In terms of foreign policy the Biden administration has been a disaster.

Ukraine was their project, and it has been a hopeless mess. From cynically pushing Russia (probably in the belief that Putin was bluffing), to a strategy of wishful thinking that not only failed to hurt Russia but in fact spectatularly backfired, and continuing by burning all bridges by boycotting diplomacy, only to then make a 180 and subsequently failing to push Zelensky into negotiations.

The fact that many states refused to side with the West basically lost the United States the Persian Gulf, where, to add insult to injury, China brokered a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi-Arabia, and now there's Israel where again the Biden administration doesn't seem to realize it is playing a losing hand and goes with the true and tried "When in doubt, express unconditional support for Israel" strategy.

In terms of foreign relations, the US lost on all fronts under Biden. It's been one tragic clownshow.


The proof is in the pudding, as they say. :lol: But I gave you the means to educate yourself, and don't pretend I didn't produce arguments.

Ukraine was their project, and it has been a hopeless mess. From cynically pushing Russia (probably in the belief that Putin was bluffing), to a strategy of wishful thinking that not only failed to hurt Russia but in fact spectatularly backfired, and continuing by burning all bridges by boycotting diplomacy, only to then make a 180 and subsequently failing to push Zelensky into negotiations. — Tzeentch

You're blaming Biden for Russia invading Ukraine and Ukraine not willing to give away some of their territory in exchange for "peace"?

In terms of foreign relations, the US lost on all fronts under Biden. It's been one tragic clownshow. — Tzeentch

What about domestic? I suspect that's what Americans care most about.

Today I was wondering if Trump supporters are the least bit worried that Trump will become a dictator. If not, I wonder why not. Trump has a history of not accepting election results when they don't go his way. He openly admires dictators of other countries. He joked about being a dictator. He suggested terminating rules or regulations found in the Constitution. He asked National Security Advisor Michael Flynn about using the military to overturn the 2020 election results. He was part of a plan to not certify the 2020 election results, and return the electors to the swing states or make use of fake electors from those swing states. These are all huge red flags indicating dictatorial ambitions. I just don't see how a Trump supporter can be unaware of all of this -- or, if aware, then unconcerned.

You're blaming Biden for Russia invading Ukraine and Ukraine not willing to give away some of their territory in exchange for "peace"? — Michael

I view US as being principally responsible, and Biden has been on that portfolio since the start of the conflict. Nuland, Blinken and Sullivan have all been involved in various capacities and advisory roles to Biden, Nuland of course being especially notorious.

So in short, yes. I view Biden and gang as bearing principal responsibility for the outbreak of the conflict. Russia bears responsibility for its own decisions.

Since the outbreak the administration has consistently doubled down on stupid, mostly predicated on the erroneous idea that developed during 2022 that Ukraine was winning the war.

What about domestic? I suspect that's what Americans care most about. — Michael

I'm a European. I don't know enough about American domestic politics to judge how well he's doing there.

These are all huge red flags indicating dictatorial ambitions. I just don't see how a Trump supporter can be unaware of all of this -- or, if aware, then unconcerned. — GRWelsh

While it cannot be proved with 100% certainty, all indications are that they (Trump supporters) approve of Trump's authoritarianism.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/23/trump-america-authoritarianism-420681

https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_AuthPanel_011921/

One possibility is that many Trump supporters -- like Trump himself -- don't really care about democracy. They may pay lip service to it at times, but in reality they don't like it or don't understand it. They may see it as sharing power with people whom they see as evil. From their point of view they think "why should the good guys share power half of the time with the forces of evil?" If you pay attention the rhetoric being used in conservative media, this is what it is being done. They define liberals and Democrats as an evil, an existential threat to "our way of life" and "the America we grew up with." They describe Democrats as communists, Satanists, and the worst labels they can think of to arouse fear, hate and disgust in the conservative base. Any Republicans who try to work across the aisle get cast out as apostate RINOs. The unspoken conclusion is: "It would be better if we permanently took power away from these people. Why share power with evil? Wouldn't it be better for good to permanently remain in power?"

None of those are dictatorial, authoritarian, or anything of the type. In each case it’s a weird leap from one premise to the other. Unfortunately they resemble better the fever dreams of his enemies.

Submission to political power and the party is the domain of the establishment. The activities of the uniparty, from trying to frame the president for treason to the current persecution, is the reactionary force at work here. That’s your version of democracy and nobody really wants it.

I'm a Pennsylvania resident who voted for Biden. My vote is one of the votes that Trump wanted to invalidate with the "Green Bay Sweep" plot pressuring Mike Pence to return the real electors to the Republican held state legislatures of swing states to replace them with the fake electors. You might feel differently if your vote was among those targeted by this scam. It's not a "fever dream" since it really was attempted.

Maybe you don't even know what happened.

It’s a good thing contesting an election is part and parcel of democracy. At least they didn’t furiously change election laws in the lead up to the election underneath the noses of voters.

It’s a good thing contesting an election is part and parcel of democracy. — NOS4A2

There are legal and illegal ways to contest an election. Trump's way was illegal.

Today I was wondering if Trump supporters are the least bit worried that Trump will become a dictator. — GRWelsh

Since Trump was elected Plato's warning about how democracies degenerate into tyrannies through demagogues has frequently pointed to. The demagogue poses as a champion of the people. Because they feel powerless and unable to make things better for themselves they turn to someone who promises to do it for them. They are willing to cede power in order to get the results they hope for, but rather than seeing this as ceding power they believe they are gaining power.

Some retain faith in a system of checks and balances. They trust that there are limits on what Trump will be able to do in a second term. Some have faith in God and believe Trump is doing God's work. For them theocracy is preferable to democracy. Some have lost all faith in the system and see the only solution to be to destroy it. In an odd reversal of 60's liberalism the state, now controlled by those same liberals, is still the enemy. The major difference is that the Trumpsters have a powerful propaganda machine and have convinced a large segment of the population that the "mainstream media" cannot be trusted or believed. It is the enemy. Believe instead whatever we tell you, for we alone can be trusted. Dictators operate under state sponsored media. Something that up until now we have not had. Why should Trump supporters be worried when they are told repeatedly, day after day, that the "Dems" are destroying our country but Trump will save us?

[There are legal and illegal ways to contest an election. Trump's way was illegal.

What did he do that was illegal?

What did he do that was illegal? — NOS4A2

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/trump-jan-6-indictment-2020-election/1f1c76972b25c802/full.pdf

18 U.S.C. 371
(Conspiracy to Defraud the United States)

18 U.S.C. 1512 (k)
(Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding)

18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(c) (2), 2
(Obstruction of and Attempt to Obstruct an Official Proceeding)

18 U.S.C. 241
(Conspiracy Against Rights)

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/georgia-indictment-trump/daed97d37562a76f/full.pdf

VIOLATION OF THE GEORGIA RICO (RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS) ACT
O.C.G.A. 16-14-4(c)

SOLICITATION OF VIOLATION OF OATH BY PUBLIC OFFICER
O.C.G.A. 16-4-7& 16-10-1

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC OFFICER
O.C.G.A. 16-4-8& 16-10-23

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FORGERY IN THE FIRST DEGREE
O.C.G.A. 16-4-8 & 16-9-1(b)

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FALSE STATEMENTS AND WRITINGS
O.C.G.A.§§ 16-4-8& 16-10-20

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FILING FALSE DOCUMENTS
O.C.G.A. 16-4-8& 16-10-20.1(b)

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FORGERY IN THE FIRST DEGREE
O.C.G.A. §§ 16-4-8 & 16-9-1(b)

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FALSE STATEMENTS AND WRITINGS
O.C.G.A. §§ 16-4-8& 16-10-20

FILING FALSE DOCUMENTS
O.C.G.A. 16-10-20.1 b

SOLICITATION OF VIOLATION OF OATH BY PUBLIC OFFICER
O.C.G.A. 16-4-7 & 16-10-1

FALSE STATEMENTS AND WRITINGS
O.C.G.A. 16-10-20

SOLICITATION OF VIOLATION OF OATH BY PUBLIC OFFICER
O.C.G.A. 16-4-7 & 16-10-1

FALSE STATEMENTS AND WRITINGS
O.C.G.A. 16-10-20

I’m aware of what he is being charged with, most of which has been brought by people who have campaigned on putting him in jail. I just want to know what he did that was illegal.

this is the part where only an unappealable court decision establishes illegality, except of course something is illegal even without it having been established in the courts. The courts merely confirm the illegality.

Hmm , you kept repeating your grievance with the US without responding to the Euromaidan comments, which was a response to a comment of yours. Stay on the Euromaidan track you initiated?

(I've only lived in the US ≈ half a year, mostly business related and in the past, if that's what you mean.)

I just want to know what he did that was illegal. — NOS4A2

It’s explained in the indictments.

That's how the US sells all the coup d'etats it organises, and there have been many, and pretty much none of them have turned out well. There's not much else left for me to say about it. I simply don't buy that argument.

It’s a good thing contesting an election is part and parcel of democracy. At least they didn’t furiously change election laws in the lead up to the election underneath the noses of voters. — NOS4A2

Changing the law is part and parcel of democracy, just as is contesting elections through legal means. What's not part and parcel is trying to overturn an election through election fraud after all legal avenues have been exhausted.

, that's too bad. There are observations evidence references documents developments whatever — specifically related to Euromaidan — not exactly all from the US (or specifically related to the US). Contrariwise (selling and) "simply buying your postulate" converges on conspiracy theory. Using it as a premise in arguments would then be misleading.

EDIT ... Hmm this ↑ works in the direction of exonerating the Kremlin in 2014 because "conspiracy" :D

those evil damn Westerners, intruding with their democracy, "progressiveness", homosexuals, and — Mar 3, 2023

those evil damn Westerners — Mar 3, 2023

For sure the people in Washington are evil, and the people in Brussels are ignorant. But my intention was never to exonerate Russia, rather to make clear that the West is just as bad as they, and that all this narrative spin is just window dressing for a cynical game that is about power and nothing else.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111648588624900975

Can't you take a screenshot? I don't want to give him the traffic and indirect advertisement income.

a blurb of how others speak about him?

Taken from this.

Trump obviously gets off on posting vague statements that people can interpret in myriad of ways but giving him room for plausible deniability.

Like calling Letitia James “peekaboo” which is obviously a stand in for “jigaboo”.

Possible and deniable, so yes, probably just like that.

(apologies for the copy/paste)

For sure the people in Washington are evil, and the people in Brussels are ignorant. But my intention was never to exonerate Russia, rather to make clear that the West is just as bad as they, and that all this narrative spin is just window dressing for a cynical game that is about power and nothing else. — Tzeentch

Neither evil nor ignorant:

Protesters opposed what they saw as widespread government corruption and abuse of power, the influence of oligarchs, police brutality, and human rights violations.^(29)(30) Repressive anti-protest laws fuelled further anger.⁽²⁹⁾ — Revolution of Dignity (Wikipedia)

More copy/paste that pertains to the comment:

(There's a bit more at Euromaidan (Wikipedia).)

Part of this stuff was about shedding the shackles of the dominant (regressing) northern neighbor, whom you'll notice have some of those same problems the Euromaidan protests were about. Protests/assembly have more or less been stomped out by the Kremlin. The Ukrainians said "No", looked elsewhere, backed by the UN (ES-11/6 and prior), and have gone through moves addressing some of those problems in negotiation with the EU. I'd have thought it difficult in wartime, but they have made some improvements. They're trying, while being bombed. The Kremlin orders the bombing, and their trying is on another path.

A covert conspiracy for Ukraine to become a modern democracy, eh? :D "The Kremlin involvement" was of a different nature. — Dec 26, 2023

There are observations evidence references documents developments whatever — specifically related to Euromaidan — not exactly all from the US (or specifically related to the US). — Dec 26, 2023

Questionable in terms of evil/ignorant:

Contrariwise (selling and) "simply buying your postulate" converges on conspiracy theory. Using it as a premise in arguments would then be misleading. — Dec 26, 2023

Prejudice overriding example to the contrary. :/