America - The Official Thread

[Dotini]

Really!

He looks like a petulant child being given a bollocking.

Beggars can't be bollockers. They owe the US bigtime not only for unpaid NATO defense but also longstanding trade imbalances. No more free ride for the Europeans! Time to shaddup, get off your duff, pay your bills and shoulder your load.

 

[Scaff]

Beggars can't be bollockers. They owe the US bigtime not only for unpaid NATO defense but also longstanding trade imbalances. No more free ride for the Europeans! Time to shaddup, get off your duff, pay your bills and shoulder your load.

The other NATO nations don't owe the US anything in that regard (that's a flawed and inaccurate Trump claim); as for the trade imbalance that goes both ways and this 'way' will not make it work.

It's actually far more likely to hurt US workers and jobs than the other way around, particularly in regard to his utterly niave and limited understanding of how the automotive industry works.

It's also not like the US hasn't used it's own forms of protection for domestic industries, but this goes beyond that and firmly into the burning bridges arena.

Have fun with the isolationism, it's worked out so well in the past (but Russia will make a nice cuddle buddy).

 

[Dotini]

Have fun with the isolationism, it's worked out so well in the past.

It is in no way isolationism. It's flat out Imperialism. We are globalist, unipolar, and unilateral. We intend to dominate the world, friend and foe alike.

 

[Scaff]

It is in no way isolationism. It's flat out Imperialism. We are globalist, unipolar, and unilateral. We intend to dominate the world, friend and foe alike.

That doesn't make them your friend, but good luck with it.

 

[TexRex]

Nevermind strutting--it's amazing how Trump can remain seated and still have others' noses lodged right up in there.

 

[Dotini]

Nevermind strutting--it's amazing how Trump can remain seated and still have others' noses lodged right up in there.

Brown-nosing will no longer get the job done for the Europeans. It's time to open the wallet and spend on the military (US industry).

 

[AbeFroman75]

I love that pic.

Macron: Germany please do something!!
Angela: The last guy let us rawdog the American economy, what do you mean we have to play fair now?
Trump: When you're ready to make a deal call my people and we'll set something up, I promise it will be good for the both of us, until then Covfefe
Abe: Lol, does she really think that will work on him?
May: I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but do you know where I can get my parking validated?
Trudeau: OMG OMG OMG, all this toxic masculinity is wreaking havoc on my eyebrows.

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only.

 

[TexRex]

Brown-nosing will no longer get the job done for the Europeans.

Yeah, no...I was actually thinking at least one each Canadian (for whatever reason) and Pacific Northwesterner. It sure seems to get something done for them and I know for danged sure he sucks it up.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I love that pic.

Macron: Germany please do something!!
Angela: The last guy let us rawdog the American economy, what do you mean we have to play fair now?
Trump: When you're ready to make a deal call my people and we'll set something up, I promise it will be good for the both of us, until then Covfefe
Abe: Lol, does she really think that will work on him?
May: I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but do you know where I can get my parking validated?
Trudeau: OMG OMG OMG, all this toxic masculinity is wreaking havoc on my eyebrows.

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only.

All that toxic masculinity had Trudeau in such a tizzy that his fake eyebrows started to fall off!! I wonder if this is what he means when he says he's a feminist?

Disclaimer: I don't know for sure what's going on with his eyebrows but it sure looks like fake eyebrows falling off.

 

[Biggles]

Trump hates Trudeau because he's younger, better looking & unlike the Donald he's actually attractive to women.

But not to worry, he'll get on great with the chubby NK dictator.

 

[TexRex]

Is that a budding bromance I see? I can just imagine them waddling hand-in-hand.

 

[UKMikey]

Those impersonators bear only a passing resemblance to the real thing.

 

[baldgye]

Beggars can't be bollockers. They owe the US bigtime not only for unpaid NATO defense but also longstanding trade imbalances. No more free ride for the Europeans! Time to shaddup, get off your duff, pay your bills and shoulder your load.

I guess it should come as no surprise as to who liked this post.

 

[Dotini]

I guess it should come as no surprise as to who liked this post.

To be clear, I am an antiwar libertarian who DOES NOT approve of the US being a global empire telling all others what to do. On the other hand, as a realist, I must disabuse the Pollyannas who think they have a free lunch coming or that the US is isolationist.

 

[Scaff]

To be clear, I am a libertarian who DOES NOT approve of the US being a global empire telling all others what to do. On the other hand, as a realist, I must disabuse the Pollyannas who think they have a free lunch coming or that the US is isolationist.

I'm really not sure why you have this idea that the anyone has had a 'free lunch', just because its claimed doesn't make it a reality.

While complaining about a trade and tariff imbalance its seems to be utterly forgotten that the US does exactly the same thing its accusing others of doing. Take for example US car sales, the combined volume of pick-ups, SUVs and vans is massive, many of which fall under the 'light truck' category for import duty, which is 25%.

That's right the US is already protecting a large section of the US car sales market, the we could also use the example of beef imports which have not just 25%+ tariffs on them but also quota limits from numerous countries.

The US is doing exactly what its moaning about from other countries, as such the claims of one-sided, free lunch, etc. just don't hold water. Are they currently identical? Of course not, but the narrative that suggests the US is some kind of haven with zero tariffs being robbed blind by extortionate tariffs from the rest of the world just doesn't add up at all.

 

[Imari]

Really!

He looks like a petulant child being given a bollocking.

Probably a fairly accurate description of the dialogue that was going on, I imagine.

To be clear, I am an antiwar libertarian who DOES NOT approve of the US being a global empire telling all others what to do. On the other hand, as a realist, I must disabuse the Pollyannas who think they have a free lunch coming or that the US is isolationist.

What is this free lunch you speak of? Any specifics so that I can chow down?

My impression was that trade between the US and the rest of the world had been hammered out through agreements dating back over decades, to the mutual benefit of both parties. Given that Trump seems totally prepared to cut the US off from global trade if he doesn't get his way, that does seem a touch isolationist.

 

[Dotini]

 

[Scaff]

Oh look where the smallest deficit is, the EU.

Oh and you do know that doesn't mean that anyone in NATO 'owes' the US money, it also fails to mention that the 2% minimum was only introduced a few years ago and members were given until 2024 to hit that target! Why let those pesky little facts get in the way, not to mention that the data is out of date as well.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...or-nato/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.17b65770bcb2

 

[baldgye]

To be clear, I am an antiwar libertarian who DOES NOT approve of the US being a global empire telling all others what to do. On the other hand, as a realist, I must disabuse the Pollyannas who think they have a free lunch coming or that the US is isolationist.

The US isn’t isolationist.
They just elected a leader who wants to build a physical wall with one of its land neighbors and has politically attacked the other. While at the same time threatening its other major ally(s) with a trade war.

 

[Joey D]

I wonder how the trade war with allies will play out once we got to actual war? I'm guessing they won't be too keen to send troops to Iran, Syria, North Korea, or whatever other countries we deem "a threat". Although since Canada is considered a threat to national security, it wouldn't be surprising if we decided to invade them for whatever reason.

 

[Liquid]

Although since Canada is considered a threat to national security, it wouldn't be surprising if we decided to invade them for whatever reason.

You still need to get your own back for Canada burning Washington.

 

[Tornado]

I wonder how the trade war with allies will play out once we got to actual war? I'm guessing they won't be too keen to send troops to Iran, Syria, North Korea, or whatever other countries we deem "a threat". Although since Canada is considered a threat to national security, it wouldn't be surprising if we decided to invade them for whatever reason.

All along we thought Canadian Bacon was atypical for Michael Moore. It was actually prophetic.

 

[Johnnypenso]

All along we thought Canadian Bacon was atypical for Michael Moore. It was actually prophetic.

What Canadian bacon? Michael Moore has eaten it all!!

 

[Biggles]

To be clear, I am an antiwar libertarian who DOES NOT approve of the US being a global empire telling all others what to do. On the other hand, as a realist, I must disabuse the Pollyannas who think they have a free lunch coming or that the US is isolationist.

You claim to be an anti-war libertarian but what I read from you is schizophrenic posts that alternately cheer on & then bemoan Trump's aggressive nationalist rhetoric. What "anti-war libertarian" promotes the military industrial complex by suggesting that other countries follow the US lead in consistently over-spending on the military. Any true libertarian would understand that this is just a form of imbedded corporate subsidy.

 

[Dotini]

You claim to be an anti-war libertarian but what I read from you is schizophrenic posts that alternately cheer on & then bemoan Trump's aggressive nationalist rhetoric. What "anti-war libertarian" promotes the military industrial complex by suggesting that other countries follow the US lead in consistently over-spending on the military. Any true libertarian would understand that this is just a form of imbedded corporate subsidy.

That's the realist in conflict with the antiwar libertarian. I have ideals just like the rest of us, but I cannot allow myself to ignore urgent realities.

 

[Danoff]

The political reprieve in this thread made it from Tuesday to Saturday.

Trade imbalances are A GOOD THING. You ship a country worthless pieces of paper, and they ship you tangible goods and services. Ok, let's pretend for a moment that this keeps happening and before we know it every nation on earth is awash with US dollars that they're all trading internally. Guess what, that puts our fiat currency in a bunch of places that have zero democratic input into how it is managed, which puts the US in an absurd position of power. Demand for the US dollar overseas is WONDERFUL for a country that wants to inflate their way out of their debt.

Are we worried about jobs? Last I checked we just hit a 50 year low on unemployment. And what, you want US workers making sneakers so that we can pay more for them instead of getting them for US dollars that we're happy to throw overseas? Is it that we want other countries to drop their taxes on our exports? Because that just hurts them.

I'm so sick of this narrative. I think some economist must have finally gotten through to trump to explain to him why trade doesn't work the way he thinks it does (and has sold 40% of the country on).

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/09/tru...be-tariff-free-barrier-free-subsidy-free.html

Yea, no barriers, no tariffs. That's the goal. Correcting a "trade imbalance" out of some sort of misguided notion that the US is being taken advantage of is silly.

 

[Dotini]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/09/tru...be-tariff-free-barrier-free-subsidy-free.html

Yea, no barriers, no tariffs. That's the goal. Correcting a "trade imbalance" out of some sort of misguided notion that the US is being taken advantage of is silly.

To be clear, are you actually in agreement with this?

"No tariffs, no barriers, that's the way it should be — and no subsidies," the president said at a press conference.
from your source: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/09/tru...be-tariff-free-barrier-free-subsidy-free.html

 

[Danoff]

To be clear, are you actually in agreement with this?

Yes? Keep in mind that does not mean I'm in agreement with setting up new barriers to counteract someone else's barriers. Their taxes hurt them.

 

[Dotini]

Yes? Keep in mind that does not mean I'm in agreement with setting up new barriers to counteract someone else's barriers. Their taxes hurt them.

I doubt this is clear to me, but for instance how else is a way to be found that ends up with zero tariffs, barriers and subsidies? Is it a negotiation tactic maybe? What else would you expect from what is essentially a big-talking New York playboy?

 

[gnomefromnome]

In other news IHOP unveiled their IHOB endeavor...burgers

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/11/618844977/ihop-becomes-ihob-the-international-house-of-burgers