Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Nymrohd]

If the best economists in the world couldn't see a glimmer of rational behind imposing the tariffs, what chance do we, lowly mortals, have.

Tariffs to the extend that Trump has proposed and to this wide number of targets make no sense.
Tariffs against economies that are very restrictive to imports, having widely different labour and environmental standards and heavily subsidizing their own industries are entirely rational though.

[Poopymonster]

Tariffs to the extend that Trump has proposed and to this wide number of targets make no sense.
Tariffs against economies that are very restrictive to imports, having widely different labour and environmental standards and heavily subsidizing their own industries are entirely rational though.

Have to wonder, what "exemptions" he'll give for, say, Ivanka's clothing line to be made in China, or Beavis and Butthead's importing fresh young Thai ladyboys to Mar-a-Lardo since their destination vacation island got sold.

[Gabriel]

It strikes me that if this were still the cold war, and Russia managed to get assets in place with the express intention of damaging/destroying America, that their plans might look very similar to what's happening right now. Break down the rule of law. Introduce uncertainty among the population. Damage key economic areas of the country. Damage the financial stability of the country.

When the guy that's been elected to run the country is carrying out actions that are indistinguishable from the kind of espionage that a hostile foreign country would carry out, it kind of makes you think, doesn't it?

That's exactly what it looks like, because that's exactly what it is.

The people from the US will just never accept the fact that they were played like a fiddle as a nation by a foreign enemy, and they will literally never ever be able to fix this before they take out the root cause, which is Russian involvement.

[Breccia]

Air traffic controllers earn the prestigious and elite status of being a fully certified professional controller after successfully completing a series of rigorous training milestones. The standards to achieve certifications are not based on race or gender. The proud men and women that comprise the national aviation safety professionals bear the immense responsibility of ensuring the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system, while working short-staffed, often 6 days a week, and in facilities long overdue for modernization.

We are committed to working with Trump to recruit the best and brightest, while addressing critical issues like pay, benefits, and the mounting stresses that come with this demanding job.

-Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association

We've already discussed pay/benefits. The "mounting stresses" are clearly Trump. This is a warning shot, I think. It's not like Trump can create hordes of qualified scabs out of thin air, and even if he could, imagine doing so and then there being yet more plane crashes. And bear in mind, they've already been told in an email they should resign anyhow. They have nothing to lose.

The airline industry, and related industries like tourism and the mail, should be very concerned. A mass walkout of FAA employees will grind travel to a near halt, and splash over onto plenty of other aspects of American life. And their concerns are justified.

As a reminder, Trump started this by claiming the FAA caused the crash because

A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately. This was in the Obama administration.

We're still waiting on proof of that, and as has already been posted, odds are that's not forthcoming. (I think the pilot of the plane was publicly identified and he is white)

For years, Trump cultists kept saying "Who cares if Trump tweets mean things?" as a way to defend willingly voting for a horrible human being. Well, you could see exactly what effects that has.

[Belize]

In short, you'd think some of the GOP's rich buddies would be pushing back on all this, seeing as some chunk of them probably stand to lose a considerable amount of money.

The general population stands to lose a lot more, and just like the '08 financial crisis and Covid it'll enable another massive wealth transfer from the average American to the oligarchs.

There's no pushback from the rich because they're the ones pushing for this to happen.

[Mayhem]

Well, it would be a shame if all the fully certified professional controllers started all quitting and letting the US complete without any air controllers.

That would be a real shame, that would be bad.

[Zemini7]

Work Strike

Tax Strike

[Captain N]

Work Strike

Tax Strike

A great idea until Trump decides to use the military to force people back to work -- or members of the Cult decide to become the new Pinkertons.

[Belize]

A great idea until Trump decides to use the military to force people back to work -- or members of the Cult decide to become the new Pinkertons.

Pinkertons are still around, WotC used them a couple years back to harass someone that had gotten cards early and put pictures online. I have no doubt they'd be happy to kiss the ring if it meant getting to bust a few heads.

[Poopymonster]

Pinkertons are still around, WotC used them a couple years back to harass someone that had gotten cards early and put pictures online. I have no doubt they'd be happy to kiss the ring if it meant getting to bust a few heads.

We already have cops.

[Zemini7]

A great idea until Trump decides to use the military to force people back to work -- or members of the Cult decide to become the new Pinkertons.

How will the military force millions of people into work? People will just not show up and/or mass protest.

[Moralgy]

How will the military force millions of people into work? People will just not show up and/or mass protest.

I mean, I dont think this would happen in America, but its really not hard to force people to work. Many countries do it, north korea for example. You just criminalize it at the threat of death and protests mean nothing when the tanks come rolling over people.

[Captain N]

How will the military force millions of people into work? People will just not show up and/or mass protest.

There's a large swath of the US Military who enlisted simply for the ability to hurt someone else. There's also a non-insignificant portion who blindly support Trump. I'm not saying that I don't agree with you - this should be strongly fought against. However there's a great many people in this country that would suffer at their jobs than risk being roughed up (at the minimum) by the Army or a private security firm.

[Zemini7]

I mean, I dont think this would happen in America, but its really not hard to force people to work. Many countries do it, north korea for example. You just criminalize it at the threat of death and protests mean nothing when the tanks come rolling over people.

Pride and culture are very different between citizens of the NK and the USA. You can't compare these two

There's a large swath of the US Military who enlisted simply for the ability to hurt someone else. There's also a non-insignificant portion who blindly support Trump. I'm not saying that I don't agree with you - this should be strongly fought against. However there's a great many people in this country that would suffer at their jobs than risk being roughed up (at the minimum) by the Army or a private security firm.

That is still a stretch. "Police" shooting and beating up citizens will find themselves beaten up and shot as well.

[Moralgy]

Pride and culture are very different between citizens of the NK and the USA. You can't compare these two

That is a very naïve way to view the world. When a gun is put to someones head people generally react the same across all cultures, and that is all that it would take to force any culture to do something against their will. America could turn into NK or China within a generation if people dont resist it hard enough, and people will cheer for it in masses and spit on those that wont conform. Look at what happened to the arab nations. Within 20-30 years they went from being pretty progressive to a gun to their head making it a completely different world.

[Shadowferal]

A great idea until Trump decides to use the military to force people back to work -- or members of the Cult decide to become the new Pinkertons.

Illegal..neither the Supreme Court or congress would be okay with that.

[Captain N]

Illegal..neither the Supreme Court or congress would be okay with that.

It's only illegal until it's not. Appealing to the authority of a Congress that has already demonstrated its ineptitude and a SCOTUS that has decided that at least half of the US population does not have the rights over its own body doesn't seem to be the kind of people I would trust to do the right thing.

That is still a stretch. "Police" shooting and beating up citizens will find themselves beaten up and shot as well.

What you're describing here is a Resistance Movement. Yes the oppressors would be beaten up and shot at as well. What matters in this scenario is body counts and that usually results in the oppressors killing 5 people for every 1 they lose.

[Shadowferal]

It's only illegal until it's not. Appealing to the authority of a Congress that has already demonstrated its ineptitude and a SCOTUS that has decided that at least half of the US population does not have the rights over its own body doesn't seem to be the kind of people I would trust to do the right thing.

You're overstating the issue. Breaking Posse Comitatus will get everyone involved. And the military knows when to question orders. Especially when it comes to possibly firing on their own citizens.

[Captain N]

You're overstating the issue. Breaking Posse Comitatus will get everyone involved. And the military knows when to question orders. Especially when it comes to possibly firing on their own citizens.

And you're underestimating a country that has handed control of its most powerful position to someone who looks up to Hitler and other dictators. We can hope our military knows when to question orders, but considering we have a police force that continues to kill civilians with minimal consequences I don't see that changing much either.

[Belize]

Pentagon brings in the propagandists.

NBC, The NYT, NPR and Politico will be replaced by OAN, Breitbart, NY Post and HuffPost as liaisons stationed at the Pentagon.