Uncle Joe

[Overlander]

“ The alternative is unthinkable.”

This

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

To you guys (and me) it's "unthinkable but.....
"The alternative" served 4 years as President of the United States and guess what? We all survived. Heck, many people believe their lives were better under Trump than they have been under Biden. Who are you and I to tell those people they're wrong?
Will we all survive 4 more years of "the alternative"? I prefer to not find out but I am just one of many American voters and my fear is the majority of American voters will choose "the alternative".
I remember my mother was literally terrified when Trump was elected in 2016.
About a month ago I asked her, how was YOUR life any worse or even any different with Trump being YOUR President than it's been with Biden as YOUR President? That's right! She really had nothing to say.
That my friends and enemies is a HUGE selling point for BOTH Biden and Trump. Is your life better or worse today than it was when Trump was President - and both men and their political advisors trying to convince you why it is or is not. I think many if not most people would give the question a moment of though and come away feeling the same way my mother did.
NO, I don't want Trump to be MY President but I don't Biden to be MY President either. If someone held a gun to my head and made me vote for one of the two, I admit it wouldn't be nearly as easy as it would be for most of you for me to vote for Biden - but I would do as such based on those he would have advising him and those who would be serving in his/our "cabinets" vs. who Trump would have.

[Sparko]

Well Trump is mow threatening NATO allies with extermination. Get this guy off the stage. Soon. Evil is banal, Hannah.

[zsn]

Gutter: The primary answer to your “dilemma” is that one of the major-party candidates is an unpatriotic racist narcissist. You can say anything you want about Biden, but he is nowhere close to those descriptions.

[KUTradition]

how my personal life is “going” has depended very little on which president or party has been in office

my feelings about the direction of this country and its general tone and place in the world are head and shoulders above where they were during the trump presidency. his presidency represents a definite low mark, partly because of who he is and partly because so many actually thought (and still think) he’s actually a good option and has their best interests (rather than his own) at heart

[zsn]

I forgot “confessed and convicted sexual assaulter” in my description. As Trad says it’s a huge dip for us as a nation that we would debase the highest office by even considering this person. We’ve fallen tremendously as a nation

[jfish26]

I forgot “confessed and convicted sexual assaulter” in my description. As Trad says it’s a huge dip for us as a nation that we would debase the highest office by even considering this person. We’ve fallen tremendously as a nation

Surreal to consider the whole Clinton/Lewinsky thing in today’s light.

[ousdahl]

https://x.com/joebiden/status/175688847 ... 8ZiR9WCcTg

[zsn]

Randy and psych must be losing their minds (whatever mind they have)……

[Sparko]

Did you see the man and woman kiss of Kelce and Taylor? Imagine now trying to spin that as bad somehow as a GOP guy.

[KUTradition]

WSJ:

There’s a striking disconnect between the widely shared pessimism among Americans and measures that show the economy is actually robust. Consumers are spending briskly—behavior that suggests optimism, not retrenchment. Inflation has tempered. Unemployment has been below 4% for 24 straight months, the longest such stretch since the 1960s.

The disconnect has puzzled economists, investors and business owners. But press Americans harder, and the immediate economy emerges as only one factor in the gloomy outlook. Americans feel sour about the economy, many say, because their long-term financial security feels fragile and vulnerable to wide-ranging social and political threats.

[twocoach]

WSJ:

There’s a striking disconnect between the widely shared pessimism among Americans and measures that show the economy is actually robust. Consumers are spending briskly—behavior that suggests optimism, not retrenchment. Inflation has tempered. Unemployment has been below 4% for 24 straight months, the longest such stretch since the 1960s.

The disconnect has puzzled economists, investors and business owners. But press Americans harder, and the immediate economy emerges as only one factor in the gloomy outlook. Americans feel sour about the economy, many say, because their long-term financial security feels fragile and vulnerable to wide-ranging social and political threats.

The difference to me is at the grocery store. That's where I feel the pinch. We all have different situations and expenses but everyone goes to the grocery store.

[KUTradition]

should’ve included this bit:

The broad reasons for America’s dim outlook suggest that even further improvement in the economy might not be enough to lift the nation’s mood. In an election year, that is shaping up as one of President Biden’s biggest impediments to winning a second term. He has received little credit so far for an economy that has foiled predictions of a recession and instead grew 3.1% in the past year, far ahead of the pace in 2022.

[KUTradition]

WSJ:

There’s a striking disconnect between the widely shared pessimism among Americans and measures that show the economy is actually robust. Consumers are spending briskly—behavior that suggests optimism, not retrenchment. Inflation has tempered. Unemployment has been below 4% for 24 straight months, the longest such stretch since the 1960s.

The disconnect has puzzled economists, investors and business owners. But press Americans harder, and the immediate economy emerges as only one factor in the gloomy outlook. Americans feel sour about the economy, many say, because their long-term financial security feels fragile and vulnerable to wide-ranging social and political threats.

The difference to me is at the grocery store. That's where I feel the pinch. We all have different situations and expenses but everyone goes to the grocery store.

but i would assume you aren’t blaming Biden for that, right?

[twocoach]

WSJ:

There’s a striking disconnect between the widely shared pessimism among Americans and measures that show the economy is actually robust. Consumers are spending briskly—behavior that suggests optimism, not retrenchment. Inflation has tempered. Unemployment has been below 4% for 24 straight months, the longest such stretch since the 1960s.

The disconnect has puzzled economists, investors and business owners. But press Americans harder, and the immediate economy emerges as only one factor in the gloomy outlook. Americans feel sour about the economy, many say, because their long-term financial security feels fragile and vulnerable to wide-ranging social and political threats.

The difference to me is at the grocery store. That's where I feel the pinch. We all have different situations and expenses but everyone goes to the grocery store.

but i would assume you aren’t blaming Biden for that, right?

That would be correct, yes.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

The difference to me is at the grocery store. That's where I feel the pinch. We all have different situations and expenses but everyone goes to the grocery store.

but i would assume you aren’t blaming Biden for that, right?

That would be correct, yes.

Lol at both of you. Why would I say "Lol"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_O1hEm59rM

[ousdahl]

perhaps the devil is in the "long-term financial security feels fragile and vulnerable" details.

it may also be in the types of goods and services for which consumers are apparently spending briskly.

[Overlander]

My company just sold 102 boats for 17m over the past 9 days.
Down 9% from last year.

Attendance at the Seattle Boat Show was down the exact same 9%

[ousdahl]

how big a number is 9% here? versus usual year-to-year fluctuation.

if anecdotes are allowed, I dabble in musical instruments and fish/ski/outdoor gear markets, and they're down too. Harder to sell stuff compared to last couple years.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Gee, nothing wrong with celebrating good numbers/news but the problem when you do that is it magnifies when the good numbers/news don't continue and take a turn. Which is inevitable.
Biden comes out and says how great everything is. As he should if it's true. But.... As I have said and alluded to, many if not most things are hardly as great as Biden makes them out to be and there are 9 months until the election. A LOT can (and will) happen over those 9 months. Enough that it might be all Trump needs to convince voters things will get worse (not better) with Biden in office and his (Trump) being President will be better for them.
As I have said before, I explained to my mother there are many people who don't believe Trump is an asshole and a nut job and that are many people who believe it but don't really give a shit that Trump is an asshole and a nut job.
Typically, the 3 most important things to most people are their family/home, their health, and their money. How is Biden or Trump any better or worse for people in those regards is the ultimate question for voters.
It doesn't help that many people have to (or at least choose to) figure out which one is more mentally stable and coherent.
I think both men are considerably lacking in that regard. That's a major reason why I don't want either to be MY President.

Buckle up kids. There is a damn good chance for most Americans these next 9 months aren't going to be as rosy as the past 9 months have been, and the past 9 months haven't been as rosy as many of you on here like to think they have been - for A LOT of people in this country - for MANY reasons - and not just the "economy".
Assuming it's Biden vs. Trump (I'm not convinced it will be), if Trump can convince enough people that their lives were better under him than Biden, and will be better than him than under Biden, he will be our next President.