Trump is Doing Something Good

[Tecumsehsbones]

Never thought you'd see me post that, didja?

Despite the fact that I have posted good things Trump did in the past.

But his performance in Davos has encouraged greater European independence from the U.S. That's a good thing. It's what we were supposed to be working for from 1945 on. . . a healthy, powerful Europe able to bear its share of the load.

Probably shoulda put more emphasis on "willing."

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Another "something good" Trump is doing. . . gutting DEI and affirmative action.

I'm still not entirely sure what "DEI" is, except that conservatives hate the idea of people who aren't White, nominally-Christian, and male having an even shot, but affirmative action, already weakened by decades of government and court action, was probably overdue to be retired.

The whole point of "affirmative action" was to compensate people oppressed by virtue of group membership. OK, that's questionable to begin with, but what's more serious is the question of when the "compensation" ends? Inherent in affirmative action is that people who aren't White, nominally-Christian, and male can't make it on merit. Insofar as this is because of invidious discrimination, that's valid. But I think we're at a "close enough" point. . . close enough to genuine merit the effect of invidious discrimination is not very significant. That was affirmative action's goal, not to establish a permanent preference for non-Whites and women.

You may quibble about whether or not the goal has been reached, but we're at least in the red zone. At this point, I think those who discriminate will suffer for their choice by losing out on "the best 'man' for the job." Which is how it should be. As this board so perfectly demonstrates, you can't protect people from their own stupidity. Nor should you try.

Think of it as evolution in action.

 

[petros]

Never thought you'd see me post that, didja?

Despite the fact that I have posted good things Trump did in the past.

But his performance in Davos has encouraged greater European independence from the U.S. That's a good thing. It's what we were supposed to be working for from 1945 on. . . a healthy, powerful Europe able to bear its share of the load.

Probably shoulda put more emphasis on "willing."

Zelensky is saying the samething.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/21/politics/zelensky-trump-nato-spending/index.html

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Zelensky is saying the samething.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/21/politics/zelensky-trump-nato-spending/index.html

Zelensky's a good man. Always approved of him. You and he are pretty much the defining points on the Ukrainian bell curve.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Trump has united America (into two different united groups, but those factions are united I guess)!

 

[petros]

Is this AI or from Davos?

Crowbar in the ass

To be honest, I’m honestly surprised by Trump. During the 3 years of war, no one has ever let Putin down like that. So, is Putler rated on a par with dictat...

youtube.com

 

[petros]

Laundering of fentanyl cash linked to online betting sites, intelligence agency warns

Canada’s financial intelligence agency suspects online gambling platforms are being used to launder proceeds from fentanyl dealing and production

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[Ron in Regina]

Laundering of fentanyl cash linked to online betting sites, intelligence agency warns

Canada’s financial intelligence agency suspects online gambling platforms are being used to launder proceeds from fentanyl dealing and production

www.ctvnews.ca

& BC casinos… to launder, both drug and real estate money. No big secret there.

 

[petros]

& BC casinos… to launder, both drug and real estate money. No big secret there.

Not so much in BC casinos any longer. You need a gaming card and scanable ID to get in and gaming card and ID to cash out.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Maybe I’m a couple years out of date because one of our daughters has got a different career…but even when they had limits of dollar figures that you could bring into a casino….There were still suitcases coming in on the “Shhhhhh…” program.

 

[Blackleaf]

"What are we, stupid?": Trump slams EU for taking advantage of the USA.

Trump attacked EU nations for not paying the spending the annual NATO target on defence. There are a couple or so EU nations who spend the required 2% or more on defence - such as Finland and Greece - but others, even France, Germany and Italy, are lagging.

Non-EU Britain, meanwhile, spends more than 2% on defence.

The US President also told reporters that NATO defence spending should be increased from 2% to 5% of each member's GDP.

Good to see Farage's buddy is now the world's most powerful person.

 

[Serryah]

Proof that not all Southern Americans are absolute dipshits.

 

[harrylee]

 

[harrylee]

 

[harrylee]

 

[pgs]

Proof that not all Southern Americans are absolute dipshits.

All of them , every one . Look in the mirror .

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

This is problematic.

I have known for decades that the Federal government is in need of a big shake-up. Every policy and program instantly gains a constituency that will not allow it to be shut down, regardless of how irrelevant it has become. It's a significant contributor to our debt.

Trump is breaking that mold.

He's doing it badly, with an eye to personal vengeance on those who have opposed him. . . but he's doing it.

Perhaps this is what it took. Probably, even. A dictatorial President with nothing to lose (term limited). And no politician ever has been any different: vengeful, touchy, and using any power granted against people who have pissed her off.

It may be that this is a Tom Sawyer moment. Those of you who read the book may remember that Tom conned the town boys into whitewashing a fence for him by presenting it as a desirable thing they they were not allowed to do. He faked reluctance to let them, and so got them into doing his chore for him.

Trump is "moving fast and breaking things." And so far the Democrats are looking awful conservative. . . shocked and outraged that the status quo is being challenged and changed.

I have a lot of specific problems with specific things he's doing, but all in all, I think that the destruction can be turned into demolition. If we're wise. Which we're not.

Still, interesting times, and maybe there'll be a few who have the sense and wit to get this rampaging pig in to harness shafts and use its energy to pull in useful directions. He's certainly stupid enough to be manipulated.

Is there a Democrat with the brains and balls and love of country to throw in with Trump and use his destructive energy positively, until the offended shriekers turf out said Democrat?

Naaaaah.

 

[Serryah]

This is problematic.

I have known for decades that the Federal government is in need of a big shake-up. Every policy and program instantly gains a constituency that will not allow it to be shut down, regardless of how irrelevant it has become. It's a significant contributor to our debt.

Trump is breaking that mold.

He's doing it badly, with an eye to personal vengeance on those who have opposed him. . . but he's doing it.

Perhaps this is what it took. Probably, even. A dictatorial President with nothing to lose (term limited). And no politician ever has been any different: vengeful, touchy, and using any power granted against people who have pissed her off.

It may be that this is a Tom Sawyer moment. Those of you who read the book may remember that Tom conned the town boys into whitewashing a fence for him by presenting it as a desirable thing they they were not allowed to do. He faked reluctance to let them, and so got them into doing his chore for him.

Trump is "moving fast and breaking things." And so far the Democrats are looking awful conservative. . . shocked and outraged that the status quo is being challenged and changed.

I have a lot of specific problems with specific things he's doing, but all in all, I think that the destruction can be turned into demolition. If we're wise. Which we're not.

Still, interesting times, and maybe there'll be a few who have the sense and wit to get this rampaging pig in to harness shafts and use its energy to pull in useful directions. He's certainly stupid enough to be manipulated.

Is there a Democrat with the brains and balls and love of country to throw in with Trump and use his destructive energy positively, until the offended shriekers turf out said Democrat?

Naaaaah.

I don't disagree that the US Government needed a shake up. Hell, most Governments do at this point, which is probably why the right are getting back into power all over the place.

The problem is, those policies tend to lead to conflicts, if not outright wars, at the level/type that things are going.

I think if things were shaken up in the US with a different person there might be less issues. But Trump... the literal cult he has following him, plus his adoration of authoritarian regimes and extremists and obvious siding with said people over traditional allies...

Maybe it's my own "see the worst in things" but I just can't think that even if some good comes out of it, it won't matter because the bad will overwrite and swallow it up.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I don't disagree that the US Government needed a shake up. Hell, most Governments do at this point, which is probably why the right are getting back into power all over the place.

The problem is, those policies tend to lead to conflicts, if not outright wars, at the level/type that things are going.

I think if things were shaken up in the US with a different person there might be less issues. But Trump... the literal cult he has following him, plus his adoration of authoritarian regimes and extremists and obvious siding with said people over traditional allies...

Maybe it's my own "see the worst in things" but I just can't think that even if some good comes out of it, it won't matter because the bad will overwrite and swallow it up.

I agree completely. I wish Obama had done this. . . I think it would have been done better.

But Trump won, fair and square, by the time-honoured method of appealing to the basest feelings and motivations of Da Peepul. We're stuck with it for four years or until the Grim Reaper casts his veto. In which case we get Just Dumb Vance (yay).

I fear the Democrats don't have a single leader smart enough and with sufficient love of country to sacrifice herself by using Trump as a marionette.

Nobody reads The Prince anymore.

 

[Serryah]

I agree completely. I wish Obama had done this. . . I think it would have been done better.

Oh HELL yes. But Obama had the same issue Biden did.

"Work with the other side".

Fuck that; had he not tried to do that and just did what he promised, the US might be in a different place.

Hell, I wish we'd get that in Canada but that's not likely, either. Closest we had, I think, was Chretien, to be honest.

But Trump won, fair and square, by the time-honoured method of appealing to the basest feelings and motivations of Da Peepul. We're stuck with it for four years or until the Grim Reaper casts his veto. In which case we get Just Dumb Vance (yay).

I know there are people who are hoping that's the case; well, either the Reaper or Trump goes total Mr. Magoo.

I fear the Democrats don't have a single leader smart enough and with sufficient love of country to sacrifice herself by using Trump as a marionette.

No. The Dems are too much 'moral high ground', I think.

Think that's part of the reason why the Republicans won, too. Because they ARE the assholes, show themselves to BE the assholes, and Joe Public LIKES assholes in power.

Nobody reads The Prince anymore.

I'll admit I've never.

Then again, I 'write' my own stories of things, including different Governments and just how bad - or good they could be.

Funnily enough, most of my characters live in that 'grey' area of things.