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US Politics

Forest Hillbilly said:
Nor wishing to overcomplicate your figures Stirling, but when Musk talks about financial savings (ie wages), then a lot of that might be shifted into pensions payouts (for those going to early retirement), or younger ones going on Social Security because they've lost their jobs. They lose income tax revenue from all those job cuts too.
There a probably some fat earners in there who are just taking wages fraudulently, in made-up jobs, with little actual work

It's like juggling 5 balls at once, and not dropping any.

However, big savings are in Foreign Policy, as you say. Most notably by giving Europe a wake-up call and getting them to pay for their own defence.
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There are big changes by DOGE....but even bigger changes coming from AI and automation we are going to see lots of stress on social security while people change careers as the job market shifts.

While I think everyone supports the rooting out of fraud and waste I acknowledge the reality is that vulnerable people are always going to unfairly suffer from changes like these......just as they are going to here and across the west. Though personally I doubt that Musk and co will touch welfare spending that much because it's a massive vote base.

But all these spending changes are coming....It won't really matter that much whether the government is left or right......they will all do it eventually.
 
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Stirlingsays said:
There are big changes by DOGE....but even bigger changes coming from AI and automation we are going to see lots of stress on social security while people change careers as the job market shifts.

While I think everyone supports the rooting out of fraud and waste I acknowledge the reality that vulnerable people are always going to unfairly suffer from changes like these......just as they are going to here and across the west. Though personally I doubt that Musk and co will touch welfare spending that much because it's a massive vote base.

But all these spending changes are coming....It won't really matter that much whether the government is left or right......they will all do it eventually.
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It seems a bit like Thatcher, all over again. We are yet to see the social upheaval, but that might not kick in until 2026. Europe is trying to resist following suit, but eventually it will have to succumb, due to financial pressures. We really are Trump's bitches.
 
Forest Hillbilly said:
It seems a bit like Thatcher, all over again. We are yet to see the social upheaval, but that might not kick in until 2026. Europe is trying to resist following suit, but eventually it will have to succumb, due to financial pressures. We really are Trump's bitches.
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Yep WW2 stripped us of everything and the US created the post war relationship in Europe because it was the west v soviet communism and thus in their interests to do so. We increasingly farmed out our security to the USA with bases and military guarantees and in return we implicitly became their client state along with the rest of Europe.

When the Berlin wall came down in 89 that dynamic changed, but you still had the neocons in charge in America until Trump.....Trump's an isolationist while Europe's dominated by liberal globalists (some of whom have parties with more communist sympathies than capitalist) and those liberals in Europe were still living the old model......It was never going to end well for us.

I've been complaining about our elites for a long time.....Most of them are group thinking gravy trained mediocracy who aren't there through merit but by patronage.
 
All of Europe's leaders have been passively riding the gravy-train for a couple of decades. Some a bit longer. Trump coming in is also re-shaping the world order.

I would love DOGE to come to the UK and weed out the underperforming politicians. Give them performance-related pay. Cut the nepotistic old-boys connections to industry. Jobs based on qualifications and experience, not who you're mates with. That should keep Musk busy, up to his retirement.
 
Forest Hillbilly said:
All of Europe's leaders have been passively riding the gravy-train for a couple of decades. Some a bit longer. Trump coming in is also re-shaping the world order.

I would love DOGE to come to the UK and weed out the underperforming politicians. Give them performance-related pay. Cut the nepotistic old-boys connections to industry. Jobs based on qualifications and experience, not who you're mates with. That should keep Musk busy, up to his retirement.
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I see Mark Carney, former useless Remainer Bank of England Governor is now the PM of Canada.

Failing upwards.
 
Badger11 said:
I see Mark Carney, former useless Remainer Bank of England Governor is now the PM of Canada.

Failing upwards.
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He was far from useless. He spoke truth to power and did so bluntly.

He has done it again in calling out Trump, the first western leader to do so openly. Good on him! The best way to handle a bully is to face him down, accept the pain that follows but gain the respect it establishes.
 
How are Canadians feeling about the USA right now?


Americans look sheepish and apologetic.

Carney is riding a wave and the liberal party on course for victory due entirely to Trump.

😎
 
Carney makes a speech to Canadians saying he think Canada is going to win the trade war with America.

Well, I guess any Canadian who votes for the liberals based on believing they will win a tariff war....and the liberals actually win.... then they are kind of going to get what they deserved.

And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't agree with this tariff approach.
 
Stirlingsays said:
Carney makes a speech to Canadians saying he think Canada is going to win the trade war with America.

Well, I guess any Canadian who votes for the liberals based on believing they will win a tariff war....and the liberals actually win.... then they are kind of going to get what they deserved.

And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't agree with this tariff approach.
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Wrong tariffs failed last time and the importer pays them, passing them on to their countries consumers, few Americans seem to understand that, they think the chinese govt or someone else pays them.

Serves them right if it all goes pear-shaped, they are like brexiteers only on a much larger scale.

😎
 
Stirlingsays said:
Carney makes a speech to Canadians saying he think Canada is going to win the trade war with America.

Well, I guess any Canadian who votes for the liberals based on believing they will win a tariff war....and the liberals actually win.... then they are kind of going to get what they deserved.

And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't agree with this tariff approach.
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The Canadians are quite rightly outraged at the attitude of Trump and his threats to use tariffs to ruin their economy and force them to become part of the USA. Them stopping buying US goods and making visits is a natural consequence.

Carney has already hinted at finding new markets for Canada’s oil and natural gas. Europe being the obvious recipient. The US depends on Canadian lumber for house building.

Canada could play hard ball. The oil, gas and lumber will still be there so they could turn off the taps and look for new markets until the threats/tariffs are withdrawn.

It would be tough for them. There would be some food shortages when Trump responds, as he surely would, but I sense they are more than ready for the fight.

Nobody wins in a trade war, but when someone is trying to take you over you fight. Putin found that out. Perhaps Trump is also about to.
 
steeleye20 said:
Wrong tariffs failed last time and the importer pays them, passing them on to their countries consumers, few Americans seem to understand that, they think the chinese govt or someone else pays them.

Serves them right if it all goes pear-shaped, they are like brexiteers only on a much larger scale.

😎
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When you say they failed last time I'm not so sure as Trump claimed several 'victories' from it.

However, as bad long term policy I agree with you. Significantly harming competing economies while slightly harming your own is definitely radical and he better be correct about America's ability to shift to its own resources.

Also Canada's liberals better not be lying to its own people about its ability to win a trade war.....because I'm not seeing it personally.
 
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