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LAYERS OF UNDERSTANDING

LAYERS OF UNDERSTANDING

04/26/2025 captainmclaren Comments 0 Comment


The idea for this blog post came from listening to Background Briefing podcast April 16, 2025. 
https://www.backgroundbriefing.org/2025/04/16/
 “Joining us is Edward McCaffery, the Robert C. Packard trustee chair in law and a professor of law, economics and political science at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Fair Not Flat: How to Make the Tax System Better and Simpler and founder of the People’s Tax Page“.


In the real world, citizens of any country seem to achieve different levels of understanding for their nations politics.  The United States is just another perfect example of this.  Why is the approval rating of Donald Trump is still above 40% and not below 20%?


Some Possible Reasons That The American public Seem To Fail To Properly Understand The Direction Their Country Is Taking:  

  • Living a very busy life that does not allow time to explore past and current political happenings.
  • IQ level may not be adequate.
  • Parental advice and encouragement for their children to understand what is taking place may not take place.
  • Life experiences may play a role.
  • Education institution bias sometimes has a minor play.
  • Education level should be important.
  • Friends and acquaintances that share their perceptions vary greatly and can swing views.
  • Geographical influences such as border issues.
  • Reading non fiction books can help while fiction might not. 
  • Exposure to news papers, radio and TV news can qualify greatly to achieve higher level of understanding so long as the news sources are not propaganda based.

LAYER 1 (THE BOTTOM) Low Awareness:

Trump is just a low level self centered politician and citizens still fail to properly understand his real intent.


“Southerners have often liked their politicians to be colorful — and it looks like New York real estate mogul Donald Trump fits the bill.”

USA Typical Media Sources:
Typically do not take the time to be informed and educated.
Candidate Communications and Campaigns.
Friends.

LAYER 2:

USA Typical Media Sources:
Candidate Communications and Campaigns.
Friends.

Trump is just a bit ignorant and his failures to properly act in the best interests of this nation.  This appears to be a bit understandable but not the truth.

Donald Trump Really Is a Lot Dumber Than We Thought. Like, a Lot!
This view probably is held by individuals who fail to be exposed to what is happening in the world beyond their walk and talk environment.

USA Typical Media Sources:
FOX News
Candidate Communications and Campaigns.
Friends.

LAYER 3:

Trump appears to have some hidden personal reason for his actions that he gets rewarded for.  They can’t figure out if this is true or not and are stuck in the fog of not possessing some important facts.


This view really comes about just by being exposed to most every new exposure to what is happening in the United States and a lot of what is presented to them, may not be truthful or presented in not clear revealing methods such as Fox News and other right wing media.


“… the administration seems determined to squander and wreck the strong economy. Each of the individual policies they are pursuing—illegal layoffs of federal workers, mass deportations, constant threats and retractions of broad-based tariffs, and Medicaid spending cuts—would be bad for the economy. But each policy is also being pursued with maximum levels of chaos and incoordination, creating unprecedented levels of economic uncertainty. This uncertainty is itself a serious economic threat.”

LAYER 4:

Trump appears to be working for not just himself but maybe for his rich friends?  Not sure about this?
USA Typical Media Layer:
CNN
MSNBC Live
Background Briefing Podcast
WIKIPEDIA
Higher education courses

“The House budget resolution calls for cutting spending programs like Medicaid to help pay for a tax cut primarily for the rich, which would transfer income away from the bottom half of U.S. families and toward the very top. This is a terrible outcome by itself, one that would increase economic misery and inequality.”
Where Trump policies and Project 2025 proposals match up. CBS NEWS
Not sure at this time.  Let’s see how this pays out.

LAYER 5 (THE TOP LAYER):

USA Typical Media Layer:
CNN
MSNBC Live
Background Briefing Podcast
WIKIPEDIA
Gain college degree.

Trump’s apparent secret is revealed.  Trump is an agent for the billionaire class.  The billionaire class wants a government where they pay no taxes.

TRUMP’S METHODS FOR CHANGING THE UNITED STATES APPEARS TO BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ULTRA RICH FOLLOWS:
IRS Commissioner Says Wealthy Individuals Evade $150 Billion a Year in Taxes.
Project 2025 does seem to be a real factor.

__________________________________

SOME SUPPORT FOR ABOVE ISSUES.
Media Influence on Politics: 7 Election Trends in 2024
https://knightfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/100M-Project-Media-Diets-and-Democracy.pdf
https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/how-media-and-supportive-local-institutions-can-grow-voters
https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/07/30/demographics-of-americans-who-get-most-of-their-political-news-from-social-media/

https://www.nber.org/digest/oct06/media-bias-and-voting
https://journalism.uoregon.edu/news/six-ways-media-influences-elections
https://www.princeton.edu/~fujiwara/papers/SocialMediaAndElections.pdf


Updated July 17, 2025 still trying to fix issues.





TRUMP’S POSSIBLE METHODS FOR CHANGING THE UNITED STATES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ULTRA RICH:


Example: MAKE SOCIAL SECURITY SO RUINOUS THAT IS WILL NEED TO BE PRIVATIZED.

SOME IMPORTANT VIEWS:

  • https://www.thirdway.org/report/10-reasons-why-trump-is-bad-for-business
  • https://www.epi.org/publication/50-reasons/
  • https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/not-just-a-bad-president-trump-is-a-holmesian-bad-man-act-accordingly
  • https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/worst-president-ever-will-even-worse-second-term-rcna178971
  • https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-donald-trump-is-ruining-the-economy-on-purpose-everyone-will-pay-more-for-everything
  • https://www.cer.eu/insights/donald-trumps-return-office-ten-consequences
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/19/trumps-approval-rating-on-economy-drops-to-lowest-of-his-presidential-careerat-.html

Posted by Score Card April 26,2025.


Countries, Elections, Federal Government, Legal & Law, News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, TV Channels, TV Show, United States of America, US Elections, US Government
Donald Trump
WHY IS THE USA FAILING?

WHY IS THE USA FAILING?

04/14/2025 captainmclaren Comments 0 Comment

Biden stayed in office too long to allow Kamala Harris to adequately present herself to the American public during the 2024 election for president.

This website showed an evaluation of both candidates prior to the election and revealed the obvious best person to vote for.  (Google may have eliminated the search results for that website post for some reason.)

Kamala Harris:

  • Kamala Harris graduated in 1989 from law school.
  • She served from 2021 to 2025 as the 49th vice president of the United States. 
  • She was the first female, first African American, and first Asian American U.S. vice president, and the highest-ranking female and Asian American official in U.S. history. 
  • She represented California in the U.S. senate from 2017 to 2021.
  • She was attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. 
  • A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party’s nominee in the 2024 presidential election.

Donald Trump:

(Wikipedia source)

  • Trump became the first current or former U.S. president to be charged with a crime.
  • Three more criminal indictments were later filed against him. 
  • He was found liable in a civil sexual-abuse and defamation case.
  • May 2023, and in early 2024 he was found liable in a civil business-fraud case and another defamation case.


Some very popular media sites allegedly support Republicans.

(“The Fox channel has knowingly endorsed false conspiracy theories to promote Republican and conservative causes.[33][34][35]”  Wikipedia)

A significant part of any population is composed of ignorant and stupid people who voted for an obvious flawed individual, Donald Trump.

A good part of their ignorance stems from not understanding where to get truthful news but instead may be fed propaganda. 

Another factor is that Democracy is way harder to administer than a dictatorship because in a democracy there are so many varied aspects to work with while a dictatorship allows a single person to decide with less regard what is best for the broad citizens well being.  So, a dictator appears to many stupid citizens to be more appealing because that person appears to be more simple to understand.   A democracy requires a higher level of intelligence from both the citizens and ruling politicians. A better educated electorate usually means a better political outcome.

Then there is the perceived personality that the public seems to attribute toward any political candidate.  Often times a loud, boisterous, chest pounding politician is viewed like an entertaining actor and thus attains some degree of attraction from a stupid electorate.

Donald Trump:
(Wikipedia source)

  •  “Trump began hosting in 2004 the reality TV series The Apprentice”.
  •  “It was revamped as The Celebrity Apprentice in 2008.”


Another factor: The United State is broken up into red Republican and Blue Democratic areas.  Why is this so important to this political environment?

“Blue states account for about 71 percent of America’s GDP, whereas Red states only produce 29 percent of our income and wealth.”  As you will read later, Republicans allegedly, hate education.

So it may seem that there is an actual underlying reason to explain red vs blue areas of the United States.

Following is a possible explanation of why the country is failing.

The HARTMAN REPORT.

It appears that Donald Trump is following the list of items shown in the Hartman Report that the Republican Party wants completed. This list comes from that Report to enhance Trump’s survivability as president and move forward the wishes of the Republican Party. This also explains why Republican congress people hesitate to take any action to stop Trump. They like what he is doing.

“Republicans hate Social Security and have worked to gut, privatize, or outright end it…”. This may be the reason Social Security is being attacked. President Trump has vowed that he wouldn’t cut Social Security benefits, but his administration’s actions, led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, have upended the agency, leaving many beneficiaries concerned that the popular program and their payments may be imperiled.

“Republicans hate universal or inexpensive healthcare (and real Medicare for the elderly)”. Trump Administration Abruptly Cuts Billions From State Health Services.  States have been told that they can no longer use grants that were funding infectious disease management and addiction services.

“Republicans hate the minimum wage because it cuts into profits.”  Trump administration has made some private sector workers vulnerable to pay cuts of up to 25 percent.

“Republicans hate empowered women because forced pregnancies create more potential workers and unwanted children exacerbate poverty.”  President Trump betrayed his campaign promises on reproductive health care, taking direct aim at access to abortion and birth control.

“Republicans promote hatred of racial, religious, and gender minorities because when Americans are at each other’s throats they’re not organizing to throw off the GOP/corporate yoke.”   Is this a reason why our libraries are being attacked and closed?   Trump administration mandated the reduction of seven agencies, including one that funds libraries around the country: the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

“Republicans hate education because it’s the main tool for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thus demand higher wages and better benefits.”  This may be one real reason why we have red states due to their less education? “Republican strategists want to privatize education”

“Republicans hate atheism and embrace a neofascist form of Protestant Christianity and a bizarre, rightwing version of Catholicism…”. “Some religious groups may challenge materials they consider offensive or incompatible with their beliefs, such as books with non-traditional gender views, books on LGBTQ+ topics, or those that challenge their religious doctrine.”
“The president disbanded the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Academic researchers, librarians and museum professionals say defunding the agency undermines their commitment to education.”

“Republicans hate food stamps, housing supports, aid to women and dependent children, and every other form of what they call “welfare”. Prominent Republican lawmakers and conservative think tanks have proposed cuts and other harmful policy changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that could gain traction in Congress this year. These changes would cut food assistance across the U.S., making it harder for millions of people to buy the groceries they need to eat a healthy diet.

“Republicans hate environmental protections because they cut into profits.” The Trump administration has been particularly focused on rolling back actions intended to deal with climate change. 

“Republicans hate unemployment insurance.” The Trump Administration issued a memorandum on Jan. 27, 2025, directing all federal agencies to temporarily pause the obligation or disbursement of federal financial assistance, effective Jan. 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET.

This may partialy explain why Republican politicians seem to accept many of Trump’s actions, because he is doing what they value, not for the nation but the party.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

  1. Impeach Donald Trump and J. D. Vance!
  2. Install Kamala Harris as a new president!
  3. The country should take every action to remove the Republican Party from existence because it works for the benefit of the very wealthy citizens and businesses! As a result, it works to destroy our DEMOCRACY form of government by impeding properly serving all its citizens and operates with integrity and transparency. 

Posted April 14, 2025 by Score Card.


Elections, Global Warming, News, Opinion, Politics, United States of America, US Elections, US Government
Apparent Truth About Tariffs

Apparent Truth About Tariffs

04/09/2025 captainmclaren Comments 0 Comment


AI Overview Sources:

“Smaller companies use products from overseas, so higher tariffs increase their costs. Those with foreign customers will be harmed. These businesses aren’t politically connected enough to avoid facing the worst effects of tariffs. And consumers must pay higher costs for products.”

“Tariffs increase the price of goods and services in domestic markets by applying a tax on imported goods that is paid by the domestic importer. To cover the increased costs, the domestic importer then charges higher prices for the goods and services.”

“Economists generally dislike tariffs because they see them as inefficient trade barriers that lead to higher prices, reduced trade, and economic distortions, ultimately harming overall economic growth and welfare.”

Economists are raising the probability of a recession in the next 12 months, with some putting the odds as high as 60%, citing the impact of Trump’s tariffs and potential global economic slowdown. 

“Even after his backtracking, the president has done profound harm to the world economy.”

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/10/trumps-incoherent-trade-policy-will-do-lasting-damage

Other sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/business/economy/trump-trade-deficit-tariffs-economist-doubts.html

https://time.com/7275987/trump-tariffs-global-economy-recession-trade-war-asia-world-impacts

Posted April 9, 2025 by Score Card


Countries, Economics, News, Opinion, Politics
Trump’s tariffs
Why did Trump win?

Why did Trump win?

03/23/2025 captainmclaren Comments 0 Comment

It appears that both the Republicans and Democrat voters are somewhat ignorant of some factors thus resulting in being a bit stupid.   The Republicans have proven to be the more stupid because, just look at the results and direction that the United States has gone and is expected to go with Trump.  They favor maintaining their wealth and gaining more.  So keep this in mind as you examine quite a lot of social and political facts and issues to properly evaluate the situation we all face.

Trump’s factors:

  • Trump’s first presidency was not very good.  The news media, failed to reveal this fact adequately.  
  • “… the MAGA base that has always lifted him up.”  But, the results for Make America Great Again turned out to become Make America God Awful.
  • “… two-thirds of Republicans — have consistently said they think the 2020 election was fraudulent, even though these claims have been exhaustively investigated and litigated and found to be without merit.”  
  • That Trump could survive a shooting elevated him to a near divine status for the MAGA followers.
  • “The hollowing out of local economies in the American heartland helped lead to the rise of Donald Trumpas a political force.”  Bloomberg Business Week, March 19, 2025.    “Donald Trump carried over 2600 largely rural counties and Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote, less than 500 mostly urban ones (Associated Press, 2016).
  • “Republicans and Democrats weren’t just divided over Trump’s handling of the job. They also interpreted many aspects of his character and personality in fundamentally opposite ways. In a 2019 survey, at least three-quarters of Republicans said the president’s words sometimes or often made them feel hopeful, entertained, informed, happy and proud. Even larger shares of Democrats said his words sometimes or often made them feel concerned, exhausted, angry, insulted and confused.”

————————

Many Democratic Voters Face Growing Problems That Thus Impacts The Power Of The Democratic Party:

The share of Americans living in middle-class households has decreased significantly since 1971, with a Pew Research Center study finding that it fell from 61% to 51% by 2023. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

  • Shrinking Share:
    The Pew Research Center analysis of government data shows a clear decline in the proportion of Americans who are considered middle-class. 
  • Data Points:
    • In 1971, 61% of Americans lived in middle-class households. 
    • By 2023, that share had fallen to 51%.
  • Income Inequality:
    This shift in the size of the middle class is accompanied by a widening income gap, meaning that a smaller portion of the overall income is held by middle-class households. 
  • Income Share:
    In 1970, middle-income households accounted for 62% of aggregate income, a share that fell to 42% in 2020. 
  • Other Factors:
    Factors like inflation, an aging population, and the rise of remote work are also contributing to the challenges faced by the middle class. 


    ______________________

Highlights

• Racism and economic distress factors in Trump’s rise are inextricably connected.

• USA has a poor and near-poor majority that earns below the minimum survival budget.

• Severe economic distress increases receptivity to authoritarian populist rhetoric.

• Outside investors targeted mutual banks, coöps, businesses, newspapers and housing.

• Communities can no longer maintain tax bases or appropriate the wealth they produce.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY FACTORS

  • Democrats were “getting way too caught up in lofty social issues.”  They really need to view important social and financial issues that the lower and middle class voters are dealing with.
  •  “Democrats are out-of-touch and unable to move voters onto the issues the party cares about.”


Countries, Elections, Federal Government, Politics, United States of America, US Elections, US Government
Donald Trump
DONALD TRUMP MAY BE A KGB AGENT

DONALD TRUMP MAY BE A KGB AGENT

03/22/2025 captainmclaren Comments 0 Comment

February 21, 2025, I came across a website, Daily Beast that Donald Trump was recruited to be a KGB agent. That website post was taken down the same day.  The next day the Daily Beast put up the same story on page two and also took that story down.  As the week has progressed, the story started to expand to many more publications.

Here is the basis for that story:

https://x.com/golub/status/1892630119434367310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1892630119434367310%7Ctwgr%5E9dddebdc38d4736c5eda370ae50b311f6988a10f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.economictimes.com%2Fmagazines%2Fpanache%2Fwas-donald-trump-a-russian-spy-in-1987-bizarre-allegations-by-ex-kgb-officer-will-surprise-you%2Farticleshow%2F118487146.cms

Synopsis

Allegations have surfaced on social media that Donald Trump has been a Russian asset for 40 years under the codename ‘Krasnov’. The claims originated from a former KGB officer and have been amplified online. They involve Trump’s business dealings in Russia, his late ex-wife Ivana, and even his inauguration. No official evidence has been presented.

Read more at:

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/donald-trumps-russian-spy-connection-social-media-explodes-with-evidence-about-krasnov-is-it-just-another-wild-conspiracy-theory/articleshow/118504492.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

This story seems to be slowly growing across the various media channels.

Part of my investigation was to go to see how the whole population of the United States viewed Trump.   I chose Gallop

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

Trump’s Job Approval Rating at 45%; Congress’ Jumps to 29%

https://news.gallup.com/poll/656891/trump-job-approval-rating-congress-jumps.aspx

I was shocked a bit to find that “Ninety-three percent of Republicans” approved of Trump.

Then February 23, 2025, I was sent this from a friend.

 

 


Federal Government, Legal & Law, Opinion, United States of America, US Government, Warnings
Trump appears to want to be a dictator and it also seems the Republican Party supports this effort.

Trump appears to want to be a dictator and it also seems the Republican Party supports this effort.

03/22/2025 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

Professor and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has openly defined Trump as a fascist. The Economist said it was reasonable to describe Trump as a modern iteration of fascism. Howard French stated that Trump is a fascist, but questioned whether the message would have helped Democrats to win the 2024 election.

The New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/dispatches/what-does-it-mean-that-donald-trump-is-a-fascist

(Trump) “… he lacks something that we imagine to be a prerequisite for high office: breeding, or grammar, or diplomacy, or business acumen, or love of country. And he does lack all those things, as well as pretty much any conventional bourgeois virtue you can name.

NPR

https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5164488/harris-trump-fascist-explained

Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, said in an interview with The New York Times published on Oct. 22 that Trump “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.”

Summary:

Trump wants to shut down any voice that argues against his threats and actions that diminish our democracy.

Both Trump and Republicans support plutocracy over Democracy.

The Republican Party just might support Fascism.

Everybody has the right to express their opinions but no one has the right to diminish our democracy!

A problem follows.  Many people in this country fail to understand and appreciate the Democratic system!  Why?

Posted March 22, 2025 by Score Card.


US Government

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