The 2024 US presidential election.

[nlogax]

Trump now says he will immediately implement 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada, plus an extra 10% from China, in retaliation for failure to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. If it were anyone else you'd wonder if he was on the drugs being smuggled while thinking that, as this is more likely to increase smuggling:

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The tedious inevitability of rising prices directly stemming from the twin self-defeating actions of tariffs and mass deportations will slowly dawn on Trump supporters through the second half of 2025. At which point they'll blame Biden or, y'know, Obama.

Next year I've got just two and a half weeks of scheduled time in the states. Already assuming it'll be two and a half (very expensive) weeks too many.

 

[Gloster]

Illegal immigration and drug smuggling from Canada???

Just gotta have a sniff of maple syrup.

 

[gg1]

Just gotta have a sniff of maple syrup.

Also I've met many Canadians over the years, I can safely say that one thing they all had in common is no desire whatsoever to be American.

 

[Broucek]

Good luck with Canada. The US/Canadian supply chains are EXTREMELY integrated in some fields (e.g. car construction)

 

[AlterEgo]

Illegal immigration and drug smuggling from Canada???

The latter is quite common. Not sure about the former.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==

Also I've met many Canadians over the years, I can safely say that one thing they all had in common is no desire whatsoever to be American.

(Not everyone geographically located in Canada is Canadian, by the way)

 

[AM9]

The latter is quite common. Not sure about the former.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==


(Not everyone geographically located in Canada is Canadian, by the way)

Although, having experienced Canadian life, it would be a subset of those non-Canadians wishing o be permanently located in the US.

 

[brad465]

Good luck with Canada. The US/Canadian supply chains are EXTREMELY integrated in some fields (e.g. car construction)

As is energy supply.

 

[dgl]

I think the issue with Canada is the other way round, he wants to stop skilled workers leaving the US for Canada.
It like on south park "we've got to stop them crossing the border, and it doesn't matter which way!".

 

[nlogax]

As is energy supply.

Coming soon, a 25% reduction in the free movement of electrons heading south across the northern border.

 

[Falcon1200]

Illegal immigration and drug smuggling from Canada???

The latter is quite common. Not sure about the former.

The former is not uncommon at all, as per the tragedy in this BBC News report;

Two men found guilty in freezing deaths of family at US-Canada border

A Minnesota jury found the men guilty of helping the Patels make the fatal journey in January 2022.

www.bbc.co.uk

Two men found guilty in smuggling deaths of family at US-Canada border​

It is also a key feature of one of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, 'Worth Dying For' (Bantam Press 2010).

 

[Strathclyder]

The tedious inevitability of rising prices directly stemming from the twin self-defeating actions of tariffs and mass deportations will slowly dawn on Trump supporters through the second half of 2025. At which point they'll blame Biden or, y'know, Obama.

Or the Clintons, particularly Hillary.

 

[Broucek]

The tedious inevitability of rising prices directly stemming from the twin self-defeating actions of tariffs and mass deportations will slowly dawn on Trump supporters through the second half of 2025. At which point they'll blame Biden or, y'know, Obama.

Next year I've got just two and a half weeks of scheduled time in the states. Already assuming it'll be two and a half (very expensive) weeks too many.

Yes, it's VERY expensive now, particularly in big cities

I agree that tariffs are inflationary. Why do you think deportations are inflationary - due to labour costs increasing?

 

[nlogax]

Why do you think deportations are inflationary - due to labour costs increasing?

Yes. Deport millions of people and there are suddenly huge amounts of service jobs Americans just don't want to do, especially in the numerous states where the pitiful $7.25 p/h federal minimum wage applies. Either these states will have to dramatically up their minimum wage game or the federal government will have to do it (hint; it won't). It's easy to see where this will go.

Had US politicians right across the lines maybe voted in some minimum wage increments since the last one (back in 2009) then maybe the service and construction sectors wouldn't be in this position as they approach 2025.

 

[trainswitheddy]

With the current fallout happening, I wonder, if at all, what the effect this will be on Republican unity ?
* in regard to the H-1B visa

 

[Strathclyder]

With the current fallout happening, I wonder, if at all, what the effect this will be on Republican unity ?
* in regard to the H-1B visa

Not to distract from your query, but that's a contradiction in terms if ever I've seen one!

 

[lineclear]

With the current fallout happening, I wonder, if at all, what the effect this will be on Republican unity ?
* in regard to the H-1B visa

Trump has come down on the side of Musk, so the MAGA followers will quickly fall into line.

 

[nlogax]

Trump has come down on the side of Musk, so the MAGA followers will quickly fall into line.

The loss of blue ticks across various GOP X accounts as well as vehement public rage from the likes of Bannon and Boomer suggest this drama won't be calming down anytime soon. Only the sad news of Jimmy Carter's passing will give the story some brief respite from the headlines.

 

[uglymonkey]

Bannon is a piece of work.

 

[Strathclyder]

Bannon is a piece of work.

What I think about him in particular (him and Miller are especially repugnant, even amongst Trump's flying monkeys) can't be repeated here - there's only so many expletives one can use before they start to blur together - so I'll just say this: he always looks like he's been dragged backwards through a hedge. After being deposited on a beach in a storm.

Actually, I think that it's deliberate to a degree; think along the same lines as Boris always looking and speaking like he'd just been hit square in the face by a low-flying duck in public. Deftly distracts from the truly insidous stuff.

 

[Harpo]

What I think about him in particular……….. there's only so many expletives one can use before they start to blur together

As Gerry Sadowitz said a long time ago, combining swear words loses impact - Calling someone a custard just isn’t the same.

 

[brad465]

Something we can look forward to more of now Trump's returning is Melania looking "thrilled" to be with Trump:

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It was as though God was keeping a sardonic eye on the calendar. That Jimmy Carter, America’s most moralistic president, received his state funeral days before the notably contrasting Donald Trump returns to office seemed almost divinely arranged.

(Image of George W Bush and his wife, Barack Obama, Donald and Melania Trump sat together at Jimmy Carter's state funeral)

 

[Gloster]

Something we can look forward to more of now Trump's returning is Melania looking "thrilled" to be with Trump:

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(Image of George W Bush and his wife, Barack Obama, Donald and Melania Trump sat together at Jimmy Carter's state funeral)

Well, it was a funeral, so maybe she has got the right expression for a solemn occasion. Or maybe she is thinking, ‘God, if he lives to a hundred…’

 

[GusB]

Well, it was a funeral, so maybe she has got the right expression for a solemn occasion. Or maybe she is thinking, ‘God, if he lives to a hundred…’

A sentiment shared by many others, no doubt!

 

[trainswitheddy]

Speaking of Carter, with the flags being raised for Trumps inauguration rather than lowered as has happened before (for example Nixons inauguration with Trumans passing), how does this not strike anyone as just childish and disrespectful? Politics on Trump aside, how anyone is defending something like this is beyond me. Could you imagine Republican outrage if something similar had happened during Bidens inauguration?

 

[Gloster]

Speaking of Carter, with the flags being raised for Trumps inauguration rather than lowered as has happened before (for example Nixons inauguration with Trumans passing), how does this not strike anyone as just childish and disrespectful? Politics on Trump aside, how anyone is defending something like this is beyond me. Could you imagine Republican outrage if something similar had happened during Bidens inauguration?

As far as I can see flags are normally flown at half-mast for 30 days following the death of a president. However, this not mandatory and has been overridden at least once when Nixon raised them for one day because the first prisoners were released by Vietnam. It seems as though the Speaker has only ordered that they be raised on the day of the inauguration and they will thereafter be returned to half-mast. Of course, once he is president Trump can change the order.

 

[ainsworth74]

As far as I can see flags are normally flown at half-mast for 30 days following the death of a president. However, this not mandatory and has been overridden at least once when Nixon raised them for one day because the first prisoners were released by Vietnam. It seems as though the Speaker has only ordered that they be raised on the day of the inauguration and they will thereafter be returned to half-mast. Of course, once he is president Trump can change the order.

Though precedent is that that flags remain at half-mast during an inauguration. This is what they did for Nixon's second inauguration after Truman died.

I think we all know that the reason they're being raised now is so as to avoid hurting Trumps feelings.

 

[trainswitheddy]

has been overridden at least once when Nixon raised them for one day because the first prisoners were released by Vietnam.

I did not know this, thanks for telling me. I still find it absurd that they're being raised, likely because, he personally complained even though it's such a non-issue (at least to me). Is paying respects really that difficult?

 

[Purple Train]

Is paying respects really that difficult?

Yes, sadly. He was a Democrat. I said on the other thread that Carter was (and is) the closest American to a political hero that I have: I don't think there could be any greater indication of how far political discourse has fallen than this episode. Particularly in a country which has such an interesting relationship with its flag!

 

[Krokodil]

Yes, sadly. He was a Democrat. I said on the other thread that Carter was (and is) the closest American to a political hero that I have: I don't think there could be any greater indication of how far political discourse has fallen than this episode. Particularly in a country which has such an interesting relationship with its flag!

Trump's behaviour at Biden's inauguration was a sign of things to come. He wasn't magnanimous in defeat, he was sulking.

 

[ainsworth74]

Trump's behaviour at Biden's inauguration was a sign of things to come. He wasn't magnanimous in defeat, he was sulking.

Well of course! He didn't lose the election it was stolen! You'd have sulked as well if such a travesty of justice occurred!