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

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123300850#Comment_123300850

I don't know about USVI resident polls, but Puerto Rico has not asked for any change in their status. There have been repeated referenda on the matter (indeed, their party identities are based on that matter, not Republican/Democrat), but nothing with sufficient momentum for the PR government to ask Congress for admission as a State. However, "taxation without representation" is not a particularly valid phrase: One of the arguments against PR joining the Union is that if they do, then their residents will start getting hit with federal income tax. Territory residents do not have to pay it.

DC is a bit similar, though they do pay federal taxes. There's a precedent for giving DC residents representation (retrocession) as happened with the residents of DC on the South side of the Potomac, but the remaining DC residents don't want to do that.

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123303961#Comment_123303961

All them beautiful tariffs Trump is rolling out is also a form of taxation on the plebs

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301879#Comment_123301879

Honestly, I don't see them doing that. It's not inconceivable that some of the manufacturers might move a line or two back to plants already operating in the US. The largest BMW plant in the world is in South Carolina (It might still be the largest plant of any make in the US), but it currently only builds SUVs, most of which are for export. It might make some economic sense to build some other US-popular vehicle like the 4-series if it has the space for it (3- series used to be built there), but I doubt many people believe that the tariffs will remain in place long enough for it to be worth the cost of building new factories and training people.

Besides, that's just the assembly. I don't know if it's publicly stated where all the component parts for the SC plant come from: It's not just completed vehicles which are being subjected to tariffs, but parts as well, and so in order to avoid tariffs, they have to move the entire supply chain to the US. I think it's just going to be the case that cars will be more expensive for the next few years. Even the US marques aren't immune given how many of their models have production lines in Canada and Mexico.

eire4

The results of the poll last November in Puerto Rico. 57% voted to become a US state, 31% voted for independence and 12% voted for free association with the US. The governorship was also won by a pro state hood candidate.

aidanodr

More beautiful things:

JUST IN - United States has suspended financial contributions to the World Trade Organization — Reuters

https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1905288547822694878

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-suspends-financial-contributions-wto-trade-sources-say-2025-03-27/

Penn

Trump threatening further tariffs on the EU and Canada if they start doing increased trade with each other to avoid/negate tariffs with the US.

Further evidence that he put so little thought into the idea of tariffs that he didn't seem to have contemplated that other countries might do that rather than just kowtowing to whatever Trump wanted. It's almost as if other countries also have an interest in protecting their own economies rather than everything just revolving around what the US decides to do.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304018#Comment_123304018

can anyone explain this to dummy-me?

So they can apply tariffs wherever, whenever they want?

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304005#Comment_123304005

Yes, but PR has, quite maturely, I think, decided not to make any changes in status unless there is a pretty good consensus. They're not treating it like Brexit or Nice or whatever where "Aha! We have a 1% margin of victory, we're going to do this" makes a major change and results in, well, continued controversy.

This most recent referendum is particularly weird, since the option of "continue as we are right now", which is the position of the territory's second-largest political party (PPD), was not on the ballot. What I'm wondering is if the ballot was an attempt to continue to marginalise a third group like the PIP by showing what people would think if "no change" were not an option. If so, it may have backfired. PIP holds under 10% of the legislature, but their position got over 30% of the referendum vote.

Glenomra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301879#Comment_123301879

Unfortunately, imo you are completely correct. For some reason a majority of Europeans, especially Irish people, continue to deny that Trump's real target is the EU. His administration refuses to negotiate with the EU President, Von der Leyen, or foreign affairs minister Kallas. Europe, but most especially Ireland, is going to suffer grievously from Trump's policies. People are so accustomed to a plentifulness of taxation revenue, with so many people living lives of luxury, that they find it difficult to comprehend how things are already changing for the worse. The US enjoys incredible financial and military strength and Europe just cannot counter any economic threats from them, without seriously damaging European economies. Even today, before 'the coalition of the willing' met in Paris to discuss what they would do about support for Ukraine, Macron phoned Trump to have him onside. Europe has left itself subservient to the US. Yesterday the head of NATO warned member countries that if they didn't increase their military spending ' you might get a very, erm, patient man from Washington on the line if you don’t listen to me. And I would love to listen into those phone calls, but let’s hope they are not necessary'. That's like a primary school teacher addressing his class about the possible intervention of the Priomhoide, if they don't behave themselves. !!!

Economics101

A while ago I asked about the effects of Trump on transatlantic travel. Well here is the latest on US-Canada airline bookings: down by about 70%.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/27/canada-us-flights-down-trump

My name is URL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304049#Comment_123304049

They can, really. But they seem to also believe that it won't effect them in any negative way. And that's where the madness lays

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301879#Comment_123301879

It is like Brexit all over again…

America did not "spread" wealth and job through open markets. The US, much like the UK, has moved to being a service economy and not a manufacturing one because that it what rich countries do. And much like the UK, it is now deciding to absolutely shoot itself in the foot cause the leaders don't understand that.

aidanodr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304049#Comment_123304049

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304066#Comment_123304066

Here is the REUTERS Article on this matter

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-suspends-financial-contributions-wto-trade-sources-say-2025-03-27/

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304055#Comment_123304055

 57% voted to become a US state, 31% voted for independence and 12% voted for free association with the US. The governorship was also won by a pro state hood candidate.

There is no 1% in there at all.

everlast75

JFC, the AG literally used the "but her emails" line...

F*cking joke.

Follow up question should be - So you're saying having classified information in your home is bad. What about Trump and docs at MAL etc?

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304103#Comment_123304103

There isn't. But if "Continue as we are right now" isn't an option, and it's the second-most commonly held position by the population when they are given it as a choice, it's not really particularly a demonstrated consensus, is it?

That was the seventh referendum on the matter, 2012 had a question similar to the one last year. In 2012, 46% of folks said "stay as we are" when presented with a yes/no option. In that same referendum, on a different question with different options (the same options as last year) 62% said "become a state." Which, as you will note, is over 100% of voters. When not given the option of staying as they were, the overwhelming majority of those same 46% of people who voted "no change" gave a response of "independence" (5%) or "Free Association" (33%). Which means that some 90% of "stay as we are" voters, which are almost half the population, would rather anything other than "become a state" if "stay as we are" isn't an option… if they even bother to vote on a subject that they don't want to vote on: A full 30% of people who voted for 'stay as we are' did not vote in the other question, even though they were already in the ballot booth (and that's assuming that everyone voted in the "stay as we are" question.

The 2020 referendum, 52% said "become a state."

It really is nowhere near as overwhelming on the ground as that last referendum indicates. And you'll note that the government didn't immediately take that result and apply to Congress for admission, probably because they realise it.

Will_I_Amnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123302565#Comment_123302565

As crass as it might sound, The Dems need a version of Trump!

LIE if necessary.

Not even LIE, just fill in unknowns with the worse possible assumptions presented as actual facts and to hell with this "When they go low, we go high" bullshit! It doesn't work. Nobody cares!

If a Democrat was in the Whitehouse right now doing everything Trump is doing and Trump was eyeing up 2028, he'd be on the news every day - and he'd be nearly the top story, daily, REPEADLY saying…...

(Read it in Trumps voice)……

"This is the most corrupt Presidency the world has ever seen, certainly in this country".

"He's charging $5m to business leaders to have dinner with him at Mar-a-Lago"

"Using his disgraceful, dirty, corrupt crypto-coin, he's being paid enormous chunks of Putin's personal $200 billion fortune to take Russia's side in their war with Ukraine".

"He declared cryptocurrency a "national priority" shortly after launching his own crypto ventures - manipulates policy to further enrich himself - This guy is MAKING BILLIONS HERE!!"

"Everybody is saying he's a compromised Russian asset and it looks like it's true"

"He's doing favors to people in return for them buying shares in Truth Social".

"He's making enormous amounts of money charging the Secret Service and government dignitaries extortionate sums of taxpayers money to stay at Mar-a-Lago every weekend".

"His buddies in his administration like Elon Musk have committed some disgraceful acts in business and they've gone and fired everyone who was investigating them - Musk et al - These are horrible people who have done many many horrible things to many may people"

"Elon the Con Musk (He'd surely have a nickname for him by now) paid HALF A BILLION DOLLARS….Imagine that…..HALF A BILLION….to buy the US Government and run it. Some people say the President doesn't even know about most of what he's doing"

"Not including Musk, He has appointed FIFTY people to conflict of interest positions because they paid $37 million to his campaign". (heck Trump would say that's 100 people who contributed a billion)"

Reading back over the list…….the Democratic Party version of Trump doesn't even need to tell ANY lies - he just needs to be someone charismatic who people want to feckin listen to!

My name is URL

If Trump's wildest dreams come true, and every single bit of pharma and auto manufacturing 'returns' to the US… what are they expecting to happen to every single factory and facility that they abandon while they need to build replacements at home?

They surely have to realise the outcome of that. That's what scares me more than anything really. They know, and are selling the idea of it to idiots

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304256#Comment_123304256

It takes many years to build and commission a pharma plant. I doubt it could be done in 5 years. Most of them aren't going anywhere.

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304168#Comment_123304168

Predicatably you always have what abouts and excuses that support the authoritarian Republican lines. Facts are last November the vote was 57% in favour of statehood, 31% in favour of independence and 12% for free association with the US.

As for not applying to congress for admission please stop I am laughing to hard at that blatantly disingenuous comment because you know the authoritarian Republicans would not even remotely countenance Puerto Rico becoming a US state.

My name is URL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304284#Comment_123304284

The rhetoric is already there, though. We all know they can't build plants fast enough for such a change to happen overnight, but look at what they've done to global diplomacy and trade in just a few months.

You can be 100% sure that the biggest companies in the world are coming up with ways to appease Trump. And any appeasement there will cost jobs here

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304256#Comment_123304256

Experts are pointing out that this shift in manufacturing could take years or even decades to happen. it seems to be just an economic clown show aimed at the millions of MAGA disciples.

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123302435#Comment_123302435

Yeah, Trump has said to his base, "I have placed what amounts to an arbitrary tax on many of your everyday essentials, and you will applaud me for it. However, should enough of you complain, I'll just say Biden has something to do with it and you'll believe it. God, you're all pathetic. Anyway, off to play golf."

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304055#Comment_123304055

They should try throwing boxes of tea into Bahia de San Juan (or whatever is the modern equivalent, pouring out Coca Cola?)

To protest against the unfair taxation from a far away tyrant king who has less checks and balances on his power now than the king of England

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304287#Comment_123304287

It's not a Republican/Democrat thing. There's no evidence that Republicans will oppose PR statehood, any statements on the matter have been generally positive.

The Irish equivalent to that most recent referendum is if people in Northern Ireland were given a choice between joining the Republic, becoming an entirely independent state, or becoming independent but staying in the Commonwealth. Unionists, a rather large part of the Northern Irish voting block, would not be represented in that choice and may not even bother to vote.

Would you really think that a move to join the Republic in that set of circumstances would be trouble-free?

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304369#Comment_123304369

And is demented as George III, if not moreso. Older, too, just as dissipated.

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304328#Comment_123304328

It would cost US firms a fortune and years to relocate to America. They would lose access to the European market if they totally relocated. Sensible thing to do is announce factory plans in America and just put them on the long finger until Trump is gone.

Will_I_Amnt

Trump's MAGA Cult Sheep…..

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304436#Comment_123304436

and here we go with more what about/distraction this time bringing in Ireland.

Again here are the facts last November the vote was 57% in favour of statehood, 31% in favour of independence and 12% in favour of free association.

As for it not being a party issue and one that the authoritarian Republicans do not strongly oppose again I have to give you credit for giving me another good laugh there. All but 16 Republicans voted against a bill to allow for Puerto Rico to become a US state in 2022 as you no doubt well know and the authoritarian Republicans oppose statehood as they believe it would favour Democrats overall.

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304453#Comment_123304453

The guys throwing boxes of tea would have also been aware of Charles 1st whom tried to grab too much power and **** all over the checks and balances between the Parliament and the monarchy

Causing a series of civil wars, Cromwell and eventually getting his own head chopped off

I have a good chuckle when Americans go on about “checks and balances” these days when Trump grabbed more power than monarchs in likes of UK can dream of