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

Field east · 03-02-2025 09:54AM

Did I hear Trump right yesterday , in an interview that he stated that Canada is a failed state and is better off becoming the Circa 52 state of the US !. I have an ‘inkling that I heard some time ago another world leader saying the same thing about another country !!!!!!!!!!!. Will someone correct me please if I am wrong

reclose · 03-02-2025 09:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129548#Comment_123129548

why be so condescending?

reclose · 03-02-2025 09:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129549#Comment_123129549

I think he said with the tariffs it will cease to be a viable country and is better off joining the US.
Hard to believe a US President is saying stuff like this. You expect it from Russia.

eightieschewbaccy · 03-02-2025 10:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129501#Comment_123129501

The thing is, the economy was one of the key factors for voters. They thought they were gonna be better off under Trump. In reality, they're gonna be even poorer and if Trump's tariffs keep going the way they are he could end up kicking off an economic downturn. So they're gonna end up under an isolationist state and far poorer.

But to be lauded cause he's anti woke? A pretty ill defined term that seems to mean he loves to go after vulnerable groups and blames them for all America's woes. Funnily enough, plenty of Americans didn't even realize anti woke was gonna include him taking jabs at the those with disabilities etc. I'm sure his fans will laugh until they too start getting targeted by whatever trait he doesn't like. (Remind you of anywhere?)

MICKEYG · 03-02-2025 10:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129550#Comment_123129550

Sorry to appear so (but I feel it is valid) but I am so tired of this 'woke' word being thrown out as a criticism and then no explanation of what it means or how it is bad.

Its a cheap throw away and in my view an attempt to appear informed without informing yourself.

In many cases it is used to hide a persons real feelings which they don't want to express directly.

Igotadose · 03-02-2025 10:08AM

IMO the need for Executive Orders is yet another symptom of failed government in the US. Wouldn't need them if Congress could legislate, except in extreme circumstances (natural disasters, invasions.)

eightieschewbaccy · 03-02-2025 10:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129587#Comment_123129587

Yawn, libs of tik tok. A highly controversial person in their own right. Let's see how Americans feel in the next few months as they're hit heavily in the pocket due to terribly planned idiotic ideas.

reclose · 03-02-2025 10:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129571#Comment_123129571

That’s fair enough but the poster is hardly going to reply when he/she is being attacked before explaining.

threeball · 03-02-2025 10:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129375#Comment_123129375

Well If they built cars that were in any way refined or reasonable to run we might buy some. Or if they produced food that was at a higher grade than rat poison we might eat it. But they don't so we don't.

MICKEYG · 03-02-2025 10:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129587#Comment_123129587

But how is that a hell hole. You get one questionable person advocating for this and you say "hellhole, make me poorer".

MICKEYG · 03-02-2025 10:23AM

It was not an attack, it was a response to their comments.

Field east · 03-02-2025 10:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128914#Comment_123128914

on the Russian /Ukranian thread there is quiet often a lot of talk about the ordinary Russian citizen being too weak/ hav’nt the neck to rise up against Putin and topple him. Putin has stifled any individual/group by putting them in jail , send them to the front line, etc. The only ‘ protest’ so far has been left to the women - remember the circa 40 sailors that drowned with the sinking on a submarine a few years ago in the Bearing Strait area.

So, do we compare LIKE WITH LIKE.? Ie. that the American civilians will not rise up , in some way, against Trump if they decide that Trump has gone ‘too far’

I hope that we are , for the sake of the world, dealing with two different groups of people and that the ordinary American would have more ‘gut’

03-02-2025 10:25AM

US imposing tariffs as promised.

Another example of Trump delivering on his campaign commitments, quite rapidly I might add and very much the opposite of what our clowns do.

It's America first he says, and they have every right to put their country first. Right now, European countries are in discussions to increase their defence budgets primarily due to the noise Trump has previously made. Even the new NATO secretary general of NATO agrees that Trump was correct.

Trump's tariffs are going to cause quite a stir. To make change, many feathers have to be ruffled. In 2018/2019 a trade war between the US and China that ultimately led to a more robust process. The stakes are high now, many countries are involved for many different reasons. Will Trump's gamble pay off and ultimately deliver a positive out for the US?

It will not be pleasant for many and will indeed have an effect on Americans also but will also lead to opportunities for American businesses, 'shop local' as we would say here.

Any tariffs on the EU will be due to a trade deficit. Ireland's exports to the US are approx. €60bn last year and a third of that is pharmaceutical.

Ireland is a small country with a vulnerable economy and the risk that a trade war poses is one we should be weary of. Our glorious leaders should already be identifying ways how we can become more robust and put our country first, but instead will do the usual 'Paddy' thing by whinging and moaning about Donald Trump and missing the opportunity train in the process.

Igotadose · 03-02-2025 10:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129587#Comment_123129587

…..

TinyMuffin · 03-02-2025 10:33AM

I remember been givin American chocolate once. Absolutely disgusting.

kyote00 · 03-02-2025 10:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129617#Comment_123129617

Maga is so blind to reality … they are the cannon fodder

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/01/31/hedge-funds-bet-billions-against-trumps-america/

Field east · 03-02-2025 10:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129099#Comment_123129099

with all it’s shortcomings I still would much prefer to live in Ireland as against the US. And from a population perspective I shudder to think of what would happen to anyone who cannot pay for health insurance or/and if out of a job and you are on your own after a few months - having to live in Trailer Parks come to mind

ilkhanid · 03-02-2025 10:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129530#Comment_123129530

Johnson said ''“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”

There's an element of this about the MAGA. The objects of lowlife disdain may have changed over the decade (now it's liberals, foreigners, gays, uppity women, moslems, the 'woke', DEI hires etc etc) but the principle remains the say. They're willing to take some pain if it means Trump is hurting the right people.

Field east · 03-02-2025 10:42AM

‘——- poorer under democratic rule. What is never pointed out is that the world was going through a rise in prices - like in Ireland at the time. It was not a unique experience confined to the US only. Prices eventually come down as would have happened in the US if the Demos got in. But , IMO, they are going to rise further because of this ‘ TARIFF ‘ thing

Akrasia · 03-02-2025 10:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128339#Comment_123128339

JFK

Nody · 03-02-2025 10:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129617#Comment_123129617

Let's break that down shall we.

Deliver on the promises he made? What about his promise to lower food cost? He even admitted himself that the cost will go up, does that promise not count? Also keep in mind he's implementing tariffs on countries HE himself re-negotiated the deal with and said at the time and I quote:

The USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. It’s the best agreement we’ve ever made, and we have others coming. And, by the way, the China deal, two weeks ago, was just signed. And that’s going to bring $250 billion into our country. (Applause.) One after another.
But we’re bringing your jobs back to America. Jobs are coming back, and they’re coming back fast, and they’re coming right here to Michigan. They are coming rapidly. You see what’s going on.

So what happened to the "most balanced and beneficial trade agreement" that he signed into law then? Why did he fail then and how is now going to be different esp. as he's not even made any demands (beyond the usual Canada to join USA as a 51st state etc. but I hope no one is taking those seriously).

As for the China trade deal; did you know that 92% of all the tariffs had to be returned to farmers as China stopped buying soy beans etc. How has that benefited USA to pay farmers for them not being able to sell their products in the first place? What's the exact benefit?

As for buying American; sorry to burst your bubble here but between higher interest rates (Fed can't lower interest rate due to inflationary decisions by Trump) and realities on the ground to build a new factory/production line takes quite a bit of time and we're talking 200k to 2 million per new person hired in terms of required sales to make it work. Keeping in mind that exports are going to go down (see provinces stopping importing alcohol for close to a billion dollars a year for example or the 50% taxes due to go live in EU in March on bourbon) which will mean reduction in employment. Trump announced a crisis on energy and then add 10% tariffs on Canadian oil & gas; how does that exactly line up?

As you said it's a gamble but the thing with a gamble is you have to have something to win to offset the risk of losing for a gamble to work. In this case the winning part appears mighty thin for the cost side; esp. as the economies will start to shift away from buying from USA (and exporting there) to other markets instead. Those changes tend to be harder to undo afterwards; simply ask the American soy beans farmer who lost their place to Brazil who won that trade war in the end…

ilkhanid · 03-02-2025 10:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129610#Comment_123129610

Ironic, considering that a large segment of the American population never stop yelling that the reason they need all these guns is to prepare for the day that the government turns tyrannical and they need to overthrow it. Boiled frog territory.

Field east · 03-02-2025 10:49AM

Is it not the case that if the Democrats get in the next time that the president can come up with the necessary EOs’ to overturn all of Trump’s ones that it wants to recind

looksee · 03-02-2025 10:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129668#Comment_123129668

Yes, and? Your point? The damage will be done by then.

Nody · 03-02-2025 10:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129668#Comment_123129668

Depends on the EO and the damage done; take the Mexican bay name change as an example, easy turn over as it's a name change in a database. But now take removal of any trans person serving in the military; they may already been let go and left well before a new president comes in which means even reversing the policy the damage is done. That's before we start talking about what Dodge dismantling systems and departments etc. that are then gone.

Akrasia · 03-02-2025 10:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128884#Comment_123128884

Without America, and the spare parts provided by the military industrial complex an awful lot of NATO military hardware are little more than expensive paperweights.

Trump couldn't be more of a Russian stooge if he actually tried to be

eightieschewbaccy · 03-02-2025 10:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129668#Comment_123129668

Problem is that there's plenty of stuff that's outright illegal and not happening via executive order. Eg Musk's infiltration of the Treasury departmen. They could cause a lot of long term damage to recover from. Plenty of damages from EOs too but this is a lot messier than first time round I think. Plus everything is gonna be under resourced in 4 years time and a lot of the people who knew the systems will have been made redundant.

03-02-2025 10:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129624#Comment_123129624

Woke had a very short lived existence as something that defined 'awareness of social issues' It very quickly quickly morphed into something that many detest: an obsessively psychotic ideology of ' you must listen to what I say' 'what I say is correct', 'what you say is wrong' and if you disagree with me 'you are a fascist, a ***phobic, a racist, and misogynist and morally bankrupt' and continued to entrench itself in as many parts of society as possible.

The self proclaimed leaders of DEI dumped the word equality for equity and became policy in government, schools and private organisations. The policy means that open discrimination was ok against one group of people and many people are taking advantage of this for their own gain. The irony of it all. It is all about the bottom line, once there's a buck to made or maintained they will run with it. Once this direction was well and truly embarked on, the weakness of the current 'wokeness' has now been exposed.

I work for a company that has been falling over itself in recent years to ram DEI policies down the necks of people, even gay colleagues I work try to stay well away from it as they know it is shallow and condescending and completely unnecessary. But many have used this as a way of climbing the ladder so are/were happy to pretend that they are tolerant and inclusive so they could feather their own nests.

The company is also a contractor to the US government and as such has been desperately scrambling over the last week or so to ensure everyone who has them, remove those pronouns and DEI logos from their email signatures because we cannot pee off our paymasters, again, it's the bottom line that really matters not so called inclusiveness and tolerance. It has demonstrated how shallow the whole thing really is.

I suppose that's a lot of nonsense to anybody who disagrees.

eightieschewbaccy · 03-02-2025 11:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129690#Comment_123129690

You've claimed Trump is doing what he promised. I didn't realize he promised to increase the price of everything and decrease US exports drastically cause nobody will want to buy them. But sure he's putting it to the LGBT community, people of different races, those with disabilities and those with mental health issues... The **** you guys are so celebratory of is a tad sad TBH.

Rawr · 03-02-2025 11:01AM

"This is going to cause a stir!" "This is going to ruffle some feathers!"

Etc…etc…ad nausium. The above are recent examples of a MAGA-centric point of view that is focused entirly on Donnie doing one thing he promised to do without addressing all of the knock-on effects to the American people themselves. No, the impression that Donnie has ruffled some feathers is the point that gets carted out as important here.

The last time Donnie did this, the world was shown how to function without the US in their supply chain. China souced their Soy beans from other nations, decimating the US Soy production market to an extent that it has not recovered from. The world has also learned how to levy targeted retalitory tariffs on the US in such a way as to cause difficulty to selected GOP states and politicians. This is in comparison to Trump's desire to block-headedly apply blanket tariffs onto everything from selected states…for "reasons". In the case of Canada it's for the audacity of wanting to exist as a nation.

His supporters cry out; "Look at him getting stuff done!!" But getting what done, exactly? If he actually manages to get these tariffs through Congress, the US are looking at a substantial increase in the cost of nearly everything they buy. The US has some domestic production of food and technology, but almost all of it is also using the global supply chain for something. This means an added price increase on top of price gouging by US retailers and likely inflation excellerated by Donnie's actions. All of the sake of one man's ego, to be seen to be "getting stuff done"…

We will all feel some pain from this. (And yes, I also include you Donnie fans in this as well) But it will be nowhere near as bad as the Americans are about to experience. I hope they remember this the next time they are given the choice between a dimwitted traitorous felon and anyone else for President.

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

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