Donald and Elon: two immature guys running the entire US economy.

Kayteetay1

The UK is very dependent on the USA. This swing to the Musk/Trump right undemocratic moronic undiplomatic presidency wise is likely to have a massive negative economic and security effect on not just the UK but the planet itself. Musk has literally bought the US presidency to further his power rush. I hope the terrible consequences I foresee are proven wrong.

And yet, jubilation from some.

Good idea to let some water pass under the bridge and see how things are in 6 months’ time as Artols suggests. We just speculate otherwise and as we know ‘even the economists’ get things wrong. It’s the ‘unknown unknowns’ as Rumsfeld said once.

Because we are interested, above all, so why not discuss it?

Its relevant to us in the UK, economically and security wise, because of the Ukraine and Israel, and because the figures involved are "larger than life"......

You're right, UK down the swanny

With regard to how much better off Americans are compared with us, I can only say that my American son in law has been over here for 30 years and has no intention of going back. With the health problems he's had during the last 10 years be would be bankrupt and homeless by now if he'd had to rely on American "health care"

It’s devolution for people who don’t have wealth, health or education

Arto1s

Let’s resurrect this post in 6 months shall we; maybe then we will be able to comment on what Trump and Musk have achieved or not achieved. How can any of you know what is going to happen?

We can predict what will happen because of the little thing called 'experience'. Not necessarily personal experience, but the accumulation of knowledge from past events. It's about looking at similar past policies and seeing what their effect was. The analysis of experts in many fields.

Which might lead us to the definition of insanity 'Doing the same thing over again and expecting the result to be different'.

I know he said he would ‘end inflation’ but whilst it might sound lovely, it means nothing, and I’ve not seen any proposals that give any credence to it.

One of the conclusions drawn by many economists is that inflation usually goes away on its own...

Trumps grandfather was a loser, his father made the money and had to rescue Donald from his business failures on several occasions. They are a very racist family.

The one I would be most worried about is Kennedy if I lived there. He sounds like an absolute fruit loop. Why on earth did Trump choose him? Perhaps he wants to reduce the population by not vaccinating and spreading diseases? I’m not joking, either.

Deedaa

With regard to how much better off Americans are compared with us, I can only say that my American son in law has been over here for 30 years and has no intention of going back. With the health problems he's had during the last 10 years be would be bankrupt and homeless by now if he'd had to rely on American "health care"

Yes, it’s called health tourism, my wife’s sister is going to do that they have earned a lot of money in the US they plan to retire back to the UK and take advantage of free healthcare

Who cares?

yellowfox

Who cares?

About what. I certainly care about "health tourism". The deliberate missuse by foreigners costs about 300 million. A loss for the health Service. We should also insist on health insurance cards for visitors.

David49

Deedaa

With regard to how much better off Americans are compared with us, I can only say that my American son in law has been over here for 30 years and has no intention of going back. With the health problems he's had during the last 10 years be would be bankrupt and homeless by now if he'd had to rely on American "health care"

Yes, it’s called health tourism, my wife’s sister is going to do that they have earned a lot of money in the US they plan to retire back to the UK and take advantage of free healthcare

If they are British citizens you can't really call it health tourism, can you?? You hear of them coming from Spain, not sure why as their system is better than ours, but of course you have to have health insurance , but if they're British what can we do. It's all a complete and utter mess. Not sure you'd be able to do that in any other country in the world. Especially America.

Freya5

David49

Deedaa

With regard to how much better off Americans are compared with us, I can only say that my American son in law has been over here for 30 years and has no intention of going back. With the health problems he's had during the last 10 years be would be bankrupt and homeless by now if he'd had to rely on American "health care"

Yes, it’s called health tourism, my wife’s sister is going to do that they have earned a lot of money in the US they plan to retire back to the UK and take advantage of free healthcare

If they are British citizens you can't really call it health tourism, can you?? You hear of them coming from Spain, not sure why as their system is better than ours, but of course you have to have health insurance , but if they're British what can we do. It's all a complete and utter mess. Not sure you'd be able to do that in any other country in the world. Especially America.

No not health tourism it’s the closest phrase I could think of to cover the situation, they would of course save the insurance premiums they pay in the US and insurance does not cover everything.

I like the US ( except the food) but would not want to live there, Im too old, if I was young and could get in it’s a good prospect for a better life. Australia is good too.

Australia is over governed. Maybe not so much as the UK but we are getting there.

Deedaa said that her US son in law has been 'over here' for 30 years. I read 'over here' as being in the UK.

As he has been in the UK for 30 years and has presumably worked in the UK during that period, how can his use of the NHS possibly be called health tourism?

MaizieD I know that having worked in the Uk for 30 years, then relocating abroad and becoming a dual citizen of that country makes it difficult to use the NHS when on holiday here. I don’t know the exact details but….

ronib

MaizieD I know that having worked in the Uk for 30 years, then relocating abroad and becoming a dual citizen of that country makes it difficult to use the NHS when on holiday here. I don’t know the exact details but….

Am I losing my comprehension skills or is it you, ronib. That is not the scenario that is being discussed.

MaizieD I don’t agree that the scenario is not the same. The person I know may well relocate back here in 5 years time and her access to the NHS even having been born here is not the same.

Precisely this person spent all her working life in the Uk. 30 years

The appointment of Gaetz as Attorney General was controversial even in the Republican camp.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k0472q8v0o

Best to read the whole article but here's bits. His intentions are to control Justice politically

"In 2018, he brought a right-wing Holocaust denier to the State of the Union, and later tried to expel two fathers who lost children in a mass shooting from a hearing after they objected to a claim he made about gun control.

In a social media post, Trump spelled out how he intends to use Gaetz as a wrecking ball to radically change the US Department of Justice, which he has regularly blamed for his multiple legal troubles.

“Matt will root out the systemic corruption at the DOJ, and return the department to its true mission of fighting crime and upholding our democracy and constitution,” he wrote.

During the campaign, Trump promised retribution for the numerous investigations launched against him

Now, it appears, Gaetz will be at the frontlines of Trump’s efforts to bring the justice department to heel.

The department also investigated Gaetz himself.
Last year, it declined to bring charges over allegations he violated sex-trafficking laws during a trip he took to the Bahamas with paid escorts.

He was the subject of an ongoing ethics investigation in the House of Representatives into allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and misuse of campaign fund.

His bombastic approach means he has no shortage of enemies, including within his own party. And so Trump's choice of Gaetz for this crucial role is a signal to those Republicans, too - his second administration will be staffed by loyalists who he trusts to enact his agenda, conventional political opinion be damned.

MaizieD

Deedaa said that her US son in law has been 'over here' for 30 years. I read 'over here' as being in the UK.

As he has been in the UK for 30 years and has presumably worked in the UK during that period, how can his use of the NHS possibly be called health tourism?

I did presume so was in US

In a nightmare scenario in four years time and Trump is out, I envisage Elon Musk up for election for President. He has already bought his place beside Trump, which is obviously why he did it in the first place. It's logical to assume he could very well be his successor. Imagine the richest man in the world given such power?
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely"

sassenach512Elon Musk still needs to be elected and if there’s a good Democrat standing, it’s not a done deal. Michelle Obama might be ready by then?