Speaking of freedom, , here's a list from higher to lower:

▸ Norway, Australia, United States, South Korea, Singapore, Russia, North Korea

• Interactive map

• Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index (focuses on change/trajectory, part of the picture)

Don't be surprised when there are objections to Trump's circus helping the proliferation of the lower.

EDIT

Can't distinguish the governance of, say, Solberg and Putin? Lincoln and Stalin? Macron and Mussolini?
Well, if you can't differentiate, then that's on you (or on cognitive/intellectual inadequacy).

A completely independent™ source, no doubt. :lol:

I’m not clicking on your links, bub. One day you’ll just have to make an argument.

, oddly enough, such reports tend to come out of places with sufficient freedom and review. Go figure. You're free to call them a collective of conspiratorial liars. :snicker:

V-Dem Institute, World Justice Forum, MaxRange, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Freedom House, Academic Freedom, Economist Group, Heritage Foundation + Wall Street Journal, Reuters + Oxford, Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, Foundation for the Advancement of Freedom, CIRIGHTS Data Project

I’m not clicking on your links, bub. — NOS4A2

Too bad.

One day you’ll just have to make an argument. — NOS4A2

Point already made ("Don't be surprised").

So far, it's not as expected. It's actually a lot closer to what Trump predicted. — frank

It's hard for me to folllow what his actual plans are if there even are any, but if I recall wasn't this entire thing just to bring back manufacturing to the US? That isn't happening thus far: US manufacturing extends slump; factory employment lowest in 5 years

It's hard for me to folllow what his actual plans are if there even are any, but if I recall wasn't this entire thing just to bring back manufacturing to the US? That isn't happening thus far: US manufacturing extends slump; factory employment lowest in 5 years — Mr Bee

A friend of mine lives in an area that just landed a fairly large commercial jet manufacturer. Supposedly they'll be making about 20 jets per month, which kind of blew my mind. I doubt that has anything to do with the tariffs, though.

Whatever you say.

Whatever you say. — Mr Bee

Darn tootin'

I really don't think it had to do with tariffs. It's too soon. Sarcasm is for people who are having a shitty life.

These are commonwealth countries:

https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries

Point missed.

You're free to call them a collective of conspiratorial liars. — jorndoe

That's in fact the exact term I would use to describe the Washington establishment, and whatever shitty NGOs they bribe on the daily.

A year ago, if I wanted to start a shower curtain business, my only option would be to make high end ones for a niche market. I couldn't compete with imports to make regular ones.

Now, with tariffs, I can. I can hire workers, reinvest profits to expand into faucets, and eventually bathtubs. I hire more people, reinvest, and the next thing you know, there are fewer fentanyl addicts in my community because there are good jobs for them. — frank

Are you actually in the shower curtain business?

No. Your whole issue is a thought experiment. Yet if you would link to an article on how the shower curtain business is actually making great advances again in Michigan (or where ever), then there would be more credibility to your argument.

You don't want to see this because you're totally bound to anti-Trump. — frank

That simply is a lie.

I've praised the American president when there is a reason for it. Hiking defense spending to 5% in NATO is one of those things that wouldn't have happened with Trump and which is a good thing. If the US economy fires up to spectacular successes, I will admit it if that happens. This is the this stupid American way of just putting people into pro- and against camps. Sticking to your party line in a country where the both parties are at fault of this mess, that I don't get.

It doesn't once occur to you that autocracies start with giving the people what they want and need. You've rendered yourself blind. — frank

Rooting now for autocracies, Frank?

On a philosophy forum? Or being ironic?

Autocracies give for themselves. The people are only a tool for them to get what the autocrat, the man in charge, wants. And the first thing, every time, is to maintain the power of the autocrat. The way to do that is hinder every institution that could weaken (or oppose) the power of the autocrat. Hence democratic representation, separation of powers, democratic institutions and so on are an obvious threat to the autocrat and his power. Only fools believe in the idea of the benevolent autocrat who will solve the problems what republic has. But there are ample amount of these kind of fools in every country.

Are you actually in the shower curtain business?

No. Your whole issue is a thought experiment. Yet if you would link to an article on how the shower curtain business is actually making great advances again in Michigan (or where ever), then there would be more credibility to your argument. — ssu

You seem a little hostile about this. What I told you is just a fact. American labor has been competing with foreign labor for decades, and that was by design. It was to cripple American labor unions. It worked. I did provide you with an interview in which the leader of the United Auto Workers labor union stated that the tariffs were a good idea, and he voted for Harris, not Trump. He was just stating the obvious.

Sticking to your party line in a country where the both parties are at fault of this mess, that I don't get. — ssu

My party line? By nature I lean toward progressive.

It doesn't once occur to you that autocracies start with giving the people what they want and need. You've rendered yourself blind.
— frank
Rooting now for autocracies, Frank?

On a philosophy forum? Or being ironic? — ssu

No, I'm just aware that autocratic-minded individuals flocked to Trump when he was running his second campaign. They came ready to transform the US government and the military into loyalist entities, and they accomplished that. I'm aware that the Vice President favors autocracy and he will most likely be the next president. I'm aware that the last realistic opposition to Trump is the SCOTUS, and he has stated that he doesn't think their rulings matter.

None of this means the US is bound to lurch toward autocracy right now. But it's very likely. A factor that makes it more likely is if Trump gives American voters what they want in the form of temporary tax breaks.

The New York appeals court has struck down Letitia James’ $465000000 civil penalty against President Trump. It was one of the more egregious examples of Anti-Trump lawfare that we have to date, but the repudiation of the New York attorney general and the anti-Trump factions of the judiciary is welcome news. Is the thumb being lifted from the scale?

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/appeals-court-throws-trumps-454-million-civil-fraud/story?id=124848691

, Washington (again)? Are you claiming that the reports are all plain wrong?

You seem a little hostile about this. What I told you is just a fact. — frank

Then please refer then to the facts. Have links to studies proving this. Really, I honestly would find that educational and informative for me.

American labor has been competing with foreign labor for decades, and that was by design. It was to cripple American labor unions. It worked. — frank

This is the crucial thing that people get wrong: globalization and income distribution don't go hand-in-hand. German auto industry has been very competitive and produces more cars, yet the labour unions have been very and still are powerful in Germany. The labour policy has been different!

Higher Wages in Germany:
German auto workers are among the highest paid in the world, with some sources citing rates over double the average American auto worker's wages.

Lower Wages in the U.S.:
American auto workers, including those at German automakers' U.S. factories, generally earn lower wages.

Profitability:
Despite higher labor costs, German car manufacturers have historically been highly profitable, indicating that high wages don't necessarily negate profits.

The real problem in the US is in income distribution, not globalization. A lot of issue simply suck in the US, starting from you health care system, and naturally your politicians blame foreigners, because why not? Yet the obvious fact is that not in every Western industrialized country the politicians only work for the billionaires and the rich. Oligarchs won't help the ordinary citizen, they don't think that they have any obligation to do so at the first place.

Is the thumb being lifted from the scale? — NOS4A2

Or is put on the other side now, like with Melania suing Hunter Biden for 1 billion dollars? :lol:

(Might be quite indeed the Melania was handed down from Epstein to Trump. Who knows.)

The real problem in the US is in income distribution, not globalization — ssu

They're both problematic. At least we don't have to worry about being invaded by Russia.

Leavitt: Countries 'respect the United States again' (— NBC · Aug 19, 2025 · 49s) (via Fox)

All countries around this world actually respect the United States again — Leavitt

Not really. Though some have learned how to entertain him (including Putin by the way).

US popularity collapses worldwide in wake of Trump’s return (— POLITICO · May 12, 2025)

China now more popular worldwide than the US

U.S. Image Declines in Many Nations Amid Low Confidence in Trump (— Pew · Jun 11, 2025)

Low confidence in Trump in most countries surveyed

'Never been lower': Trump's approval among Republicans rapidly declining due to this issue (— AlterNet · Aug 13, 2025)

Economist-YouGov survey revealed Wednesday that President Donald Trump's approval among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters has slipped

The decline is driven by a 17-point plunge among independents, who give the president a 29 percent approval rating. His numbers with the group have never been lower.

and the president is using the might of American strength to demand that respect — Leavitt

Not Putin. They instead continued bombing Ukraine (and went after Trump's coveted minerals earlier for that matter). The clown apparently never learns.

Bad statement. Perhaps not that surprising, though, given the record-setting number of false or misleading statements by Donald Trump (CNN / Colbert from 2020). Additionally, their endless crap could undermine trust for years (and years). Who benefits? Putin's Russia, other adversaries.

The idea that there ought to be "trust" between countries is a leftover from the Cold War. Those days are gone.

the FBI just raided the home of arch-neocon John Bolton. This is awesome.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/22/politics/john-bolton-fbi-search

That's your boy retaliating because someone said he was ignorant.

“The United States’ policy approach could support continued investment in the U.S. manufacturing sector,” says Jim Kilpatrick, former global Supply Chain & Network Operations leader for Deloitte Consulting LLP and a partner with Deloitte Canada. “It could also drive a notable shift in supply chain strategy by prioritizing reshoring while potentially altering recent nearshoring and global sourcing trends.”

U.S. manufacturers import a variety of products, parts, and raw materials from around the world, and supplemental tariffs levied on these items could affect supply chain strategies as organizations manage costs and potential supply chain shifts.

“Economically viable opportunities for reshoring production to the U.S. are likely to be higher-value, complex products with strict quality standards, produced with technologically advanced, higher-capital-intensity processes, and a workforce with higher-level skills,” says Kate Hardin, a managing director with Deloitte Services LP. — WSJ

, globalization has already happened in whatever ways. Goods-versus-bads is apparently a hot topic in some circles. Blanket globophobia is a wee immature, though.

, nah. But the Kremlin is on it; age-old strategy. Distrust in Trump's US doesn't mean mutual distrust throughout (if that's what you were seeing); in fact, it can lead to increased cooperation/collaboration/bonding elsewhere.

, any relation to Michael?

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"A host of think-tanks manned by informed academics"? Oh my, , you make it sound so impressive.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that they're all funded by the US department of state. :rofl:

The academic world is dead, my friend.

globalization has already happened in whatever ways. Goods-versus-bads is apparently a hot topic in some circles. Blanket globophobia is a wee immature, though. — jorndoe

Globalization isn't going to survive climate change, and that's actually underway now. Get with the times.

Distrust in Trump's US doesn't mean mutual distrust throughout (if that's what you were seeing); in fact, it can lead to increased cooperation/collaboration/bonding elsewhere. — jorndoe

That's great.

Sweet sweet justice.

Ok?

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that they're all funded by the US department of state. :rofl: — Tzeentch

I hope they are funded; they need to be! It's not that the free market would cater to them. But if they are indeed all funded by the US state department (which I doubt in some cases), isn't it all the more impressive that they are also quite critical of developments in the US?

The academic world is dead, my friend. — Tzeentch

What makes you say so?

DOJ releases Ghislaine Maxwell transcripts:

https://www.justice.gov/maxwell-interview