Both in election polling and approval.

WTF is going on?

Just a reversion to the mean, or is Trump "strongman" impression actually working?

Ugh. Maybe a useless worry post... I'm just stunned at the percentage of people who support this monster...

So mad we allowed this man to forced out. He’s terrific.

My hardcore Republican neighbor:

"I can't support Trump anymore. I told myself his weaknesses had to be accepted to avoid economic disaster, and that he would prove himself an effective leader. I was wrong. I regret it. His virus response, and his authoritarianism are too much. I've never voted for a Democrat for President before. But I will vote for Biden. Someone has to stop this."

When I mentioned (with some sympathy) that there was plenty of evidence he is an incompetent racist, he just said, "I've learned quite a bit in the last few years."

My company is recalling me and daily work resumed yesterday. My savings are depleted and credit cards are maxed, but I did not have to touch my retirement or my daughters' college fund.

This will put the kibosh on discretionary spending for a good while, though....

Thanks to those who offered support as I was panicking.

She'll be 18 next week. The protest in question is well-organized and will be peaceful. I still can't help bu be worried. Honestly, I'd do it with her if my back was up to it. But I can;t and she wants to go with a friend.

I'm going to let her, but it's a comment on where we are that I am really worried about it...

Live stream of Protest:

https://www.facebook.com/thestarpress/

I've been in company overhead for a bit now. I've been liquidating some assets in order to have some cash on hand, but of course, that means locking in losses. C'est la vie. The company is not laying me off, just a furlough. They will still pay my health and life insurance, and will even over my part of the premium, so that's great but no income. I'm not sure how unemployment works for furloughed folks. I've been fortunate to never be unwillingly unemployed in my life. I'm not eligible for the for the "relief" checks because of my usual income. I think I have enough cash on hand to make it for 2 months, if I really tighten the screws. I'm going to call my bank about the mortgage (just paid April yesterday, before the furlough today) and the car loan. After I burn through the emergency fund, the next stop is credit cards. Ugh. Hoping to avoid cracking the 401K and locking in big losses. My daughter's college fund is okay, since I moved the fund out of stocks last year.

Weird feeling. My wife still has her job. She's a professor on a 10-month pay schedule, so she gets paychecks through May. She doesn't make enough to cover the bills, but with the cash reserves, we're fine until June. I do have credit cards that should pull us through the summer if absolutely necessary. Her pay begins at the end of August again, and HOPEFULLY I am back to work by then. We'll see.

This is gonna hurt a bit.

do not forget gig workers.

All the folks who are technically "independent contractors" are not saved by money being sent directly to companies to maintain payrolls. It also doesn't consider folks who worked 2nd and third jobs picking up a shift here or there. Most of the models I have seen only "guarantee" jobs and pay for employees working a regular number of hours (often 20-30 minimum). The guy making ends meet by working 10-15 hours is left out in the cold.

Do we need to make sure businesses don't go belly-up? Sure. But that's only a part of the picture.

My company has informed me that a contract I am currently working under has had payments suspended, because the customer has had to suspend operations.

My company will carry me on overhead for a while, but then...

I have some savings, but maybe not enough.

Oh boy.

Corona Virus is God's punishment for Trump! (I'm an atheist.... I don't believe in supernatural beings).

So we can agree, I think that this crash is not good news for the Orange Asshole.

But at what point does support for him among the investor class collapse? I mean, they are taking it in the shorts right now (and so is my 401K), but so far, they've supported him. If the Dow drops through the psychological 20,000 barrier, do they finally abandon him and embrace the steady, competent leadership offered by the Democrats (we're hear to clean up the GOP's mess.... AGAIN).