Trump's tariff wars...long post.

[Norris]

MAGA... "Again"

When was the first time it was great? Was it under a dictatorship/ogliarchy? I really do fear for democracy

[Steve Browning]

Deleted. A bit irrelevant. 

Edited Thursday at 18:45 by Steve Browning

[Beedster]

On 14/02/2025 at 15:12, TimR said:

 

I'm giving the benefit of doubt. Maybe it is because they're suddenly finding out they're wrong and are silently repenting.

 

On 14/02/2025 at 13:37, Beedster said:

 

 Not sure you fully understand MAGA mindset Tim 🤣

 

 

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

 

It's a problem that Musk has personally. On paper he is the richest man in the world, but if he were to try and realise any of the value he has tied up in those stocks, the value would drop drastically! 

 

 

Every cloud .......  

[TimR]

1 hour ago, Cato said:

 

I have been wondering how far Tesla sales have to fall in Europe before the board realises that maybe Musk going out of his way to alienate the demographic most likely to buy an electric car might be a problem.

 

1 hour ago, peteb said:

 

The trouble is that Musk is the Tesla brand. If he was to sell his shares, or the board were to try and oust him, the share value would plummet! 

 

It's a problem that Musk has personally. On paper he is the richest man in the world, but if he were to try and realise any of the value he has tied up in those stocks, the value would drop drastically! 

 

 

Musk has been selling chunks of his shares in Tesla, he's moving on. 

 

He was down to 13% last time I checked. I can't believe he's attending any board meetings at the moment. 

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, TimR said:

 

 

Musk has been selling chunks of his shares in Tesla, he's moving on. 

 

He was down to 13% last time I checked. I can't believe he's attending any board meetings at the moment. 

 

I suspect Elon's school reports often alluded to his short attention span 

[TimR]

3 hours ago, Norris said:

MAGA... "Again"

When was the first time it was great? Was it under a dictatorship/ogliarchy? I really do fear for democracy

 

Pretty sure when the King of England was in charge. Before the French won it off us.

 

Edited Thursday at 20:25 by TimR

[80Hz]

4 hours ago, Agent 00Soul said:

Textbook.

 

I don't really consider myself a lefty any more (sorry) but I can't see what's happening in the US in any other way than the consequence of extreme wealth inequality.

 

Capitalism was great when it worked for most people (it never worked for all, of course - I'm talking about the historic "middle class"). A good job or advanced trade was a route to a decent standard of living, a home, etc. Now that kind of security is getting further and further out of reach for almost everyone. Very easy to take that vanishing security, and the general fear and anxiety that rise up from it, and point it in any direction you want. That goes for Democrats or Republicans.

 

I also feel I should speak up for the many sensible, intelligent, talented, kind, good people in the US. They're not in the news much these days, but they're my friends, colleagues and family. I'm genuinely frightened for them.

[Agent 00Soul]

2 hours ago, Cato said:

 

I have been wondering how far Tesla sales have to fall in Europe before the board realises that maybe Musk going out of his way to alienate the demographic most likely to buy an electric car might be a problem.

 

The majority of Elon's current alt-right fans probably have never owned a Tesla and never will.  Ironic.

[Downunderwonder]

3 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

I think that nothing we can do (by boycotting) would have any effect at all - aside from the symbolism. These guys are so wealthy that they are entirely immune from the effects of any action we might take collectively.

The shareholders are a good mix though.

[TimR]

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

I suspect Elon's school reports often alluded to his short attention span 

 

He is definitely on the spectrum and no doubt has ADHD. Which is kind of ironic considering the republicans don't believe that exists. Or the ones that do, blame it on vaccinations. 

[prowla]

2 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

He is definitely on the spectrum and no doubt has ADHD. Which is kind of ironic considering the republicans don't believe that exists. Or the ones that do, blame it on vaccinations. 

Well, if it doesn’t exist then he can’t have it!

[Russ]

5 hours ago, Cato said:

Never thought I'd say this but I'm considering boycotting US goods.

 

I wasn't too bothered about the tariffs or even the open hostility from the new administration towards America's long term alllies but this Ukraine debacle has crossed a line.

 

I don't think I can bring myself to buy another US guitar while Trump is in office.

I work for a well-known, long established acoustic guitar company (trust me, you've heard of us), and everyone here hates his guts, despite most of our endorsers and many of our customers being country music types, who tend to be Republicans.

 

The Mexico tariffs are going to make all the stuff from our factory down in Navojoa more expensive both for us and for the customer, and we're well aware that a lot of US goods are going to get boycotted around the world, meaning lower sales of our (expensive) US-made stuff. 

Edited Thursday at 21:15 by Russ

[Count Bassy]

6 hours ago, Cato said:

Never thought I'd say this but I'm considering boycotting US goods.

 

I wasn't too bothered about the tariffs or even the open hostility from the new administration towards America's long term alllies but this Ukraine debacle has crossed a line.

 

I don't think I can bring myself to buy another US guitar while Trump is in office.

What trump is doing re Ukraine makes me feel physically sick.

[chris_b]

I just found this on Facebook. . . .

 

I know a little something that so many do not appreciate about Donald, but that those of us who worked with him in the financial services game have known for many decades—LONG before he ever made a run at politics.

His stated motives rarely reveal his true agenda. His showmanship and charisma bedazzles the uninformed, which is exactly how he likes it.

He never signed a contract or met an agreement he wouldn’t violate or wriggle out of if it suited his hidden agenda. He never met an investor whose purse he didn’t consider his own in some strategic way. And he never met a human being he wouldn’t screw in order to advance or satisfy himself.

If you want to understand his beef with Panama, don’t look at the canal to which he now points. Look at Trump enterprises and their fraught financial and criminal relationship with Panama, and look to the Russian oligarchs who bought condos in his Panama Tower.

If you want to understand his fixation with Gaza, don’t look at the Palestinian or Israeli people; look at the real estate value he now perceives that Gaza holds, and he’d like to unlock.

If you want to understand his insane, obsessive beef with energy renewable windmills, don’t look at the wind energy aspect; look at his beef with Scotland over his golf course and the nearby windmills that damaged his idea of its aesthetics.

If you want to understand his irrational hatred of Obama, don’t look at the policies of the Obama administration; look to the annual press corp dinner where Obama poked fun at him and bruised his ego. If you want to understand his demonization of Democrats, look not to Democratic social policy, but to the fact they didn’t want him to run under color of their party.

If you want to understand his hatred of “immigrants” don’t look to the actual contributions and challenges related to immigration, but to his own germophobia and personal disgust for all things “dirty and brown.”

What he does SO masterfully, as many sociopaths do, is figure out how to align, however temporarily, his own personal agenda with the drives of those he can then USE to help him execute it. And the GOP fell right in line with that abusive strategy.

The GOP now looks much like a battered wife who would LOVE to quit Trump, but who also knows their financial security, personal comfort, and social status would collapse if they ran away. And they fear they won’t get much sympathy or support from the people who tried to warn them not to marry the dude—a serial, liar, cheater, thief, sadist, and a generally Bad Person.

Many of the GOP politicians today are busily masking their own abuse from the general public; at some point, however, as they watch their power continue to erode, their reputations get smashed, and themselves get blamed for the extensive abuse they now suffer, something’s gonna give.

I don’t know what it is, but every bone in my body FEELS an energetic convergence heading toward a massive, MASSIVE explosion—coming soon.

Author ~ Eilene Workman

[SICbass]

7 hours ago, chris_b said:

something’s gonna give.

I don’t know what it is, but every bone in my body FEELS an energetic convergence heading toward a massive, MASSIVE explosion—coming soon.

Author ~ Eilene Workman

One can only hope….

[Lozz196]

15 hours ago, chris_b said:

I just found this on Facebook. . . .

 

I know a little something that so many do not appreciate about Donald, but that those of us who worked with him in the financial services game have known for many decades—LONG before he ever made a run at politics.

His stated motives rarely reveal his true agenda. His showmanship and charisma bedazzles the uninformed, which is exactly how he likes it.

He never signed a contract or met an agreement he wouldn’t violate or wriggle out of if it suited his hidden agenda. He never met an investor whose purse he didn’t consider his own in some strategic way. And he never met a human being he wouldn’t screw in order to advance or satisfy himself.

If you want to understand his beef with Panama, don’t look at the canal to which he now points. Look at Trump enterprises and their fraught financial and criminal relationship with Panama, and look to the Russian oligarchs who bought condos in his Panama Tower.

If you want to understand his fixation with Gaza, don’t look at the Palestinian or Israeli people; look at the real estate value he now perceives that Gaza holds, and he’d like to unlock.

If you want to understand his insane, obsessive beef with energy renewable windmills, don’t look at the wind energy aspect; look at his beef with Scotland over his golf course and the nearby windmills that damaged his idea of its aesthetics.

If you want to understand his irrational hatred of Obama, don’t look at the policies of the Obama administration; look to the annual press corp dinner where Obama poked fun at him and bruised his ego. If you want to understand his demonization of Democrats, look not to Democratic social policy, but to the fact they didn’t want him to run under color of their party.

If you want to understand his hatred of “immigrants” don’t look to the actual contributions and challenges related to immigration, but to his own germophobia and personal disgust for all things “dirty and brown.”

What he does SO masterfully, as many sociopaths do, is figure out how to align, however temporarily, his own personal agenda with the drives of those he can then USE to help him execute it. And the GOP fell right in line with that abusive strategy.

The GOP now looks much like a battered wife who would LOVE to quit Trump, but who also knows their financial security, personal comfort, and social status would collapse if they ran away. And they fear they won’t get much sympathy or support from the people who tried to warn them not to marry the dude—a serial, liar, cheater, thief, sadist, and a generally Bad Person.

Many of the GOP politicians today are busily masking their own abuse from the general public; at some point, however, as they watch their power continue to erode, their reputations get smashed, and themselves get blamed for the extensive abuse they now suffer, something’s gonna give.

I don’t know what it is, but every bone in my body FEELS an energetic convergence heading toward a massive, MASSIVE explosion—coming soon.

Author ~ Eilene Workman

I don’t think she’s that keen on him…..

[SumOne]

16 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

If you want to understand his fixation with Gaza, don’t look at the Palestinian or Israeli people; look at the real estate value he now perceives that Gaza holds, and he’d like to unlock.

 

 

The much more worrying side of that is shown in this BBC documentary 'Praying for Armageddon' (the synopsis calls it a 'political thriller' for some reason, which makes it seem like fiction - but it is a documentary)

 

"Praying for Armageddon is a political thriller that explores the power and influence of American Evangelical Christians as they aim to fulfil the Armageddon prophecy. 

The film observes American believers as they prepare for what they call The Holy War and exposes the powerful megachurch pastors who call for the 'final battle' that they believe will trigger the Second Coming of Christ. Completed before the current crisis in Israel and Gaza, it also unveils how politicians driven by faith embrace the State of Israel as the key to their prophetic vision for the end of days."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001z96s/storyville-praying-for-armageddon

 

It is mental, very powerful people in the US seriously believe that there needs to be Armageddon for there to be Rapture for them to be saved, they've tied that all in with Israel and religious war and bible interpretation of Jesus returning once there is this righteous 'end of days' war and him then basically doing the opposite of the 'turn the other cheek' stuff by smiting the enemy and non-believers. They actively want religious Armageddon so they can go to heaven. These religious groups also have very strong links to the US military and basically turn it into some sort of crusade - with crusade icons on US fighter planes and inscriptions on weapons etc hence them being called Crusaders by the people they fight and fanning the flames. 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 17:05 by SumOne

[Count Bassy]

18 hours ago, chris_b said:

I just found this on Facebook. . . .

 

I know a little something that so many do not appreciate about Donald, but that those of us who worked with him in the financial services game have known for many decades—LONG before he ever made a run at politics.

His stated motives rarely reveal his true agenda. His showmanship and charisma bedazzles the uninformed, which is exactly how he likes it.

He never signed a contract or met an agreement he wouldn’t violate or wriggle out of if it suited his hidden agenda. He never met an investor whose purse he didn’t consider his own in some strategic way. And he never met a human being he wouldn’t screw in order to advance or satisfy himself.

If you want to understand his beef with Panama, don’t look at the canal to which he now points. Look at Trump enterprises and their fraught financial and criminal relationship with Panama, and look to the Russian oligarchs who bought condos in his Panama Tower.

If you want to understand his fixation with Gaza, don’t look at the Palestinian or Israeli people; look at the real estate value he now perceives that Gaza holds, and he’d like to unlock.

If you want to understand his insane, obsessive beef with energy renewable windmills, don’t look at the wind energy aspect; look at his beef with Scotland over his golf course and the nearby windmills that damaged his idea of its aesthetics.

If you want to understand his irrational hatred of Obama, don’t look at the policies of the Obama administration; look to the annual press corp dinner where Obama poked fun at him and bruised his ego. If you want to understand his demonization of Democrats, look not to Democratic social policy, but to the fact they didn’t want him to run under color of their party.

If you want to understand his hatred of “immigrants” don’t look to the actual contributions and challenges related to immigration, but to his own germophobia and personal disgust for all things “dirty and brown.”

What he does SO masterfully, as many sociopaths do, is figure out how to align, however temporarily, his own personal agenda with the drives of those he can then USE to help him execute it. And the GOP fell right in line with that abusive strategy.

The GOP now looks much like a battered wife who would LOVE to quit Trump, but who also knows their financial security, personal comfort, and social status would collapse if they ran away. And they fear they won’t get much sympathy or support from the people who tried to warn them not to marry the dude—a serial, liar, cheater, thief, sadist, and a generally Bad Person.

Many of the GOP politicians today are busily masking their own abuse from the general public; at some point, however, as they watch their power continue to erode, their reputations get smashed, and themselves get blamed for the extensive abuse they now suffer, something’s gonna give.

I don’t know what it is, but every bone in my body FEELS an energetic convergence heading toward a massive, MASSIVE explosion—coming soon.

Author ~ Eilene Workman

 

 

Though I can agree with most of this, just from what you see him doing, it does beg the question"Who is Eilene Workman?"

[Obrienp]

3 hours ago, SumOne said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001z96s/storyville-praying-for-armageddon

 

It is mental, very powerful people in the US seriously believe that there needs to be Armageddon for there to be Rapture for them to be saved, they've tied that all in with Israel and religious war and bible interpretation of Jesus returning once there is this righteous 'end of days' war and him then basically doing the opposite of the 'turn the other cheek' stuff by smiting the enemy and non-believers. They actively want religious Armageddon so they can go to heaven. These religious groups also have very strong links to the US military and basically turn it into some sort of crusade - with crusade icons on US fighter planes and inscriptions on weapons etc hence them being called Crusaders by the people they fight and fanning the flames. 

 

 

The way Trump and his Team are going at the moment, I think Armageddon is not far off.

[peteb]

6 hours ago, SumOne said:

It is mental, very powerful people in the US seriously believe that there needs to be Armageddon for there to be Rapture for them to be saved, they've tied that all in with Israel and religious war and bible interpretation of Jesus returning once there is this righteous 'end of days' war and him then basically doing the opposite of the 'turn the other cheek' stuff by smiting the enemy and non-believers. They actively want religious Armageddon so they can go to heaven. These religious groups also have very strong links to the US military and basically turn it into some sort of crusade - with crusade icons on US fighter planes and inscriptions on weapons etc hence them being called Crusaders by the people they fight and fanning the flames. 

 

 

That's going back to Ronald Reagan (apparently he held those views). There were some worries during his presidency that he was being unnecessarily provocative at times to incite a dangerous reaction from the Soviets! 

 

Fortunately, there were proper checks and balances in place during that time. 

 

Edited 20 hours ago by peteb

[tauzero]

6 hours ago, Count Bassy said:

 

 

Though I can agree with most of this, just from what you see him doing, it does beg the question"Who is Eilene Workman?"

 

A misspelling.

 

https://www.eileenworkman.com/

[tauzero]

I keep meaning to mention that among the many unChristian things that the supposed Christian Trump does is tax dodging. Perhaps he ought to read the bible that he's flogging.

[Bagman]

9 hours ago, peteb said:

 

That's going back to Ronald Reagan (apparently he held those views). There were some worries during his presidency that he was being unnecessarily provocative at times to incite a dangerous reaction from the Soviets! 

 

Fortunately, there were proper checks and balances in place during that time. 

 

I think it's been at least 4 decades of trying to breed the Red Heifer 

 

 

[Agent 00Soul]

It feels like it’s usually Republican presidents that have these giant ruptures with Europe.  Dem presidents have squabbles but it never seems to get as bad as with the Trump/Bush Jr/Cheney/Vances of the world. I’m not totally sure why this is but I do  know they wear it like a badge of honour and use it as an example of Democrats being weak and effeminate. The funny thing is that it’s always the GOP who go on about protecting European heritage and Judeo-Christian/Western values. Pete Hegseth even has a crusaders tattoo.

 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-nominee-to-lead-pentagon-has-multiple-christian-and-crusader-inspired-tattoos/

 

I wonder if they see things like the EU as the “wrong” kind of Europe and they want to starve the beast or something.