The EU has a soy meltdown because they have to fund their own defense. It’s like an unweaned child who never learns to take care of themselves, and when finally set free to stand on their own feet, they spin around and spite their parents. They say the US is untrustworthy, when they have been living off the efforts of the American taxpayer. — NOS4A2

There's so much wrong with this it tires me just to read it. It seems, nos4, you never met a lie you didn't like, or a fact you could abide, or a truth you can endure. There is in what you write certainly neither fact nor truth, and an impressive number of lies.

,

apparently has no particular understanding of the situation/environment.

By the way, it's not the EU in particular here, but Europe.

They have national independence, are diverse, you find all kinds of haggling and bureaucracy. There's been hesitance, for example that Germany should rise again, and Hungary is...out on the side. Just watch, someone will start yelling that von der Leyen (the EU), or whoever, is going for a power grab. Whatever.

I guess Macron tried to start cutting through all that with some success. Whatever happens, the situation/environment at hand benefits Putin's Russia, and disadvantages Europe's nations, hence the attempt to...do something.

Europe's contribution to NATO is higher than the US'. By GDP %, some individual nations are lower, some higher, and it's a legitimate enough complaint that those lower should carry more weight.

And did you vote for Trump to annex Canada, Greenland and Panama? Did you vote for Trump to destroy the alliances actually that have benefited the US, created the Pax Americana, have made NATO countries to stand alongside you when Article 5 was implemented after 9/11? Did you vote for higher prices and economic recession? Because that's what you seem to get now.

Right, but it’s really important that the right people go into the right toilet cubicle, so we have to have the collapse of the post world order.

These people have really drunk the cool aid, there’s no rhyme or reason, once you’ve taken a sip. And so the oligarchs and populists can come and help themselves to whatever power they want, earn billions of $, by building an empire or corruption. Trash the modern society, throw away peace, carve up the world with authoritarian dictators.

And for what? Something about Hillary Clinton’s emails and some toilet cubicles. The more intelligent among them swallow a narrative about an overweight government, waste in aid and social security programmes, economic stagnation etc. But it amounts to the same thing, just with a slightly more coherent narrative.

Sure there are problems in our modern world, but there always will be, civilisation on a large scale is difficult with lots of compromises, acceptance of inequality, nepotism and tolerable levels of suffering. But any kind of utopia, or unrealistic improvements in these things is always a long way over the horizon and has to be carefully built over long periods of peace and stability.

Beware the snake oil salesmen at your peril.

The rearming of Europe is now long overdue. It was the Americans who prevented it, offered an alternative, saw the advantages in a deep rooted coalition supported by a powerful world power. This whole narrative that Europe is free loading, unstable etc etc is populist rhetoric, a recent phenomenon emerged from the libertarian nut jobs in the U.S. Along with the narrative that offering states freed from soviet domination a defensive alliance to prevent the return of that soviet domination, or worse. As expansionist in the same terms as the well documented soviet expansionism of the last century. Is also such a deceptive narrative, one spread from Kremlin propaganda over decades.

Now we have this libertarian nut job narrative meeting Kremlin deceptive misinformation and in the middle we find the MAGA crowd drunk on this cool aid putting a two bit conman in the White House to come and rescue us. Christ on a bike.

Are people in the US more interested in entertainment than facts/ethics?



Can't help but think about who benefits. Foreign adversaries come to mind.

This problem is intractable. You'd honestly want Trump to legislate on this? It's too thorny. — BitconnectCarlos

Of COURSE I don't want Trump to legislate on it, and his executive orders have created more problems.

Too thorny for what? Too thorny to be solved? There are difficult areas, and I expect it would take time- as did the evolution toward gays in the military and same-sex marriage. Both those "problems" are solved, notwithstanding the objections of those who are intolerant. The wholesale discrimination that Trump has ordered only appeals to the intolerant, as far as I can tell. Some aspects may be OK, but what's problematic is the process- a royal decree and bullying by Trump, with no consideration of consequences.

A judged blocked it. — BitconnectCarlos

It shouldn't have been issued in the first place, and it will be appealed.

The transgendered have historically been treated unfairly and been publicly ridiculed. It behooves us to redress this. I'm not claiming to have the answers, but I am confident the problems can be addressed. IMO, the general principles should include avoiding discrimination, making reasonable accommodations, but also avoiding hurting others. I would have no problem telling TG girls (who have had the prior physical benefit of testosterone) they weren't allowed to participate in girls sports, because this is unfair to biological girls. So they may not get everything they want, but they deserve to be listened to, and to receive sensible accommodation.

Finland and Denmark issued travel warnings to the US.

I find the Finnish the warning quite sound:

In Finland, a new advisory warns that if a traveller’s gender marker in their passport does not match the gender confirmed at birth, U.S. authorities may deny entry. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises travellers to confirm all entry conditions with the U.S. authorities in advance. The Finnish guidance also notes that Finland does not issue passports with an “X” gender designation. Dual citizens with such documents are advised to check eligibility with the U.S. before travelling.

The Danish one is similar:

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has added a new section to its U.S. visa guidance. It advises applicants that U.S. authorities only accept two gender categories on visa applications: male or female. If a traveller’s passport includes an “X” gender marker or their legal gender differs from their birth sex, the ministry recommends contacting the U.S. embassy before travelling.

But it's not only this. As the German report tells, the border officials can be mini-dictators and the victims aren't just sexual minorities:

Are people in the US more interested in entertainment than facts/ethics? — jorndoe

I think things can be changing now:

The progressive MeidasTouch Podcast has cemented its position as America’s most-streamed show, amassing nearly 125 million downloads and views in just one month—a staggering leap that more than doubles its February numbers. This surge marks a dramatic shift in the podcasting landscape, as the left-leaning platform continues to outpace The Joe Rogan Experience, which trailed with 64 million downloads. MeidasTouch first claimed the top spot earlier this year, ending Rogan’s long-standing reign

(Newsweek) MeidasTouch, a progressive media network that is highly critical of President Donald Trump, has been named YouTube's most popular news and politics channel over the past three days, just ahead of Fox News.

I would have no problem telling TG girls (who have had the prior physical benefit of testosterone) they weren't allowed to participate in girls sports, because this is unfair to biological girls. — Relativist

How do you feel about them in women's locker rooms? Or restrooms? Maybe it would matter how long they've been transitioning and what their results are? There's no easy answers. It's not Trump's fault. It's the difficulties inherent in trans life. Some people will transition for years and still not be passable.

More of the same ...

Homeland Security makes cuts to offices overseeing civil rights protections
^{— Rebecca Santana · AP · Mar 21, 2025}

, you know there are public places with only one kind of washroom, yes? Works just fine. All this crap makes the "anti-woke" appear suspicious.

What's suspicious is the national security advisor going along with Usha Vance to a dog sledge competition in Greenland. The Greenlanders aren't amused.

(The Guardian)Greenland’s prime minister has accused Washington of interfering in its political affairs with the visit of an American delegation this week to the Arctic island coveted by the US president, Donald Trump.

“It should be said clearly that our integrity and democracy must be respected without foreign interference,” Múte Egede said on Monday, adding that the planned visit by the second lady, Usha Vance, along with the national security adviser, Mike Waltz, “cannot be seen as just a private visit”.

Vance, the wife of the US vice-president, JD Vance, will travel to Greenland as Trump clings to the idea of a US annexation of the strategic, semiautonomous Danish territory.

Vance will visit Greenland on Thursday with a US delegation to tour historical sites, learn about the territory’s heritage and attend the national dogsled race, the White House said. The delegation will return to the US on 29 March.

Waltz and the energy secretary, Chris Wright, will also travel to Greenland to visit a US military base, a US official said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What's the likelyhood of Trump being so insane that he would truly annex the Panama Canal Zone AND Greenland?

Taking back to US control the Canal Zone is real possibility.

But Greenland, really?

Because when you look at a map with Canada and Greenland being a part of the US, you can understand where this delusional ideas come from. Talk about grandeur:




Are Americans here truly OK with this? This what you really want? Because Trump sure as hell wants this.

Are you OK with Brussels annexing Ukraine? Or do you prefer euphemisms like “European integration”?

I hope he’s not going to Nuuk Greenland.

We can change all the bathrooms to gender neutral. We can make locker rooms gender neutral too. We can get rid of all gendered spaces (biologically-based). We can let people change their documents so that names and sex have zero relation to reality. After all, reality is clearly decided by the individual, not nature or anything external to that individual. :roll:

I love my trans brothers and sisters, but certain challenges arise.

Can almost hear Putin speaking here ...

Vance: Denmark, which controls Greenland, is not doing its job and it's not being a good ally (— ONEST NETWORK · Mar 24, 2025 · 20s)


JD Vance warns Denmark 'not a good ally' & hints Trump could invade Greenland (— The Sun · Mar 24, 2025 · 2m:25s)


The Greenlanders should just repeat "Thanks, but no", and send them home, but they're more diplomatic than so.

The Thule base has been around since World War 2. Cooperation between Greenland/Denmark and the US. Extending the cooperation should be easy enough. Land grabbing is a whole other matter. Trump/Vance are lying (again).

, I was referring to washrooms alone; sure there are...challenges.

Are Americans here truly OK with this? — ssu

Is your main concern that countries should respect one another's sovereignty?

How do you feel about them in women's locker rooms? Or restrooms? Maybe it would matter how long they've been transitioning and what their results are? There's no easy answers. It's not Trump's fault. It's the difficulties inherent in trans life. Some people will transition for years and still not be passable. — BitconnectCarlos

There ARE easy answers: gender-neutral restrooms, single occupant restrooms. Single occupant shower/changing rooms in gyms are also feasible.

Trump is absolutely at fault. He has
-ordered the removal of TGs from the military and denyed them the ability to serve.
-blocked gender-affirming care from health-care providers
-forbade counselling in schools for students with gender identity problems.

Are you OK with Brussels annexing Ukraine? Or do you prefer euphemisms like “European integration”? — NOS4A2

Well, EU membership, just as with actually NATO membership, countries have asked themselves to join, not that they have been forced to join. Countries like Norway have even negotiated about joining EU and then have decided that the benefits aren't so good and opted not to join. If you assume that the EU would be another imperialist player, would it let tiny but oil rich Norway not to be a member? Not how the EU works.

When Ukrainians seeing how Poland and other European countries have prospered in EU when their country has stagnated, hope to join the EU is quite understandable. Friendship with Russia didn't given them prosperity.



But I guess you might have gone too far down the rabbit hole and eagerly accept bullshit lies of Putin and think that there's nothing good even in what your own country has done (before Trump) and it's just the strong against the weak. And to say anything else is just naive.

Well, as I live in the country that ought to have the happiest people in the World (which is crazy btw), I disagree. We're still the good guys here and don't hate our government. :wink:

I hope he’s not going to Nuuk Greenland. — Punshhh

Trump sending his national security advisor looks a bit sinister.

Is your main concern that countries should respect one another's sovereignty? — frank

Mainly yes. Especially when you start craving for territories from others, it's really like opening a Pandora's box or summoning the Devil. Nothing else can harm relations so easily. And I'm fully aware that many times countries do intervene in the politics of others and especially if a country collapses into Civil war, yet it's really a big step then to go to annexations. Especially when there is no desire among the people to join another country.




The absurdity of all of this is that if Trump wasn't so obsessed to annex Greenland, make it part of the US, the "neo-imperialist" option would be there, which likely would succeed as John Bolton has described. The US would simply behind closed doors push Denmark to give independence to Greenland, then make security arrangements with the new independent country and help the new country to it's feet (and thus getting a close relationship with the country). Now Greenlanders do want independence, but they also understand that there's just 50 000+ of them and they simply don't have the income to provide all the services that now Denmark is providing, starting from things like Greenland has no universities and the Greenlanders can now study higher education in Denmark.

Now what would some JD Vance (or her wife) look like going to Greenland and supporting the freedom of Greenlanders and stating that the people have the right for independence and would stand among them waving the red-white flag? VERY DIFFERENT!

And anyway, the idea that more territory gives you more prosperity is basically an outdated idea...

But that's not what Trump's America stands for. Not at all.

A couple of significant current articles:

President Donald Trump is escalating his multi-front assault on what supporters see as an elite establishment, using raw presidential power to bend the government, law, media, public health, foreign policy, education and even the arts to his will.

Trump left no doubt in last year’s campaign that he’d use executive authority to seek retribution against his political enemies. But his attempt to transform America’s politics and culture is far broader than a personal revenge trip.

He’s targeting Ivy League universities; using executive authority against top law firms; eviscerating the bureaucracy; rejecting 80 years of elite orthodoxy about American global leadership; and using tariffs to shatter the global trading system that Make America Great Again proponents regard as the self-enriching treachery of global elites. ....

His program mirrors the goals of Project 2025, the playbook for conservative presidential leadership that Trump disowned during his campaign but that now helps explain the policy decisions of his administration. “The next conservative president must possess the courage to relentlessly put the interests of the everyday American over the desires of the ruling elite,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts wrote in the foreword of the document. “Their outrage cannot be prevented; it must simply be ignored, and it can be.” — CNN

Hard to see how anything Trump does is in 'the interests of everyday Americans', when it seems obvious that he's mostly interested in serving the ruling elite that he is inserting into every rung of American governance and culture.

Mr. Trump and his advisers have ushered the country into a new era of post-truth politics, where facts are contested and fictions used to pursue policy goals. — NY Times - Trump Fuels a ‘Machinery’ of Misinformation

A presidency built on the ground of mendacity, where lies and deception are institutionalised and propagated from the highest levels of Government.

Finally, a major security breach courtesy some sloppy IT admin from the White House:

US officials reacted with shock— and in many cases, horror — to revelations in The Atlantic that top members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet sent detailed operational plans and other likely highly classified information about US military strikes on Yemen to a group thread on a messaging app to which a reporter had accidentally been added.

The Trump administration acknowledged the messages, sent over the nongovernment encrypted chat app Signal, seem to be authentic without offering any explanation for why senior officials were discussing national defense information outside of approved classified government systems. — CNN

Who remembers the faux outrage over the Hilary Private Server emails?

Don't know if this was posted already, but here goes anyway.

And to be honest with you, Canada only works as a state. — Trump · The White House · Mar 13, 2025

I’ve covered a lot of Donald Trump press conferences over the years. I’ve seen him lie, deflect, and embarrass himself in countless ways. But what I just witnessed in the Oval Office may have been the most off-the-rails, unhinged display yet.
Trump sat down with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte — a serious figure there to talk about security and alliance unity — but Trump wasn’t interested in that. No, Trump used the opportunity to fantasize about annexing Canada. He actually said, “Canada only works as a state,” and gushed about how the U.S. would look on a map if we just erased the border and took Canada as our own. This wasn’t satire. This wasn’t a joke. This was the president rambling about absorbing another sovereign nation — while the NATO secretary general sat there watching this clown show unfold.
And it didn’t stop there. Trump started pushing the idea of conquering Greenland too, saying NATO might need to get involved in helping the U.S. take it over — as if it’s a game of Risk. He literally said we "need it for international security" and tried to rope NATO into his imperial fever dream. The look on Rutte’s face said it all.
Then, Trump pivoted to his usual bigotry. Instead of talking about defense cooperation or global security, Trump bragged about how he uses transgender people as political pawns to rile up his base before elections — saying Republicans should “bring it up a week before the election” to win votes. In other words, he openly admitted he sees cruelty and manufactured culture war nonsense as a campaign strategy. Despicable.
When asked about American small businesses hurting from tariffs, Trump did what he always does: lie and bluster. “You’re going to be so much richer,” he said. Meanwhile, Medicaid is being gutted, Social Security is under threat, and Trump’s billionaire cronies are cheering as the safety net burns.
Oh, and then Trump suggested we start sending drug dealers to the Netherlands — yes, you read that right — in a bizarre attempt at humor that landed more like a diplomatic insult, especially considering the NATO secretary general used to be the prime minister of the Netherlands.
He kept rambling about how the U.S. doesn’t need anything from Canada, said the European Union is “very nasty,” claimed we can’t sell cars in Europe (not true), and then told an utterly deranged story about how he “invaded Los Angeles” to turn on the water — another lie pulled from his fantasyland. What actually happened was that he diverted water from Northern California, destroying farmland and hurting his own voters in the process.
To top it off, he said our allies shouldn’t worry about Putin, brushing off any concerns about Russian aggression with a shrug.
Let me be blunt: This is not normal. This is not politics-as-usual. This is a dangerous, unstable person with authoritarian fantasies, spewing nonsense in front of our closest allies while the world watches. — White House reporter via Ben Meiselas

Doesn't seem normal to me either, but that by itself isn't as objectionable + serious + putrid as much of what he said.

And anyway, the idea that more territory gives you more prosperity is basically an outdated idea... — ssu

I'm guessing someone told him Greenland and Canada will be prime real estate when climate change starts getting more severe. It's a little early to worry about that though.

Remember what he told in his second inaugral address:

The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation — one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons.

Territorial expansion is something very close to heart for him indeed.

Territorial expansion is something very close to heart for him indeed. — ssu

Sure. Who wouldn't want a massive ice sheet?

My personal favourite part is all these "small government" idiots partying everytime Trump guts something in a vindictive retaliation at his perceived enemies while Musk stands to win over 50 billion USD in government contracts. As if we didn't see that coming from a mile away. Fucking imbeciles.

It's exactly this: https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/15633/kingdom-come-inc-by-benkei

My personal favourite part is all these "small government" idiots partying everytime Trump guts something in a vindictive retaliation at his perceived enemies while Musk stands to win over 50 billion USD in government contracts. — Benkei

My favorite is comparing the scandals that the Republicans uphold by Congressional investigations to tarnish Democrats and then compare them to the fumblings that Republicans do.

The Signal-app use scandal is the latest hilarious issue. Comparing it to Hillary's "private server" incident. But if you mix up "JD" with "JG" and don't notice that among members you have put in an reporter and then just talk about future military operations, that's so hilariously pathetic.

-

Well, just think of it as “American integration” then. Just use your little euphemisms you use on yourself and others and apply them to the United States. you’ll start to feel better.

:D