Politics

[freefall]

I am SO forking sick of a few rich bassets who seem to derive their living from the Forever War assuming that anyone preferring Trump (who DID manage to govern competently for 4 years in the face of strident opposition from people just like them) to the fumbling corrupt bastard we have in office now is a brainless idiot.
I get it. You have more money than me, so are therefor smarter.
You were in the military, thus inherently noble.
You think you are better than me, thus an unAmerican jerk.
Change my mind.

 

[barryk]

No foreign leaders respected Trump. I doubt many respect Biden either.

Don't confuse like with respect....I could care less if any foreign leaders like us.

 

[Saul]

Iran learned to respect him, General Soleimani is unavailable for comment. I am pretty Isreal and Saudi Arabia did, given they were close to signing a peace deal.

I honestly don't understand the Trump hate or even reluctance. Our intelligence community lied to us about the laptop to influence an election (as directed by our now Sec of State), the FBI labeled parents terrorists, Afghanistan withdrawal, Yemeni closing shipping routes, Ukraine, Israel, and that is just a start. Literally the worse president we have ever had. And he showered with his daughter, so yeah morals and all.

But the guy who governed pretty effectively, who has always said outlandish things, apparently won't be able to govern if reelected.

I would hardly call that respect. Most leaders seemed to learn that a good deal of flattery was all that was required to get Trump’s support, and I believe Putin and Xi played him.

 

[freefall]

They might not have LIKED Trump, but they were wary of him.
Think anyone's concerned about Biden?

 

[Saul]

I believe Trump will primarily focus on domestic issues because it is my belief that is what’s most important to voters right now, whether you agree with this, right or wrong. They are suffering on a variety of life issues right now. Housing, inflation, medical, crime, education, just trying to survive. I mean no offense to my fellow forum members, but this is not relatable to many of you but many struggling day to day, barely making ends meet just aren’t focused on world events like some of us on the forum. Many of us through hard work of course have reached a measure of success to be contemplative about such things

I find this to be an interesting point as it parallels a division within democratic politics too. There are those in the Biden campaign who think he needs to make defending democracy the cornerstone of his re-election, while others are pushing him to focus on issues like lowering insulin prices, banning junk fees, and new construction projects.

 

[WAB]

Like I stated to Red Leg, I don’t think Trump has enough information to offer a specific detailed plan on brokering an end to the war nor do I believe he’ll offer specifics on how it will be accomplished during this upcoming election other than general statements. And if competent military advisors and diplomats have his ear, I suspect that information will be kept for the negotiating table If he wins the presidency. Although I’m uncertain of what the outcome may be, my take is that the Ukrainians won’t stand for a russian occupation.

I believe Trump will primarily focus on domestic issues because it is my belief that is what’s most important to voters right now, whether you agree with this, right or wrong. They are suffering on a variety of life issues right now. Housing, inflation, medical, crime, education, just trying to survive. I mean no offense to my fellow forum members, but this is not relatable to many of you but many struggling day to day, barely making ends meet just aren’t focused on world events like some of us on the forum. Many of us through hard work of course have reached a measure of success to be more contemplative about such things.

The problem with your thesis is thinking that the wellbeing of the average citizen is disconnected from foreign policy. All commodities are now global. Pick your poison, gasoline, diesel, fertilizer… the underpinnings of our economy and thus our individual standard of living are based on global trade and price setting mechanisms. There is no possible way to undo that fact. As a result, we must have balanced foreign and domestic policies. Protecting our national interests internationally improves Joe the plumber’s life. You can want this to not be the case, but you cannot make this the case. The challenge we have is that Biden is lukewarm at best on foreign policy and a disaster on domestic policy. Trump is decent on domestic policy and a disaster on his stated foreign policy. How is it possible that the greatest nation in history can be faced with this choice?

 

[LivingTheDream]

I would hardly call that respect. Most leaders seemed to learn that a good deal of flattery was all that was required to get Trump’s support, and I believe Putin and Xi played him.

Saul do you have any specific examples with regards to China and Russia? I will admit I am probably more in an echo chamber than I would like to admit. Seemed like he was pretty tough with China and the manner that their representatives interacted with Mike Pompeo compared to Blinken is a world of difference. I also think Trump was against the Nord stream pipeline. But again you might have some other examples that I should look into.

North Korea is a different story what a weird relationship that is/was.

 

[WAB]

Saul do you have any specific examples with regards to China and Russia? I will admit I am probably more in an echo chamber than I would like to admit. Seemed like he was pretty tough with China and the manner that their representatives interacted with Mike Pompeo compared to Blinken is a world of difference. I also think Trump was against the Nord stream pipeline. But again you might have some other examples that I should look into.

North Korea is a different story what a weird relationship that is/was.

You make a great point. We all tend to gravitate to an echo chamber. We would do well to challenge our paradigms and truly try to understand the POV of others as opposed to simply attacking them.

 

[Saul]

Saul do you have any specific examples with regards to China and Russia? I will admit I am probably more in an echo chamber than I would like to admit. Seemed like he was pretty tough with China and the manner that their representatives interacted with Mike Pompeo compared to Blinken is a world of difference. I also think Trump was against the Nord stream pipeline. But again you might have some other examples that I should look into.

North Korea is a different story what a weird relationship that is/was.

Trump talked tough on China and did do some good things in that regard, but ultimately got played in the trade deals he signed with them. Basically, they promised to buy more US goods and then did not, but by that point Trump was focused on something else. Then there are all of the comments Trump has made about how great and strong of a leader Xi is, which could be Trump’s weird way of “negotiating” but I suspect it is more that Trump is impressed by powerful people. With regard to Russia, Trump’s performance in Helsinki was pretty telling.

I agree that China’s current treatment of Blinken is unacceptable, but I suspect that it has more to do with China’s domestic concerns. When Trump was in office, China was economically in a much better palce, so they were more interested with presenting themselves internationally as the alternative to Trump’s America. Now, however, China’s economy is in serious trouble and they have lost a great deal of credibility around the world, which has led them to try to present and image of strength through increasing hostility with America.

As to North Korea, I also have no idea what that whole situation was about or what it means. Odd indeed.

 

[LivingTheDream]

With regard to Russia, Trump’s performance in Helsinki was pretty telling

Oh yes!!! I remember that now. I can't remember the specifics but now that you mentioned I remember watching and going, "good grief". But I didn't really go much further than that.

The saying, "may you live in interesting times" was meant as a curse. With everyday that goes by, I am understanding why it is considered a curse more and more.

 

[BJH65]

The problem with your thesis is thinking that the wellbeing of the average citizen is disconnected from foreign policy. All commodities are now global. Pick your poison, gasoline, diesel, fertilizer… the underpinnings of our economy and thus our individual standard of living are based on global trade and price setting mechanisms. There is no possible way to undo that fact. As a result, we must have balanced foreign and domestic policies. Protecting our national interests internationally improves Joe the plumber’s life. You can want this to not be the case, but you cannot make this the case. The challenge we have is that Biden is lukewarm at best on foreign policy and a disaster on domestic policy. Trump is decent on domestic policy and a disaster on his stated foreign policy. How is it possible that the greatest nation in history can be faced with this choice?

Astute observation, agreed, very much intertwined. Trump does have a track record of economic success from his previous time as president so perhaps not all a disaster on foreign policy?

 

[WAB]

Astute observation, agreed, very much intertwined. Trump does have a track record of economic success from his previous time as president so perhaps not all a disaster on foreign policy?

It is so hard to separate his rhetoric from his intent. If you believe what he says, he’s a disaster on foreign policy. His actual actions while in office were significantly different. I don’t know what to believe. Do we just accept that he is lying and vote for him anyway, or believe him and assume that he will destroy our national interests on the international stage? I wish I knew!

 

[flatwater bill]

Separating out the State Run Media's critique of Trump's foreign policy from the actual is difficult in the age of anti-Trump derangement. Example:
The correct way to deal with North Korea: Surface friendly, but give nothing.....eg Trump
The incorrect way: fist pumping and fierce rhetoric, but pay every time they rattle the nuclear sabre: like democrats from Carter onward have always done. I mean, what idiotics would result in building two nuclear reactors in North Korea? (Us democrats did it, look it up). And who is so stupid as to give North Korea 20 million tons of heating oil every year so that they could divert disposable income into their nukes? Yup, you guessed it.......US democrats. President Trump handled North Korea perfectly IMO.......but the US propaganda mill called it "buddying up to dictators". They didn't have the ability to look past the 4th grade."I can beat you up"....the motto of the democrats. Time for something more. ......FWB

 

[BJH65]

It is so hard to separate his rhetoric from his intent. If you believe what he says, he’s a disaster on foreign policy. His actual actions while in office were significantly different. I don’t know what to believe. Do we just accept that he is lying and vote for him anyway, or believe him and assume that he will destroy our national interests on the international stage? I wish I knew!

Trump is an interesting study, it seems he blurts out whatever his thoughts are, irrespective of the consequences. I don’t believe him to be inherently evil. Petty, egotistical and vindictive at times, yes. I believe he honestly means well and have reason to believe he has good inside him. I mentioned an example in a previous post when he privately met with several widows of 3 of our officers killed in the line of duty when he was president with no media knowledge or fanfare, a solemn private meeting at the Whitehouse to thank them for their husbands ultimate sacrifice. This wasn’t done by his predecessor and it pains me to mention this, an all too common occurrence unfortunately, officers being killed. I admit this makes me somewhat biased, his support for law enforcement was appreciated by me and the department I worked for. I’m retired now.

I get it though, showing respect and decency to our agency during that tragic time perhaps does not equate to how he’ll perform in office, but it’s something tangible for me, imperfect as he is, to measure him by. I believe you have partially answered your own question, he can only be judged by his past actions, not by his rhetoric, that’s all you’re going to get.

 

[Tanks]

I am SO forking sick of a few rich bassets who seem to derive their living from the Forever War assuming that anyone preferring Trump (who DID manage to govern competently for 4 years in the face of strident opposition from people just like them) to the fumbling corrupt bastard we have in office now is a brainless idiot.
I get it. You have more money than me, so are therefor smarter.
You were in the military, thus inherently noble.
You think you are better than me, thus an unAmerican jerk.
Change my mind.

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder in regard to those that are in a different social circle than yourself. Most of the guys that are financially comfortable here have gotten there through hard work if you have read their posts.

i don’t think anyone is saying they are better than you, though some might say better informed

BTW, personally speaking this war is costing me money, so no financial interests in having it go on. Not to mention Biden is on record for letting Trump tax cuts expire.

if money was all I cared about I would have been all in for Trump.

 

[spike.t]

Putin taunts West as Russia eyes ‘deep relations’ with North Korea

Russia's president is due to meet Kim Jong Un next week, his first visit to North Korea since 2000.

www.bbc.com

 

[WAB]

Trump is an interesting study, it seems he blurts out whatever his thoughts are, irrespective of the consequences. I don’t believe him to be inherently evil. Petty, egotistical and vindictive at times, yes. I believe he honestly means well and have reason to believe he has good inside him. I mentioned an example in a previous post when he privately met with several widows of 3 of our officers killed in the line of duty when he was president with no media knowledge or fanfare, a solemn private meeting at the Whitehouse to thank them for their husbands ultimate sacrifice. This wasn’t done by his predecessor and it pains me to mention this, an all too common occurrence unfortunately, officers being killed. I admit this makes me somewhat biased, his support for law enforcement was appreciated by me and the department I worked for. I’m retired now.

I get it though, showing respect and decency to our agency during that tragic time perhaps does not equate to how he’ll perform in office, but it’s something tangible for me, imperfect as he is, to measure him by. I believe you have partially answered your own question, he can only be judged by his past actions, not by his rhetoric, that’s all you’re going to get.

I was in DC for the National Prayer Breakfast when Trump was in office. While walking the Mall ‘Marine One’ buzzed over our heads. The next morning Trump spoke at the breakfast. He was excellent and misrepresented by all the media present, including Fox. A very moving thing happened at the end of the speech which was obviously unrehearsed. The Democrat Senator co-chair got up and told us that he was on ‘Marine One’ with the president the previous day. They had flown out with no press to be with the family of one of our fallen soldiers as he returned home. The Senator shared this story and said that he saw the weight of his office on the president that day. He then asked the president to stand and he and the Republican senator co-chair laid hands on him and prayed over him. Trump stood, head bowed and shoulders slumped while they did so.

None of this was reported by the media present, again, including Fox. Their focus was on a joke he told at the start of his speech, which they failed to provide the context for, thus painting him in a bad light.

 

[Pondoro]

Please take a good look at this starved individual.. He worked as a guard at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine..taken prisoner in 2022 and released from captivity in may 2024..

So it is for all to see in horror..this is how inhumane the russians are..it is a flashback to german consentration camps 1945..

There are others..so run down they need to be fed babyfood to restore health..

Perhaps Putin picked up some ideas from North Korea..??

Fucking bastards..!

 

[Red Leg]

Such a culture to envy, and so misunderstood. All we have to do is give them everything they want and all will be well. Bastards indeed.

It must make the supporters of the Freedom for Me but not for Thee Caucus awfully proud to see their strategic ally behave with such humanity.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1d9gve3

 

[Pondoro]

Bucha massacre - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org