#mythoughts — Public Fediverse posts

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I have no idea how Walgreens' stores will compete with product prices that are nowhere near others in the same market.

#MyThoughts #business #Walgreens #retail #medications #pharmacy #prices #health #healthcare
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(article from Sept 2025)
https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2025/09/22/walgreens-private

Under Trump's EO, Department of Homeland Security ( #DHS ) "will also create lists of #USA citizens that the #TrumpAdmin believes could be used to monitor voter rolls for noncitizens."
(Say what now?*)

~"The decision means the administration can move ahead with planning for restricting the use of mail #ballots even as a lower court continues to weigh the legality of Trump's executive order"

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#USpol #trump #elections #voting #MailInBallots #ICYMI
* #MyThoughts
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https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-mail-ballots.html

This guy has *some* legit points imo (but I don't agree on all—for ex, he says it's "strategic realism" to make US-Canada 'North American partnership' "more valuable to Washington" so #Canada is a "strategic asset" vs. a liability to the #USA; he seems to be on the Right).

There's a link to trump's Nov 2025 "National Security Strategy" (Note: US gov't link); the admin clearly states its intention for the #US to dominate & direct the Western Hemisphere.

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#MyThoughts
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https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/trumps-national-security-strategy-ends-canadas-security-discount/

I just don't understand why all sorts of comments in social media jump to correct Duffy as if he is *that* stupid to think that Canada doesn't have a military... does anyone see the forest through the trees

/4
#MyThoughts

#Trump and his admin are obviously trying to strong-arm #Canada into submitting to trump's will (currently concentrating on #trade), and subtle, joke-like threats that seem dumb (on the surface) are part of that.

Duffy also mentioned how the US "provides security" for Canada, so the threat would be that the US would stop doing that.

/3
#MyThoughts

Lots of "X" posts embedded in here (you can still get the gist w/o opening them):
https://www.indy100.com/politics/sean-duffy-canada-no-military

Duffy is an idiot, but he's not stupid. He knows Canada has a military. That's not the point.

All of them in the admin do so much "joking," looking dumb, and throwing out distractions that they have enough plausible deniability to confuse people about their true intentions. But those are obvious too when one looks at how many times they repeat the same things over time...

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#MyThoughts

Why would Target think this was a good idea in the first place?

#Target "apologized on Monday and said it had pulled a Halloween costume from sale depicting a circus clown that critics said evoked ​Blackface and minstrel shows.

"The product, sold as the "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown ‌Halloween Costume," prompted a backlash on social media, with some consumers saying it resembled a #racist caricature."

😳

#retail #business #race #MyThoughts
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https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/target-apologizes-childrens-clown-halloween-costume-after-backlash-2026-08-24/

If you're outside the US, maybe you can see how there are basically 2 USAs — Trump World and everybody else.

I am in the US, and the fact that Trump turned the streets of Washington DC into a Grand Prix-style urban racetrack was news to me, as it was to basically everyone else I know.

A good chunk of the US population was not part of any of his 250th USA anniversary stuff and didn't care about the events at all (though we pay for much of the cost w/ our taxes).

#MyThoughts
#USA #USpol #trump

I seriously hope we never see this mess again.

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#USA #US #USPol #MyThoughts

So I learned that the #TrumpAdmin made Washington DC streets into a Grand Prix-style racetrack earlier today and had Indy racecars zoom around 147 times (of course 47 because of #trump).

They made sure military planes and a bomber flew overhead (of course) and trump also flew over in his new plane (must be the one from Qatar).

All of this was supposedly to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.

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#USA #US #USpol #MyThoughts
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https://www.wsj.com/us-news/147-laps-around-the-mall-washington-hosts-freedom-250-street-race-2af04b92

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Omg, I just heard an important person from the Center for Global Enterprise say basically the same thing I've been saying – that AI buildout (like w/ data center construction) will take a while (as will any bubbles popping, but he didn't use that term), and smaller players "will be squeezed out."

c/o Bloomberg

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So, I had said about a decade, and I still hold to that, but let's say the range is about 7-12, maybe 15 years (and we've already gone through some).

#MyThoughts

/3

The only thing that stands out to me in his nonsense (covered up in the previous post):

"And they don't have the audio tapes that they imply they have."

🤔

#USpol
#MyThoughts

A trade war with #Canada –

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, “We have recognised from the beginning that America has changed, and that we will not return to our old relationship." (😔)

#MyThoughts –
It's almost like #Trump thinks, hmmm, how can I muck things up even more for the #USA ... I know, let's make an enemy out of <checks notes> Canada

*sigh*

#trade #TradeWar
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https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-canada-tariffs-carney-rcna593510

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy apparently said something about how he has a responsibility to save his daughter's soul, so he won't let her go to Harvard*...

Which piqued my interest (even more) about Harvard...

oh cool, devil school lol

#USA #USpol #MyThoughts

* CNN

/4

And —

Straight out of the horse's mouth (the #US gov't)...

"Personal income less personal current taxes" increased $48.3 billion," while "personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $65.2 billion..."

So there's a $16.9 billion discrepancy between the two increases, and it seems collective "money out" (spending) is greater than "money in" (income).

Also, the rise in personal income dropped 0.5% b/t May & June 2026.

#MyThoughts #USA #USeconomy #economics
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https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/personal-income

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Also, BeSsent "said the bottom 25% of workers have seen a 2% real wage gain," but that was "likely a reference to Treasury data for 2025 that showed blue-collar workers saw growth of 1.7% in the first five months of Trump's presidency."

#MyThoughts —

That is absolutely nothing to brag about when it's only close to half of the rate of #inflation.

In fact, he and the rest of the admin should be ashamed.

#USA #US #USeconomy #economics
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https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/scott-bessent-just-declared-k-114751354.html
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https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/historical-inflation-rates/

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That makes me think of the nonsense BeSsent said earlier about the "K-shaped" economy being over and, anyway, he's sick of hearing about the K-shaped economy!

He says the #USeconony is C-shaped, but I see that as nonsense too because the gap clearly isn't closing between the upper echelons of earners & the majority of the rest of #US workers, never mind the ~1/4 who are forced to take low wage, part-time jobs just to sort of (but not) make ends meet.

#MyThoughts
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https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/bessent-said-the-k-shaped-economy-is-over-heres-what-financial-experts-say

I was just thinking about the US government's incentive to prop up companies it takes stakes in.

(Under #trump, the government has done so almost as standard operating procedure, not just when the company or industry is faltering)

#USA #USeconomy #USgovernment #business
#MyThoughts

RE: https://mstdn.social/@dalfen/117134331244444483

So yeah, bubbles...

Due to the complicated nature of this investment, I see these bubbles as slow-rolling over 10 years+ (if AI doesn't suddenly produce incredible returns for companies, and even at that, some bubbles will pop).

The very large corporations and "hyperscalers" will probably fare the best.

#MyThoughts

I just watched the video clip in that article and it made me remember what I had thought of before –

'BS' for Bessent... because that's what he spouts. BeSsent

#MyThoughts
#USA #USpol

Trump said that the USS Lincoln's deployment has not gone on nearly long enough.*

Huh... he should stay on a ship for over 8 months
~~~~

* c/o CNN video clip of trump answering reporters' questions

#USA #US #USmilitary #USpol #trump
#MyThoughts
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https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/08/11/multiple-uss-abraham-lincoln-sailors-have-tried-to-go-overboard-amid-extended-deployment-families-say/

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The admin took the 'why bother asking permission' approach since trump is president (I saw a clip where trump, talking abt the ballroom, said that someone told him he could do whatever he wants since he is president).

The admin no doubt figured that the sight of the East Wing destruction would be such an eyesore that they would just *have* to complete the ballroom...

The bunker might be at least part of what they referred to being 65% done.

#MyThoughts #USpol
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https://www.npr.org/2026/04/03/nx-s1-5772665/trump-ballroom-underground-military-bunker

Trump is running to the Supreme
Court to give his ballroom project the green light "after an appeals court said on Aug. 7 that the president had most likely exceeded his authority by moving ahead with the privately financed project without approval from Congress."

The admin claims the ballroom is 65% finished (hard to believe, based on the photos*), and not completing it will put #trump and future presidents at risk.

#USA #US #Uspol #ballroom #SCOTUS
* – #MyThoughts
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https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/us/politics/trump-ballroom-white-house-supreme-court.html

Ah ha —

I believe I have found the motive for the #trump admin's ending of Medicare Part D subsidies early:

A nudge towards privatization.

The admin favors privately-operated Medicare Advantage, and higher Medicare Part D premiums will likely push people towards Medicare Advantage.

#USA #USPol #TrumpAdmin #Medicare #healthcare #MyThoughts
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2026/04/13/trump-administration-is-favoring-medicare-advantage-plans-for-seniors/
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https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/trump-administration-to-end-medicare-drug-plan-subsidy-76d255d1

@cynblogger Right?!
And the long-term effects of those meds in various subgroups of people really hasn't been studied.

It seems the admin is trying to push medications on people – basically selling drugs. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it has madre deals with pharmaceutical companies.

(And this all made me think of Trump's attempt to make his discount drug website.)

#MyThoughts
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Note: Oz commented something to the effect of 'the premium increases won't be that bad'...

Well, they also aren't necessary. The admin doesn't *have* to end the subsidies early. It simply wants to.

/2
#MyThoughts #USA #USpol #trump #TrumpAdmin #CMS #Medicare #MedicareD #prices #PrescriptionDrugCosts #healthcare

The #TrumpAdmin's move to end Medicare Part D subsidies seems political* 🙄 & premiums will likely increase.

The subsidies were put into place by the bipartisan, Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act. CMS Director Oz called them a "bailout", saying they weren't needed since the admin is "stabilizing the market," lowering drug prices for #Medicare recipients w/ efforts like MFN (rel. to international trade) & getting recipients access to GLP-1s for $50/month.

* #MyThoughts
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/a-medicare-part-d-subsidy-program-is-ending-millions-of-americans-could-see-higher-monthly-premiums-102239941.html

Earlier today,* I heard #trump entertain the thought of declaring a national emergency to "protect" #elections (he at least hasn't ruled it out).

* (in a recent video clip c/o CNN-I)
#USA #USpol #MyThoughts
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Anyway, it's good to know that he apparently has no legal authority whatsoever to do that.

Article from March:

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administration-has-no-legal-authority-to-invoke-national-security-and-take-over-elections/

Trump's PAC has $401 million & #Trump said he will "help Republicans," (supposedly w/ midterms), but hasn't signed off on spending with ~100 days until midterm #elections. (Republicans have hundreds of millions $ more, even w/o that PAC money.)

Per campaign finance law, the PAC could use the $ for Trump's presidential library or give to other non-profit groups —

Hate to be cynical here, but I wonder if they'll do some financial shenanigans so he & his cronies keep some 🤔

#USpol #MyThoughts

2🧵– #MyThoughts

I see rising 90-day credit card delinquencies as a warning sign of stress in the #USeconomy.

And auto loan default is WAY up as lenders relax standards & lend to riskier, lower-credit-score consumers—

"Auto loan serious delinquency reached 5.6% of outstanding balances in 2026-Q1—a series record, 0.33 percentage points above the Great Recession-era peak of 5.3% in Q4 2010"

https://americandefault.org/statistics/auto-loan-delinquency/
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https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/why-high-credit-card-delinquencies-arent-showing-up-at-the-big-banks-3476c217
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https://www.ibtimes.com/what-means-that-americans-may-have-wait-longer-rate-relief-3806259
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https://www.americanbanker.com/news/new-auto-loan-volumes-rise-as-credit-standards-weaken