Trump's Day One accomplishments - your predictions!

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Originally Posted by bae

I was wondering why I couldn't find a small truck when last I bought one. I got a Toyota Tacoma, but it is "huge" compared to what I was looking for, and compared to the small Toyota I had in the '80s.

Subarus also seem excessively huge - when we got my now-ex-wife an Outback, we were looking for something to replace our expired Volvo wagon, and remembered Outbacks as being station wagons. Imagine our surprise on the lot to find they had ballooned into large-ish SUVs.

I'm currently on a quest to get a decent, old, diesel, Toyota HiLux - there are a few importers of such treasures now. I almost pulled the trigger on a lovely Ford Model A pickup last year, but it was way too nice for how I'd use it, and I would have felt bad.

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I've been shopping the Ford Maverick truck as a replacement for my Tacoma. Comes with a hybrid engine, relatively cheap, good reviews by Car and Driver and Consumer Reports. Rumor is that Toyota will be coming out with a smaller pickup to compete, possibly hybrid or EV this year. A bit smaller than the Tacoma and probably more zippy than my four cyl. manual. I do miss the older small Toyota pickups. Possibly my favorite car ever aside from the '57 Studebaker of my youth.

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Originally Posted by Rogar

I've been shopping the Ford Maverick truck as a replacement for my Tacoma. Comes with a hybrid engine, relatively cheap, good reviews by Car and Driver and Consumer Reports. Rumor is that Toyota will be coming out with a smaller pickup to compete, possibly hybrid or EV this year. A bit smaller than the Tacoma and probably more zippy than my four cyl. manual. I do miss the older small Toyota pickups. Possibly my favorite car ever aside from the '57 Studebaker of my youth.

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In our history of small trucks, we started with an old beat up Toyota, then got a Nisson truck, then our current Ford Ranger. That is our 35 years of small trucks.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

In our history of small trucks, we started with an old beat up Toyota, then got a Nisson truck, then our current Ford Ranger. That is our 35 years of small trucks.

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Before my Tacoma I've had two small Toyotas and a small Nissan. The Nissan was a dog. Seems like I have gone ten or so years per car and that's about when little things start to happen, but I'm sure the next owner got many more decent years out of them.

I do like the Tacomas. DH has a Chevy Avalanche which, according to LBB, isn't a real truck, but it's a great vehicle for small loads, and the back seat is important to us.

Unfortunately, my husband went out in a flood and his Yukon got swept away and totalled. I wish he had bought another one but he went for a Ranger instead.

It does not meet our needs as well as the Yukon did.

I used to drive one of the small Rangers and it was great.

When we were looking to rplace the 2000 GMC Sonoma in 23 it was impossible to find a smaller truck with the same "posh" interior. The Ranger was too basic. We went with a Honda Ridgeline that is very comfortable and very pleasant but was very expensive and HUGE for us. We still have the 2007 Ford Focus Wagon- it was the last year they made them. It's still running fine, fits in the garage and does nearly all we need.

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Originally Posted by Rogar

I've been shopping the Ford Maverick truck as a replacement for my Tacoma. Comes with a hybrid engine, relatively cheap, good reviews by Car and Driver and Consumer Reports. Rumor is that Toyota will be coming out with a smaller pickup to compete, possibly hybrid or EV this year. A bit smaller than the Tacoma and probably more zippy than my four cyl. manual. I do miss the older small Toyota pickups. Possibly my favorite car ever aside from the '57 Studebaker of my youth.

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The Toyota version is based on an existing hybrid (believe the RAV). So it shouldn't have as many teething problems as the Mavericks did.

That said I know several people with Mavericks and some are company trucks. I've heard said by all I have questioned, they would buy one in a second for a personal vehicle.

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Originally Posted by ToomuchStuff

The Toyota version is based on an existing hybrid (believe the RAV). So it shouldn't have as many teething problems as the Mavericks did.

That said I know several people with Mavericks and some are company trucks. I've heard said by all I have questioned, they would buy one in a second for a personal vehicle.

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That's good to know. Thanks. Close as I've found there's no official firm date form Toyota on their new truck offering, just speculation. I'm thinking there will be a waiting list at first.

I enjoyed Bill Maher’s report of his visit to the White House last week. Maher famously said he would vote for Joe Biden‘s head in a jar of blue liquid before he would ever vote for Trump.

Maher spent a couple hours with the President and came away with a report that most liberals will see as a love paeon to the President of the United States. It is not that, but in these times, superficial opinion reigns supreme and the libs are so often way off base these days.

i’ve said it before: I increasingly look to our stage comics as the philosophers of our day. So I enjoyed Maher’s quips. He took with him to the White House a list of 60 rude and terrible things Donald Trump had said about him. He asked the President to sign that list and Trump agreeably signed. The President gave Maher a thorough tour of the Oval Office suite of rooms, including a little room off the Oval office that they termed “the blowjob room.”

of course, Maher had more serious things to say about his Trump visit. He found the president to be gracious and attentive to what Maher said, asking his opinion even about a couple of world events. Maher said it is unfortunate this is not the persona the president projects on the world stage.

the two men found common ground when they talked about people in their circle who did not want them to meet with each other, and how they both think those people are wrong.

I read the transcript out of curiosity, but it was interesting. A side to Trump that makes him almost seem human when he's out of the public eye. I think said he actually laughed an honest laugh. Of course none of which matters when he's on his vengeance rants. I'm no more sure of what a lib is these days than what the conservative GOP is. Which seems redundant, sort of like true facts.

Speaking of day one accomplishments, I have a glass half full over his China tariffs. I can remember looking at tags in stores and avoiding Made in China. Then it became too overwhelming to discriminate. Maybe people will buy fewer cheap Christmas string lights and plastic toys. Part of simple living for me has been anti-conspicuous or anti over-consumption. I actually thought it was too bad he exempted cell phones and computers, which it seems like we have plenty of and will end up in landfills. Unfortunately it will also affect poor peoples real basic needs and may sent the economy into a recession.

Maybe there are indeed two sides to Donald. Like Jekyll and Hyde?

Real life example from my job of how the China duties are biting:

Air freight from China that left yesterday. $4340 cargo value. Subject to all the multiple China duties and 125% reciprocal tariff. Total duties and fees: $5846

Multiple customers that import from China have cancelled everything. The ones in transit already have an exemption from the 125%

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Originally Posted by Rogar

Maybe there are indeed two sides to Donald. Like Jekyll and Hyde?

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If he could just get over himself, he'd probably be a much more suitable President, but the shameless lying, the vindictiveness, and ruthless way he rules are just things I can't get past, even though I agree with you on the Chinese tariffs.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

I enjoyed Bill Maher’s report of his visit to the White House last week. Maher famously said he would vote for Joe Biden‘s head in a jar of blue liquid before he would ever vote for Trump.

Maher spent a couple hours with the President and came away with a report that most liberals will see as a love paeon to the President of the United States. It is not that, but in these times, superficial opinion reigns supreme and the libs are so often way off base these days.

i’ve said it before: I increasingly look to our stage comics as the philosophers of our day. So I enjoyed Maher’s quips. He took with him to the White House a list of 60 rude and terrible things Donald Trump had said about him. He asked the President to sign that list and Trump agreeably signed. The President gave Maher a thorough tour of the Oval Office suite of rooms, including a little room off the Oval office that they termed “the blowjob room.”

of course, Maher had more serious things to say about his Trump visit. He found the president to be gracious and attentive to what Maher said, asking his opinion even about a couple of world events. Maher said it is unfortunate this is not the persona the president projects on the world stage.

the two men found common ground when they talked about people in their circle who did not want them to meet with each other, and how they both think those people are wrong.

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I just watched his report on his show on CNN. Coincidentally, I had just gotten home and turned on the TV and that's what was on--I agree with you about comics, and I do like Bill Maher because he criticizes both parties. He has a lot of credibility for that reason. He followed up his report with an interview with Steve Bannon. It's refreshing to see someone try to bridge the wide, wide gap that exists.

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Originally Posted by catherine

I just watched his report on his show on CNN. Coincidentally, I had just gotten home and turned on the TV and that's what was on--I agree with you about comics, and I do like Bill Maher because he criticizes both parties. He has a lot of credibility for that reason. He followed up his report with an interview with Steve Bannon. It's refreshing to see someone try to bridge the wide, wide gap that exists.

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I haven’t watched the Bannon interview clip, but I mean to do that soon.

and now there are stories from some that the Commerce Secretary said the electronics tariff reduction was temporary and "separate levies" would be placed on such items.

“(Electronics are) exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick told ABC News’ “This Week” anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday.

Watched numerous economists and others this weekend and they agree that further investment in the US by others is unlikely and additional serious conflict with China is possible. When trust is destroyed, it is hard to recover.

And what about this crazy sovereign wealth fund? Sounds more like a wealth grab to get control away from any others.

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Originally Posted by sweetana3

and now there are stories from some that the Commerce Secretary said the electronics tariff reduction was temporary and "separate levies" would be placed on such items.

“(Electronics are) exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick told ABC News’ “This Week” anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday.

Watched numerous economists and others this weekend and they agree that further investment in the US by others is unlikely and additional serious conflict with China is possible. When trust is destroyed, it is hard to recover.

And what about this crazy sovereign wealth fund? Sounds more like a wealth grab to get control away from any others.

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Yeah, no idea what’s going on with that. At least I don’t have to deal with electronic shipments.