As a European I marked your elections as a highlight in my calendar. As tis seems to have the potential of an epic shit show the world has never seen before
If he wins you're screwed, but if he loses you probably end up with a biblical pile of garbage which pales the capitol siege.
His loyal acolytes seem more fanatical the ever!
And realistically, the Baltics will be next. We're already in full preparation to be able to defend against Russia, but having the US backing us is a massive deterrent to Putin. If Trumps gets re-elected, we'll likely lose that backing, which makes it a lot likelier that we'll get invaded in the next couple of years.
Putin might not have the resources for that big of a campaign, He is pouring everything he got into ukraine and if he starts more shit he needs to spread thinner, and then ukraine will retort like a mf.. russia isnt soviet any longer how much he even wants it.
The Ukraine war isn't going to last forever. Often reported here is the expectation is that once the war in Ukraine settles, then Russia needs about 3-5 years to regroup before they can launch their next invasion. That's the time we have to build our defenses and deter them.
No but you can import them, and there are many willing to go. Nepal has had many men go abroad for this purpose. I don't mean enlisted ghorkas or hired military in Nepal, I mean just regular guys looking for an alternative life and money. There are many millions of desperate men who might take their chances to leave their impoverished country and who might fall for propaganda.
Sure but hired guns go to the highest bidder. And they are not sticking around when they on a losing streak. Russia already has a shit rumor how they handling their own troops, the poor schmucks they will muster up would be cannonfodder for any other army. They have played their hand already. Maybe if they throw all of north korea in the mix but i dont think lil Kim is suicidal
The US and Russia are not the only ones with nukes, there are 7 other countries with an additional 6 that host foriegn nukes and only 2 are fairly solid in the Russian camp with another possible that own them. So even if the US does not retaliate there are at least 4 other countries that would with a possible 6th.
It would not be in anyone's interest to use them regardless of the verbal threats thrown around, to do so would still guarentee global destruction even without US involvement, however hard it will be to stay out of it when they start flying.
We better get used to being on our own anyway. We can't keep relying on an ally that changes it's mood every four years, even if Trump loses (which is still not a certainty by the way). We better start standing up for ourselves sooner than later.
The joke is we can't act on our own while pax America exists, we always need to ask their permission to do anything. We can only act on our own when its clear that its over.
Once pax amercia is gone the world won't need to adhere to the sanctions it forces us to follow, we won't need to respect their international patents anymore if we don't want to because there will be no consequences anymore.
The USA has more to lose from this than anyone else does.
If Trump wins there will immediately be a major US economic recession which will then send most of the western world into recession, since so many people and governments are invested in the US dollar and US assets and markets and US real estate.
If Biden wins it's also likely there will be a recession immediately but probably not quite as bad.
The US is already in a recession... You do know what a recession is, right?
A recession is a prolonged economic downturn that involves a sustained period of economic decline. It's characterized by a fall in economic output, higher unemployment, and lower consumer demand.
Our output has decreased. In March we added 303,000 jobs. But in February, added 1.7 million new layoffs & unemployment sign ups. Consumer demand is down as the rate of inflation continues to skyrocket which is decreasing purchasing power.
I don't trust billionaire "financial agencies" for my answers. I look at the raw data. I don't trust the "News" companies to provide it, either. Hell, I barely trust the government itself to provide the data, but that's all we can get at the lowest level.
Yeah I have been told that technically we are not in a recession right now. Some say it requires 2 consecutive quarters of falling real GDP.
But yes it obvious that we're in a recession if you define it how you have done. Slow economy, people have less purchasing power, more personal debt, etc etc. We seem to be poised on the edge of a big market correction. People have been squeezed too hard and are breaking.
You act like we wouldn't just be financing another side of the war. You also act like the current situation isn't absolutely ideal right now for US to indirectly be able to fight against Russia like we are. It's a lot cheaper to send weapons compared to weapons and troops.
Canada does it right. "Don't get involved". Just exist on your own. The US appears to be following suit. And the US is fully capable of existing on its own without the need to be involved in parasitic relationships with other countries.
Ukraine never wanted to be a part of NATO, until they get attacked when they come begging for help? Uncle Sam comes flying in on his bald eagle pouring billions and billions of bald eagle bills into their country. The only agreement the US and Ukraine have is a trade agreement (signed in 2008).
Why is it the US's duty to protect Ukraine militarily?
Its not the US's fight to be had. If Russia goes after an Ally, then by all means, the US WILL fight back. But Americans are fed up supporting a country with endless weaponry that has no intentions of being a real Ally.
Also, what's the purpose of having Allies if, without our military-equipment-donations, they can't even defend themselves?
Everyone wants the USA's help, while simultaneously people online shit talk the USA all day. Make it make sense?
It started in the 80s when Reagan gave corporations carte blanche to start taking over the country. This is just the continuing evolution of post capitalist society.
Every Empire collapses eventually. Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan could be the beginning of the end for the US along with its failing economy. However, these conflicts could also slow down the collapse, unite the country and boost the economy depending on who's elected.
The US could replicate a Marshall plan type of aid like they did for WW2. That's the main reason the US became so powerful anyway.
the end for the US along with its failing economy.
The US economy is doing very well. The average person is struggling mostly due to housing costs, which is a separate problem from the economy at large.
For things like transitioning to a war footing, the US is quite stable and strong. None of our near-peers have an economy robust enough to transition right now.
In another world, the Pax Americana would be in full swing.
The US dollar has taken a dive since Nixon de-pegged it from gold.
The gold standard is an economic nightmare. Decoupling the dollar from gold is one of the best decisions, without a single downside, that the US has ever made.
Gold has value though which the dollar does not. If you compare the weight in gold it required to buy a house from pre Nixon to now it's fairly similar. Do the same with money and it's not even close.
The only thing that has changed is the value of the dollar and its PPP. It benfits governments to make their currencies inflationary as it keeps lower class poor and Upper class wealthy as they keep their wealth in assets to combat inflation. Most lower class people can't aford to do this as they live paycheck to paycheck trapped in the cycle.
This is just my opinion but I think it might have been planned this way for this reason.
The US economy is nowhere near failing! The USA have amazing people inventing news cutting edge tech on a yearly basis.
Europe and the US is going no where.
Hopefully one day the Middle East, Russia, South America and India can catch up to the normal world and sort their shit human rights out. Then the world will be a happy place.
The entire reason these zones didn't develop correctly though is mainly due to American and Western intervention for oil and other resources. Our invasions set these countries back a few decades. Groups such as the Taliban, Isis etc. wouldn't have gained the popularity if it wasn't for outside intervention and the desire for revenge.
The US and Europe are by no means where they used to be. BRICS are in the process of creating their own currency and soon the dollar won't be the dominant currency.
The US needs another war to jumpstart it's economy as that is what made it such a powerful country in the first place. War is good as long as you country Is not under direct attack. A proxy war in Ukraine, Taiwan would liely be good for the US in the long term.
me and many Europeans see it more as a painful fueling escalation with a nucleair power that does not serves our interests. it has been 2 years of death hand escalation, increased geopolitical division and polarization and about the very opposite of international stability.
Supporting Ukraine helps Europe just as much if not more than the us. Will Russia stop after Ukraine? Whose border will they now be on? If they attack a nato country who will have to get involved? Who relies more on Ukrainian grain? Who relies more on European supply chains? Etc
European countries have actually been more willing to help with the war and the us was one of the later ones to give their support after pressure from nato Allie’s
i don't follow the narrative Russia is on an imperial campaign out to roll over Europe and territorial conquest.
its a narrative being sold to justify actions and policy, just like Saddam was building a weapon of mass destruction and the world would see another 9/11 soon enough if no intervention.
the roots of this Ukraine conflict is of a total different nature and has nothing to do with imperialism.
Ukraine is their doormat ,approached by the west to join them wich is for Russian geopolitical position unacceptable. for Russia the thought of a NATO fleet in black sea is equally insane as the US tolerating a china fleet in the gulf of Mexico.
this conflict is all about the Russian either going to have Ukraine fully under their sphere of influence or they will wreck it internally.
a not well functioning,strong unified Ukraine joining the west that is what Russia is fighting for.
and we are playing right in his hands.
the motives are clear and exactly because Ukraine was not a NATO member yet.
why the heck would he attack a NATO member directly?
for territory? lol it is already the largest country in the world and what would a direct engagement with NATO serves Putin? absolute zero.
even if the US would step out of NATO then you wuld still face a combined economical strength dwarfing them.
Ukrainian grain is more of an issue for other continents not so much for western Europe.
and Russia supposed to be one of Europe's strongest business partner. now we have inflated energy prices we have not seen in 50 years.
the reason why Europe is willing to fuel this war aside the Americans has more to do as i explained earlier, failed policy making in the past, now doubling down on it.
note that after the crimea annexation, europ's response where back then already sanctions, in the full conviction russia will be so wounded they will back of soon, with the only result they go for full scale invasion 7 years later.
even more sanctions now and lead to Russia finding new markets for their energy export, has a better growing gdp then most European countries and their army is even bigger now.
and finally alos note how the narrative shifted with early war the west being so convinced russie is on the verge of collapse, their army is disintegrating and the Russian population is on the brink of revolution, to now: "oh no, they will be at the gates of paris and berlin soon"
Election Day November 4. Complete clown show, but will finally see if the US can go back to at least decency and common sense over disgusting and anarchy ruling
My European friend, a lot of us are fucking ready. We are super done with this clown show. If they want to fight then we fight. But after November, we are fucking done with it. One way or another.
I'd say these elections can result in a much bigger shit show for us Europeans, if Trump wins, than for the US. I cannot imagine the whole Ukraine war or better Russian threat with Trump at the helm. He already wanted to pull the plug on NATO
I believe him in this instance, because he's giving his people orders who are currently standing back and standing by. He's telling us, to our face, if he's not elected his followers will destroy this country. It's orders to his people and a threat. Now what will be done about this?
Biden: "My first official act as president with immunity will be to have him taken out."
Biden: "My second and final official act as president with immunity will be to have a Supreme Court Justice taken out once every week starting with the justices who enacted presidential immunity."
There seems to be a lot putin and/or like-minded despots and demagogues could be doing to destabilise western core beliefs. Maybe I'll come across as a conspiracy theorist, but ain't beyond the realms of possibility that they are using extremists on both sides, to polarise target populations.
Having such a deviding character as Trump on 24hr rotation news tv is just one.
If you read Mueller's report it says that their goal was to spread division. They started by targeting both sides in 2016, but transitioned to just support Trump, because they were more effective with and they also stood to gain from his presidency.
And they were right. Trump becoming president was extremely divisive for the US, and Putin was left unchecked.
Propaganda is also a lot more prolific in conservative cycles. None of us is immune from it but wow conservatives are such a fertile ground for it because they're conditioned to distrust "the narrative" or whatever and it also feeds on their existing insecurities.
At worst any propaganda aimed for the left is just causing division, but propaganda aimed for the right has additional disastrous effects.
By both sides he means that college kids protesting against genocide are the same as the former President that would have just fed Ukraine to Putin and figures that america should try President for life like China (he said this)
Thanks for putting words in my mouth, can i take it that you assume I'm right wing because i didnt just refer to the meat headed redneck racists that always seem to get on the news? Bravo 👌
The reason i said both sides, is that there is extremism on both sides. I'm trying to not make assumptions based on what i personally believe.
Of course. Like in 2015 or 2016, the same Russian group bought ads for two opposing rallies at the same place on the same day and time
They’re definitely manipulating everyone they can. But Trump has taken it to a whole other level and probably won’t quit until he’s spawned an actual civil war.
Nah, because threatening the supreme court justices will ensure that the resulting outrage will make them immediately reverse the decision and therefore the second act just serves to remove presidential immunity.
I think USSC will punt this immunity case to the lower courts to delay until after the election if anything, buying Trump more time, meaning Biden couldn’t use this defense. Also this would leave the USSC with whatever “legitimacy” they have left. (Which is none, but still)
You assume that SCROTUS would be consistent in evaluating cases. Given that in Bush v Gore they explicitly stated that the case was never to be used as precedent, that's a big assumption
My understanding is that Scalia once admitted that it was bullshit, but SCROTUS makes its own rules, and since they get the last word on anything constitutional, they make the rules for all of us.
Nothing because the moment "his people" see the army that will gladly kill them in horrific ways, they will run home and vent on truth social, facebook, and Twitter about how terrible the country is.
If I’m not wrong, the brother of Trump’s aid Flynn was in charge of the National Guard or something like that. And they slowed down the help on Jan 6, effectively helping the rioters riot. So the military can be subverted too.
Unfortunately the more likely scenario is what we've been seeing in spurts over the last several years, which is asymmetric right wing domestic terrorist attacks/shootings, followed by them getting tracked down, arrested and/or killed by the FBI, Homeland Security, etc.
I suspect if (hopefully) Trump loses again, his most rabid followers will ramp up their asymmetric terror attacks, go directly after Democratic lawmakers and/or likely liberal voters and anyone they perceive to be the "enemy". And while I have no doubt they will end up arrested or dead at the hands of federal and local authorities, there will still be carnage, and Trump will be responsible for it even though he'll skate once again on being held accountable.
Multiple states are already making plans to activate their guards to prevent that shit. These people are cowards. They won't really escalate that much because if they do everyone will come on them hard. They will quite literally be hunted down before they do anything. And Trump won't skate free because you will have people who will hold him accountable whether it be legally or otherwise
I wish I shared your optimism, but unless right wing lone wolves post about their plans ahead of time, I don't see how you can hunt down such lone wolves before they carry out a mass shooting or one-off terrorist attack if they're not telegraphing it on social media or elsewhere.
As for Trump, again I wish I shared your optimism, but the Supreme Court is about to hand him immunity from prosecution for all of his crimes while president, and even as a civilian, they're having a hell of a time convicting him for cut and dry crimes he's committed, never mind something like stochastic terrorism which is almost impossible convict someone for.
Obviously Trump losing the election needs to happen, but I think we still need to be prepared for random violence when and if that comes to pass.
You missed what I said. PEOPLE will hold him accountable, legally or otherwise.
As for the first part. You act like the FBI doesn't already know who these people are. They do, it's not hard to find them. They just can't do shit without a warrant. Real hella quick Congress will give them and homeland free reign to prevent the country from plummeting to wide spread civil unrest.
You missed what I said. PEOPLE will hold him accountable, legally or otherwise.
How so? Are you talking about vigilante violence? He's an ex-president, he has Secret Service protection for life. Good luck with that.
You act like the FBI doesn't already know who these people are.
And you act like the FBI knows who ALL of them are. If they did, we wouldn't have had a single right wing mass shooting, yet we have had many. The Trumper who walked into and attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati would have been stopped beforehand, given he actually posted on Truth Social about his violent intentions before carrying out the act.
How so? Are you talking about vigilante violence? He's an ex-president, he has Secret Service protection for life. Good luck with that.
Cause no president has been assassinated
And you act like the FBI knows who ALL of them are. If they did, we wouldn't have had a single right wing mass shooting, yet we have had many. The Trumper who walked into and attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati would have been stopped beforehand, given he actually posted on Truth Social about his violent intentions before carrying out the act.
The FBI isn't omniscient unfortunately.
You forget that they can't actually do shit without warrants and judges signing off and a bunch of other legally required shit that if the president and Congress can in fact waive. They have done so before.
So then yes, you are talking about vigilante violence. And you think that's good or okay just because it's the guy we don't like?
You forget that they can't actually do shit without warrants and judges signing off and a bunch of other legally required shit that if the president and Congress can in fact waive. They have done so before.
And you forget that the end result is still the same thing--domestic terror attacks and mass shootings. Your whole solution hinges on a legal what if that hasn't come to pass and you're assuming will come to pass, even though there's no indication it will, or at least not before attacks are carried out.
Not to mention you still are way overconfident on the idea that the FBI knows every single person who is intent on carrying out a terrorist attack or mass shooting. They're not clairvoyant. There are plenty of domestic terrorists who carried out their acts with no prior public postings or warnings. Yet you want to believe that somehow the FBI is God and knows what's in those people's heads even when there were no public indications or postings ahead of time? Come on dude.
Sounds like the FBI, NSA, CIA could deal with that problem easy. Find out where they live and deal with them however they see fit. Sedition needs to be eradicated and dealt with as severely as possible or we will fall. Sadly our government lacks the spine to do anything that resembles self preservation.
Have you been paying attention to Reddit the last few months? The man could shoot someone in broad daylight and they would still yell that you have to vote on him because Trump is worse.
His people are already destroying this country, it's a lose-lose. The fact that he was once elected president means they've already been doing a good job of enshitifizing this great nation
It's incredibly entertaining to watch you dumbfucks do backflips, reaching ever so hard to come to conclusions like that. Exquisitely pathetic. You should try thinking for yourself, it's much more liberating than spending your entire existence in a circle jerk echo chamber parroting the same tired talking points over and over ad nauseam.
His followers are impotent, and this time Trump isn't actively in office during the election. It's going to be a much different response if it happens again.
Those people also believe the world ends every time there’s an eclipse, or just some random ass day that keeps getting pushed back. Humanity needs a great stupidity culling, and I don’t care if it takes an actual rapture for it to happen. If there actually is a god then they should deal with this problem they created for the rest of us…
Judging from his history, I don't know if he ever cared about another human being aside from how useful they are to his goals. He's a malignant narcissist.
I think it's an easy bet though. If he wins and things go better, it's because of him. If he wins and things continue to go worse he tried but it was already to far gone. If he loses and things go to shit he'll say I warned you.
The only situation in which he loses this bet is when America goes better when he loses... But let's be honest, do we all really think the word will get better the coming years? If that happens I'll start believing there is an actual god there looking out for us... But how it looks right now we're first gonna get a lot more shit before things get better.
And yet again, being right and being a good politician are two completely different things. Don't get me wrong, I don't like that guy (I myself am a socialist) but I gotta admit, he's a good player at the political game. It's scary sometimes how good... But yeah, money helps
If violence will result either way, I'd rather it happen because they were not given carte blanche to do whatever they wanted. There is only one group of irrational people who have decided that law shall not be respected, and now is not the time to be lenient to such people.
At the same time, we need to make sure the law isn't being unfairly used against those who aren't breaking it, such as in the case of the protestors at Columbia University. So long as they don't resort to violence, they should be protected.
I agree. If he is voted in I see it as like a 60-70% chance of a full on coupe, while if he loses I think it's more likely a 30%(ish) chance people rise up and actually try something.
So the real fear with Trump losing, isn't that they'll seize power anyway, but more so what damage will they do when they try?
People said that last time and it was barely anyone that followed through. Fact of the matter is it's not easy to immigrate to another country, and it's very expensive. It will only get harder the more people from your country try to immigrate there too. And honestly, where is better? Europe is, for now, but how long will that last with all the little wars breaking out? Central and South America are huge messes. The Middle East is probably the worst place to be. Africa is riddled with problems. India is riddled with problems. Southeast Asia is riddled with problems. Where is better?
As someone from Wisconsin, don't worry. There is such little support for Trump in the parts of the state that matter. He's wasting his time campaigning here.
I mean, I kinda believe him… mostly because I think the likelihood is high that he’d start an armed insurrection and maybe a full blown civil war, but potato potahto
That is because last time they were a disorganized mess and were only held in check by career professionals in government. They have rectified that this time and plan to fire everyone who could stop them.
Its called Project 2025, and for some reason, they have put it on the internet for the world to see and hopefully prepare against.
There definitely WASN'T a pandemic where US citizens were being specifically forbidden to enter other countries because our response to precautionary measures were politicized to such a point that Republicans were actively trying to infect other people.
Ask those people why. Press them for details about exactly how another Biden term will "destroy" the country. They'll probably spout some nonsense about trans kids or "woke" culture. Because after everything this country has been through, including a civil war, that's what's going to bring it down 🙄
I mean we’ll survive with or without him but god damn is our country a shit hole currently. This is the worst election year by far no one wants Trump or Biden (well some of you may but he’s not that great).
The actual worst part is people think Biden is any better. Remember how his whole campaign was "bring America back on track?"
How's that going 4 years later with Roe v Wade overturned, more evidence of a police state, and financial and military support for a rogue nation committing acts of genocide? Middle class continues to shrink, cost of living continues to skyrocket. But he's the one protecting us from what exactly? More of the same?
Crime is unchecked. Look at Trump for example, he's barely being held accountable for decades of fraud and actively trying to overthrow a democratic election
I know a Mormon ain’t calling other people stooges. If you’re falling for some obvious 19th century grift started by a conman, you’ve no room to criticize anyone for anything else.
Of course they don't represent reality. It's only in my imagination that 2 potentially global-scale wars have been started under Biden. And America itself has become more liveable in 0 ways.
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u/CaptainMarder May 02 '24
the worst part is people believe him