quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
..... and significant EU purchases of U.S. energy

I don't see how this is good for us. It'll increase our cost of energy and faster deplete our reserves.

It's good for us as it's $750 billion LNG purchase over 3 years and reduces Russia's natural gas influence on Europe. Russia has long held cutting off natural gas in winter over Europe's head, and LNG imports from US and Middle East can give them some backbone when it comes to sanctions against Russia.

Europe has come a long way after the US Navy blew up Russia's Nord 2 pipeline from Russia to Europe, and took away about half of Russia's leverage. I suspect this LNG deal will have similar impact on Europe.

Our energy will be purchased and used no matter what, preferably it would be by us. Exporting it is increasing the cost we all must pay. AI is also consuming massive amounts. Just be prepared because our cost for energy will be rising a lot and it affects the cost of everything.

As far as Europe I could care less. They choose not to frack because of the environmental impact but are fine buying it from others that must deal with the environmental damage.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/...TjLryjAVtVWiEsMPY%3D

Trump Says He Will Reduce Russia’s 50-Day Deadline for Peace Deal With Ukraine

‘I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today,’ Trump said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he plans to shorten the 50-day deadline he gave Russia to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine.

Speaking outside his hotel alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Turnberry, Scotland, during a visit to the UK, Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized the leader for continued airstrikes on Ukrainian cities.

“We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,” Trump said.

“I’m going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen.”

When asked by reporters how long he would set for the new deadline, Trump said: “I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. ... There is no reason in waiting.”

On July 14, Trump announced that he would impose secondary tariffs on Russia if Moscow did not agree on a peace deal with Kyiv in 50 days, with that original deadline set to expire on Sept. 2.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/...TjLryjAVtVWiEsMPY%3D

Trump Says He Will Reduce Russia’s 50-Day Deadline for Peace Deal With Ukraine

‘I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today,’ Trump said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he plans to shorten the 50-day deadline he gave Russia to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine.

Speaking outside his hotel alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Turnberry, Scotland, during a visit to the UK, Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized the leader for continued airstrikes on Ukrainian cities.

“We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,” Trump said.

“I’m going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen.”

When asked by reporters how long he would set for the new deadline, Trump said: “I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. ... There is no reason in waiting.”

On July 14, Trump announced that he would impose secondary tariffs on Russia if Moscow did not agree on a peace deal with Kyiv in 50 days, with that original deadline set to expire on Sept. 2.

This reminds me of the scene in Mississippi Burning when Gene Hackman snatched that threatening aggressive klansman by the nuts and held him in agony while telling him how things were going to be. Trump should seize Putin’s economic nutz with massive tariff and sanction claws while telling him how it’s going to be with a smile.

The bucket Chuck, kick it.

^^^
+1

But Chuck, it's a constitutional republic. Deal with it.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/...EiLOwyvtv8Qaut9ko%3D

Russian Officials Respond to Trump’s Ukraine Deadline Change

The president said that he would shorten a 50-day negotiating window to 10 days.

Top Russian officials on Tuesday responded to President Donald Trump’s new deadline for Russia to make progress toward a cease-fire with Ukraine.

On Monday, Trump told reporters in Scotland that he is “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing the conflict, saying he would shorten a 50-day negotiating window to 10 days.
In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow has “taken into account President Trump’s statement yesterday,” according to Russian state-run media.

Underscoring that Russia will continue to engage in fighting in Ukraine, Peskov said that Moscow remains “committed to the peace process to resolve the conflict around Ukraine and to ensure our interests in the course of this settlement,” according to a translation of his comments on the TASS news website.
Peskov said that Russia is interested in rebuilding ties with the United States but that “so far, the normalization process is proceeding sluggishly; we would like to see more momentum.”

In a post on X, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Putin who is the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, said Trump was playing “a game of ultimatums” that could lead to a war involving the United States.

“Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with [Trump’s] own country,” Medvedev said.

In recent months, during talks, Russia hasn’t accepted any cease-fire deals with the United States while ramping up long-range strikes on Ukraine. Both U.S. and Ukrainian officials are calling for a full and immediate cease-fire after more than three years of war.

On Monday, Trump indicated he was not interested in more talks with Putin. He said sanctions and tariffs would be used as penalties for Moscow if it did not meet Trump’s demands.

Meanwhile, Trump recently started threatening sanctions on both Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. The fresh deadline suggests the president is prepared to move forward on those threats after previous hesitation to do so.

“I’m going to make a new deadline of about ... 10 or 12 days from today,” Trump told reporters alongside a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday. “There’s no reason in waiting ... we just don’t see any progress being made.”

Trump added that there is now “no reason to wait,” adding that penalties against Russia could include “sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs.”

“I’m disappointed in President Putin,” Trump said, adding that he loves “the Russian people” and doesn’t want to impose new sanctions.

“I’m going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen,” he said.

The president has touted his role in ending conflicts between India and Pakistan, as well as Rwanda and Congo. Before returning to the White House in January, Trump campaigned on a promise to end Russia’s conflict with Ukraine in a short period of time.

“We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,” Trump said on Monday. “And I say that’s not the way to do it.”

A wide ranging podcast from Victor Davis Hansen. He touches on President Trump and the Ukraine, as well as Vladimir Putin. The European Trade Agreement. News coverage of the President by the Wall Street Journal (not the editorial board), Social Security and Disability, Illegals and deportation. Roughly 20 minutes and worth your time. I thought his analysis of the President’s handling of Russia, the Ukraine, and potential draconian sanctions on Russia was especially insightful.

https://www.newsmax.com/politi...dkt_nbr=010124z638ml

Trump Hails GDP Rebound, Demands Powell Drop Interest Rates

President Donald Trump on Wednesday hailed the news that the U.S. economy marked a rebound in the second quarter of the year, and renewed his call for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to lower the nation's interest rates.

"2Q GDP JUST OUT: 3%, WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED!" Trump said on his Truth Social page. "'Too Late' MUST NOW LOWER THE RATE. No Inflation! Let people buy, and refinance, their homes!"

Bloomberg reported that the rebound came after an increase in consumer spending, along with a drop in imports after the push earlier this year to purchase foreign goods before Trump's tariffs kicked in.

Preliminary government data released Wednesday showed that inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased by an annualized 3% after shrinking at a 0.5% rate in the previous period.

The Bureau of Economic Analysts report further showed that net exports added 5 percentage points to the GDP, after subtracting the most on record in the first three months of 2025.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:


Trump Hails GDP Rebound, Demands Powell Drop Interest Rates

Powell would sooner cut off his right nut and cook it than give Trump a win via lower rates. he only does this to save Democrat asses and this only ends with his firing or resignation.

All members of the Federal Reserve Board vote. Even if Powell resigns (doubtful), the board would still have four Biden-appointed members.

Current Federal Reserve Board members:
Jerome Powell Obama appointed
Philip Jefferson Biden appointed
Michelle Bowman Trump appointed
Michael Barr Biden appointed
Lisa Cook Biden appointed
Adriana Kugler Biden appointed
Christopher Waller Trump appointed

I like Chuck Grassley, he’s done a lot for us and for Trump.
But I also understand Trump’s desire to get his nominees confirmed, and the “blue slip” tradition is a huge hindrance to reform of the judiciary.

Catch me up, what's the blue slip tradition?

The practice of sending a form, blue colored, to the home state senators of the judicial nominee asking for their inputs on said nominee. A negative response indicates a likely opposition. A positive response indicates favorable opinion.

And yes, it’s just stupid tradition.

Pretty good interview with TNI Gabbard on Glen Beck's radio program as I was driving, the portions I heard, anyway.

Gives one some hope that those miscreants might actually be charged and prosecuted in our lifetime.