MarkMan
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madmanmark84.bsky.social
MarkMan
@madmanmark84.bsky.social
240 followers 160 following 1.8K posts
Just another older white guy, 1st-gen college in a purple state & family
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madmanmark84.bsky.social
It would be bizarre, even for the upside-down world of the Trump admin, if Miller wrote it. It's supposed to be written by the NSC, the current composition is below

To me it's more plausible Vance was the driving author. I haven't read the entire thing, but what I've seen is consistent with his POV
December 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
It feels like something beyond that though ... one party passed all that funding for them, was JUST about to start the development when they got voted out, then the other party yanked it away. Yet they regard both the same ... and Trump is not to blame at all, he just "doesn't know?"
December 3, 2025 at 4:11 AM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Could you have possibly inserted a negative there by accident?
According to Moscow Times, the Kremlin official has said that Witkoff and Kushner promised that they **would** go to Ukraine - not that they would *not*
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/12/03/c...
December 3, 2025 at 12:12 AM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Yes they have
December 2, 2025 at 12:11 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Seconding that I hope people take advantage of the gift link & actually *read* it - Anne Applebaum once posted internal bsky stats that even many who post replies don't actually CLICK the LINK 😞

Among many things, there is good advice here IMO on how we take back the politics of this country
What can other American citizens do when faced with a government that offers trolling and obscenity as replacements for governing? How do people who care about democracy and the rule of law deal with fellow voters who keep electing a class of public officials who seem to be all id and no superego? Perhaps most important, other Americans should model the behavior they hope to foster in their friends and neighbors. Populist ressentiment is not necessarily produced by inequality. It’s driven by a perception of inequality, a sense of being looked down on by others. It is a demand for attention and emotional engagement. But trying to answer that demand is a fool’s errand: On social media, for example, some of Trump’s voters seem especially enraged not by arguments but by indifference. The whole point of their trolling is to gain attention and then intimidate others. Both online and in daily life, Americans who are part of the pro-democracy coalition should resist such invitations. Responsible citizens must hold themselves to a higher standard than officials who are acting like grade-schoolers. The national figures, from Trump on down, who put out rancid bait may do so because they want others to argue and lower themselves, and thus prove that no one holds the moral high ground. (Perhaps this is why Trump and so many of his supporters resort to whataboutism when confronted with their behavior.) When these leaders and their followers swear or behave rudely, they may hope and expect that others will do likewise.
December 1, 2025 at 2:05 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Good article, thanks, but it barely even *mentions* manufacturing and defense? It's mostly about interstate barriers to 1) services and 2) financial integrations?
Yet 40 years on, that project has failed to deliver on the ambitions of the generation that championed change. While many internal barriers on goods were removed by 1992, they remain within the EU for services, capital and some labour. Obstructions to trade within the EU are equivalent to a 100 per cent tariff for services, and a 65 per cent tariff on goods. The tangle of protectionist rules is such that even breadmaking is hampered: in some 25 years only one French baker has been recognised by Germany as a meister permitted to run a bakery. The grand single market project still exists as a political totem for the EU. But its energy and momentum stalled long ago. “We are sitting on a huge reserve of growth at a time when it is needed for the green transition, digitisation, defence and an ageing population,” said Pascal Lamy, a former EU trade commissioner and chief of staff to Delors. Vested interests, rising Euroscepticism and other crises sucking up policymakers’ attention have hampered further liberalisation in the past and are likely to do so in the future. Meanwhile new national rules on products and services have undone some of the earlier progress. Central enforcement of common rules — essential for any reforming momentum — has petered out. In reality, the single market only applied to goods, when services even then and more so now accounted for a larger share of the economy. Liberalisation and integration of telecoms and energy markets were seen as impinging on national sovereignty and so were deferred to a later date, which proved slow to arrive. The sputtering momentum behind the internal market is playing out visibly in the economic data. GDP per head remains just 72 per cent of US levels. Costs to workers of migrating between EU countries are about eight times higher than for migration between US states, the Fund says, reflecting factors including difficulties shifting pensions across borders and navigating professional licensing requirements.
December 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
"Their intentions are good?!"

You (1st screenshot) are far, *far*, FAR more generous in your interpretation of US intent than Anne Applebaum (2nd screenshot)
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 22, 2025 at 11:30 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Well, not the "highest stock market, ever" part.
But that's also an almost meaningless yardstick:
what was the last president that did not have a stock market high during their tenure? The last president who did not have a stock market high during their tenure was Herbert Hoover, from 1929 to 1933. He took office just months before the 1929 stock market crash and presided over a period of significant losses, ultimately ending with a 77.1% cumulative loss.
November 22, 2025 at 11:19 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Germany needs to find a delicate balance. The strong tradition of quality, reputation, and pride within manufacturing sector is priceless. But they also can't just refuse productivity gains from robotics, their industry will wither. Things are starting to look dicey, from @torstenslok.bsky.social:
Germany used to dominate the global production of machinery and technology-intensive goods. But that has changed in 2025. Germany now buys more capital goods from China than China buys from Germany, see chart below. The competitive pressure on one of Germany’s core sectors is prompting the country to rethink its trade and industrial policies to reduce its dependence on China and bolster innovation at home. This is not only happening in Germany. It is also taking place in many other countries. Many countries are focusing on homeshoring advanced manufacturing capacity, investing in infrastructure, energy, defense, and supply chains. It is not only deglobalization. We are entering a global industrial renaissance.
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
giggle
November 20, 2025 at 10:46 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Good points here. It's important to not lose sight of how, quietly, Trump's incompetence and damage inflicted on US power is raising the danger level in Asia.
The signal PM Takaichi is sending is one that badly needs to be heard, not primarily in Taiwan, but in Beijing. The short-term sacrifice of Sino-Japanese relations is justified by a need to avert a much larger danger, in other words, that Chinese hubris leads to miscalculation. Director General of the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific Program, Bonnie Glaser recently assessed that her Chinese interlocutors are ‘exceptionally confident’, at this moment – ‘more than I have seen in my entire career of watching China’. Dennis Wilder (Initiative for US-China Dialogue on Global Issues at Georgetown University) shares Glaser’s worries that this could lead to greater aggression and miscalculation, adding that they accord with the notion that is dismissive of US power on the basis America is undergoing a ‘cultural revolution’. Wilder believes this (together with assumptions about the inevitability of China’s rise, the prevalence of the ‘East Wind over the West’) is leading to hubris on the Chinese side. Such a Chinese tendency towards hubris is understandable. Japan’s 2025 defence white paper assesses the military balance between China and Taiwan is rapidly tilting in China’s favour. This summer General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over an ostentatious military parade in Beijing. He is rapidly expanding the nuclear force to get to parity with the US, and the PLA Navy has just commissioned its third aircraft carrier. Strategically, Xi probably feels he is in a strong position. Beijing’s relations with Moscow and Pyongyang are stable. The deal reached on 30 October in Busan appears to confirm China’s ability to face down President Trump’s tariff strategy. In the run up to those Xi-Trump talks, the President declined to approve a& transit by Taiwan’s President in July and a $440 million package of military aid in September. The last set of US-Taiwan military talks were downgraded. Xi did not feel the need to raise the topic of Taiwan at the Busan meeting.
November 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Now this creates an interesting situation. I thought the CA redistricting was written to be contingent on TX succeeding in theirs, but it turns out it isn't, per NYT:
But since Texas passed its map in August, Democrats have countered with a gerrymander of their own in California, with Virginia and potentially other states set to follow. When Gov. Gavin Newsom of California introduced his state’s redistricting plan, he said it would take effect only if Texas also gerrymandered its congressional maps. But that provision was removed from the measure three days before lawmakers took final votes on it. So should the federal court decision in Texas hold, Democrats could find themselves ahead in the redistricting battle. (Republicans have also sued to challenge the new California map, adding even more uncertainty to the national picture.)
November 18, 2025 at 9:17 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Good summary about how any Trump "success" is essentially just exploiting and squandering the investments over the previous 85 years which got us here
Trump has convinced many Americans that U.S. alliances are a favor to other nations and that there is no cost to squeezing allies until their pips squeak. He frequently describes America’s allies as worse than its adversaries. He has convinced his voters that those allies are yieldingto his indomitable strength. But that is not what’s happening. As traditional U.S. allies yield to Trump, they are accommodating not the president, but American power. That power has been carefully accumulated by successive presidents over the course of decades, through a relatively enlightened foreign policy of alliances and institution-building. Trump now treats American potency as a wasting asset, drawing it down over and over to satisfy his personal whims and ideas. If the United States bullies its teammates and views them as easy marks, they may pay out for a while, especially while they are dependent on America. But these countries won’t remain on America’s team for any longer than they absolutely have to. To fix this, the United States needs to show that it will help build and lead a stronger team that benefits all of its members. This logic may not convince die-hard “America First”-ers who are happy to go it alone. But it levels with the American people about the true state of the world today, rather than harkening back to a supposed golden age of a rules-based order that is already long gone.
November 18, 2025 at 9:10 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
It explains different mortgage products as different tools in a tool box, to be used (or yes, rejected) according to current rates, personal circumstances, & future expectations.

As I posted in another reply, if you think holding even a 30-year to full term makes sense, I suggest you've "been had?"
Speaking of unfairness, Harvard's John Campbell points out that maximizing your personal wealth in our weird mortgage system relies on considerable financial literacy, and populations that are poorer and less educated tend to be less financially literate. So this system results in greater inequality.Speaking of unfairness, Harvard's John Campbell points out that maximizing your personal wealth in our weird mortgage system relies on considerable financial literacy, and populations that are poorer and less educated tend to be less financially literate. So this system results in greater inequality. "A lot of people don't know when to refinance and they just don't do it," Campbell says. "And there's some very troubling evidence that, in this country, black and Hispanic borrowers are much slower to refinance than white borrowers." The result, he says, is they tend to pay higher interest rates."A lot of people don't know when to refinance and they just don't do it," Campbell says. "And there's some very troubling evidence that, in this country, black and Hispanic borrowers are much slower to refinance than white borrowers." The result, he says, is they tend to pay higher interest rates.
November 18, 2025 at 2:04 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
ps. I notice that the person you replied to has now blocked me - apparently they got this upset an academic debate about debt and long-term interest rates!

When I encounter this kind of "plug your ears and go 'la-la-la" behaviour RE: fiance, it brings to mind these paragraphs in the article:
Speaking of unfairness, Harvard's John Campbell points out that maximizing your personal wealth in our weird mortgage system relies on considerable financial literacy, and populations that are poorer and less educated tend to be less financially literate. So this system results in greater inequality. "A lot of people don't know when to refinance and they just don't do it," Campbell says. "And there's some very troubling evidence that, in this country, black and Hispanic borrowers are much slower to refinance than white borrowers." The result, he says, is they tend to pay higher interest rates.
November 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
This article elaborates, addressing the question we're all thinking
www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/po...
The Internal Security Agency and police investigators were dispatched to the site. Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesperson for the security services, told PAP the case was being handled as “an absolute priority.” Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk told Polsat News that Poland had faced “many different acts of sabotage in recent months,” and that the latest incident “may have been one of them.” While urging caution and saying authorities were not confirming witness claims of a possible explosion, he added: “We have a damaged track, and it did not damage itself. Someone must have caused it.” He also warned against reflexively blaming Moscow for every disruption. “Russia is not so powerful that every fire or every incident is provoked by them,” he said. “But nothing can be ruled out or ignored.” Earlier in the day, Interior Ministry spokesperson Karolina Gałecka said there were initially no definitive signs of deliberate damage, though later statements from officials emphasized sabotage as a strong possibility. The investigation comes amid heightened tension in Poland following a series of suspected Russian-directed sabotage attempts across NATO territory. Recent incidents linked to Russian intelligence activity include arson plots and attempted attacks on Polish infrastructure. Polish authorities have arrested multiple individuals accused of attempting to set fires or damage railway systems used for transporting Western military equipment to Ukraine. In June, investigators examined whether a major bridge fire near Warsaw was caused by arson linked to foreign actors after intelligence indicated Russian services may have sought to disrupt key transport arteries. Security agencies in the Czech Republic, Germany, the Baltic states, and the UK have also warned of increased Russian “gray-zone” activity targeting infrastructure, logistics, and defense supply chains. Poland, as a key transit hub for Western military aid to Ukraine, is considered especially vulnerable.
November 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
there are other ways to invest in real estate, and other types of real estate, than direct ownership of individual single-family homes.

Commercial real estate, for example, is actually still DOWN (on average) about 20% from the last peak 3-4 years ago
November 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
All utilities that are publicly traded corporations are obviously for-profit
finance.yahoo.com/quote/WEC/
WEC Energy Group Inc (NYSE:WEC) reported strong third-quarter 2025 earnings of $0.83 per share, maintaining a positive trajectory compared to the previous year. The company reaffirmed its 2025 earnings guidance, projecting a range of $5.17 to $5.27 per share, indicating confidence in its financial outlook. WEC Energy Group Inc (NYSE:WEC) announced a significant 5-year capital plan, with an investment of $36.5 billion between 2026 and 2030, marking an increase of $8.5 billion over the previous plan. The company expects asset-based growth at an average rate of over 11% annually, supporting a projected earnings per share growth of 7% to 8% per year from 2026 to 2030. WEC Energy Group Inc (NYSE:WEC) is experiencing robust economic development in its service region, with major projects like Microsoft's data center complex and Vantage Data Centers contributing to increased electric demand.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
This screencap about Mace's intenstions is from 48 minutes ago (3 hours after you posted)
What they're saying: "I think they're solid," Massie told Axios Wednesday, referring to the other Republican members who have signed his petition. "President Trump can still be a hero by meeting with the victims himself and announcing he will release the files before the vote even happens," he added. A spokesperson for Mace told Axios that it's "purely speculation" that Mace plans to remove her name from the petition. "Rep. Mace has never indicated any plans to remove her name from the discharge petition," the spokesperson added.
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
They're presumably referring to this email exchange from 2011 between Epstein and Maxwell. Trump explicitly named by Epstein as "that dog that hasn't barked."
November 12, 2025 at 3:59 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Nah, this ain't suspicious AT ALL.

Email from 2011:
___

Epstein: "... that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. [Redacted name] spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc."

Maxwell: "I have been thinking about that."
November 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Except for some reason it isn't the headline that actually appears on their site?
November 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Just using terminology as defined in the encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspir...

ps. You realize your POV that "healthcare is his whole bag" is an argument AGAINST him being part of a conspiracy to secretly betray holding firm on the one-and-only healthcare condition for deal, right?
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation),[3][4][5] when other explanations are more probable.[3][6][7] The term generally has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal of a conspiracy theory is based in prejudice, emotional conviction, insufficient evidence, and/or paranoia.[8] A conspiracy theory is distinct from a conspiracy; it refers to a hypothesized conspiracy with specific characteristics, including but not limited to opposition to the mainstream consensus among those who are qualified to evaluate its accuracy, such as scientists or historians.[9][10][11] As such, conspiracy theories are identified as lay theories. Conspiracy theories tend to be internally consistent and correlate with each other;[12] they are generally designed to resist falsification either by evidence against them or a lack of evidence for them.[13] They are reinforced by circular reasoning: both evidence against the conspiracy and absence of evidence for it are misinterpreted as evidence of its truth.[8][14] Psychologist Stephan Lewandowsky observes "the stronger the evidence against a conspiracy, the more the conspirators must want people to believe their version of events."[15] As a consequence, the conspiracy becomes a matter of faith rather than something that can be proven or disproven.[1][16] Studies have linked belief in conspiracy theories to distrust of authority and political cynicism.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
Nice summary of unitary executive theory.
But I was confused by the tense in the last sentence, "would be." Cheney lived to see, and recognize, how Trump would use this. Did he ever say anything to that point, I wonder?
November 5, 2025 at 1:16 PM
madmanmark84.bsky.social
... a couple of excerpts, straddling both sides of the stats ("lies, damn lies, and statistics" lol)
The Agriculture Department releases annual reports examining the demographics and economic circumstances of SNAP households, but those surveys do not measure political affiliation. Instead, the agency releases geographic breakdowns that can serve as imperfect proxies. Of the 10 states with the highest proportion of SNAP recipients, five (New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and New Mexico) had Democratic governors and legislatures; three (Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia) had Republican governors and legislatures; and two (Pennsylvania and Nevada) had divided control. Separately, rural counties — which voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump — are likely to be disproportionately affected by any interruptions to SNAP. An August report from the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit that supports nutrition programs, noted that one in seven rural households relied on SNAP, compared with one in eight in metropolitan areas. And a 2024 analysis by Political Explorer, a data research company, found that more than 2,000 counties out of more than 3,000 reported an increase in the number of households receiving SNAP from 2010 to 2020. Mr. Trump won nearly 80 percent of those counties in that presidential election.
November 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM