[Politics] Donald Trump, US President

[Insel affe]

As so often, I'm amazed at how those who (understandably) dread Communism can't see how they themselves resort to similar tactics.

Ask a Republican why they hate the Left, and they'll say "Because the Left stifle disagreement, ban things they disagree with, destroy liberty, increaser the power of the State, and impose mass conformity."

Yet these people cheer and whoop when Trump and his goon-squad brand their critics as terrorists or 'unpatriotic', round-up protestors, ban 'controversial' books from school/public libraries, ban abortion, sack workers they dislike (for political reasons, such as DEI), insult and smear academics and intellectuals, and deport 'undesirable' people without due process. Today, it the the Republican Right who are using the power of the State to impose mass conformity, spread fear, and stifle dissent and disagreement. If he was alive today, Stalin would be applauding Trump.

In other words, the awful things that the Hard Right accuse the 'radical Left' of, they do themselves against people they dislike.

Rather than seeing Far Left and Far Right as opposite ends of a straight line, I think they are better seen as part of a semi-circle or horseshoe (as noted by our very own @Harry Wilson's tackle) with the two extremes actually ending-up near or next to each other.

View attachment 199030

Hence National Socialism

 

[Peteinblack]

Even if that particular post was a delicious parody, it is reflective of a lot of people who were "it won't affect me!" but it WILL. They might not have realised when voting, same with people who voted Brexit not thinking it would have any impact on themselves and then it does. Trump is an absolute catastrophe for the vast, overwhelming majority of the US and the people who voted for him. Whether they know it already or it will take a bit longer, that is the reality. But those people aren't anchored in reality at all.

Yes, populist politicians initially attract support from poorer, angry, citizens, demonising and targetting minorities, such as immigrants, welfare 'scroungers', intellectuals, etc.

But this does not solve the underlying problems which lead people to vote for the populists like Trump (and Farage over here) - the poverty wages, chronic job insecurity, inadequate public services, unaffordable housing, and increasing inequality, still remain.

So the populist leaders have to look for new 'enemies' to blame, and against whom growing public anger and impatience can be directed; "these people are why our clamp-downs and deportations haven't delivered milk-and-honey."

Until the populists start persecuting the very people - apart from the mega-rich savouring their tax cuts, of course - who initially voted for them.

Populist political leaders who love being awful and brutal towards asylum seekers, immigrants, Muslims and/or Jews, usually have few qualms, a little later, about being awful to 'enemies within', such as ordinary workers, trade unions, the unemployed, critical journalists, peaceful-protestors, single parents, students.

Hence many of those who are currently cheering Trump's aggressive treatment of immigrants, civil servants, and educationalists, will almost certainly find themselves being targeted within a year or two - they'll find out that he does not genuinely care about them, and feels absolutely no sense of loyalty to them for their current support.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/leading-d...tion-inadvertently-sharing/story?id=120116950

Interesting comments from Vance & Hegseth at 2:50 - 3:00.... FU

 

[Flounce]

Anyone else noticed that Trump‘s sidekicks come across as angry most of the times they are filmed commenting? Scary that these people are in charge. It’s Mafia film like

 

[Insel affe]

Anyone else noticed that Trump‘s sidekicks come across as angry most of the times they are filmed commenting?

Nott scarier than angry rich white folk

Scary that these people are in charge. It’s Mafia film like

Trouble is you can't just turn over or better still, switch it off and it goes away.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The fear of "The left" has been prevalent in America for decades, it has been drummed into them every day.

The very first time I went to America about 22 years ago, I could not believe the news, it was all doom, gloom, fear and loathing, with no understanding of the rest of the world, their world view is what they are told, not what they see or learn about first hand.

So the fear of the left is deep rooted, seen as a danger and almost second nature to most Americans especially those poorly educated with just an internal view of America, America, America, no wonder America First and make America great again resonates with so many folk, it is all they are fed everyday.

And in parts of America, a pathological hatred of 'Romans' (Catholics).

 

[Flounce]

And in parts of America, a pathological hatred of 'Romans' (Catholics).

On a visit to Texas a number of years ago I was staggered to find segregated churches beside each other. One for blacks and one for whites

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Yes, populist politicians initially attract support from poorer, angry, citizens, demonising and targetting minorities, such as immigrants, welfare 'scroungers', intellectuals, etc.

But this does not solve the underlying problems which lead people to vote for the populists like Trump (and Farage over here) - the poverty wages, chronic job insecurity, inadequate public services, unaffordable housing, and increasing inequality, still remain.

So the populist leaders have to look for new 'enemies' to blame, and against whom growing public anger and impatience can be directed; "these people are why our clamp-downs and deportations haven't delivered milk-and-honey."

Until the populists start persecuting the very people - apart from the mega-rich savouring their tax cuts, of course - who initially voted for them.

Populist political leaders who love being awful and brutal towards asylum seekers, immigrants, Muslims and/or Jews, usually have few qualms, a little later, about being awful to 'enemies within', such as ordinary workers, trade unions, the unemployed, critical journalists, peaceful-protestors, single parents, students.

Hence many of those who are currently cheering Trump's aggressive treatment of immigrants, civil servants, and educationalists, will almost certainly find themselves being targeted within a year or two - they'll find out that he does not genuinely care about them, and feels absolutely no sense of loyalty to them for their current support.

There is of course another reason. Some people ar ****s.

I was on a later train to London yesterday, when all good people are normally at work.

There was a tattood 20 something, shouting into his phone to his mate. The topics were:
Whether a mate of theirs would be let out of jail soon. Apparently he got 25 years.
How the muzzies are let out immediately.
How the muzzies are taking over.
He bragged about conning the system (collecting state money while working, I assume).
How the country is going to the dogs.
How if he set out to sea on a banana boat he would be given everything when he landed back in England.
He also made some comment about gay pride when he saw I was wearing brothel creepers and pink socks.
(too young and thick to recognise a John Lydon footwear staple).

He got off at Sittingbourne with a face like thunder.
Thick little ****.
I hope he enjoys the miserable failure of a life he deserves.

 

[US Seagull]

As so often, I'm amazed at how those who (understandably) dread Communism can't see how they themselves resort to similar tactics.

Ask a Republican why they hate the Left, and they'll say "Because the Left stifle disagreement, ban things they disagree with, destroy liberty, increase the power of the State, and impose mass conformity."

Yet these people cheer and whoop when Trump and his goon-squad brand their critics as terrorists or 'unpatriotic', round-up protestors, ban 'controversial' books from school/public libraries, ban abortion, sack workers they dislike (for political reasons, such as DEI), insult and smear academics, intellectuals, and unsympathetic celebrities or journalists, and deport 'undesirable' people without due process. Today, it the the Republican Right who are using the power of the State to impose mass conformity, spread fear, and stifle dissent and disagreement. If he was alive today, Stalin would be applauding Trump.

In other words, the awful things that the Hard Right accuse the 'radical Left' of, they do themselves against people they dislike.

Rather than seeing Far Left and Far Right as opposite ends of a straight line, I think they are better seen as part of a semi-circle or horseshoe (as noted by our very own @Harry Wilson's tackle) with the two extremes actually ending-up near or next to each other.

View attachment 199030

I remember as a kid in high school having a text book that had a diagram that, while not a literal horseshoe, had the same kind of diagram, curved around like that. And although the text didn't comment on it (or at least, I didn't see it, but I also probably couldn't be bothered actually reading the text), it did immediately strike me that the tactics of the extreme left and extreme right are almost the same, even if the supposed "justification" for them are different.

 

[Insel affe]

On a visit to Texas a number of years ago I was staggered to find segregated churches beside each other. One for blacks and one for whites

I wonder if they have different coloured Jesus in them....

 

[Flounce]

I wonder if they have different coloured Jesus in them....

The whites of Texas may be disappointed if they knew the probable truth….

 

[Insel affe]

The whites of Texas may be disappointed if they knew the probable truth….

What that he was probably a hunch backed middle eastern freedom fighter riding on the back of John the Baptists teachings, I think that will tick a lot of stupid people off.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Jon Stewart is always a good watch.....

 

[Bakero]

Rather than seeing Far Left and Far Right as opposite ends of a straight line, I think they are better seen as part of a semi-circle or horseshoe (as noted by our very own @Harry Wilson's tackle) with the two extremes actually ending-up near or next to each other.

View attachment 199030

I'm no fan of the horseshoe theory. Sure, far left and right parties have shared a penchant for authoritarianism and stamping out dissent but to suggest they have converging ideologies makes no sense. The goals, motivation and policies are poles apart. IMO the horseshoe theory oversimplifies and is designed to delegitimise radical politics that challenge the status quo (I know that's not your aim @Peteinblack )

Oh and the Nazis being National Socialists is in no way evidence for the theories. They simply coopted some of the language of socialism for propaganda purposes.

TLDR: >

 

[Bakero]

I wonder if they have different coloured Jesus in them....

They do indeed. Likewise, if you visit churches in other parts of the world you'll also find representations of Jesus that reflect the features of the local people

Here's a Chinese JC:

 

[Flounce]

Nice one Donald

 

[The Clamp]

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Gabbard refusing to comment about her involvement in the group chat scandal, live from Capitol Hill on ABC....but then saying there was no classified information involved.
Currently getting ripped a new one - she has no clue what shes doing.

 

[Insel affe]

Gabbard refusing to comment about the group chat scandal live from Capitol Hill on ABC....
Currently getting ripped a new one - she has no clue what shes doing.

Of course she is, you cannot argue with stupid.

 

[Flounce]

View attachment 199034

There should be a wanker emoji on the available “dislike” emojis