To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Every generation brings with them redefinition: what’s considered cool, the prevailing values and attitudes, the ever-changing lexicon. Gen Z is in the process of redefining the concept of identity — the very notion of what it is to be you. As Millennials grew to be known as Politically Correct, Gen Z may very well go down in history as the Situationally Correct generation."

Didn't KOS do a diary about Hillary's Situational Ethics / Integrity / Politics? Anyway, it would seem these kids are the product of their parent's situational politics they have been brought up on.

They seem to me, to embody the thinking that Thomas Paine warned us about over 200 years ago... "To think something not wrong, gives it the superficial appearance of being right".

Mayor Buttercup was all in for MedicareForAll, till he wasn't. The "situation" changed, he got a lot of billionaire backers and he changed his tune. Nothing wrong with that, right? Hillary has public and private positions, for what ever the "situation".

These two groups, Antfia and the Woke Generation, have really nothing in common expect some of them are about the same age group, and that's it.

Now, on to economics...

Think for a moment, it used to be here in America, only white guys, with property could actually vote. It's always been about economics, and who controls it, controls America.

If you're in the "owner class" (or your income tied to it), sure the economy has been good, but for everyone else, well, it's like looking into a bowl of one's own vomit, it ain't pretty.

Think for a moment, when Wall Street can get over night loans for less than 2%, and loan that money out at 20-30%, or purchase their own stock to goose their own stock price, they're making a killing off the FED's Repo (QE) operations, which have been ongoing since last September, over $6 trillion and counting, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Also consider, if the FED has had to "intervene" in the over night repo market, when market interest rates spiked to 10%, that means the "market" isn't working properly, ie something is wrong. Or it was working properly, increasing the interest rate by pricing the "systemic risk" of over night lending, but that spooked the broader markets (ie stock market) and required the FED to intervene to boost investor "confidence", ie the FED will bail them out if shit hits the fan again, which it will.

So in that respect, the economy is great. (continued socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest of us, ie the "status quo".)

The "strong jobs report" is a joke, but only if you analyze it, which seems to be beyond Tim Pool's, or any other media "economic analysts" analytical abilities, which has been my problem with him from first watching him, years ago. Doesn't seem he's improved any by the sound of it.

I do agree the "democrats" are morons. Heck, just trying to make everything about beating Trump is a losing strategy, which btw, IS the democrat strategy, ie losing.

If Democrats truly wanted to win, and truly wanted to beat Trump, all they would have to do is line up behind Bernie, and it's over. Bernie wins by a landslide, both in the popular vote and the EC.

It's a done deal if they would simply "unify" behind the one person, that every poll in America for the last how many years, says beats Trump! Right!?

However, if one thinks about it, from a certain perspective, ie economically speaking, Trump is actually good for establishment Democrats! Every stupid thing he does helps, their "political" fund raising. If Trump win's re-election, it doesn't "hurt" the "establishment" democrats.

They keep their cushy jobs, large salaries, and get the benefits of Trump's tax cuts to go along with it, while having an "enemy" to direct (or deflect ) popular anger at, or blame us, as they have, for not voting for their latest centrist moron.

People fall for this "propaganda" about how great the economy is, because they are fundamentally, economically illiterate, like Tim Pool.

Tim Pool, imho, is like some Gen X'er who read some libertarian shit from the Koch funded Cato Institute, and think's he's woke or has some real insight. Gee, what is Tim doing, bitching about, those that are bitching about being economically strangled in this shit hole country.

Gee, and those handing out the free beers, well those beers come with strings, strict "obedience", otherwise they'll take back the beer and kick your ass out. Try having a rational conversation about socialism, income inequality, how to pay for healthcare with any of them, and see how many free beers you get...

Imho, Tim has pretty much gone the H.A Goodman route, easiest route to internet fame, but journalistic principals, who needs them... red baiting is much more profitable as an internet (cough cough) "journalist" .

Lots of more shitty jobs does not make a great economy, as Prof. Wolff explains...
[video:https://youtu.be/aW5J5aiXPcc]

Trump will win re-election, not because of a "booming economy", but because establishment democrats don't want to win. They win, if Trump wins. If Bernie get's elected, many of them will loose their current gravy trains of political funding, lose their "power" and most importantly, will become marginalized, like the working class they cry crocodile tears for, but truly left behind decades ago.

I'm just saying...

—

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 11:44pm

Excellent comments about woke-ness and Anti-fascism

@RantingRooster

To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Situational morality which changes chameleon-like to reflect the group currently wooed is not morality. It is pure power playing. Deception regarding underlying motivation is a common, if not mandatory feature of this situational and cynical state of being. Underneath every scheme is a solid foundation, no matter how well disguised. That foundation is never made clear by those spouting situationally-changeable "values". Underlying the mirage and camouflage, the core value of situational positions is always self-aggrandizing quest for power and money.

Is conflation of woke-ness and Antifa inappropriate? Depends upon how one looks at them. My current conflating conception's principle is rage. It is intolerance of other opinions. Yes, the Wikipedia explanation of woke fails to include the most recent added feature. This feature was not mentioned in the Wikipedia citation but to my thinking at least, woke-ness now includes amongst other meanings, political correctness.. PC enforcers can be just as violent as Antifa, at least verbally. Disagree with the current PC theories u jour, and one is bound to receive a ration of ill-tempered condemnation. If one is not part of the select identarian faction, then one is not entitled to express either approbation nor condemnation. If one external to the perceived identarianpigeonhole, then agreeing with them is blasted as "cultural appropriation". If one disagrees with the PC mantra du jour, then one is a soulless lout or oppressor. Therein lies the basis for the accused conflation. If one supports beliefs other than the supposed proper-think, then one is literally as well as figuratively in danger of retaliation. Look at journalist Andy Ngo's near-blinding when he attempted reporting on an Antifa melee in Berkley (Peoples Republic of).

The intersection of the latest form of PC self-righteousness and Antifa is the willingness toward violence, verbal or physical.

First, let me just say, imho, to conflate Antifa, with the "woke" generation, is nothing short of journalist malpractice right there. Antfia are anti-fascist, and believe it's ok to shut down fascist free speech rights, because they are speaking fascist shit, is their principal argument, as explained in the Anti-fascist hand book.

"Insurgent activist movements need spokesmen, intellectuals and apologists, and for the moment Mark Bray is filling in as all three... The book’s most enlightening contribution is on the history of anti-fascist efforts over the past century, but its most relevant for today is its justification for stifling speech and clobbering white supremacists."—Carlos Lozada, THE WASHINGTON POST

(bold emphasis mine)

The woke generation, well they are something much, much different.

Woke (/ˈwoʊk/) as a political term of African-American origin refers to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice.[1] It is derived from the African-American Vernacular English expression "stay woke", whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues.

By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term and has been the subject of memes and ironic usage.[2] Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Of course the Owner class (Advertisingweek360) describes them this way...

When a generation preoccupied with pleasing their audience changes their identity to the situation — shirking labels in favor of results — it’s no wonder we see a rise in seemingly identity-baiting trends. The intention isn’t always malicious because of the complicated way Gen Z is choosing to express their group-influenced personal identity. If you’re gay, I won’t be totally straight so you don’t feel at-odds; if you’re black, I’ll try to meet you where you are by being less typically white. Misguided or not, these trends are a larger symptom of a generation whose identity is situational living in a world of endless situations. Gone are the days of identity as a fixed state, or a slow-changing process of growth. To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Every generation brings with them redefinition: what’s considered cool, the prevailing values and attitudes, the ever-changing lexicon. Gen Z is in the process of redefining the concept of identity — the very notion of what it is to be you. As Millennials grew to be known as Politically Correct, Gen Z may very well go down in history as the Situationally Correct generation."

Didn't KOS do a diary about Hillary's Situational Ethics / Integrity / Politics? Anyway, it would seem these kids are the product of their parent's situational politics they have been brought up on.

They seem to me, to embody the thinking that Thomas Paine warned us about over 200 years ago... "To think something not wrong, gives it the superficial appearance of being right".

Mayor Buttercup was all in for MedicareForAll, till he wasn't. The "situation" changed, he got a lot of billionaire backers and he changed his tune. Nothing wrong with that, right? Hillary has public and private positions, for what ever the "situation".

These two groups, Antfia and the Woke Generation, have really nothing in common expect some of them are about the same age group, and that's it.

Now, on to economics...

Think for a moment, it used to be here in America, only white guys, with property could actually vote. It's always been about economics, and who controls it, controls America.

If you're in the "owner class" (or your income tied to it), sure the economy has been good, but for everyone else, well, it's like looking into a bowl of one's own vomit, it ain't pretty.

Think for a moment, when Wall Street can get over night loans for less than 2%, and loan that money out at 20-30%, or purchase their own stock to goose their own stock price, they're making a killing off the FED's Repo (QE) operations, which have been ongoing since last September, over $6 trillion and counting, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Also consider, if the FED has had to "intervene" in the over night repo market, when market interest rates spiked to 10%, that means the "market" isn't working properly, ie something is wrong. Or it was working properly, increasing the interest rate by pricing the "systemic risk" of over night lending, but that spooked the broader markets (ie stock market) and required the FED to intervene to boost investor "confidence", ie the FED will bail them out if shit hits the fan again, which it will.

So in that respect, the economy is great. (continued socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest of us, ie the "status quo".)

The "strong jobs report" is a joke, but only if you analyze it, which seems to be beyond Tim Pool's, or any other media "economic analysts" analytical abilities, which has been my problem with him from first watching him, years ago. Doesn't seem he's improved any by the sound of it.

I do agree the "democrats" are morons. Heck, just trying to make everything about beating Trump is a losing strategy, which btw, IS the democrat strategy, ie losing.

If Democrats truly wanted to win, and truly wanted to beat Trump, all they would have to do is line up behind Bernie, and it's over. Bernie wins by a landslide, both in the popular vote and the EC.

It's a done deal if they would simply "unify" behind the one person, that every poll in America for the last how many years, says beats Trump! Right!?

However, if one thinks about it, from a certain perspective, ie economically speaking, Trump is actually good for establishment Democrats! Every stupid thing he does helps, their "political" fund raising. If Trump win's re-election, it doesn't "hurt" the "establishment" democrats.

They keep their cushy jobs, large salaries, and get the benefits of Trump's tax cuts to go along with it, while having an "enemy" to direct (or deflect ) popular anger at, or blame us, as they have, for not voting for their latest centrist moron.

People fall for this "propaganda" about how great the economy is, because they are fundamentally, economically illiterate, like Tim Pool.

Tim Pool, imho, is like some Gen X'er who read some libertarian shit from the Koch funded Cato Institute, and think's he's woke or has some real insight. Gee, what is Tim doing, bitching about, those that are bitching about being economically strangled in this shit hole country.

Gee, and those handing out the free beers, well those beers come with strings, strict "obedience", otherwise they'll take back the beer and kick your ass out. Try having a rational conversation about socialism, income inequality, how to pay for healthcare with any of them, and see how many free beers you get...

Imho, Tim has pretty much gone the H.A Goodman route, easiest route to internet fame, but journalistic principals, who needs them... red baiting is much more profitable as an internet (cough cough) "journalist" .

Lots of more shitty jobs does not make a great economy, as Prof. Wolff explains...
[video:https://youtu.be/aW5J5aiXPcc]

Trump will win re-election, not because of a "booming economy", but because establishment democrats don't want to win. They win, if Trump wins. If Bernie get's elected, many of them will loose their current gravy trains of political funding, lose their "power" and most importantly, will become marginalized, like the working class they cry crocodile tears for, but truly left behind decades ago.

I'm just saying...

Submitted by RantingRooster on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 1:33am

I gently remind the PC culture warriors

@Alligator Ed "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." (Thomas Paine)

And I carry a pocket sized constitution with me.

But fundamentally Antifa and the woke generation are very different. There is spill over, I grant you, but that's to be expected of many social movements.

Rage, as I understand it, is helplessness magnified, exponentially.

Each group feels that helplessness, and it's not unusual for affinity groups to take cues form other affinity groups, especially now days when every thing is decentralized organizing. No one is in charge and traditional hierarchies are being dismantle, and news one erected at light speed.

Violence, while is one expression of rage, however, for Antifa, it is an official, operational tactic. For the woke generation it is more often than not a product of undisciplined individuals "acting out" of helplessness induced rage, rather than an official means to accomplish a specific goal.

It's rather normal now days for us to witness a story on the tube, about a white guy calls a black guy the n-word, black loses his temper and smacks him in the nose, just happens to get caught on CCTV footage, but we only see the black guy land the punch, and the black guy just happens to be a member of BLM, but "was seen" with members of Antifa at some other time, under different circumstance, and it's get blown out of portion from there... BLM and Antifa are forever "conflated" together....

I still maintain, there is a huge, huge difference between the two groups.

#5

To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Situational morality which changes chameleon-like to reflect the group currently wooed is not morality. It is pure power playing. Deception regarding underlying motivation is a common, if not mandatory feature of this situational and cynical state of being. Underneath every scheme is a solid foundation, no matter how well disguised. That foundation is never made clear by those spouting situationally-changeable "values". Underlying the mirage and camouflage, the core value of situational positions is always self-aggrandizing quest for power and money.

Is conflation of woke-ness and Antifa inappropriate? Depends upon how one looks at them. My current conflating conception's principle is rage. It is intolerance of other opinions. Yes, the Wikipedia explanation of woke fails to include the most recent added feature. This feature was not mentioned in the Wikipedia citation but to my thinking at least, woke-ness now includes amongst other meanings, political correctness.. PC enforcers can be just as violent as Antifa, at least verbally. Disagree with the current PC theories u jour, and one is bound to receive a ration of ill-tempered condemnation. If one is not part of the select identarian faction, then one is not entitled to express either approbation nor condemnation. If one external to the perceived identarianpigeonhole, then agreeing with them is blasted as "cultural appropriation". If one disagrees with the PC mantra du jour, then one is a soulless lout or oppressor. Therein lies the basis for the accused conflation. If one supports beliefs other than the supposed proper-think, then one is literally as well as figuratively in danger of retaliation. Look at journalist Andy Ngo's near-blinding when he attempted reporting on an Antifa melee in Berkley (Peoples Republic of).

The intersection of the latest form of PC self-righteousness and Antifa is the willingness toward violence, verbal or physical.

—

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 2:37am

You have given a nice encapsulation of rage as it pertains here

@RantingRooster

Rage, as I understand it, is helplessness magnified, exponentially.
Each group feels that helplessness, and it's not unusual for affinity groups to take cues form other affinity groups, especially now days when every thing is decentralized organizing. No one is in charge and traditional hierarchies are being dismantle, and news one erected at light speed.

Violence, while is one expression of rage, however, for Antifa, it is an official, operational tactic. For the woke generation it is more often than not a product of undisciplined individuals "acting out" of helplessness induced rage, rather than an official means to accomplish a specific goal.

But with more of the far left promulgating violence verbally, it is not difficult to see where this is leading. More of the woke far left individuals are becoming increasingly unhinged, readily resorting to violence. Under-reported is the white anti-Republican individual who ran his vehicle purposefully into a Jacksonville Republican recruiting tent, fortunately hurting no one. After the arrest, the driver made no claim to be Antifa--but he was "woke" indeed.

Driver of tent crash vehicle arrested

More about the tent crasher

Gregory Timm: no Antifa affiliation mentioned.

Starting with non-antifa Rashida Tlaib who would like to punch mofo Trump, there are increasing non-antifa calls for violence against Trump. These calls do not emanate from the RW. They arise from virulent anti-Trumpers, many of whom are PC identarians, which in my view is equivalent to wokeness.

Back in '17, Mad Maxine called for open hostility against Trumpian officials and supporters. The calls for violence are escalating. Forgot about the non-antifa shooting of Steve Scalise, have you? White guy did it. Yes. But are you going to assert a racist statement that the only people who can claim to be woke are black? According to the cited Wikipedia definition, it would seem that only black folks can be woke.

The cultural impact of the crescendo calls for and acts of violence mainly stems from the Far Left. An interesting topic, suitable for lengthier discussion.

Submitted by RantingRooster on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 11:36am

Their rage, ie helplessness

@Alligator Ed is understandable, but their violence is not justified.

Our own president has been inciting his base to violence, and the "democrats" have been feckless to do anything about it. It's understandable that some people are losing it as a result.

The perpetrators and suspects identified in the 36 cases are mostly white men -- as young as teenagers and as old as 75 -- while the victims largely represent an array of minority groups -- African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims and gay men.

Federal law enforcement authorities have privately told ABC News they worry that -- even with Trump's public denunciations of violence -- Trump's style could inspire violence-prone individuals to take action against minorities or others they perceive to be against the president's agenda.

I've been attacked by these Trumptards, who have been "inspired" by Trump's violent rhetoric, BECAUSE they conflated my support for Bernie, as some evil communist plot to take over America, throw them on the streets and possible execute them, and therefore justified physically attacking me.

Ed, think for a moment, they don't make operational manuals for the "woke" generation, specifically spelling out how to use violence to achieve their goals, but they do for Antifa, whose official operational tactic is to use violence against Fascists.

But to lump the "woke" in with Antifa, to conflate / equate them with Antifa, is flat out wrong, and most importantly, it is intellectually dishonest to do so, just as it would be intellectually dishonest to claim all Trump supporters are violent, racist, NAZI pigs.

While living in a music rehearsal room is not the center of luxury, the only reason I'm not on the streets is because of my landlord, who just happens to support Trump, and wears a gun on his hip at work. We have signs that indicate, GUNS are OK, judicial aim is much appreciated.

And yet, many of the prominent black musicians, musical artists, I'm talking national, A list artist, rehearse at his facility. They love him. Simply because he treats everyone, with honesty, fairness and respect.

Go figure...

#5.2.1 Rage, as I understand it, is helplessness magnified, exponentially. Each group feels that helplessness, and it's not unusual for affinity groups to take cues form other affinity groups, especially now days when every thing is decentralized organizing. No one is in charge and traditional hierarchies are being dismantle, and news one erected at light speed. Violence, while is one expression of rage, however, for Antifa, it is an official, operational tactic. For the woke generation it is more often than not a product of undisciplined individuals "acting out" of helplessness induced rage, rather than an official means to accomplish a specific goal. But with more of the far left promulgating violence verbally, it is not difficult to see where this is leading. More of the woke far left individuals are becoming increasingly unhinged, readily resorting to violence. Under-reported is the white anti-Republican individual who ran his vehicle purposefully into a Jacksonville Republican recruiting tent, fortunately hurting no one. After the arrest, the driver made no claim to be Antifa--but he was "woke" indeed. Driver of tent crash vehicle arrested More about the tent crasher Gregory Timm: no Antifa affiliation mentioned. Starting with non-antifa Rashida Tlaib who would like to punch mofo Trump, there are increasing non-antifa calls for violence against Trump. These calls do not emanate from the RW. They arise from virulent anti-Trumpers, many of whom are PC identarians, which in my view is equivalent to wokeness. Back in '17, Mad Maxine called for open hostility against Trumpian officials and supporters. The calls for violence are escalating. Forgot about the non-antifa shooting of Steve Scalise, have you? White guy did it. Yes. But are you going to assert a racist statement that the only people who can claim to be woke are black? According to the cited Wikipedia definition, it would seem that only black folks can be woke. The cultural impact of the crescendo calls for and acts of violence mainly stems from the Far Left. An interesting topic, suitable for lengthier discussion.

—

C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

Submitted by crbngville on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 12:04pm

+1

@RantingRooster

Righteous rant Rooster!

First, let me just say, imho, to conflate Antifa, with the "woke" generation, is nothing short of journalist malpractice right there. Antfia are anti-fascist, and believe it's ok to shut down fascist free speech rights, because they are speaking fascist shit, is their principal argument, as explained in the Anti-fascist hand book.

"Insurgent activist movements need spokesmen, intellectuals and apologists, and for the moment Mark Bray is filling in as all three... The book’s most enlightening contribution is on the history of anti-fascist efforts over the past century, but its most relevant for today is its justification for stifling speech and clobbering white supremacists."—Carlos Lozada, THE WASHINGTON POST

(bold emphasis mine)

The woke generation, well they are something much, much different.

Woke (/ˈwoʊk/) as a political term of African-American origin refers to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice.[1] It is derived from the African-American Vernacular English expression "stay woke", whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues.

By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term and has been the subject of memes and ironic usage.[2] Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Of course the Owner class (Advertisingweek360) describes them this way...

When a generation preoccupied with pleasing their audience changes their identity to the situation — shirking labels in favor of results — it’s no wonder we see a rise in seemingly identity-baiting trends. The intention isn’t always malicious because of the complicated way Gen Z is choosing to express their group-influenced personal identity. If you’re gay, I won’t be totally straight so you don’t feel at-odds; if you’re black, I’ll try to meet you where you are by being less typically white. Misguided or not, these trends are a larger symptom of a generation whose identity is situational living in a world of endless situations. Gone are the days of identity as a fixed state, or a slow-changing process of growth. To Gen Z, identity is not a state, but rather constant change. “I like to portray myself differently with different people, in different situations,” Bryan T., 20, explained. “Maybe if I’m completely alone in a box, then I can be myself.”

Every generation brings with them redefinition: what’s considered cool, the prevailing values and attitudes, the ever-changing lexicon. Gen Z is in the process of redefining the concept of identity — the very notion of what it is to be you. As Millennials grew to be known as Politically Correct, Gen Z may very well go down in history as the Situationally Correct generation."

Didn't KOS do a diary about Hillary's Situational Ethics / Integrity / Politics? Anyway, it would seem these kids are the product of their parent's situational politics they have been brought up on.

They seem to me, to embody the thinking that Thomas Paine warned us about over 200 years ago... "To think something not wrong, gives it the superficial appearance of being right".

Mayor Buttercup was all in for MedicareForAll, till he wasn't. The "situation" changed, he got a lot of billionaire backers and he changed his tune. Nothing wrong with that, right? Hillary has public and private positions, for what ever the "situation".

These two groups, Antfia and the Woke Generation, have really nothing in common expect some of them are about the same age group, and that's it.

Now, on to economics...

Think for a moment, it used to be here in America, only white guys, with property could actually vote. It's always been about economics, and who controls it, controls America.

If you're in the "owner class" (or your income tied to it), sure the economy has been good, but for everyone else, well, it's like looking into a bowl of one's own vomit, it ain't pretty.

Think for a moment, when Wall Street can get over night loans for less than 2%, and loan that money out at 20-30%, or purchase their own stock to goose their own stock price, they're making a killing off the FED's Repo (QE) operations, which have been ongoing since last September, over $6 trillion and counting, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Also consider, if the FED has had to "intervene" in the over night repo market, when market interest rates spiked to 10%, that means the "market" isn't working properly, ie something is wrong. Or it was working properly, increasing the interest rate by pricing the "systemic risk" of over night lending, but that spooked the broader markets (ie stock market) and required the FED to intervene to boost investor "confidence", ie the FED will bail them out if shit hits the fan again, which it will.

So in that respect, the economy is great. (continued socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest of us, ie the "status quo".)

The "strong jobs report" is a joke, but only if you analyze it, which seems to be beyond Tim Pool's, or any other media "economic analysts" analytical abilities, which has been my problem with him from first watching him, years ago. Doesn't seem he's improved any by the sound of it.

I do agree the "democrats" are morons. Heck, just trying to make everything about beating Trump is a losing strategy, which btw, IS the democrat strategy, ie losing.

If Democrats truly wanted to win, and truly wanted to beat Trump, all they would have to do is line up behind Bernie, and it's over. Bernie wins by a landslide, both in the popular vote and the EC.

It's a done deal if they would simply "unify" behind the one person, that every poll in America for the last how many years, says beats Trump! Right!?

However, if one thinks about it, from a certain perspective, ie economically speaking, Trump is actually good for establishment Democrats! Every stupid thing he does helps, their "political" fund raising. If Trump win's re-election, it doesn't "hurt" the "establishment" democrats.

They keep their cushy jobs, large salaries, and get the benefits of Trump's tax cuts to go along with it, while having an "enemy" to direct (or deflect ) popular anger at, or blame us, as they have, for not voting for their latest centrist moron.

People fall for this "propaganda" about how great the economy is, because they are fundamentally, economically illiterate, like Tim Pool.

Tim Pool, imho, is like some Gen X'er who read some libertarian shit from the Koch funded Cato Institute, and think's he's woke or has some real insight. Gee, what is Tim doing, bitching about, those that are bitching about being economically strangled in this shit hole country.

Gee, and those handing out the free beers, well those beers come with strings, strict "obedience", otherwise they'll take back the beer and kick your ass out. Try having a rational conversation about socialism, income inequality, how to pay for healthcare with any of them, and see how many free beers you get...

Imho, Tim has pretty much gone the H.A Goodman route, easiest route to internet fame, but journalistic principals, who needs them... red baiting is much more profitable as an internet (cough cough) "journalist" .

Lots of more shitty jobs does not make a great economy, as Prof. Wolff explains...
[video:https://youtu.be/aW5J5aiXPcc]

Trump will win re-election, not because of a "booming economy", but because establishment democrats don't want to win. They win, if Trump wins. If Bernie get's elected, many of them will loose their current gravy trains of political funding, lose their "power" and most importantly, will become marginalized, like the working class they cry crocodile tears for, but truly left behind decades ago.

I'm just saying...

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 5:23am

Let's not forget

this is the greatest economy ever where employees are enjoying unprecedented raises. What's to complain about? Why elect someone else? Herr Drumpf has every workers back!

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 6:33am

Chutzpah with oak leaf clusters

@Raggedy Ann A move worthy of Jeff Bezos. Bezos, whose Amazon.com pays no federal taxes, has calculated that it is cheaper to hire ambulances waiting at his warehouses to treat heat exhaustion victims the to install warehouse air-conditioning. What decision do you think Jeffy made? Well, Mr. Trump evidently it is better to pay high priced mercenaries to kill Arabs than to reward US government workers who keep this country going.

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 6:52am

See how well the rich take care of us?

@Alligator Ed
Dawg bless Bezos for his courage to help heat-stroke employees. The billionaires are our only hope. Thanks for bringing us up to speed, AE, we need to pay more attention to your advice.

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by coolepairc on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 8:37am

MAGA for US Stock Markets

A good discussion on the soaring MAGA economy from neo-feudal financialization and virtualization while the dollar and commodities collapse.

Submitted by lotlizard on Sun, 02/16/2020 - 12:31pm

Re-reading Orwell’s “1984” and thinking,

“Hey, what if this whole Internet thing — when for one glorious fleeting moment, it seemed possible for unfiltered news and opinion to go up against corporate mass media on equal terms and find an audience of like-minded individuals who would organize and act to bring truth and change the balance of the world — what if this was always just Mr. Charrington’s upstairs room?”