nigel99

Proof of citizen in case ICE pick her up by mistake?

Wendy raises an interesting point. Sometimes couples make a great team and work extremely well together. Although in the Trump admin your point stands. There’s a distinct possibility that in this particular case she’s got more brains than him and it works in everyone’s favour :) If you can’t have a competent white man in charge, I guess the next best thing is an incompetent white man with a wife to help him.

They also think The Dictator and Borat is a playbook. Right down to the sporting events.

A common tactic cheaters use is to name a contact inauspiciously so John is really Susie from the pub. I’d imagine a republican who’s an anonymous source for the fake news might use the same tactic.

Along the lines of “elect a clown and expect a circus” I don’t think it takes much thought to realise that a journalist/tv personality natural instinct is to “get the scoop” and share news. Honestly, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if there isn’t a signal group going with him and a couple of Fox News staff/Joe Rogan’s.

I agree about the pendulum swinging back. I think this time it swung so far the rope broke.

At what point is it time to drop the bone on this? One of Biguns points is the polarisation of US politics. I think it’s clear you disagree with his choice, skydivers have a twisted sense of humour and there’s a chance this is friendly ribbing between the two of you. There are going to be people who actually voted for Trump who regret their decision and crucifying them and rubbing their noses in it, isn’t going to encourage them to “swap sides” From the outside it looks like the Dems lack strategy and are incapable of mobilising against the Trump regime. As Jasmin Crocket pointed out, insider trading is rife within Congress and that’s both sides. Breaking the system is going to require a new approach and building a new base from somewhere that represents the average American.

I was thinking about you guys in the US and what realistically can be done in the current situation. The protests are getting some attention in the media, but not much. Does the US system allow for direct action at a local representative level? So if your local congressman or senator isn’t speaking out can they be picketed at home and office? Peacefully and legally? Or take them on in the legal system and sue them for failing in their duties? I still hold the view that the 2nd amendment is a waste of time and unrealistic for the argument against a tyrannical government . I’m not even sure that you’d get away with an armed group picketing a politician.

Always enjoy how you think things through and reflect. I’m sure you’re right and that the world will accept the US back, although in a different and more humble position. It’s going to have to change language though and lose phrases like “leaders of the free world” and dare I say it “our system is the best” (that’s not what you said). Ultimately I’ve got faith in the American people that you won’t allow yourselves to become the next Iran as much as Mike Johnson and the like are going to try. You guys are fighting a war on multiple fronts right now and I’ve got no idea where you start and which is the most important. There is the white power movement gaining hold (which appears to be a global phenomenon), the Theocracy movement to install extreme religious government and destroy women’s rights, the oligarchs aiming for complete domination are all internally facing issues. Then there is the very real problem (for Americans, not the rest of us) and reality that the US is losing its empire and grip over world events. That has to be a painful transition and one that is difficult to navigate peacefully. Inherently we gravitate towards a win-lose mindset and win-win doesn’t come naturally. I think this drives a lot of the isolationist rhetoric, and I originally supported Brexit for the same reasons many Americans want to put “America first”.

Yesterday I saw a meme with 2 confronting images side by side. On the left was a train from 2nd world war Germany, the right was prisoners boarding a plane to El Salvador. The caption was “First trains, now planes”

I hope you’re right, because internationally the US is viewed very negatively now. It’s going to take a long time to win back trust and respect.

Don’t worry he’ll take the guns. I don’t think it’s far away

This is funny. Only the brightest of MAGA.

Fair enough, it sounds pretty fragile and prone to being corrupted. One thing that’s come of it all is I’m trying to properly understand our system in Aus.

Are you saying that the US can only ever function as a two party system? This whole saga has shown just how flawed the American version of democracy is.

What you’re missing is he declares the tariffs with great fanfare and Fox etc cover it, then he quietly gives exemptions and they don’t. Average MAGA still thinks tariffs are in place and Trump is “winning”

I still believe that voting independent like Keith did is not the same as voting for Trump or not voting at all.

This is over an hour long but a fascinating talk between Jon Stewart and Pete Buttigieg regarding the future of the US. It’s largely non partisan as Pete both criticises the democrats and acknowledges the Trump administration on certain things. The focus is how the US as it was had major structural problems and that Trump has bulldozed the institutions and the US’s standing on the world stage and has no coherent plan to replace them. How MAGA is selling the unrealistic dream of returning to the American dream of the 1950’s and not acknowledging the change in the world and how it can never go back. Similarly the democrats don’t have a plan on how things should be rebuilt better and more effectively and not just trying to “go back” to the pre Trump era. How the democrats never get things done because they are too afraid of offending people or taking any risk and how they need to change that mindset. https://youtu.be/4rHKwHQUa78?si=UcjGir-SCHZ_kFZf

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFqOgVdMpg7/?igsh=MWx1b2prMTFmbHEzcA== I really enjoy Philomena Cunk and this one on Trump is great.

I’ve not heard that saying before! I wasn’t aware of the EO or that they have threatened to shut it down. The reality is they are highly unlikely to shut it down because just like Facebook and Twitter they get to harvest enormous amounts of user data and it’s a very effective disinformation tool. I’ve no doubt that their algorithms can promote material that undermines Trump.

Talking of apps. It occurred to me that in this escalating war between Trump and China they have the power to shut down Tictok in the US. I wonder how well US politicians would survive the barrage of complaints if that happened?

https://www.thefp.com/p/im-a-soybean-farmer-who-voted-for Poor guy voted for Trump but the tariffs are threatening his business and he’s worried that if China takes its business elsewhere it won’t come back.

Pretty much everyone I know who had to do national service looks back on it as a positive experience that they are glad they did. I think there is something to be said for a gap year and giving to the community in some way and it should be mandatory.

I think you missed my point (but then at the moment I’m dosed up on opioids so good chance in a few weeks I look back and see my posts were as coherent as Rich’s.). Often people who grow up in welfare don’t have the life skills to work. It’s not a judgement, I don’t see them as evil dole bludgers. I don’t know how you teach those skills, but a short stint in the military seems like an ideal opportunity.

My ex came from a “career welfare” family. Her father had never had a job and she really struggled with me working as she was used to her father and previous partners being home all day. There are a reasonable number of people who deliberately blow interviews in order to remain on our jobseekers payment system. Many people like my ex who are from generations of welfare lack the skills to work, and I don’t just mean having a trade or qualification. It’s incredibly sad and I don’t judge them. Many of my relatives had to do a year of compulsory military service growing up. A six to 12 month mandatory service sounds like a good thing.