U.S. presidency and politics thread

[runa]

30 minutes ago, Raider of the lost Ark said:

Talking of indoctrination, two days ago they had a report on CNN (hardly watchable nowadays) about an elementary school in Texas and every morning teachers and students assemble at their sports hall or mensa and do the pledge of allegiance. Even worse, they were kind of enthusiastic about it. Not even the GDR went so far. I think to remember there was Fahnenappell twice a year and you had those morning greetings "Für Frieden und Sozialismus seid bereit ... Immer bereit" and "Freundschaft". But at least where I went to school, hardly anyone took that shit serious. People were playing alone (because we knew to be careful and not adress certain issues publicly) when we all thought "Yeah, right". Of course, the GDR and the FDR were never as patriotic as the U.S.. For obvious reasons, I suppose. Let's face it, the patriotsm (on its way to nationalism) in the U.S. has so many similarities to Nazi Germany. The amount of flags alone. People may think, it's just a flag. I think this is where the indoctrination starts. And what about those U.S.A. chants? 

Contrary to the GDR, people in the U.S. still have their constitutional freedoms which protect them from persecution and punishment by their own government. They may use those freedoms to raise their voices publicly and demonstrate to fight back and save their democracy, as imperfect this democracy is. It may be too late at one point. 

Evangelical lobbyists are so strong in USA and they are the one who do that kind of shit. They are completely brainwashed. 
And worse, they have a lot of money so they have a lot of power. 

[Lolo]

44 minutes ago, Raider of the lost Ark said:

But at least where I went to school, hardly anyone took that shit serious. People were playing alone (because we knew to be careful and not adress certain issues publicly) when we all thought "Yeah, right".

I think that’s because we experienced it in the 80s when the system had died not only economically. From what I learned it was different in the 50s and 60s, very closely modeled to the Soviet system and with a lot more ‚folklore‘ and performative jubilation and pledging oaths and such… when we went to school only rudimentary elements have survived. No one cared anymore. The US is right on track, so far. Early stages. 

[ULIZOS]

I think we need to all take a deep breath and let the dust settle from the chaos of the executive orders to settle. 

There’s going to be a wave of lawsuits and challenges that come out of that (example). Then the republicans will get to work to writing new laws and trying to update existing laws and then then that’s when we’ll see just how unified and evil they actually are (or are not) and whether or not we should be worried. I still think they’re a damn mess, they’re shit at writing legislation they all agree on and they’re just going to end up fighting internally, getting nothing done and failing these next two years. 
 

this is me, the biggest negative Nancy being positive lol 

[elijah]

1 hour ago, ULIZOS said:

I think we need to all take a deep breath and let the dust settle from the chaos of the executive orders to settle. 

There’s going to be a wave of lawsuits and challenges that come out of that (example). Then the republicans will get to work to writing new laws and trying to update existing laws and then then that’s when we’ll see just how unified and evil they actually are (or are not) and whether or not we should be worried. I still think they’re a damn mess, they’re shit at writing legislation they all agree on and they’re just going to end up fighting internally, getting nothing done and failing these next two years. 
 

this is me, the biggest negative Nancy being positive lol 

Hope you are right. That's internally though. This moron has already started a trade war with Canada! Fucking Canada. I really hope Canada, UK, EU, AUS, maybe Japan, unite and put huge tariffs on his ass. What an imbecile.

[promise to try]

33 minutes ago, elijah said:

Hope you are right. That's internally though. This moron has already started a trade war with Canada! Fucking Canada. I really hope Canada, UK, EU, AUS, maybe Japan, unite and put huge tariffs on his ass. What an imbecile.

I think he has believed his own propaganda.He, and the US with him, are behaving like a bully, and it´s really difficult to go against one. I mean, or all the countries go against it, or there´s nothing you can do.Some of his actions are going to be bad for the US, and sometimes ilegal, but others...well, maybe in the short term the rest of the world will organize their economy without the US, and that could be a new start

[sotos8]

31 minutes ago, promise to try said:

I think he has believed his own propaganda.He, and the US with him, are behaving like a bully, and it´s really difficult to go against one. I mean, or all the countries go against it, or there´s nothing you can do.Some of his actions are going to be bad for the US, and sometimes ilegal, but others...well, maybe in the short term the rest of the world will organize their economy without the US, and that could be a new start

it's interesting though that he doesn't impose tarrifs in Japan the main US car exporter ..

[promise to try]

3 minutes ago, sotos8 said:

it's interesting though that he doesn't impose tarrifs in Japan the main US car exporter ..

I guess the taxes are going to be with countries that import to the US more than they receive from the US.

[sotos8]

1 minute ago, promise to try said:

I guess the taxes are going to be with countries that import to the US more than they receive from the US.

Europe has less imports from the US than exports , i just checked 

In 2023, the EU exported more than 502 billion euros’ worth ($522 billion) of goods to the U.S., while importing volumes in excess of 340 billion euros, resulting in a surplus, according to data from the European Commission.

[promise to try]

45 minutes ago, sotos8 said:

Europe has less imports from the US than exports , i just checked 

In 2023, the EU exported more than 502 billion euros’ worth ($522 billion) of goods to the U.S., while importing volumes in excess of 340 billion euros, resulting in a surplus, according to data from the European Commission.

so yes, we export to the US more than we import. Anyways, I´m surprised at the amount of money from the US exportations, I really don´t know what we buy from there, naybe non finished products for the machines?

[sotos8]

37 minutes ago, promise to try said:

so yes, we export to the US more than we import. Anyways, I´m surprised at the amount of money from the US exportations, I really don´t know what we buy from there, naybe non finished products for the machines?

Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products ,pharma ,machinery ,plastics and even 3 billion worth of cosmetics

[promise to try]

23 minutes ago, sotos8 said:

Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products ,pharma ,machinery ,plastics and even 3 billion worth of cosmetics

so everything aorund the oil and the pharma...shit, things are going to get very expensive, even more!

[ULIZOS]

4 hours ago, elijah said:

Hope you are right. That's internally though. This moron has already started a trade war with Canada! Fucking Canada. I really hope Canada, UK, EU, AUS, maybe Japan, unite and put huge tariffs on his ass. What an imbecile.

But he did this already with Mexico and Canada the last time around and all he ended up doing was having the 3 countries sit down, and "renegotiate" NAFTA, but really all that happened was that they just renamed NAFTA  

He's also grossly oversimplifying, he's going to just corner Canada and Mexico to agree to some last minute things to appease him and his supporters to make it seem like he's getting things done and say he saved us from tariffs. The U.S. depends on Canada and Mexico so much, it'd be like taking a jack hammer to the U.S. economy if he really went through with this, and even if he does, if he went through with it for a long period of time. This is all just typical populism. Rile up his simpleton fan base. Make them think he's getting things done. Keep them happy.

Anyway, my thoughts are eloquent, but I'm not eloquent, so I asked AI to help me gather my thoughts to help explain this, and here it goes: 
______

The US, Canada, and Mexico have deeply interconnected economies due to trade, investment, and supply chains. They are part of USMCA (formerly NAFTA), which allows for free trade between them, meaning goods and services flow with low or no tariffs. The US is the biggest trading partner for both Canada and Mexico, while Canada supplies the US with energy and raw materials, and Mexico provides manufacturing and labor-intensive goods. Many industries, like automotive and agriculture, rely on all three countries for parts, production, and sales. Changes in one economy—like inflation, labor costs, or policy shifts—affect the others.

While the U.S. has a trade deficit with both Canada and Mexico, it also exports billions of dollars in goods and services to them, making them two of its biggest customers. The U.S. sells cars, machinery, technology, food products, and energy to both countries, fueling industries on all sides. For example, American farmers depend on Canada and Mexico to buy wheat, corn, and beef, while tech and industrial companies export equipment and software.

This partnership creates millions of American jobs in industries like manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and technology. Auto parts made in the U.S. are shipped to Mexico for assembly and then sold back in the U.S., keeping factories running and workers employed. Canadian and Mexican investments in the U.S. also support jobs in sectors like energy, finance, and retail. Even with a trade deficit, the close economic ties with Canada and Mexico drive growth, boost wages, and strengthen U.S. businesses.

Despite these benefits, politicians like Trump and many Republicans oversimplify the trade deficit with Mexico and Canada, making it seem like the U.S. is simply losing money to these countries. In reality, trade is far more complex. The U.S. runs a deficit largely because American consumers and businesses choose to buy more from Mexico and Canada, often because goods are cheaper to produce there, keeping costs down for everyday Americans. It’s true that globalization and trade agreements have contributed to the loss of some U.S. manufacturing jobs, but simply imposing tariffs overnight without a real strategy isn’t the solution—it only raises costs for American businesses and consumers while straining relationships with key allies. A smarter approach would be to invest in worker retraining programs, advanced manufacturing, and policies that encourage businesses to expand in the U.S. rather than blindly treating trade as a zero-sum game. Framing the deficit as a one-sided loss ignores the economic reality of how global supply chains work and why trade with our neighbors is still crucial for the U.S. economy.

_____

His people know this and they aren't going to let him ruin the economy. They'll just let him put on his show and make him look like a hero to his minions. 

[Lolo]

What’s with the MEGA nonsense? 
 

 

[ULIZOS]

It's happened: Trump announces new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China

Mark my words - in the coming days top officials from the 3 above countries are going to meet with Trump's team, they're going to agree to do things (e.g., Mexico will stop migrants entering their southern border versus letting them flow across the country to claim asylum, etc.), and he's going to lift the tariffs and cry "SUCCESS."

If I'm wrong then I truly am afraid and we're all fucked and headed for another recession. 

[Confessit]

8 minutes ago, ULIZOS said:

It's happened: Trump announces new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China

Mark my words - in the coming days top officials from the 3 above countries are going to meet with Trump's team, they're going to agree to do things (e.g., Mexico will stop migrants entering their southern border versus letting them flow across the country to claim asylum, etc.), and he's going to lift the tariffs and cry "SUCCESS."

If I'm wrong then I truly am afraid and we're all fucked and headed for another recession. 

So Trump is doing it to get these countries to do other things?

Thats what its really all about ?

[ULIZOS]

1 hour ago, Confessit said:

So Trump is doing it to get these countries to do other things?

Thats what its really all about ?

Yup  

you’ll see. Remember, he’s the greatest negotiator or whatever the fuck.
 

For example. Mexico’s president will stop allowing migrants travel through the country and claim asylum at the U.S. border, which he did last time around. They’ll stop them at the southern border and send them home, etc. they’ll do more of this, too: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/mexico-fentanyl-seizure-trump-tariff/ etc., etc.

I quite frankly don’t know what he wants Canada to do 

[ULIZOS]

Again, if I’m wrong, then we’re fucked 

[SOON]

@Genevieve Vavance 

 

[ULIZOS]

25 minutes ago, Camacho said:

@Genevieve Vavance 

 

and it’s only been like 2 damn weeks out of four damn years 

[San]

31 minutes ago, Camacho said:

@Genevieve Vavance 

 

 

Good to be able to have a laugh on the side about all this.

Maybe I'm abnormal, but that was how his last term felt for me all the way in Australia. I'm trying not to fall into the same trap this time, but fear I've already failed. Last week I had a full on spiral of despair

[ULIZOS]

4 minutes ago, San said:

 

Good to be able to have a laugh on the side about all this.

Maybe I'm abnormal, but that was how his last term felt for me all the way in Australia. I'm trying not to fall into the same trap this time, but fear I've already failed. Last week I had a full on spiral of despair

I’m trying to be positive, but this time around it’s shit like a 25% on everyone tariff. Point blank. What the hell did Canada do to the u.s.???And the economy is already really tough here in the U.S. 

things were looking bright last time around. Obama left us in a much better spot. The Supreme Court wasn’t controlled by trump’s friends. Inflation wasn’t a thing. We’re all struggling and he’s going to make it worse from one day to the next! The stock markets are going to be a mess on Monday. 
 

Europe is next “Trump says he 'absolutely' plans on imposing tariffs on the EU.” 

 

Mind you, this is me after telling everyone to take a deep breath just this morning

[ULIZOS]

Also sorry for the typos typing while cycling (stationary) 

[SOON]

 

 

[ULIZOS]

7 minutes ago, Camacho said:

 

 

THIS HELPS NO ONE AND THERE HAS NEVER IN HISTORY BEEN A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF A TRADE WAR 

For fuck’s sake 

[San]

1 hour ago, ULIZOS said:

I’m trying to be positive, but this time around it’s shit like a 25% on everyone tariff. Point blank. What the hell did Canada do to the u.s.???And the economy is already really tough here in the U.S. 

things were looking bright last time around. Obama left us in a much better spot. The Supreme Court wasn’t controlled by trump’s friends. Inflation wasn’t a thing. We’re all struggling and he’s going to make it worse from one day to the next! The stock markets are going to be a mess on Monday. 
 

Europe is next “Trump says he 'absolutely' plans on imposing tariffs on the EU.” 

 

Mind you, this is me after telling everyone to take a deep breath just this morning

Here's an article to lift your spirits!

https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/call-it-by-its-name-a-coup

[SOON]

 

[SOON]

https://x.com/davidrkadler/status/1885863391454999012?s=46&t=nVM3A9JQ856GgygehDHrrw

BREAKING in Mexico

President Claudia Sheinbaum has responded FORCEFULLY to Donald Trump @POTUS escalating threats — pointing to a “Plan B” for Mexico’s retaliation.  

I have translated her full response below:

“We categorically reject the White House's slander against the Mexican government of having alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention of intervention in our territory.

If such an alliance exists anywhere, it is in the United States arms manufacturers that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups, as demonstrated by the United States Department of Justice itself in January of this year.

In four months, our government has seized more than 40 tons of drugs, including 20 million doses of fentanyl. It has also arrested more than ten thousand people linked to these groups.

If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious consumption of fentanyl in their country, they could, for example, combat the sale of narcotics on the streets of their main cities, which they do not do, and the money laundering generated by this illegal activity that has done so much harm to their population.

They could also start a massive campaign to prevent the consumption of these drugs and take care of their young people, as we have done in Mexico. Drug consumption and distribution is in their country and that is a public health problem that they have not addressed. In addition, the synthetic opioid epidemic in the United States has its origin in the indiscriminate prescription of drugs of this type, authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as demonstrated by the lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company.

Mexico does not want confrontation. We start from collaboration between neighboring countries. Mexico not only does not want fentanyl to reach the United States, but anywhere. Therefore, if the United States wants to combat criminal groups that traffic drugs and generate violence, we must work together in an integrated manner, but always under the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, collaboration and, above all, respect for sovereignty, which is not negotiable. Coordination, yes; subordination, no.

To this end, I propose to President Trump that we establish a working group with our best public health and security teams.

Problems are not resolved by imposing tariffs, but by talking and dialoguing, as we did in recent weeks with your State Department to address the phenomenon of migration; in our case, with respect for human rights.

The graph that President Trump has been posting on social media about the decline in migration was created by my team, which has been in constant communication with his.

I instruct the Secretary of Economy to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests.

Nothing by force; everything by reason and right.”

[SOON]

 

[Raider of the lost Ark]

Gregg Abbott better keep his mouth shut. He has some industries in his state that can be replaced rather easily. I'm talking defense. And this may be the handle the EU and Canada and other states have against the U.S.. With the exception of F-35 jets, other countries have arms manufacturers that built better and less expensive weapons and stuff. The difference is that capacities are relatively low. But that can be changed and production ramped up. Defense exports and profits for U.S. companies run in the 10s of billions of dollars and 10s of thousands of highpaying jobs in Texas and Florida depend on those exports.

 

[runa]

There's an anti-USA vibe, in Canada, right now. No matter if you are from left or right, it's rising. There's a general feeling of misunderstanding: why attack your closest ally and long-time friend? It's incomprehensible. 
A lot of boycott talks, too. Many people cancelled their travels or changed their plans to avoid crossing the border. A lot of "buy Canadian" discussion, too. Pretty sure most people will be careful on what they buy and make sure it's not a USA product. 

In the end, everyone will lose. Inflation will rise, the value of our respective currencies will fall, our investments will collapse, thousands of jobs are at stake and it will take us both years to recover from this stupid decision.

This morning Trump said USA don't need anything from CANADA. They don't need our oil, our aluminium or our woods. 
Let me laugh.