Author: Buck Banks
Jr. Versus JD?
There still could be a Trump on the 2028 presidential ticket, maybe,
With Donald Trump Jr. emerging as a potential political nepo baby.
Now the MAGA base is looking askance
At its former darling, JD Vance,
Giving Don Jr. an opening to keep the “nasty” in “political dynasty.”
Consumers Spent $11.8 Billion Online on Black Friday
$11.8 billion
Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year’s holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday — spending billions of dollars both in stores and online, reported CBS News. Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. It was a slight increase from the company’s spending estimate of $11.7 billion.
Xmas Survival Games
The year-end holidays are meant for cheer, good times and fun,
But the celebrations can make one wish one was a Mohammedan.
It’s a silly season of foolish frivolity,
Interspersed with fake cheer and forced jollity,
And you can only make it worse by playing the survival game Whamageddon.
Twice as Many Americans Say Trump Has Raised Prices Than Lowered Them
49% to 24%
A new Yahoo/YouGov poll found that more Americans are unhappy with President Trump’s stances on the economy and cost of living, with almost twice as many (49%) saying the president has helped raise prices rather than lowering them (24%). The survey also found more Americans (38%) now blame Trump more for inflation than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden (31%).
Trump’s Brands Prove Toxic
-75%
“Stocks and cryptocurrencies linked to President Trump are in a deep slump, leaving some of the president’s biggest fans with steep losses,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the president’s Truth Social platform, have tumbled 75% since Trump’s inauguration. Digital “meme coins” named for Trump and first lady Melania Trump are down 86% and 99% since inauguration day, respectively. And one of the Trump family’s crypto ventures, a token called World Liberty Financial, has dropped roughly 40% since its September launch.”
Trump’s Approval Hits 36%
36%
A new Gallup poll finds President Trump’s job approval rating has fallen five percentage points to 36%, the lowest of his second term, while disapproval has risen to 60%. His prior second-term low point in approval was a statistically similar 37% in July, and his all-time low was 34% in 2021, at the end of his first term after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
‘Name the GOP After Me!’ Don Jr. suggested 'Trumplicans' ...
There’s nothing Donald Trump won’t slap with the “Trump brand,”
And now he’s turned his rebranding attention to “Trump Republican.”
He has in mind an unpronounceable dose of
The “voiceless labial-alveolar plosive,”
Which is what you must execute in order to actually say “TPUBLICAN.”
Consumer Confidence Drops Precipitously
-7 points
Consumer confidence dropped by nearly 7 points in November, as Americans sour on the economy with the holiday season fast approaching, reports The Hill. The Consumer Confidence Index, calculated monthly by the Conference Board, fell from 95.5 in October to 88.7 this month. This marks the lowest consumer confidence rating since April, when it was 86. In November 2024, consumer confidence hit 111.7, its highest rating since July 2023.
GOP Focused on 20 Million Obamacare Users, not 165 Million Insurance Buyers
“Rising Obamacare premiums are a political problem for Republicans. Rising premiums for workers who get health insurance from their employers could be an even bigger one,” Politico reports.
“Republicans in Congress are focused on finding a way to counteract an expected 26 percent rise in premiums for people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act, without extending government subsidies that make insurance more affordable.”
“What the GOP isn’t talking about: Nearly seven times as many Americans get health insurance through an employer as those who buy it individually. Those 165 million people are expected to see their premiums spike by up to 7 percent.”
