Troglotrader

As we await "liberation day", I have to say that our generation is missing philosophers who can lead us out of the conundrum that we are in. I booked flights to Poland - to offset my "carbon" - it's asked that I send some cash to a fund. Now, so it would be best that I didn't fly. The same with global trade. The best thing is just buy from the "cheapest" source. But flying goods around the world & buying cheapest stuff is not sustainable. People over consume. See Fast Fashion. See disposable everything. We have overconsumed. But because we have modeled our economic growth on consumption (unsustainably) etc. So in a way, Trump is proposing to go back to the darker age of deglobalization, which means more costs, which means less consumption and investment and demand destruction. But are Americans overconsuming anyway? Localization is supposedly good for sustainability but yet globalization is better for trade/growth/prosperity/cooperation. We can't have it all. So I do think there's a philosophical disconnect between it all. I am not advocating tariffs. I am just saying, if globalization & excessive consumption of natural resources isn't the answer, then what shall be the answer? Higher quality + longer lifespan of goods? If so, then we don't need to buy so many new things. If so, we still need to reengineer our demand growth model & consumer culture.

2024 polling error in historical context (for key states): 1. Much better in most of Midwest + NC vs. 16/20. 2. IA big exception. Along w/FL + TX, worst polling misses over last 2 decades. 3. Same direction of error for ~every state for 3rd straight year--this is not normal.