There are two things I like about the balloon.

The first is that it is a well designed cartoon on an artistic level.

The second is that it will embolden support for Trump and blow back into the face of London’s mayor.

morality is part of human nature.

The second is that it will embolden support for Trump and blow back into the face of London’s mayor. — raza

How And why?

Absolutely. We're in agreement. But how few people in politics give more than lip service to such truth. I see self-interest, ambition, vanity, pride, political agenda driving most if not all participants in politics. I would argue a good person can't succeed in politics, nor would ever attempt it. Which is nothing more than my opinion.

New trade deals have yet to agreed to or instigated which could impact those statistics.

Taxes were an initial step, it seems to me. Turning around an economy should theoretically, and historically, take a far greater time than what has passed to date.

How? By revealing hypocrisy and immaturity of Khan.

Why? By revealing hypocrisy and immaturity of Khan.

So how is not having to pay 10-24% in income tax going to mean that you have more income to buy things that are 30-40% more expensive? — Michael

Because 40% tax are for new goods deemed luxury and non-essential.

And every one of those same goods can be bought without paying any tax. They are usually referred to as being “second hand” or “recycled” or “up cycled” or “made with your own hands”.

People need incentive to be inventive and incentive to be wise, instead of just acting as demanding, spoilt brats.

You are paying tax on the food you buy and food has elevated price because of the tax on the businesses who grow the food, the businesses who store the food, who package the food and sell the food.

I think Trump's comments on how immigration has "ruined European culture" should have received a lot more outrage and news coverage, at least more so than his criticisms of May. As if it weren't obvious before, he's a white nationalist. — Maw

So many “non-white” people love the richness of many European cultures.

You appear to be discriminating against “non-white” people who choose to stay in or move to European countries.

A culture that has European roots does not make it “white”.

Skin pigment is not a culture.

that isn't an answer. How does it show his immaturity? When admonishing my kid I sometimes have to talk like a kid to make her understand. That doesn't make me immature.

Anyway, it is also relevant that those which are not beholden to the level of decorum of diplomatic officials allow themselves to voice their discontent in such farcical ways. And I very much doubt Carmen Yulin Cruiz lost any steam from her "NASTY" joke.

that isn't an answer. How does it show his immaturity? When admonishing my kid I sometimes have to talk like a kid to make her understand. That doesn't make me immature. — Benkei

You admonish your kid with baby talk?

Al I can say is that it was never my strategy with my kids.

Feel free to provide an example or anecdote of your kid strategy.

Because 40% tax are for new goods deemed luxury and non-essential.

And every one of those same goods can be bought without paying any tax. They are usually referred to as being “second hand” or “recycled” or “up cycled” or “made with your own hands”.

People need incentive to be inventive and incentive to be wise, instead of just acting as demanding, spoilt brats. — raza

And what I was saying is that because much fewer people will be able to afford these new goods then the economy will suffer because much of the economy involves the production and sale of new goods. Fewer buyers mean that businesses can't grow, which means fewer jobs.

much fewer people will be able to afford these new goods — Michael

Their income would be higher + they spend less on essentials therefore can afford non-essentials occasionally.

For a low income earner "occasional" purchases of non-essentials is and was always the case, unless they are bad at understanding credit.

Their income would be higher + they spend less on essentials therefore can afford non-essentials occasionally. — raza

I explained this. The increase in income is lower than the increase in price.

My point is not that he'll care, it's that I don't get why you feel the need to protect him. As far as I remember, you supported Kasich who despised Trump and certainly isn't defending him now. This is not necessarily a progressive vs conservative issue. Many traditional conservatives are as critical of him as anyone else. So, why have his back? — Baden

To right-wingers supporting the power takes priority over conscientious reflection - that is what makes them right-wingers. That is why 90% Republicans support Trump. I would like to think that all those people don't really approve what he says and does, because that would be just too sad. They stand behind him because he is the leader.

I explained this. The increase in income is lower than the increase in price. — Michael

The increase in income is steady. The increase of price impacts "occasionally". Non-essential or luxury items (electronic "toys, etc) are not bought by low income earners in consistent timing with arrival of income.

Essential purchase of (non-taxed essentials) will, of course, time correlate with income.

Consumers without good sense because they feel cushioned by "get now - pay later" credit schemes is not something that successfully sustains economies but merely perpetuates boom and bust economic outcomes.

His lies serve a purpose. In that he is dangerous and vicious and psychopathic. The correct treatment for Trump is to be collected like a vicious animal and placed in a cage somewhere, or euthanized. — tim wood

I think we need some perspective here. I don't think he's vicious and psychopathic as much as stupid, incompetent and corrupt like much of the administration. Rationally, I don't see how the harm he has done so far can be considered more than the Clintons who presided over a genocide by proxy of half a million children in Iraq (media outrage quotient = roughly zero), or Bush 2 who went in and caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of more civilians in the same country. Obama was no angel either. He needs to be opposed and called out and he's dangerous for democracy and has caused much harm but he's not the cold killer the Clintons were, or that Bush and Cheney were, or that Putin is. He's a different kind of beast.

Yes, it's interesting that he's the most popular President among Republicans in a generation. Sad for them.

feel free to answer my question first.

‘By any objective measure, Donald Trump’s conduct of American foreign policy, particularly over the past six months or so, has been a catastrophe. He has persistently—and quite consciously—alienated our most faithful traditional allies, disrupted critical trade arrangements, and undermined vital security relationships both in Europe and across the globe, while at the same time cozying up to vicious dictatorships and promoting authoritarian rulers even in recently democratic states. He is systematically destroying a world order created over 70 years by American statesmen of both parties, an order that has not only maintained peace among the great powers and seen steadily improved standards of living worldwide, but has already made America first among the nations of the earth.’ Slate.

Every day, the Trump presidency gets worse. There is always a new low, a new lie, distortion, insult, or outrage. He likes causing chaos, he rolls smoke grenades into crowded rooms and is amused by the panic. He's trashing everything the US stands for, both sides of the aisle. We're watching the destruction of the American nation, and nobody seems to be able to prevent it.

Woe, did anybody see that info about Russia's interference with Philandro Castile protests?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/06/26/us/russian-trolls-exploit-philando-castiles-death/index.html

morality is part of human nature. — Benkei

People, by nature have immoral tendency. Selfishness and immorality cannot be removed from human nature simply by defining "human nature" such that it includes morality. Actual morality requires effort from the individual.

We're in agreement. But how few people in politics give more than lip service to such truth. I see self-interest, ambition, vanity, pride, political agenda driving most if not all participants in politics. I would argue a good person can't succeed in politics, nor would ever attempt it. Which is nothing more than my opinion. — punish me

That's exactly why Plato argued that democracy is a bad form of government which inevitably ends in tyranny. Those who really desire to get elected do so of self-interest. They get elected through means which are compared to offering candy to children. The population is like children, not knowing what is really "good" for them. The "good person", who would make a good ruler, recognizes that being a good ruler is the most difficult job, and has no interest in taking on that job. According to Plato, the good person will only move toward taking on that task if life under the bad ruler becomes worse than the perceived task of being a good ruler. This will be not until after the democracy has degenerated to a tyranny.

Taxes were an initial step, it seems to me. Turning around an economy should theoretically, and historically, take a far greater time than what has passed to date. — raza

So I assume there's a plan, method to the madness. Cut taxes, and make up the missing income with tariffs on imports? Replace the overt tax with a hidden tax, causing insult, annoyance, and possibly chaos in the international community by reversing the convention. That sounds more like madness to me.

Because 40% tax are for new goods deemed luxury and non-essential. — raza

The tariffs on steel and aluminum are because these are luxury items? I thought Trump deemed Canadian metals as a threat to national security and this was the premise which gave him the right to impose such tariffs, overruling existing trade conventions.

The economy is booming, he's tough talking, but not declaring wars, is right that we need major immigration reform, and is picking some splendid Supreme Court candidates who are willing to rein in the over-interpretation of the Constitution. — Hanover

Yeah, he's not declaring wars. Bravo. Somone give this guy a medal. Better yet, a meeting with the Queen and a Nobel Peace Prize. What about the needless and predicable chaos and death he recently caused in the Middle East? Oh that? Never mind, the economy is booming. It's only the lives of innocent children.

It kind of looks like the Scots are worshipping that balloon.

And so the Clintons were worse and the press gave them a pass. This offeris support for Trump's attack on the press, right?

If the press is in the business of supporting candidates, then candidates ought attack those supporting their opponents.

What about the needless and predicable chaos and death he recently caused in the Middle East? Oh that? — Sapientia

Obama dropped 26,071 bombs in 2016 alone. Oh that? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/09/america-dropped-26171-bombs-2016-obama-legacy

give this guy a medal. Better yet, a meeting with the Queen and a Nobel Peace Prize. — Sapientia

Actually, Obama did get a Nobel Peace Prize.

Oh, sorry, I thought the title of this discussion was "Donald Trump".