Where has the UNITED States gone?😰
We can’t control what others do and we can’t stop misfortune from striking. But we can control our own actions. Those who are financially prudent will most likely enjoy success, even if events don’t always go their way.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Mr Quinn, you have TDS. You have been slowly moving to the left the extreme left. I’ve seen it in your tone over the years, which is kind of sad. Smile, listen be happy and stop bashing Trump. This man could cure cancer, and you would still bash him, not acknowledge his achievement. Try looking at what he has done positive since he started and stop focusing on the negative. Oh, I’m waiting for your challenging words against my little post. You need to focus on financial information and advice and stop being so negative…you’re just a crusty old man now.
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Mr Quinn, you have TDS. No matter what Trump does or does not do you will always tear him down. in other words you’re on the extreme left. Try to listen and have an open mind and look for the good that has been done since his start in office. I don’t think you can so maybe focus on the intent of your website which is financial information not political bashing constantly. It’s getting old. I am losing respect for you to be honest
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People like Al are the real problem. After this awful shooting this week by a member of the extreme right – a groyper – Al is so ignorant that he blames all of us.
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Still too early to judge.
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Shared experiences. Work on it, America.
If you are not already a member, perhaps one small step would be to join and visit your public library before the idiot ass Trump cuts funding.
From a blog I read:
“… Libraries are public health hubs
In yet another example of actions that conflict with stated priorities, the Trump administration wants to eliminate federal funding for our nation’s public libraries while at the same time it “Makes America Healthy Again.”
Although many Americans don’t realize it, the roots of community health and wellness extend out into the 9,000 or so public libraries across the United States, which are supported mostly by local funding, like taxes. However, nearly seven in 10 libraries are located in rural communities or small towns, where that funding cannot sustain operations. They instead depend on federal dollars and leverage every penny to fund programs that keep Americans healthy.
Last year, public libraries received about $190 million in funding, mostly through the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a sliver of the approximately $6 trillion the federal government has spent so far this year (Jack Note: on the way to spending $7+ Trillion)
But the Trump administration has moved, through executive order and a proposed budget, to shut down the IMLS and thus end federal funding for public libraries. For the first time since 1956, the federal government may no longer support America’s libraries.
… Library funding cuts will upend the very local resources for learning, literacy, and community connection that make America truly great. …”
Overstatement? Maybe, but, as a devotee of almost all things Ben Franklin, libraries come pretty high up on the list for me.
From wikipedia: “… In 1727, at age 21, Franklin formed the Junto, a group of “like minded aspiring artisans and tradesmen who hoped to improve themselves while they improved their community.” The Junto was a discussion group for issues of the day; it subsequently gave rise to many organizations in Philadelphia.[24] The Junto was modeled after English coffeehouses that Franklin knew well and which had become the center of the spread of Enlightenment ideas in Britain.
Reading was a great pastime of the Junto, but books were rare and expensive. The members created a library, initially assembled from their own books, after Franklin wrote:
A proposition was made by me that since our books were often referr’d to in our disquisitions upon the inquiries, it might be convenient for us to have them altogether where we met, that upon occasion they might be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books to a common library, we should, while we lik’d to keep them together, have each of us the advantage of using the books of all the other members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owned the whole.
This did not suffice, however. Franklin conceived the idea of a subscription library, which would pool the funds of the members to buy books for all to read. This was the birth of the Library Company of Philadelphia, whose charter he composed in 1731. …”
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Stop what you are doing.
Take a minute to think.
For a change, don’t focus on the crap, and focus on the good in America and Americans.
Isn’t America much better today than yesterday? Don’t we enjoy so much more than our predecessors? Aren’t we benefiting from the legacy created by our parents and grandparents?
One of my favorite comparisons is the quality of life of everyday Americans compared to that of John D. Rockefeller – perhaps the wealthiest of all Americans who ever lived, including Elon Musk and Larry Ellison.
See: https://www.alainguillot.com/why-youre-richer-than-john-d-rockefeller-the-reality-of-relative-poverty/
However, despite this shared wealth and existence, surveys show a significant minority of Americans would not step up to defend the US if attacked. What is that?
“… A majority (55 percent) say they would stay and fight, while 38 percent say they would leave the country. Republicans say 68 – 25 percent and independents say 57 – 36 percent they would stay and fight, while Democrats say 52 – 40 percent they would leave the country. …”
See: https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3838
Myself, today in my 70’s, I once took an oath to defend America and if attacked, I would again pick up a weapon.
Personally, I hate the idea of national service or the draft – except in times of national emergency. I volunteered my draft in 1971.
Yet, increasingly, we lack common experience, common cause. That may have worsened in part because an ever increasing number of us do not share a common heritage – and – so many of us didn’t experience privation such as the Depression, attacks like Pearl Harbor or 9/11. I think of that as one of the few downsides of national origin diversity.
However, I could live with national service if everyone was called upon to serve who hasn’t served in the past – even the soon to be 80 year old Baby Boomers who were not drafted in the 1960’s and 1970’s – male and female.
That is, when I look back, I share commonality with those who immigrated from eastern Europe, like my mom did 100 years ago (July 1925), those who served in the military, as I did (1971 – 1973), those who pay income taxes, as I have for the past 56 years (1969 – 2025), those who both failed (1971) and succeeded in higher education (2013), … and so much more.
One of my favorite stories came while I was working in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1980. America had suffered significant Mississippi and Missouri floods, the Mt. St. Helens eruption, the Iranian hostage crisis, double digit inflation and increased interest rates, and increased unemployment (stagflation). Canada’s efforts to save American state department officials in Tehran had come to light.
See / watch Argo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argo_(2012_film)
One night on CBC, the commentator noted that Canada was so very lucky to have America as a neighbor. He commented that Americans were always first on the scene of a disaster to provide aid. He mentioned that much of the fund raising for Terry Fox and his run for cancer had come from Americans. And, he also noted that seldom had anyone come to aid Americans in their time of need. He believed it was a privilege to step up.
Most Americans weren’t around in 1980, and even fewer have had opportunities to experience that sense of pride listening to those who are not Americans speak about respect for America and Americans.
I say we need to work on increasing our shared experiences.
Work on it. Get to work, Americans.
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Al Lindquist:
per usual very thought provoking–thanks Jack
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unfortunately, that America no longer exists, we have deliberately elected a leader who openly supports political violence to achieve authoritarian goals. You just haven’t come to terms with it yet.
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Al Lindquist
can you list examples of political violence supported by our leader?
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We fight like Hell and if you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.
RIP Ashli Babbitt
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I have commented several times on this platform about the societal cost of extremist ideology, both left and right, but, “Yawn”, it is ignored or rationalized by my fellow readers. Our limited attention spans have reduced our ability to discuss differences to emotional sound bites: “F*&% the Radical Left!” or “F*&%Right Wing Nazis!” We are losing the middle, the folks that may disagree with others but defend their right to hold different points of view. The US Civil War resulted in 700,000 deaths, when our population was around 31 million or 2% of the population. The current US population Is about 340 million; 2% of that sum is about 6.8 million. Is that a price US society is willing to endure to resolve our political divide?
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Al Lindquist:
one has to identify extremist ideology–was allowing $10,000,000 to cross our border illegally extremist?–is rounding up illegals in our cities extremist?
saying that some folks are fascists or Hitler can lead those with mental health issues or are just plain angry to act out–labeling abortion clinics killing factories could very well have the same result.
Best to take a position on an issue and then discuss it such as Jack did with public libraries.
yes, I agree the middle is being hollowed out and leadership is needed–Trump is not the man for that job that’s for sure in my humble opinion.
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I think you know the answer to it all. Just read what he puts on line, just listen to his words and observe his actions, bullying, name calling.
Any decent person can see what he is doing and nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats, but a dangerous ideology benefiting no American All he seeks is power and to feed his ego.
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Al Lindquist
name calling and bullying is childish and demeans the office–referring to folks as Nazis and
fascists is dangerous as we saw last Wednesday–if a public figure has his/her name mispronounced they sure would rather have that than be labeled a Nazi or Hitler.
you and your cohorts gave us this individual with the spending of $ we did not have–lying about a “closed border” –presenting to us a buffoon who wandered around like a drunk clown and telling then us not to believe what we saw or heard and calling folks racists and bigots–
remember the corpse referring to Republicans as “Jim Crow 2” for their non-support of a voting rights bill named after John Lewis. How about MAGA folks as “white supremacists”
Trump insults individuals (bad enough) the corpse and his followers half the population–how stupid is that? Paying a consulting firm to teach the lefties how to talk to ordinary folks? Beyond stupid!! A list of words the lefties are no longer to use as it insults half the population–
listen to the words of your own folks!!!
if you and your pals had any courage you would have spoken up and demanded change–you let Trump outfox you and now blame everyone but yourselves–keep defending the criminals and ’28 could be a repeat–stand up to the loons on the left–the ones now gaining dominance–the ones who proudly wear shirts with Mangione on it but with no gun in hand used to shoot the United CEO–let’s see if the loons in the opposition party convict the cold blooded killer–
yes, Trump is as you describe him–but what are you putting up other than hot air and hate?
folks have real issues with Trump, as do I, but his ratings pale in comparison to the opposition party the, party of defunding the cops–no cash bail–boys using the girl’s bathroom–if you think cultural issues don’t count then think agarin.
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“…was allowing $10,000,000 to cross our border illegally extremist?”
No.
“…is rounding up illegals in our cities extremist?”
Yes.
It’s ruining the economy and destroying lives. And costing a fortune. Stop today, and don’t resume until an immigration bill is passed.
“Trump is not the man for that job…”
Benefit Jack: “…don’t focus on the crap…”
Focus on the crap.
Nothing good will happen until Trump is gone, preferably to prison. He is not just a danger to U.S., he is a threat to the world. You ain’t seen nothing yet.
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Al Lindquist:
markets are at all time record highs–what does that tell you–so far inflation is in good shape–the problem is jobs and we just learned that close to a million we thought were created was a myth–well if 10,000,00 come illegally we should do nothing like the corpse did with his open door policy–sounds extreme to me–
read online WAPO today the story of folks following their kids to school in D.C.–every adult named was here illegally according to the reporters–the husband mentioned had a deportation order–you come here illegally then out you go same as what would happen to me if I crossed there border.
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You drank the kool aid, so just believe and be happy.
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if you have facts just state them–give specifics–if you think 10,000,000 crossing illegally is just fine then say so–run on it as I said to my lefty friends last year–go to a town meeting and stand up and say; “I believe in open borders”.
try not to run and hide–“prove me wrong” as Charlie Kirk would say. you are good with the silly insults and devoid of facts–but many lefty folks I know have the same issue.
All I know is the border is closed–crime has become an issue and someone is trying to deal with it–illegals are being pursued and sent home. You and yours helped so many problems and now others have to clean up after you–sort of like the folks who followed behind the horses in NYC in 1900 or so and shoveled up the effluent .
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