Further discussion on NPR this morning. Some tax experts are saying it may be next to impossible to determine tariff refunds due since most items are made up with parts from different countries who were taxed at different rates. Many small companies are not planning on asking for a refund since the bookkeeping costs could be more than the refund.
About the best way to get refunds out there is figure out the mean of the tax and then send refunds based on that mean to the taxpayers.
About the best way to get refunds out there is figure out the mean of the tax and then send refunds based on that mean to the taxpayers.
That's both the most logical way, and also likely the method that's the most politically beneficial to Donald J. Trump(*).
(*) How beneficial in absolute terms is another question, since its positive impact will depend on voters who will a) be happy to get the cheques, but b) either unaware or willing to overlook that Trump is only repaying the money he never should have taken in the first place.
Democratic Sens. Wyden, Markey, and Shaheen called for a GOVERNMENT refund of the tariffs after the SCOTUS decision in February. Not sure if any Dems are still advocating that, but if they are, they likely think the issue can be pushed forward without Trump exploiting it for positive political gain.
Democratic Sens. Wyden, Markey, and Shaheen called for a GOVERNMENT refund of the tariffs after the SCOTUS decision in February. Not sure if any Dems are still advocating that, but if they are, they likely think the issue can be pushed forward without Trump exploiting it for positive political gain.
That may just need pushing it forward slowly, spend time debating the mechanics of organising a refund (how much will it be? who gets it? how is it processed?) until after mid-terms. Though, the political benefit of delaying voters getting a check from the government until after they vote may be offset by the potential of Republicans playing the "Democrats are stopping you getting money from the Government" card.
Surely the importer can easily work out how much they overpaid in tariffs and so claim a refund. It's basic bookkeeping. My company imports and pays duty on some of it and I could quite quickly tell you to the penny how much we have paid in any period. If they increased prices to customers by x% or $y just to cover the tariffs then again it's a simple bookkeeping matter if they want to give it back, at least to those customers that they can identify.
Surely the importer can easily work out how much they overpaid in tariffs and so claim a refund. It's basic bookkeeping. My company imports and pays duty on some of it and I could quite quickly tell you to the penny how much we have paid in any period. If they increased prices to customers by x% or $y just to cover the tariffs then again it's a simple bookkeeping matter if they want to give it back, at least to those customers that they can identify.
Donald appears to have been shot at during media conference/dinner. It happened in the 25th in the evening US time. Shots rang out for certain, I guess we have to assume they were meant for him. I got the details from the BBC. Are there any US shipmates more up to date?
Donald appears to have been shot at during media conference/dinner. It happened in the 25th in the evening US time. Shots rang out for certain, I guess we have to assume they were meant for him. I got the details from the BBC. Are there any US shipmates more up to date?
Apparently a school teacher opened fire at a security checkpoint on the way in to the dining room. A secret service person was wounded but Trump was rushed off the podium.
Like the previous "attempt" when his ear was quite uninjured, I don't believe for a minute that this wasn't a set-up.
His approval rating
is tanking, and he's been told to stop building his ridiculous bulletproof ballroom - what a perfect excuse for him to rant about why he needs it, and get a bit of sympathy into the bargain.
If the security boffins had thought there was the slightest danger, the armed bloke would have been going out in a body bag.
There is still a great dal of speculation floating around, but one report I've seen reckons that the gunman was out to kill officials, rather than Trump.
As to it's being a set-up, who knows? In Trumpland, anything is possible.
The reports I saw this morning suggested that Trump had stumbled getting out of his chair. Getting Vance out first may have simply been because Vance is more agile than Trump.
The reports I saw this morning suggested that Trump had stumbled getting out of his chair. Getting Vance out first may have simply been because Vance is more agile than Trump.
And of course is intimately familiar with upholstered furniture.
The reports I saw this morning suggested that Trump had stumbled getting out of his chair. Getting Vance out first may have simply been because Vance is more agile than Trump.
This is what the video makes it look like. The Secret Service needs to practice more with hustling a old fat guy to safety.
I said this on another thread -- don't want you to think I'm getting at you, @Boogie; I'm saying this here also because I've seen so much online about Trump having a close call. The shooter didn't get anywhere near Trump, as he was two floors down from the dinner.
Dana Bash on CNN was asking Representative Jamie Raskin about whether his "heated rhetoric" about Trump being bad for the country was a contributing factor. And honestly, fuck her for trying to push that idea. Jamie Raskin hasn't said anything that wasn't just a plain fact. Donald Trump falsely accused Barack Obama of treason last summer and Obama had a surge of death threats.
Granted that, in this case, the gunman was nowhere near Trump, what makes Trump think that his hideous monstrosity of a ballroom is going to be an especially safe place?
Being on the White House grounds, it would be safer than a huge hotel.
Edited to add: the room where the dinner was being held seats 2600 people -- Trumps one big beautiful ballroom would actually still not have been big enough for this event.
Being on the White House grounds, it would be safer than a huge hotel.
Edited to add: the room where the dinner was being held seats 2600 people -- Trumps one big beautiful ballroom would actually still not have been big enough for this event.
Are more Epstein revelations about to happen?
Asking for a friend.
IIRC, the King's brother is still under police investigation, which is why we've heard virtually nothing about Epstein and Andrew M-W. I don't expect Charles will mention the subject, but who knows what Trump might say?
The last thing Trump will want is anyone mentioning Epstein. He's gone to a lot of trouble, even going to war, to give people something else to talk about.
The last thing Trump will want is anyone mentioning Epstein. He's gone to a lot of trouble, even going to war, to give people something else to talk about.
The one thing he didn’t do was keep his wife from talking about it.
Mandleson was too close to Epstein to make it comfortable for Trump. Rather than helping Donny make Epstein disappear the Prince of Darkness kept it in Trump’s face, so to speak
Meanwhile, King Charles' state visit to Trumperica begins today. I have no particular liking for Charles, or for the UK monarchy in general, but I do have some sympathy for the poor chap.
The thought of being forced into taking tea with (or eating dust and ashes at a banquet sitting next to) such a deranged and evil tyrant would daunt anyone.
Dana Bash on CNN was asking Representative Jamie Raskin about whether his "heated rhetoric" about Trump being bad for the country was a contributing factor. And honestly, fuck her for trying to push that idea. Jamie Raskin hasn't said anything that wasn't just a plain fact. Donald Trump falsely accused Barack Obama of treason last summer and Obama had a surge of death threats.
Trump is blaming the Democrats for engaging in "very dangerous hate speech" and inciting this sort of violence. Presumably he thinks that irony is a bit like goldy, but for people who are poor and can't afford his predilection for gaudy gold everything.
We do not like pond wars on the Ship. Also, non-US Shipmates should be sensitive to the preferences of those who have to live under Trump. Finally, "if you don't like sarcasm scroll past" reads to me uncomfortable close to "can't you take a joke".
Discontinue this line.
We do not like pond wars on the Ship. Also, non-US Shipmates should be sensitive to the preferences of those who have to live under Trump. Finally, "if you don't like sarcasm scroll past" reads to me uncomfortable close to "can't you take a joke".
Discontinue this line.
Dafyd Hell Host
OK - point taken, and I unreservedly apologise for the offence caused.
I thought all things were fair game in Hell? That said, living in Canada, I have come to appreciate the feelings of our more progressive members to the south.
The 10 Commandments other than 3 and 4 still apply in Hell. Pond Wars have by long-standing use and custom been curtailed on the Ship.
Questions about hosting decisions belong in the Styx.
According to Nature, all 22 members of the board that advises and oversees the US National Science Foundation (NSF) (a leading funder of basic science) were fired by Trump without explanation.
This is very a very serious attack on science and fits the pattern of Trump dministration’s approach to science advice.
As a scientist with a great admiration for US science I am greatly saddened, if unsurprised.
According to Nature, all 22 members of the board that advises and oversees the US National Science Foundation (NSF) (a leading funder of basic science) were fired by Trump without explanation.
This is very a very serious attack on science and fits the pattern of Trump administration’s approach to science advice.
As a scientist with a great admiration for US science I am greatly saddened, if unsurprised.
Wow. That's like (from my smaller-scale UK perspective) firing whoever runs EPSRC, presumably. That'll show ...errr... the climate.
There are metrics measuring academic freedom, the extent to which universities are pressured by government and other external bodies over what they teach, content of their course, what research is pursued. Throughout the world those metrics are declining, governments are becoming more active in identifying research priorities and directing increasingly restrictive funding into those areas (and, thus reducing funding for areas not identified as priorities), assorted lobbying and campaigning groups are getting more vocal and proactive, etc. In the US, the latest figures show that academic freedom metrics have collapsed over the last year (link to pdf of 2026 update).
Comments
About the best way to get refunds out there is figure out the mean of the tax and then send refunds based on that mean to the taxpayers.
That's both the most logical way, and also likely the method that's the most politically beneficial to Donald J. Trump(*).
(*) How beneficial in absolute terms is another question, since its positive impact will depend on voters who will a) be happy to get the cheques, but b) either unaware or willing to overlook that Trump is only repaying the money he never should have taken in the first place.
Democratic Sens. Wyden, Markey, and Shaheen called for a GOVERNMENT refund of the tariffs after the SCOTUS decision in February. Not sure if any Dems are still advocating that, but if they are, they likely think the issue can be pushed forward without Trump exploiting it for positive political gain.
The key phrase is “if they want to give it back”.
Apparently a school teacher opened fire at a security checkpoint on the way in to the dining room. A secret service person was wounded but Trump was rushed off the podium.
AFF
My question - if a shooter can get so close to the president, will the King be safe on his visit to the US?
Like the previous "attempt" when his ear was quite uninjured, I don't believe for a minute that this wasn't a set-up.
His approval rating
is tanking, and he's been told to stop building his ridiculous bulletproof ballroom - what a perfect excuse for him to rant about why he needs it, and get a bit of sympathy into the bargain.
If the security boffins had thought there was the slightest danger, the armed bloke would have been going out in a body bag.
As to it's being a set-up, who knows? In Trumpland, anything is possible.
They have separate teams who each look after their own principle without reference to each other.
And of course is intimately familiar with upholstered furniture.
This is what the video makes it look like. The Secret Service needs to practice more with hustling a old fat guy to safety.
I said this on another thread -- don't want you to think I'm getting at you, @Boogie; I'm saying this here also because I've seen so much online about Trump having a close call. The shooter didn't get anywhere near Trump, as he was two floors down from the dinner.
Dana Bash on CNN was asking Representative Jamie Raskin about whether his "heated rhetoric" about Trump being bad for the country was a contributing factor. And honestly, fuck her for trying to push that idea. Jamie Raskin hasn't said anything that wasn't just a plain fact. Donald Trump falsely accused Barack Obama of treason last summer and Obama had a surge of death threats.
Edited to add: the room where the dinner was being held seats 2600 people -- Trumps one big beautiful ballroom would actually still not have been big enough for this event.
Asking for a friend.
OK - thanks.
Has the gunman's motive yet been established?
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/26/king-charles-security-us-visit-reviewed-washington-shooting-trump
IIRC, the King's brother is still under police investigation, which is why we've heard virtually nothing about Epstein and Andrew M-W. I don't expect Charles will mention the subject, but who knows what Trump might say?
The thought of being forced into taking tea with (or eating dust and ashes at a banquet sitting next to) such a deranged and evil tyrant would daunt anyone.
Again, I really wish just a few seconds thought would be given to how some “jokes” might land with American shipmates.
Trump is blaming the Democrats for engaging in "very dangerous hate speech" and inciting this sort of violence. Presumably he thinks that irony is a bit like goldy, but for people who are poor and can't afford his predilection for gaudy gold everything.
Aw, c'mon. You shoulda just fired back with something equally clever, like "United Starmerdom".
Discontinue this line.
Dafyd Hell Host
OK - point taken, and I unreservedly apologise for the offence caused.
Questions about hosting decisions belong in the Styx.
Dafyd Hell Host
This is very a very serious attack on science and fits the pattern of Trump dministration’s approach to science advice.
As a scientist with a great admiration for US science I am greatly saddened, if unsurprised.
Wow. That's like (from my smaller-scale UK perspective) firing whoever runs EPSRC, presumably. That'll show ...errr... the climate.
Chairman Xi must be laughing his head off.
<shudder>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gwB0i0HyB8&list=RDaZI74rLHLpI&index=30
Made my morning!
When did those kids grow up?
All too quickly, within the past few years!