Donald I, emperor of the world.

[Pblakeney]

There are absolutely no guard rails, none at all. They should bin the constitution and start again.

Donnie is trying his best to do so.
Remember, "change" isn't always what you hope for.

 

[Psamathe]

... and how allowing his senility to dictate all policies are going to reduce the US to a very lonely nation.

I'd say it already has. Just look at how many support (even verbally) his war against Iran. Look at international reaction to his tariffs, etc.

 

[briantrumpet]

I'd say it already has. Just look at how many support (even verbally) his war against Iran. Look at international reaction to his tariffs, etc.

I think it's still at the stage where a change of regime could start to reverse it (and regain the goodwill), but the fact that the 'guardrails' have been useless (as those charged with using them have refused to do so) might cause past allies to look at the US more sceptically in the future, a situation that'll only get worse the longer that this goes on.

I think crucial to regaining international trust will be the US prosecuting those who have actively carried out or enabled the lawlessness, and the US showing how they'd stop it happening again (such as not allowing a rigged Supreme Court to disregard settled precedent, and unelected secretaries of state to bypass Congress without consequence.

What I've increasingly seen is the whole regulatory system being theatrical but toothless, when the shit hits the fan. Lots of noise, but no way to stop a complete madman wrecking the whole country.

 

[Psamathe]

I think it's still at the stage where a change of regime could start to reverse it (and regain the goodwill), but the fact that the 'guardrails' have been useless (as those charged with using them have refused to do so) might cause past allies to look at the US more sceptically in the future, a situation that'll only get worse the longer that this goes on.

I wonder if the damage done by Trümp extends to business investments as well. Businesses need a stable country as most investments extend far beyond political terms and that it has happened means it can happen so even if a more sane regime takes control next it's still very possible that they may be followed by another term of madness. And that encourages business investment to look to more stable environments.

 

[briantrumpet]

I wonder if the damage done by Trümp extends to business investments as well. Businesses need a stable country as most investments extend far beyond political terms and that it has happened means it can happen so even if a more sane regime takes control next it's still very possible that they may be followed by another term of madness. And that encourages business investment to look to more stable environments.

I suppose on the plus side, for businesses with a high risk acceptance (and few moral qualms), the US might still be a good place to invest, if you get lucky, as there are fewer controls/regulations (and lower taxes?) Trump is obviously trying to reduce the controls even further (see 'explosive diarrhoea' for instance), so if you dont care what you do to the environment or how badly you screw the customers, it might still be attractive as a place to make a quick buck.

 

[Pblakeney]

I think it's still at the stage where a change of regime could start to reverse it (and regain the goodwill), but the fact that the 'guardrails' have been useless (as those charged with using them have refused to do so) might cause past allies to look at the US more sceptically in the future, a situation that'll only get worse the longer that this goes on.

I think crucial to regaining international trust will be the US prosecuting those who have actively carried out or enabled the lawlessness, and the US showing how they'd stop it happening again (such as not allowing a rigged Supreme Court to disregard settled precedent, and unelected secretaries of state to bypass Congress without consequence.

What I've increasingly seen is the whole regulatory system being theatrical but toothless, when the shit hits the fan. Lots of noise, but no way to stop a complete madman wrecking the whole country.

The bigger problem is that even if another administration does turn things around it will always be in everyone's mind that it could revert back again within 4 years. The damage has been done.

 

[Psamathe]

I suppose on the plus side, for businesses with a high risk acceptance (and few moral qualms), the US might still be a good place to invest, if you get lucky, as there are fewer controls/regulations (and lower taxes?) Trump is obviously trying to reduce the controls even further (see 'explosive diarrhoea' for instance), so if you dont care what you do to the environment or how badly you screw the customers, it might still be attractive as a place to make a quick buck.

True. But "quick buck" and riskier investment also means higher interest rates and higher returns so it will be putting US companies at a significant disadvantage over companies in more stable regions.

 

[Rusty Nails]

No. At least they had a little dignity about Reagan as Alzheimer's took its toll on him.

I genuinely don't think that the US as a whole realise quite what a laughing stock Trump is making of the US, and how allowing his senility to dictate all policies are going to reduce the US to a very lonely nation.

There is no "US as a whole" they are divided into MAGA and the rest, and at the moment MAGA holds sway and political power.

MAGA adherents don't care what the rest of the world thinks, because they know the US has financial and military power and that "God blesses the USA", and will go on believing that until they see their living standards fall and costs rise substantially and long-term (and probably, even then they will blame it on a foreign conspiracy rather than Trump).

One aspect that worries me is that, even if Democrats do well at the mid-terms, and at the next Presidential elections how much hidden power will still be held by the multi-billionnaires who seem to have been given free rein by Trump.

 

[Dorset Boy]

As far as the standing of the US goes, I think there's a couple of elements.
First is the obvious damage done politically by Tumptonomics and his geopolitics.

Second is the size of the mega tech companies and their dominance. I believe the likes of the French and German goverments are trying to wean themselves off US tech some reducing their use of things like teams and replacing it with european based solutions.

 

[briantrumpet]

When you have people with absolutely no idea of cause and effect, you really do wonder if there should be a simple test for voters to allow them to vote, because if this is their level of reasoning, they actually are not qualified even to wipe their own arses, let alone vote.

https://bsky.app/profile/protectourcare.org/post/3mtvuzyr3cs2j

 

[briantrumpet]

There is no "US as a whole" they are divided into MAGA and the rest, and at the moment MAGA holds sway and political power.

MAGA adherents don't care what the rest of the world thinks, because they know the US has financial and military power and that "God blesses the USA", and will go on believing that until they see their living standards fall and costs rise substantially and long-term (and probably, even then they will blame it on a foreign conspiracy rather than Trump).

One aspect that worries me is that, even if Democrats do well at the mid-terms, and at the next Presidential elections how much hidden power will still be held by the multi-billionnaires who seem to have been given free rein by Trump.

All that is true, but the longer "US as a whole" in unable or unwilling to blow Trumpism out of the water with no way back, the more that the outside world will see the US as an irreversible Project Trump. Jeffries' meeting with Kushner (which Jeffries wanted to keep secret) suggests that they think there's still a bipartisan way out of the clusterfück.

 

[briantrumpet]

Though maybe even Republican candidates are picking up that propping up a senile madman isn't going too well.

Before/after

 

[AuroraSaab]

If the Democrats don't want the next president to be Vance they need to get busy offering a better alternative to the voters. 'Not Trump' probably isn't going to do it, because Vance isn't Trump either.

 

[briantrumpet]

If the Democrats don't want the next president to be Vance they need to get busy offering a better alternative to the voters. 'Not Trump' probably isn't going to do it, because Vance isn't Trump either.

The trouble for them is that the ones with charisma and who attract the younger voters are loathed by the likes of Jeffries and the 'big money' Dems. I'm not actually sure if Jeffries has ever spoken to or of Mamdani.

 

[All uphill]

If the (very) old guard Dems work hard I think they could still manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory