Donald Trump

[ChicagoBlue]

Joe Scarborough and his wife Mika have gone to see Trump at Mar a Lago to kiss his ring. Only two weeks ago both were calling him Hitler. The US media normalisation of Trump begins.

If you have a picture of some kind of ring kissing, please share it. Until then, let’s just say they were following their journalistic instincts to try to get some scoops, as they’ve been there before.

None of that says anything about the cowardice I feel about them both going there after what he said about them. But, that’s just me feeling like I could never “Ted Cruz” him after speaking ill of my wife, but I would smack the **** in private if I had the chance!

 

[KS55]

The US economy has a huge effect on the UK's economy. If it goes South, we are directly in the path of the ensuing tsunami.

US is UK’s biggest trading partner accounting for 17.6% of UK trade. We exported £188 billion to US in the year ended June 2024, and had a trade surplus of £72 billion.
US accounts for 34% of inward foreign direct investment into UK.
Huge indeed.

 

[KS55]

We’re well past the critical mass.
Too many of us on the planet.

Population researchers say that we are well short of the critical mass. On the other hand food is so scarce in some parts of the US that they are eating the pets, the cats and the dogs….
The world pop is set to decline by the end of this century, they say. In the far east some countries are already showing a decline, eg China, S. Korea.

 

[Blue Maverick]

US is UK’s biggest trading partner accounting for 17.6% of UK trade. We exported £188 billion to US in the year ended June 2024, and had a trade surplus of £72 billion.
US accounts for 34% of inward foreign direct investment into UK.
Huge indeed.

That’s slightly misleading it’s the biggest individual partner but as the we deal with the EU as a whole that’s by far the biggest.

 

[The blue phantom]

Assumes facts not in evidence and ignores the reality that the US is not a colonial power controlling Israel…but why stop you while you’re on a roll with parroted gibberish from the Palestinians in America?!

Tbh I've read your past post on the middle east thread and where your loyalties are. It certainly isn't with the poor bastards being slaughtered.

 

[KS55]

That’s slightly misleading it’s the biggest individual partner but as the we deal with the EU as a whole that’s by far the biggest.

I think it’s the other way round, ie looking at the EU as a whole is misleading. Apart from Germany our trade with any one country in the EU is quite small. Although we deal with the EU in terms of a trade agreement, all trade transactions are with individual countries/companies and it is at that level that success or failure lies. Trade patterns between us and each individual country vary enormously.
For eg our oil exports to the Netherlands are £9.2bn but to Germany less than £2bn.

 

[Blue Maverick]

I think it’s the other way round, ie looking at the EU as a whole is misleading. Apart from Germany our trade with any one country in the EU is quite small. Although we deal with the EU in terms of a trade agreement, all trade transactions are with individual countries/companies and it is at that level that success or failure lies. Trade patterns between us and each individual country vary enormously.
For eg our oil exports to the Netherlands are £9.2bn but to Germany less than £2bn.

But if we have to do trade deals with the EU then it’s larger than USA. I agree with the individual states in Europe but as a collective it’s bigger. Doesn’t really matter anyway if the orange gibbon starts one off we will all suffer.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Population researchers say that we are well short of the critical mass. On the other hand food is so scarce in some parts of the US that they are eating the pets, the cats and the dogs….
The world pop is set to decline by the end of this century, they say. In the far east some countries are already showing a decline, eg China, S. Korea.

If you look at the long term projections in countries like China, South Korea, Brazil, Russia and most of Western Europe the reduction in population is actually staggering. That will create huge challenges but will give the planet a breather assuming it doesn’t precipitate WW3.

 

[Vic]

If you look at the long term projections in countries like China, South Korea, Brazil, Russia and most of Western Europe the reduction in population is actually staggering. That will create huge challenges but will give the planet a breather assuming it doesn’t precipitate WW3.

I can see the argument against bringing children into a world where any country can elect someone like Trump.

 

[Ducado]

If you look at the long term projections in countries like China, South Korea, Brazil, Russia and most of Western Europe the reduction in population is actually staggering. That will create huge challenges but will give the planet a breather assuming it doesn’t precipitate WW3.

I know it's a diversion but population decline is a major issue for some countries Italy for example, the problem is an economic one, people pay taxes and they consume goods and services keeping the economic circus going less people less taxes less consumption

The population problem is offset slightly by third world birth-rates which are much higher, however they have not got the economic infrastructure to cope which leads to high unemployment and grinding poverty, which leads to many trying to escape to where there is jobs and better standard of living (i.e Europe and America) this is not a new phenomenon, the huge Italian, Irish and Spanish emigration in the last two centuries was driven by much lower infant mortality, so large numbers of children were surviving into adulthood there was nothing for them so they had to emigrate

If we want to stop immigration we have to look at the reasons for it, otherwise we are just treating the symptoms rather than th eissues that cause it (less war might also help) but then again who would do the jobs we don't want to do anymore?