The Inauguration
The Inauguration
The minority of Americans who support Trump, and the relative few who turned up for his inauguration, were no doubt well pleased with his performance. Accustomed, as they must be, to the mixture of bluster, insult, accusation and assertion that characterised his campaign, his Inaugural Speech, in sticking so closely to the formula, must have been reassuring in its familiarity.
It goes without saying that it represented, not only a breach with precedent, but a lapse in good taste. Even the most partisan and divisive previous Presidents, think Richard Nixon, managed at least a nod to inclusiveness and a promise, no matter how hollow, to govern for all Americans. Not so Trump. Even the least gracious, yes Nixon again, managed to avoid trashing his predecessors policies as they sat in front of him. Not so Trump.
The inauguration is, of course, an opportunity for high rhetoric. It is a chance for the new President to show that he has high expectations for himself and high aspirations for his nation. The former, as usual were absent. Trump has expectations only of others. The latter, considered objectively, rang hollow. To make America great again might be a legitimate aspiration were it not framed in the context of hyper-nationalism and bereft of any policy that may realistically allow hope of its achievement. That it should also include the encouragement of the worst and most divisive elements in society, as well as precluding its success, is simply unforgivable.
The complete failure to give even the vaguest indication of how the components of this brave new world might actually be constructed was even more concerning, given the aggressive tone of much of the speech: a tone that suggested even Duterte's approach to the drug problem might not be out of consideration. His only clear policies, if they can be called that, are negative. He is against Obamacare, he doesn't believe in climate change, he opposes free trade and in their place he offers a wall and a vacuum.
That he is the oldest ever President at inauguration is also a concern. There is already evidence of cognitive decline in his inability to stick to previously articulated positions or to construct coherent policy. In this confusion of constantly asserted, but unattainable or contradictory, goals the question must arise of how the pragmatic, consistent governance necessary for social stability and a sound economy can possibly emerge.
Trump is the ultimate proof of the adage that truth is stranger than fiction. He is a character out of a comic book or a nightmare; a surrealistic image from a distorting mirror. That a self-confessed sex offender, with close links to the Russian kleptocracy, should rise to power in that self-proclaimed bastion of freedom, the United States, is not a plot any Hollywood producer would have considered. He exceeds our power to explain or portray him,
Full retard.
Excuse the deletions Blowin is trolling the thread.
Full retard.
Note the clever use of repetition and the sophisticated nature of his arguments. Such clever use of language not to mention the penetrating insights.
"A tone that suggests even Duterte's approach to the drug problem might not be out of the question."
Full Retard.
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If the situation is so non dire that you've got to resort to superimposing your imaginings over fact to get your point across, then maybe it's time to reassess your opinions.
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FFS, the bloke hasn't even been in office for a full day.
Give him a go.
If he fucks up then you can say I told you so. If he does in fact make America great again then you won't look stupid. Win/Win.
Thanks zen. Stay around and chat with Blowin. You will be much amused by his wit.
I enjoy what both of you have to say. I wish I could engage on both your levels.
The thread was started under a bridge.
Make sure you're home before sunrise BB !
Hate to see that poisonous grimace immortalised in stone.
Seriously mate, I understand you don't like the man - who could ?- but he's done nothing evil.
In fact his words would give a lot of people hope. No doubt you'd dismiss them as ignorant because , well because they aren't you or your ilk, but that doesnt make it fact.
It's Americas prerogative to pull up stumps as being the world policeman if it wants. God knows millions of people have been whining about their existing foreign policy for decades. You and I amongst them.
So what if he wants to introduce protectionism . China relies on it and you were only lauding their stance and economy a couple of days ago.
Make America great ? Why not try ? Nationalism as a dirty word is a mindless trope parroted against the backdrop of antique German aggression whilst ignoring the near 200 countries that have been rock steady societies around the world existing under the communal banner of the nation state .
Newly minted nations such as South Sudan are hailed for their success !
Fighting Islamic terrorism ? Been going on for years.
To be honest, I can't even begin to imagine how you'd take offence at his stated aim of wresting the benefits of Americas position from the few it currently benefits in its political heart - the politicians . Isn't that all a communist such as yourself dreams about ?
Etc etc etc.
Stop getting caught up in the media frenzy and chill out.
PS I understand if you don't respond BB. Just notice the featherweight insults and get all bent out of shape by them....as usual.
Buy American or hire American .
The devil himself.....
Pretty solid logic blowin. I've never understood how so many people can have such a soft-on for Trump before he even gets in yet aren't really bothered by local politicians that have a proven track record of real failures that we have actual evidence of.
I dare say any of the news we get over here about Trump is about as useful as what they're hearing on the other side of the world about Big Mal.
Everyone gets cranky when countries talk about protectionism but why would anyone want to get rid of it and throw their industries that can't compete to the dogs? I wish someone told Kevin07 that before he changed the foreign ownership rules and started selling our agri cultural land overseas with every packet of cornchips purchased in the parliament house cafeteria.
well. there goes any hope for climate change action. back to coal.
Blindboy has never worked for the minimum wage, so he would have no understanding of what it is like to live like this, hard enough in Australia, imagine what it is like in The U.S. to be the working poor, why wouldn't they vote for Trump? For them it couldn't be any worse. But it will be.
Oh Blindboy, being on the dole between trips to indo in the 70's is not real life experience of living on the poverty line. ;-)
With such protectionism is our dollar likely to be stronger or weaker against the US$
trump repealing the 'death tax' for estates worth over 10 million.
is this in the interests of poor people?
though im sure Ivanka is pretty thrilled.
You know what a death tax is Happy ?
Be glad we don't have one.
For anyone.
Maybe BB, like others, have lived experience of the lies that was Vietnam, lies about carpet bombing of Cambodia, agent orange and ignored peace deals (Nixon) all to save his political fortune that extended the war for years, memory of the draft here and the role conservative governments and the AFP played in dividing a nation "all the way with LBJ". Trump is a massive risk but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Trump has already started to dismantle Obamacare and that will hurt his supporters badly, death taxes will help the wealthy, not his supporters and the list will be a long one. Climate change initiatives also gone.
For sure, Guysmiley.
Blindboy is a uniquely sensitive specimen that feels pain like no other. He's the only person to have borne witness to government lies and spin or the putrid depths politicians will sink in order to maintain power.
That's why we should roll over quietly as he puts forward a ludicrously over blown load of opinionated drivel as fact .
Thanks Guy. I was saved from Vietnam by the election of Whitlam but have been interested in US politics ever since HST's memorable account of Nixon's re-election and Watergate. Robert A. Caro's huge (and still unfinished) biography of LBJ has also been a big influence on my thinking.
Speaking of Whitlam The New Daily had a story yesterday about the history of U.S interference in foreign elections after outrage over Russian hacks. It's a good read.
http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2017/01/19/us-interference-australi...
blowin. the death tax was never to be imposed on the poor or even middle class. so why should people like you or I ever be worried?
as for obamacare, well that was screwed from the outset i heard.
but the point im making is that trump staked his campaign on winning the confidence of the struggling class. yet everything he is doing is a measure of how trump cares only for the rich.
Cheers for not engaging Blindboy.
Weak as piss.
ha ha another Trump thread!
I agree with Zen, but that said i don't think it will matter what he does he is going to be judged harshly and people are going to whinge.
School teacher tactic , Indo.
State opinion as fact when you hold the floor then disregard any contrary thought. Change topic at will, control the forum and exclude debaters that refuse to cede to your personal point of view.
Abuse of flimsy pretext of power.
Blindboy will just keep jumping to avoid confrontation .
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It's not about civility , Sypkan.
Blindboy utilities the no platform technique to deny any form of contrary opinion. A method learned from the deep pool of gained wisdom found in 18 year old arts students.
AKA eject them from the room. The ultimate admonishment of the teacher.
#SpicerFacts
Truth in government just flew out the door ….. yeah, but lets just give him a chance.
A chance at what I ask?
"Now raise your shrunken hand..."
That was A+, rolled-gold fucking hilarious.
Ive got no idea what Trump thread to post this in but it was an interesting read.
Trump's latest executive order: Banning people from 7 countries and more
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/27/politics/donald-trump-refugees-executi...
Yes, seen that Indo...... from your link - "The executive order bars all people hailing from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen"
Very interesting.... Interesting in the fact that NOT ONE terrorist attack has occured on U.S soil by anyone from these countries...... Yet Saudi Arabia, home of Osama Bin laden and those named in the 9/11 attacks is not on the list....
Very interesting indeed....
They are the only Islamic countries that Trump,does not have business interests in.
That would be journalism gold if you could link that to Trump with a few facts.
I think its gonna be not "if" but "when" will Trump get impeached.
Wait a minute.
Are you telling me that there exists an avaricious person that craves power and they've entered politics ?!?!
And now it turns out there is an issue of conflict of interest due to business dealings ?!?!
That's got to be a first.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/pulling-the-strings-joe-tripodi-at-the-centre-...
Good article blind boy pretty sound logic, I guess we'll find out in 12 months if & when wikileaks releases any dirt they have.
Registering a company in a country does not necessarily incriminate, its quite often cheaper to leave them for decades rather than deregister depending on annual compliance in each country.
Browsing that website further it seems to me that the reason he won't release his tax return is he wants to protect the name of whatever trusts/ parent company of his private enterprises so that people can't dig further. The website seems incomplete as it doesn't know his group structure so it can't dig much, only guess.
Don't think he'll ever give that up until the year he makes sure he only receives his presidential wage and nothing else just to make sure there aren't any surprises.
Having said that the only other links that spring to mind are that Turkey is a Nato Member and the Saudis & UAE have a shit-ton of oil to sell. And Trump doesn't think too highly of Nato.
im not seeing the connection between the ban and Trumps conflict-of-interest.....refugees arent coming from saudi or turkey into the US, or only in very small numbers. and pakistan and afghanistan are not on the list. there's obvious politics going on but no obvious conflict-of-interest. still a dodgy fucker though, not changing my opinion.
happy, if Trump, as seems likely, deliberately exempted nations where he does business, then that is grounds for impeachment. If you don't get that look into an ethics implant.
BB. its got nothing to do with my ethical reasoning. I purely gave two reasons why the connection isnt as strong as some articles maintain. theres other reasons such the US long standing relationship with saudi, and the fact that Turkey itself is one of the primary countries housing refugees and part of Nato against ISIS as someone else said. why not include Afghanistan? Afghanistan is a major source of refugees. hes could be leaving Afghanistan out so it doesnt look like a muslim ban maybe....who knows. just saying that I think there is more going on than many articles suggest. BTW im not saying there is nil conflict of interest. the guy is as tainted as they come. but in this case I dont think it would be strong enough for something like impeachment. maybe coupled with other matter it could be.
A New York judge just issued an order preventing detained travellers already in the US being sent back and will probably order their release.
On the previous issue. If the ban was supposed to stop terrorists Saudi Arabia would have been top of the list. So the process is tainted one way or other.
Sheepdog wrote "Yes, seen that Indo...... from your link - "The executive order bars all people hailing from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen"
Very interesting.... Interesting in the fact that NOT ONE terrorist attack has occured on U.S soil by anyone from these countries...... Yet Saudi Arabia, home of Osama Bin laden and those named in the 9/11 attacks is not on the list....
Very interesting indeed...."
Then BB wrote "On the previous issue. If the ban was supposed to stop terrorists Saudi Arabia would have been top of the list. So the process is tainted one way or other."
Well...... I've been sucker punched....... therefore BB has been sucker punched......
On further investigation, I believe Trump has caught all of us out with this one..... He knows how to play the game, that's for sure... Be ready for a Trump king hit, as he unveils to the bias media he is simply enacting a continuation of an OBAMA policy, also he will point out that Obama banned all Iraqi's for 6 months, whereas he has only banned them for 3 months...
Also to note Saudi Arabia was NOT on Obama's list....
So....... Well played, Donny boy...... Well played indeed...
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/02/18/dhs-announces-further-travel-restric...
Apples and oranges sheepdog. From your own link (always read the whole thing eh?)
" The new law does not ban travel to the United States, or admission into the United States, and the great majority of Visa Waiver Travellers will not be affected."
SD's link does show that the 7 countries are not trumps doing. obama came up with them in 2015. im no trump fan, but this is not a matter of conflict of interest. all this media storm over nothing. fucking ridiculous.
It's still Obama's list, BB.... That's my point.... And Obama did ban Iraqi's for 6 months.
atrocious reporting by mainstream media. not a single source bothered to look at the actual words of Trumps order and ask the simple question. and still the SMH is re-hashing the same crap today. may not be fake news but its bordering on negligence.
Different circumstances, different purposes. Obama's law was about identifying returning IS fighters. Trump's is a total ban. In Obama's situation the list made some sense. In Trump's it makes none. Consider Indonesia with a significant record of home grown terrorists but not on the list. It was a low risk for returning IS members as they would first have had to return to Indonesia.
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