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US Elections Trump may not be as bad as he appears

Northener said:
Dear @Duarte,
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Vallicanus said:
Let's hope Le Pen doesn't get into power
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“There are evils that come for good”. My mother used to say this often, but I always disagreed. For me, evil only attracts more misfortune in a snowball effect.
But I believe that the best translation of this dictation from the Portuguese to the English would be: A blessing in disguise. Perhaps the Trump administration's ill will towards Europe represents a new window of opportunity for the continent, especially for the European Union, opportunities that can be led by its most economically and militarily powerful members, namely France and Germany. The German parliament has already taken a first step. Macron is already talking about gradually replacing American troops and the US nuclear umbrella in Europe - Be blessed Charles De Gaulle that was extremely criticized by his Western allies when it decided to keep the French nuclear arsenal outside NATO domains and under strict French control. A blessing in disguise. Maybe. Given the speed of the Trump administration's actions in the political, economic, military, environmental spheres, etc. and their obvious repercussions on Europe and the rest of the world, if Europeans keep dreaming about the return of Pax Americana in 4 years after the end of the Trump administration, this dream could turn into a nightmare and Europe will have lost its timing. Trump will not be able to run again (although he claims he can - I don't know on what grounds) but his vice president and other hard-line Republican politicians can run and win. As for these far-right European politicians possibly winning elections, I respond with other common sayings here: “Anything is possible”. “Nothing is so bad that it can't get worse”. “That's it for now! ” (said with irony after had occurred a great disgrace). This saying here still has a hint of hope: “There is no good that lasts forever or evil that never ends”.
 
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Duarte said:
Trump will not be able to run again (although he claims he can - I don't know on what grounds)
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I'm not so sure about that. His epigone Putin did it before him! If the American democratic system is further eroded, if it is governed by decree, and the checks and balances are leveled out and the rule of law disappears like snow in the sun, this is not out of the question either. This is, to me, the litmus test for the American democratic system....But then again, maybe I'm one of those guys with just a heavy heart....
 
Duarte said:
Trump will not be able to run again (although he claims he can - I don't know on what grounds)
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I'm not so sure about that. His epigone Putin did it before him! If the American democratic system is further eroded, if it is governed by decree, and the checks and balances are leveled out and the rule of law disappears like snow in the sun, this is not out of the question either. This is, to me, the litmus test for the American democratic system....But then again, maybe I'm one of those guys with just a heavy heart....
Vallicanus said:
No pasaran!
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There is something rotten in the (united) state (s) of ....(after Hamlet).
 
Northener said:
I'm not so sure about that. His epigone Putin did it before him! If the American democratic system is further eroded, if it is governed by decree, and the checks and balances are leveled out and the rule of law disappears like snow in the sun, this is not out of the question either. This is, to me, the litmus test for the American democratic system....But then again, maybe I'm one of those guys with just a heavy heart....

There is something rotten in the (united) state (s) of ....(after Hamlet).
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There are many reasons for your heart to be heavy and you dismayed with the current state of American politics, after all The scenario for the Democratic opposition is bleak. In the minority in the US Congress, divided and still recovering from their defeat in the elections, the Democrats are looking for the best way to counterattack Donald Trump. While, since his return to the White House, the president has saturated the press with decrees and explosive statements, the opposition is struggling to be heard.

The Democrats tactic is to stay in the background, waiting for negative repercussions from the White House's measures, advocating a "strategic political withdrawal" until the Trump administration collapses under its own weight.

Faced with the lack of a leader to lead the reaction, and counting on the fact that Trump's policies will quickly make him unpopular, a veteran of Bill Clinton's campaigns recommends "lying down and playing dead". Since Trump taking office, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden himself have opted for discretion, avoiding directly criticizing the current administration. "I call them Pontius and Pilate," Center of Politics director Larry Sabato joked to The Guardian, referring to the Roman governor who allowed Jesus to be crucified. The tactic of the oposition of wash the hands, like did Pilatus, and of lying down and playing dead waiting the Trump administration collapses under its own weight is dangerous and demonstrates absolute incapacity of reaction of Democratic opposition at this moment, in the face of the tsunami of decrees, decisions, determinations, suspensions, dismissals, cuts, interventions, arrests, taxation, revocations, cuts, etc., etc. every day, which is very bad to the future of the American democracy. And April, 2, the Liberation Day (of tariffs) is coming. It will more one wave o Trump’s tsunami shocking the world?
 
Give this a read. It almost never gets mentioned here in the United States by the media, but it should. Early 1860s saw nearly 700,000 fatalities in our Civil War. All of Trump’s progenitors were living in either Germany or Scotland at that time. Not a single member of Trump’s family has ever served in the military here in the United States.

River of Blood - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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Polska said:
Give this a read. It almost never gets mentioned here in the United States by the media, but it should. Early 1860s saw nearly 700,000 fatalities in our Civil War. All of Trump’s progenitors were living in either Germany or Scotland at that time. Not a single member of Trump’s family has ever served in the military here in the United States.

River of Blood - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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Let that fact sink in about the self-obsessed King of America.
 
I was cautiously optimistic about Trump but it's turned into (almost) an unmitigated disaster. He did seal the border like he promised, which I have wanted for years, but now is going way overboard, scaring away talent. DOGE isn't a bad idea per se (they were some wacky things in USAID weren't there!) but now it's becoming something of a machete because muh woke deep state.

On the international front, wow. Neo colonialism what with Greenland, Panama, and Canada. Dumbest trade war. Unlimited friendship for Israel and Russia but stick it to our allies who have accepted vassal-dom all these years. I think he started with a good idea - right size the American empire and focus on the homeland for future prosperity, but it's so scorched earth it's backfiring badly, creating enemies foreign and domestic as if we didn't have enough already.

What a cluster. It feels like he's just implementing second hand advice from Zero Hedge comment thread or something. Not that I have the answers. I hope I'm 100% wrong and it's all chess moves.
 
Cicerone said:
I was cautiously optimistic about Trump but it's turned into (almost) an unmitigated disaster. He did seal the border like he promised, which I have wanted for years, but now is going way overboard, scaring away talent. DOGE isn't a bad idea per se (they were some wacky things in USAID weren't there!) but now it's becoming something of a machete because muh woke deep state.

On the international front, wow. Neo colonialism what with Greenland, Panama, and Canada. Dumbest trade war. Unlimited friendship for Israel and Russia but stick it to our allies who have accepted vassal-dom all these years. I think he started with a good idea - right size the American empire and focus on the homeland for future prosperity, but it's so scorched earth it's backfiring badly, creating enemies foreign and domestic as if we didn't have enough already.

What a cluster. It feels like he's just implementing second hand advice from Zero Hedge comment thread or something. Not that I have the answers. I hope I'm 100% wrong and it's all chess moves.
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Chess moves? no. Cluster, yes.
 
Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race, defying Elon Musk
Liberals will maintain their narrow majority on the court after Crawford’s victory in the first battleground state election of Trump’s second term.

Could it be said that this result in Wisconsin is indicating the emergence of an antipathy of the American electorate towards the Musk-Trump duo that could have consequences in the government's midterm elections or is it too early to draw any conclusions?
 
Trump focuses on Europeans and “spares Brazil, one of the most protectionist countries in the world”, says French newspaper (Le Monde)
... Brésil, qui est pourtant l'un des pays les plus protectionnistes de la planète … Le taux plancher de 10 % s'appliquera …

The tariffs imposed by Trump are disruptive and will forcefully rearrange supply chains and global trade. This is bad news for all those who have been overtaxed, to a greater or lesser extent. What has not changed is France’s arrogance when it comes to analyzing the facts and their consequences, which are always self-centered. The EU has already missed the deadline for trade agreements due to French-style protectionism. France’s historical practice is to use economic protectionism, whether through generous subsidies or trade barriers, which are often criticized in international forums. France uses health and environmental arguments to restrict access to its market, even though these same products are accepted in other European countries and in different parts of the world. From the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), which injected billions of euros in subsidies into the agricultural sector, to the current trade barriers disguised as environmental concerns, France has maintained a tradition of protecting its domestic markets under the pretext of stricter regulations. Concerns about sustainability and competitiveness are legitimate, but it is hard to ignore that protectionism is at play. Ultimately, it is an attempt to mitigate the effects of more efficient competition from abroad. France is ever adjusting the rules of the game in its favor, while preaching the defense of global trade.
 
Duarte said:
Trump focuses on Europeans and “spares Brazil, one of the most protectionist countries in the world”, says French newspaper (Le Monde)
... Brésil, qui est pourtant l'un des pays les plus protectionnistes de la planète … Le taux plancher de 10 % s'appliquera …

The tariffs imposed by Trump are disruptive and will forcefully rearrange supply chains and global trade. This is bad news for all those who have been overtaxed, to a greater or lesser extent. What has not changed is France’s arrogance when it comes to analyzing the facts and their consequences, which are always self-centered. The EU has already missed the deadline for trade agreements due to French-style protectionism. France’s historical practice is to use economic protectionism, whether through generous subsidies or trade barriers, which are often criticized in international forums. France uses health and environmental arguments to restrict access to its market, even though these same products are accepted in other European countries and in different parts of the world. From the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), which injected billions of euros in subsidies into the agricultural sector, to the current trade barriers disguised as environmental concerns, France has maintained a tradition of protecting its domestic markets under the pretext of stricter regulations. Concerns about sustainability and competitiveness are legitimate, but it is hard to ignore that protectionism is at play. Ultimately, it is an attempt to mitigate the effects of more efficient competition from abroad. France is ever adjusting the rules of the game in its favor, while preaching the defense of global trade.
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This whole import duty thing has 0.0 to do with (sensible) economic policy and is mainly the result of a mindset of winning and losing about the need to be a predator. Because America has been systematically screwed over in his perception. That must be put right. That the outcomes of all this are very very uncertain and can have a major economic impact, which the average American may also have to deal with severely, will eventually come from a spin that it is the evil outside world's fault....
 
Trump is projecting his own cynical, self-centred, manipulative world view on the rest of humanity.
 
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