The future of the US

[JerryBaumchen 1,384]

Hi folks,

Looks like the Gunfight at the OK Corral is about to happen:  Supreme Court denies Trump administration request to cancel $2B in foreign aid 

It will be interesting to see how the Trumper takes it.

Jerry Baumchen

PS)  I am stunned,” Alito wrote - Nope, he is just stupid.

Edited Wednesday at 06:58 PM by JerryBaumchen

[billvon 3,028]

55 minutes ago, JerryBaumchen said:

Hi folks,

Looks like the Gunfight at the OK Corral is about to happen: 

No, it's not.  They will deny a few Trump orders to make them seem impartial.  Nothing will fundamentally change.

 

[nigel99 521]

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/s/unxqzqDuSz

Serms Trump has at last succeeded in getting Europe to agreeing to spend more on defence.

I wonder if the idiot realises the money will be spent in Europe on European products? 

[JoeWeber 2,760]

4 hours ago, nigel99 said:

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/s/unxqzqDuSz

Serms Trump has at last succeeded in getting Europe to agreeing to spend more on defence.

I wonder if the idiot realises the money will be spent in Europe on European products? 

Maybe, maybe not. The European Defense Material Industries, while excellent producers, will need to ramp up capacity which will take a lot of money and years. For a bonus, from whom do you suppose they'll need to turn to for weapons while they make up for going on the cheap? You guessed it, the USA just as your own country does because Australia also relies on uncle sugar for the serious kit and just now bumped your defense spending up to a whopping 2.02% of GDP so you can continue to contribute your annual one half of one percent to the world defense bucket. 

[nigel99 521]

3 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Maybe, maybe not. The European Defense Material Industries, while excellent producers, will need to ramp up capacity which will take a lot of money and years. For a bonus, from whom do you suppose they'll need to turn to for weapons while they make up for going on the cheap? You guessed it, the USA just as your own country does because Australia also relies on uncle sugar for the serious kit and just now bumped your defense spending up to a whopping 2.02% of GDP so you can continue to contribute your annual one half of one percent to the world defense bucket. 

Sure it’s limited but Europe does have the ability to manufacture planes and other weapons.

Aus is just a big mining supplier for all our posturing. Vegemite sucks compared to marmite and kangaroos taste shit, so I don’t think we need worry about being invaded any time soon :)

[kallend 2,056]

It's pretty obvious that some of our closest allies no longer regard the US as a reliable friend.

 

It's not clear how this will play out.

[JoeWeber 2,760]

8 hours ago, nigel99 said:

Sure it’s limited but Europe does have the ability to manufacture planes and other weapons.

Aus is just a big mining supplier for all our posturing. Vegemite sucks compared to marmite and kangaroos taste shit, so I don’t think we need worry about being invaded any time soon :)

Ability and capacity are different things and don't think China wouldn't be happier not paying for your minerals or that anyone will come to help you when you haven't helped yourselves or couldn't help them.

[jakee 1,528]

11 hours ago, nigel99 said:

Vegemite sucks compared to marmite 

Yeah, what's that about? Like, literally why is vegemite? Just sits there on the shelf making the world around it a slightly worse place.

3 hours ago, kallend said:

It's pretty obvious that some of our closest allies no longer regard the US as a reliable friend.

It's not clear how this will play out.

From a European and particularly UK perspective there is a growing silver lining. Joe was right that Europe needs to get it's head around generating the ability to stand completely alone when needed, and I think that the positive moves in that direction will take some of the wind out of the far right sails across europe. Most of the far right parties and politicians in Europe have disappeared entirely up Trump's arse, while Trump himself is very successfully alienating all but the most hardcore right wing voters, so suddenly the traditional middle ground looks a lot stronger.

Starmer is growing into a leadership role with Europe, and given that the biggest pro-Brexit voice Farage is the most pathetically obsequious Trump sycophant you could imagine I think the terror that liberal politicians in the UK have felt about doing anything that might lead to closer ties with Europe will rapidly start to receed and we can get some common sense cross border cooperation back.

Meanwhile Emmanuel Macron is damn near having a Churchill moment (which is ironic given France's rather lackluster material support for Ukraine in contrast to their status as Europe's largest arms manfuacturer) and that again is very welcome in staving off the growing threat of National Rally and Marine Le Pen. (Leader of National Rally and daughter of founder, 40 year leader and holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen. Why is it all these 'power to the people' right wing populist movements are actually completely closed shops? Almost as if they're not really representing anyone's interests but their own. Anyway, I digress...)

[JerryBaumchen 1,384]

13 hours ago, nigel99 said:

Sure it’s limited but Europe does have the ability to manufacture planes and other weapons.

Aus is just a big mining supplier for all our posturing. Vegemite sucks compared to marmite and kangaroos taste shit, so I don’t think we need worry about being invaded any time soon :)

Hi Nigel,

I've eaten kangaroo while down under.  It is not bad; not on my list of favorites, though.

Jerry Baumchen

[kallend 2,056]

1 hour ago, JerryBaumchen said:

Hi Nigel,

I've eaten kangaroo while down under.  It is not bad; not on my list of favorites, though.

Jerry Baumchen

I was told to avoid the gristly end.

 

[nigel99 521]

4 hours ago, jakee said:

Yeah, what's that about? Like, literally why is vegemite? Just sits there on the shelf making the world around it a slightly worse place.

I once bought Andy (popsjumper) a jar of marmite, as it’s one of the few things you don’t see in the US. Poor guy tried a teaspoon full straight out the jar :)

Aussies get very upset when told Vegemite is inferior. 

[nigel99 521]

11 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Ability and capacity are different things

I realise they are different projects and objectives, but I think it’s great that the French/Europeans successfully launched the Ariane 6 rocket and a spy satellite, the same day that starship failed again.

Also having worked with and for Americans I think they often overlook cultural differences. Americans love to boast and celebrate, a lot of other cultures just quietly get on and do the work (used to drive my boss mad that our team weren’t all ra ra ra over successes)

Edited Friday at 03:27 AM by nigel99