The Many Faces of US Politics...

[Look-Up!]

Top military men are said to be very worried about the use of a nuke on Iran. Likely a "tactical" one to try and claim victory.

The US is an absolute enemy of the peoples of Europe at this stage.

In a roundabout long term way Trump might be their greatest gift. A major weakness in the EU is lack of natural resources and having to import a lot. Trump has opened the door to greater cooperation with Canada, culturally much more aligned to European values than US.

[Wildweasel74]

China laughing their balls off. US trying to play the big boy because of China economic strength, and all they done is push everybody to deal with China even more. Dump fools! The UK comes out of it looking very poor. Left the EU to get big trade deals with the US and got nothing, now food over 2/3rds to twice the price it was 10yrs ago and they never admit they got it wrong.

[Look-Up!]

US looks a basket case politically at the moment. All upmanship. Until they get their house in order, get over each other and pull together politically for the better of the nation, or have their fecking civil war, whatever it takes, cos as it stands they're impossible to deal with. Agreements written in pencil couldn't describe them any better. Because you just don't know what's coming 4 years down the line.

Brits not much better politically but most of the harm they're doing to themselves. At least a trade deal with them will have value or credibility.

Yes China can't believe their luck. Talk about blowing your toes off.

[seafoid]

The US and the UK are in very bad shape politically and economically.
So is France.

[Armagh18]

US looks a basket case politically at the moment. All upmanship. Until they get their house in order, get over each other and pull together politically for the better of the nation, or have their fecking civil war, whatever it takes, cos as it stands they're impossible to deal with. Agreements written in pencil couldn't describe them any better. Because you just don't know what's coming 4 years down the line.

Brits not much better politically but most of the harm they're doing to themselves. At least a trade deal with them will have value or credibility.

Yes China can't believe their luck. Talk about blowing your toes off.

Pencil, or in Trumps case crayon!

[Look-Up!]

US looks a basket case politically at the moment. All upmanship. Until they get their house in order, get over each other and pull together politically for the better of the nation, or have their fecking civil war, whatever it takes, cos as it stands they're impossible to deal with. Agreements written in pencil couldn't describe them any better. Because you just don't know what's coming 4 years down the line.

Brits not much better politically but most of the harm they're doing to themselves. At least a trade deal with them will have value or credibility.

Yes China can't believe their luck. Talk about blowing your toes off.

Pencil, or in Trumps case crayon!

Definitely a touch of crayon but Trump is just one American. There's 350 million more of them. If he were to drop dead today I'm not sure how much changes, embarrassing tantrums aside.

[J70]

US looks a basket case politically at the moment. All upmanship. Until they get their house in order, get over each other and pull together politically for the better of the nation, or have their fecking civil war, whatever it takes, cos as it stands they're impossible to deal with. Agreements written in pencil couldn't describe them any better. Because you just don't know what's coming 4 years down the line.

Brits not much better politically but most of the harm they're doing to themselves. At least a trade deal with them will have value or credibility.

Yes China can't believe their luck. Talk about blowing your toes off.

Pencil, or in Trumps case crayon!

Definitely a touch of crayon but Trump is just one American. There's 350 million more of them. If he were to drop dead today I'm not sure how much changes, embarrassing tantrums aside.

That is going to be the big question. Does this insanity die when Trump is done, or is it here to stay?

There are plenty of Republicans who deploy the culture war poison on immigrants, minorities, LBGTQ people, scientific issues like climate change and vaccines, etc. etc., but would still be relatively sane on ecomonic and international issues.

I say relative, because they'll still try to gut social services so they can give their corporate and billionaire donors massive tax cuts and breaks, but at least they'll not blow up the global economy with moronic, self-defeating policies like tarriffs and will be more pragmatic in that they won't threaten to conquer the likes of Greenland and won't sidle up to Putin and the Kims while alienating long-standing western allies.

My feeling is that most of the MAGAts primarily love the cruelty and the permission they feel they get to reveal and revel in their bigotry and racism, so as long as their culture war needs are met, the GOP will back off some of the economic and foreign policy madness.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I suppose it comes down to how actually conservative are American conservatives.

There are 5 traditions that the Republicans have always cherished;
-capitalism/free trade
-God/ religion
-free speech
-the constitution/ institutions of state
-law and order / supporting police

Trump and MAGA have to varying levels attacked all of them. The party and voters haven't kicked up a significant fuss.

So is it about conservative policy and values or just 'owning the libs'? The war with Iran has been hugely unpopular as he directly campaigned on no middle East wars. But there are no protests or backlash.

Vance believes this shit. If he gets in, more of the same but in a more coherent and organised fashion.

[J70]

Vance is about as charismatic as a dirty wet blanket though. And he's completely owned by the billionaires and oligarchs who put him where he is.

MAGA is a authoritarian, bigoted personality cult, first and foremost. So the underlying causes of Trump may not die with him, but it's going to take a hell of a personality to channel and ride it to the same level as he has.