politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » How Mr. Trump could be booted out quickly without impeachment
So far quite a few bookies have got markets up on which year Trump will cease to be President. The options range from this year, 2017, until January 2025 which is when he would leave the White House after securing and serviing a second full term.
If enough Republicans in the House and the Senate consider that he’s a threat to their political careers then something like the above process might happen...
How would effectively declaring that they'd enabled a maniac for the previous couple of years do anything to save their electoral prospect ? As Pulpstar says, this is fantasy - theoretically possible, but fantasy nonetheless.
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Do you believe the Japanese would have surrendered soon after August 15th if the bombs had not been dropped? How many more troops and civilians would have died every day the war had continued?
I find this a really interesting and difficult area. I don't like defending their use; but it's difficult to see a realistic alternative where fewer people would have died. Evidently you differ, and that's fair enough.
The thing that always strikes me about these questions about the use of the atomic bomb and fire bombing of cities to end the war in Japan is that there is a general presumption that those were the worst thing that might have happened. When you look at the planned invasion if Japan did not surrender in 1945 it is not hard to see how far worse things might have happened. Even more sobering was that the earliest plans were for an invasion beginning in 1947, a decade long World War II was not inconceivable if the war had followed that path.
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
Trump's approval ratings are rising. The American right is alien to me; all I can tell is that he's obviously going down well over there, much as that offends my sensibilities.
Of course, we need to see how he actually works with the two houses in practice; that will be fascinating. If you put a gun to my head and asked me to predict what will happen, I'd guess that he'll become bored quite quickly, and will achieve far less (for good or ill) than people currently think.
FPT "Morris_Dancer said: Mr. Barnesian, disagree. There isn't a binary choice between being pro-torture or being a pacifist. There's been war throughout history but the treatment of captives has varied widely."
I agree. I said IF you are against torture in principle (or bombing civilians) etc, THEN ...binary choice.
But I am not principled. I am a pragmatist. I judge each case on its merits - cost/benefit. So I am not against bombing civilians in principle. Nor am I against torture in principle. My objections would be practical (EDIT and emotional) and there may be cases when I would be in favour.
Trump's approval ratings are rising. The American right is alien to me; all I can tell is that he's obviously going down well over there, much as that offends my sensibilities.
Of course, we need to see how he actually works with the two houses in practice; that will be fascinating. If you put a gun to my head and asked me to predict what will happen, I'd guess that he'll become bored quite quickly, and will achieve far less (for good or ill) than people currently think.
I think there is an element of schadenfreude for the American right who didn't get behind Trump. But enjoy your seeing the howls of outrage and anger from the American left.
Whether it matters too much or not I don't know, but Nuttall seems to have the backing of Carswell, Farage & Banks in Stoke. Lisa Duffy is organising the local campaign, Suzanne Evans is tweeting support.. maybe UKIP not so divided?
I'm going to ask a few bookies to market up on whether Donald Trump will be challenged for the GOP nomination in 2020.
That's usually a sign of a POTUS not going to win/run again, cf Carter in 1980, Ford in 1976, LBJ in 1968
Clinton 1996, Eisenhower 1956....
I meant from realistic candidates, not from nomarks.
Did Ike really face a challenge in 1956?
Yes, he crushed the competition though.
I'd expect a Trump challenger to do better than Bricker/LaRouche simply because Trump is alot more divisive. Trump to win comfortably though (65-75%) - which would be low by historical standards.
Well the only way is up really. Theres a risk that his opponents will blow themselves out in the next few years and have nothing to go against him.
His opponents have been brainless really. The left have basically set Trump up as the worst, most incapable president ever. So if things go badly, he's matching expectations. If things actually go quite well, he will be viewed as a success.
People seem to be upset that Trump appears to be delivering more of his campaign promises than expected. Which is never a terrible start for a president in my book if he wants to get re-elected.
Do you believe the Japanese would have surrendered soon after August 15th if the bombs had not been dropped? How many more troops and civilians would have died every day the war had continued?
I find this a really interesting and difficult area. I don't like defending their use; but it's difficult to see a realistic alternative where fewer people would have died. Evidently you differ, and that's fair enough.
The thing that always strikes me about these questions about the use of the atomic bomb and fire bombing of cities to end the war in Japan is that there is a general presumption that those were the worst thing that might have happened. When you look at the planned invasion if Japan did not surrender in 1945 it is not hard to see how far worse things might have happened. Even more sobering was that the earliest plans were for an invasion beginning in 1947, a decade long World War II was not inconceivable if the war had followed that path.
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
The first invasion of the Japanese home islands (the aptly named Operation Olympic - it would have dwarfed D-Day) was actually scheduled to begin in November 1945, with Coronet - the invasion and capture of Honshu, slated for 40 invasion divisions, compared with D-Day's 12, was scheduled for March 1946. Both dates seem highly ambitious to me and my guess is that Olympic might well have been delayed until 1946 with Coronet not taking place until much later that year or even 1947.
By which time famine and bombing raids might well have killed tens of millions.
Do you believe the Japanese would have surrendered soon after August 15th if the bombs had not been dropped? How many more troops and civilians would have died every day the war had continued?
I find this a really interesting and difficult area. I don't like defending their use; but it's difficult to see a realistic alternative where fewer people would have died. Evidently you differ, and that's fair enough.
The thing that always strikes me about these questions about the use of the atomic bomb and fire bombing of cities to end the war in Japan is that there is a general presumption that those were the worst thing that might have happened. When you look at the planned invasion if Japan did not surrender in 1945 it is not hard to see how far worse things might have happened. Even more sobering was that the earliest plans were for an invasion beginning in 1947, a decade long World War II was not inconceivable if the war had followed that path.
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
Growing up in the immediate post-war period, and sympathising with the Ban the Bomb movement, whether or not Japan would have surrendered was a ‘hot topic’. We were very definitely led to believe that, while ther was a growing Peace Party in Tokyo, it was still small, and the military top brass were for fighting on. The Battle of Okinawa, where civilians were involved, suggests that invasion of the Japanese mainland would have been an incredibly bloody affair. How did the Soviets get on in the battles for Kurile Islands?
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Which was, frankly, even worse. Washington? Roosevelt? Jefferson? Bunch of losers.
Well the only way is up really. Theres a risk that his opponents will blow themselves out in the next few years and have nothing to go against him.
His opponents have been brainless really. The left have basically set Trump up as the worst, most incapable president ever. So if things go badly, he's matching expectations. If things actually go quite well, he will be viewed as a success.
Also, by 2020 old-school Republicans who voted for a third party this time might be reconciled to President Trump. Though I've no idea if they're actually a big enough group to matter in the swing states.
FPT: Mr. Barnesian, bombing civilians isn't necessarily straightforward. What if the enemy put civilians in and around their munitions factories?
On-topic: why would Pence do this? Would Pence be seen as better by those who dislike Trump? And why would a majority of Republicans in Congress support this?
He'll be there for the full term and at this stage looks odds on to win again in 2020.
Certainly not odds-on. He doesn't understand that there's a difference between holding political executive office and corporate executive office, and it's rather like the difference between managing a club football team and managing the national side. You can't hire and fire in the same way and you're stuck with many of the people you have to work with. Trump's style has no meaningful soft side (he can do nice words but when he says the opposite tomorrow it more than negates them), and that will prove his downfall.
People seem to be upset that Trump appears to be delivering more of his campaign promises than expected. Which is never a terrible start for a president in my book if he wants to get re-elected.
Trump is not so much delivering as writing executive orders for Congress to deliver.
FPT: Mr. Barnesian, bombing civilians isn't necessarily straightforward. What if the enemy put civilians in and around their munitions factories?
On-topic: why would Pence do this? Would Pence be seen as better by those who dislike Trump? And why would a majority of Republicans in Congress support this?
As always. Self Interest to save their seats. Think Thatcher in 1990.
A white man goes into a Hispanic book shop in Nashville, browses for a while and eventually says to the shopkeeper: “Have you got Donald Trump’s latest book?” The shopkeeper turns to him and says: “Fuck you, you fucking asshole. Get the fuck out of here.” The man says, “Yeah, that’s the one. You got it in paperback?”
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Which was, frankly, even worse. Washington? Roosevelt? Jefferson? Bunch of losers.
Losers? That's nothing. You need to get to the real truth.
Abraham Lincoln was an invader from space Abraham Lincoln did not belong to our race Fire from the sky fell upon the obstinate South Fire from the sky issued forth from Lincoln's own mouth
Theodore Roosevelt could not die if he tried Theodore Roosevelt kissed his immortal bride Hunting the humans to live the vigorous life Hunting the humans to please his undying wife
President Wilson emerged from one of the pods President Wilson brought with him alien gods Children were sacrificed to the idols of wood Children were sacrificed it was for our own good
Warren G. Harding could travel backwards in time Warren G. Harding commanded clocks when to chime Watching the slow counter-clockwise turn of the hands Watching the slow upward trickling hourglass' sands
Richard M. Nixon: a robot wearing a mask Richard M. Nixon drank engine oil from a flask Odd how his eyes were attached with thin copper wire Odd how his eyes sometimes glowed with St. Elmo's fire
2025 would be a decent bet if you could get it on credit, mind.
This 25th amendment stuff is (Yet more NeverTrump) pure fantasy.
I wouldn't be entirely sure about that. It is, I would concede, pretty unlikely. Still, were odds of, say 100/1, offered on Trump being subject to the 25th Amendment being used against him without his consent (i.e. not just a temporary handover while he undergoes an operation or the like), I'd take the bet.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Which was, frankly, even worse. Washington? Roosevelt? Jefferson? Bunch of losers.
The omission of Washington does represent a display of remarkable historical ignorance/amnesia. Partisan arguments about the rest are entirely possible, but it's pretty hard for any American to think Washington as less than the archetype of presidential.
2025 would be a decent bet if you could get it on credit, mind.
This 25th amendment stuff is (Yet more NeverTrump) pure fantasy.
I wouldn't be entirely sure about that. It is, I would concede, pretty unlikely. Still, were odds of, say 100/1, offered on Trump being subject to the 25th Amendment being used against him without his consent (i.e. not just a temporary handover while he undergoes an operation or the like), I'd take the bet.
Well its alot more likely than him staying on till 2040, perhaps a 33-1 shot or so ? Still highly unlikely.
Do you believe the Japanese would have surrendered soon after August 15th if the bombs had not been dropped? How many more troops and civilians would have died every day the war had continued?
I find this a really interesting and difficult area. I don't like defending their use; but it's difficult to see a realistic alternative where fewer people would have died. Evidently you differ, and that's fair enough.
The thing that always strikes me about these questions about the use of the atomic bomb and fire bombing of cities to end the war in Japan is that there is a general presumption that those were the worst thing that might have happened. When you look at the planned invasion if Japan did not surrender in 1945 it is not hard to see how far worse things might have happened. Even more sobering was that the earliest plans were for an invasion beginning in 1947, a decade long World War II was not inconceivable if the war had followed that path.
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
Growing up in the immediate post-war period, and sympathising with the Ban the Bomb movement, whether or not Japan would have surrendered was a ‘hot topic’. We were very definitely led to believe that, while ther was a growing Peace Party in Tokyo, it was still small, and the military top brass were for fighting on. The Battle of Okinawa, where civilians were involved, suggests that invasion of the Japanese mainland would have been an incredibly bloody affair. How did the Soviets get on in the battles for Kurile Islands?
The main argument for me - as I tried to point out on the previous thread - is not the views of the US military on what might have happened but the views of the Japanese senior military, politicians and administrators at the time. After the war they were all absolutely clear that prior to June 1945 there was absolutely no way the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War was going to accept surrender. Only one member of the 6 was even slightly interested in the idea even he thought the terms unacceptable. All Japanese efforts diplomatically were directed towards keeping Russia out of the war and it was not until the Emperor himself decided in late June that peace would have to be made that the ruling council started to consider the idea.
He'll be there for the full term and at this stage looks odds on to win again in 2020.
Certainly not odds-on. He doesn't understand that there's a difference between holding political executive office and corporate executive office, and it's rather like the difference between managing a club football team and managing the national side. You can't hire and fire in the same way and you're stuck with many of the people you have to work with. Trump's style has no meaningful soft side (he can do nice words but when he says the opposite tomorrow it more than negates them), and that will prove his downfall.
And yet his approval ratings are going up and up. Enough manufacturers will relocate to the Rust Belt to lock in those electoral votes for him, his pro business policies and money spending will boost the economy generally. And then you have to recognise that there will be even more voter suppression at the next election. And this is all before we consider that the Democrats are really going to struggle to put a strong candidate up against him.
If your analysis is "Trump will fail because he's Trump" then that's the wrong analysis, his crazy behaviour simply does not damage him. It's all about the economy as always.
That is powerful. The black and white photography places WW2 and its horrors in another world. This brings it home. Have often thought someone should write a drama as modern day translation of what happened.
A white man goes into a Hispanic book shop in Nashville, browses for a while and eventually says to the shopkeeper: “Have you got Donald Trump’s latest book?” The shopkeeper turns to him and says: “Fuck you, you fucking asshole. Get the fuck out of here.” The man says, “Yeah, that’s the one. You got it in paperback?”
You're talking about the most Presidential President ever (except Abe). I can imagine Trump becoming a figure of fun and not liking it.
Do you believe the Japanese would have surrendered soon after August 15th if the bombs had not been dropped? How many more troops and civilians would have died every day the war had continued?
I find this a really interesting and difficult area. I don't like defending their use; but it's difficult to see a realistic alternative where fewer people would have died. Evidently you differ, and that's fair enough.
The thing that always strikes me about these questions about the use of the atomic bomb and fire bombing of cities to end the war in Japan is that there is a general presumption that those were the worst thing that might have happened. When you look at the planned invasion if Japan did not surrender in 1945 it is not hard to see how far worse things might have happened. Even more sobering was that the earliest plans were for an invasion beginning in 1947, a decade long World War II was not inconceivable if the war had followed that path.
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
Growing up in the immediate post-war period, and sympathising with the Ban the Bomb movement, whether or not Japan would have surrendered was a ‘hot topic’. We were very definitely led to believe that, while ther was a growing Peace Party in Tokyo, it was still small, and the military top brass were for fighting on. The Battle of Okinawa, where civilians were involved, suggests that invasion of the Japanese mainland would have been an incredibly bloody affair. How did the Soviets get on in the battles for Kurile Islands?
Not really a comparison. The invasion didn't start until 18th August and even then it was only a reconnaissance. By the time the invasion started in earnest the garrisons had already been ordered to surrender by the Japanese High Command.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
FPT: Mr. Barnesian, bombing civilians isn't necessarily straightforward. What if the enemy put civilians in and around their munitions factories?
On-topic: why would Pence do this? Would Pence be seen as better by those who dislike Trump? And why would a majority of Republicans in Congress support this?
As I said, I would judge it pragmatically, not as a matter of principle.
This is relevant to this thread because I believe that Trump is also an emotional pragmatist. He is not an idealist or wedded to any ideology. He is focused on what works and will change tack and even contradict himself to achieve his ends. He is an anti-Kantian. Hence his views on torture.
Because he can shape-shift and is very sensitive to feedback and public mood, I think he is here for the duration. We saw his skills in working the crowds in his primaries. He'll continue to do that. His approval ratings will continue to rise. He'll win again in 2020 if he still has his health and the ambition. I suspect he will have had enough by then, but it will be his choice.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Macron then?
That is where most of my money is. The next voting intention poll could be very interesting.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
He'll be there for the full term and at this stage looks odds on to win again in 2020.
Certainly not odds-on. He doesn't understand that there's a difference between holding political executive office and corporate executive office, and it's rather like the difference between managing a club football team and managing the national side. You can't hire and fire in the same way and you're stuck with many of the people you have to work with. Trump's style has no meaningful soft side (he can do nice words but when he says the opposite tomorrow it more than negates them), and that will prove his downfall.
And yet his approval ratings are going up and up. Enough manufacturers will relocate to the Rust Belt to lock in those electoral votes for him, his pro business policies and money spending will boost the economy generally. And then you have to recognise that there will be even more voter suppression at the next election. And this is all before we consider that the Democrats are really going to struggle to put a strong candidate up against him.
If your analysis is "Trump will fail because he's Trump" then that's the wrong analysis, his crazy behaviour simply does not damage him. It's all about the economy as always.
If he delivers on the economy, then yes. I don't think he will. He'll get bogged down in Congress on all sorts, he'll get involved in trade wars all over and even if some firms relocate to the rust belt, it'll be at such a high price in losses elsewhere that I can't see it ending well. Sure, he'll blame everyone else but after four years, that excuse might wear a bit thin.
Approval ratings going up after election and inauguration are nothing new; what is new is that his approval ratings are so low in absolute terms. True, they set record lows for a successful candidate too but he was up against Hillary and surely the Democrats can't put forward someone that bad again?
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
Not true. Not a party thing.
The majority of people of the age you refer to voted to Leave the EU and for Scotland to Remain as part of the UK. They have been listened to by most people, others want to ignore their wishes
On topic, If Trump remained in office with the title but without the power wouldn't you lose the William Hill bet? He'd still be President, no?
It's quite an interesting scenario, as it might suit Trump better to have the title and the big house while still being able to play the victim and blame everything that goes wrong on somebody else. He might even run again...
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
Not true. Not a party thing.
The majority of people of the age you refer to voted to Leave the EU and for Scotland to Remain as part of the UK. They have been listened to by most people, others want to ignore their wishes
The generation that fought the war and rebuilt Europe are dead.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Which was, frankly, even worse. Washington? Roosevelt? Jefferson? Bunch of losers.
The omission of Washington does represent a display of remarkable historical ignorance/amnesia. Partisan arguments about the rest are entirely possible, but it's pretty hard for any American to think Washington as less than the archetype of presidential.
Washington would have been a better choice as the 'most presidential president' ever. Lincoln, while a great leader and a great president, was also the closest thing that the US has ever had to a benign dictator (though perhaps that's what Trump admires). Washington's greatness, by contrast, lay in his self-restraint and outstanding personnel management (which again, might be cause for omission by Trump).
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
Not true. Not a party thing.
Silly to try to make a party political point.
What a party political point that favours a party I don't support?!
There is neither the appetite nor the capability to conduct a high intensity war in Europe. There was an infographic posted on Twitter yesterday; the percentage of people prepared to fight for their country is ~25% in Western Europe, ~59% in Russia, ~73% in Turkey. The UK musters a grand total of ~220 tanks.
Neither NATO nor the Russian Federation has the logistical or production tail to support anything more than a brushfire war. Sure, we could sustain a light infantry/insurgency style conflict (a la Ukraine), but that's of a completely different order to the slaughters of the 20th century.
I'd argue that the reasons for warfare have changed; it used to be fought over land and resources; national virility was measured in steel and coal production. It's hard to see what would be gained by a European war. It would wreck delicate, intertwined economies - and to what end? Europe is not particularly religious, the Russians not particularly ideological.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Macron then?
I'm rebacking Macron (For a small theoretical loss) whilst still keeping a healthy enough green on Fillon - he doesn't need THAT much % in the first round to be in the final two, and he probably wins if he gets through. Not to write Fillon off but Macron looks eminently possible now.
US Commentator on Sky discussion programme 'Trumps approval rating has jumled to 59% which is eaxactly where Obama was on his first poll after election'
If he delivers on the economy, then yes. I don't think he will. He'll get bogged down in Congress on all sorts, he'll get involved in trade wars all over and even if some firms relocate to the rust belt, it'll be at such a high price in losses elsewhere that I can't see it ending well. Sure, he'll blame everyone else but after four years, that excuse might wear a bit thin.
It's all about the economy.
Who, in the past, has tried to inject stimulus into an economy (from a tax and spending perspective) that was already near capacity?
And what is the consequence, based on experience, of a government that implements widespread restrictions (or additional tariffs) on imports?
Regarding the first, I think it's easy to look at Reagan (and Trump does), as an example. But I don't think that's a good example. In 1980, taxes were high and the US economy was running well below capacity. There was therefore plenty of room for the economy to meet increased demand. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
How about Anthony Barber? His cut taxes and increased spending (by rather less than the 4% of GDP that is proposed by Donald Trump) when the UK economy was running near capacity. The consequence was that the UK sucked in more imports, there was a housing bubble, and then inflation shot up.
Thinking about tariffs on imported goods. They will clearly mess up supply chains and raise consumer prices.
Could American be in for a bout of inflation? (Something that would be very good for people with billions of dollars of fixed interest long-term debt, like property developers.)
Mike Pence and a majority of the cabinet will do the decent thing, followed within a few weeks by a two-thirds majority in both houses of congress? Perhaps when Trump appoints his horse to the Senate. For the time being, no.
In that scenario, what would Rex Tillerson's position be? Before playing Brutus, he'd want to be sure he stayed out of the doo-doo. In fact, he'd want to make billions out of the upheaval, but that requires staying out of the doo-doo.
A 25th amendment job could happen, but it isn't around the corner. If Trump's removal is imminent, it will be because he gets whacked. With the assistance of elements in the CIA who aren't with The Project. No man, no problem.
Trump will upset some in the CIA. Things definitely can't stay the same. He needs to reorganise the FBI, CIA and DHS. He needs an SS. Hitler relied a lot on Himmler and the SS. Ivan the Terrible needed the Oprichnina. Increasing the powers of immigration officers, not just at the border but including in the interior of the country, sounds like the opener. There will be more, and soon.
Trump can't quietly consolidate.
Meanwhile in France, Fillon is drifting because of "Penelopegate", thanks partly to Vladimir Putin's man Edward Snowden helping out from Moscow.
Marine Le Pen has a soft image, so I doubt she is going to start snarling "Crooked François, I'm going to put you in jail". She's also unlikely to tell obvious lies, as Trump did about Hillary Clinton, e.g. saying that it was Clinton who started birtherism. The French market isn't quite as pigshit stupid as much of the one in the US that contains millions of people who think a photograph shows a huge crowd when it obviously doesn't but Der Trumpenfuhrer tells them it does.
She will get the message across in a more feminine way, or others will do it for her.
It takes a brave person to bet on Fillon now. "Rather vote for a crook than a fascist" isn't going to apply in this election.
After Fillon, Macron will be targeted. His spending of ministerial funds on wining and dining to assist his presidential campaign is already an issue, "Macrongate".
In March and April there are also likely to be continuing news stories not just about Brexit but also about a political impasse in the Netherlands after Wilders wins a plurality.
"Protocol" is that the Dutch monarch asks the leader of the largest party to try to form a government. That will be Wilders.
Those who want rid of the US dictator but who don't fancy offering themselves as patsies or waiting around for a faction of the CIA to help them, and who'd rather contribute from their armchairs, should get a load of this: .
Haven't you listened to Trump? He's going to be the greatest President ever. Truly.
He did, with typical modesty, put forward the possible exception of 'the great Abe Lincoln', whilst explaining that he could be 'the most presidential president ever'.
Which was, frankly, even worse. Washington? Roosevelt? Jefferson? Bunch of losers.
The omission of Washington does represent a display of remarkable historical ignorance/amnesia. Partisan arguments about the rest are entirely possible, but it's pretty hard for any American to think Washington as less than the archetype of presidential.
Washington would have been a better choice as the 'most presidential president' ever. Lincoln, while a great leader and a great president, was also the closest thing that the US has ever had to a benign dictator (though perhaps that's what Trump admires). Washington's greatness, by contrast, lay in his self-restraint and outstanding personnel management (which again, might be cause for omission by Trump).
I reckon Trump is actually FDR in terms of benign dictator (rather that's how he sees himself)
President for four terms, interning those Americans who he considers fifth columnists, put in place changes that changed America. a New Deal for America.
I've often wrote FDR was the most duplicitous bastard to have ever occupied the White House, an official policy of neutrality whilst pretty much doing as much as he could do back the UK.
Although FDR made Germany First a priority rather than America First (or indeed Japan First) which made winning WWII easier.
There is neither the appetite nor the capability to conduct a high intensity war in Europe. There was an infographic posted on Twitter yesterday; the percentage of people prepared to fight for their country is ~25% in Western Europe, ~59% in Russia, ~73% in Turkey. The UK musters a grand total of ~220 tanks.
Neither NATO nor the Russian Federation has the logistical or production tail to support anything more than a brushfire war. Sure, we could sustain a light infantry/insurgency style conflict (a la Ukraine), but that's of a completely different order to the slaughters of the 20th century.
I'd argue that the reasons for warfare have changed; it used to be fought over land and resources; national virility was measured in steel and coal production. It's hard to see what would be gained by a European war. It would wreck delicate, intertwined economies - and to what end? Europe is not particularly religious, the Russians not particularly ideological.
The demographics are all wrong too. Wars tend to be fought between countries with lots of young men.
Neither NATO nor the Russian Federation has the logistical or production tail to support anything more than a brushfire war. Sure, we could sustain a light infantry/insurgency style conflict (a la Ukraine), but that's of a completely different order to the slaughters of the 20th century.
The problem is everybody plans for the brushfire war, then it keeps going and escalates...
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit.
Yep. If the UK were advocating leaving NATO, I'd be out with my flaming torch and pitchfork and heading for Downing Street. Brexit is a whole different thing.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Macron then?
I'm rebacking Macron (For a small theoretical loss) whilst still keeping a healthy enough green on Fillon - he doesn't need THAT much % in the first round to be in the final two, and he probably wins if he gets through. Not to write Fillon off but Macron looks eminently possible now.
@Pulpstar What do you make of the odds on Betfair for the final two? Fillon/Macron seems by far the most unlikely combination in what is effectively a 3 horse race and yet it is as low as 3.8-3.85. For it to win, Le Pen would have to implode and her first round support seems to be very solid.
There's no practical way to get rid of Trump, so he'll remain President for the full term, subject to the normal actuarial risk. Fantasies about impeachment or the 25th Amendment are just that: fantasies. The Republicans have a majority in both Houses, and the mid-terms won't produce a shift big enough to provide the Democrats with enough clout to displace a sitting President.
The question of how the next four years will play out is really a question of how far Republicans in Congress will go along with the Trump agenda. That is very unclear at the moment: they are still punch-drunk. The most likely outcome is that much of what Trump wants to do will get bogged down in political and legal quagmires.
As regards re-election for a second term, I think it's rather unlikely to be honest. It's all very well saying Trump might be successful in re-shoring US manufacturing; he may well be, and in fact the process has already been underway for some time. The problem, though, is that modern factories are never going to employ the kinds of numbers Trump's supporters have been led to expect, for the reasons laid out here:
US Commentator on Sky discussion programme 'Trumps approval rating has jumled to 59% which is eaxactly where Obama was on his first poll after election'
Interesting comment
I saw a report somewhere that overall Nixon had better approvals than Obama. Does anyone know how they all compare?
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
Ted Heath's Tories and pro European policy were very heavily based on their war experiences.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit.
Indeed, when you look at that haunting, troubling photo, it's the triviality of our modern political disputes which comes to mind. We're worried about banking jobs going to Frankfurt. OK there may be a wall on the US Mexican Border. Life is very imperfect.
70 years ago, in living memory, 60 million people died in a global war, many of them in Europe - in England, France, Germany, Poland - many murdered en masse in cold blood for simply existing.
I was responding to "The world we are dismantling without a care", which I took to be about Brexit, Trump etc.. Maybe that's not what @Jonathan meant
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Macron then?
I'm rebacking Macron (For a small theoretical loss) whilst still keeping a healthy enough green on Fillon - he doesn't need THAT much % in the first round to be in the final two, and he probably wins if he gets through. Not to write Fillon off but Macron looks eminently possible now.
@Pulpstar What do you make of the odds on Betfair for the final two? Fillon/Macron seems by far the most unlikely combination in what is effectively a 3 horse race and yet it is as low as 3.8-3.85. For it to win, Le Pen would have to implode and her first round support seems to be very solid.
Le Pen/Macron is 3.65 / 4.2 - so punters aren't really sure tbh !
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them
Not true. Not a party thing.
My elder son had a school interview this week and took along his great grandfather's war medals to talk about. Very tall for his age and enlisted in 1915 aged 14. Survived The Somme, Passchendale and Menin Road. Died in 1977. We now argue about whether 18 year olds should be considered legally children. That is a good thing.
You know, however doomy and turbulent the 21st century seems, and however many celebs died at a cruelly young age in 2016....
Sweet Fucking Jesus, thank the Lord this is not the 20th century. By this time in the 20th century millions of young men had already died in the trenches, and much much worse was to come.
Indeed. We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us. That generation that created the world we now live in. The world we are dismantling without a care.
"We need to listen to the voices of people who lived through it. The lessons they learned and taught us"
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit. This is not about Brexit.
Yep. If the UK were advocating leaving NATO, I'd be out with my flaming torch and pitchfork and heading for Downing Street. Brexit is a whole different thing.
I'd be quite comfortable leaving NATO.
It was Jonathan that tried to co-opt the tragedies of the 20th century to make a political argument first, not Isam.
FPT, Le May's opposition to the use of the atom bombs was based on his conviction that he could force Japan's surrender by "burning the nation", ie razing its cities to the ground by using incendiary weapons. It certainly wasn't based on any belief that surrender was imminent.
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
Macron then?
I'm rebacking Macron (For a small theoretical loss) whilst still keeping a healthy enough green on Fillon - he doesn't need THAT much % in the first round to be in the final two, and he probably wins if he gets through. Not to write Fillon off but Macron looks eminently possible now.
@Pulpstar What do you make of the odds on Betfair for the final two? Fillon/Macron seems by far the most unlikely combination in what is effectively a 3 horse race and yet it is as low as 3.8-3.85. For it to win, Le Pen would have to implode and her first round support seems to be very solid.
Le Pen/Macron is 3.65 / 4.2 - so punters aren't really sure tbh !
But surely more likely that Macron overtakes Fillon than both Macron and Fillon overtakes Le Pen. Le Pen probably has to drop about 5 points for that scenario to happen.
Mr. T, I forget the precise figures but I once worked out the death toll equivalent if the Second Punic War happened today (with the UK as Rome). It would've killed off about 200 MPs and four Prime Ministers (give or take), and I think about five million people (maybe six now).
And that was in an age without mechanised warfare. The slaughter at Cannae wasn't replicated* until World War One, in Europe.
*Could make a case for Arausio, although that was self-inflicted as a heavily outnumbered Roman force was also riven with hatred between commanders. Teutoberg was an opportunistic ambush rather than a battle.
There's no practical way to get rid of Trump, so he'll remain President for the full term, subject to the normal actuarial risk. Fantasies about impeachment or the 25th Amendment are just that: fantasies. The Republicans have a majority in both Houses, and the mid-terms won't produce a shift big enough to provide the Democrats with enough clout to displace a sitting President.
The question of how the next four years will play out is really a question of how far Republicans in Congress will go along with the Trump agenda. That is very unclear at the moment: they are still punch-drunk. The most likely outcome is that much of what Trump wants to do will get bogged down in political and legal quagmires.
As regards re-election for a second term, I think it's rather unlikely to be honest. It's all very well saying Trump might be successful in re-shoring US manufacturing; he may well be, and in fact the process has already been underway for some time. The problem, though, is that modern factories are never going to employ the kinds of numbers Trump's supporters have been led to expect, for the reasons laid out here:
Reading the Steve Bannon interview, I'm shocked at how poor his grasp of economics is. The reason that interest rates were close to zero (he thought they were sub zero in the US) is because there was no nominal growth. The moment you introduce nominal growth, then interest rates will rise - because interest rates and nominal growth are intrinsically linked.
Further, there is no ability to go and borrow four trillion dollars at negative interest rates to rebuild America. You can try it if you like but it simply doesn't exist. A price is a snapshot based on demand or supply of one.
There is neither the appetite nor the capability to conduct a high intensity war in Europe. There was an infographic posted on Twitter yesterday; the percentage of people prepared to fight for their country is ~25% in Western Europe, ~59% in Russia, ~73% in Turkey. The UK musters a grand total of ~220 tanks.
Neither NATO nor the Russian Federation has the logistical or production tail to support anything more than a brushfire war. Sure, we could sustain a light infantry/insurgency style conflict (a la Ukraine), but that's of a completely different order to the slaughters of the 20th century.
I'd argue that the reasons for warfare have changed; it used to be fought over land and resources; national virility was measured in steel and coal production. It's hard to see what would be gained by a European war. It would wreck delicate, intertwined economies - and to what end? Europe is not particularly religious, the Russians not particularly ideological.
The demographics are all wrong too. Wars tend to be fought between countries with lots of young men.
Exactly. Cf the Middle East right now. Lots and lots of frustrated young men, lots of wars.
Incidentally the sheer scale of the World War Two death toll is quite breathtaking. It killed 3% of the global population of the time (I'd never looked at it that way before).
An equivalent war today would kill TWO HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE
It's even worse when you consider that much of the world was untouched by war. Consider the casualty rates in Eastern Europe.
Comments
2025 would be a decent bet if you could get it on credit, mind.
This 25th amendment stuff is (Yet more NeverTrump) pure fantasy.
How would effectively declaring that they'd enabled a maniac for the previous couple of years do anything to save their electoral prospect ? As Pulpstar says, this is fantasy - theoretically possible, but fantasy nonetheless.
That's usually a sign of a POTUS not going to win/run again, cf Carter in 1980, Ford in 1976, LBJ in 1968
Taking the realistic alternatives into account if Japan did not surrender, a truly massive and prolonged hard-fought invasion, the air raids and atomic bombings are defensible as terrible as they were in that they did end the war.
Of course, we need to see how he actually works with the two houses in practice; that will be fascinating. If you put a gun to my head and asked me to predict what will happen, I'd guess that he'll become bored quite quickly, and will achieve far less (for good or ill) than people currently think.
Whether he does a second term will depend how the US economy performs under his very different regime.
Fortunately there's constitutional protections in place against that happening.
"Morris_Dancer said:
Mr. Barnesian, disagree. There isn't a binary choice between being pro-torture or being a pacifist. There's been war throughout history but the treatment of captives has varied widely."
I agree. I said IF you are against torture in principle (or bombing civilians) etc, THEN ...binary choice.
But I am not principled. I am a pragmatist. I judge each case on its merits - cost/benefit. So I am not against bombing civilians in principle. Nor am I against torture in principle. My objections would be practical (EDIT and emotional) and there may be cases when I would be in favour.
Did Ike really face a challenge in 1956?
https://twitter.com/sluggahjells/status/824466850851524608
I'd expect a Trump challenger to do better than Bricker/LaRouche simply because Trump is alot more divisive. Trump to win comfortably though (65-75%) - which would be low by historical standards.
By which time famine and bombing raids might well have killed tens of millions.
How did the Soviets get on in the battles for Kurile Islands?
On-topic: why would Pence do this? Would Pence be seen as better by those who dislike Trump? And why would a majority of Republicans in Congress support this?
Vanity Fair on Steve Bannon (Trump's Alistair Campbell) running the show.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/is-donald-trump-a-pawn-in-steve-bannons-game
The shopkeeper turns to him and says: “Fuck you, you fucking asshole. Get the fuck out of here.”
The man says, “Yeah, that’s the one. You got it in paperback?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wb-IRgqXMI
Abraham Lincoln was an invader from space
Abraham Lincoln did not belong to our race
Fire from the sky fell upon the obstinate South
Fire from the sky issued forth from Lincoln's own mouth
Theodore Roosevelt could not die if he tried
Theodore Roosevelt kissed his immortal bride
Hunting the humans to live the vigorous life
Hunting the humans to please his undying wife
President Wilson emerged from one of the pods
President Wilson brought with him alien gods
Children were sacrificed to the idols of wood
Children were sacrificed it was for our own good
Warren G. Harding could travel backwards in time
Warren G. Harding commanded clocks when to chime
Watching the slow counter-clockwise turn of the hands
Watching the slow upward trickling hourglass' sands
Richard M. Nixon: a robot wearing a mask
Richard M. Nixon drank engine oil from a flask
Odd how his eyes were attached with thin copper wire
Odd how his eyes sometimes glowed with St. Elmo's fire
According to a survey by Odoxa January 26, that is to say after the publication of the article of the satirical newspaper controversy, François Fillon has lost 16 points of popularity in public opinion since his resounding victory against Alain Juppé during The primary on the right.
38% of respondents now have a good opinion of him, compared with 42% in December and 54% in November. If the French judge the former prime minister courageous (54%), they do not find him honest (67%), neither close to their concerns (68%) nor convincing (61%).
If your analysis is "Trump will fail because he's Trump" then that's the wrong analysis, his crazy behaviour simply does not damage him. It's all about the economy as always.
I can imagine Trump becoming a figure of fun and not liking it.
And the incredible humanity bursting out of that young girl's face is painful.
Will he, for example, try to lock her up?
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/articles/whatinformationisthereonbritishmigrantslivingineurope/jan2017
This is relevant to this thread because I believe that Trump is also an emotional pragmatist. He is not an idealist or wedded to any ideology. He is focused on what works and will change tack and even contradict himself to achieve his ends. He is an anti-Kantian. Hence his views on torture.
Because he can shape-shift and is very sensitive to feedback and public mood, I think he is here for the duration. We saw his skills in working the crowds in his primaries. He'll continue to do that. His approval ratings will continue to rise. He'll win again in 2020 if he still has his health and the ambition. I suspect he will have had enough by then, but it will be his choice.
"Last year, Shomrim were in attendance when a man allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar" "F***ing Jews" "Kill the Jews" was arrested"
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/londoners-must-challenge-antisemitism-after-hate-crime-rise-since-brexit-vote-a3451181.html
Conservative, Unionist, Eurosceptics by and large. We have listened to them, Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP want to ignore them
Approval ratings going up after election and inauguration are nothing new; what is new is that his approval ratings are so low in absolute terms. True, they set record lows for a successful candidate too but he was up against Hillary and surely the Democrats can't put forward someone that bad again?
It's quite an interesting scenario, as it might suit Trump better to have the title and the big house while still being able to play the victim and blame everything that goes wrong on somebody else. He might even run again...
This is not about Brexit.
This is not about Brexit.
Neither NATO nor the Russian Federation has the logistical or production tail to support anything more than a brushfire war. Sure, we could sustain a light infantry/insurgency style conflict (a la Ukraine), but that's of a completely different order to the slaughters of the 20th century.
I'd argue that the reasons for warfare have changed; it used to be fought over land and resources; national virility was measured in steel and coal production. It's hard to see what would be gained by a European war. It would wreck delicate, intertwined economies - and to what end? Europe is not particularly religious, the Russians not particularly ideological.
Interesting comment
Who, in the past, has tried to inject stimulus into an economy (from a tax and spending perspective) that was already near capacity?
And what is the consequence, based on experience, of a government that implements widespread restrictions (or additional tariffs) on imports?
Regarding the first, I think it's easy to look at Reagan (and Trump does), as an example. But I don't think that's a good example. In 1980, taxes were high and the US economy was running well below capacity. There was therefore plenty of room for the economy to meet increased demand. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
How about Anthony Barber? His cut taxes and increased spending (by rather less than the 4% of GDP that is proposed by Donald Trump) when the UK economy was running near capacity. The consequence was that the UK sucked in more imports, there was a housing bubble, and then inflation shot up.
Thinking about tariffs on imported goods. They will clearly mess up supply chains and raise consumer prices.
Could American be in for a bout of inflation? (Something that would be very good for people with billions of dollars of fixed interest long-term debt, like property developers.)
In that scenario, what would Rex Tillerson's position be? Before playing Brutus, he'd want to be sure he stayed out of the doo-doo. In fact, he'd want to make billions out of the upheaval, but that requires staying out of the doo-doo.
A 25th amendment job could happen, but it isn't around the corner. If Trump's removal is imminent, it will be because he gets whacked. With the assistance of elements in the CIA who aren't with The Project. No man, no problem.
Trump will upset some in the CIA. Things definitely can't stay the same. He needs to reorganise the FBI, CIA and DHS. He needs an SS. Hitler relied a lot on Himmler and the SS. Ivan the Terrible needed the Oprichnina. Increasing the powers of immigration officers, not just at the border but including in the interior of the country, sounds like the opener. There will be more, and soon.
Trump can't quietly consolidate.
Meanwhile in France, Fillon is drifting because of "Penelopegate", thanks partly to Vladimir Putin's man Edward Snowden helping out from Moscow.
Marine Le Pen has a soft image, so I doubt she is going to start snarling "Crooked François, I'm going to put you in jail". She's also unlikely to tell obvious lies, as Trump did about Hillary Clinton, e.g. saying that it was Clinton who started birtherism. The French market isn't quite as pigshit stupid as much of the one in the US that contains millions of people who think a photograph shows a huge crowd when it obviously doesn't but Der Trumpenfuhrer tells them it does.
She will get the message across in a more feminine way, or others will do it for her.
It takes a brave person to bet on Fillon now. "Rather vote for a crook than a fascist" isn't going to apply in this election.
After Fillon, Macron will be targeted. His spending of ministerial funds on wining and dining to assist his presidential campaign is already an issue, "Macrongate".
In March and April there are also likely to be continuing news stories not just about Brexit but also about a political impasse in the Netherlands after Wilders wins a plurality.
"Protocol" is that the Dutch monarch asks the leader of the largest party to try to form a government. That will be Wilders.
Those who want rid of the US dictator but who don't fancy offering themselves as patsies or waiting around for a faction of the CIA to help them, and who'd rather contribute from their armchairs, should get a load of this: .
President for four terms, interning those Americans who he considers fifth columnists, put in place changes that changed America. a New Deal for America.
I've often wrote FDR was the most duplicitous bastard to have ever occupied the White House, an official policy of neutrality whilst pretty much doing as much as he could do back the UK.
Although FDR made Germany First a priority rather than America First (or indeed Japan First) which made winning WWII easier.
The question of how the next four years will play out is really a question of how far Republicans in Congress will go along with the Trump agenda. That is very unclear at the moment: they are still punch-drunk. The most likely outcome is that much of what Trump wants to do will get bogged down in political and legal quagmires.
As regards re-election for a second term, I think it's rather unlikely to be honest. It's all very well saying Trump might be successful in re-shoring US manufacturing; he may well be, and in fact the process has already been underway for some time. The problem, though, is that modern factories are never going to employ the kinds of numbers Trump's supporters have been led to expect, for the reasons laid out here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/27/jobs-for-all-tested-to-destruction-trump-full-employment
It was Jonathan that tried to co-opt the tragedies of the 20th century to make a political argument first, not Isam.
And that was in an age without mechanised warfare. The slaughter at Cannae wasn't replicated* until World War One, in Europe.
*Could make a case for Arausio, although that was self-inflicted as a heavily outnumbered Roman force was also riven with hatred between commanders. Teutoberg was an opportunistic ambush rather than a battle.
Further, there is no ability to go and borrow four trillion dollars at negative interest rates to rebuild America. You can try it if you like but it simply doesn't exist. A price is a snapshot based on demand or supply of one.