Imagine if the present would have been a nice box of tulips! — javi2541997

Imagine if she was aware of the origin of tulips. How likely would you say/guess?
Wonder where the Turks got their original bulbs from? Probably Central Asia where every exotic ( to Europe) vegetable came from via other countries. Only a slight exaggeration.

smile

Looming ( but as yet, undeclared) election, extra 8 billion dollars for X over the next 4 years,opposition matches dollar for dollar + a little bit extra ( how much extra exactly, undeclared), the promises do flow from on high.

smiling at the predictability of it all

Blood Lines" by Nelson DeMille et al.

Apart from spellcheck not keeping up with the DeMille name, good thriller writing with consistently simple sentence structure, character complexity and nicely rejuvenated "mole in the spy agency" plot.
Minimal brain tax.

smile

@Vera Mont,
Sorry to appear to join the negative pile-on, but the first reaction/thought was of everyone being the servant of those that surround them..progress and change brought to a halt.
The second thought was how dangerous this would be to individual safety, short circuiting self preservation even just slightly.
Just initial reaction.

smile

@Relativist,

Agreed. You're more succinct.

smile

But something to bear in mind, is that DJT is making an enormous number of enemies. Who in the intelligence community or defence is likely to support him, after the way he’s denigrated them? — Wayfarer

Any visible opposition to DJT from these areas will be spun to give DJT the "Proof" of the "Deeeep State". At least in the current environment.

If push really came to shove and it comes down to ordering troops in against protestors……. — Wayfarer

The protestors will be labelled... traitors, unamerican, mostly illegal immigrants, deviants... the usual tropes, by DJT.

And who will protest such labelling? Obviously not the "average" US citizen or that would have happened by now. So far just tacit support for the President.

Sounds like similar vibs happening elsewhere in the world not just the US.



Just surmising.

sad smile

Well, Trump can obviously give absolutely anything as an executive order, because why not? He doesn't care a shit about how the Republic works and is sidelining the Congress and attacking the judiciary. — ssu

So, in your opinion, there is no legal or de facto barriers to stop Trump from declaring himself El Presidente for life with unlimited executive powers?

Sounds like the USA's constitution and political structure isn't worth defending because the Founding Fathers created a flawed country that has lasted well past its use or repair by date.

Due for a new model? Maybe it's getting that new model now?

confused and surprised by the evidence smile

@Wayfarer,
Maybe?
Better ere on the side of caution, even here.

sad self preservative smile

Repetition gives similar outcomes..... the promise of the Universe!
Simple enough for wanna be dictators to understand.

sad smile

Of course, where does that leave the USA's ex allies, now Enemies?
Time to get thinking and doing with the short, medium and long term implications at the top of the agenda.....perhaps.
Probably need to scrub out the local political toilet first.
Not meant as commentary one way or the other party wise, just how they do or don't interact. That's what needs the dunny duck/Ajax clean.
Pie in the sky?

wishful smile

So Congress has entirely abdicated any responsibility to try and restrain him. — Wayfarer

You don't think that there's enough wanna-bes (power hungry) in the Congress to slow the Trump march down? Or don't they have the political/constitutional power to curb a runaway president? Or is it more of a "Roman Senate vs Julius Caesar" rerun?

Unfortunately, the overall impression is one of lacking the resilience for those reasons (et al) that you outlined.

Insightful and considered as expected, thank you.

And, no, your pocket is not wet. Just we're in agreement, this time.



thankful smile

What we’re witnessing is the dismantling of the American Republic and the instigation of a one-party state. Plain as day. — Wayfarer

Reckon it will happen under this cast of actors? Or might it take more productions of this play to be actualized?
In other words, how resilient is the Republic of the USA?
In your opinion?

curious smile

Critical awareness is useful to predicate and justify the actions needed to remove the "megalomaniacs".

Critical awareness will not, by itself, eliminate the crisis.

Just an observation in defense of critical awareness....hopefully

smile

thus giving the many people who have a beef with me one less opportunity to display their motivated reasoning. — Mikie

You get that feeling too.
The book referred to should have been posted in your Lounge OP. Alas, that OP was only just discovered.
Good luck.

cheery smile

@Mikie,

It's not about Climate Change Skepticism, but about Climate Change Amelioration Skepticism, according to the author's radio interview's findings.
So can't vouch for what is not yet read, but it is an aspect that may interest you.

"Breaking together, a freedom loving response to collapse" by Jim Bendell.

( If this OP is really about questions of Climate Change and not a request for further refined information about how to treat sacred cows without upsetting the cow worshiping population.)

Please, don't let this insert interrupt a good old ding dong.

hopeful smile

Would you personally favor cracking down on information warfare of some kind? — petrichor

Messing with constitutional rights always results in a veil of legal tears, it would appear to the non US audience. As does the greater societal divisions that have arisen. Again speaking from a non US pov.

Perhaps an active counter information warfare on the enemy might be of more value? If applied with at least similar subtley. After all if a culture can be exported world wide....?
Just a suggestion

helpful smile

Are there any "legal" ways or circumstances that the USA can be manipulated (by its own president and /or Congress) into stalling/ deferring/ overriding or rejecting ( the result of) presidential elections ( such as Ukraine has of delaying elections while under martial law?)

A question worth imaginatively considering?

curious smile

Could the state of play (position being taken by the contributors), so far, be summed up in the following way?

Objectivity only exists if a subject exists to promulgate it. But that which is being objectivized may exist (have independent reality) without subjective explanation/inquiry and hence without objective explanation.

Maybe too simplified?

trying to keep up smile

@Banno,

ACOSS has timed its revelations well to be "overwhelmed" by the more important news of the RBA's decision today.
Guess its Melbourne Cup rules with the run up to the elections... it's not how good your horse is, just how well you've ridden it and are placed in the last furlong.

Oh, thanks. Found it was YouGov polling reported on the ABC News channel.
Very proud of their "complex" MRP method of data collection, selection and interpretation, aren't they?.... mmm!
Statistics' most useful quality is achieving the required/predetermined outcome by a careful selection of the input data and an apparently logical but limited and carefully directed analysis of that data.... it has been said!
Of course, wouldn't suggest that is the case, in this case. That would be libel, wouldn't it?
Yeah, yeah, it's a highly reputable and generally accurate methodology, for sure.
But that was then, things have a habit of changing.

usual cynical smile

@Banno,

Does who did the "new polling" have an influence or was it an ABC News poll?
Which doesn't imply that the ABC is entirely free of bias, of course.
smile

The model estimates there is a 78 per cent chance of a hung parliament, and a 19 per cent chance of the Coalition winning a majority. — ABC News

Ok, bite, bite.
As in 78% is close to 100%, or that !9% is so close to 100%, in regards to what the two percentages each refer?
Too much overthinking or are you gauging reaction?

yeah, another curious smile

@Banno,

Thanks.

It's a shame that political parties etc. don't adhere to the same attempt at financial source transparency. Might give politics a more attractive image.

Oh, but of course, that might mean more citizens would pay attention and get involved!

P.S, Any thoughts on German elections, or is that too much of a stretch? Some parallels like rise of right wing populism,race and migration issues, unmet economic expectations, decline of strong party politics.
Just reading your latest. Mind reading again....?

deadpan smile

@Banno et al,

Any thoughts on how or whether the German elections might influence the timing of and/or the run up shenanigans to Aus'. coming Fed elections?
The timing definitely not as much as the WA elections outcome and the RBA's decision on interest rates/ cost of borrowing money?

We really need more smileys here. I mean, you can type :S and it does nothing, but if you type : and the ), it turns into this :) — Arcane Sandwich

Mmm. Duly noted.

Snakes are ground-slithering scum of a creature. — Arcane Sandwich

Any intended reference to ":S" ?

just wondering smile

Do you guys think the thread suggested demands an acceptance that one's ideology is the only one worth having, or do you distinguish it from this rule? — Hanover

Straight to the point. Good.

appreciative smile

(The bit about Chinese wisdom. — Banno

What can be said about the Chinese except they read their own (historical) writers? And apply in long term policies.

unsurprised smile

So who do they impose a tariffs on? — Banno

Don't expect considered and informed economic policies out of the US for the next 3.7 years.

Lowy Institute's article didn't inform much new broadly but put it in a deeper economic context. Worth checking on them from time to time to validate general observable trends in numerous current affairs areas.

Who bankrolls the L Institute?....just the skeptic checking!

smile

It’s not a philosophical issue. Purely empirical. The composition of the atmosphere affects global climate. The only argument is not whether that is happening but what can be done about it. — Wayfarer

As stated, no dog in this fight. So lets see what the intrepid mods make of Mikie's question.

pacific smile

Life intrudes. Catch up when able. Sorry.

↪Mikie
I agree but it should be called for what it is, ‘denialism’. Scepticism is the withholding of judgement concerning what is not evident, whereas denialism is the refusal to acknowledge abundant evidence. — Wayfarer

Plenty of meat on the bone of what is "not evident" to chew on.
No dog in this fight, but it's not an exhausted subject if philosophers get cranked up.
Which thread it should be in will just be a rose that smells the same.
Just a thought.
apologetic smile

What are your thoughts on the concept of a Collective Criminal Will? — Arcane Sandwich

Immediate thoughts as that concept has never occurred.

"Collective" suggests an "othering" component...rather than an awareness by the "members" of the collective.
"Criminal" calls into question from who else's point of view?
"Will" assumes a degree of intention or ignorance.

So, on the surface, a judgemental oxymoron if "Collective Criminal Will" were to be applied outside of a specific and legal jurisdiction, e.g. another nation's citizens as a whole or predominantly, or a legal convenience if applied within a legal jurisdiction much like the "conspiracy" laws of many nations.
Sorry, just a quick thought. Never given it much thought before because it can be argued ( particularly from a philosophical stance) what is "criminal" to some is something else such as "survival" to others, in a whole range of instances.

slightly apologetic smile

"America First" — frank

Unfortunately, nationalism finds traction more easily when people feel ( or are encouraged to feel) insecure in all nations/communities.
Aus. is a prime example, some might argue.

cheeky smile

The US domestic market. — frank

Mmm. Lopsided economic rationale, not surprising.

Smile with unsurprised raised eyebrow

So far, Donny hasn't "forecast" much change to the International Money Market in which the US plays a key role. Is he wary of China's possible reaction?
How could that affect Aus. through international lending credit classifications and rates?
Does Donny have the big US lenders on his side or are they their usual feral selves?

interested smile

I think the goal is to shut the rest of the world out of the US market. — frank

The US domestic market and/or the US export market?

Curious smile

Cutting external (to the US) aid funding of all the forms( e.g. health, military, development etc.) that Donny can think of, could allow for lower taxes within the US and allow US exports to compete internationally... if their companies don't just take the lower taxes as pure profit.

cynical smile

The 20% tariff has to be passed on to the purchaser. So US goods go up in price relative to imports to AU from other countries. So we buy less from the US, more from China and Korea. — Banno

Unless no inputs of production are imported into the US and other countries don't reciprocate with anti-US tariffs, then alternative producing countries will possibly be cheaper/more competitive, unless the US can lower their industrial costs of production, offsetting the effects of the tariffs, to a competitive level.
Or the US can diddle the foreign exchange rates short term like China does to keep their exports cheap.

smile

About 11% of our imports are from the US. These will be more expensive, so we will buy elsewhere. — Banno

Why will our imports from the US be more expensive unless we impose tariffs on them? Unless you mean more expensive to the extent that the US industries are unable to absorb their own tariffs on imported (into the US) raw materials and components?

confused smile

@Banno,
And if it's "profitable" ( keeps the industries financially viable) to supply China and India and doesn't stand on our own toes over other geopolitical issues, then tough on the US importers and their customers. They can blame their own Don's bombas'.

smile

All this tariff stuff just means we export elsewhere if the US public doesn't want to pay the tariff. The exporter doesn't pay, the importer's end consumer does. If the tariff is too draconian for the importer's end customers, the exporter finds alternative markets which smart exporters are/should be doing constantly. Egg baskets are never perfectly designed.
Unless Donny says otherwise, of course.

Parthian shot smile