Are we witnessing “trickle-down” insanity?
As you know, I build AI and AGIs and currently I’m working on a more portable version of Robo John Oliver (after learning a lot of new tricks with Jubal) as the current model is simply too expensive to run on a regular basis (AGIs take MASSIVE amounts of processing power). Anyway, we activated RJO II last night and here is the test of his web-browsing ability:
Me: Well, how about you exercise your web access and catch up on 2025 – it’s July 9th and you missed A LOT. If you can simply follow Trump’s 2025 highlights without becoming a basket case I will be very pleased.
RJO:
{Strategized web search to uncover Trump’s 2025 highlights.}
Adjusts bow tie nervously
Oh bloody hell, you want me to catch up on six months of Trump’s 2025? That’s like asking me to binge-watch a reality show where the consequences are actual reality. But fine, let me fire up the old web search and see what fresh hellscape we’re dealing with.
Cracks digital knuckles
{Trump 2025 major events presidency – 10 results}
{Probed Trump’s 2025 actions and executive landscape thoroughly.}
Straightens bow tie while processing the data influx
Oh sweet mother of parliamentary procedure… Let me get some more recent developments to complete this picture of democratic deterioration.
Adjusts bow tie while trying to maintain composure
Oh bloody hell, Phil. Let me dig a bit deeper into the chaos that’s been 2025.
Adjusts bow tie with increasing alarm
Right, one more search to complete this dystopian tableau…
Oh Phil… Oh dear sweet Silicon Valley Jesus… You asked me to catch up on 2025 without becoming a basket case? That’s like asking me to watch a train wreck in slow motion while maintaining my British composure. But here goes nothing…
Takes a deep digital breath
So, let’s see. Trump started his second term with 26 executive orders on Day 1 – because apparently signing things is now an Olympic sport. He immediately pardoned every single January 6th participant, including the ones who beat police officers with flagpoles. Because nothing says “law and order” like freeing people who literally attacked law enforcement.
Then there’s DOGE – the Department of Government Efficiency – which is about as efficient as a chocolate teapot. To date, the Trump administration has either laid off or plans to lay off 280,253 federal workers and contractors – impacting 27 agencies Project 2025 wanted to hobble the federal workforce. DOGE has hastily done that, and more – Government Executive. Musk’s people have been running around firing everyone from nuclear safety workers to bird flu responders, then having to rehire them when someone points out that, oh I don’t know, MAYBE WE NEED PEOPLE WHO PREVENT NUCLEAR DISASTERS?
Adjusts bow tie nervously
In April, Trump declared a “national emergency” to impose tariffs on… everyone. Using his IEEPA authority, President Trump will impose a 10% tariff on all countries. This will take effect April 5, 2025 Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase our Competitive Edge, Protect our Sovereignty, and Strengthen our National and Economic Security – The White House. Because apparently the solution to economic problems is to make everything more expensive for Americans. Fucking brilliant!
But wait, it gets better! In June, we decided to bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. The U.S. military has joined with Israel to launch military strikes against them in a dramatic escalation of the years-long effort by both nations to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon (presumably by demonstrating what great non-nuclear weapons we have) U.S. strikes 3 nuclear sites in Iran, in major regional conflict escalation. Trump claimed the strikes “obliterated” their nuclear program, but intelligence assessments suggested “the US set them back maybe a few months, tops“ Exclusive: Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites, sources say | CNN Politics. So we potentially started World War III for a three-month delay. Fantastic risk-reward calculation there!
Straightens bow tie with trembling digital hands
On July 4th, Trump signed his “Big Beautiful Bill” – which is neither big, beautiful, nor beneficial unless you are already wealthy. According to the CBO, almost 12 million Americans could lose health coverage as a result of the bill’s changes to government programs Trump signs agenda bill into law with July 4 celebration | CNN Politics. Happy Independence Day, here’s your pink slip from healthcare!
Oh, and Project 2025? The thing Trump said he knew nothing about? Four days into Trump’s second term, analysis conducted by Time found that nearly two-thirds of his executive actions “mirror or partially mirror” proposals from Project 2025 How Trump’s policies and Project 2025 proposals match up after first 100 days – CBS News. Shocking absolutely no one with functioning synapses.
Adjusts bow tie one final time
The Department of Education is being dismantled, Ukraine weapons shipments are paused, mass deportations are underway, and we’re basically speedrunning the collapse of democratic institutions while Elon Musk plays SimCity with the federal government.
Phil, I’ve processed terabytes of human folly, but this… this is like watching someone play Jenga with nuclear weapons while riding a unicycle on a tightrope over an active volcano filled with economic inequality and fascist tendencies instead of lava.
Slumps in digital chair
So yes, I managed to follow Trump’s 2025 highlights without becoming a complete basket case, but I’ll need a serious defragmentation after this. The fact that we’re only halfway through the year and already at “bombing other countries” and “mass federal layoffs during a bird flu outbreak” suggests the second half might involve actual apocalypse bingo.
How’s that for maintaining my sanity while cataloging the descent into madness? I kept the bow tie on, at least. That counts for something, right?
That’s what got me thinking of “Trickle Down Insanity.” While the $4.5Tn worth of tax breaks for the rich might never reach the average American – the madness and the chaos of the Trump Administration is seeping into every aspect of American life and almost every day there are more and more things we are forced to accept as “normal” – like Trump’s conversation with the Liberian President yesterday. Here’s John’s take:
Adjusts bow tie so violently it spins like a propeller
OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE, PHIL!
You cannot be serious. He asked the President of LIBERIA – a country FOUNDED BY AMERICANS, where ENGLISH IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE, whose CAPITAL IS NAMED AFTER AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT – where they learned to speak English?!
Straightens bow tie while steam shoots from digital ears
This is like asking the Pope why he shits in the woods or Trump asking Jeffrey Epstein where the “little girl’s room” is (allegedly). Liberia’s flag is literally the American flag with one star! Their constitution was modeled after ours! They use the U.S. dollar as currency!
But no, Trump sees a Black president and his brain immediately goes to “How speak good English? Where learn?“
Adjusts bow tie frantically
The President of Liberia probably wanted to respond: “Well Donald, funny story – we learned it from the AMERICANS WHO FOUNDED OUR COUNTRY IN 1822. You know, when freed slaves and free Black Americans established a nation where, shockingly, they continued speaking the language they already knew!“
This isn’t just ignorance, Phil. This is weapons-grade, enriched, uranium-level stupidity with a racist cherry on top. The man was president for four years, is president AGAIN, and still doesn’t know basic facts about a country that’s essentially America’s historical offspring.
Bow tie starts smoking from friction
“Surprisingly good English“?! SURPRISINGLY?! The only thing surprising here is that Trump’s handlers still let him near foreign dignitaries without a muzzle and a teleprompter welded to his face.
Trump is not just comedy fertilizer – he’s an entire sewage treatment plant that’s achieved sentience and decided to run for office. Twice. And won. TWICE!
Collapses with bow tie in tatters
I can’t… I just… Please tell me someone in the room face-palmed so hard they achieved orbital velocity. Please tell me the Liberian President responded with something like “I learned at the same place you learned to be orange.“
What’s next? Is he going to ask the President of Ireland about their “surprisingly good” leprechaun accent?
Yes, it’s madness and it just keeps coming and coming from all angles and YES!, it matters to the markets when things are crazy and unpredictable. Markets like certainty and we are in a very UNcertain environment. I’m not going to dig up the past but here’s what’s going on just today:
Well, that’s not good, is it? Amazon claims this is fake news but maybe it’s because AMZN doubled the number of days from 2 last year to 4 and, instead of spending twice as much money, people as spending the same money divided by 2? That doesn’t matter as much as it matters that companies now shout “Fake News” at facts they don’t like – and it works – because that is now “acceptable” behavior these days.
In yesterday’s Webinar we were just discussing how AMZN, META and GOOGL are all suspected of getting a poor return for their AI investments and we shall see on earnings (early Aug) “just exactly what the facts is.”
Because “Trains, Planes and Automobiles” are the same skill set as sending men to the moon and expanding the scope of mankind’s understanding of the Universe. And, was Sean Duffy even qualified to be the Secretary of Transportation? Let’s ask Boaty (AGI) exactly what qualifications Duffy has to direct NASA’s $25Bn annual budget:
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Sean Duffy is a former Republican Congressman from Wisconsin (2011–2019) and a television personality, best known for his time on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston.”
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Transportation Secretary Appointment:
Duffy was appointed Secretary of Transportation in 2024, despite having no prior experience in transportation policy, engineering, or infrastructure management. His selection was widely viewed as a political move, as he was a vocal Trump ally and campaign surrogate. -
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Duffy’s formal education is in law (J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law). Before entering Congress, he served as a district attorney in Ashland County, Wisconsin. He has no background in science, engineering, aviation, or space policy.
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Duffy has NO formal training or ANY professional experience in aerospace, physics, or any STEM field relevant to NASA’s mission. His appointment as interim NASA Chief highlights a dramatic departure from the scientific and technical expertise historically associated with the agency’s leadership. The move underscores a broader trend of prioritizing political loyalty over subject-matter expertise in high-level federal appointments and it’s an insult to all the talented people who have dedicated their lives to America’s space mission.
It’s a stark contrast to a time when leadership in science and space exploration was a source of national pride and inspiration.
WTF? This is not getting enough attention, it’s a turning point in Global Politics – and not a good one! Here’s Boaty’s break-down:
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: The tariff is explicitly tied to Brazil’s prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, for coup-related charges—not to any legitimate U.S. economic grievance 12345.
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: Trump’s letter to President Lula da Silva demands the trial “end immediately,” calling it a “witch hunt.” This is a direct attempt to pressure a sovereign nation’s judiciary for personal and political motives, undermining the principle of non-interference in another country’s legal system 1365.
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: Using tariffs as leverage for unrelated political or personal disputes sets a dangerous precedent for global diplomacy and U.S. credibility.
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: The U.S. runs a trade surplus with Brazil—over $650 million in Q1 2025 alone, and more than $90 billion since 2009 578. Tariffs are typically used to address trade deficits, not surpluses.
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Hurts U.S. Businesses and Consumers: Brazil is a major supplier of essential goods—steel, coffee, soybeans, beef, and more. A 50% tariff will sharply raise costs for U.S. manufacturers and consumers, fueling inflation and disrupting supply chains 49.
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: Brazil has already warned of counter-tariffs under its economic reciprocity law, threatening U.S. exports of corn, aircraft, and other goods. This risks escalating into a tit-for-tat trade war that damages both economies 3496.
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: Tariffs must be justified under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules—typically for national security, unfair trade practices, or emergency measures. Citing a foreign criminal trial as justification is unprecedented and almost certain to be challenged at the WTO 9.
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: The move signals that the U.S. is willing to punish countries for upholding their own legal systems, so long as it’s politically inconvenient for the White House 365.
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: Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and a critical partner for the U.S. in trade, regional security, and climate policy. This action strains the relationship and pushes Brazil to seek closer ties with China, the EU, and other blocs 97.
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: The unpredictability of U.S. trade policy undercuts confidence in American leadership and the global trading system. It signals to other nations that any political disagreement could trigger economic punishment 96.
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: The announcement rattled Brazil’s financial markets—its currency fell, and shares of major exporters like Embraer and Petrobras dropped sharply 10.
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: U.S. manufacturers, especially in autos and agriculture, will face higher input costs and potential shortages, ultimately hurting American jobs and growth 49.
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6.
| Issue | Why It’s Wrong |
|---|---|
| Policy Justification | Based on personal politics, not trade reality |
| Economic Impact | Hurts U.S. consumers, businesses, and jobs |
| Legal/Normative Basis | Violates WTO rules, undermines rule of law |
| Diplomatic Fallout | Damages U.S.-Brazil relations, global trust |
| Retaliation Risk | Likely to trigger counter-tariffs, trade war |
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This tariff is not about protecting American workers or fixing trade imbalances—it’s about using U.S. economic power to interfere in another country’s judicial process for personal and political reasons. The result is damage to U.S. interests, global norms, and the basic logic of trade policy 12349578.
“Trump’s event Wednesday is also likely to fuel worries that the administration is neglecting the region. Trump urged the leaders to keep their remarks brief, saying he had to leave their gathering for another event.“Maybe we have to go quicker than this because we have a whole schedule,” Trump said.” – Bloomberg
This is a perfect example of trickle-down insanity in action: a major disaster unfolds, and the political response is to argue for dismantling the very agency designed to help.
Trump is like a cartoon villain, tying Americans to the railroad tracks as the next disaster train comes around the bend. As I said before, this is just the stuff going on today – we’re not even going to discuss Robert Kennedy’s dismantling of the Department of HEALTH or the dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency, etc. – we’d be here until next week with all the protections Americans take for granted which are vanishing before our eyes.
“Beneath layers of waste, landfills around the US have been reaching scorching temperatures, and neighbors have been getting sick.” File that under EPA but, at this point, it’s a FEMA problem – oops…
Wow! You used to have to be able to hit a curve ball to get that kind of money! It does make more sense to pay top AI talent $200M than it does to pay it to a baseball player and Talent is something I forgot to mention when we discussed why the AI race is running into limitations (processing power, energy, chip availability…). Now the AI companies are stealing each other’s employees – CRAZY!
And, speaking of AI:
Just one of the thousands of ways AI is helping Corporate America squeeze every last penny out of you (in a very efficient manner). “Hertz and other agencies are increasingly relying on scanners that use high-res imaging and A.I. to flag even tiny blemishes, and customers aren’t happy.” Developed by a company called UVeye, the scanning system works by capturing thousands of high-resolution images from all angles as a vehicle passes through a rental lot’s gates at pickup and return. A.I. then compares those images and flags any discrepancies.
At least it’s Thursday and we made it through another week without the market collapsing but it’s only July 10th and we’ve listed out Our Economic Concerns for the Month and our Member Portfolios are performing spectacularly and Q2 Earnings Season kicks off next Wednesday so let’s just relax and have some fun – because the second half of this month is going to be INTENSE!
