Want to understand what Trump is doing? Part 2

It will turn back to other topics, tariffs are just the main event right now. Migration is about to be another conversation because he just revoked the legal immigration status of almost 1 million people.

Yes - sorry - I do agree with you wyllow3

(Just a personal thought - I'm not being critical and might be over reacting so do ignore if you feel this anyone - but imo it would be a shame if this just becomes yet another tariff thread, its strength has been a record what is happening in the US politically and socially internally, getting to know the key figures in these appalling dramas

WWM2 started it off as a second thread and we are up to 924, keeping an eye on it)

It's a really superb quite short (ie recommended) analysis of how to construct a narrative like that from MAGA and similar groups - highly recommend a read.

Very revealing as a tool for analysis of Trump apologists.

BTW, imaround, I am grateful for the examples you give as a sad breakdown of many aspects of the US I've got long with so well crushed as aspects of project 25 enter the scene. Like you I agree it needs the wake up of congress, I'm sure it will eventually happen.

China can’t capitulate, and to this end it has been reducing its reliance on export to the USA, since Trump was last in office, from 22% to 13% now snd getting smaller.

I reckon that China will gamble on a smaller economy in the shorter term order to eliminate as far as possible its reliance on the USA.

The issue here though is that Trump does have other coercive tools in his box and he will most certainly not stop at using them.

However, China too has tools it can use.

I just hope that it stops at economic war and doesn’t esculste into something much worse,

imaround

We now have an official trade war with China I guess.

Tariffs from items from China is at 104%.

This isn't going to end well.

I found a very interesting article comparing USA and China. It concludes that USA’s greatest economic strength lies in its alliances, which is the element that is becoming ever more fragile at present. This was written before the tariff war started.
www.capitaleconomics.com/blog/china-versus-us-size-stakes-its-what-you-measure-counts
Is China going to capitulate to Trump - I really don’t see why they will be inclined to, if you look at the relative levels of production?

This is a good article on the commonality of MAGA behaviors. I think he nailed it.

therationalleague.substack.com/p/the-maga-method-a-forensic-breakdown?utm_campaign=posts-open-in-app&triedRedirect=true

China are upset: their entire economic model, over at least the previous thirty years, has been to use every trick in the book to steal production and manufacturing from the West and then quietly steal all of the IP that comes with it.
Shame on us for letting them get away with it for so long!

We now have an official trade war with China I guess.

Tariffs from items from China is at 104%.

This isn't going to end well.

If the draft-dodger and canceller of financial support for veterans does hijack a parade that rightly belongs to the military, on the 250th anniversary of the US army, he risks losing support for his coup from the military - an essential for any would-be dictator.

He is also taking every case he doesn't like straight to the Supreme Court and they are giving him what he wants, even though it is illegal and unconstitutional.

Congress won't stop him, the courts can't stop him. It will be our turn to try at some point I suppose.

I am tired today and am taking a break from him. I'll be back later.

Trump wants a $1T defense spending package and has vowed to spend $45B on immigrant detention centers.

He also has said he will fine illegals over $800 a day for every day they don't leave.

Anyone see what could happen here? If the migrants are detained and have unpaid fines, Trump can hold them in detention and make them work until fines are paid off.

Alabama is the most famous for this practice. It is akin to modern day slavery.

apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-3b2c7e414c681ba545dc1d0ad30bfaf5

He also described prisoners of war as losers didn’t he? And his government is taking away financial support for veterans I believe. The parade is going to cost a fortune if it takes place. He wanted to do it when he was president before but he seems to have far more power this time round.

MayBee70

imaround

I am hearing that rumor MayBee70, but haven't confirmed it. I would not be surprised if he was.

It’s in tomorrow’s Times which I can’t access yet to copy. Some military anniversary just happens to coincide with his birthday. It’s like something that would happen in China or Russia ( or pre war Germany). I never realised that the president wielded so much power? Why does nothing have to go through congress or the senate? My first thought was that, with all this show of military strength, if he looks like losing the next election he will deploy the army. I do think he’s a complete tyrant. Causes chaos throughout the world and then goes off to play golf for the weekend. Thinks he’s the funniest man in the world because people laugh at his so called jokes. When he was elected I decided to try to ignore politics as I felt pretty helpless and there was nothing I could do to change things. But I never thought his actions would, in such a short space of time, affect the whole world.

Coincidentally, the 14th June also happens to be the 250th anniversary of the US Army.

Now, if a parade was all about the US Army that is one thing but if draft dodger Trump tries to make it all about him, that would be quite disgraceful.

Last week someone corrected me for calling Trump's actions blackmail. Surely 'buy our energy or pay tariffs' is pure blackmail.

So Trump laid out his terms for tariffs and the EU.

"The European Union will have to commit to buying $350 billion of American energy to get a reprieve from Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, the U.S. president said late Monday, dismissing Brussels' offer of "zero-for-zero" tariffs on cars and industrial goods."

www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-says-eu-must-buy-350b-of-us-energy-to-get-tariff-relief/

In news that should shock no one, the DOJ appears to be trying to intimidate ex employees out of testifying to Congress.

Mafia indeed.

“"This highly unusual step of directing armed law enforcement officers to the home of a former Department of Justice employee who has engaged in no misconduct, let alone criminal conduct, simply to deliver a letter, is both unprecedented and completely inappropriate," Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general representing Oyer, wrote in a response letter addressed to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Bromwich wrote that Oyer learned the special deputy marshals had been dispatched to her home Friday, when her teen child was home alone.

"You appear to be using the Department’s security resources to intimidate a former employee who is engaged in statutorily protected whistleblower conduct, an act that implicates criminal and civil statutes as well as Department policy and your ethical obligations as a member of the bar,” Bromwich wrote."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/power-congress-democrats-spotlight-trumps-justice-department-shadow-he-rcna199773

Stock Market is down again today, but the loss was mitigated by a rumor from journalist who said Trump was going to suspend tariffs for 90 days. It wasnt true, but it did manage to rally stocks for a bit.

Overall, today's losses are minimal in the overall scheme of things. It does prove that all Trump has to do to stop a crash is to lift the tariffs. He chooses not to.

Musk then sued those advertisers! He accused them of an advertising boycot.

Which, I guess it kind of was? These companies didn't want thier ads on the platform due to neo-nazi and racist leanings.

The actual complaint has to do with setting safety standards, but honestly he looks like a child. This is the consequences of his actions and he doesnt like it because he lost money.

www.npr.org/2025/02/01/nx-s1-5283271/elon-musk-lawsuit-advertisers-boycott-new

I think it's a matter of time, imaround. the 7 will grow.

On the Musk thread where you told us about Kennedy suggesting people with depression be sent to work on farms

I found this snippet on Musk and X.

"Musk previously said advertisers who left X over concerns about antisemitic content could “go f**k yourself” and accused them of killing the company".

Nice, huh? Thankful for UK laws restricting hate speech online.

He is not supposed to wield so much power. Republicans in Congress have actually seceded power to him. One said on an interview that they made a mistake. Unfortunately, they are going to have to do something drastic to stop him.

As of right now, there are 7 republicans who are working with Dems to pass a bill that will limit his power. He has already said he will veto it.

It will need a 2/3s vote to bypass the veto, something I am not sure they have. It really depends on how bad things get for Republicans I suppose, but no way they will get 2/3 vote in my opinion.

So he will be allowed to run amok until something drastic happens, unfortunately.

Republicans are trying to eliminate the judicial branch all together right now, so I cant imagine they will stand up against him.

imaround

I am hearing that rumor MayBee70, but haven't confirmed it. I would not be surprised if he was.

It’s in tomorrow’s Times which I can’t access yet to copy. Some military anniversary just happens to coincide with his birthday. It’s like something that would happen in China or Russia ( or pre war Germany). I never realised that the president wielded so much power? Why does nothing have to go through congress or the senate? My first thought was that, with all this show of military strength, if he looks like losing the next election he will deploy the army. I do think he’s a complete tyrant. Causes chaos throughout the world and then goes off to play golf for the weekend. Thinks he’s the funniest man in the world because people laugh at his so called jokes. When he was elected I decided to try to ignore politics as I felt pretty helpless and there was nothing I could do to change things. But I never thought his actions would, in such a short space of time, affect the whole world.

His Madison Square Garden rally last fall and his (maybe) military parade does bring to mind certain eras in history for sure.

I am hearing that rumor MayBee70, but haven't confirmed it. I would not be surprised if he was.

Now let me see.....would that be past the Kremlin or somewhere else?