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Train Wreck. Clown Show.

In order for that to happen, trump has to find 2 trillion dollars in tariffs. How can can you possibly believe that is going to happen? Wake up.
Guess we will see what is found. It won't be all income taxes. But there can be income brackets taken down to zero.
 
You ducked the question above, which was, do you want to the tariffs to work or do you want them to fail?
I’m not sure how to answer that. But given that we have them, I do hope they make our economy better by reducing unemployment and inflation while maintaining or increasing our standard of living.

That being said, I’m not sure if “success” for the tariffs as defined by Republicans will actually accomplish those things. Say there is a world where we somehow do bring all of that manufacturing back to the us (is that the goal? I think so, but I’m actually not sure). We don’t have the population to actually accomplish all of that manufacturing, and we are aggressively kicking out a lot of the people that would perform those jobs. Unemployment is low, and there is no way all the rural and trailer park folks will start working in factories placing tiny screws in computer chips. I get that republicans will want to start to look at child labor and reducing worker protections, as we have seen that in Florida, but that just feels crazy backwards.

It is a moot point though. While I still don’t get what the tariffs are trying to accomplish in the end, they are only hurting Americans now. We haven’t seen it much yet, because many companies imported a bunch of goods in preparation for the tariffs. But once that inventory starts to get low, it’ll get tough. Unless Trump just declares victory and reverses course.
 
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I’m not sure how to answer that. But given that we have them, I do hope they make our economy better by reducing unemployment and inflation while maintaining or increasing our standard of living.

That being said, I’m not sure if “success” for the tariffs as defined by Republicans will actually accomplish those things. Say there is a world where we somehow do bring all of that manufacturing back to the us (is that the goal? I think so, but I’m actually not sure). We don’t have the population to actually accomplish all of that manufacturing, and we are aggressively kicking out a lot of the people that would perform those jobs. Unemployment is low, and there is no way all the rural and trailer park folks will start working in factories placing tiny screws in computer chips. I get that republicans will want to start to look at child labor and reducing worker protections, as we have seen that in Florida, but that just feels crazy backwards.

It is a moot point though. While I still don’t get what the tariffs are trying to accomplish in the end, they are only hurting Americans now. We haven’t seen it much yet, because many companies imported a bunch of goods in preparation for the tariffs. But once that inventory starts to get low, it’ll get tough. Unless Trump just declares victory and reverses course.
I am not clear on the goal of the tariffs, and will not pretend to be. However, I am still waiting for people who are strongly opposed to the tariffs to explain why tariffs are bad if so many other countries have tariffs and trade barriers against the US.

I am starting to think the goal may be to wage non-military war on the brutal Chinese dictatorship, which is a worthy goal.
 
I am not clear on the goal of the tariffs, and will not pretend to be. However, I am still waiting for people who are strongly opposed to the tariffs to explain why tariffs are bad if so many other countries have tariffs and trade barriers against the US.

I am starting to think the goal may be to wage non-military war on the brutal Chinese dictatorship, which is a worthy goal.
No, it is not "a worthy goal." What are we hoping to accomplish by spending the global economy? China isn't nearly as brutal as Trump's favorite dictator, Comrade Vlad.
 
I am not clear on the goal of the tariffs, and will not pretend to be. However, I am still waiting for people who are strongly opposed to the tariffs to explain why tariffs are bad if so many other countries have tariffs and trade barriers against the US.

I am starting to think the goal may be to wage non-military war on the brutal Chinese dictatorship, which is a worthy goal.
Oh, and to comment on why these tariffs are so bad ... There is no rhyme or reason, it's just an across the board program of taxing everything that comes into the country. Tariffs should be applied to protect American businesses, not punish the rest of the world.

The fallacy that a trade deficit should not exist with other countries is completely absurd, and it's been discussed ad nauseum. Your comment on not understanding the goal of the tariffs isn't surprising, because it's clear that Trump doesn't, either.
 
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Oh, and to comment on why these tariffs are so bad ... There is no rhyme or reason, it's just an across the board program of taxing everything that comes into the country. Tariffs should be applied to protect American businesses, not punish the rest of the world.

The fallacy that a trade deficit should not exist with other countries is completely absurd, and it's been discussed ad nauseum. Your comment on not understanding the goal of the tariffs isn't surprising, because it's clear that Trump doesn't, either.
IMO the reason for the tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the States.
Ford for ex., can't sell cars in many countries because they tariff us and manipulate their currency to make it impossible to compete.
So Ford moves manufacturing facilities overseas so they can sell cars.
We have the lowest tariffs in the world for EVERY Country we trade with.
The citizens of the US benefit from chepa and in some cases, child labor, as mentioned above, Countries that have no manufacturing environmental restrictions etc.
AI can reduce the labor force and create higher paying jobs here. We have the technology to do so.
We also need to quit relying on Foreigners for our goods that we rely on for National Security. Such as medicines and computer chips.
Trump isn't going to get 0 for 0 tariffs but he will at least level the playing field somewhat.
 
IMO the reason for the tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the States.
Ford for ex., can't sell cars in many countries because they tariff us and manipulate their currency to make it impossible to compete.
So Ford moves manufacturing facilities overseas so they can sell cars.
We have the lowest tariffs in the world for EVERY Country we trade with.
The citizens of the US benefit from chepa and in some cases, child labor, as mentioned above, Countries that have no manufacturing environmental restrictions etc.
AI can reduce the labor force and create higher paying jobs here. We have the technology to do so.
We also need to quit relying on Foreigners for our goods that we rely on for National Security. Such as medicines and computer chips.
Trump isn't going to get 0 for 0 tariffs but he will at least level the playing field somewhat.
But but but BoilerJS, it's not happening instantly. The Democrats want foreign production of companies like Ford to relocate to the US right now, this week. They are stomping widdle feet and panties up an a wad and pooping rings around themselves because they want all of Trump's actions to produce positive results immediately or it's proof that he's a liar and and a con man and Hitler and Putin's buddy.

And when he does produce immediate results, like with illegal immigration, it's unconstitutional.
 
I am not clear on the goal of the tariffs, and will not pretend to be. However, I am still waiting for people who are strongly opposed to the tariffs to explain why tariffs are bad if so many other countries have tariffs and trade barriers against the US.

I am starting to think the goal may be to wage non-military war on the brutal Chinese dictatorship, which is a worthy goal.
"It's mean" lol. I don't know they have no real issue. They just want to keep doing what we have been for decades that clearly hasn't worked.
 
Oh, and to comment on why these tariffs are so bad ... There is no rhyme or reason, it's just an across the board program of taxing everything that comes into the country. Tariffs should be applied to protect American businesses, not punish the rest of the world.

The fallacy that a trade deficit should not exist with other countries is completely absurd, and it's been discussed ad nauseum. Your comment on not understanding the goal of the tariffs isn't surprising, because it's clear that Trump doesn't, either.
My comment has nothing to do with trade deficits. What made you think it does?
 
IMO the reason for the tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the States.
Ford for ex., can't sell cars in many countries because they tariff us and manipulate their currency to make it impossible to compete.
So Ford moves manufacturing facilities overseas so they can sell cars.
We have the lowest tariffs in the world for EVERY Country we trade with.
The citizens of the US benefit from chepa and in some cases, child labor, as mentioned above, Countries that have no manufacturing environmental restrictions etc.
AI can reduce the labor force and create higher paying jobs here. We have the technology to do so.
We also need to quit relying on Foreigners for our goods that we rely on for National Security. Such as medicines and computer chips.
Trump isn't going to get 0 for 0 tariffs but he will at least level the playing field somewhat.
What about the 20 or so countries that we have free trade/zero tariff agreements in place, and where Trump has now instituted 10% tariifs?
 
No, it is not "a worthy goal." What are we hoping to accomplish by spending the global economy? China isn't nearly as brutal as Trump's favorite dictator, Comrade Vlad.
Don't know what you mean by spending the global economy.

However, China has been waging economic war on the US since it joined WTO. Using slave labor, IP theft, and gov subsidies to undercut and drive under US business.

And per a link to the WSJ I posted recently, China admitted in a Nov. meeting with Biden cyber people that they had hacked into US critical infrastructure and IT networks. That was and is an act of war.

If you think China is somehow lacking in brutality, btw, read up on the ongoing Uyghur genocide - which apparently you are completely oblivious to despite calling me a "low-info" poster or whatever you said.
 
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Don't know what you mean by spending the global economy.

However, China has been waging economic war on the US since it joined WTO. Using slave labor, IP theft, and gov subsidies to undercut and drive under US business.

And per a link to the WSJ I posted recently, China admitted in a Nov. meeting with Biden cyber people that they had hacked into US critical infrastructure and IT networks. That was and is an act of war.

If you think China is somehow lacking in brutality, btw, read up on the ongoing Uyghur genocide - which apparently you are completely oblivious to despite calling me a "low-info" poster or whatever you said.
Was supposed to be "upending," but was autocorrected.

I guarantee the US is engaging in cyber espionage that we aren't privy to. I am familiar with the Uyghur situation. How destroying the global economy help end that? Oh, and killing off the humanitarian agencies of the federal government ...
 
Was supposed to be "upending," but was autocorrected.

I guarantee the US is engaging in cyber espionage that we aren't privy to. I am familiar with the Uyghur situation. How destroying the global economy help end that? Oh, and killing off the humanitarian agencies of the federal government ...
Of course, but the point was that China, for the first time I know, came right out and said it is at war with us - as if to say, what are you going to do about it?

I don't agree with you that the global economy is being destroyed. If we get new trade agreements with our major allies, it may radically change the world situation in a good way for the US by boxing out China. Remember how dependent we were on China during covid. That is a dangerous situation to be in with a country that has admitted it is at war with us. Don't you agree?
 
I don't why except in the case of Mexico.

Likely reasons would be those countries are not keeping their agreements and/or are imposing non-tariff barriers.
The point is that he is trying to justify tariffs based on trade deficits, not tariffs that are being levied against the US.
 
The point is that he is trying to justify tariffs based on trade deficits, not tariffs that are being levied against the US.
It is not just tariffs being levied against the US, but other trade barriers as well.

I don't pretend to understand international trade policy, but when countries have massive trade deficits with the US and at the same time have substantial tariffs and/or trade barriers against the US, something ain't fair - especially when that country is a police state working to undermine the US, and even admitting it as if there is nothing we can do about it.
 
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It is not just tariffs being levied against the US, but other trade barriers as well.

I don't pretend to understand international trade policy, but when countries have massive trade deficits with the US and at the same time have substantial tariffs and/or trade barriers against the US, something ain't fair - especially when that country is a police state working to undermine the US, and even admitting it as if there is nothing we can do about it.
You previously brought up Australian restrictions on American beef and lamb. In cases like that? Either tariffs or the prospects of tariffs seem completely warranted.

Tariffs clearly have a time and place where they can be effective. But across the board tariffs that aren’t carefully strategized or are overextended when not needed are really bad for the ultimate goal; free and fair trade.
 
Of course, but the point was that China, for the first time I know, came right out and said it is at war with us - as if to say, what are you going to do about it?

I don't agree with you that the global economy is being destroyed. If we get new trade agreements with our major allies, it may radically change the world situation in a good way for the US by boxing out China. Remember how dependent we were on China during covid. That is a dangerous situation to be in with a country that has admitted it is at war with us. Don't you agree?
So, US economy is humming along, record low unemployment, and this is the time to "radically change the world situation ... ?" That makes no sense whatsoever. That would be like Painter cutting Smith to give younger players more playing time.
 
So, US economy is humming along, record low unemployment, and this is the time to "radically change the world situation ... ?" That makes no sense whatsoever. That would be like Painter cutting Smith to give younger players more playing time.
You have to have bought in to the Trump-America is a dystopian hellscape to buy in to that.

America was most certainly not a dystopian hellscape the four years pre-Trump.
 
You have to have bought in to the Trump-America is a dystopian hellscape to buy in to that.

America was most certainly not a dystopian hellscape the four years pre-Trump.
This is exactly right. The propaganda that told us there were vast caravans of immigrants coming to take over the country, that China was going to attack, Iran was on the verge of firing nukes at us ... All complete garbage.
 
America was most certainly not a dystopian hellscape the four years pre-Trump.
Do you remember what our southern border looked like under Biden?

aj-migrants-comp.jpg
 
So, US economy is humming along, record low unemployment, and this is the time to "radically change the world situation ... ?" That makes no sense whatsoever. That would be like Painter cutting Smith to give younger players more playing time.
The time to radically change it was years ago but it takes political courage - the kind that Bush 43, Obama and Biden (or whomever was in charge) didn't have.

This makes sense to those who think the US is being ripped off by other countries - and who think the US is dangerously vulnerable to a police state that is our biggest enemy.
 
Do you remember what our southern border looked like under Biden?

aj-migrants-comp.jpg
.
How f-ing disingenuous can you possibly be?
I did a simple Google images search of your "evidence."

THOSE ARE PICTURES OF IMMIGRANTS ENTERING GUATEMALA FROM HONDURAS AFTER A HURRICANE. AND YOU STATED THAT'S "what our southern border looked like under Biden"

Those people were 1,125 miles from the nearest access point to the US Southern border.


Were they hoping to get from Guatemala to the US? I suppose that's entirely possible. Did they? Not so much and hell if you know.



.
 
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So, US economy is humming along, record low unemployment, and this is the time to "radically change the world situation ... ?" That makes no sense whatsoever. That would be like Painter cutting Smith to give younger players more playing time.
This brief editorial in the WSJ has helped me understand what Trump is doing with trade and China, which really does take political courage in my view:

 
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How f-ing disingenuous can you possibly be?
I did a simple Google images search of your "evidence."

THOSE ARE PICTURES OF IMMIGRANTS ENTERING GUATEMALA FROM HONDURAS AFTER A HURRICANE. AND YOU STATED THAT'S "what our southern border looked like under Biden"

Those people were 1,125 miles from the nearest access point to the US Southern border.


Were they hoping to get from Guatemala to the US? I suppose that's entirely possible. Did they? Not so much and hell if you know.



.
The title of that article is "Up to 8,000 US-bound migrants enter Guatemala from Honduras" but that's not where I got the image. I simply googled "illegal immigrant coming in under biden images" and , as you can see, it's one of dozens of photos that popped up. It didn't say it was in Guatemala. Nonetheless I'm sure you'll agree that the collection is indeed a dystopian hellscape.


231219165511-01-texas-migrants-1217.jpg
 
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The title of that article is "Up to 8,000 US-bound migrants enter Guatemala from Honduras" but that's not where I got the image. I simply googled "illegal immigrant coming in under biden images" and , as you can see, it's one of dozens of photos that popped up. It didn't say it was in Guatemala. Nonetheless I'm sure you'll agree that the collection is indeed a dystopian hellscape.


231219165511-01-texas-migrants-1217.jpg
So you were uncurious and incorrect in citing pictures that were over 1,000 miles away from the U.S. border.
 
You are ignoring the dystopian hellscape that Biden created with ten million illegal immigrants, preferring to focus upon the much more important issue of a mislabeled photo.
It has long been my take that while I am all for not allowing illegal immigration and i am very much for following the rule of law, the actual real world impact of illegal immigration is vastly overstated by the mainstream (Fox) media.

You have broadly discussed your small town in Indiana that is one of the best places you can imagine. To me that is you speaking from a position of real knowledge and I'm happy to hear that's how you are living.

For me? I have spent more than a little time in NYC, Chicago, Boston, and the southern US in the past few years. They are all fantastic places, though in different ways. They are certainly not deteriorating, though each area has it's own unique problems. So do small towns in Indiana where there is very little illegal immigration.

To summarize? Illegal immigration hasn't screwed things up.
 
For me? I have spent more than a little time in NYC, Chicago, Boston, and the southern US in the past few years. They are all fantastic places, though in different ways. They are certainly not deteriorating, though each area has it's own unique problems. So do small towns in Indiana where there is very little illegal immigration.

To summarize? Illegal immigration hasn't screwed things up.
Did you spend any time in the inner-cities of NYC, Chi and Boston?
 
Did you spend any time in the inner-cities of NYC, Chi and Boston?
Not completely sure what you mean by “inner cities”, but if you mean the worst neighborhoods?

Boston doesn’t have many remaining “worst“ neighborhoods. I guess there are parts of Mattapan and Roxbury that are still dicey, but you really have to go all the way up to Lowell to find places that are really really rough. Anyway, I’ve been in all neighborhoods of Boston and that place is doing better than ever, and it’s always done really well.

In New York City, I was in Manhattan and I’ve spent time in Brooklyn. Manhattan is about the same chaotic awesome mess that it’s always been, and Brooklyn has become gentrified far far beyond Williamsburg. It’s doing really well.

Chicago? I was in some west of the loop neighborhoods that used to be really bad and are now really good, but I’ve heard that some of the North of downtown neighborhoods aren’t as good as they used to be. Anyway, Chicago and New York City have some really tough neighborhoods, just like they always have.

Not really sure how immigration has made a difference, for better or for worse, in those cities.
 
Not really sure how immigration has made a difference, for better or for worse, in those cities.
• Using the National Academies’ estimate of immigrants’ net fiscal impact by educationlevel, we estimate that the lifetime fiscal drain (taxes paid minus costs) for each illegal immigrant is about $68,000, although this estimate comes with some caveats

.• Illegal immigrants make extensive use of welfare. Based on government data, weestimate that 59 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use one or moremajor welfare programs, compared to 39 percent of households headed by the U.S.-born.

• Based on their use rate of major welfare programs, we estimate that illegal immigrantsreceive $42 billion in benefits, or about 4 percent of the total cost of the cash, Medicaid,food and housing programs examined in our study. However, this is only a rough approximation due to limitations in the data.

• Illegal immigrants can receive welfare on behalf of U.S.-born children. Also, illegal immigrant children can receive school lunch/breakfast and WIC directly. A number ofstates provide Medicaid to some illegal immigrants, and a few provide SNAP. Several million illegal immigrants also have work authorization (e.g. DACA, TPS and someasylum applicants), allowing receipt of the EITC.

• The high welfare use of illegal immigrant households is not explained by an unwillingness to work. In fact, 94 percent of illegal immigrant households have at leastone worker, compared to only 73 percent of U.S.-born households. But the nation’swelfare system is design to help low-wage workers with children, which describes a very large share of illegal immigrant households.

• In addition to consuming welfare, illegal immigration makes significant use of public education. Based on average costs per student, the estimated 4 million children of illegal immigrants in public schools created $68.1 billion in costs in 2019. The vast majority of these children are U.S.-born.

 
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Not completely sure what you mean by “inner cities”, but if you mean the worst neighborhoods?

Boston doesn’t have many remaining “worst“ neighborhoods. I guess there are parts of Mattapan and Roxbury that are still dicey, but you really have to go all the way up to Lowell to find places that are really really rough. Anyway, I’ve been in all neighborhoods of Boston and that place is doing better than ever, and it’s always done really well.

In New York City, I was in Manhattan and I’ve spent time in Brooklyn. Manhattan is about the same chaotic awesome mess that it’s always been, and Brooklyn has become gentrified far far beyond Williamsburg. It’s doing really well.

Chicago? I was in some west of the loop neighborhoods that used to be really bad and are now really good, but I’ve heard that some of the North of downtown neighborhoods aren’t as good as they used to be. Anyway, Chicago and New York City have some really tough neighborhoods, just like they always have.

Not really sure how immigration has made a difference, for better or for worse, in those cities.
I mean the areas of the cities where the illegal immigrants are housed.

Btw, while you were in the cities did you notice any of the 300,000 missing immigrant children? You didn't intend your statement above, 'Illegal immigration hasn't screwed things up,' to apply to them, did you ? Rather, your meaning was it hasn't screwed things up for you, so screw everybody else - not your problem.
 
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I mean the areas of the cities where the illegal immigrants are housed.

Btw, while you were in the cities did you notice any of the 300,000 missing immigrant children? You didn't intend your statement above, 'Illegal immigration hasn't screwed things up,' to apply to them, did you ? Rather, your meaning was it hasn't screwed things up for you, so screw everybody else - not your problem.
There are not "illegal immigrant housing" areas. Are there particular buildings possibly? Sure. And yes, if there are as many as you say, it is certain that both them and I were in those areas.

Working at places like restaurants washing dishes in NYC, or in Palm Beach, Florida cutting the lawn at Mar A Lago.
  1. You are right - hasn't screwed anything up for me.
  2. Have they screwed anything up for you?
  3. Have they screwed things up "for everybody else?" Please explain how.
As for your "300,000 missing immigrant children?" Good news!
  1. It's not a real number; Tom Homan pulled this number straight out his ass at the very start of the Trump administration.
  2. More good news - during the campaign JD Vance said it was 320,000. That means in the last few months of the Biden Administration it went down about 7%!
  3. More good news and most importantly; it's an invented number.

"According to immigration experts and attorneys, the claims largely stem from an August report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office, which found that 32,000 unaccompanied minors failed to show up for court dates at immigration courts from 2019-23.

The report noted that 291,000 migrant children received no court notices at all. It also called on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) to "take immediate action to ensure the safety" of unaccompanied migrant children in the US.

But Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, a migrant advocacy group, told the BBC the figures are indicative of a bureaucratic "paperwork issue" rather than "anything nefarious". "When you hear the phrase 'missing', you think that there is a child that someone is trying to find and can't," he said. "That's not the case here. The government has not made any effort to find these children." Many of the children, experts say, may well be at the addresses that are on file with the government, but were simply unable to make their court dates. "That doesn't mean something bad happened to them," Mr Reichlin-Melnick said. "It means you missed a court hearing."

_______________________
Under Trump with his own standards they are still missing, and will continue to be missing. And yet you and the country will be fine.
 
There are not "illegal immigrant housing" areas. Are there particular buildings possibly? Sure. And yes, if there are as many as you say, it is certain that both them and I were in those areas.

Working at places like restaurants washing dishes in NYC, or in Palm Beach, Florida cutting the lawn at Mar A Lago.
  1. You are right - hasn't screwed anything up for me.
  2. Have they screwed anything up for you?
  3. Have they screwed things up "for everybody else?" Please explain how.
As for your "300,000 missing immigrant children?" Good news!
  1. It's not a real number; Tom Homan pulled this number straight out his ass at the very start of the Trump administration.
  2. More good news - during the campaign JD Vance said it was 320,000. That means in the last few months of the Biden Administration it went down about 7%!
  3. More good news and most importantly; it's an invented number.

"According to immigration experts and attorneys, the claims largely stem from an August report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office, which found that 32,000 unaccompanied minors failed to show up for court dates at immigration courts from 2019-23.

The report noted that 291,000 migrant children received no court notices at all. It also called on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) to "take immediate action to ensure the safety" of unaccompanied migrant children in the US.

But Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, a migrant advocacy group, told the BBC the figures are indicative of a bureaucratic "paperwork issue" rather than "anything nefarious". "When you hear the phrase 'missing', you think that there is a child that someone is trying to find and can't," he said. "That's not the case here. The government has not made any effort to find these children." Many of the children, experts say, may well be at the addresses that are on file with the government, but were simply unable to make their court dates. "That doesn't mean something bad happened to them," Mr Reichlin-Melnick said. "It means you missed a court hearing."

_______________________
Under Trump with his own standards they are still missing, and will continue to be missing. And yet you and the country will be fine.
So they are not missing after all? That's great news. Where are they?
 
Was supposed to be "upending," but was autocorrected.

I guarantee the US is engaging in cyber espionage that we aren't privy to. I am familiar with the Uyghur situation. How destroying the global economy help end that? Oh, and killing off the humanitarian agencies of the federal government ...
Because the humanitarian aid was a complete waste of money.
 
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