The Otherworldly Circus - The America Thread

[Scotch N Coke Monatore]

It was an illustration showing his incessant need to be in the spotlight and at the centre of every conversation. Something that to my eternal shame I am perpetuating in this thread. He's done this his entire life. One only has to look how he had to insert himself into the Central Park Five tragedy too understand this.

But if you insist.



Yes. I fully understand the context of the shove video and why his posturing was already redundant by the time of its happening. Just as I understand why Prime Ministers Trudeau, Johnson and President Macron were caught on a hot mic mocking his buffoonery at another NATO summit. And Boris is an expert at buffoonery, so he'd know.

I also understand the difference between NATO countries agreeing to a goal of spending 2% of their GDP on defence expenditure after Russian invaded Crimea in 2014. Something that pre-dated Trumps presidency by nearly 3 years and Donald Trumps continued delusion that somehow this, with a war very near members borders still hasn't happened when in fact between 20 and 24 of 32 aligned countries will have met or exceeded the 2% target by the end of this year. Some others will reach the target in the coming years. And some will never reach it due to their own economies or agendas. However, other than perhaps the New Zealand of the north. Canada this doesn't include any of the major players.

Although of course he did, It's not Trump who can claim credit for this. It's Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that can. That he is still banging this drum on the election stump shows that One: Like how tariffs work, he clearly has no understanding of geo-political issues, unless they are on a quid pro quo basis (another character trait). Two: He so bound up in them, that he believes his own lies. Three: He knows that his supporters are low information rubes, who without question cheer on anything that falls out of his mouth. Like his assertion that the US was directly owed money by anybody not he alone adjudged as delinquent. Oh, the irony! And Four: All Demagogues. Demagogue.

Google Trumps NATO summit visits and I challenge you to find an image where he is shunted down the back and off to the side. Every single image has him either standing front and centre as a US President should. Sitting directly next to or opposite Jens Stoltenberg. The Secretary General of NATO. Or in one on one meetings with other world leaders.

The idea that with the spectre of a soon to be hot war simmering away on their borders that they'd sideline any President of the United States is as absurd as it is idiotic. Would some avoid having a photo op with somebody using them as a political cudgel back home? Possibly, but I'd do the same if that person was needlessly trying to extort me.

The US expends more on its defence, not because its forced to or because all its allies are somehow like a delinquent renter during his days as a slum lord. As is Trumps view. Thats an easily digested sideshow for imbeciles without an understanding as to why those countries allowed spending to fall to historic lows after the so called post cold war peace dividend. Something that proved as misguided as Russia being a reliable supplier of cheap energy.

The US spends 40% of the worlds defence expenditure because it's in its own economic and geo-political interests to do so.

Historically, there has been significant support for isolationist positions in the USA. Isolationism appears to be increasing again in recent years due to the state of the US economy.

 

[King Harold]

Now mandated all schools in Louisiana must display the 10 commandments

 

[jaxie1]

I’ve come across this commentator on U Tube I find interesting and interested in people’s opinions on his take on this issue and Putin.
Vlad Vexier.

 

[Freshwater]

Now mandated all schools in Louisiana must display the 10 commandments

I love the old biblical epics and this movie even more. Nearly every scene is perfect.
To look at the “I want to be a woman” scene and understand that was over 40 years ago!
How the ‘People’s front of Judea’ hates the ‘Judaen People's Front’ and how that sort of stuff is still such a thing.
To be both funny and witty is not common and to still be relevant over 40 years ago is remarkable.

 

[geoffjennings79]

Some great posts in the last few pages, well done. It is staggering though that so many people can not see straight through Trump's BS when it is, and has been, in plain sight for so long.

It doesn't require an education or to be of any particular demographic to understand he is a massive fraud.

I get that lots of disenfranchised Americans are disillusioned with their place in the world, but to put even a smidgeon of their faith in an utter fraudster collectively beggars belief.

Still, I suppose religions have perpetuated the same fraud on people for millennia. Humans can be so disappointing with the ability to easily misplace trust.

 

[Fossie 32]

I'm no Trump fan, but last time he got elected there were dire predictions, and the sky didn't fall down.

The economy grew, and has continued to grow. However 'economic growth' is a facile measurement of how content a nation's citizens are.

I like to watch a fair bit of citizen journalism from the US on YouTube. The old rust belt & coal belt are In bad shape.Huge areas are derelict and crime ridden. Massive opioid addiction thanks to big pharma . Inner cities look like homeless encampments. One of the more liberal cities in the States, Portland Oregan made the well meaning but foolhardy decision to decriminalise drugs.Now half the town is covered in tents.



It's problems like these that politicians seem powerless to tackle.

Then there's the young black men imprisoned for 30 years for making a bad decision when they were 18. Obviously they're criminals but the prison documentaries are heartbreaking.

What does it matter who is in charge ? Really

That’s horrific about Portland. Wonder what people who are pro drug decriminalisation and not worried about crime think of that

 

[Next Waiting]

Merry Independence Day everyone.

 

[dogwatch]

...

I get that lots of disenfranchised Americans are disillusioned with their place in the world, but to put even a smidgeon of their faith in an utter fraudster collectively beggars belief.

Still, I suppose religions have perpetuated the same fraud on people for millennia. Humans can be so disappointing with the ability to easily misplace trust.

Ouch. That's close to home!

 

[King Harold]

Ouch. That's close to home!

Gj meant to say mere mortals, he’s not talking about you or me dw

 

[LittleG]

Merry Independence Day everyone.

Merry “Independent from the US” Day everyone!

 

[Doggy Dan]

Th role of the judiciary is to interpret not law, not make it, and to uphold the rule of law. The recent ruling of one man being above the law has essentially undone a 250 year old democracy, from the greatest heights to the lowest lows this is “one small win for man (sic), one giant disaster for mankind”

The appointment clause, plenary nomination right of POTUS, senate confirmation and lifetime tenure of the judiciary were clearly created in good faith. He wasn’t within fault, but Hamilton outlines the reasoning concisely in federalist documents. Unfortunately, any true virtue in US politics is long gone, replaced by virtue signalling.

With the continual stretching and distribution to the extreme left and right, it has become more important than ever that the judiciary is relatively moderate. It was obvious the standing rule change removing the 60 vote burden from cloture and final filibuster deterrent would lead to what we are now seeing. A sitting president and simple majority in the Senate = political and ideological puppets in the Apex court of the land.

 

[Freshwater]

Some great posts in the last few pages, well done. It is staggering though that so many people can not see straight through Trump's BS when it is, and has been, in plain sight for so long.

It doesn't require an education or to be of any particular demographic to understand he is a massive fraud.

I get that lots of disenfranchised Americans are disillusioned with their place in the world, but to put even a smidgeon of their faith in an utter fraudster collectively beggars belief.

Still, I suppose religions have perpetuated the same fraud on people for millennia. Humans can be so disappointing with the ability to easily misplace trust.

That’s right. Many people now believe governments are the new saviour in their lives and look to the big man or woman, not in the sky now, but in Canberra or Washington etc. They think that if they believe a doctrine or philosophy and enough other people do too, it must be true and this system will be not only their Saviour, but everyone else’s too. Everyone else must also believe in it too. And they they do this on so many areas of all our lives now. What happens this November won’t be the end of civilisation, not even close.

 

[wayniac]

Some great posts in the last few pages, well done. It is staggering though that so many people can not see straight through Trump's BS when it is, and has been, in plain sight for so long.

It doesn't require an education or to be of any particular demographic to understand he is a massive fraud.

I get that lots of disenfranchised Americans are disillusioned with their place in the world, but to put even a smidgeon of their faith in an utter fraudster collectively beggars belief.

Still, I suppose religions have perpetuated the same fraud on people for millennia. Humans can be so disappointing with the ability to easily misplace trust.

Honest Joe, say it ain't so.....

In the fall of 1987, after months of campaigning, Biden was confronted with a series of lies he had made in earlier campaigns about his academic record and class standing while in law school at Syracuse University. Then came equally serious—and proven—allegations of plagiarism as his campaign speeches came under close scrutiny by the national press. There were things, Cramer writes, that Biden had said during a television interview “about his IQ, and his scholarships, how he graduated with three degrees, at the top of his class.”

 

[wayniac]

Some Biden whoppers here:

Fact-checks | PolitiFact

PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on its Truth-O-Meter.

www.politifact.com

 

[Chicago1]

What this thread needs is some 4th of July fireworks!

 

[King Harold]

Honest Joe, say it ain't so.....

In the fall of 1987, after months of campaigning, Biden was confronted with a series of lies he had made in earlier campaigns about his academic record and class standing while in law school at Syracuse University. Then came equally serious—and proven—allegations of plagiarism as his campaign speeches came under close scrutiny by the national press. There were things, Cramer writes, that Biden had said during a television interview “about his IQ, and his scholarships, how he graduated with three degrees, at the top of his class.”

Thanks for that wayniac, can you now throw up their fact checking on Trump ?

 

[wayniac]

Thanks for that wayniac, can you now throw up their fact checking on Trump ?

You seem to be the expert on that. Just trying to add some balance here. The Biden lies came from Seymour Hersh, not Politifact. It's not a black and white world but that's how you are conditioned to believe. Joe good, Orange man bad!

 

[geoffjennings79]

Thanks for that wayniac, can you now throw up their fact checking on Trump ?

Work in progress KH, their first attempt broke the server!

 

[King Harold]

You seem to be the expert on that. Just trying to add some balance here. The Biden lies came from Seymour Hersh, not Politifact. It's not a black and white world but that's how you are conditioned to believe. Joe good, Orange man bad!

Ha , just as I suspected
Don’t worry mate I’ve already read it.

It’s not good is it

 

[Fossie 32]

You seem to be the expert on that. Just trying to add some balance here. The Biden lies came from Seymour Hersh, not Politifact. It's not a black and white world but that's how you are conditioned to believe. Joe good, Orange man bad!

Does anybody actually think Joe is 'good'?

 

[Ted's Robot]

Trump told everyone in early 2021 that the 25th amendment would come back to haunt Joe, how did he know? Enjoy the show!

 

[geoffjennings79]

You seem to be the expert on that. Just trying to add some balance here. The Biden lies came from Seymour Hersh, not Politifact. It's not a black and white world but that's how you are conditioned to believe. Joe good, Orange man bad!

My post you quoted had no opinion on Biden. He's no saint, especially when it comes to supporting a regime committing genocide courtesy of US supplied weapons.

But the American people have to make a choice. The choice to reasonable people thinking of the bigger picture looks fairly straightforward, even if it's the worst of two bad options to start with.

 

[King Harold]

PolitiFact | Donald Trump

PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on its Truth-O-Meter.

www.politifact.com

 

[King Harold]

My post you quoted had no opinion on Biden. He's no saint, especially when it comes to supporting a regime committing genocide courtesy of US supplied weapons.

But the American people have to make a choice. The choice to reasonable people thinking of the bigger picture looks fairly straightforward, even if it's the worst of two bad options to start with.

I have locked horns with Wayniac way back .
He is a Trump man through and through.

Feel a bit sorry for him , when you have to defend someone who lies like you and me breathe, well that’s a tough gig.

 

[grassman75]

You seem to be the expert on that. Just trying to add some balance here. The Biden lies came from Seymour Hersh, not Politifact. It's not a black and white world but that's how you are conditioned to believe. Joe good, Orange man bad!

Trump just talks shit, Biden is just trying not to shit