Donald Trump

[stevebrooks]

Let's be clear, it's absurdist comedy, it would make a good storyline for comedy show about a mad dictator, I am sure that has already been done, however there's an undertone to it as well. It was also absurdist comedy that Jarad Kushner was sent to the middle east to make a peace deal, we've seen how well that went, the thing is I suspect there are things Trump would like to do and just throws out in the air to see which way world and public opinion lands and makes up his mind whether to do so or not based on that.

The world didn't react outraged to Kushner being sent to the middle east with no qualification and zero diplomatic experience because, well, how bad could he fuck things up? So that's what happened, no other President in their right minds would have considered Kushner for the job. The same with Ivanka when she tried to sit with the big boys one day, they soon pushed her out though.

It will probably come out, now that the world has reacted in the way it has, that he was only joking all along, the same will apply to the Panama Canal, Greenland and making Canada the 51st state. He's rolled back tariffs for Canada and Mexico with bullshit justifications because, well, things started to get a bit out of hand there and it looked like it might get nasty, it still might. So he just throws absurd suggestions out, suggestions he likes and would like to do, then decides based on public and political reaction whether or not to go ahead. The fallout over Musk hasn't really reached him yet, let's see how that works out in the end.

[pipbarber]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ith-butler

The sadistic glee at issue here is not just his; it depends on being communicated and widely enjoyed in order to exist – it is a communal and contagious celebration of cruelty. Indeed, the media attention it garners feeds the sadistic spree. It has to be known and seen and heard, this parade of reactionary outrage and defiance. And that is why it is no longer a simple matter of exposing hypocrisy that will serve us now. There is no moral veneer that must be stripped away. No, the public demand for the appearance of morality on the part of the leader is inverted: his followers thrill to the display of his contempt for morality, and share it.

My bold.

Judith Butler, 5 stars! Great take on things, imo. Mockery is better than outrage. Cultivating the opposite of sadistic cruelty, in our everyday lives, is resistance.

Definitely worth the read

[pipbarber]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... opposition

He's doubling down, i guess he's enjoying the stench of his own brain fart.

Everyone, including me, seems pretty certain that this mad plan won't actually ever happen but the mere idea of it has left a damaging imprint. Then again, looking at this Hegseth drongo, sorry...secretary of defense, who the fuck knows what's going to happen?

[pipbarber]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... nction-icc

When the international criminal court is depicted as an enemy of your government, what does that say about your government?

[wolty]

I'm a touch surprised at how fragile democracy in the US actually was. Or just how quickly bad faith actors can take advantage of a crumbling empire.

[pipbarber]

I'm a touch surprised at how fragile democracy in the US actually was. Or just how quickly bad faith actors can take advantage of a crumbling empire.

Makes you wonder how they're going to manage a free and fair election...in 2 years and 4 years time.

They've been in power for two and a half weeks. Amazing to ponder what will be left of the state by the midterms. 21 months seems a long long way away.

[stevebrooks]

I'm a touch surprised at how fragile democracy in the US actually was. Or just how quickly bad faith actors can take advantage of a crumbling empire.

In all reality it was actually quite a bad model for democracy, it concentrated to much power in the hands of to few people, I mean they make fun of how many Prime Ministers we have gone through in such a short period of time, bet they wish they could just kick this lot out in the US like we can. The checks and balances the US were so proud of only existed because everyone previously voluntarily adhered to them, but in essence the checks and balances don't exist if you simply refuse to comply, which Trump and the GOP are now doing. Only people around Trump have the power to stop Trump, 25th amendment etc, but when everyone around Trump is as mad as he is, there's no other way to stop him.

In essence it's the mad king and his court, the only way to overthrow them is by force because there's no legal action that can be taken to remove them, even the Supreme Court can't, if they had the balls and ethics. They are basically stuck with Trump for 4 years, it's a really bad model of democracy that allows an undemocratic leader to get in and then have no way to remove him even if the majority of the populace wants him gone. I mean sure it shouldn't be easy, but it should be possible!

[pipbarber]

It is possible, in 2 years. 22 out of 33 senate seats up for election in 2026 are held by maga. If the Dems can win most of them they might grab a two thirds majority for a successful impeachment. Wildly unlikely.

It would be a civil war moment if that happens. Trump would probably finish the job he started on the capitol building on jan 6 and just drop a bomb on the whole joint.

[pipbarber]

I completely concur with the statement that the US system was always poorly designed and functioned largely on the glue of convention.

In its defence though, there weren't a lot models to follow in the 1770s. Australia's vastly superior system (in my opinion) borrowed some good ideas from the US, such as the state based senate and its 6 year terms.

I'm almost certain we would better withstand an authoritarian takeover attempt than the US...almost certain, less certain than i was a month ago...but almost certain.

[two dogs]

What a fuckin' sick bastard!

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/netanya ... =118536037