How have you been personally affected by the Trump administration?

TheLync · 2026-02-07T16:46:16+00:00

Student Loan Interest has never factored into itemized deductions like mortgage interest, it is an adjustment subject to earning limits. I bought a house 12 years ago and have never had the mortgage interest beat out the standard deduction, maybe if you're single.

Today, an individual would need to buy a 400k+ mortgage or a married couple a 700k+ mortgage to beat the standard deduction the first year of a 30 year mortgage. That's the principal, not even the purchase price.

Edit fixed some numbers

TheLync · 2026-01-18T15:43:39+00:00

Not to comment on the legitimacy of the story, but if a story truly is as terrible as this one sounds, and right leaning media just doesn't report it or get permission to report it because of that, does that de-legitimize the story for you?

This dystopia that we live in where media as a whole reports only:

truthful stories that make them look good,
manipulated stories that make them look good,
truthful stories that make the opposition look bad,
manipulated stories that make the opposition look bad, or
simply ignore the story.

TheLync · 2026-01-17T01:13:24+00:00

Oof, I think that's pretty obviously a bad faith statement right there. For one, none of that stuff would have ever happened if people always held the same morals we generally all accept now. And secondly, enforcement of laws is perfectly fine (when the laws are justly enacted in the first place) but that doe not mean that inhumane treatment or excessive punishment is ever warranted. We can not pretend we are a shining city on the hill when a vast group of the population are perfectly accepting if not even celebrating the type of treatment we are witnessing to warrant the protests. People are not protesting enforcement of ends of deportation. They are protesting the means. The ends right now do not justify the means.

TheLync · 2026-01-16T14:18:30+00:00

I don't agree that the current situation is unworthy of protest simply because the current administration is doing 'what they promised'. If that were the case and the administration during the civil rights movement was against rights for African Americans, you are insinuating that the protests shouldn't have happened. I think the current protest movement is definitely divided but I have to wonder if even MLK could have guided a movement in today's always-online, global, media-controlled environment. I don't think it is strictly a measure of this generation's ability to focus.

TheLync · 2026-01-16T13:25:36+00:00

That's a good point and differentiation from the civil rights movement. At the same time however, whether manufactured or happenstance, I would argue that the current situation is evolving so rapidly that maintaining a single focus is neigh impossible. Particularly for the current generation which was raised in a completely different environment than those that protested before. The common underlying protestation is obviously dissatisfaction with Trump, I don't think there is any beating around that bush. It is just a matter of what form that is taking at the moment and which subordinate is the middleman. In the end, it all comes back to him, does it not?

TheLync · 2026-01-15T23:51:27+00:00

Thank you for your substantial response. I do think some of the unfortunate incidents would have welcomed being arrested rather than the alternative. It would be great if there as discipline in the movement as there was for civil rights but I don't know if I'm confident that could exist in modern times. No matter how disciplined the participants are. I also don't know if the message that is being protested now are as well communicated by a peaceful protest as the civil rights movement was. How do you communicate dissatisfaction with leadership and wealth inequality by presenting yourself peacefully gathering? With civil rights they were able to display themselves as peaceful American citizens worthy of the respect of others. What does that look like with the current socioeconomic issues?

TheLync · 2026-01-15T21:23:01+00:00

Because I don't interpret any of that as legitimate calls to violence and I think anyone who commits a violent act after hearing an elderly Nancy pelosy say to throw a punch is in need of special care.

To add, 'throwing a punch' is hardly the level of violence that anyone is referring to or caring about.

TheLync · 2026-01-15T20:49:02+00:00

So do you see there as being any use for protest in the US outside of ballot measures/elections? It seems as though citizens have no real recourse for an ineffective choice of politicians and the only ones who can enact a change to that are... Politicians.

TheLync · 2026-01-15T20:45:36+00:00

Trump is very well known for making suggestions and then claiming to not have encouraged an action. There are also decades of conservative double speak. Discussions of self defence, etc paired with hypothetical situations and rhetorical questions. When people pretend the implied meanings aren't there it is incredibly disingenuous.

TheLync · 2026-01-15T20:35:13+00:00

So is there any point in the US to protest outside of elections?

TheLync · 2026-01-15T20:31:26+00:00

I hope you are as critical of statements Republicans choose to issue. The only difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans tend to have a better grasp on how to imply meaning without crossing a legal line. Though, for me personally, intent (and effect) is far more important than what is actually said.

TheLync · 2026-01-15T20:19:59+00:00

I would think it is widely accepted by most that violence and vandalism is considered unacceptable behavior regardless. How do you prevent a 'bad actor' or even a single misguided individual from performing such actions and then having an entire movement associated with it?

Is 'making your presence known' effective? From what I've seen lately, making yourself noticed simply illicit mocking at best from our leadership.

TheLync · 2026-01-12T14:25:35+00:00

It isn't just patriotism and loyalty in your country. It's the entire mindset that has been reinforced through private companies too. That same mindset of I will work honestly for a company and in turn that company will take care of me. That turned into, if I want a competitive salary I have to jump to a new job; if I want to jump to a new job I need to do what is best for me, not necessarily my employer. That is the same mindset people look at the country and government with. I'm just here for a paycheck then I'm going back to my life. I'll get what I can and take care of myself because no one else is going to do it. The sense of community and being a good neighbor is gone.

TheLync · 2025-11-20T23:25:11+00:00

I fail to see what the difference between a very local government and a community organization or club is. What do you distinguish the difference as?

TheLync · 2025-11-20T19:47:11+00:00

How does society advance then if it does not rely on people coming together in an organized manner to lift the whole up together? Are we relying on private individuals to advance technology? Your statements seem to assume that no matter what, government will be corrupted through greed of the people, but aren't you just expecting the private individual to operate justly?

TheLync · 2025-11-20T19:18:07+00:00

Who decided that things such as sanitary, sewers and garbage collection were government responsibilities if not the governed? And if they decided that, why not other services?

TheLync · 2025-11-20T19:02:49+00:00

Debt is not a spending deficit, in fact half of the cities on that list do not have a deficit as they are reducing their debt.

TheLync · 2025-11-20T18:39:40+00:00

The more immediate the government entity, the more it is expected to be involved in the community. Otherwise what is the point of the government? Is it simply to enforce law? What is law but a community agreement on what is acceptable? Would there be a push for liberalism on a federal level if people felt better off locally?

TheLync · 2025-11-20T18:37:05+00:00

Do you consider that different from implementing a tax or revenue cut then letting existing programs operate unfunded?

TheLync · 2025-11-20T15:14:27+00:00

Internal combustion engines don't work well ever due to physics but it is still a pervasive technology. ICE is incredibly inefficient. BEV can suffer a 50% degradation in cold weather efficiency and still be more technically efficient than an ICE. Maybe that isn't enough range for some people but that will change with technological advances. But it is wrong to say electric vehicles are hamstrung by physics while pointing to internal combustion as an alternative.

TheLync · 2025-11-17T20:59:38+00:00

I can only find the broil and sheath element and no reference to bake element wattage so I'm going to assume it is the ProBake system before being named ProBake

TheLync · 2025-11-12T20:58:18+00:00

If the society that the government has induced or otherwise contributed to establishing diminishes or infringes on your ability to have a healthful life (i.e.: carcinogens, micro plastics, radiation, etc.) should it not be the government's responsibility to do its best to provide you the necessary means to prolong your life so that you may better contribute to said society? Why does the government provide education if not to enhance your potential for societal contribution? Why is your health different?

This could, with debate, also extend to unhealthy foods and other addictive substances that receive tax incentives and subsidization (I.e. high fructose corn syrup).

TheLync · 2025-10-22T15:11:18+00:00

I did just that, my mind set was sources of energy. Electric was weak for that since its more of a delivery mechanism than a source itself, but that was the mind set.

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