What I’m more surprised at is how many Americans seem to buy such lies, not realising that the reality of his fantasy will be to hurt them.
Have you forgotten when 52% of UK voters made the same decision, and a goodly percentage of them would make the same decision today (based on the 2024 'poll').
I'm not a religious person but I did enjoy seeing the whole Trump front row squirm while the bishop was asking orange bloke to show mercy to those he's got his bludgeon ready.
Just heard some Trumpian asshole with a smooth voice on R4 saying the 14th Amendment is out of date because it was written 250 years ago during the War Of Independence.
I was willing Amol Rajan to say "Oh, OK, that might well be said of the 2nd Amendment too", then call him a bigoted **** and tell him to **** off.
But, of course, he/we can't.
What do we think of Trump pardoning the Silk Road guy? That seems a weird one to me.
With Elon the free speech absolutist in charge of cutting spending are we going to see budgets for policing the darker parts of the Web slashed? It can’t help the morale of the officers involved when the guy they spent so long trying to bring down is just set free.
I read somewhere that the UK doesn’t even really try to police the darkweb anymore (don’t have the resources). Instead we mainly rely on information passed to us by US and European agencies. Is this another area where Europe will have to step up (or have they stopped sharing information with us post-Brexit)?
It can’t help the morale of the officers involved when the guy they spent so long trying to bring down is just set free.
How about the morale of the capital police, imagine being attacked by a mob, seeing a colleague murdered, and then the mob pardoned.
I guess they are probably financially dependent on their jobs, but I am surprised that there aren't many resignations going in today. Unfortunately I think many of general law enforcement and military are on the trumpers side, so I don't foresee much general resistance there.
I think we saw in the BLM protests how the police have picked a side, and it isn't the side of justice, equality and fairness (there were a few good guys, but unfortunately they seemed to be in the minority)
What do we think of Trump pardoning the Silk Road guy? That seems a weird one to me.
Cause celebre of the tech libterarians and the 4chan crowd. In this version of reality, he only made a market and it's not his fault guns/drugs/women were traded there.
thought of the Pen thread on here. Maybe we could all club together and order a set for him.
Probably something suitable here:
https://www.penisland.net/
Just heard some Trumpian asshole with a smooth voice on R4 saying the 14th Amendment is out of date because it was written 250 years ago during the War Of Independence.
Would have been much better if he'd pointed out that the 14th Amendment came in 90 years later after tne Civil War, so the asshole knew **** all.
If the Americans don't want Bernie Sanders, can we have him?
Just heard some Trumpian asshole with a smooth voice on R4 saying the 14th Amendment is out of date because it was written 250 years ago during the War Of Independence.
They really dont know their history do they? The 14th is a post civil war amendment since the previous approach excluded slaves and children of slaves.
In this version of reality, he only made a market and it’s not his fault guns/drugs/women were traded there.
How far do they take this? If somebody hosts a site that contains terrorist (or child abuse) material are they still not responsible? I can see how it benefits Musk to claim that the host isn’t responsible for the content of the site, but that’s going to have some pretty nasty “unintended” consequences.
I don’t know if Trump is the most corrupt modern president (I strongly suspect he is)
He's still miles away from the personal wealth dictators like Putin and Xi have (reportedly) amassed.
From the bbc
A government memo instructs federal agencies to put diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) staff on paid leave by 17:00 local time on Wednesday.
So that's not just stop recruiting, but subjugate and remove and isolate those who had already achieved some equality. That is worse than I had imagined before in the speed that fascism is being enacted. I assume no one believes that "paid leave" will last more than a couple of weeks.
That is worse than I had imagined before in the speed that fascism is being enacted.
I am not surprised at all.
It was all written down and they were going to hit the ground running.
This is just the start of Project 2025.
It was clear what they were going to do but people said it's not real because that would be basically fascism..........
How about the morale of the capital police, imagine being attacked by a mob, seeing a colleague murdered, and then the mob pardoned.
Suicide rates have already been very high among officers who served there that day. How their families feel about all this, I can't imagine.
Well, they can't say they weren't warned. I guess as long as the masses are enjoying the cruelty, they won't mind their pockets being picked by Trump and his tech-bro chums.
I guess Bubba will see his next insulin bill as a price worth paying for 'owning the libs'.
Correction on my part. The aforementioned Trumpian asshole (Chad Wolf) stated that the 14th Amendment was made after the Civil War, not the War Of Independence. I was listening whilst eating a bowl of cereal, so not fully paying attention.
He's still an asshole, though.
The aforementioned Trumpian asshole (Chad Wolf) stated that the 14th Amendment was made after the Civil War, not the War Of Independence.
It wouldn't make any difference. If the MAGA crew want to change the constitution, they need to go through Congress. The President can't just decide he'll ignore stuff he doesn't like because it's old.
I’ll bet anyone 100 dollars, he doesn’t have the dexterity to use a ball point pen, let alone a fountain pen.
I mean, what the hell is that? a Crayola felt tip?
He's used a marker for years. Maybe he just likes it? People are allowed personal preference in this kind of thing.
Don't get me wrong I am no Trump fan. But there have been several posts in this and the Musk thread along the lines of "we need to fight this properly, attacking every little nothing just makes us seem weaker and grasping at straws" which I tend to agree with somewhat.
He has some serious problems. Using a marker is not really one of them, just a good opportunity for more mickey taking. Which often just makes the micky taker look worse than the mickey giver 😉
How about the morale of the capital police, imagine being attacked by a mob, seeing a colleague murdered, and then the mob pardoned.
Interesting just skimming through the "Live" BBC feed on the executive orders. The head of the Capitol police is understandably angry. One of those convicted is refusing to accept the pardon as she realises what she was involved in was illegal. The QAnon Shaman is delighted as apparently the pardon means he can buy guns again.
He’s used a marker for years. Maybe he just likes it?
Putting his name on things is Trump's number one thing, he delayed covid relief payments because he wanted the cheque being sent out to have his name one them as if he, personally, was your benefactor. He puts his name on buildings he doesnt own, on products he doesnt make and so on. The more places his name is the better in his eyes.
I think he sees a big part of the work of being president is being seen to sign these this, he's less interested in doing the work to see them through and there are quite a few of his executive orders that have just fizzled out to nothing becuase beyond slapping his name at the bottom he's not actuality pursued it further. He makes it press event, signs it, then holds it up for the cameras, makes an important looking face - I suspect thats why he uses a big fat marker pen, becuase he wants is signature to be as telegenic as possible.
It wouldn’t make any difference. If the MAGA crew want to change the constitution, they need to go through Congress. The President can’t just decide he’ll ignore stuff he doesn’t like because it’s old.
Why bother when you can ask SCOTUS to 'reinterpret it'?
Putting his name on things is Trump’s number one thing, he delayed covid relief payments because he wanted the cheque being sent out to have his name one them as if he, personally, was your benefactor. He puts his name on buildings he doesnt own, on products he doesnt make and so on. The more places his name is the better in his eyes.
I think he sees a big part of the work of being president is being seen to sign these this, he’s less interested in doing the work to see them through and there are quite a few of his executive orders that have just fizzled out to nothing becuase beyond slapping his name at the bottom he’s not actuality pursued it further. He makes it press event, signs it, then holds it up for the cameras, makes an important looking face – I suspect thats why he uses a big fat marker pen, becuase he wants is signature to be as telegenic as possible.
Probably all true. However he's used Sharpies for years since long before he was president (have seen comments on this going back to the 90s) so I don't think that's the only reason or even necessarily the main one.
However he’s used Sharpies for years
Don't forget the live edit on the hurricane forecast!
However he’s used Sharpies for years since long before he was president
Used correctly, they can alter the course of hurricanes.
The QAnon Shaman is delighted
Did you watch him on newsnight last night? I honestly was gobsmacked. These are the type of people supporting trump.
It's genuinely scary. I just hope there are enough advisors with sensible heads to help reign Trump in.
And I agree - can we have Bernie please
And I agree – can we have Bernie please
The democrat establishment including the Clintons, Biden, Obama, Pelosi et al did everything they could to prevent Sanders ever becoming president. If they hadn't Sanders would probably have been president and the world would undoubtedly be a very different place today. Just like we saw here in the UK, any form of resistance against the oligarchic neo-lliberal system was stamped out by those on the centre-left who claim to represent the interests of working people. And now they wonder why working people are turning against them.
I just hope there are enough advisors with sensible heads to help reign Trump in.
Nope. Pretty much all of them disowned Trump after having the pleasure of working for him first time around.
I mean, look at his cabinet picks, there is no-one there to mitigate him, in fact they will actively enable and encourage him. Until the next midterms, there is are no checks or balances on his authority, he has Congress, the Senate, the Supreme Court.
If you vote for an authoritarian government, that is what you will receive.
Alex Garland's choice of Texas alongside California as secession states in 'Civil War' was an interesting one. Both are high net contributors to Federal budgets, and Texas is not as deep a red state as some people think. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that secession movements could grow in both, given that Trump and his allies are already threatening to withhold federal aid to California for the wildfires. At what point will states think - why should we continue paying in?
So far it looks like it’s all working out perfectly for the straight rich white man.
That should be rich white man. Peter Thiel is gay and very much a driving force of the more extreme Trump policies.
How's this DEI thing work?
Are people specifically hired as DEI people, or is it a program to promote diversity in the workplace? If the latter, then who exactly is getting sent home on paid leave? How do you untangle a DEI hire from any other hire who may happen to be other than a white man?
I assumed it was employees within federal orgs whose role is (was) to promote diversity and equality in the workplace. Like an 'Equality Officer' in a local authority here.
I'm sure the chance to denounce and get black/lgbtq colleagues sacked for no reason will come along later. Baby steps first.
I assumed it was employees within federal orgs whose role is (was) to promote diversity and equality in the workplace. Like an ‘Equality Officer’ in a local authority here.
That was my understanding, but if anyone knows better it would be useful.
I’m sure the chance to denounce and get black/lgbtq colleagues sacked for no reason will come along later. Baby steps first.
Tragically that wouldn't surprise me.
What a load of nonsense... the idea that Trump won't act like "a strong man" and an "authoritarian" because he has control of most of the checks and balances... quite the opposite... the lack of opposition in the courts and in WashingtonDC will enable him to be much more authoritarian, and much more able to act up to the strong man narrative then last time he was in office. The rest of the world would be very foolish to think "there's less to stop him this time, therefore he will hold back".
Yeah, I can see what Finkelstein is trying to see, but I strongly disagree.
And especially with the likes of Musk, zuk and Theil in tyhe background, I think they see Trump in the US as their springboard to the rest of the world, their game isn't national politics, it is geopolitical (50% of ticktok coming in soon)
What a load of nonsense
Yeah, what does Norman Finkelstein know? What nonsense! I bet he doesn't even own a mountain bike!
I just hope there are enough advisors with sensible heads to help reign Trump in.
Amongst all the noise of the last 24hrs.. in fact within just a few hours of getting the keys to Whitehouse, Trump has mandated removal of Secret Service protection for John Bolton. So Trump is signalling loud and clear whats in store for anyone who's thinking about being sensible.
Bolton has been an assassination risk since Trump ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani - the Revolutionary Guard have Bolton as their target for retaliation even though Bolton wasn't even in office when the order was made.
quite the opposite… the lack of opposition in the courts and in WashingtonDC will enable him to be much more authoritarian, and much more able to act up to the strong man narrative then last time he was in office.
People make the mistake of thinking that Trump has a political purpose in his actions...he's not seeking anything other than the aggrandisement (and enrichment) of Trump, to stamp down his own insecurity by projecting the image of a 'strongman'. It is why he idolises Putin, responds to flatterers and fawners, and is obsessed with petty revenge against anyone who has spoken against him.
If anything, he is more dangerous and unpredictable than a conventional authoritarian leader, who, as noted above, deliberately does this stuff to eliminate opposition. There is a narcissistic need in him to demonstrate his power even when it is unnecessary, and those who have his ear will be primed to harness that by dropping suggested policies and telling him who his 'enemies' are.
These are the type of people supporting trump.
Just to caveat some of this with a "yes, but....."
That's the fringe of a fringe.
The 1%.
The other 51% that voted for him voted for Trussenomics 2.0 with the free trading pork markets switched for import tariffs.
Trussenomics 2.0
Trumponomics 2.0 Shirley?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/22/kkk-immigrants-flyers-kentucky
And so it starts. Well, continues, but with governmental sanction.
their game isn’t national politics, it is geopolitical
A good point. And we can see early indications via the Gulf of America, Greenland, Panama Canal and announcements about 'ending conflict' that they have a huge ambition to have influence and gains elsewhere.
just had to turn newsnight off. wow
Really. I dont like Trump or what he is doing. But I dont give it much thought as it goes under the heading of things I can do nothing about. I will just buckle up for the ride and hope we come out the other side relatively unscathed.
