Donald Trump and the aftermath of his presidency

[The Ham]

Presumably he has indicated which of the Ten Commandments you should obey and which can be ignored.

He's likely to say that we should obey all of them, he however doesn't need to...

 

[DaleCooper]

He's likely to say that we should obey all of them, he however doesn't need to...

He's added an eleventh - Thou shalt not pay thy bills.

 

[Peter Sarf]

He's added an eleventh - Thou shalt not pay thy bills.

And the Twelfth - Thy shalt impress thy neighbours with utterances of thine own wealth, be it truthful or otherwise.

 

[DaleCooper]

And the Twelfth - Thy shalt impress thy neighbours with utterances of thine own wealth, be it truthful or otherwise.

The thirteenth - Thou shall bear false witness 30,000 times.

 

[brad465]

The thirteenth - Thou shall bear false witness 30,000 times.

The fourteenth: Thou shall both covet and grab thy neighbour by the .....

 

[dgl]

Another case of "Jesus He Knows Me" by Genesis being a fitting song
"Just do as I say don;t do as I do", "There will be no doubt in your mind, your believin' everything I'm saying, if you wanna get closer to him just get on your knees and start paying!"

 

[MasterSpenny]

More violent imagery used in Trump’s campaign messaging, this time of Joe Biden being tied up in the back of a pickup truck that is featured in a video (not sure where the aforementioned video is).

Trump posts video that shows image of Biden tied up in the back of a truck — CNN

Former President Donald Trump on Friday posted a video that featured an image of President Joe Biden tied up in the back of a pickup truck.

apple.news

Former President Donald Trump on Friday posted a video that featured an image of President Joe Biden tied up in the back of a pickup truck.


Trump indicated that the post was filmed on Long Island on Thursday, when he was attending the wake of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed during a traffic stop this week. The video shows two trucks with flags and decals expressing support for Trump; the image of Biden was on the back of the second truck.


Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement, “That picture was on the back of a pick up truck that was traveling down the highway. Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponizing the justice system against him.”


Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler told CNN in a statement, “This image from Donald Trump is the type of crap you post when you’re calling for a ‘bloodbath’ or when you tell the proud boys to ‘stand back and stand by.’ Trump is regularly inciting political violence and it’s time people take him seriously — just ask the Capitol Police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on January 6.”


The video marks another instance of Trump using dark and violent imagery in his campaign messaging as his penchant for inflammatory rhetoric appears to be buoying his White House bid.


Trump warned earlier this month that if he were to lose the 2024 election, it would be a “bloodbath” for the US auto industry and the country.


The remark came as Trump promised a “100% tariff” on cars made outside the US, arguing that domestic auto manufacturing would be protected only if he is elected. The comment also came in the midst of an extended riff on the auto industry, unions, the transition to electric vehicles and auto plants in Mexico.


The former president said in December that migrants are “poisoning the blood” of the US and quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin to attack Biden as a “threat to democracy.”


His comments align with a pattern of expressing fondness for foreign leaders who use anti-democratic measures to maintain power.


In another instance, Trump used the word “vermin” to describe his political rivals at a campaign event in New Hampshire in November, drawing broad condemnation, including from Biden, who likened his comments to “language you heard in Nazi Germany.”


Trump told the crowd: “We will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country,” and warned that “the real threat is not from the radical right. The real threat is from the radical left, and it’s growing every day.”

 

[Strathclyder]

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement, “That picture was on the back of a pick up truck that was traveling down the highway. Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponizing the justice system against him.”

Another gem from a Mouth of Sauron Trump.

A picture that appeared in a campaign video that you had to have seen before it was posted. Yeah no. You can try and claim plausible denability on this all you want, Stevie-boy, but Trump's message and implication was crystal-clear to anyone who's been paying even the slightest bit of attention to what he's been saying in recent months. He doesn't have to say it explicitly, just send a signal out to his cult in the hopes that someone acts on it for him in some way. It ain't an aberration, a editing mistake, a slip-up or anything of the sort. It's at the core of his campaign.

As for the bit in bold: no, that's called being brought to account and actually facing potential consequences for once in his wretched existence. I know nobody outside the cult actually believes a word of this despotic, self-martyrdom crap, but good god, I have to respond in some way to this lest it gives me a brain cramp. It's honestly close to becoming permanent at this point.

 

[nw1]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

It might sound dirty tactics, and it's not something I would normally suggest, but Trump is a special case. When you read some of the stuff Trump is coming up with, it would be very, very bad for the world if he gets in, so attempting to influence the American electorate in this way could be the lesser of two evils.

 

[Gloster]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow coerce Americans into not voting for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

It might sound dirty tactics, but when you read some of the stuff Trump is coming up with, it would be very, very bad for the world if he gets in, so attempting to influence the American electorate in this way could be the lesser of two evils.

How? The US wouldn’t believe that sanctions would hurt them and it would just play into the hands of the ‘God’s own country has the right to take what it wants’ fanatics. It would only be to Trump’s advantage. Welcome to World War Three.

 

[nw1]

How? The US wouldn’t believe that that sanctions would hurt them and it would just play into the hands of the ‘God’s own country has the right to take what it wants’ fanatics. It would only be to Trump’s advantage. Welcome to World War Three.

I'm thinking of the swing voters who could go either way, perhaps because they think Biden is too old, or something.

Was just thinking that it might bring home the realisation that Trump threatens to damage the USA's international reputation quite severely, and that might swing voters against him. While I am not into patriotism especially, to me the most meaningful tenet of patriotism is ensuring your country has a good international reputation.

I was just asking the question though to see what people's thoughts were, not saying it was necessarily a good idea.

 

[Gloster]

I'm thinking of the swing voters who could go either way, perhaps because they think Biden is too old, or something.

Was just thinking that it might bring home the realisation that Trump threatens to damage the USA's international reputation quite severely, and that might swing voters against him. While I am not into patriotism especially, to me the most meaningful tenet of patriotism is ensuring your country has a good international reputation.

I was just asking the question though to see what people's thoughts were, not saying it was necessarily a good idea.

In my opinion, the country’s international reputation and what other countries might do matters even less to the majority of American voters than it does in most countries. The few who do think about it probably would never even dream in their worst nightmare of voting for Trump.

 

[nw1]

More violent imagery used in Trump’s campaign messaging, this time of Joe Biden being tied up in the back of a pickup truck that is featured in a video (not sure where the aforementioned video is).

Trump posts video that shows image of Biden tied up in the back of a truck — CNN

Former President Donald Trump on Friday posted a video that featured an image of President Joe Biden tied up in the back of a pickup truck.

apple.news

Trump actually is starting to sound a bit like some of the very worst 20th century dictators here. The Nazi Germany comparisons in the language are actually not wrong, incredibly.

Another gem from a Mouth of Sauron Trump.

A picture that appeared in a campaign video that you had to have seen before it was posted. Yeah no. You can try and claim plausible denability on this all you want, Stevie-boy, but Trump's message and implication was crystal-clear to anyone who's been paying even the slightest bit of attention to what he's been saying in recent months. He doesn't have to say it explicitly, just send a signal out to his cult in the hopes that someone acts on it for him in some way. It ain't an aberration, a editing mistake, a slip-up or anything of the sort. It's at the core of his campaign.

Whoever this Cheung guy is, he should surely win the award for biggest brown-nosing sycophant of all time.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

It might sound dirty tactics, and it's not something I would normally suggest, but Trump is a special case. When you read some of the stuff Trump is coming up with, it would be very, very bad for the world if he gets in, so attempting to influence the American electorate in this way could be the lesser of two evils.

I agree with you that it would be very bad for the rest of the World if Trump gets in again. Also, I don't think trying to convince people is 'dirty tactics': As long as you're open about it, seeking to persuade people is a fundamental part of democracy. Dirty tactics would be, the kind of stuff that Russia does where it sets up bots to spread disinformation under the cover of false identities etc.

However, the problem is, a lot of people in America (and probably most countries - it's not just an American thing) are pretty sensitive to the idea that it's up to their own people to decide who should be their leader, and would therefore tend to react negatively to any attempt by foreigners living in other countries to persuade them who to vote for (which I guess is one reason why for example Russia is so secretive about its frequent attempts to influence other countries' elections). So, as @Gloster says, any attempt risks being counter-productive and actually helping Trump .

(EDIT: I was replying to the phrase 'convince Americans...' I missed the bit about sanctions.)

 

[birchesgreen]

Some years ago the Gruniad had a campaign where readers wrote to American voters asking them not to vote for GW Bush (i think). It went down as well as an actual lead zeppelin.

 

[nw1]

Some years ago the Gruniad had a campaign where readers wrote to American voters asking them not to vote for GW Bush (i think). It went down as well as an actual lead zeppelin.

Though W. was of course infinitely less bad than Trump.

 

[ainsworth74]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

It might sound dirty tactics, and it's not something I would normally suggest, but Trump is a special case. When you read some of the stuff Trump is coming up with, it would be very, very bad for the world if he gets in, so attempting to influence the American electorate in this way could be the lesser of two evils.

What would you say if the EU decided that they would impose sanctions on the UK if we voted for Reform? We're all supposed to be friends and allies. We can try and persuade the other not to do something but if they want to jump off a cliff then we have to accept that that's their decision and then deal with the consequences accordingly.

I think that Trump would be terrible for the World, a disengaged United States (at best if Trump gets in, actively working to support is just as likely) is precisely what the likes of all the worst sorts of regimes want and it infuriates me that so many Americans appear blind to the reality that if they disengage now eventually the chaos and disorder that is steadily gripping the world will eventually reach them and the costs of dealing with it will be much higher both in treasure and American blood.

However if we are going to start imposing sanctions on each other we might as well just give up and go home now to be quite honest with you.

 

[Bantamzen]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

It might sound dirty tactics, and it's not something I would normally suggest, but Trump is a special case. When you read some of the stuff Trump is coming up with, it would be very, very bad for the world if he gets in, so attempting to influence the American electorate in this way could be the lesser of two evils.

As other have said, this would backfire spectacularly. The MAGA movement would just add it to their conspiracy theories that external forces are trying to destroy American democracy. We just need to keep out of it all, and wait from the giant Umpa Lumpa to completely gub it up, which I'm sure he will.

 

[najaB]

do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in.

Nope. Democratic governments overtly (or covertly for that matter) interfering in the elections of another democracy is incredibly bad form.

 

[nw1]

What would you say if the EU decided that they would impose sanctions on the UK if we voted for Reform? We're all supposed to be friends and allies. We can try and persuade the other not to do something but if they want to jump off a cliff then we have to accept that that's their decision and then deal with the consequences accordingly.

To be fair, much as I dislike Reform, they are nothing like as bad as Trump by any stretch of the imagination. Reform haven't described EU supporters as vermin, as far as I am aware, for example, nor threatened to "root them out" of the UK. Reform are not a threat to world peace or stability.

I do take your point (and the other responses). I was just speculating on whether, simply because Trump is such a very bad person, and a potential threat to the world, that the rest of the world might want to consider such action.

 

[Strathclyder]

Whoever this Cheung guy is, he should surely win the award for biggest brown-nosing sycophant of all time.

Alongside every other Trump stooge when first hired. Then not when he inevitably throws them under the bus, cos Trump is loyal to only one person: Trump.

 

[brad465]

IMO the US needs to collapse and rebuild from scratch, their economic and political systems are too broken to both be sustained. However the problem is when such an event happens, the rest of the world will not be able to escape the fallout, either because they rely on the US for important matters, and/or because an even more extreme regime will work to fill the void.

As a backhanded compliment to Trump, I do actually think he will initiate positive change, but only after he's done such extreme damage that they're left with no other option.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

As a backhanded compliment to Trump, I do actually think he will initiate positive change, but only after he's done such extreme damage that they're left with no other option.

I hate to dampen what little optimism people might want to draw from Trump, but why would any damage Trump does lead to positive change? There aren't that many examples in recent history of an autocratically-inclined person damaging a democracy but those few that exist suggest that the country tends to either end up semi-permanently in the damaged state (Hungary under Orban, Belarus under Lukashenko, Venezuela under Chavez/Maduro), or simply reverts back to roughly its previous state after the autocrat leaves power (Brazil under Bolsonaro).

 

[nlogax]

I do wonder whether the rest of the world needs to somehow convince Americans to not vote for Trump, for example through threats of sanctions if he gets in

Everything I've seen and experienced suggests American voters don't take too kindly to the advice of other countries re their voting choices, and I can well understand that view. Regardless of how valid that advice would be, how do you think we'd feel being on the receiving end of similar efforts from other countries later this year in our own GE?

 

[Silenos]

Everything I've seen and experienced suggests American voters don't take too kindly to the advice of other countries re their voting choices, and I can well understand that view. Regardless of how valid that advice would be, how do you think we'd feel being on the receiving end of similar efforts from other countries later this year in our own GE?

In addition, people not living in a country often don’t have a ‘feel’ for the politics. Things like the sort of ideas that are considered uncontroversial, where the political centre is, that kind of thing. I remember many years ago being lectured by an otherwise very nice American about the evils of socialised medicine. He seemed bewildered that the people of ‘your great country’ hadn’t risen to overthrow the destructive influence of the NHS.

 

[nlogax]

I remember many years ago being lectured by an otherwise very nice American about the evils of socialised medicine. He seemed bewildered that the people of ‘your great country’ hadn’t risen to overthrow the destructive influence of the NHS.

Exactly that sort of thing. Projections of our own desired political stances onto other countries and cultures should really be avoided.

 

[simonw]

Everything I've seen and experienced suggests American voters don't take too kindly to the advice of other countries re their voting choices, and I can well understand that view. Regardless of how valid that advice would be, how do you think we'd feel being on the receiving end of similar efforts from other countries later this year in our own GE?

Given the fuss when Obahma supposedly commented on the prospects of a US, UK trade deal if we left the EU, I think I know what the reaction would be.

 

[Strathclyder]

Everything I've seen and experienced suggests American voters don't take too kindly to the advice of other countries re their voting choices, and I can well understand that view. Regardless of how valid that advice would be, how do you think we'd feel being on the receiving end of similar efforts from other countries later this year in our own GE?

It would rightly go down like a lead balloon with cinder blocks tied to it, in both countries. It's something I just wish some of the moronic politicians on both sides of the Atlantic would realize before shooting their big bazoos off. Of course, that's asking just a bit too much, often as not.

Given the fuss when Obahma supposedly commented on the prospects of a US, UK trade deal if we left the EU, I think I know what the reaction would be.

Exactly. Best not poke that hornet's nest if one has any sense.

 

[nw1]

Given the fuss when Obahma supposedly commented on the prospects of a US, UK trade deal if we left the EU, I think I know what the reaction would be.

I don't think Obama wanted Brexit, from what I gather. He was a sane and measured politician and realised Brexit was not the most sensible of ideas. I am fairly sure I read that he came out on the "Remain" side.

I've certainly never heard of Obama trying to convince us to vote Brexit.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Given the fuss when Obahma supposedly commented on the prospects of a US, UK trade deal if we left the EU, I think I know what the reaction would be.

I don't think Obama wanted Brexit, from what I gather. He was a sane and measured politician and realised Brexit was not the most sensible of ideas. I am fairly sure I read that he came out on the "Remain" side.

Commenting on the prospects of a trade deal is not even remotely the same thing as supporting Brexit!

(If you want to see what Obama actually said, you can find a report here: https://www.theguardian.com/politic...obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks. And yes, the implication is that he was not keen on Brexit)

Barack Obama has warned that the UK would be at the “back of the queue” in any trade deal with the US if the country chose to leave the EU, as he made an emotional plea to Britons to vote for staying in.

But the point here is that having a foreign leader comment on something that many UK people would have felt was a matter for the UK and therefore none of Obama's business wouldn't have gone down well with some voters, so it was possibly counter-productive for Obama to say what he did, even though it was an honest opinion and arguably quite reasonable for him to say what he thought).