Moving Toward The Death Of American Democracy
We are living in the age of the Dictator wanabee. The man who sits in our White House has moved from slowly shattering the norms of the American Presidency to actively working to realign our nation's allegiances from those who have been traditional allies to those who have been either recent or perennial adversaries. How else can one look at the inverted foreign policy we have been seeing being unfurled during the past few weeks?
We have no idea whether economic summits include G6. G7, or G8 nations? Are Canada and Mexico actual economic security threats to the United States? Is every trade deal that this country ever signed with our allies so bad that it must trigger a new trade war? Are we going to remain a member of the G7 or are we going to become a G2 with Russia? To listen to the President, it seems that Russian participation in the G7/8 almost appears to be prerequisite to the United State's participation in the group. Forget the fact that the Russians were thrown out of the G7 due to their invasion of Crimea. In addition, the Russian economy is not large enough to actually belong to this group. They are not a G8 country. Yet, the only country that Trump seems to care about in this organization is Russia. Mr. Trump has no idea that this G7 system is an American innovation that works best for America. It is truly strange that the United States has to be saved by its own economic protegees in this situation.
But while we attack our allies and threaten trade wars with our closest friends, Mr. Trump continues to cozy up with Russia , China, and most of all North Korea. He explains how well prepared he is for this meeting by saying that he has been preparing for this his whole life and doesn't need additional study. His new best friend, Kim Jung Il is now a potential ally of the United States. Mr. Trump sees this as an opportunity for the United States to open up a new wave of diplomatic and economic ties to a dictatorship that hates the United States. Trump will leave the G7 and fly to Singapore to give the North Koreans an immediate diplomatic victory.
What is Donald Trump proving? There are things that have become obvious by now. His affinity is with dictatorships and not with democratically elected and installed governments. You only have to look at his ongoing relationships with China, Russia, North Korea, the Phillipines, etc. in comparison to this outrageous accusations toward nations like France, England, Canada, and Mexico. He is an authoritarian dictatorial wanabee who governs through bullying. We are also learning that Mr. Trump has no regard for either the rule of law or the constitution of this country. His repeated statements that he is absolutely capable of pardoning himself shows not only an ignorance of the principle that "no man is above the law" but a total defiance of the laws that have made America the greatest nation on earth.
When the leadership of a nation places himself above the laws that govern that nation's citizens, the nation has moved into a dictatorship. That is what is happening here in the United States. We are a nation at risk. We have looked with a blind eye at the erosion of our American liberty. We have allowed a political party, a powerful broadcast outlet, and a cabal of the richest and most ruthless members of our society to erode our America.
We are at a crossroad. We stand up against a government that is becoming more and more oppressive. We vote their cronies out of office and take the country back. Or we allow the slow seep of authoritarian dictatorship to overrun all of our American institutions. It is no longer time for friendly debate. Elections are on the horizon. Our action is crucial to maintain a free America.
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Chicken Little makes a reappearance in 2018. The right said the world as we knew it was ending in 2008 and again in 2012, the left has been bleating since 2016's surprise upset in departing form the 'approved script'.
America can and will survive. And believe it or not, President Trump, who ran as the un-politician is continuing as the un-politician.
I see your pain and believe you are overreacting, but your left leash holders have convinced you.......
Let me say that the President may be wrong in trying to bring Russia back to the summit. They were kicked out for valid reasons in 2014. Maybe it is because US - Russian relations have sunk so dangerously low that the President wants to extend an olive branch. As for the other members of the summit, they have been the beneficiaries of past trade agreements. I'm sure they are frustrated with Trump, but they don't have much choice other to deal with him. The American economy & market is far larger than all of their's combined.
E.A Or that he see Russia as a way to assist in either control or gather information on China and Nkorea?
Skirting the CoC [ph]
E.A Pardon?
Yeah.....me too. I talk to myself all the time. But, I sometimes really get on my nerves when I ask myself to repeat what I just said.
Only for those who don't understand it. I often call me by my name, and talk to as if I am a different person, especially, if I want to scold myself for some reason. I think I get that from my Mother, as when I am scolding myself I do it in a way that my Mother used to scold me. It tens to make the scolding have more meaning and affect.
Sometimes, talking to yourself is the only way to have an intelligent conversation!
"Sometimes, talking to yourself is the only way to have an intelligent conversation! "
For me, it's called sounding it out. I learned this many years ago during studying for my Masters in Business Management. Sometimes what you think does not always have the same affect once you sound it out.
I find myself talking to myself while creating images, kiosks, writing and other types of things, questioning myself about which form or term best fits the purpose. As well as when cooking. I find it very helpful to challenge my own thinking.
It is not as crazy as some people think.
I thought I was the only one to do that .When I was working, if I had a particularly difficult problem with multiple solutions, I would argue with myself taking all sides of the argument until I came up with the proper solution. I found out however I would come up with the answer faster and more accurately if I did the arguing out loud.
Exactly! Sounding out your thoughts does make it easier to determine the bet solution. It somehow seems to bring the thoughts to life where they can be examined and clarified. I also found it to be helpful when I was designing products when I had my own wire products company. Talking out about the issue out loud helped me look at things from the customers POV, not just my own. The guys in the shop would laugh and look at me funny when I did that, but, it was all in good fun.
As have we....
Indeed. It is not always a one sided deal as many like to think. While there are many who like to think that isolationism would be good for the US, they clearly do not know what they are talking about, just stupid political blabber. The US benefits a great deal from trade with other countries, as while some people like to think that the US is the only breadbasket of the world, they are 'Yugely' mistaken or misinformed. The US depends on trade with other countries for goods that are not profitable or possible to be produced here in the US. Cutting off such trade would create havoc with our economy and the US would suffer immensely both economically as well as in products that are now available to the American people at costs that they can afford, and need.
In that respect, Trump is a fool who is not alone.
American Democracy developed cancer cells when it ingested Supply Side Economics and that cancer manifested when it ingested Citizens United.
Agreed!! However, there is a cure for that cancer. It just that no one seems to want to apply it.
Interesting article, worthy of serious conversation. So... of course... it gets vandalized.
Serious conversation will not be tolerated
by certain NewsTalkers members. The vandals are allowed to wreak their destruction with perfect impunity...
but if I name names, I will be suspended. That's NewsTalkers...
The assault on democracy did not begin with Donald Trump. The end of democracy in America has been the central strategy of the Republican Party for at least a decade.
This strategy has many component tactics!
Gerrymandering in the states ensures permanent majorities in the legislatures, which in turn allows the gerrymandering of Congressional seats. "One man, one vote" does not apply in America. (The "US is not a democracy" trope first appeared well over a decade ago. It is not an analysis of the situation. It is a stated objective.)
Stacking the courts: after refusing to confirm judges during the Obama years, the GOP is now confirming at a record rate.
And of course, "money equals speech" gives the wealthy inordinate power. (America is the only developed nation to allow unlimited political spending.)
The Republican Party now controls most states and the entirety of the federal government. Even with the current White House clown leading them, they are not certain to lose their grip in the next... or any... election. Gradually, their hold is solidifying, becoming unbreakable.
Democracy in America is already dead. Very likely beyond resuscitation.
The thing we see shambling along nowadays is a pathetic zombie, a sad reminder of what America once was...
Yep, it sure is...this is the new normal. The extreme left wing has gone rogue and lost the trust of the people. All power to Trump and his people.
Trump is the swampiest swamp rat Washington has ever seen, Gregger, get a grip on reality will ya?
If Trumpets had a real grip on reality Trump would not be President.
Nicely written and I agree 100 %.
I'd add that donald trump's tools are insults, grandiose promises, intimidation and threats. He gains power through any means possible and aims to destroy any opposing his will.
IMO: That is not the kind of human I want representing me or my country.
I continue to say, "Good luck to the republicans in controlling this, cause you own it lock, stock and barrel.
If I had to choose between the "human" the idiots elected or a non-human I'd pick non-human. Siri for President?... Not only could we do worse, we already did in 2016.
Eh, We gave it away (not to dip shit, but the stage has been set). Whatever follows is 100% our fault.
Unless we decided to do something about the direction we allow this country to be taken any further and that better start real damn soon.
There will always be some who saw and did what we could. We will still lose with the rest though.
Citizens United allowed multi-national corporations to purchase our republic. So, they did...
and then liberals allowed our govt demand / mandate we buy health insurance from those multinational corporations ( for life.)
kind of ironic huh?
tis a good thing trump got rid of the forced monthly payments under obamacare to multinational corporations
= one problem solved
although not a complete solution to citizens united.... term limits will go a long way towards limiting the power companies have over our representatives in congress. career politicians got us into this mess. so... we need to end their careers and make it a temporary job so no long term relationships can be established to screw us over for money as they have done in the past.
What Trump proved with his erratic behavior at the G7 is that he's a really incompetent negotiator. He's truly a blight on America.
just curious what you will say after canada and other countries lower or maybe even erase their tariffs?
or to be more precise...
what will you say in a year or two when our overall trade deficit has dropped by billions?
any insight on that yet? or still working on it?
Pretty ballsy talk when Trump is actually trying to weasel his way back in to the TPP.
What are you going to say when our gas goes up to $4 a gallon and food jumps? Insurance companies are already salivating and raiding premiums 19 to 35% because we were promised a replacement for the PPACA that never happened.
The price of transportation commercially and personally is going to go up...not "may" IS because of tariffs imposed by Trump.
China didn't even have to impose tariffs on us, they just bought their soy beans and sorghum from everyone BUT us. The farmers are freaking out because 1/2 of all US production of soy and sorghum was grown for China.
Ready to pay the price for Trump's ego and arrogance?
The deficit isn't going to go down it's going to go up. Or do you think the losses in exports don't mean much.
Any idea how many jobs are going to get wiped out? I'll bet you don't.
Those job numbers you credit Trump with are going to change drastically and you won't be able to blame Obama or thre Democrats for this.
and that is complete bs right there...
he only ever said we would reconsider the agreement if we were treated fairly.... in what world do you think the tpp would have treated our country fairly? trump knows that would simply never happen... do try to keep up.
as for the rest of your comment? I always stop at the first false premise presented, and never read any further.... go figure huh?
Only Trump supporters are that delusional.
yeah... us delusional trump supporters also knew trump would beat hillary as well. "what were we thinking... LOL
we will never learn huh?
No figuring needed, it perfectly explains the ignorance.
when all else fails "the personal attack"
how predictable was that... LOL
More than likely what most of them babble about today...It's all because of Obama.
of course... and the increase in trade deficits under obama was bush's fault as well.
Do you even realize that we have a lopsided trade surplus with Canada? A real threat to our economic security.
we do not have a trade surplus with canada. (which is why your reply is lacking a link to your source)
and...
perhaps trump can make your blatant lie become reality and one day we will have a trade surplus for the first time in over 40yrs/ looking forward to it.
no single country on the planet is an economic threat to the usa but all of them together have been bleeding us dry since the 70's. those days are coming to an end.
doc. I know your smart enough to see the bigger picture here. all you need to do now is face a new reality.
the liberal world orders game of bleeding the usa dry is over.
and the progressives brand is dying before your eyes.
only people who put our country first will get the chance to sit in the oval office for a very long time.
there is no comeback available for the progressive left.
/
I told you all this would happen many years ago - we took our country back.
we are going to keep it and make it stronger than ever
sorry phil... trump is pushing "our agenda and doing exactly what "we voted for him to do. flip the script.
why should we carry the world? in the end the world is going to see tariff-free trade or they will have to face a trade war with the USA it is their decision to make. we will no longer capitulate.
besides... manufacturing in the USA can not kick into seriously high gear without a good oll fashioned trade war.
they will play fair with no tariffs or get their asses kicked in a trade war... either way we will win in the end.
ever hear the expression... "where the USA goes the world follows? hint: we are not going down liberal world order road anymore. they need our money we do not need theirs... we have been funding them long enough... that game is over.
Glad you said that because that's exactly who I'm going to blame when this all goes south.
no problem...
I personally blame every single person who voted for any of them even though I understand it never mattered who won in the past they all were working together.. the bush clinton alliance is over now. obama was the wild card that fuked their game up... for that? I thank obama and everyone who voted for him.
long story short? no one will deny you your fun. or care when you have it.
enjoy
Ijust realized you said that as if you thought you could actually do anything about it.... not a chance here.
but if it helps you? blame me all ya like.. I can take the heat and still smile all day long.
cheers
And know exactly how many toothpicks fell on the floor.
every time
luckily for me? being right so often is a strain I can easily bear.
truth is I do not have to be right ALL the time. it just works out that way... ha.
The GOP and their fake "tea party" killed it. Trump lost the popular vote but we are still stuck with a man hell bent on becoming a King or a Dictator.
Unless America awakes from the propaganda stupor and quits believing a reality show host who is a known proven liar, we are doomed.
Get out the vote, make sure to promote every single fact checker on Trump's lies, the GOP lies and get people out to the polls. Nothing matters unless the same 3 million vote majority that actually elected someone else besides Trump gets to the polls with a friend and votes we are truly doomed to watch America become a banana republic with a tin pot dictator.
King or dictator?
WTH?
Where do y'all GET this stuff from??
And be sure to hang on to that whole "popular" vote thingy, too, just in case it ever becomes relevant!
"Get out the vote" Like we all did in 2016?
And how do you like your oil? Since Canada is our largest supplier.
You ready to pay for all the costs going up?
Raw goods, transportation, energy, and especially healthcare...the Trump healthcare plan is a long lost promise not kept.
What are you going to do when the economy dives as every economist has agreed it's coming. Retail is imploding, exports are going to take a huge hit, and with Trump pissing off our allies who's going to help when we need it?
You won't be able to blame Obama, Clinton or the Democrats for the economic tsunami on the way.
I believe we are now a net exporter of oil.
We are and have been since 2011.
We supply 40% of our needs domestic, another 40% we import from Canada. The rest is made up of scores of other countries.
One can get whiplash trying to follow the latest "sky is falling" obsession from the left. It seems like just last week Trump was supposedly trying to blow up the world by nuking North Korea and provoking a trade war with China. Today, the new talking points proclaim that Trump is too nice to his "fellow dictators" in North Korea and China. We have always been at war with Eastasia, indeed.
The same goes with Russia. The party that cheered Barack Obama's fervid whispering that he could be even more flexible with Russia after he'd already given Russia everything it wanted now pretends to be aghast that the President merely wants to talk to a geopolitical rival. Try telling a Democrat in 1978 that he'd be screaming bloody murder in 2018 because an American President wants to engage Russia diplomatically rather than militarily. They'd never believe it possible. Democrats against Diplomacy has become the new norm, as they do everything in their power to maintain the illusion that Trump colluded with Russia.
The reality is that Trump has been, for the most part, the most restrained President in the use of executive power this century. He constantly, as he should, defers to Congress on legislative issues and has followed even atrocious Court decisions that were sure to be overturned. One would think that the members of the party that cheered a President for justifying executive actions on matters that belong in the legislative sphere because he decided "Congress refused to act" would be in a danger of a fatal case of cognitive dissonance when they claim Trump is acting like a dictator for deferring to Congress.
The idea that he's used his powers dictatorially is asinine, to put it politely.
Stop! Please stop with the hyperbolic declarations of Armageddon if you want to be taken seriously. Our democracy is just fine.
The hate for Trump is so strong, no one on the Left even wants to consider his point of view. I'm not saying everyone has to approve of his methods, but isn't his desire for truly free and reciprocal fair trade a good idea? Why would anyone be against that?
Sure, in general, Canada is our friend, but how friendly is a 245% tariff on cheese? How friendly is a 290% tariff on butter? Is that free trade? Those tariffs already existed before Trump came along. But then Trump slaps a tariff on aluminum and Canada cries "foul!" and insists tariffs are evil. Hypocrite much? Why don't they just listen to the man and drop all tariffs and barriers to genuinely free trade?
You might loan out your lawnmower to your friend, but if he refuses to return it, is he still your friend? Just declaring yourself to be a friend doesn't make it so. You have to actually act like a friend.
Some will let their TDS rule them whenever their emotions don't.
I know I STILL have voting rights. Don't see an issue.