Watching the US Inauguration

icanhandthemback

I am definitely not a Trump fan and felt a huge lifting of mood watching him go but anybody who really thinks this is over, is naive. The groundswell of his fans who have an aversion to socialism in any form, is still there and now they are feeling very cheated because they have been brainwashed by the narcissistic Trump.
It amazes me that anyone can thing socialism is "evil" and I'm not ever going to vote Labour. However, even I can see that in principle, that pure socialism and communism isn't evil, it just doesn't work because the rich leave the area. Even communism in an ideal world might be good but you always seem to have to shoot people to get them to try it. That's the evil bit!
I love that the inauguration featured people singing who would likely appeal to the young. A stodgy, sombre affair hardly makes it more dignified, just boring.

Joe Bidden isn't a socialist though is he. It was just another stick to beat him with. At best he is a Liberal Socialist - a party, I have to admit, I feel is sadly missing in this country.

Any extreme will propogate evil simply because, to succeed, they need to supress those with the opposite view.

BeverleyJB

I had high hopes for Biden......but on day one he removes women's sex-based rights. I hope this will not go un-noticed and be the start of a very dangerous trend.
www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-preventing-and-combating-discrimination-on-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation/

That is such a worry, BeverlyJB.

I hope to goodness that he is persuaded to have second thoughts on that one.

I wonder if he even understood the implications.

I also wonder what his VP's thoughts on it are...

Wow! We were delighted to see them go. He nearly destroyed us. He's hectoring everyone about the rising waters and climate; meanwhile, he's living in a small island with a water view. Total hypocrite.

Sorry but the notion that Joe Biden is a woke, radical Lefty is the funniest thing I have heard for ages. The man is a centrist. If he lived in the UK, he would be a moderate Conservative.

As an old-school Lefty myself, I don't expect any huge reforms from Biden. (I would have preferred Bernice Sanders but you can't have everything.) However, if he reverses the damage done by Trump, it will be enough. He has made a good start.

Trump was bitter and mean-spirited right up to the end. I am not surprised that, at the end of his presidency, he left Washington filled with heavily armed troops and every state in fear of possible violence. It amazes me that people keep comparing the attack on the Capitol to the BLM protests. There have been many protests in American history - for instance, most of us here are old enough to remember the Vietnam demos and the protests after the murder of Martin Luther King - but this was an insurrection. An attempt to prevent by force the result of a democratic election, with the threats to kill people like the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives....That's not a protest, it's an attempted coup, and the President himself incited it. Thank God that he has gone and that yesterday passed without incident.

My family in the USA feel more hopeful than they have done for a long time. Covid is out of control and the country is so deeply divided, with so much anger, so the need for action is urgent. Now they have leadership which is sane and sensible, after 4 years of madness. Hopefully Biden will be able to heal the wounds but he has a struggle on his hands, particularly as Trump has convinced so many people that the election was rigged. I wouldn't want Biden's job.

And why, as Trump boarded the plane, was Y. M. C. A playing in the background? Satire?

I think Trump is mentally ill but those close to him can’t face it !
Have family in USA who voted Trump but they were happy he has gone.
Yesterday was a breath of fresh air for us all .

MaizieD

BeverleyJB

I had high hopes for Biden......but on day one he removes women's sex-based rights. I hope this will not go un-noticed and be the start of a very dangerous trend.
www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-preventing-and-combating-discrimination-on-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation/

That is such a worry, BeverlyJB.

I hope to goodness that he is persuaded to have second thoughts on that one.

I wonder if he even understood the implications.

I also wonder what his VP's thoughts on it are...

I must be being blind but it looks as if he has signed that order. What has been lost in the US exactly by passing that?

My family in the USA feel more hopeful than they have done for a long time. Covid is out of control and the country is so deeply divided, with so much anger, so the need for action is urgent.

So do mine and so do my Australian family and me and the rest of my British family. He has brought hope to people all round the world on day one. Now for a far more difficult next four years.

As I read this order it is emphasising the importance of preventing and combating discrimination on grounds of gender identity or sexual orientation and to ensure all agencies review their policies and practices to root out any such discrimination.

He has signed it indeed, PippaZ.

It means that men can now play women's sport, can insist on being sent to women's prisons, can share 'female spaces' etc etc. just by self identifying as a woman and claiming discrimination if they are barred in any way.

I leave it to you to judge whether that is a good or a bad thing...

As an American I am thrilled that we have a new administration and the former occupant of the White House is gone. I am optimistically hopeful for the future of our country.

on grounds of gender identity

That's the dodgy bit...

At last, an aspect of the world moving towards true hope!

Hoping Joe was wearing his thermal undies- hoping he has nt caught a chill at his advanced years!

I think he s great.I was in tears at his decency after u know who.

Why is it, when reading comments from NannyC2 et al, I get the image of the bad witch in the film: The Wizard of Oz'?...and as for Trump... well, we all know what happens at the end!

Or even: Plato's Allegory of the Cave.

It feels like a new start for the USA - and what I have seen and heard of Joe Biden, I like. The reports this morning made me giggle - Lady Ga Ga was described as 'overdelivering, like Miss Piggy at the Oscars'; Jennifer Lopez also appeared to be belting it out as if she were on tour. I'm probably just a stuffy old bore but an over the top bellowing performance detracts from the solemnity for me.

Your quote about lady Gaga being Miss Piggy was by Quentin Letts in the Times, I’ve always found him a sneery unpleasant commentator and his piece today was no exception. He didn’t even have the grace to mention Amanda Gorman.

MaizieD

He has signed it indeed, PippaZ.

It means that men can now play women's sport, can insist on being sent to women's prisons, can share 'female spaces' etc etc. just by self identifying as a woman and claiming discrimination if they are barred in any way.

I leave it to you to judge whether that is a good or a bad thing...

Ah. I can see that might not please everyone. I'll re-read it. Thank you Maizie.

@Callistemon. Well put, I feel exactly the same. The grown ups are back. Trump did a few good things for the pre Covid US economy I suppose but he was so divisive and his handling of the pandemic was woeful. I think he started to lose the plot when it became obvious that his claims of a rigged election were groundless and inciting the storming of the Capitol building was the last straw - even if he had won the election he would surely have been impeached after that. His decision not to attend the inauguration and the farcical ‘farewell ceremony’ were the actions of a petulant child throwing a hissy fit because they can’t get what they want. Good riddance Trump and good luck Biden.

Bluecat Who is Bernice Sanders?

Bluecat

Sorry but the notion that Joe Biden is a woke, radical Lefty is the funniest thing I have heard for ages. The man is a centrist. If he lived in the UK, he would be a moderate Conservative.

As an old-school Lefty myself, I don't expect any huge reforms from Biden. (I would have preferred Bernice Sanders but you can't have everything.) However, if he reverses the damage done by Trump, it will be enough. He has made a good start.

Trump was bitter and mean-spirited right up to the end. I am not surprised that, at the end of his presidency, he left Washington filled with heavily armed troops and every state in fear of possible violence. It amazes me that people keep comparing the attack on the Capitol to the BLM protests. There have been many protests in American history - for instance, most of us here are old enough to remember the Vietnam demos and the protests after the murder of Martin Luther King - but this was an insurrection. An attempt to prevent by force the result of a democratic election, with the threats to kill people like the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives....That's not a protest, it's an attempted coup, and the President himself incited it. Thank God that he has gone and that yesterday passed without incident.

My family in the USA feel more hopeful than they have done for a long time. Covid is out of control and the country is so deeply divided, with so much anger, so the need for action is urgent. Now they have leadership which is sane and sensible, after 4 years of madness. Hopefully Biden will be able to heal the wounds but he has a struggle on his hands, particularly as Trump has convinced so many people that the election was rigged. I wouldn't want Biden's job.

And why, as Trump boarded the plane, was Y. M. C. A playing in the background? Satire?

I agree Bluecat good post .....and I did wonder about the playing of YMCA as well.?

Bernie Sanders Annaram ....there was a lot of interest in his mittens yesterday.

I watched it. It was quite ‘theatrical’ but so glad that Trump has gone (spoilt brat). Here’s hoping that Biden delivers.

The names of the two opposing US parties are a bit confusing. When one party is called "Democrats" it seems to imply that the other must be against democracy, and the other being "Republican" implies the the Democrats are against the US being a republic.
It is all historic, I suppose, but it is another subliminal reason for animosity between the two sides. So is the image in the US of the meaning of "liberal" as being destructive of everything fine about the states..

Bluecat, totally agree. Further to Snooze58: Antifa is not a group or organisation, it stands for Anti Fascists. It seems to be mostly used for scape-goating by people like white supremasists who don't want to take responsibility for their own actions.

It is understood that PM Boris has invited President Biden to attend, with other world dignitaries and their entourage, the 2021 G7 Summit, This to take place in Cornwall. Covid cases in the SW have increased which is already threatening the hospitality businessThis they do not need.