It makes little difference imo How exactly has it affected our lives in the past re this US rubbish? We have witnessed some terrible stuff over the last two decades from home and the US ... we still buy Apple and Levi's regardless This is about people pretending and worrying about politics ... your lives carry on as we all build our own things regardless ... we are ants in very small colonies who collectively couldn't agree on anything London is still building luxury lifestyles while Barnsley struggles to buy paint for bus shelters I am a lucky U.K. man lucky to be born in the south and I owe it to my soul to never forget that Trump himself is just a character no one likes I am probably the same and don't like Trump so there is a circular equation that means what? ... nothing The global disease of producing a list of worries and concerns first is pointless and in effect eats away at your soul imo . You still have powers to make your lives anything and what's more you will regardless because we are lucky to do so All we can do about these events is watch and filter . Anyone going to walk into work and jack it all in? Give up their lifestyle and hide from society.... believe me that is only for people who have true focus and something I have witnessed as a massive challenge ... look I am on here so I am miles away personally Revolution is inside us all but the suppression is so powerful from the establishment... there's the true dispair imo
Yes agreed. But it's refreshing to see that he already in his first speech is trying to unite a divided nation. All hope is not gone. And your point regarding how cumbersome the government is set up is of course something people should have in mind before declaring doomsday. You just have to see how badly Obama have struggled to get his changes passed. The Republicans now have majority in both the Senate and in the house of representatives too, so Trump will have no excuses if he doesn't get his promises through. He could fall on his sword at a second election, that is if he doesn't cock up before his first spell is over
Hmmm... Republicans now control Senate, Congress and the ability to nominate onside Supreme Court justices... I'd be worried that gives him carte blanche to do pretty much as he pleases - the biggest obstacle to him will be the Republican Party themselves - if he doesn't toe the Party line they can block him themselves. please log in to view this image
There's a mood of anti-establishmentism that's gathering pace. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the forthcoming German and French elections.
A lot of opposition to him within the Republican Party, many Republican Senators and Congressmen opposed him on public platforms. They are also most susceptible to big money lobbying/special interest pressure. It's all built to avoid rapid large scale change. Would have been much worse to have an insider Republican nutter President like Cruz. What are the odds on Trump being impeached as some dodgy business stuff comes out? Has he said he is going to handover control of his business empire while President?
That's the first thing that crossed my mind, when I saw the result. Hopefully the WikiLeaks people are going into hyperdrive from today !! Unfortunately they wont get much help from Fancy Bears.
But isn't it weird how 'Anti-establishment' has come to mean a white, monied individual in power - it's almost as if nothing has changed... Agree that France in particular will be fascinating - Marine le Pen, leader of Farance's far-right Front National party has been all over the press claiming France is next. It seems that isolationist, right-wing governments, are succeeding by playing on the real life struggles and fears of populations suffering low wages and high prices brought about by corporate greed. There is a kleptocracy happening and we are being told it's all the fault of outsiders, Europe, Mexicans, immigrants... indeed anyone but the main beneficiaries. But we'll keep on drinking the Kool-Aid fed to us by media owners or watching a state broadcaster too fearful of being abolished to actually analyse/critique government policy... sad really.
Agreed, but don't underestimate the 'legitimacy' and popularity of his win - he has enormous public support, and woe betide those who will seek to get in his was - unlike past Presidents he has already demonstrated a disdain for the Party machine - I wouldn't be surprised to see him using social media to call out people blocking him and appeal direct to the electorate. All it takes is a couple of nutters to start threatening people on behalf of DT - it's just a different type of lobbying no-one has seen before.
Interesting stuff re France as I see and feel anti establishment everyday there ... Parisians are still hated on a north south divide The government of France however remains firmly to serve the republic overall People who are not happy about things unite and do something about it ... I see this I witness this ... I believe in this
Agree, France will the next country to focus on, and as you say, it will be fascinating. Brexit and the current anti-Hilary vote/pro Trump vote are in many ways, very different, and I'm no fan ofTrump (although I don't think his presidency will be the disaster some are predicting if he uses the wealth of experience in the Republican party). But both are about regaining. Regaining control of sovereignty in this country, regaining "greatness" in the US, economically, diplomatically, militarily etc. I sense the advance of western liberalism has simply been at too fast a pace. We are seeing a desire to retrench.
Yes, it's easy to forget the north-south divide in France. Perhaps more acute than in the UK, which in some ways has found common cause in Brexit (if you exclude London). Hollande seems to be incredibly unpopular. Question is whether the French will be conservative when it comes to the elections, or whether they will look to a maverick in Marine Le Pen
Though there are many differences both Brexit and the Trump success are built on an underlying dissatisfaction of many people with their lives, which they project as resentment of distant elites. Perhaps they are right. I agree that Trumps 4 years won't be a disaster, because he will be shackled by the system and his own party and will quickly become bored with it. Some fascinating stuff from his 'co writer' i.e. Ghostwriter for the Art of the Deal, who says he has an incredibly short attention span, very thin skin, no self awareness or humility and is borderline sociopathic.
The power behind the throne may well be Newt Gingrich, and possibly Rudy Giuliani, experienced, clear-headed intellectuals in Trump's cabinet.
And yet both 'sovereignty' and 'greatness' are vague, nebulous concepts that are deeply misunderstood by the very people that are voting for them. The brilliance of this is seen in the multitude of ways different groups have defined them. It's evident that manifestos and policies are no longer a requirement for getting elected - modern politics apparently thrives on emotive, divisive and ambiguous cheerleading statements that require little substantiation other than vague promises that are easily retracted after the fact.
I had in mind social liberalism in Europe. We've been moving towards a "no nations, no border" society. Ultimately, in future centuries, this may be the future for Europe and the world. But the pace of change had been mind-spinning. It's all been too fast imo, and many citizens want to step back and assess. In the US, problems are more economically based. Manufacturing in particular has moved out of the US big time.
Where i am in France anyone in power is unpopular ... I seriously cannot see the society of France suddenly changing whoever gets in. Le Pen will have just as much trouble changing stuff in real time ... The French tradition of republic is a long way from how we live our lives in the UK. I have witnessed 10 year olds standing arm in arm with 90 year olds complaining about the EDF windmills being built in where i am a national park. Protests in France ... the ones i have attended are passionate and already because EDF a big corporate did not listen enough turbines have been blown up and sites damaged ... the point is that EDF wants to make money first and foremost ... that will not be allowed to happen even the coppers join in My next one is the possible ban on burning firewood ... now that will be full on as even the suggestion by a Paris or EU bureaucrat is enough to put people on the streets . GOVERNMENTS should serve the people never the other way around IMO Balance and reform is required of course i can see that as i have 8 people in my hamlet employed just to look after the environment: flowers, water bins etc but guess what? everything works so change will not be welcome even if it is coming
I would say sovereignty has a clear meaning - supremacy of national institutions, elected Parliament, independent courts etc to make decisions on behalf of the country unaffected by outside sources. The authority of the state to govern itself. Greatness is, I agree, nebulous. Jobs, affluence, international power and influence etc... I suspect that is what Trump's voters had in mind. I don't have a problem with cheerleading, but Trump has been divisive. He has some rifts to heal now
He is a just a mouth IMO who I believe will have to moderate himself. FFS many are against Putin just because we have seen a picture of him half naked on a horse ... how we base our opinions are that simple. Anyone who tries to dig into political theories and practices is left with what? I am guessing a deep frustration of the bosom and a tightening of the bollock sack or vagina
