The Trump debate, and international politics in general.

[rob666]

Somebody had to do it.
Bored with waiting for our Matt!

Anyone else a bit worried?
As an old ***, I've followed politics on a "thick northerner" level for half a century now.
Not been as concerned about "big stuff outside our isles" since the cold war.

Anyone out there capable of holding their nose and closing their eyes for four whole years?

 

[Benzin]

But he SAVED Tik Tok.


It's going to be a rough few years. Worse than the last time as there's fewer involved with actual sense and knowledge who will curb the orange one's wildest desires.

Though the leopards are certainly gorging on a LOT of faces.

 

[Matt N]

I can’t say I’m looking forward to Trump’s next 4 years, but part of me is hopeful that it shouldn’t be as bad as many make out.

I’ve always maintained that Donald Trump is a man who says things for the sake of saying them, and engages his mouth before engaging his brain. Donald Trump made a lot of big, controversial claims during the 2016 presidential election, and very few of them ultimately came true. Remember that Mexican border wall that was his flagship policy? That all turned out to be hot air.

Ultimately, did Trump do anything during his first term that was so drastic? Other than the 6th January insurrection, which was an utter atrocity by any measure, I don’t think he did. I’m not saying I agree with his politics at all, but looking back at the first Trump term, the world carried on and for the most part, nothing overly drastic happened, so I’m hopeful that the same should be true again. I grant you that Trump’s mandate is stronger this time, but even still, the checks and balances of the system should hopefully prevent anything overly drastic from happening even if Trump does want to do drastic things (and part of me doubts that he necessarily does; as I said above, he strikes me as someone who can comfortably talk the talk, but is less comfortable walking the walk).

Trump was far from my first choice for US president, and I do think it’s wrong that he was even able to be re-elected as a convicted felon (and one that the courts confirmed would have served jail time if he wasn’t re-entering the White House), but ultimately, his first term makes me think it might not be as bad as some people’s worst nightmares.

 

[rob666]

Last time round there were others to hold him in check.
This time round he basically runs the whole shebang, with a bunch of yes men and loonies on the right as his assistants.
Expect the wall to grow quick, a fast illegal migration clamp down, and all sorts of hell over Greenland, tariffs etc.
The man has revenge from old battles to settle as well.

 

[Squiggs]

Ultimately, did Trump do anything during his first term that was so drastic? Other than the 6th January insurrection, which was an utter atrocity by any measure,

Not by any measure. Donald Trump has recently called it a Day of Love.

That said, I generally agree with your point, his last term was broadly ineffectual. The concern is, as Rob has said, this time his game plan seems to be different, so what if his new approach is more effectual.

I think I've said it before, but worth repeating; the impact of this term on Europe will likely be most influenced by what happens in Ukraine - that is where Donald Trump has a particular ability to change the course of world politics.

 

[Benzin]

Already seen how Zuckerberg has responded with the changes on how Meta is policing the apps.

It's going to be a disaster. Especially if he falls out with Musk and both children throw an almighty tantrum.

Add on Project 2025 and the general rise in fascism and it's far scarier than before.

 

[Jonathan]

Ultimately, did Trump do anything during his first term that was so drastic? Other than the 6th January insurrection, which was an utter atrocity by any measure, I don’t think he did. I’m not saying I agree with his politics at all, but looking back at the first Trump term, the world carried on and for the most part, nothing overly drastic happened, so I’m hopeful that the same should be true again. I grant you that Trump’s mandate is stronger this time, but even still, the checks and balances of the system should hopefully prevent anything overly drastic from happening even if Trump does want to do drastic things (and part of me doubts that he necessarily does; as I said above, he strikes me as someone who can comfortably talk the talk, but is less comfortable walking the walk).

Well, there's his utterly abysmal handling of the pandemic.

 

[rob666]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with injecting yourself with bleach...

 

[Matt N]

Interestingly, it would appear that the much feared “Trump tariffs” did not come in today as previously anticipated. Donald Trump said that he would impose import tariffs upon various countries on his first day, but this has not happened yet.

A number of other “executive orders” have been issued by Trump on his first day, however, including a declaration of national emergency at the US-Mexico border, an order to resume construction of the US-Mexico border wall immediately, and an order terminating DEI programs in federal agencies: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/do...ew-day-1-orders-immigration-gender-rcna187164

 

[Benzin]

Day 1 and Musk throwing Nazi salutes.

Although in the interest of "balance", the BBC have called them "right arm salutes".

Termination of orders regarding sanctions against Israelites in Gaza and increasing medical fees for those on Medicare. Those protest votes/non-votes really working well and again, it's only Day 1.

I can only hope we look at this and think, "no actually we're good", but given the British representatives at the inauguration, I can already see it going in the same direction.

 

[rob666]

...and don't forget all those thugs and rioters being released today too.
Just love those Proud Boys, who will be painfully proud now they are being released.
And hot as hell, drill that well.
Another emergency order.

 

[DanJB]

Apropos of nothing…

 

[Jonathan]

Day 1 and Musk throwing Nazi salutes.

Although in the interest of "balance", the BBC have called them "right arm salutes".

I simply cannot understand how anyone is calling them anything but Nazi salutes. Musk openly supports the AfD in Germany, for ****'s sake.

 

[AstroDan]

I fail to see how there is a mechanism in the US constitution for 1 man to single-handedly release dozens from prisons.

As ever, the USA baffles me.

 

[DiogoJ42]

I fail to see how there is a mechanism in the US constitution for 1 man to single-handedly release dozens from prisons.

As ever, the USA baffles me.

The same system that allows a president to "pre-emptively" pardon their friends for anything they might do in the future.
The whole country is a joke.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I fail to see how there is a mechanism in the US constitution for 1 man to single-handedly release dozens from prisons.

As ever, the USA baffles me.

We don't even have a constitution, yet our Secretary of State for Justice has the executive power to release a resident from prison at any time during their sentence and without prior consultation, or justification (if they so wish).

We've seen two Secretary of States for Justice exercise this power over the past year, albeit to ease prison crowding.

I simply cannot understand how anyone is calling them anything but Nazi salutes. Musk openly supports the AfD in Germany, for ****'s sake.

The Anti-Defamation League, which was specifically set up to combat anti-Semitism in the US and generally considered experts on all thinks Nazi, have said that they don't believe that Musk performed a Nazi salute.


From: https://x.com/ADL/status/1881474892022919403

Whilst Musk may not have intended his gesture as a Nazi salute, his actions in the aftermath account to attempting to style out a stumble, or claiming that accidental perfect hole in one wasn't a fluke and entirely intentional. This perhaps makes it a moot point.

 

[rob666]

All opinions are sacred.

Musk did Nazi salutes.
I saw them with my own eyes.
To make matters absolutely clear, he did two Nazi salutes, to make sure the first one wasn't misinterpreted as accidental.
We all saw it, twice.
Half a century of watching political events, that was, without any shadow of a doubt in my eyes, two Nazi salutes.
Don't really give a damn what anyone else reports it as, it was what it was.
The vast majority of international news media, worldwide, seem to think the "gestures" were Nazi salutes, including the vast majority of German media, who, let's face it, have past experience in assessing fascists.
The man is an absolute fascist.
I imagine Trump wanted to do it, and put him up to it, but got Musk to take "the glory".

 

[Rob]

Musk isn't stupid, he knew exactly what he was doing. That, alongside what he said, is quite frankly rather terrifying.

 

[Benzin]

The ADL statement is dreadful. But few media outlets actually wanted to call it out.

Also are seemingly fairly right-wing as a group. So just trying to bow to those now in charge. After all (to evoke Godwin's Law), there were many Jews supporting Hitler at the time. Still plenty of "Pick Me" people in modern day with LGBTQ+, Female, Hispanic and Muslim Conservatives all quite happily voting for Trump and then shocked that their party wants to remove rights or deport them all, rather just the "bad ones".

 

[flyingguitar]

It's going to be a rough few years. Worse than the last time as there's fewer involved with actual sense and knowledge who will curb the orange one's wildest desires.

I think it will be much worse, because many of the advisers he has in place don't understand what they have been put in, and were selected based on who was beating his drum hardest on TV, the only thing that mattered was the loyalty to trump, if you are loyal he chose you.
They put Robert F Kennedy for health secretary, the guy who is an anti vaxxer literally one of the worse people possible!

Due to this loyalty and lack of understanding I think we will see a lot of agencies just follow trumps word even if that agency isn't designed to do that job, or if it is illegal.

To make it worse a lot of government employees were asked who they supported just before trump arrived, this could suggest that anyone not loyal to trump is going to be out.

Also with D.O.G.E (stupid name) I think their first action will be to advise the SEC gets destroyed. must hates them personally (probably because they attempt to prevent him from lying about stuff) to the point where a lawyer for the SEC moved to Tesla's law firm and he threatened to drop the law firm


I think we could be looking at a mix of two things:
1: the lack of understanding becomes much more apparent and not much gets done because trump runs round calming spain is part of BRICS because the S (defiantly not south Africa) and we see a similar repeat to 2016-2020

2: This I think would be so much worse. due to the loyalty of his cabinet multiple agencies get weaponised against people/parties who as done wrong to Donald trump. I think this could start to cause them to try to put large pressure on the democracy of the country. with stuff like requiring voter ID, reducing the number of polling stations in democrat areas, etc with the aim of winning the mid terms. you can argue that it wouldn't be allowed, but they have control over the supreme court who would be the deciding factor in any case. If it goes really well for them (2/3rds the house, although they could get some democrats to join them) then they could start to change the constitution at will, removing such limitations as the 2 term limit birth right citizen ship, etc and it could start the path down a "democratic" dictatorship with trump at the top.