Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 18/03/25

aloyisious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166218#Comment_123166218

In the final analysis about the only way the Dems could be saved would be for SCOTUS to see that they were shortly to be standing on their own with no separation of power controls between them and the Govt, unless the GOP suddenly realised they were next on Trumps non-persons list for removal from society and/or re-education. To use an unwritten version of the Pastor Niemoller quote: there was no one else left to speak for me….

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166316#Comment_123166316

Would $500K per person and US citizenship change their mind. It's a life-altering sum of money - $2M for a family of 4.
With a population of 57K, this would cost 'only' $30B to buy Greenland and all it's potential resources. A drop in the arctic ocean moneywise, and probably an investment which pays for itself long-term.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164002#Comment_123164002

That situation is largely the fault of the US

The pledge is meant to be 2% of GDP which until 2023 was only a guideline. The US spends about 3.4% of their GDP but they did that themselves, nobody is forcing them to spend that much of their GDP

So yeah when the US said they spend more they are correct and they are correct to tell others to stump up but make no mistake, they pay more because they want to pay more

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166343#Comment_123166343

Trump has a long history of not paying employees. Anyone who thinks he'd deliver on a promise is a fool, honestly.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166357#Comment_123166357

Meh. In the scenario I outlined I think he'd pay. Because crucially it's not his money. Far easier to write cheques using the federal governments account.
The contract would specify that the sale isn't finalised until every Greenlander is paid.

briany

30 billion dollars is little more than a procedural sum for the US government, and could absolutely be paid. The only reason not to would be to make a point of it.

Bribing Greenlanders would be exactly the kind of thing I'd expect Trump to try. No idea if it would work, plus there'd be the question of payment up front or payment afterward.

realdanbreen

Re trumps "initiative " on the war in Ukraine, while I have little time or respect for the lying, cheating unfaithful, bankrupt gimp of a man , at least something is being attempted. Any end to the war was always going to involve negotiating with Putin so let the talks begin.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166425#Comment_123166425

Thing is, what's being attempted is rewarding the invader. Historically that doesn't tend to end well.

Tell me how

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166218#Comment_123166218

There's memes of Democrats going around on line saying "We've tried nothing, and we're all out of ideas". Hakeem Jeffries literally said as much in a press conference where he said they've been trying to figure out what they can do, Trump has the house, the Senate and the Presidency, "It's their Government" he said. A criminally weak position.

It has always been a failing of US politics, the parties themselves are very weak and are beholden to strong individuals who can take the reins. Individual Democrats are trying, Rep Jasmine Crockett is being pretty blunt in committee hearings, Ro Khanna called for Elon Musk to come before the oversight committee he is on, AOC is speaking pretty directly to her listeners via instagram. But all of that is just noise to be honest, and not very loud noises at that. The DNC appointed a new chair last week, I've already forgotten their name. Pelosi, Jeffries, and former Presidents Biden, Obama and Clinton all have been unified in their silence. It's a disgrace.

In 2020, by this time in the Biden Administration. Kevin McCarthy had already visited Trump at Mar-A-Lago and CPAC and held a convention venerating him. The Democrats do fine when in power at a lets keep everything nice and steady level but when not in power, or when threatened by Government breaking down (which started at least in 2016 when McConnell refused to allow Obama nominate a replacement to the Supreme Court for a whole GD year, Democrats just roll over and show their bellies.

realdanbreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166447#Comment_123166447

True but continuing to slug it out with Russia will just lead to more deaths, and those deaths will be the usual ordinary people and certainly not the well heeled and well connected who sit back safe and sound in their gentlemens clubs and country clubs.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166425#Comment_123166425

This exactly.

I would expect though that the deal he hammers out with Russia is likely to be unacceptable to Ukraine and this war will not actually end anytime soon because of that.

But I fully accept that he is trying something

Oscar_Madison

Trump is getting all the headlines, in Europe at least. Is there even a trickle of revulsion state side reported in the news media or are they just reporting the same Trump tripe too I wonder.

Infini

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166447#Comment_123166447

The thing is though that while Trump and his Regressive patsies might try this in an attempt to look good, everyone else isn't going to back down either, Russia has clearly become an existential threat to Europe and especially Eastern European countries, there's not a hope in hell they're gonna back down on this. Remember Trump also tried cosying up to North Korea and that came to jack shít in the end. Trump will of course try talking to Putin but if Trump goes spouting Vatnik Terms everyone else will just ignore him and he'll end up looking weak (which he is anyways but public humiliation of narcissists does hurt them more).

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166507#Comment_123166507

A quick look at american news sites suggests CNN are the only ones who care about Ukraine enough to put the news on their main page. NBC mention a "Russian hostage deal" which sub-mentions Trump calling both Putin and Zelensky

It suggests that Americans don't care about Ukraine very much

everlast75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166006#Comment_123166006

"when the tech giants and government conspired to supress opinions they didn't like."

What was being pushed, as you well know, was conspiracy theories about stolen elections, which were comprehensively debunked in over 60 court cases.

That was the issue.

If you think that kicking a reporter out for failing to call something the gulf of America is the same as pushing a dangerous and debunked conspiracy theory, then there is zero point in engaging with you. You might as well be arguing against someone who thinks a mouse is the same as an elephant.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166507#Comment_123166507

The USA is quite insular with news. Only a minority of Americans will be up to any sort of speed with foreign affairs and only a much smaller minority of that will actually care.

This is not a criticism of Americans. The fact is their country is so vast yet geographically isolated the vast majority don't have to care what goes on outside their borders.

This is why foreign affairs stuff never registers in elections or public opinion.

twinytwo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166491#Comment_123166491

And next time? Whatever peace agreement comes out of this wont be worth the paper it is written on. The US has already shown their hand before negotiations have even started. Putin now knows he will get more or less what he wants and also knows that so long as Russia does not directly confront the US they have an almost free hand to do whatever.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166393#Comment_123166393

I don't. I could make the same argument about the wall in 2016-2020.

8mv

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166425#Comment_123166425

Problem is, they have already conceded major ground to Putin before any talks begin.

Wolf359f

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166506#Comment_123166506

Quite likely won't be acceptable to European countries either. European countries may not recognize the annexed lands, may not release the sanctions, may not go back to buying Russian gas and oil. I'll bet Putin is expecting all them in any deal.

I'm not quite sure what leverage Trump has in these negotiations. He has a stick (arming Ukraine) but no real carrot to offer Putin.

reclose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123165928#Comment_123165928

What are you talking about?
You seem to have somehow come to a conclusion that I support a US takeover of Greenland. You have no basis for forming this opinion of me.
Instead of admitting you are wrong you now want to put me on ignore.
I think you need to log off for a while.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166491#Comment_123166491

Except what's to stop the Russian military from regrouping and repeating this ten years down the line, they got away with it the first time so why not again? Also ethnic cleansing of Ukrainians will occur in the regions they retain. On top of that, you will likely end up with some kind of a civil war in occupied territories because plenty will continue to view them as the invader.

crusd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166024#Comment_123166024

Instructive that you have no issue calling people with a different opinion "enemies" and talk about "war"

realdanbreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166728#Comment_123166728

So you believe the US & Russia should not talk about resolving this war?

twinytwo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166806#Comment_123166806

They should - but both the EU and the Ukraine need to be involved in any and all talks. But in typical Donald fashion he has shot himself in the foot before before talks have started, showing their hand all so he can parrot how he ended the war. Consequences of how he does it be dammed.

Also have you forgotten our own history? Occupied land in any given country does not end well.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166667#Comment_123166667

Putin hasn't cared about European sanctions for the last 3 years while also paying for a costly war in Ukraine. He's unlikely to care about what the Europe want in this deal. Trump on the other hand might be looking to buy their cheap oil and gas

And let's not forget about the main benefit, peace!

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166806#Comment_123166806

Always a giveaway when people twist others' words like this.

Trump is an abysmal negotiator. He's proven this once again by conceding to Russia and fawning over Putin for so long.

Detritus70

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166425#Comment_123166425

If the engine in my car is running rough, I could take two approaches. I could take the time to properly diagnose and fix the problem, or I could take a sledgehammer and hit it till it stops running.

By your logic, the sledgehammer solution is a valid one. I have done (waves hands in the air) "something" and the engine has stopped running rough. Properly fixing something takes time and money, so the quick and easy solution is the correct one, right?

Perfect, great, let's do that. A perfectly acceptable solution to a moron.

realdanbreen

? Apart from talking rubbish, what solution to this slaughter had you in mind?

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123166853#Comment_123166853

It's pretty debatable that occupied territories will remain peaceful at all. On top of that, you're conveniently ignoring the Russian policy of russification etc. Trump fans love to shout about peace but are really inventing in terms of what's acceptable in their vision of peace.