The Reaper Should Have Gone To SpecSavers - Trump Thread #168

[Spandauer]

Surely it's time.

Trump’s Final Term Ends in: - Countdown Timer

Previous thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5551862-oh-peacemaker-peacemaker-make-me-some-peace-trump-thread-167

It's amazing how very easy it is to sit at home across an ocean and tell other people they should be solving a problem.

That FIFA sell off thing mentioned upthread is worst than initially suspected. It's a potential pay day for Trump adjacent 'investors'.

The Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors has raised concerns among Democratic politicians in the United States about the involvement of Donald Trump’s supporters or those who are part of his broader network.

For a start there is Joshua Kushner, who has been confirmed by Fifa as the lead potential investor, and is the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared. Fifa says Jared is not an investor but sources say he has been involved behind the scenes — he and Infantino have a close relationship going back more than a decade.

Then there is the man hired by Fifa as its “key commercial adviser” for the proposed sell-off: Greg Maffei, who is a one-time donor to Trump and led Liberty Media when it took over Formula 1

Maffei personally contributed $250,000 (about £190,000) to Trump’s inauguration committee in 2017, matching a contribution from Liberty Media.
Potential investors apart from Kushner also have Trump links. Apollo Global Management has been linked with investing in the new Fifa company and its chief executive is Marc Rowan, a member of Trump’s “Board of Peace” and who, with his wife, contributed $1million to Trump’s 2020 campaign.

Maffei personally contributed $250,000 (about £190,000) to Trump’s inauguration committee in 2017, matching a contribution from Liberty Media.
Potential investors apart from Kushner also have Trump links. Apollo Global Management has been linked with investing in the new Fifa company and its chief executive is Marc Rowan, a member of Trump’s “Board of Peace” and who, with his wife, contributed $1million to Trump’s 2020 campaign.

Jamie Raskin, the congressman who is the leading Democrat on the US House Judiciary Committee, has accused Fifa of “now going directly into business with the Trump family”.

He said in a statement: “Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough — now Infantino is pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

(The Times)

Sorry for the long c&p post. When I archived the article, it defaulted to the log in page. The same thing now happens with other paywalled newspapers.

In further news, we can gamble on predicting Trump's words on Polymarket.😆

In further news, we can gamble on predicting Trump's words on Polymarket.😆

Better copyright your Bingo cards pronto @RedTagAlan

This FIFA thing is rotten to the core. And it's not even the USAs game.

They already changed the rules to suit the USA. What next ? 10 minute game segments and players with padding on ? It's a slippery slope, telling ya.

Ha ha. On a group chat this morning. Uncle Xi will not be happy. He wanted fitba. Bet he regrets helping Trump win now :-)

Lovingly hand crafted they are. No automation used. And no AI (apart from the AI photos I clip).

All done the good old fashioned way, same as it was 5 years ago. In fact, I done the new word frame for the current card using CAD. Every line and point hand placed via mouse.

It amazes me really. How people treat AI as if it has always been here. But it's only been a couple of years. It de-skills people I reckon.

Now we can use AI to identify Trump's most used words...

I'm betting on f*ing being used... in two weeks.

RedTagAlan
It amazes me really. How people treat AI as if it has always been here. But it's only been a couple of years. It de-skills people I reckon.

Inaccurate garbage has been around since forever....

The Fauci kangaroo court is a disgrace.
Anyway. This is a bit obvious, but I'm afraid it's all I've got today.
Oh, and in case I haven't already said it, thank you for the new thread, @Spandauer.

Just linking back to this dilemma for the Dems.

Musk gearing up once more to spread his largesse and influence the midterms with his squillions. 😡
(Report from Axios)

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is jumping into the midterms with a huge investment to boost Republican voter turnout, Axios' Alex Isenstadt scoops.

• Musk is resuscitating his dormant super PAC, America PAC, which spent more than $260 million to help elect President Trump in 2024.

The big picture: America PAC will focus on door-knocking, digital advertising and direct mail to turn out conservative voters less inclined to cast ballots in a non-presidential election year, sources familiar with the plans tell Axios.

• Musk's representatives declined to say how much he'd spend. But given what he donated in 2024, the number is expected to be high.

Behind the scenes: Musk, the world's richest person, has been in talks with Trump's team about how he can help.

• America PAC, which has said it knocked on more than 10 million doors in 2024, will coordinate with other Republican groups.
• By focusing on voter turnout, Musk's group will allow other GOP groups to gear their efforts toward TV ads.
• Musk's effort will be led by his top political adviser, Chris Young.

Between the lines: Musk's investment will add to a huge Republican cash edge over Democrats at a time when Trump's low approval ratings have put GOP control of the House, and perhaps the Senate, in jeopardy.

• GOP super PACs and committees have a $300 million-plus advantage over their Democratic counterparts — and that doesn't include the $400 million sitting in Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC.

Thanks for that @Spandauer, very depressing.

TRIPUS said the Dems need to be bribing in the likes of Rahm Emmanuel to help with fundraising - aka the people who’ve done it successfully before (plus it might put him off running!).

At the moment the line seems to be “oh, if the Midterms don’t go well we’ll just fire the DNC team” rather than “we need to be throwing the kitchen sink at the Midterms to make sure we do win!”

Obviously “bribing” should be “bring in”

I can't help but think it is a cracker of a unified policy they need rather than fundraising.

My idea would be a US NHS. Or variation of. If they produced a fully costed detailed plan that all candidates signed up to and promoted, the networks, national and local, would be falling over themselves to talk about it. It would create a national debate. A national discussion even.

I would sell it as freedom health. Freedom to change jobs without worrying about insurance. Sell it to the employers as freedom from having to offer health plans. Sell it to kids as freedom to follow your dreams without having to join the military to get health care.

And above all, my tagline would be " No need to vote against yourself. A vote for this is a vote for you. A vote for everyone.

And if I can ramble a bit. It struck me the other day that labour are now tied with Reform in the polls. How come I wondered, And I spent a long time thinking about it.

How can so many people change from far right to left of center cos of a PM change. They went from voting against their own interests to for their own interests (Rich vote for tory of course, fair enough. But don't count here).

Is it out of personal spite I thought. Nah. I think people do want to vote for policies they think will benefit them. But they gotta be big. Really big and good, or they drift over to the next best in their mind. Blame the foreigners.

As evidence. Look at Scotland. SNP, Labour, Greens. All offer a benefit to the ordinary person. And they go SNP cos they offer the most. Tories and reform hardly get a look in.

US NHS.

Most Americans would rather die than have their taxes used to provide free healthcare at the point of service.

This clip is funny , no sympathy

https://bsky.app/profile/youranoncentral.bsky.social/post/3mrurl4q5ls2i

Here's a pool that wasn't even designed to reflect. Posted today on Brum FB page.

I'm starting to see why some people believe in the moon hoax .....

UEFA have spoken. And it is pretty much official.

Trump has wrecked the World Cup.

UEFA will boycott the WC if Trumps plans to take it over go ahead. And that is basically what it is. Trump wants to take it over, using other peoples money.

It's a bit unfair that the rest of the world can't return the favour and infect American football with loads of corruption.

Not sure how this aligns with liberty etc

https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/07/30/americans-give-all-day-school-phone-bans-a-ringing-endorsement/5281186

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/07/21/blanche-claims-trumps-irs-immunity-deal-still-in-effect-after-court-essentially-voids-it/

And this is a country with nuclear warheads... and an up-to-date AI map of the world? Cool.

US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference.
State department ‘takes full responsibility’ for erroneous, widely shared chart displayed at Aids conference in Brazil.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/30/government-map-mislabels-african-countries?CMP=ShareiOSAppOther

Tuttle/Buttle

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wisconsin-brewery-alcohol-permit-trump-free-beer-b3024444.html

And Trump is not a dictator, even slightly. Of course not.

Concacaf which includes the US, has joined UEFA in rejecting the proposal