Ok, not football at all, but it matters, eventually.

[alfinyalcabo]

I agree wholeheartedly with what Wtf says about Trump,the man is a complete @rsehole.

[WTF11]

Come on Oranje, WTF (alias Mr Angry) has to vent his spleen somewhere on here, he?s had to put on hold til the next opportunity re the football 😀 tho to paraphrase him on another football thread, it?s not as if Donald reads these threads?. does he?

I'm expressing an opinion about the actions of one of the most powerful man in the world. I'm doing so in measured terms and using moderate language in order to do so. Would that those who choose to respond would do the same (as if!). I note that my observations about the risks to NATO of Trumps lusting for Greenland, the disastrous consequences of Trumps encouragement to Iranians protestors, or the Iranian regime "lobbing nukes" have gone unchallenged (hardly surprising as they are based on verifiable facts, unlike the drivel that outlets like Truth Social continue to regurgitate.

[Billyni]

You know a threads going down hill when Alf gets involved.

[spaldy]

Am I missing something? I?ve never seen or looked at Truth social. Is that the new Washington Post or New York Times?

Alf is correct that Trump is an ass. Frankly, almost every effective world leader is. It goes with the job. You don?t make decisions that affect the every citizen or the world without winners and losers. You also can?t make decisions by polls and committees.

The question people have in every country is my leader looking after my countries and my families best interest. Whether you like or hate Trump his decisions are often clear that his decisions are based on what?s best for the US

No doubt that Xi?s and Putin supporters feel the same way

Many other countries leaders instill little of no confidence in their citizens of their country or the rest of the world.

[WTF11]

Am I missing something? I?ve never seen or looked at Truth social. Is that the new Washington Post or New York Times?

Alf is correct that Trump is an ass. Frankly, almost every effective world leader is. It goes with the job. You don?t make decisions that affect the every citizen or the world without winners and losers. You also can?t make decisions by polls and committees.

The question people have in every country is my leader looking after my countries and my families best interest. Whether you like or hate Trump his decisions are often clear that his decisions are based on what?s best for the US

No doubt that Xi?s and Putin supporters feel the same way

Many other countries leaders instill little of no confidence in their citizens of their country or the rest of the world.

Surprisingly I agree with much of that. Would that the observation about Trumps decisions being what's best for the US was included in that agreement. His decisions, both on the domestic and international fronts, have been made with a couple of key objectives: the expansion of his profile, the corresponding expansion of his and his family's bank balance, the delivery to his backers in the Presidential election campaign of the promises made.

Few if any of the results benefit the vast majority of US citizens. Inflation across all sectors is up, employment is down (and surprise after the efforts of DOGE), government debt is spiralling upwards out of control, the courts are unable to cope with "normal" demand given the sackings/resignations amongst the attorney community, citizens of colour (legal US citizens), fear the actions of ICE and other federally directed agencies, federal authorities are withdrawing federal funds from parts of the US which are opposed to many of the Presidents "initiatives" and whilst you and others who support Trump may not care, the image of the USA and the office of POTUS are much diminished, with bully-boy behaviour replacing the use of diplomacy and soft-power, without any significant benefit to anyone.

You compare the support Trump has with that of two of the most abhorrent single-party state dictators. What an awful parallel to draw

[alfinyalcabo]

You know a threads going down hill when Alf gets involved.

TBF Billy,political posts should be banned as they always go downhill fast mate. 🙂

[spaldy]

Might want look at M2 before blaming Trump for inflation. He had nothing to do with the remix printing of money the last 4 years. The bar chart of M2 vs M1,M3, M4 is stunning and scary

The key is energy prices. Sub 60 dollar barrel prices solve a lot of inflation issues. La be majority of a barrel of oil goes to products other than gasoline or diesel

[WTF11]

Might want look at M2 before blaming Trump for inflation. He had nothing to do with the remix printing of money the last 4 years. The bar chart of M2 vs M1,M3, M4 is stunning and scary

The key is energy prices. Sub 60 dollar barrel prices solve a lot of inflation issues. La be majority of a barrel of oil goes to products other than gasoline or diesel

Again, agreement on the causes of inflation being complex and multi-faceted, but Trump came in with boasts of being able to curb rising prices. Like many other things (the impact of tariffs (does he, or his "advisors" actually know how they work? The evidence would say not), the deportation of "millions" of illegal immigrants, his ability to end the war in Ukraine (or anywhere else), etc etc, he overpromises and underdelivers.

If he spent more time being truly presidential and less time playing to the MAGA crowd and bullying nations he ought to regard as friendly, he might do a (slightly) better job.

[spaldy]

I don?t disagree on acting presidential. Even I am appalled at some of his rhetoric. I think he inherited an incredibly bad situation on all fronts. He didn?t have the option of gradual changes in many areas.

More importantly is that checks and balances built into the US system are corrupted and gone. Congress stopped doing its job on the budget and passing laws. The executive branch started ruling by mandates and exec orders. While this has been occurring for years?? I have a pen and phone? the Covid fiasco showed that they can do anything they want and get by with it. They have never looked back. DC basically acted little different than the CCCP and Kremlin. The judicial system is now highly political and partisan

The biggest thing is goverment spending and debt. It?s out of control and they basically blatantly buy votes and line their pockets. Politicians and their tag a longs come to DC with little money and leave with 10?s of millions of dollars. They are exempt from laws or law enforcement.

US taxpayers have over $300k in debt per person. It will collapse at some point

Trump is the outcome of the dissatisfaction of the average voter.

[WTF11]

I don?t disagree on acting presidential. Even I am appalled at some of his rhetoric. I think he inherited an incredibly bad situation on all fronts. He didn?t have the option of gradual changes in many areas.

More importantly is that checks and balances built into the US system are corrupted and gone. Congress stopped doing its job on the budget and passing laws. The executive branch started ruling by mandates and exec orders. While this has been occurring for years?? I have a pen and phone? the Covid fiasco showed that they can do anything they want and get by with it. They have never looked back. DC basically acted little different than the CCCP and Kremlin. The judicial system is now highly political and partisan

The biggest thing is goverment spending and debt. It?s out of control and they basically blatantly buy votes and line their pockets. Politicians and their tag a longs come to DC with little money and leave with 10?s of millions of dollars. They are exempt from laws or law enforcement.

US taxpayers have over $300k in debt per person. It will collapse at some point

Trump is the outcome of the dissatisfaction of the average voter.

Well I'm blowed, agreement on all counts (don't know the details of the current US
givernmental "situation", but in general the career politicians the world over and of all stripes are in it essentially for themselves unlike most from the baby boomers generation who genuinely wanted a better world.