Goings-on in North Korea

[mistermack]

Is it just me, or is Trumps signature a true sign of a psychopath?

If I was investigating a set of serial killings, and his name came up, his signature would set the alarm bells ringing for sure. And alarmingly, it seems to be getting more extreme.



Adolf Hitler's signature seems positively caring by comparison, although it goes off the rails a bit at the end :

[Sean Hayden]

Your government is. It's weak and divided. Trump is definitely a weakling.

Our government is divided by design. What specifically do you think is weak about it?

A weak leader is a weak government. Trump makes you look weak, untrustworthy, unreliable, and frankly a laughing stock. His sycophants are flapping around him doing damage control instead of taking charge of the situation. The opposition is standing aside and doing nothing but lick their wounds. You look like you don't have your shit together.

In what way is your government strong right now?

Trump is not the government. He is the president, not a King. His powers are limited and they'll likely be limited even further after the midterm elections. They'll likely disappear altogether after his first term when he's voted out. Both term limits and congressional checks on the president's powers are strong features of the US government.

Potential weaknesses I worry about: the creation of an inept Supreme Court, money in politics, the lack of division given the two party system and any continued erosion of public confidence in the government. 'Trump isn't the government'

[Animavore]

Your government is. It's weak and divided. Trump is definitely a weakling.

Our government is divided by design. What specifically do you think is weak about it?

A weak leader is a weak government. Trump makes you look weak, untrustworthy, unreliable, and frankly a laughing stock. His sycophants are flapping around him doing damage control instead of taking charge of the situation. The opposition is standing aside and doing nothing but lick their wounds. You look like you don't have your shit together.

In what way is your government strong right now?

Trump is not the government. He is the president, not a King. His powers are limited and they'll likely be limited even further after the midterm elections. They'll likely disappear altogether after his first term when he's voted out. Both term limits and congressional checks on the president's powers are strong features of the US government.

Potential weaknesses I worry about: the creation of an inept Supreme Court, money in politics, the lack of division given the two party system and any continued erosion of public confidence in the government. 'Trump isn't the government'

I never said he was your government. But he represents it. And they, in turn, are aiding and abetting him instead of having the moral fibre to shut him out. He's your figurehead whether you like it or not and rightly or wrongly his stupidity and ignorance reflect on the nation to people outside. That's just the way it is.

[Sean Hayden]

We've had plenty of female leaders. We have many today. But yes, we've never had a woman President and it would be ignorant to claim that a big part of the reason why is not down to attitudes about women.

I'm not sure how that relates to having a weak government though. Would having one woman President for 4 years undo the weakness, or would she need to serve two terms? How does it work exactly?

In our case they made up for lost time and settled some gender scores. Closed the mines and put men to unwork in the home for two decades. A reverse Gilead. Expect a permanent scare/change to the national psyche and you won't be disappointed. No fear.

--you're talking to my genes man!

[Sean Hayden]

Your government is. It's weak and divided. Trump is definitely a weakling.

Our government is divided by design. What specifically do you think is weak about it?

A weak leader is a weak government. Trump makes you look weak, untrustworthy, unreliable, and frankly a laughing stock. His sycophants are flapping around him doing damage control instead of taking charge of the situation. The opposition is standing aside and doing nothing but lick their wounds. You look like you don't have your shit together.

In what way is your government strong right now?

Trump is not the government. He is the president, not a King. His powers are limited and they'll likely be limited even further after the midterm elections. They'll likely disappear altogether after his first term when he's voted out. Both term limits and congressional checks on the president's powers are strong features of the US government.

Potential weaknesses I worry about: the creation of an inept Supreme Court, money in politics, the lack of division given the two party system and any continued erosion of public confidence in the government. 'Trump isn't the government'

I never said he was your government. But he represents it. And they, in turn, are aiding and abetting him instead of having the moral fibre to shut him out. He's your figurehead whether you like it or not and rightly or wrongly his stupidity and ignorance reflect on the nation to people outside. That's just the way it is.

Absolutely, he reflects poorly on the US. He's an embarrassment. We get them from time to time.

[Rum]

It is also true to say that while the 'checks and balances' seem to work pretty well on the domestic front one area the President has rather more autonomy over is foreign policy. He is rather freer to make an utter balls up of that than he is internal USA policy.

[Animavore]

Absolutely, he reflects poorly on the US. He's an embarrassment. We get them from time to time.

Look, I don't want to seem I'm picking on you guys. There's plenty about Ireland that I feel reflects badly on us; from out-dated laws to Bono, but no one cares about us. Every time I start a thread on Ireland it dies a death. Even my thread on repealing the 8th, which I think is a massive deal, has gotten no traction.

That said; the stupidity, craven-ness, and Catholic church-pandering of my own government isn't much cause for concern to anyone outside. It won't have knock on effects leading to global recession or endless wars. We're small potatoes. So that's why we talk about you.

[mistermack]

Ireland ????

Small potatoes ????

[Animavore]

Phew! I thought no one was going to get that.

[Svartalf]

well, actually I'm interested in Ireland, but it's 20 years that I've not been there, and nearly 30 since my extended stay, so I'm not really up to date on matters I rish, and not willing to open my big mouth to utter pure blarney.

[pErvinalia]

Your government is. It's weak and divided. Trump is definitely a weakling.

Our government is divided by design. What specifically do you think is weak about it?

It struggles to get things done. Particularly telling is that it seems to shut down every once in a while because it can't fund itself.

[mistermack]

Your government is. It's weak and divided. Trump is definitely a weakling.

Our government is divided by design. What specifically do you think is weak about it?

It struggles to get things done. Particularly telling is that it seems to shut down every once in a while because it can't fund itself.

That doesn't make it intrinsically weak. Having a restraint on central control could be viewed as a strength. It weakens the President, but the President isn't the Government, he's just part of it.
Sadam Hussein could have been classed as a strong President, compared to the USA system.
He had all the power.
And Gadaffi, he was the same.

The USA is militarily strong, and has a reasonably stable system of government.
Calling it weak is just name calling. It doesn't make it true.
Obama didn't get much done in eight years, and what he did is being unravelled.
If Trump is weak then Obama was just as weak. His legacy is close to zero.
Perhaps that's a good thing. Bush was "stronger" and look at the shit he caused.

[pErvinalia]

Nah, I think not being able to fund yourself on a semi-regular basis is a pretty weak state of affairs.

[mistermack]

Nah, I think not being able to fund yourself on a semi-regular basis is a pretty weak state of affairs.

It would be, but that's not the case.

It's not being able to AGREE on funding. Which is a different kettle of fish.

[pErvinalia]

No, they literally can't fund themselves sometimes (because they can't agree on passing a supply budget), and have to shutdown most government agencies.