33 replies to this topic

[Lysistrata]

Okay, full disclosure... I drink 4-6 cups of Starbucks French Roast every single day, and I will never stop, no matter who the President is. It's simply the best coffee on the planet. Howard Schultz is responsible for that.

 

Howard Schultz is a lifelong Seattle Democrat. He also is one of the most successful billionaires to ever grace the wonderful USA. He created a brand that changed the way we all drink coffee. Because of him, we discarded the swill we consumed, traded the slavery known as Maxwell House, Folgers, and Tasters Choice, and enlightened our lives with the bliss of real coffee.

 

That being said, Howard Schultz wants to be President of the United States... but does he really? I don't think so. I believe Howard Schultz doesn't want Socialists to gain power. If a Progressive Socialist defeats Donald Trump in 2020, the Democrats will turn on people like Schultz like Carol on a zombie horde. They will destroy private health insurance in favor of government control of healthcare, open the borders for the spirit of globalism, implement bone crushing taxes on the alter of Climate Change, and tax the blood out of people like Schultz to pay for it all. They will feast on his dead carcass.

 

Howard Schultz is not a stupid man, and he would prefer President Donald Trump than President Kamala Harris... and if he happens to actually win as an Independent... so much the better for him. It's a win-win for Howard Schultz, and he can run for President as an Independent on the change he can find under his couch pillows. I would not be surprised to find out he's actually working with Trump on this. Thoughts?

 

https://apnews.com/0a2b5a89587e44568481c133356f262c

[DarkFox]

I hate starbucks. They dont give a single crap about Seattle the city that made them and they have huge markups on literally everything they sell. I honestly think he is only doing this as a way to get money, be it advertising or getting elected and getting his company tax breaks. He is a ruthless businessman and I don't see how he could ever be a good public servant.

[Lysistrata]

I hate starbucks. They dont give a single crap about Seattle the city that made them and they have huge markups on literally everything they sell. I honestly think he is only doing this as a way to get money, be it advertising or getting elected and getting his company tax breaks. He is a ruthless businessman and I don't see how he could ever be a good public servant.

The coffee tastes good, and I don't give a crap about Seattle either. It's overrun with Socialists, and pretty much the most unfriendly American city I have ever experienced. It's what happens when a couple million depressed people cram together just to keep warm. Damn, San Francisco is full of degenerate weirdos, but at least they are nice about it.

[DarkFox]

The coffee tastes good, and I don't give a crap about Seattle either. It's overrun with Socialists, and pretty much the most unfriendly American city I have ever experienced. It's what happens when a couple million depressed people cram together just to keep warm. Damn, San Francisco is full of degenerate weirdos, but at least they are nice about it.

 

Without Seattle there would be no Starbucks. Don't confuse some people wanting everyone to have a living wage with socialists either, though considering how much unchecked capitalism is going on we could use some more socialists in the USA.

[ccabal86]

Starbucks isn't coffee. This is coffee:

 

[Lysistrata]

I had some Turkish Espresso at Disney World Epcot Center once that was off the rails... I agree with you Sir.

[Lysistrata]

Without Seattle there would be no Starbucks. Don't confuse some people wanting everyone to have a living wage with socialists either, though considering how much unchecked capitalism is going on we could use some more socialists in the USA.

Oh okay... because he purchased a failing Seattle coffee company called "Starbucks", and turned it into a mega corporation that serves up a quality product to every corner of the nation... he somehow owes the city of Seattle something? I'm no fan of Howard Schultz... he's a lifelong Progressive Democrat, but he's a Capitalist one. He understands that Socialism equals failure on every level.

 

I buy Starbucks coffee from the grocery store. I get the creeps walking into their actual stores because it's wall to wall liberal... I'm in Las Vegas and they have a newsstand where you can purchase the New York Times. I can't get out of there fast enough, and I feel like I need a shower when I leave. There is no lack of Progressive in any Starbucks location.

[DarkFox]

Oh okay... because he purchased a failing Seattle coffee company called "Starbucks", and turned it into a mega corporation that serves up a quality product to every corner of the nation... he somehow owes the city of Seattle something? I'm no fan of Howard Schultz... he's a lifelong Progressive Democrat, but he's a Capitalist one. He understands that Socialism equals failure on every level.

 

I am not articulating my point properly it seems. What I am saying is that no one gets successful just because they are smart, luck or ruthless. It takes a customer base for something like coffee and the community is who bought from them. Many companies try to improve their founding locations like with Microsoft and Coca-Cola and such. By not doing so and in fact negatively impacting Seattle Schultz shows that his priority is profit which is a great quality for a CEO and businessman, but that isnt who I want running a country. Trump is the perfect example why it doesn't work, he has given tax breaks to his friends and grown the deficit. 

 

We need to return to the past where rich people were taxed more and the middle class wasn't shrinking at an alarming rate.

[Lysistrata]

What I am saying is that no one gets successful just because they are smart, luck or ruthless. It takes a customer base for something like coffee and the community is who bought from them. Many companies try to improve their founding locations like with Microsoft and Coca-Cola and such. By not doing so and in fact negatively impacting Seattle Schultz shows that his priority is profit which is a great quality for a CEO and businessman, but that isnt who I want running a country. Trump is the perfect example why it doesn't work, he has given tax breaks to his friends and grown the deficit. We need to return to the past where rich people were taxed more and the middle class wasn't shrinking at an alarming rate.

Like Obama famously said "He didn't build that!"

 

Yes he did. I'm not a friend of Donald Trump, and I got a tax break... I'm as middle class as you can get. Did Donald Trump ever promise to cut spending? No, he didn't. He promised to create jobs, install Constitutionalist judges, rebuild the military, build a wall on the southern border, and spend a ton of cash on infrastructure. Donald Trump is not, and has never been a Conservative... but he does keep his promises. I would have preferred a Conservative President, but I will take a Trump over a Progressive any day.

 

If anyone was gonna spend more money than Barack Obama, it would be President Donald Trump. No doubt about it.

[DarkFox]

Yes he did. I'm not a friend of Donald Trump, and I got a tax break... I'm as middle class as you can get. Did Donald Trump ever promise to cut spending? No, he didn't. He promised to create jobs, install Constitutionalist judges, rebuild the military, build a wall on the southern border, and spend a ton of cash on infrastructure. Donald Trump is not, and has never been a Conservative... but he does keep his promises. I would have preferred a Conservative President, but I will take a Trump over a Progressive any day.

 

Your tax cut has a time limit, the millionaires and billionaires get to keep their tax cuts. Also anyone who has ever run a business knows that if you are in debt you should cut spending. The country is in massive debt, and only made worse by a shutdown for a wall that isn't critical or even wanted. The military doesn't need rebuilding, it didn't go anywhere. The USA is the only super power. Wow I went on a bit of a tangent but you get what I mean, after all iirc you own a business. 

 

I do agree with you though a centrist president would be nice. Hell maybe try a socialist one for 4 years and see how that mixes up our system because right now everything is just messed up especially with these party politics.

[Lysistrata]

Your tax cut has a time limit, the millionaires and billionaires get to keep their tax cuts.

That is the fault of Congress, not the President.

Also anyone who has ever run a business knows that if you are in debt you should cut spending. The country is in massive debt, and only made worse by a shutdown for a wall that isn't critical or even wanted.

Please, spare me the hypocrisy of any Progressive preaching spending cuts. Check the bottom line on the recent universal healthcare plan and then explain the massive debt... oh yeah, throw college and free child care on top of that.

 

800,000 Federal paychecks eliminated is what I call a good start... make it permanent. That is a Conservative my friend. Now a real life question for you... We have thousands of people rushing the border, and you don't know who they are, where they come from, or what they carry... How do you stop them? Your statement about critical and want all depends on who you ask.

The military doesn't need rebuilding, it didn't go anywhere.

Are you really paying attention? Trump signed a spending bill months ago granting the military over 900 billion dollars to repair the Obama damage. That ship has sailed, and it's probably the cash that will be used to build that wall. We'll find out more during the State of the Union address.

Hell maybe try a socialist one for 4 years and see how that mixes up our system

We had one for 8 years... his name is Barack Obama.

[onbekende]

I will echo Darkfox's sentiments about businessman and running a society, IT IS NOT THE SAME! Heck I don't recall any "dealmaking" to even have happended due to Trump. Sure the GOP rammed some of there usual fluff thruw (but barely, even with a trifecta) but Trump personally? I only see 1 of his "wishlist accomplishments" from materializing, the rich/corporate tax cuts which are GOP lines anyway.

 

That being said, Howard Schultz wants to be President of the United States... but does he really? I don't think so. I believe Howard Schultz doesn't want Socialists to gain power. If a Progressive Socialist defeats Donald Trump in 2020, the Democrats will turn on people like Schultz like Carol on a zombie horde. They will destroy private health insurance in favor of government control of healthcare, open the borders for the spirit of globalism, implement bone crushing taxes on the alter of Climate Change, and tax the blood out of people like Schultz to pay for it all. They will feast on his dead carcass.

 

Sorry that a majority of americans want change to your healthcare (and definatly plurality with possible majority want it single payer). Sorry that a majority want to close loopholes on the super rich, sorry that a majority understand humanity's influence on not just the local fauna&flora (aka pollution) but also on the climate as a whole, ...

 

Ha, globalism is an AMERICAN^TM thing, courtesy of capitalism. Now what you are fishing for whit that remark is something I like to coin: EWOCS. Namely the Equilitarian World Order: Communist Society. Guess the NWO conspiracy switched gears 180° from full capitalistic dictatorship to full socialist dictatorship. Did you get a pin for this new one?

 

That said, if as a society you can have a viable middle candidate, you either need to acknowledge that you are hopeless divided and you NEED a 3rd party OR actually get down and COMPROMISE between the 2 sides. Only thing you folks like making are ravines...

[Lysistrata]

Heck I don't recall any "dealmaking" to even have happended due to Trump.

I guess the bubble you live in prevented you from seeing the "deal making" today between Trump and China.

I only see 1 of his "wishlist accomplishments" from materializing

Then you are not looking.

Sorry that a majority of americans want change to your healthcare

The majority of Americans... which I am one of those and you are not... want it cheaper. You will get the same answer on any product or service on the market. The "majority" does not decide what we do here... the Constitution decides. Once again, we are not a Democracy where the "majority" stomps on the Constitutional rights of any minority... we are a Republic, and everyone has the same Constitutional rights.

 

The only way to get cheaper healthcare is to create a business environment that brings the costs down. Creating a new way to continue paying the ever increasing costs, is complete stupidity.

That said, if as a society you can have a viable middle candidate, you either need to acknowledge that you are hopeless divided and you NEED a 3rd party OR actually get down and COMPROMISE between the 2 sides.

We have two major political parties... we have no shortage of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and on and on parties. Schultz is a lifelong Democrat that will run as an Independent, because he doesn't want to be dragged through 19 debates with 20+ candidates, and end up not on the ballot. This way he avoids all that, and is automatically on every ballot. What will happen in the end... he prevents any possible chance of a Socialist becoming President. I will never vote for Schultz, but I will also never stop drinking Starbucks.

[iSocialism]

First off rich people do pay more in taxes 10%, 12%< 22%...
Corporate tax is a tax an individual has to pay on a product. Out of control spending has majority been the past two decades of legislation and executive branch fault. Most of healthcare spending is for administration. More laws equal more administration cost.

Fortunately I married a very good woman that I would do anything. unfortunately, that meant moving out of the great state of Idaho to Washington. To help her persuade her dreams. While WA does do a few things right, ex. no grocery sale taxes in most counties, and no state income tax. Which isn't a freebie, they get that taxes in other ways. Back to my point, it's terrible! Property tax is high, gas tax is high, car registration taxs are, high sale tax is high. Also every manufacture is forced Union, meaning another tax.... so on and so on.

Schultz owes no one anything. Seattle, and Olympia pretty much makes all of Washington decisions. Schultz created a niche company/brand. He created a market place that didn't really exist. Washington gets tax money from that, and all they do it waste it. Seattle does it to themselves. I'm capable of spending my money on essential before spending my money on non essential stuff. You don't have to buy coffee, it's non essential, even if you swear that it is needed.

I've been in charge of my life as much as I can be. I've been doing alright. "free stuff" will only cost me more. College isn't that much if you humble yourself. Healthcare was cheaper, before the "A"HCA, and homelessness has many ways out. I understand some are unfortunate, and it's hard a life to control.

What we need less of is tax, and more good people lending a hand. Go walk around in downtown Seattle and tell me how many people are helping others better than Schultz.

[Lysistrata]

Thank you Sir, for the real life experience. I have a ton of family, from my wife side, in Bellingham. Half of them are fighting the good fight, and the other half have surrendered to the hopelessness of group think. I will once again be traveling to the wettest state I have ever seen when Christmas comes this year. We stay at the Hotel Bellwether if you would like to have a drink in that fine bar.

[iSocialism]

I will have to consider that. I live more in the Tacoma area, so it's quite a drive for a drink.

[Lysistrata]

I will have to consider that. I live more in the Tacoma area, so it's quite a drive for a drink.

I agree! I had to take a shot at it. Too bad.

[Lysistrata]

Related to things we have been discussing... here's a big red flag to signal that Trump plans big spending on infrastruture projects. He just issued an executive order requiring all materials used in government infrastruture projects to be manufactured in the USA. Once again he takes an anti-free market position in favor of a pro-American position. Very good for the country, we can rest easy with knowledge they will not be constructed with substandard materials from China. They won't be talking about this on CNN.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/whitehouse/trump-widens-buy-american-rule-infrastructure-projects

[iSocialism]

I'm not too into the buy American only. I'm more for saving money without cutting corners. The fact is some countries can produce certain foods better than us, and vi versa. Having products shipped from some where else also created jobs. It takes people to move stuff, ex dock workers, truck drivers etc. The notion of buying American is the only way to do that is lackluster to me. However, I still agree that the taxpayer money, never the government's, should be used wisely and to promote America.

If you really want to get government projects moving and not wasting a lot of money... get rid of the EPA. We spend money on a program that wastes OT out of the #+@%. The money the do spend is to sue and halt projects throughout America.

[Lysistrata]

One of the tasks that Trump has taken on is bringing back manufacturing jobs, you know, those jobs that Obama famously said would never come back. Even though it's not the free market position, and not the most cost effective, it has worked. We could not compete with China. What costs them a dollar to produce will cost us twenty times more, because our people expect the American Dream. Trump promised heavy tariffs on China throughout his campaign, and then people are shocked when he actually did it. The tariffs are not intended to make things hard on us... they are intended to make things hard on China, and force them to the table to negotiate. That has happened. They need our purchasing power more than we need their products. A hard lesson they are now learning.

 

China has been killing our economy for decades, and now because of Trump, the table has turned. This had to happen.