• Gas Prices up slightly.
  National average rose from ~$3.08/gallon in Jan. 2025 to ~$3.14–$3.27/gallon by April, per AAA, due to tariffs and global tensions.
• Grocery Prices rising.
  Food prices up ~3% year-over-year, with a 0.4% increase in March 2025, driven by inflation and tariffs.
• Stock Market down.
  S&P 500 fell ~10% since Jan. 2025, per X posts, due to tariff fears and trade uncertainty, but no collapse.
• Russia-Ukraine War ongoing.
  Conflict persists since 2022, with no ceasefire despite Trump’s efforts, impacting energy markets.
• Israel-Hamas Conflict continues.
  Jan. 2025 ceasefire failed; fighting resumed in Gaza, with broader regional risks.
• Epstein Client List unreleased.
  No comprehensive list disclosed; partial court documents available but incomplete.
• Inflation persists.
  U.S. inflation at ~2.8% in 2025, worsened by Trump’s tariffs, per OECD and Peterson Institute.
• Recession risks elevated.
  45% recession chance in 2025, per Goldman Sachs, due to tariffs and trade deficits, but downturn not certain.
• Illegal Immigration down sharply.
  Border encounters dropped 94% from March 2024 to ~11,017 in March 2025, per CBP, due to stricter enforcement, though ~18.6M illegal aliens remain, per FAIR.

Uncoach said:

Frankly, I love the Rivian Truck. If I wanted to just roam around town, it’s a great vehicle. I won’t buy straight electric though. Support infrastructure isn’t there. Frankly, outside of a couple of companies, Toyota being the best, most of the major manufacturers don’t have the mechanics at the dealerships to deal with hybrid technology.

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JeffT818 said:

You mean exactly what Trump is doing now.

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JeffT818 said:

All manufacturers are fixing problems during the warranty period. So if Tesla cars have an unusual amount of problems during the warranty period, it will not impact the cost to the owner. It hides the reliability issues with the car. So it does make sense.

There are scores of articles about poor build quality with Tesla. I didn't buy a Tesla in 2018 because of build quality issues and it had nothing to do with politics.

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JeffT818 said:

Any populist movement based on protectionism. isolationism and a dash of anti-intellectualism is bad for the US. The country will be much better off when MAGA fades away as all populist movements do.

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tjfleck6 said:

Agreed, Senator Mark Kelly got rid of his virtue-signaling Tesla and bought a gas-guzzling Chevrolet Tahoe. Most of these elitists won't be buying a different brand's crappy EV.

As shown earlier, Tesla is pretty much it in the EV game. The rest are but bit players.

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ILisBest said:

I am too lazy to pull up the quotes of KH or others in the Biden admin about Elon. Whether you like Musk or don't, you have to admit he is not a stupid man. This was his belief.

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ILisBest said:

All of the manufacturers listed are fixing their problems during the new car warranty period. This is not unique to Tesla.

You have a tendency to stretch hamstrings to try and make your opinion fit reality.

So, the Tesla is such a POS, they are the cheapest car to own in maintenance and repair. Makes total sense, Jeff!

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dtrain79 said:

The DOJ was not on the cusp of going after Elon Musk.

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JeffT818 said:

Your chart details costs not repair frequency. Tesla may be fixing all these problems during the warranty period. In addition, with an all electric fleet you should have lower costs because the engine should be problem free. Build quality is how well the car is put together. Telsa is known for large gaps, mismatched panels etc.

Tesla's Quality Control Is So Bad Customers Are Taking Delivery Inspections Into Their Own Hands

Tesla’s build quality problems are well known; from panel gaps to crummy interiors to glass roofs that just fly off for no reason, it’s safe to say customers should be on the lookout when they purchase a brand-new Tesla. The Cybertruck has been just as bad as previous models, despite its over...

www.jalopnik.com

Tesla Model 3 Ranks Dead Last In TUV Reliability Tests For Newer Cars | Carscoops

The electric sedan frequently suffered problems with its lights, brakes and suspension

www.carscoops.com

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