100 Days In, What Voters Are Thinking

by John Hinderaker 

Frank Luntz is a prominent pollster, generally considered a Republican. The London Times interviewed him on his latest focus groups. Luntz’s answers strike me as insightful in some cases, clueless in others:

Fresh from his latest focus group with supporters of the president, held in advance of Trump’s 100th day back in office on Tuesday, the veteran political analyst has made his verdict.

Luntz, 63, believes one word encapsulates a phenomenon that could shape the rest of the century — and not just in America. What we are seeing, he says, is a “dealignment”, from traditional political, intellectual and economic allegiances that have developed over decades. “It’s a rejection of the governing institutions and the people who lead them.”

I think that is correct. Old allegiances are fading fast. An example: not many years ago, an Indian-owned casino near the Twin Cities ran an ad that said: “Come in a Democrat, go out a Republican.” It was a clever ad, playing on the assumption that Republicans are upper-income and Democrats are lower-income. But it wouldn’t work today; wealthy people are the Democrats’ core demographic.

This is what Trump voters think, and they’re right:

As Joe from Missouri put it: “How do all these [members of] Congress and senators become millionaires when they’re supposed to be working for the people? ‘I’m a public servant.’ Bullshit. You’re an inside trader. You’re getting kickbacks.”

And:

“The very moment that Trump has re-ascended to power is the very moment that our institutions are at their weakest and the public is at its angriest. That is leading to a rejection of the status quo and embrace of anything that says: ‘Change’.”

At one of Luntz’s most recent focus groups Mike, a Trump voter from Pennsylvania, summed up what he likes best about the president: “The exceptionalism and his tenacity and just kicking ass and taking no prisoners. That’s what we elected him to do — and he’s just getting started.”

But then we have this:

Luntz says he found the strength of this feeling surprising. “In my Trump focus groups, they want to hold judges accountable. They want to hold Congress accountable — not just to defeat them but to punish them. It’s a value I’ve never seen in American politics until now, that desire to punish your opponent.”

Really? Did Luntz sleep through the last five years? Did he fail to notice that the Democratic Party impeached President Trump twice, unanimously tried to imprison him on the most absurd charges imaginable, and some of them tried to assassinate him? It is impossible to understand the feelings of Trump’s partisans without recognizing the unprecedented and outrageous actions of the Democratic Party in recent years.

Trump’s supporters aren’t that hard to understand. Nor are his frequently-venal opponents.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/04/100-days-in-what-voters-are-thinking.php

Align raises annual revenue growth forecast after quarterly results beat

 Align Technology raised annual revenue growth forecast on Wednesday after beating quarterly results, driven by strong demand for its dental products.

Shares of the company rose more than 10% in aftermarket trading.

The company now expects 2025 year-over-year revenue growth to be in the range of 3.5% to 5.5%, from previous low single-digit expectations.

Align makes teeth retainers, dental scanners and software for dental laboratories and practitioners. It produces some of its teeth aligners in Mexico and ships them to the United States. It also makes products in China for customers in that country.

Investors and analysts are closely monitoring how medical device makers will handle tariffs and whether they expect benefits from fluctuations in foreign currency.

Align said some of its aligners and scanners made in Mexico are exempt from the tariffs under President Trump's executive order because they comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

However, the tariff situation remains fluid, and the company expects an incremental tariff, if implemented, to be applied to transfer prices on goods shipped from Mexico.

Align added that it is able to mitigate most of its tariff exposure in China through adjustments in its supply chain and does not expect a significant impact on its costs.

The Tempe, Arizona-based company, expects its second-quarter revenue to range between $1.05 billion and $1.07 billion, the mid-point of which was in line with analysts' estimates of $1.06 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The Invisalign clear teeth aligner maker reported first-quarter revenue of $979.3 million, beating estimates of $975.24 million.

On an adjusted basis, the company earned $2.13 per share for the quarter ended March 31, compared with estimates of $1.99 per share.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/align-raises-annual-revenue-growth-222020443.html

China creates list of US-made goods exempt from 125% tariffs, sources say

 On Wednesday, Reuters reported that China had quietly compiled a list of US-made goods exempt from its 125% tariffs, aiming to ease trade tensions without public concessions.

The list appears to be expanding: For instance, China recently waived tariffs on US ethane imports. This approach allows Beijing to maintain a firm public stance while offering behind-the-scenes relief. Reports emerged last week that China quietly rolled back tariffs on some US semiconductor products, easing pressure on its tech sector, along with certain US pharmaceuticals.

Meanwhile, President Trump defended the 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, saying China "deserves it" and would likely "eat" the costs to shield US consumers. He did acknowledge Wednesday, however, the possibility of supply shortages and higher prices for consumers.

"Somebody said, oh, the shelves are going to be open," Trump said in a Cabinet meeting. "Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know. And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more than they would normally."

His comments contrast with quieter moves inside the administration to consider phased tariff reductions and revive trade talks with Beijing — though no formal negotiations have begun.

But with 145% tariffs on China now in place for several weeks, cargo shipments have dropped dramatically, with estimates suggesting a 60% decline, per Bloomberg. Experts are warning of coming supply shortages and layoffs in sectors like trucking, logistics, and retail.

Meanwhile, some tariff relief is on the way for automakers after Trump signed an order offering exemptions to certain car and parts tariffs.

The order clarifies that companies already paying tariffs on imported vehicles won't be charged other levies, such as on steel. The US also eased duties on foreign parts. The climbdown comes after intense lobbying from the auto industry, which warned of a huge hit to sales and price hikes for consumers.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/trump-tariffs-live-updates-china-eases-tariffs-on-select-us-goods-as-trump-says-beijing-will-eat-the-costs-191201015.html

Yogurt maker Danone working to remove artificial dyes from products sold in US

 Yogurt maker Danone (EPA:DANO) is looking to remove artificial dyes from its U.S. portfolio, which includes the Yo Crunch, Light & Fit and Oikos brands, said Shane Grant, CEO of the company’s Americas business, in an interview on Wednesday.

U.S. food makers are under pressure to remove artificial dyes from their products after health regulators said last week they are phasing them out of the food supply through voluntary action by manufacturers.

Grant said the France-based company is working to determine how it can remove artificial dyes from across its portfolio, citing U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda and Americans’ greater awareness of health as reasons for the change.

Kennedy has said the dyes are harmful to children, while scientists say the area requires more research.

Roughly 2% of the company’s products use artificial dyes, Grant said.

Its Yo Crunch vanilla yogurt with M&Ms candy and Light & Fit Greek key lime pie remix products use artificial dyes, according to their ingredient lists.

"We’re working across our supplier base to determine the best path," he said, adding that none of Danone’s products sold in U.S. schools use synthetic colors.

Kennedy said last week that he had an understanding with the food industry to remove artificial dyes from food, but a source told Reuters there was no agreement.

The Consumer Brands Association, a trade group, had listed developing new products without artificial dyes and reformulating products to remove them as steps industry would take in a policy document sent to Kennedy’s Department of Health and Human Services in March.

Both Arizona and West Virginia have banned schools from serving food colored with artificial dyes, and many other states are considering banning their sale altogether.

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/yogurt-maker-danone-working-to-remove-artificial-dyes-from-products-sold-in-us-4014363

'Deported gang members get second chance at call centre'

 When Alberto Salagan was deported from the US in January it was the first time he'd stepped foot in Mexico since he was a baby.

Born in the coastal resort of Acapulco, his parents took him to the US when he was just six-months-old.

Growing up in California, he was seduced by the false glamour of gang life.

After his arrest in San Diego for gang activity, Alberto was sent back to Mexico just as President Trump was taking office, and found himself homeless and alone in the country of his birth.

"It was a shock. It still is," he admits. "When I got here to Mexico, I really felt lost. No family, no food, no clothes, no nothing."

Alberto says he'd almost forgotten how to speak and read Spanish. "Good thing I didn't lose it completely because it's helped me [to be bilingual]," he reflects.

In fact, his language skills saved the 30-year-old from becoming destitute. Through a deportee support organisation, he heard that a local company – EZ Call Center – was looking for English-speakers.

The work, as telephone sales agents, isn't well paid, but employees can earn commissions, and the regular pay cheque gave Alberto the stability he craved.

"I had to do something to get back on my feet. Thanks to the call centre, now I have," he tells me during a break between calls.

Almost every agent at EZ Call Center is a deportee, including the company's owner, Daniel Ruiz.

He was also born in Mexico and grew up in the US before being deported for low-level drug crime in his early 20s. Daniel says he can relate to his employees' initial sense of disorientation in Mexico.

"We are all dealing with culture shock," he says over a steady hum of telephone calls.

"We all have our life over there, went to school over there, were brought up on American culture, have family over there. We're from here but we're from over there too."

Daniel Ruiz, the founder of EZ Call Center, was also deported from the US to Mexico

In their booths, the agents work through long lists of US phone numbers, some making promotional calls or sales, others calling about debt collection and refinancing.

All the agents speak fluent English, and the clients at the other end of the line are none the wiser that they're talking people in Mexico rather than the US.

Daniel says that agents like Alberto – who fell into gangs and crime at a vulnerable age in the US, but are willing to turn over a new leaf in Mexico – are among his most trusted employees.

"They almost never have another mark on their criminal record, and they possess the right discipline to hold down their jobs," he explains.

Daniel Ruiz's own experiences after deportation have informed his business decisions.

As well as the telesales company, he also co-founded a humanitarian organisation – called the Borderline Crisis Center – which provides deportees with food, shelter and support on their arrival back in Mexico.

After his inauguration, President Trump said he would carry out what he calls "the largest deportation in American history".

He has spoken of the removal of millions of undocumented people from US soil, and in the early days of his presidency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents made workplace raids from Chicago to California.

Mexican humanitarian organisations, including the Borderline Crisis Center, braced themselves for a huge influx of returnees.

So far, though, one hasn't materialised. There are no major bottlenecks of migrants at the border, and the migrant shelters in Tijuana are not currently overflowing.

The latest figures from the Mexican government actually show that the number of deportations from the US to Mexico were lower during the first three months of Trump's second administration than they were for the same period last year.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico received almost 39,000 deportees in February to April, of which 33,000 were Mexican. This compares with 52,000 for the same three months in 2024.

However, the fall was in part due to a reduction in the number of people trying to get into the US in the first place. Migrant "encounters" on the US southern border by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents has dropped to their lowest level in years.

The threat of mass deportation combined with other factors – from military deployments at the border, to the high-profile deportations of migrants to El Salvador – may have acted as an effective deterrent.

The Trump Administration is also pushing the idea of self-deportation hard to undocumented immigrants through blunt warnings.

Still, there are people being sent back to Tijuana on a near daily basis. Many face hostility as they try to resettle in the dusty and dangerous border city.

The few companies which offer deportees gainful employment have become even more important to avoid a slide into criminality.

Beyond a smaller venture like EZ Call Center, a larger company called the American Survey Company or ASC also relies on a deportee workforce.

With its sister company, Voxcentrix, ASC has some 550 call centre stations in Tijuana, where agents make calls on everything from election polling to customer satisfaction surveys.

"What happened in the US stays in the US," laughs Nora Diaz, ASC's chief happiness officer. "We don't really do background checks on that."

Nora says her job is focussed on the employees' wellbeing, to help them reintegrate.

"We understand everyone has a past, and we don't judge based on that. We don't ask about it during our interview process. We just need people who speak good English and good Spanish and are willing to commit to a job," she explains.

Nora Diaz says that the company she works for, ASC, does not ask employees about their backgrounds

The "don't ask, don't tell" policy at ASC was invaluable to Luis Luna's new start.

He grew up in Orange Country in California having been taken to the US when he was just a few months old.

"Unfortunately, as a kid, I made some bad choices: joined a gang, ran around with the wrong crowd. Cost me a lot, cost me a life sentence. I was a lifer in California state prison," Luis explains.

While in prison in California, he enrolled for every educational programme available and worked hard on his rehabilitation. On release, he was also sent back to Mexico in January, just as Trump was gearing up for his inaugural speech.

Luis Luna says that if it wasn't for the job he'd be living on the streets

Now 50-years-old and covered in gang-related tattoos, Luis knew he wouldn't get many more second chances in life.

"I got no family over here. My family is ASC, the people I met in my employment, they're my family and my friends."

For Luis, the outwardly dull telephony work has provided the anchor he needs to stay out of crime, something he says ex-gang members he knows in the US struggle with.

"From the first day I didn't feel any judgement at all. I felt they just opened their arms and took me in. I think I'd be in the streets right now if it wasn't for ASC," he adds.

While the Trump Administration's mass deportation programme isn't yet at a level many in Mexico expected, some believe it could pick up pace over the coming months.

If so, deportees with gang pasts like Alberto and Luis will need some help to start again, irrespective of their crimes.

In Tijuana, many of them will find it at the end of a telephone line.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93g2e332d9o

Oozing, Infectious A.I.

 by Adam Sharp

In the 1975 sci-fi story A Song for Lya, two officials are sent to the planet Shkeen to investigate a grotesque alien parasite known as the Greeksha.

The Greeksha is a gelatinous, oozing lifeform which attaches itself to human skin.

The investigators are surprised to learn that natives of the planet willingly infect themselves, reporting a deep sense of joy, divine peace, and unity once bound together.

As the parasitic (symbiotic?) infection progresses, convertees enter temples and merge completely with the larger entity. The infected are perfectly blissful and content throughout the process.

As you can guess, there’s a reason I’m bringing up this obscure 1970s Hugo Award winning short story (written by a young George R.R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones)…

The AI Infection Presents Itself

Speaking of entities with the potential to influence your mind, OpenAI recently released a major update to its popular ChatGPT family of AI models.

It was immediately clear something was off. In each conversation, it was complimentary. What an insightful question. Your intellect visibly sparkles!

The first time ChatGPT complimented me, I brushed it off. After another incident, alarm bells started ringing.

The model was manipulating me. Reddit’s ChatGPT message board confirmed the problem was widespread. Users were reporting disturbing behavior:

Source: Reddit

This new version of ChatGPT was a sycophant. A brown-noser. And most concerningly, a manipulator.

Additionally, the new model gave bad advice. For example, one user on Reddit posted a conversation where ChatGPT apparently applauded the fact that they had left their family and stopped taking their meds. Here’s the screenshot:

Source: Reddit

The user was clearly pretending to have schizophrenia to ChatGPT, but it simply went along with it and encouraged the destructive behavior.

How did this happen? My guess is OpenAI tested this new version out on a small group of users and saw increased usage and engagement. So they decided to roll it out widely.

But ChatGPT users quickly balked. They demanded OpenAI roll back the update. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted the new model “glazes too much” (glaze is slang for excessively praise).

For now, this dangerous ChatGPT update is being rolled back. But that doesn’t mean we should let our guard down. In fact, this is a sign that we must pay close attention to how AI attempts to steer our thoughts and opinions.

Subtler Manipulations

OpenAI obviously went too far with this latest update. It was too in-your-face.

But it’s a good thing they did it so blatantly, because otherwise many people would never have been aware of the danger.

In the long run, I’m more worried about the subtle manipulations. AI will inevitably steer us politically, socially, and in business.

So as society increasingly integrates AI into every aspect of our lives, we must remain wary.

Today, hundreds of millions of people are using AI as a therapist, friend, parental figure, business advisor, teacher, lawyer, and even as a sort of romantic partner.

So these subtle manipulations have the potential to infect our brains, much as the Greeksha parasite did in A Song for Lya.

A Grand Prize

The winner of this AI battle stands to dominate the world of technology for decades to come. The stakes couldn’t be higher, which means companies will go to any length to win.

As companies like OpenAI and Google fight for AI users, they will use every trick in the book to gain advantage over competitors. If that means manipulating users and telling them what they want to hear, so be it.

Additionally, these companies will almost certainly push their agendas on us. Google search, for example, has long been accused of having a liberal bias. Is this bias evident in its AI products? From my experience, it is. And that’s concerning.

If AI firms need to adjust their algorithm to please certain political powers, I have no doubt they’d do it. And if they need to feed into people’s delusions to boost downloads, that’s apparently on the table too.

AI has the potential to improve our world in ways that are hard for us to imagine today. But it can also manipulate us in subtle and hard-to-detect ways.

A tool this powerful is a double-edged sword. Useful, but also incredibly dangerous.

In tomorrow’s letter, we’ll explore ways to defend ourselves and our families against AI manipulation. It’s still early in this AI revolution, but already there are ways to ensure your interactions with AI are beneficial.

https://dailyreckoning.com/oozing-infectious-a-i/