Trump Folds Again

[OlDawg]

On 11/15/2025 at 11:04 AM, thetragichippy said:

Totally agree. I've mentioned this somewhere, but insurance basically is dictating where I plan on moving. In Jefferson County, a lot of mainstream insurance companies have pulled out, so we have a smaller choice and of course, that means higher prices. 

Hardin county is out of the windstorm for the most part, and you have many more companies to shop, plus the risk is MUCH less for a hurricane damage.  It is still high, but almost 50% cheaper I believe. 

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[mat]

14 minutes ago, LumRaiderFan said:

That’s exactly what he’s asking, the problem is many Americans don’t want to sacrifice at all, everything should be instantaneous results.

You said it yourself, may take years, isn’t that worth it to balance trade and bring jobs back home?

Thats a strong expectation of the tax payer. Trust Trump? I understand the strategy but not sold on the end results. I’m not anti-Trump but we are to be patient for years while food costs are rising, health care costs are rising and our politicians are playing chess with Americans benefits. I think it highly probable we will never truly see the physical/financial results of tariffs All while we give billions to other countries, not to mention his family and other associates are making billions on bitcoin and other aspects of the “process.” 
 

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[LumRaiderFan]

18 minutes ago, mat said:

Thats a strong expectation of the tax payer. Trust Trump? I understand the strategy but not sold on the end results. I’m not anti-Trump but we are to be patient for years while food costs are rising, health care costs are rising and our politicians are playing chess with Americans benefits. I think it highly probable we will never truly see the physical/financial results of tariffs All while we give billions to other countries, not to mention his family and other associates are making billions on bitcoin and other aspects of the “process.” 
 

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Have we been patient for years when it comes to the tariffs?

And my healthcare cost didn’t go up drastically until Obamacare was shoved down our throats.

We’re talking about tariffs, not problems that have been around much longer than Trump.

[mat]

10 hours ago, LumRaiderFan said:

Have we been patient for years when it comes to the tariffs?

And my healthcare cost didn’t go up drastically until Obamacare was shoved down our throats.

We’re talking about tariffs, not problems that have been around much longer than Trump.

I’ll try to stay on topic🤪

[LumRaiderFan]

28 minutes ago, mat said:

I’ll try to stay on topic🤪

No worries, lol.

[baddog]

Excuse me, but where did Trump “fold”?  You people cry when tariffs are threatened, then you cry when he backs off. Y’all are keeping Kleenex in business for sure.

[UT alum]

On 11/17/2025 at 1:27 PM, baddog said:

The tariffs have always been about leverage, you know, like shutting down the government. You refuse to see strategy due to hate. Are you sure you made it to 5th grade? You never complained once about Biden’s inflation being the highest in 40 years, but here you are complaining about bananas. Wahhhhhh.

What do you not understand? A rational tariff plan would leave things out that could not be produced here. Not just a bunch of stuff thrown on the wall to see what sticks.

[OlDawg]

2 hours ago, UT alum said:

What do you not understand? A rational tariff plan would leave things out that could not be produced here. Not just a bunch of stuff thrown on the wall to see what sticks.

I would guess that much of the tariff policy was based on needing income to offset costs in the BBB. The Administration HAD to be thinking ahead about it, and wanted a talking point to show offsets.

I don’t think it was all about new trade negotiations.

Just a somewhat educated guess on my part.

[UT alum]

16 hours ago, OlDawg said:

I would guess that much of the tariff policy was based on needing income to offset costs in the BBB. The Administration HAD to be thinking ahead about it, and wanted a talking point to show offsets.

I don’t think it was all about new trade negotiations.

Just a somewhat educated guess on my part.

Nothing wrong with an educated guess. You may be right.

[UT alum]

On 11/15/2025 at 9:24 AM, OlDawg said:

I wish there was something that could be done about insurance. Not just medical insurance either. Don't know about y'all, but my home & auto renewals skyrocketed as well. Made a couple calls, and the explanation I was given was too many lawsuits in Harris County nowadays, and climate risk for the house. Heck, even my Homeowner's dues went up 15%. They say it's because of labor costs. I sure don't know what kind of labor they actually pay for except minor pool maintenance in the summer.

I think people are just jacking up rates while they can, and blaming tariffs & immigration crackdowns for a lot. Insurance has always been a scam. It's getting pretty ridiculous.

Maybe it needs a little regulation?

Texas used to have a “file and use” system of rate approval. The company would file with the department of insurance and the rate could only be used after approval was authorized. Back in the 90’s Governor Shrub and his band of idiots decided a “use and file” system would be better for everyone (heh heh). Companies can use whatever rate they want by filing, and can keep using until the state disapproves. I’ve never heard of a TDI disapproval. And rates have gone nowhere but up. The market does not have a sufficient diversity of players for market forces to have much control on pricing, especially for property insurance.

The lawsuit defense has pretty much been a dead one since tort reform, but they keep flogging it.

Reinsurance is the main culprit. One aspect of reinsurance is that it spreads risk more globally. Another is that It isn’t a regulated market. Property  damage globally from climate related disasters is beginning to spiral out of control. Increased premiums at home (here) reflect a recouping losses from  a typhoon in the Philippines as much as from a Hurricane here.

This was my business from 40 odd years. Studied on it a lot.

 

[OlDawg]

3 hours ago, UT alum said:

Maybe it needs a little regulation?

Texas used to have a “file and use” system of rate approval. The company would file with the department of insurance and the rate could only be used after approval was authorized. Back in the 90’s Governor Shrub and his band of idiots decided a “use and file” system would be better for everyone (heh heh). Companies can use whatever rate they want by filing, and can keep using until the state disapproves. I’ve never heard of a TDI disapproval. And rates have gone nowhere but up. The market does not have a sufficient diversity of players for market forces to have much control on pricing, especially for property insurance.

The lawsuit defense has pretty much been a dead one since tort reform, but they keep flogging it.

Reinsurance is the main culprit. One aspect of reinsurance is that it spreads risk more globally. Another is that It isn’t a regulated market. Property  damage globally from climate related disasters is beginning to spiral out of control. Increased premiums at home (here) reflect a recouping losses from  a typhoon in the Philippines as much as from a Hurricane here.

This was my business from 40 odd years. Studied on it a lot.

 

Nothing wrong with a little regulation. Depends on the regulation. Even a conservative/libertarian/free market believer knows there has to be a little bit of regulation in most things. Otherwise, it's the Wild Wild West.

I'm still in the camp of required/medical insurance should be issued by non-profit arms, or sole non-profit entities. Insurance--to me--is a shared risk business like a Credit Union.

THAT would be the regulation I would seek.