Kugler, TDS and Recognize Palestine?

Kugler, TDS and Recognize Palestine?

I posted earlier that Fed governor Adriana Kugler’s term was ending in January. This would give Trump the opportunity to nominate someone who could then be nominated as chairman when Powell’s term as chair ends in May 2026. Well Kugler may have read my post – which I doubt – and has decided to resign effective August 8 to return to Georgetown University as vice provost. Dr Kugler’s PhD is from Berkeley and she was once the US executive director of the World Bank, a position that President Carter had intended to nominate me had he been reelected. Despite that I voted for Reagan. All of the news wags are saying that Kugler is stepping down early in order to give Trump the opportunity to shape the central bank. In her resignation note, she gave no reason for departing early. But Trump being Trump said without proof that she resigned over a disagreement with Powell on interest rates. If that were true, wouldn’t she have dissented along with the two Trump appointees? Actually being an academic I know why Kugler is leaving now. It is because the academic year is beginning and she wants to be at the university when it starts. I did the same thing, as did many other academics serving in government positions.

Hate Trump? Get a Life!

I have an old dear friend of going on 50 years who is not just a liberal, she calls herself a socialist. Of course she vehemently hates Donald Trump. She read my Linkedin comment on the reinstatement of the fired NCUA Board members and asked “Still happy with the administration?” I responded “Huh?Read my blog and then think about that last sentence. See what I have said from the beginning about the firings. And the tariffs. I am no Trump apologist and never have been if you had been paying attention.” She doesn’t read my blog because much of it is too painful for her sensitivities. But if she had, she wouldn’t have made such a silly statement. But then I told her that despite all that Trump has wroth, that given the choice between Kamala Harris and Trump, I still would vote for Trump. I think she might have then had a minor heart attack. Going forward, we will revert to our nonpolitical conversations. When I said she had Trump Derangement Syndrone she said TDS did not exist because everything Trump did was destructive and evil.

One of my other yellow dog hate Trump democrat told me that TDS did exist but it was among the MAGAverse defending Trump no matter what. He said he hated the Big Beautiful Bill. I surprised him when I said that I hated it too. He hated it because it trashed all of Biden’s initiatives. I hated it because it did not reduce spending. I have said all along that what I care about is for the Federal budget not only to be constrained but to be on a path that reduces its rate of growth. Unlike my democrat friend, at my core I don’t care how it is spent. They can give the entire trillions to me. They can give it all to the military. They can give it all to seniors. Seriously. constrain the budget to grow at no more than the previous year’s increase in GDP. I would have the president’s cabinet submit their budgets to the House (those budgets would sum up to the total allowed) and then let the House tinker around with them but send out a bill that cannot exceed that mandated. I know that it may sound weird that I care how much is spent rather than how it is spent. But I do. I figure that businesses and consumers are smart enough to adapt to whatever nonsense comes out of the congress. 

Palestine, Oh Palestine, wherefore art thou?

What’s with England, Canada, France and Malta (Malta?) all saying they will recognize a Palestinian state (provided they can find it)? Did you know that currently 147 countries officially recognize a “state” of Palestine? They envision a country likely made up of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem — territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war. Does anyone really think that Israel will evict its citizens from their settlements on the West Bank and the Golan Heights like they did in 2005 when they demolished 21 settlements in Gaza? Do you think that Israel wants another Arab enemy state as a next door neighbor? I think a forced resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza like Trump has suggested and I elaborated in an earlier blog is more likely. Trump seemed irritated with the French announcement. I am surprised he didn’t threaten to double their tariffs. Tu as perdu la tête ? Macron?