Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
When Vance takes over he's going to have to tell them Trump lied to them...
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
When they go the grocery store. When they put gas in the car. When they see their paycheck.
They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.
Have they actually got anything more than just the immigrant schtick?
In theory, yes.
In practice, clearly they’re going to major on it because their other stuff is a mix of cakeism and stuff that isn’t broadly popular, like fracking.
Immigration likely gets them a huge number of seats at the next GE alone, if it’s still a prominent topic of concern. The less they are made to talk about other stuff, the better from Farage’s perspective.
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
When Vance takes over he's going to have to tell them Trump lied to them...
I agree that the wheels likely come off the project when Vance takes over. Because Vance has about as much common touch as TSE.
But he won't tell people Trump lied. Where's the mileage in that?
Have they actually got anything more than just the immigrant schtick?
In theory, yes.
In practice, clearly they’re going to major on it because their other stuff is a mix of cakeism and stuff that isn’t broadly popular, like fracking.
Immigration likely gets them a huge number of seats at the next GE alone, if it’s still a prominent topic of concern. The less they are made to talk about other stuff, the better from Farage’s perspective.
Labour need to run on economics, economics, economics.
In the end elections almost always depend on this.
But it will need a different team: no way Starmer and Reeves can run on economics now.
Just realised the England flag - following Musk’s intervention - is now likely to become the international symbol of alt.right populism and western nativism
Making it extremely problematic for left wingers and a shame for Gareth Southgate
I won't be able to fly my flag of St George anymore? That's a real blow.
What we gonna do when alt-right populism fails utterly to deliver on its snake oil promises and falls into utter contempt?
The 600,000 adults scheduled for deportation will become 6,000,000. And when that doesn't stop the rapes and crime (mostly committed by people like us...) it'll be anyone who are, or look, different.
Yes once removing migrants doesn’t do the job of cheering up the public they’ll move onto the next scapegoats . The Trumpification of the UK will go into warp drive with Reform in power .
Course they will. Have a lie down pet. You’re stressing yourself.
I’m not stressing myself thanks . If I want to escape at the time I will .
Good, fuck off.
How lovely . I tend not to tell other posters to fxck off but clearly we’ve touched a nerve and have dared criticise your “ working class hero Farage “ !
A lot of people on here are hyperventilating at the prospect of a populist right party gaining power. They should ask themselves why that is now a very real prospect - because of decades of grotesque errors by the Tories AND Labour, especially on immigration, but other things too
Anyway it’s now time for us all to support Big Nigel and pray that he succeeds. Coz after him - if he fails - it might be something much worse (of left OR right)
Coincidentally I’ve just read a guide to Austria and it claims Arnold Schwarzenegger is “probably the most famous Austrian in history”
Er….
They won’t want to publicise the other famous Austrian.
Max Perutz. Ludwig Wittgenstein. Off the top of my head.
Off the top of my head. Just randomly -
1. Adolf Hitler – born in Braunau am Inn, Austria; Führer of Nazi Germany. 2. Arthur Seyss-Inquart – Austrian Chancellor at the Anschluss; Reichskommissar for the Netherlands. 3. Ernst Kaltenbrunner – born in Ried, Upper Austria; head of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) after Heydrich. 4. Baldur von Schirach – Gauleiter of Vienna; Reich Youth Leader (Hitlerjugend). 5. Odilo Globocnik – Gauleiter of Vienna, later SS & Police Leader in Lublin; a key organizer of Aktion Reinhard (extermination of Polish Jews). 6. Alois Brunner – Adolf Eichmann’s deputy; responsible for deportations of Jews from France, Slovakia, and Greece. 7. Franz Stangl – Commandant of Sobibor and Treblinka extermination camps. 8. Franz Novak – Eichmann’s transport officer, organized deportation trains. 9. Karl Silberbauer – SS officer who arrested Anne Frank in Amsterdam. 10. Amon Göth – commandant of the Plaszów concentration camp, depicted in Schindler’s List 11. Adolf Eichmann – born in Solingen, Germany, but raised in Linz; chief architect of the Holocaust transports. 12. August Eigruber – Gauleiter of Upper Danube (Oberdonau); executed for Mauthausen crimes. 13. Franz Josef Huber – SS and Gestapo leader in Vienna; oversaw deportations. 14. Wilhelm Höttl – RSHA officer; testified at Nuremberg about Nazi crimes. 15. Herbert Andorfer – commandant of Sajmište concentration camp (Serbia) 16. Sepp Dietrich – Waffen-SS general 17. Hubert Klausner – Gauleiter of Carinthia after the Anschluss. 18. Tobias Portschy – Gauleiter of Burgenland; antisemitic zealot. 19. Josef Leopold – early Austrian Nazi Party leader before the Anschluss. 20. Anton Reinthaller – SS officer, agricultural minister, and later first leader of Austria’s postwar Freedom Party (FPÖ). 21. That family off of the Sound of Music
Off the top of your head, or off your head?
Wow though, you must be really clever. I hadn't heard of most of them.
But you did miss off Josef Fritzl and Wolfgang Přiklopil.
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
When Vance takes over he's going to have to tell them Trump lied to them...
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
When Vance takes over he's going to have to tell them Trump lied to them...
I agree that the wheels likely come off the project when Vance takes over. Because Vance has about as much common touch as TSE.
But he won't tell people Trump lied. Where's the mileage in that?
I'm not sure about that. By the time he takes over, the common touch may not matter.
And again. I think he's serious about the dictator thing.
Trump: "The line is that I'm a dictator, but I stop crime. So a lot of people say, 'You know, if that's the case, I'd rather have a dictator.'" https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960382176605634995
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
When Vance takes over he's going to have to tell them Trump lied to them...
I agree that the wheels likely come off the project when Vance takes over. Because Vance has about as much common touch as TSE.
But he won't tell people Trump lied. Where's the mileage in that?
We know about the touches Trump commonly did. A depressingly high number of voters decided that they didn't matter, though.
(But yes on your substantive point. If Vance replaces Trump, he will have to try the same blackwhite stick, because it's all MAGA have. Vance is unlikely to be as good at it, though. There's a reason that first generation despots thrive, but their successors tend to fail.
The more alarming question is whether there will be a meaningful opportunity for democracy to feed back. In theory, there should be, but a lot of things that should have happened wrt Trump haven't. Which is why he's where he is.)
Yeah, he will. When the economy is in the shitter your only move is to blame the last guy, especially if you just knifed him to get the gig
Vance has little appeal of his own, other than as the omnipresent sidekick to Trump. Who defends, and expands upon his absolute nonsense.
If he wants to lead the GOP, apostasy isn't an option.
If Trump dies and Vance becomes President, he can either revert to normal politics, and probably lose the next election, or he can accelerate the despotism. Take out his opponents as rapidly as possible. Declare an emergency. Troops on the street. Use everything Trumpism has set up so far. Move fast before some other pretender to the throne challenges him.
Yeah, he will. When the economy is in the shitter your only move is to blame the last guy, especially if you just knifed him to get the gig
Vance has little appeal of his own, other than as the omnipresent sidekick to Trump. Who defends, and expands upon his absolute nonsense.
If he wants to lead the GOP, apostasy isn't an option.
If Trump dies and Vance becomes President, he can either revert to normal politics, and probably lose the next election, or he can accelerate the despotism. Take out his opponents as rapidly as possible. Declare an emergency. Troops on the street. Use everything Trumpism has set up so far. Move fast before some other pretender to the throne challenges him.
Acyn @Acyn Trump: Foreign nations are paying hundreds of billions of dollars straight into our treasury. Numbers nobody has seen before. Many of those countries, just to sit at the table, are paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars is coming into our country. Trillions.
You have to understand, though: 43% of people in the US will believe this. They also believe that the US deficit is being eliminated. And that they will get a special multithousand dollar cheque later this year as a result of all the massive savings Elon and co found.
The fact it's not true at all is of absolutely no relevence.
Will there come a point when they no longer believe it? And if so, what will happen?
Why would they cease to believe it?
Well, if they don't get this cheque...
People who get scammed by Nigerian conmen still believe.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
Knowing it's a con doesn't stop you getting conned. The classic text on conmen from 1940 contains several examples of people who knew it was a con and still got conned:
Just realised the England flag - following Musk’s intervention - is now likely to become the international symbol of alt.right populism and western nativism
Making it extremely problematic for left wingers and a shame for Gareth Southgate
I won't be able to fly my flag of St George anymore? That's a real blow.
What we gonna do when alt-right populism fails utterly to deliver on its snake oil promises and falls into utter contempt?
Vote jezbollah. It’s perfectly possible. If the hard right fails then try the hard left
We are in the 1930s redux
we have tried labour and Tory and the Lib Dem’s. All have been useless. Why not try Reform or the Jezziah party.
My editor at the Gazette - a very smart young chap who predicted Badenoch would be exactly what she is - a lightweight failure - is of this opinion. Reform will win, but fail, then voters will swing hard left in desperation
I’m not quite convinced. Not least because external events are likely to overwhelm domestic politics
Hard Left means an assault on private property rights and the nationalisation of private pension pots.
Something which those who think that they get a free roll of the dice with Reform should remember.
I am resigned to this happening in the 2030s. By the time of the next election but one, we may well be careening beyond 30% unemployment rates, possibly very substantially so (we are at 10% already on a UC adjusted basis). It’s quite unclear to me how our economic model survives all that much longer, with tech replacing so much of human endeavour.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
These people have lost their minds. (Though Witkoff's possession of one to lose is debatable.)
Witkoff: "There's only one thing I wish for: that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since that Nobel award was ever talked about." https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960404162128097740
Witkoff: "There's only one thing I wish for: that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since that Nobel award was ever talked about."
Witkoff: "There's only one thing I wish for: that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since that Nobel award was ever talked about."
People have always sucked up to leaders of course, but the extent to which Trump expects - and receives - unsubtle praise of the most fawning type is on a level very rarely seen. It can seem so needless when they probably truly do support him a lot, but need to show it in very extravagant ways.
I expect that is a large part of the enjoyment for him. Millions already support him, for various reasons, but making them simp for you? Even the ones who don't like him? Priceless.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
Do we need to remind you that it grew at a lick under Biden, and that mattered not a jot ?
What's happening with middle class wages, and inflation ?
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
The IMF is forecasting 1.2% economic growth for the UK this year, and you’re predicting apocalypse and societal collapse on a daily basis here.
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
Reporter: Is your administration weaponizing government by digging into mortgage records?
Trump: No, they're public. You can go check out the records yourself. You should be doing that job, actually. You wouldn't do that because that's not the kind of reporter you are. If you did your job, we wouldn’t have problems like Lisa Cook https://x.com/Acyn/status/1960418197947199866
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
Do we need to remind you that it grew at a lick under Biden, and that mattered not a jot ?
What's happening with middle class wages, and inflation ?
Yes there is economic pain for some, but also economic pleasure for others
Economically, America is doing better than almost every other western country (esp big ones like Germany, UK, France)
Trump has kept the USA out of any wars. He has almost entirely stopped illegal immigration - no one crosses the border any more. He acts with imperial swagger and gets fealty from lesser nations. He is hugely popular with his core voters. He is faced by a demoralised democratic party with plunging ratings and no idea how to oppose him
This site is absolutely delusional. Because you hate Trump’s opinions and policies (which is entirely reasonable and debatable) you are utterly misreading the politics
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
He’s roughly on par with the same point in his first term, and 9 points lower than Biden at the same stage.
The article you linked is quoting only the gross approval number.
There are polls and there are polls
“InsiderAdvantage polled a higher 54% approval rating versus a 44% disapproval rating.”
“According to Rasmussen Reports daily polling on Aug. 22, Trump's approval and disapproval is even at 49% both ways. This is down from his highest rating this term in January, when it was at 56% approval and 40% disapproval, but above his low of 47% approval with 52% dissaproval in April.”
My point is not that Trump is wildly popular - he’s not. He’s Marmite, as ever. My point is that, if you read PB you get the impression he is some hated mad Stalin leading his country to imminent economic ruin, who only survives by personally threatening all Americans with the gulag
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
He’s roughly on par with the same point in his first term, and 9 points lower than Biden at the same stage.
The article you linked is quoting only the gross approval number.
There are polls and there are polls
“InsiderAdvantage polled a higher 54% approval rating versus a 44% disapproval rating.”
“According to Rasmussen Reports daily polling on Aug. 22, Trump's approval and disapproval is even at 49% both ways. This is down from his highest rating this term in January, when it was at 56% approval and 40% disapproval, but above his low of 47% approval with 52% dissaproval in April.”
My point is not that Trump is wildly popular - he’s not. He’s Marmite, as ever. My point is that, if you read PB you get the impression he is some hated mad Stalin leading his country to imminent economic ruin, who only survives by personally threatening all Americans with the gulag
Which is, to be blunt, hallucinatory drivel
We've just spent the last half hour posting direct quotes from the man. How is that hallucinatory in the way you describe ?
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Ludwig Wittgenstein was at school in Lintz, Austria, for a while coinciding with Hitler, A. Though they were in different classes but around the same age - Ludwig was bumped up a year and Hitler was held back.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
The IMF is forecasting 1.2% economic growth for the UK this year, and you’re predicting apocalypse and societal collapse on a daily basis here.
The UK, sadly, has multiple other issues. As we all know. And they are not going to be solved by “1.2% growth”
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
The 3% growth in Q2 is an artifice created by tariffs: imports surged in Q1 and then unwound in Q2 and imports subtract from GDP. Over the first half of 2025 as a whole the UK economy grew faster than the US.
Time to stop kowtowing to Trump on Ukraine, now that Europe is footing the bill.
These are very large commitments from Germany and Norway!
🇩🇪 Germany will provide Ukraine with €9 billion annually. This was announced during a visit to Kyiv by German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil. According to him, the support will continue for the “coming years.”
🇳🇴 Norway plans to allocate $8.5 billion in aid to Ukraine in 2026. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced this during his visit to Kyiv.
To add to what rcs1000 said: Republicans were worried enough about Vance's Senate race in Ohio that they put some extra money in near the end. It looks to me, though I haven't done a study of it, that Vance may have won on DeWine's coat tails.
And Vance's unpopularity isn't surprising; his book, as I understand it, says that many voters are bums, who ought to clean up their acts. That may be true, but it is not the best way to win their support. (Nor is his perpetual scowl, now that I think about it.)
(There is evidence that Trump's win in 2016 was the result of "reverse coat tails". In the swing states that he won, candidates lower on the ticket almost always out-performed him. Incidentally that also helps explain some of the polling errors that year.)
"The Democratic brand right now has about the same appeal with the American voter as the Cracker Barrel rebrand has with the American consumers. Bad bad bad... Republicans looking pretty darn good!" 🤣
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
Ludwig Wittgenstein was at school in Lintz, Austria, for a while coinciding with Hitler, A. Though they were in different classes but around the same age - Ludwig was bumped up a year and Hitler was held back.
Christ, that's like summarising the first half of the 20th century in europe in one sentence.
Of course roads are considerably safer now than they were when we were growing up. Much fewer fatalities, not more.
Only because the children and other human beings have been driven off the roads and into their homes or the family car.
It's funny how people can't grasp this. It's why UK cyclists are primarily young and male - they have a higher risk tolerance than most other people.
A successful active travel programme sees a demographic profile similar to that in the Netherlands and Copenhagen - as many pensioners, kids and women as young men. Remind your local councillors that better pavements and cycle lanes should not be designed for those already walking and cycling, but for those who do not do so at the moment.
@Eabhal I've been on another weird one this week in Worcester.
Back in March a 65 year old disabled man who used a tricycle for his mobility aid caught his back wheel on an inconspicuous (ie not contrasting) undersized bollard, went over his handlebars, hit his head on the pavement and died 3 weeks later in hospital.
This week in the Worcester News there's a furious, irrelevant debate about "but is it a cycle path?" The bollard is dangerous either way, especially for VIPs (visually impaired) etc, and is not to standard.
So I wrote my first ever letter to a local paper - the Worcester News:
Dear Editor
I did not know Jim Pantall, who was recently killed when his tricycle wheel caught a low bollard, but he seems to have been a gentleman. His death highlights a danger that many elderly and disabled people face every day.
A short, hard-to-see bollard is an accident waiting to happen. A visually impaired person tripping over one may strike their head on the pavement. National guidance is clear: bollards should be at least 1000mm high and in visual contrast with their surroundings (“Inclusive Mobility”, p.24).
Jim, an elderly disabled man, was using his tricycle as a mobility aid. Many disabled people must rely on alternatives like wheelchairs, scooters, or adapted bicycles, since 40% of disabled adults cannot or do not have a driving licence. I myself use an e-Brompton when my leukaemia is not in remission.
I have many friends in Worcester, and each time I visit it is encouraging to see more unlawful barriers — such as kissing gates, squeeze gates, and chicanes — being removed. These exclude wheelchair users and other people, and breach the Equality Act 2010. Each barrier is a litigation risk, as pathways are a public service.
A fitting memorial to Jim would be for the County Council to ensure that every bollard in Worcestershire complies with national guidance.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
Do we need to remind you that it grew at a lick under Biden, and that mattered not a jot ?
What's happening with middle class wages, and inflation ?
Yes there is economic pain for some, but also economic pleasure for others
Economically, America is doing better than almost every other western country (esp big ones like Germany, UK, France)
Trump has kept the USA out of any wars. He has almost entirely stopped illegal immigration - no one crosses the border any more. He acts with imperial swagger and gets fealty from lesser nations. He is hugely popular with his core voters. He is faced by a demoralised democratic party with plunging ratings and no idea how to oppose him
This site is absolutely delusional. Because you hate Trump’s opinions and policies (which is entirely reasonable and debatable) you are utterly misreading the politics
No we are not misreading the politics.
Me and my fellow democrats like say @Scott_xP post the latest Trump fantasy island loon tunes stuff.
Do we say that in the 2026 midterms America will walk away from this snake oil shite?
I think not.
They will eventually but America may have to endure far more to get to that point.
Carville has a new youtube vid out warning that all the dems can do now is not give up and be vigilant. Fight every single transgression. 2026 is coming. If the Dems can stop 'a steal' they will win.
The mystery is how the GOP tell the public we’re going to give huge tax cuts to the richest paid for by screwing the less well off , at the same time millions will lose their healthcare and the clapping seals keep clapping .
It’s very hard to understand the mindset of a section of US voters .
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
In which case it should be easy for the Democrats to point this out, sweep up the swing voters, and win the midterms at a handsome gallop. Presaging their return to full power in 2028. And yet..
THIS is the most interesting political takeaway from America at the moment. It’s not that Trump is often a clown with mad ideas and a narcissist disorder the size of Manitoba (we knew this) it’s how incredibly incoherent and feeble the Democrats are, in opposing him
It’s now been nine months since Trump won. Yet they still seem shell shocked, blinded, dazed - and they’re still shedding support
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
The mystery is how the GOP tell the public we’re going to give huge tax cuts to the richest paid for by screwing the less well off , at the same time millions will lose their healthcare and the clapping seals keep clapping .
It’s very hard to understand the mindset of a section of US voters .
To add to what rcs1000 said: Republicans were worried enough about Vance's Senate race in Ohio that they put some extra money in near the end. It looks to me, though I haven't done a study of it, that Vance may have won on DeWine's coat tails.
And Vance's unpopularity isn't surprising; his book, as I understand it, says that many voters are bums, who ought to clean up their acts. That may be true, but it is not the best way to win their support. (Nor is his perpetual scowl, now that I think about it.)
(There is evidence that Trump's win in 2016 was the result of "reverse coat tails". In the swing states that he won, candidates lower on the ticket almost always out-performed him. Incidentally that also helps explain some of the polling errors that year.)
Vance nonetheless leads substantially all polling among GOP voters, for Trump's successor.
Ludwig Wittgenstein was at school in Lintz, Austria, for a while coinciding with Hitler, A. Though they were in different classes but around the same age - Ludwig was bumped up a year and Hitler was held back.
Christ, that's like summarising the first half of the 20th century in europe in one sentence.
The mystery is how the GOP tell the public we’re going to give huge tax cuts to the richest paid for by screwing the less well off , at the same time millions will lose their healthcare and the clapping seals keep clapping .
It’s very hard to understand the mindset of a section of US voters .
It is hard, if you instantly dismiss them all as horrible thick racists, whose opinions are loathsome and meaningless. Which of course is what you do. Then you are surprised by election defeats
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
Ludwig Wittgenstein was at school in Lintz, Austria, for a while coinciding with Hitler, A. Though they were in different classes but around the same age - Ludwig was bumped up a year and Hitler was held back.
Christ, that's like summarising the first half of the 20th century in europe in one sentence.
It is like When Boris Met Dave.
Which of them performs the orgasmic screaming at Katz Diner?
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
All Trump's policies are demented.
Because his understanding of politics is that he won an election, he is president, he is the one leader of all that he sees, and so every single decision is what he wants and none of these decisions should be troubled by facts from independent bodies because his gut feelings are far more important.
America's nightmare is that the entire GOP apart from Pence and Cheney's daughter choose to agree with him.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
I wasn't asking you to. Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
I wasn't asking you to. Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
Somewhat unfair as a debating point, given the restrictions placed on me
And I always had you marked as a gentleman, @Nigelb - much as I often disagree with you
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
Whether raised energy costs are good or bad depends on your point of view. For producers, it's profit.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
I wasn't asking you to. Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
Don't you think in a roundabout way a holidaying in Vienna @Leon is simply asking " who is clip, clopping over my bridge"?
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5470914-trump-economy-approval-low/ ... Trump’s current numbers are roughly in line with the average that Gallup found from across Trump’s first term. But the one exception is support for his handling of the economy, which currently is 15 points lower than his first-term average of 52 percent.
The partisan divide in views of the president’s job performance tied the highest mark that Gallup has ever recorded with a 92-point difference, first measured in October 2020. Pollsters found 93 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance, while just 1 percent of Democrats said the same. ..
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
All Trump's policies are demented.
Because his understanding of politics is that he won an election, he is president, he is the one leader of all that he sees, and so every single decision is what he wants and none of these decisions should be troubled by facts from independent bodies because his gut feelings are far more important.
America's nightmare is that the entire GOP apart from Pence and Cheney's daughter choose to agree with him.
Trump has been spectacularly successful at closing the border with Mexico. Is that “demented”?
“Illegal border crossings hit decades low under Trump crackdown”
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
I wasn't asking you to. Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
Somewhat unfair as a debating point, given the restrictions placed on me
And I always had you marked as a gentleman, @Nigelb - much as I often disagree with you
Fair enough. It's not as though that will happen by the midterms, anyway.
And the economy might be the least of our concerns come 2028.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
The IMF is forecasting 1.2% economic growth for the UK this year, and you’re predicting apocalypse and societal collapse on a daily basis here.
That's a pretty dismal number given a budget deficit of probably more than 5% of GDP and no large external shocks (like the financial crisis or the pandemic). We won't have an apocalypse this year, but when the next real crisis hits, we have no headroom to deal with it.
Of course, given a cretinous government that thinks that skyrocketing business taxes and regulating the private sector to death are the way to stimulate economic growth, rather than low taxes and light regulation, we're getting basically what we deserve.
But if societal breakdown, or more likely just years of angry stagnation, does come, at least the solution is not technically difficult, no matter how problematic the politics is.
The mystery is how the GOP tell the public we’re going to give huge tax cuts to the richest paid for by screwing the less well off , at the same time millions will lose their healthcare and the clapping seals keep clapping .
It’s very hard to understand the mindset of a section of US voters .
It is hard, if you instantly dismiss them all as horrible thick racists, whose opinions are loathsome and meaningless. Which of course is what you do. Then you are surprised by election defeats
We are seeing the exact same process in Europe
Not sure how not understanding some US voters immediately means I think they’re all horrible thick racists ! We of course are less into religion , guns and telling women what they should do with their bodies .
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Yes, mass unemployment, as opposed to the usual stagnant growth in jobs under GOP administrations, seems a bit unlikely.
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
As you know well, I’m literally forbidden from talking about this
I wasn't asking you to. Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
Somewhat unfair as a debating point, given the restrictions placed on me
And I always had you marked as a gentleman, @Nigelb - much as I often disagree with you
Fair enough. It's not as though that will happen by the midterms, anyway.
And the economy might be the least of our concerns come 2028.
Agreed
And also agreed on the intrinsic volatility of the 2020s. It’s maybe why I don’t get that exercised by projections of elections in 3/4/5 years time. I’m happy to speculate - this is PB - but I don’t get emotional about it. Because humanity is entering an unprecedented period of change - which might well make all party politics look trivially unimportant
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Just realised the England flag - following Musk’s intervention - is now likely to become the international symbol of alt.right populism and western nativism
Making it extremely problematic for left wingers and a shame for Gareth Southgate
I won't be able to fly my flag of St George anymore? That's a real blow.
What we gonna do when alt-right populism fails utterly to deliver on its snake oil promises and falls into utter contempt?
The 600,000 adults scheduled for deportation will become 6,000,000. And when that doesn't stop the rapes and crime (mostly committed by people like us...) it'll be anyone who are, or look, different.
Yes once removing migrants doesn’t do the job of cheering up the public they’ll move onto the next scapegoats . The Trumpification of the UK will go into warp drive with Reform in power .
Course they will. Have a lie down pet. You’re stressing yourself.
I’m not stressing myself thanks . If I want to escape at the time I will .
Good, fuck off.
How lovely . I tend not to tell other posters to fxck off but clearly we’ve touched a nerve and have dared criticise your “ working class hero Farage “ !
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
And in any event, what is this strawmanning ?
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ? Virtually no one. (Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“They'll fucking believe it when their boss says they are out of a job and then they find there's a massive queue just to get into the local job centre. And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
To be fair, the Trump energy policies are genuinely demented, and will clearly drive prices higher. It's one thing to remove subsidies from alternatives (generally a good idea); it's another thing altogether to try and remove low marginal cost generation from the grid. And to effectively ban people from adding renewables, even when they're the cheapest option.
In which case it should be easy for the Democrats to point this out, sweep up the swing voters, and win the midterms at a handsome gallop. Presaging their return to full power in 2028. And yet..
THIS is the most interesting political takeaway from America at the moment. It’s not that Trump is often a clown with mad ideas and a narcissist disorder the size of Manitoba (we knew this) it’s how incredibly incoherent and feeble the Democrats are, in opposing him
It’s now been nine months since Trump won. Yet they still seem shell shocked, blinded, dazed - and they’re still shedding support
Comments
Nigel Farage MP
@Nigel_Farage
Mass deportations. Border security. Britain’s future.
All on the agenda and more at next week’s Reform Conference.
Don’t miss out.👇
https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1960430517414756824
Nah. I'd rather watch @leon 's paint dry frankly.
There is this kind of amusing myth that the scales will fall from peoples' eyes and they will say "oh, I was conned".
No one ever says "I was conned". It's emotionally much easier to double down.
And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.
In practice, clearly they’re going to major on it because their other stuff is a mix of cakeism and stuff that isn’t broadly popular, like fracking.
Immigration likely gets them a huge number of seats at the next GE alone, if it’s still a prominent topic of concern. The less they are made to talk about other stuff, the better from Farage’s perspective.
But he won't tell people Trump lied. Where's the mileage in that?
In the end elections almost always depend on this.
But it will need a different team: no way Starmer and Reeves can run on economics now.
They need to hand over in two years time.
Wow though, you must be really clever. I hadn't heard of most of them.
But you did miss off Josef Fritzl and Wolfgang Přiklopil.
By the time he takes over, the common touch may not matter.
No.
You're all losing your heads...
Who defends, and expands upon his absolute nonsense.
If he wants to lead the GOP, apostasy isn't an option.
I think he's serious about the dictator thing.
Trump: "The line is that I'm a dictator, but I stop crime. So a lot of people say, 'You know, if that's the case, I'd rather have a dictator.'"
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960382176605634995
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/14/politics/video/gavin-newsom-california-kristi-noem-border-patrol-agents-digvid
I do wonder if Newsom survives until Election 2028.
(But yes on your substantive point. If Vance replaces Trump, he will have to try the same blackwhite stick, because it's all MAGA have. Vance is unlikely to be as good at it, though. There's a reason that first generation despots thrive, but their successors tend to fail.
The more alarming question is whether there will be a meaningful opportunity for democracy to feed back. In theory, there should be, but a lot of things that should have happened wrt Trump haven't. Which is why he's where he is.)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-David-Maurer/dp/0099409992/
(Recommended overall, as a technical guide to cons and as social history.)
Mike DeWine, the Republican Governor, won by ... counts it ... more than 25 percentage points.
Being personally unpopular is not a great look.
Here’s your daily reminder that the USA experienced 3% growth (annualised) in 2Q25
It is predicted to grow at 1-2% in 2025 overall, the same in 2026. Not stellar, but a lot of stagnant European countries would love this growth. And of course the USA often surprises on the upside, economically
Where is this apocalypse you’re all predicting?!
Vance can't
(Though Witkoff's possession of one to lose is debatable.)
Witkoff: "There's only one thing I wish for: that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since that Nobel award was ever talked about."
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960404162128097740
Scott Bessent praises Trump like a parent praises their 3-year-old
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960399634599141643
Just staggeringly pathetic.
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
Witkoff: "There's only one thing I wish for: that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since that Nobel award was ever talked about."
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1960404162128097740
I expect that is a large part of the enjoyment for him. Millions already support him, for various reasons, but making them simp for you? Even the ones who don't like him? Priceless.
What's happening with middle class wages, and inflation ?
Trump’s popularity
“Despite a hectic start to his second term, President Donald Trump's current approval rating and popularity remain higher than his first term, which averaged 42.8% approval, according to RealClearPolling numbers, and higher than former president Joe Biden, who's first term average was a 43.2% approval rating.”
https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/2025/08/24/what-is-president-trump-approval-rating-now-trump-latest-presidential-poll-numbers-august-24-pa/85784082007/
Let's not forget, he began his second term a lot more popular than he was at the start of his first. He's burnt off a lot of that.
Reporter: Is your administration weaponizing government by digging into mortgage records?
Trump: No, they're public. You can go check out the records yourself. You should be doing that job, actually. You wouldn't do that because that's not the kind of reporter you are. If you did your job, we wouldn’t have problems like Lisa Cook
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1960418197947199866
https://www.economist.com/interactive/trump-approval-tracker
He’s roughly on par with the same point in his first term, and 9 points lower than Biden at the same stage.
The article you linked is quoting only the gross approval number.
Not on my bingo card.
Economically, America is doing better than almost every other western country (esp big ones like Germany, UK, France)
Trump has kept the USA out of any wars. He has almost entirely stopped illegal immigration - no one crosses the border any more. He acts with imperial swagger and gets fealty from lesser nations. He is hugely popular with his core voters. He is faced by a demoralised democratic party with plunging ratings and no idea how to oppose him
This site is absolutely delusional. Because you hate Trump’s opinions and policies (which is entirely reasonable and debatable) you are utterly misreading the politics
Who is predicting economic apocalypse now ?
Virtually no one.
(Possibly Cicero earlier today.)
The damage Trump is doing is fairly obvious, but much of it will take years to play out.
“InsiderAdvantage polled a higher 54% approval rating versus a 44% disapproval rating.”
“According to Rasmussen Reports daily polling on Aug. 22, Trump's approval and disapproval is even at 49% both ways. This is down from his highest rating this term in January, when it was at 56% approval and 40% disapproval, but above his low of 47% approval with 52% dissaproval in April.”
My point is not that Trump is wildly popular - he’s not. He’s Marmite, as ever. My point is that, if you read PB you get the impression he is some hated mad Stalin leading his country to imminent economic ruin, who only survives by personally threatening all Americans with the gulag
Which is, to be blunt, hallucinatory drivel
How is that hallucinatory in the way you describe ?
You seem just to be trying to close your ears.
And then their mortgage is foreclosed.
Aw-shucks Joe Sixpack maybe you should have spent one actual minute thinking through the snake oil shit you heard from Trump during the debates?
You can't buck the markets or the economics in the end.”
Seems anyone can add their thoughts.
I suggested the W@nker Party. My justification was: "Because you are all w@nkers".
For two minutes work, pick your profanity and submit.
These are very large commitments from Germany and Norway!
🇩🇪 Germany will provide Ukraine with €9 billion annually. This was announced during a visit to Kyiv by German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil. According to him, the support will continue for the “coming years.”
🇳🇴 Norway plans to allocate $8.5 billion in aid to Ukraine in 2026. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced this during his visit to Kyiv.
To put it in perspective, these two commitments alone account for almost 10% of Ukraine’s GDP.
https://x.com/rshereme/status/1960378546448396353
And I have.
Leon's New Blue Room No More Migration Party should get quite far I think?
And Vance's unpopularity isn't surprising; his book, as I understand it, says that many voters are bums, who ought to clean up their acts. That may be true, but it is not the best way to win their support. (Nor is his perpetual scowl, now that I think about it.)
(There is evidence that Trump's win in 2016 was the result of "reverse coat tails". In the swing states that he won, candidates lower on the ticket almost always out-performed him. Incidentally that also helps explain some of the polling errors that year.)
"The Democratic brand right now has about the same appeal with the American voter as the Cracker Barrel rebrand has with the American consumers. Bad bad bad... Republicans looking pretty darn good!" 🤣
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1960463679193014455?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw
The @ sign is a Davos plot.
A successful active travel programme sees a demographic profile similar to that in the Netherlands and Copenhagen - as many pensioners, kids and women as young men. Remind your local councillors that better pavements and cycle lanes should not be designed for those already walking and cycling, but for those who do not do so at the moment.
(Your letter too of course, as usual).
Me and my fellow democrats like say @Scott_xP post the latest Trump fantasy island loon tunes stuff.
Do we say that in the 2026 midterms America will walk away from this snake oil shite?
I think not.
They will eventually but America may have to endure far more to get to that point.
Carville has a new youtube vid out warning that all the dems can do now is not give up and be vigilant. Fight every single transgression. 2026 is coming. If the Dems can stop 'a steal' they will win.
It’s very hard to understand the mindset of a section of US voters .
THIS is the most interesting political takeaway from America at the moment. It’s not that Trump is often a clown with mad ideas and a narcissist disorder the size of Manitoba (we knew this) it’s how incredibly incoherent and feeble the Democrats are, in opposing him
It’s now been nine months since Trump won. Yet they still seem shell shocked, blinded, dazed - and they’re still shedding support
But aren't you the guy forecasting exactly that, owing to AI ?
I quite like that such a name promotes the key policy agenda and hints at a pro-Russian heritage.
What's the Matter with Kansas?
Thomas Frank
We are seeing the exact same process in Europe
Because his understanding of politics is that he won an election, he is president, he is the one leader of all that he sees, and so every single decision is what he wants and none of these decisions should be troubled by facts from independent bodies because his gut feelings are far more important.
America's nightmare is that the entire GOP apart from Pence and Cheney's daughter choose to agree with him.
Just noting the inconsistency in your arguments.
And I always had you marked as a gentleman, @Nigelb -
much as I often disagree with you
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5470914-trump-economy-approval-low/
... Trump’s current numbers are roughly in line with the average that Gallup found from across Trump’s first term. But the one exception is support for his handling of the economy, which currently is 15 points lower than his first-term average of 52 percent.
The partisan divide in views of the president’s job performance tied the highest mark that Gallup has ever recorded with a 92-point difference, first measured in October 2020. Pollsters found 93 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance, while just 1 percent of Democrats said the same. ..
“Illegal border crossings hit decades low under Trump crackdown”
https://www.axios.com/2025/07/15/illegal-border-crossings-decades-low-trump
“In a Mexico Border Town Famed for Crossings, ‘There Are No Migrants’”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/americas/mexcio-us-border-migrants.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
This is the equivalent of a new prime minister ending all the small boat crossings, in his first six months
It's not as though that will happen by the midterms, anyway.
And the economy might be the least of our concerns come 2028.
Of course, given a cretinous government that thinks that skyrocketing business taxes and regulating the private sector to death are the way to stimulate economic growth, rather than low taxes and light regulation, we're getting basically what we deserve.
But if societal breakdown, or more likely just years of angry stagnation, does come, at least the solution is not technically difficult, no matter how problematic the politics is.
And also agreed on the intrinsic volatility of the 2020s. It’s maybe why I don’t get that exercised by projections of elections in 3/4/5 years time. I’m happy to speculate - this is PB - but I don’t get emotional about it. Because humanity is entering an unprecedented period of change - which might well make all party politics look trivially unimportant
And on that ecumenical note, goodnight from Graz
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
·
2h
Advance UK will actually drive change.
Farage is weak sauce who will do nothing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtUMt0gsqrs
https://x.com/kobeissiletter/status/1960474232976236686?s=61
https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/52806-new-high-donald-trump-disapproval-democrats-house-vote-lead-generic-ballot-congress-wars-ukraine-gaza-universities-fines-august-15-18-2025-economist-yougov-poll