Donald Trump

[stevebrooks]

As for Greenland, i saw a Danish politician on the floor of their parliament last week claim Greenland has been connected to Denmark for 800 years. Honestly, i know very little about what goes on in Greenland but i do know that the US has absolutely no justifiable claim to it. Think of it as a trophy that Trump wants, it's also full of resources that need to be left in the ground, as far as i'm concerned.

Of course Russia has a good claim to Alaska, after all they cheated out of it for only $7.2m, a fraction of its actual worth considering all the oil there, Russia should just rescind that agreement and move in, that's what Trump would do right? The of course there's the proximity argument, Alaska is certainly ideally suited to be part of Canada!

[pipbarber]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... llionaires

It's hard to argue against Nesrin Malik's take on the situation. From this perspective, Trump is simply discarding the urbane niceties, the placating speeches, the nod in the direction of human rights and decency. He's pulled down the veil on the billionaire and corporate lobbies that have guided US policy for decades and now he does it openly, without shame, without limitations. The US political system has always been toxic and corrupt, it's actually a perfect environment for the likes of Trump.

I guess this perspective is something the DNC ought to be aware of, but i doubt they care.

[stevebrooks]

I see Trump has claimed Canada has agreed to spend 1.3 billion on border security in turn for not imposing tariffs. Just in case anyone has any doubt the 1.3 billion border control agreement was actually announced in December under the previous President. Some people are speculating that the tariff announcements were actually just dummies all along so that friends of Trump (Musk et al) who knew this and planned it all along could spend big in the stock market crash only to make huge amounts of money when the tariffs are cancelled and the stock markets recover.

[Hambone]

Some people are speculating that the tariff announcements were actually just dummies all along so that friends of Trump (Musk et al) who knew this and planned it all along could spend big in the stock market crash only to make huge amounts of money when the tariffs are cancelled and the stock markets recover.

Well it's not as if insider trading is any kind of legal/ethical issue for this bunch of arseholes.

(FTR - I just checked and the collective noun for a group of arseholes is indeed "bunch" - but I think in this case it could be something like a "rort", a "stink" or a "fissure" of arseholes. I'm still working on it).

[stevebrooks]

Some people are speculating that the tariff announcements were actually just dummies all along so that friends of Trump (Musk et al) who knew this and planned it all along could spend big in the stock market crash only to make huge amounts of money when the tariffs are cancelled and the stock markets recover.

Well it's not as if insider trading is any kind of legal/ethical issue for this bunch of arseholes.

(FTR - I just checked and the collective noun for a group of arseholes is indeed "bunch" - but I think in this case it could be something like a "rort", a "stink" or a "fissure" of arseholes. I'm still working on it).

A Fistula of Arseholes?

[stylofone]

Some people are speculating that the tariff announcements were actually just dummies all along so that friends of Trump (Musk et al) who knew this and planned it all along could spend big in the stock market crash only to make huge amounts of money when the tariffs are cancelled and the stock markets recover.

Well it's not as if insider trading is any kind of legal/ethical issue for this bunch of arseholes.

(FTR - I just checked and the collective noun for a group of arseholes is indeed "bunch" - but I think in this case it could be something like a "rort", a "stink" or a "fissure" of arseholes. I'm still working on it).

The attack on Canada was farcical. Apparently fentanyl seizures on the Canada border a 0.2% of the total. Immigration is 1.5%. It's just bullshit and I wish that word would be used by reporters when they get to ask Trump questions. For example, "Mr President, if you haven't checked yet on who the air traffic controllers actually were, isn't that just bullshit?"

[stevebrooks]

Really?

There was a standoff on Saturday night as members of Mr Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or ‘DOGE’, tried to gain access to sensitive computer systems.

It’s the latest sign of the power of Mr Musk, and his DOGE cost-cutting organisation, over the federal government – despite him not having an official Senate approved role. It could also see a court showdown over the limit of his, and indeed Mr Trump’s, powers.

But Mr Trump has pushed back on Mr Musk, a touch, commenting that “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval”.

That's clear then, every law Musk breaks, every illegal act Musk undertakes, including assault and the stealing of government data by his team members, is explicitly at the direction of Trump, clears that up nicely right?

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 70483dde12

[pipbarber]

That's clear then, every law Musk breaks, every illegal act Musk undertakes, including assault and the stealing of government data by his team members, is explicitly at the direction of Trump, clears that up nicely right?

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 70483dde12

Trump's statement also implies that if things go to shit all I have to say, Elon, is that i didn't approve of that and you're fired! Trump is building his fall guy and Musk, i'm totally guessing, is too deranged to see it.

[stylofone]

That's clear then, every law Musk breaks, every illegal act Musk undertakes, including assault and the stealing of government data by his team members, is explicitly at the direction of Trump, clears that up nicely right?

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 70483dde12

Trump's statement also implies that if things go to shit all I have to say, Elon, is that i didn't approve of that and you're fired! Trump is building his fall guy and Musk, i'm totally guessing, is too deranged to see it.

Musk is deranged, but his modus operandi is to win by losing. As long as he is "rich", he can do what he likes, including walking all over Trump. And even if Trump cuts him loose, he has an excellent chance of coming up trumps. The tainting of that idiom depresses me, but I will use it in this context.

[pipbarber]

Musk is deranged, but his modus operandi is to win by losing. As long as he is "rich", he can do what he likes, including walking all over Trump. And even if Trump cuts him loose, he has an excellent chance of coming up trumps. The tainting of that idiom depresses me, but I will use it in this context.

Yes, but i'm not convinced that Musk is indeed safe, simply because of money. This is a movement that is attacking the constitution, they're pretty much lawless, or at least they want to be and maybe they will be. In such a state, we might take guidance from Russia. If i were Elon, i'd be casting just the occasional glance at that open third floor window. And remember, no one really actually likes him.