American Politics

[Spidy]

A majority of Europeans believe America's political system is broken, that China will be the world's leading power within a decade, and that Joe Biden will be unable to halt his country's decline on the world stage, according to a report.

While many welcomed Biden's victory in November's US election, more Europeans than not feel that after four years of Donald Trump the US cannot be trusted, according to the study by the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"Europeans like Biden, but they don't think America will come back as a global leader," said the thinktank's director, Mark Leonard. "When George W Bush was president, they were divided about how America should use its power. With Biden entering the White House, they are divided about whether America has power at all."

The survey of 15,000 people in 11 European countries, conducted at the end of last year, found that the shift in European sentiment towards the US in the wake of the Trump presidency had led to a corresponding unwillingness to support Washington in potential international disputes.

At least half of respondents in all 11 countries surveyed felt, for example, that their government should remain neutral in any conflict between the US and China, while no more than 40% in any country said they would back Washington against Russia.

"It's clear that the tumultuous Trump presidency has left an indelible imprint on Europe's attitude towards the US," said Ivan Krastev, chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, an NGO in Sofia, and an ECFR board member. "The majority of Europeans are now sceptical about the capacity of the US to shape the world. It makes many, rightly or wrongly, want to opt for a more independent role for the EU in the world."

In their report, Leonard and Krastev note that while more than 60% of those polled believed the US was "broken", most evaluated the EU and their own countries' systems much more positively an opportunity, they argue, to harness the collective power of the bloc for the benefit and protection of its citizens.

The survey found that 51% of those polled did not agree with the statement that under Biden the US was likely to resolve its internal divisions and seek to address international issues such as climate change, peace in the Middle East, relations with China or European security.

Amid a widespread sense of growing Chinese superiority, 79% of those polled in Spain, 72% in Portugal, 72% in Italy and 63% in France said they thought China would overtake the US as the world's leading superpower within the next decade.

Just over 32% of all respondents and a startling 53% of respondents in Germany felt that after voting for Trump, Americans could not be trusted. Only in Hungary and Poland did significantly more people disagree with that view than agree.

Just 10% of those polled saw the US as a "reliable" security partner that would always protect Europe, while at least 60% in every country polled said they doubted their country could depend on US support in the event of a crisis.

The authors say the geopolitical consequences of this shift are significant: two-thirds of those surveyed said it was now important that Europe look after its own defence, including 72% in Portugal, 71% in Sweden, 70% in France and 69% in Poland.

At least half of respondents in every country surveyed said they would prefer their government to be neutral in a conflict between the US and China. Across the 11 states surveyed, only 23% of respondents thought their country should take Washington's side against Russia, with 59% preferring to remain neutral.

Between 38% and 48% of respondents in seven countries thought the EU should adopt a tougher international stance on issues such as trade, taxation and regulation, while most countries considered Germany was now a more important country to "have a good relationship" with than the US.

The poll also revealed that in nine of the 11 countries Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden where the same question was asked in previous years, the average share of people saying the EU's political system worked very or fairly well had risen from 46% to 48%.

It found that people who believed their own national political system was working, which was more often the case in northern than in southern Europe, were more likely to say the EU was a success.

The report identified four "tribes" that went a long way to grouping respondents' positions, depending on whether they felt the EU, US or China were rising or declining. The biggest tribe, "In Europe we trust", comprised 35% of respondents, while only 9% belonged to "In America we trust".

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...de/ar-BB1cSkOB

China, who owns an estimated $1. 1 trillion in USA Treasuries.

Inevitable! I'm just waiting for China to snap it's fingers!

[Spidy]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...d-worst-presi/

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/202...nt-Of-All-Time

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/20/polit...sis/index.html

"Agent Orange", worst president in history. Even the, Republican Ex-Govenor "The Terminator", Arnold Schwarzenegger: Trump 'will go down in history as the worst president ever'. Well at least he got that right.

But according to "The Terminator", "Agent Orange", WON'T BE BACK. Kkkkkkkkkk!

[Canada]

In Bidens first 10 days signed 28 executive orders when previous presidents did 3-7. Trump did 7 and CNN went ballistic with his abuse of power. Biden effectively in 10 days killed hundreds of thousands of jobs in the oil industry, pipelines and manufacturing. Biden response yesterday was: These hundreds of thousands of people will have better jobs in the future so just suffer and starve to death until the future. Biden does not realize we are living today and not in the future. Today he is bragging that he rejoined the Paris Peace Accord which strengthens China. In the Paris accord USA has to cut their emissions by about 3% per year which they pretty much have been doing in the past 5 years. Total world emissions for USA is currently about 13%. China currently is at 26%. USA has to cut by 3% per year. China and India do not have to cut. In fact they can increase as much as they want until 2030. So if USA cuts their emissions by 50% by 2030 (Biden wants 70%) USA will produce 7% of the world emissions. China will increase to about 40% and India will increase another 10%. So by 2030 the world emissions will be about 120% of what they are today. USA will have hurt the energy business, steel business, car manufactures and almost 50% of the industries to accomplish nothing. Since India and China do not have to start cutting until 2030 they may actually double or triple their emissions by 2030 so they can start cutting by 3% in 2031.

I agree their is a place for green energy in the future by why do we want to ruin the lives of millions of USA citizens.

[ScatManDoo]

You are kidding right? You can't fix stupid.

That's why TrunpShip was mocked so much by educated journalists.

[Canada]

I didn't realize that oil transport was such a safety concern. Or that we were so dependent on refining oil from Canada.

Green jobs eh? Would be a shame if a company known to be an industry disruptor with a tweet friendly, maverick CEO develops more innovative and disruptive ways to harvest and store energy to cars, homes, rockets to Mars.

Yes some refineries in USA are reliant on heavy oil. If it doesn't come from Canada it will probably have to come from Venezuela or another foreign country. It is a safety concern because it will have to be shipped on rail and by truck. It is more likely to be spilled by trucks or rail than by pipeline. Also all the states the pipeline is in gets revenues from every barrel of oil transported through the pipeline so it hurts several states revenues for infrastructure and schools. Where are all the jobs now for this new green energy? Also every state is going to have to add thousands of new wind turbines that are so beautiful to look at. California will need to add over 100,000 windmills to meet the demand. They are going to look great on the beaches. Also with windmills we will lose all our birds in the USA as currently they kill thousands every week. Wait until we increase that by 20 times.

[Canada]

No I don't. I visited the US and 35 other countries including China. It is obvious that China is on a path to surpass the US. Trump could not dent that because he was too busy burning allies that would help.

As for your manufacturing growth it was pretty close to zero for the US in 2019 prior to Covid. https://tradingeconomics.com/united-...ng-production..

So the tariffs went to buy farm votes, that really helped average Joe!

Stole technology? Trade with China helped Europe gain many useful technologies, The US aerospace benefitted from German scientists, Japan and Korean manufacturing provided much of the new technology for manufacturing.

England is now coal free in power generation. In 10 years it will be gas free as well. Solar and wind are cheaper. The gains are being made subsidy free. Texas has the highest portion of wind power in the US, are actively shutting down coal plants and expanding solar with the cheapest rates.

How is it that all these great insights you have are demonstrably incorrect.

You are kidding Right? How much has electric bill decreased since we introduced this cheap wind and solar energy over the past 10 years. Every country electric bills increased dramaticaly with green power. Liberals tell you how cheap this new electricity will be while their bills skyrocket.

[Canada]

Initial COVID testing and the emergency reserve of medical supplies.

Trump kept whining (in 2020) about Obama leaving the cupboards bare (more than 3 fucking years after Obama refused to mount an insurrection).

At the time, real news correspondents mocked Trumps assertion that Obama left him with a shortage of tests despite the coronavirus not even existing when Barack Obama was President.

You are kidding right? You can't fix stupid.

[Canada]

You mean like his trade war that drove the USA Trade Deficit to record highs, breaking the previous record under G.W.Bush?

Or his $2.5+ Trillion 2017 economic "stimulus" legislation that never produced a single year of 3% GDP growth, much less the "4, 5, maybe 6%" he predicted in order to sell it to us while producing far fewer jobs in his first 3 years in office with it than in the previous three years under Obama without it?

Or maybe his historic economic policy decision in 2018 to drastically cut the budget for the CDC and stop "wasting" so much money on the pandemic prevention and response systems put in place specifically to monitor and confine epidemic virus outbreaks within their region of origin so as not to wreak economic and health havoc around the world? Oh and to offset a few measily million dollars from the Trillion$ he added to the deficit on the previously mentioned economic "stimulus" legislation?

Or how about his non existent "terrific" healthcare policy that replaced the never repealed Obamacare?

Or maybe his highly effective "Drain the Swamp" policy?

Of course, there is always that "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" policy thingy.

To name a few. But then, he only had 4 years to produce failed policies.

You can't fix stupid.

[ShooBree]

Paulie, the truth is out. It's hilarious how some libtards fell for the lies.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/01/28/p...mpression=true

[PVMonger]

You mean like his trade war that drove the USA Trade Deficit to record highs, breaking the previous record under G.W.Bush?

Or his $2.5+ Trillion 2017 economic "stimulus" legislation that never produced a single year of 3% GDP growth, much less the "4, 5, maybe 6%" he predicted in order to sell it to us while producing far fewer jobs in his first 3 years in office with it than in the previous three years under Obama without it?

Or maybe his historic economic policy decision in 2018 to drastically cut the budget for the CDC and stop "wasting" so much money on the pandemic prevention and response systems put in place specifically to monitor and confine epidemic virus outbreaks within their region of origin so as not to wreak economic and health havoc around the world? Oh and to offset a few measily million dollars from the Trillion$ he added to the deficit on the previously mentioned economic "stimulus" legislation?

Or how about his non existent "terrific" healthcare policy that replaced the never repealed Obamacare?

Or maybe his highly effective "Drain the Swamp" policy?

Of course, there is always that "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" policy thingy.

To name a few. But then, he only had 4 years to produce failed policies.

Also, the "strong economy" that was built on credit. http://www.crfb.org/blogs/deficit-ha...omy-was-strong.

[ShooBree]

As I've said before, Biden is the worst, most radical left-wing president USA has ever seen. Horrific.

https://mobile.twitter.com/HotlineJo...11017147666435

Biden would be considered too extreme to win an election in Europe.

[Travv]

"The border fencing around the Capitol is becoming permanent, and former president Trump has taken advantage of the opportunity by taking a photo op of himself crying at the border wall.

Trump took the heartfelt photos as he wept uncontrollably near the fence separating Americans from their representatives.

"Look at this horrible, racist wall! Sad! Not good!" Trump said as he wept near the fence. "No more congressmen in cages! Racism! Systemic oppression! The worst, maybe ever!

Trump then took a deep breath and began screaming at the sky: "NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Pictures from another angle quickly surfaced, however, and it was revealed that Trump was actually taking the picture in front of a green screen at his Mar-a-Lago resort. . . "

Semisatire Babylon Bee.

[Spidy]

So, the Proud Boys now judge Donald Trump "a total failure" and "extraordinarily weak. " The members of the far-right group understood at last that when the former president denounced them for doing what he incited them to do, they looked ridiculous.

How to save face? They couldn't concede that posting pictures of themselves engaged in a murderous assault on the USA Capitol was supremely stupid. No, it was that Trump was too cowardly to join them. But thinking that he would was also supremely stupid.

After winding the mob up with insane ranting about a "stolen election," Trump urged it to March to the Capitol to stop the counting of votes. "You'll never take back our country with weakness," he said. "And I'll be there with you. "

Of course, he wasn't there with them. It was some strange Neverland these Lost Boys came from. How else explain their expecting Trump to expose himself to the swarm, much less risk injury in a violent encounter?

While the boys were vandalizing, looting and threatening to hang elected officials, according to The Washington Post, Trump serenely watched the rampage on White House TVs. At a certain point, though, it dawned on the president that the unfolding horror was not in his interests. He conferred with advisers and lawyers to ensure he wouldn't take the rap for it. Thus, at 2:38 pm Eastern time, after a Capitol Police officer had already been killed, he tweeted, "Stay peaceful!" he then issued a video in which he told the herd to go home.

A day later, he condemned the blockheads for their "heinous attack" and said he was "outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem. " And to think that some of the Proud Boys actually expected a presidential pardon for their crimes.

The main objective here is not to point out the treachery of Trump. It's not even to question the right wing's willingness to believe that Trump hadn't lost. With all those conspiracy theories infesting their media and weeks of getting pounded by a charismatic speaker's liesone could envision their swallowing the nonsense that dark forces had denied victory to he whom they called "Emperor Trump."

The Proud Boys' grasp on reality was never all it could be, but still. The group had it together enough to closely follow Trump's 86 unsuccessful legal challenges to the election results. It should have been easier to note Trump's long history of covering his rear end and employing an army of lawyers to countersue those he had betrayed. But somehow, the Lost Boys thought they'd be an exception.

And so, they portrayed the double-cross as an unexpected abuse of what they imagined as their honor. They hit backor so they thought. "The Proud Boys Now Mock Trump" is how a New York Times headline characterized their criticism.

With all due respect to the headline writer, the people being mocked are the right-wing rioters facing criminal charges after being turned in by their children, ex-wives and (former) employers. Trump is back at Mar-a-Lago, smelling the sweet chlorine from his swimming pool and playing golf.

The insurrectionists now have their own lawyers. Despite the "heinous" nature of their acts, some of the legal advisers have taken the tack of portraying their clients as naive nitwits.

The lawyer representing the "QAnon Shaman" says the would-be actor regrets what he did but was duped by Trump. And he refers to his client in clownish termsas "the guy with the horns and the fur, the meditation and organic food. "

The Proud Boys are now saying in online posts that the group should drop politics and abandon both parties. They may be on to something, finally.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...on/ar-BB1d6FIs

Inevitable ending when dealing with a narcissist, such like "Agent Orange".

[EihTooms]

Please list one failed policy by Trump. I haven't heard one yet. And don't make one up from a CNN show.

You mean like his trade war that drove the USA Trade Deficit to record highs, breaking the previous record under G.W.Bush?

Or his $2.5+ Trillion 2017 economic "stimulus" legislation that never produced a single year of 3% GDP growth, much less the "4, 5, maybe 6%" he predicted in order to sell it to us while producing far fewer jobs in his first 3 years in office with it than in the previous three years under Obama without it?

Or maybe his historic economic policy decision in 2018 to drastically cut the budget for the CDC and stop "wasting" so much money on the pandemic prevention and response systems put in place specifically to monitor and confine epidemic virus outbreaks within their region of origin so as not to wreak economic and health havoc around the world? Oh and to offset a few measily million dollars from the Trillion$ he added to the deficit on the previously mentioned economic "stimulus" legislation?

Or how about his non existent "terrific" healthcare policy that replaced the never repealed Obamacare?

Or maybe his highly effective "Drain the Swamp" policy?

Of course, there is always that "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" policy thingy.

To name a few. But then, he only had 4 years to produce failed policies.

[ScatManDoo]

Please list one failed policy by Trump. I haven't heard one yet. And don't make one up from a CNN show.

Initial COVID testing and the emergency reserve of medical supplies.

Trump kept whining (in 2020) about Obama leaving the cupboards bare (more than 3 fucking years after Obama refused to mount an insurrection).

At the time, real news correspondents mocked Trumps assertion that Obama left him with a shortage of tests despite the coronavirus not even existing when Barack Obama was President.