LOL!!! :lol:AG Bondi claimed on Fox News that we might see some Jeffry Epstein info today. I suspect it’s a huge bust, and anything pertaining to who else might have been involved will or has gone missing, but who knows? — NOS4A2
You do know that Russia has more nuclear weapons than the US has, btw. — ssu
It really comes down to this: when you cannot understand how much of the current prosperity you have is thanks to the Superpower status, it's really the epic failure of your own government to make it's case for this. Other countries have happily given the US the leadership role. But once other countries don't listen to you, you will understand it. — ssu
And do you think that starting a trade war, which likely ends up in a global downturn, will help that?The average American struggles to make ends meet. They worry about how they're going to afford to retire. — frank
You don't want to have a welfare state, you don't want universal health care or free education. You could easily have that, but you do not want it. You want to give tax breaks to the rich and believe that the best thing is not only to man the highest positions in the administration with billionaires, but to give unchecked power to the richest man in the World. That's the United States Americans seem to want and vote for. Because obviously, for some reason you buy the argument that is this rule by the rich or then everything else is Venezuela type socialism.That is America. — frank
And do you think that starting a trade war, which likely ends up in a global downturn, will help that? — ssu
You don't want to have a welfare state, you don't want universal health care or free education. You could easily have that, but you do not want it. You want to give tax breaks to the rich and believe that the best thing is not only to man the highest positions in the administration with billionaires, but to give unchecked power to the richest man in the World. That's the United States Americans seem to want and vote for. Because obviously, for some reason you buy the argument that is this rule by the rich or then everything else is Venezuela type socialism.
It's all that you are doing yourself by your own choosing. And loosing that leadership role won't make it anymore easier. Actually it's the American defense companies that will be hurt when Europe starts focusing on it's own military industry.
In fact, you can both have a strong military and a welfare state and people be prosperous. But that means that the rich do have to pay taxes. Sweden during the Cold War is actually a great example of this: a rather small country could have it's own military industrial complex capable of building top of the line fighters, submarines and even building an own nuclear weapon. And also creating that welfare state.
The thing that either it's guns or butter is the wrong idea. — ssu
If tariffs would be so awesome, why then have they not created the wealth. They don't. That's why country after country has stopped using them.It has the potential to. A trade war would help American labor as long as it doesn't coincide with a panic that crashes the system. — frank
(Investopedia) The Smoot-Hawley Act was created to protect U.S. farmers and businesses from foreign competitors.
The Smoot-Hawley Act increased tariffs on foreign imports to the U.S. by about 20%. Over 25 countries responded by increasing their own tariffs on American goods. Global trade plummeted, contributing to the ill effects of the Great Depression. More than 1,000 economists urged President Hoover to veto it. Hoover's successor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, worked to reduce tariffs and was given more authority to negotiate with heads of state under the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934.
I could give a thorough explanation, but I would be repeating myself a lot. But simply put it. If you think that Russia will stop at Ukraine is like believing that a millionaire once he has had his first million will be satisfied and not go for the next million.I'm not sure why you're having this reaction. Are you afraid Russia is going to invade your country and Europe will just stand by and let it happen? — frank
Now Trump is doing exactly the same, but even higher tariffs when the World is far more integrated than it was in the 1930's — ssu
We can go over the reasons why Russian imperialism and military aggression is bad for Europe, but now the question is just why to start appeasing those, who see the US as it's enemy and alienate those, who thought being your allies? — ssu
Then back to Trump being Trump, as usual...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XkgoXUyGlHM — ssu
It just sucks knowing that things will be worse off for everyone.I think I was the one who told you that a trade war precipitated the Great Depression. Now you're teaching it back to me. — frank
Then there's the actual things to do when the US has to be involved. Which aren't so biblical wars as WW3. And then having allies is crucial.Basically because the US can destroy Russia without Europe's help. If the US needed European support, it would be a different story. — frank
For him it's just words, but his administration will go onward with those words.I find it puzzling how many still take Trump's word for much of anything. — jorndoe
This is the whole irony. Trump simply just wants a trade war. The reasons he takes out of thin air.The US and Australia signed a free trade agreement in 2005. Australian officials are now negotiating tariffs that Trump wants to impose on them.
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement was signed by Trump in 2018. — jorndoe
The reasons he talks out of thin air. — ssu
I find it puzzling how many still take Trump's word for much of anything. — jorndoe
But here I think the UK and it's Brexit shows just how otherwise sane people will fall for insanity and totally unsubstantiated promises and views if not for outright lies. There were no benefits of braking well established trade. Just look at the Brexit thread: the British PF members weren't enthusiastic about the Brexit and it's outcome far earlier than the actual economic effects became reality. But the denial persisted for a long time. Soon would the economic benefits of the UK cutting it's ties to the EU become apparent! Just wait... and then we got to the Labour government, when the Brexiteers could start venting their anger on just how bad things are. That is the likely future in the American case too.I would suspect the US is going to be in a very bad way before too long. But then anyone with half a brain could always have seen that by ‘Making America Great Again’, he actually means totally f***ing it up. — Wayfarer
Does "struggles" mean that they have to go to work five days a week? — Metaphysician Undercover
Worrying is self-inflicted anxiety. — Metaphysician Undercover
Do notice that nobody is cheering for the trade war and the tariffs. Not even @NOS4A2 (even if he lives in Canada).
Calling itself #AltGov, the network has developed a visible, public-facing presence in recent weeks through Bluesky accounts, most of which bear the names or initials of federal agencies, aimed at getting information out to the public – and correcting disinformation – about the chaos being unleashed by the Trump administration.
With 40 accounts to date, their collective megaphone is getting louder, as most of the accounts have tens of thousands of followers, with “Alt CDC (they/them)” being the largest, at nearly 95,000 followers.
So much for "Man of Peace" getting the Nobel peace-prize. The fucking Putin-loving moron.
Living paycheck to paycheck is pretty common. — frank
It often comes from a heroin deficiency. — frank
The first ever Roman fire brigade was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. Fires were almost a daily occurrence in Rome, and Crassus took advantage of the fact that Rome had no fire department, by creating his own brigade—500 men strong—which rushed to burning buildings at the first cry of alarm. Upon arriving at the scene, however, the firefighters did nothing while Crassus offered to buy the burning building from the distressed property owner, at a miserable price. If the owner agreed to sell the property, his men would put out the fire; if the owner refused, then they would simply let the structure burn to the ground. After buying many properties this way, he rebuilt them, and often leased the properties to their original owners or new tenants. — Firefighting (Wikipedia)
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