Potus ???

[doobin]

34 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

Kyle Reyes on LinkedIn: #thinblueline #lawenforcement | 100 comments

WWW.LINKEDIN.COM

---

I've posted this before - but after the plane crash in DC, this needs to be blasted EVERYWHERE. THIS...

 Maybe someone has a valid point J

Bloody hell!

[Johnsond]

1 hour ago, sime42 said:

🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ How does one make a bomb from a condom then ND?

 

@Johnsond? 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

How the **************** would I know 

[GarethM]

3 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

How the **************** would I know 

I'm guessing useful for Molotov types things.

 

Or more likely, black market selling for untraceable cash and then buying more useful weapons or stashing for the next round of fighting or hotels in Dubai/UAE.

 

Bit like the pallets of USA dollars that went missing in Iraq.

[Big J]

4 hours ago, Johnsond said:

Kyle Reyes on LinkedIn: #thinblueline #lawenforcement | 100 comments

WWW.LINKEDIN.COM

---

I've posted this before - but after the plane crash in DC, this needs to be blasted EVERYWHERE. THIS...

 Maybe someone has a valid point J

 

He sounds roughly as qualified for his job as Hegseth does for Sec Def. Or Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. Or just about any other of Trump's appointments. 

 

My point is that political appointments to jobs requiring specific technical expertise are ridiculous. Rory Stewart has gone over this many times on TRIP, illustrating numerous examples where ministers were appointed with no idea about the department they were set to lead. And then, every cabinet reshuffle meant that often, ministers had insufficient time to familiarise themselves with their brief.

Politicians are often self serving, ambitious and selfish. They will position themselves in such a way that makes their reelection more likely, and constructing a framework of sychophants and yes-men will likely make that goal easier.

I just believe that the motivations of Republicans and Democrats differ substantially (for the most part - there are exceptions). Republicans are largely motivated by self-enrichment, furtherance of ideological ideals that are often bigoted and exclusionary, and increasingly, xenophobia. Democrats have a better track record of pushing for social change that benefits society on a broader basis. 

That's not to say that the Dems haven't done stuff that I profoundly disagree with, but for me, they are the lesser of two evils. 

 

Fundamentally, American society is morally corrupt, with such tragically extreme economic outcomes that it is one of the least equal countries in the world, and consequently has the lowest life expectancy in the developed world. This is fueled in large part by huge numbers of deaths in younger and middle age, usually from diseases or afflictions of 'misery'. These include drug deaths, suicide, gun violence and other homicides. 

 

MAGA is a sort of reaction and overreaction to a conscious (or unconscious) realisation that there are gigantic, systemic issues with the way that US society is structured and the direction it's going in. Unfortunately, MAGA will only exacerbate the situation, and support for that ideology will add fuel to the (dumpster?) fire.

In short, the US is driving towards a brick wall. The MAGA lot are all stamping on the accelerator whilst the Dems are arguing amongst themselves about what is a car, what is acceleration and debating the existance of the wall. Head in the sand and all that. 
 

[GarethM]

By your same criteria, 90% of western governments are more or less melted into the brick wall.

 

And why did that feel like reading a meaningless political commentary, you know the ones that never seem to get election result guesses correct.

 

Where's that South park huffing on your own farts meme.

Edited Saturday at 16:36 by GarethM

[Big J]

48 minutes ago, GarethM said:

By your same criteria, 90% of western governments are more or less melted into the brick wall.

 

And why did that feel like reading a meaningless political commentary, you know the ones that never seem to get election result guesses correct.

 

Where's that South park huffing on your own farts meme.

 

There is nothing wrong with having intelligent discourse.

 

Just because a significant proportion of the population is too stupid or too selfish to comprehend the consequences of voting for fascism, doesn't mean it shouldn't be called out for what it is.

 

I'll hold my hand up and say that I'm not a great believer in democracy, and that simply because I don't believe that the majority of the voting public is qualified to make such important decisions. 

 

In your case Gareth, I profoundly disagree with pretty much everything you say, but at least you have a strongly held opinion that has been researched. We're never going to agree and we'd always vote against each other, but that's your right and even if you get on my tits sometimes, I respect the fact that you're here discussing things.

 

So, so many people vote based on spurious nonsense, misinformation and tradition. Knowing that the electorate is so easily maleable, politicians focus on short termism, soundbites and populist rhetoric (on both sides).

Very little gets done for the greater good now, and next to nothing with a long term outlook. The political news cycle is far too short, and as such, real progress never happens.

 

 

[GarethM]

4 minutes ago, Big J said:

 

There is nothing wrong with having intelligent discourse.

 

Just because a significant proportion of the population is too stupid or too selfish to comprehend the consequences of voting for fascism, doesn't mean it shouldn't be called out for what it is.

 

I'll hold my hand up and say that I'm not a great believer in democracy, and that simply because I don't believe that the majority of the voting public is qualified to make such important decisions. 

 

In your case Gareth, I profoundly disagree with pretty much everything you say, but at least you have a strongly held opinion that has been researched. We're never going to agree and we'd always vote against each other, but that's your right and even if you get on my tits sometimes, I respect the fact that you're here discussing things.

 

So, so many people vote based on spurious nonsense, misinformation and tradition. Knowing that the electorate is so easily maleable, politicians focus on short termism, soundbites and populist rhetoric (on both sides).

Very little gets done for the greater good now, and next to nothing with a long term outlook. The political news cycle is far too short, and as such, real progress never happens.

 

If you want to really depress yourself about the stupidity of people, look at why IQ tests were invented and why its illegal for a USA citizen with an IQ below 83 to join the army.

 

Discourse and discussion is fine, it's just the constant oh he's a bad man from some sides that gets irritating, the world can't operate on a he without sin casts the first stone.

 

I've used the analogy before, it's always a choice between a douche and a turd sandwich.

[Big J]

2 minutes ago, GarethM said:

 

If you want to really depress yourself about the stupidity of people, look at why IQ tests were invented and why its illegal for a USA citizen with an IQ below 83 to join the army.

 

Discourse and discussion is fine, it's just the constant oh he's a bad man from some sides that gets irritating, the world can't operate on a he without sin casts the first stone.

 

I've used the analogy before, it's always a choice between a douche and a turd sandwich.

 

I do think that Trump is something new, insofar as the normal social and political norms just don't seem to apply to him. The lifetime of shameful conduct just doesn't seem to matter to his devotees.

 

Anyway, his presidency will be a turning point for the US. Either a sudden realisation that the idolisation of money and celebrity above all else is morally and socially toxic. Or a continued fall into the abyss of transactional, America-first ologarchy where the rich get richer and financial and polical power become one and the same.

[GarethM]

1 minute ago, Big J said:

 

I do think that Trump is something new, insofar as the normal social and political norms just don't seem to apply to him. The lifetime of shameful conduct just doesn't seem to matter to his devotees.

 

Anyway, his presidency will be a turning point for the US. Either a sudden realisation that the idolisation of money and celebrity above all else is morally and socially toxic. Or a continued fall into the abyss of transactional, America-first ologarchy where the rich get richer and financial and polical power become one and the same.

I think we all know I'm somewhere in the middle and pragmatic, personally I think he'll reset a lot of the stuff that's happened over the last 30 years and return things to common sense.

 

All this loony he's going to burn the world is codswallop, bring manufacturing back and it's made better and with less environmental issues isn't that what you'd prefer ?.

 

Build it here within our rules and regs or china where the rules are/what rules and what's copyright hahaha.

[tree-fancier123]

The Wall St Journal are not impressed with Trumps latest decisions

 

The Dumbest Trade War in History

Trump will impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for no good reason.

President Trump will fire his first tariff salvo on Saturday against those notorious American adversaries . . . Mexico and Canada. They’ll get hit with a 25% border tax, while China, a real adversary, will endure 10%. This reminds us of the old Bernard Lewis joke that it’s risky to be America’s enemy but it can be fatal to be its friend.

Leaving China aside, Mr. Trump’s justification for this economic assault on the neighbors makes no sense. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says they’ve “enabled illegal drugs to pour into America.” But drugs have flowed into the U.S. for decades, and will continue to do so as long as Americans keep using them. Neither country can stop it.