To worry about America?

[BelloItalia]

I used to love America and would holiday there every year. We have had some amazing road trips there over the years. We were due to go to New Orleans this year but I’ve cancelled, I no longer want to go.

They are completely alienating themselves from the rest of the world, talking about taking over other countries, turning on allies, suddenly best mates with Russia ….

I watched that awful woman speaking to the UK journalist this morning “we don’t give a crap about your opinion” - how rude and obnoxious. Don’t even get me started on trump - greeting Zelenskyy with “I see you’ve dressed up for the occasion” !!! I’m no fan of Starmer but could you imagine him greeting a foreign leader like that?

Imagine Rachel Reeves screaming at a journalist that we don’t give a crap about their opinion?

What is wrong with America right now and will they ever recover from this administration?

Do you still think this is the case? It seemed to be Labour spin given Starmer is no longer part of negotiations.

And the deal that he likely pushed Z not to sign the first time in a push for guarantees is looking way worse now with the new one.

@AlisonDonutI understand your frustration, just reading posts.

I didn't say it was. She gave up her passport many years ago in order to join the navy. She is now applying to get it back so that she can, if necessary, move back to the UK - due to what is happening in the US now. It's really not that difficult to follow the quote history. 🙄

Yes, that is what Trump said he wanted. Then he has started this smashing of everything. You can apply policies without crashing the previous one. I think he has bitten more than any country can chew, even the US. Or even the US allied with Russia.
It will not be easy for any of us, but in my opinion is the only way. You cannot choose an easy way out of everything. That will trap you in an ally without exit.

I know, I have seen them indeed.

No need to go Trump and smash everything. Let's do it quickly, but orderly.
I really do not thinkbwe have other options. Or that any other option will combine economic growth, security and environmental benefits comparable.

But that's exactly the problem: 'quickly but orderly' is pure wishful thinking. And I disagree that going Trump is the only way - if only because he is a billionaire in service of other billionaires and that his agenda is unlikely to promote the well-being of us plebs.

Also, if you look at what countries he is aligning himself with, you have to think twice. The people he wants to deal with are all billionaires ruling their countries like their personal fiefdoms. A lot of those countries are exporting a great number of economic migrants to Europe. Where do you think people are represented the best? In medieval kingdoms with gagged and unequally educated masses or in Western Europe with overall prosperous populations (yes, there are issues with CoL but on average we are still way ahead of most places in the Global South)? Trump and his oligarchs hate Europe because its countries have rules that hinder unbridled exploitation by corporations and corrupt rulers. It's a tragedy for the developed world that the world's top economy has fallen to the dark side. For me the dark side is ruling for and by the 0.0000001%

Here's your true DEI hire

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/pete-hegseth-brother-job-wife-b2723750.html

You know that you're citing unverified (and arguably unbelievable) spin that's potentially bullshit, right?

This version was put out by White House spokespeople after the French research minister alerted the media. The reason it's unbelievable is that in cases where someone is caught entering a country with classified information stolen from the country they are entering, they are not turned around and returned to their home country. They are detained, investigated and charged or cleared and released.

Unauthorised retention of classified material from a foreign country is a very serious offence. They do not just send you home on a return flight. I look forward to seeing the administration presenting their evidence.

To people like this, to be white and male is to be inherently qualified. Anybody not those two things is only ever qualified for the most menial of labour.

Excellent. That'll be a vacancy for a lavatory cleaner freed up, Just the expertise thats needed in USA defence given the amount of ordure Bigly is bringing in.

I do not think you read my post properly.
I am saying I do not agree with Trump's way. He is smashing the previous system.
I am pro returning of manufacturing to UK and the other European countries, in an orderly way. Without delay, but no need to enter any trade wars or be the opposite of diplomatic. Neither do I want UK to start threatening the sovereignity of any other country.
What can be wrong with making our own clothes here? Our own steel? Own computers? Own whatever our resources allows to. And buy materials that we do not have here, but manufacture the final product here. Invest in our own research, own design, own make.
That will give us growth, keep people employed, keep our pounds in the house and makes safer and more resilient, as we will be more independant.

Yes, we will have to adapt.
Better adapt now that live in a world that is a continuation of the current shitshow.

Freedom and independance cannot be bought with any commodities.

Ok, yes, I can see I misread your post regarding 'going Trump'. However my point about how painful the transition from globalised to localised industry still stands: I don't think any government is willing to make that choice because of the fairly disastrous short term economic implications.

If anything, it looks like Starmer is selling us out to the US with a botched trade deal which will a) do nothing to help our economy (will we even be spared tariffs?) and b) make it harder if not impossible to get closer to the EU again.

I have NO IDEA why this stupid government is pursuing a TORY wet dream? Anyone knows why they're so wedded to Brexshit and hell bent on selling out to a fascist regime?

@MushMonster hoping to re establish manufacturing here in UK isn't possible, there is no way it makes economic sense. Why do you think the remainder of our industries are 1. Foreign owned and 2. Being shut down here with jobs exported overseas. Because owners can get labour cheaper elsewhere and if they could get it free they would. Similar applies to USA. Look at Detroit, for example. Abandoned by investors with those who can't leave scrabbling in the ashes for a living. Betrayed by grabby incompetent politicians in both countries, the working class needs to redefine itself or it will be an eventual return to serfdom. A different solution needs to be found and Bigly hasn't got it.

@MushMonster hoping to re establish manufacturing here in UK isn't possible, there is no way it makes economic sense. Why do you think the remainder of our industries are 1. Foreign owned and 2. Being shut down here with jobs exported overseas. Because owners can get labour cheaper elsewhere and if they could get it free they would. Similar applies to USA. Look at Detroit, for example. Abandoned by investors with those who can't leave scrabbling in the ashes for a living. Betrayed by grabby incompetent politicians in both countries, the working class needs to redefine itself or it will be an eventual return to serfdom. A different solution needs to be found and Bigly hasn't got one.

? Don't know how that happened. Apologies.

Yes I do worry. My husband is American and my children are dual citizens. We live in the UK but had plans to move back there when the kids are older. What I will say is though, please don’t dump the leadership and all American citizens in the same basket. Many Americans are not happy and don’t agree with political stances, just like I don’t always agree with politics here in the UK where I’m from.

There's a fascinating book about manufacturing and global supply chains by the NYT reporter Peter Goodman called How the World Ran Out of Everything. There's a case study that runs through it about a young entrepreneur trying to get a novelty toy manufactured in the US who finds out it's essentially impossible to get it made anywhere other than China. The manufacturing infrastructure is gone in the US.

I don't disagree that a more diversified economy that includes a manufacturing base is a good idea, but you don't get there fast or by smashing everything. You get there through thoughtful, structured growth, which is expensive and slow and against the interests of shareholders and CEOs and consumers. It will never happen.

'Anyone knows why they're so wedded to Brexshit'

• because Reform are at 24% plus in the polls
• because Johnson won an unexpected actual majority government really almost entirely on his Brexit credentials (plus Corbyn being passionately wanted only by a minority of voters)
• if you talk to a lot of voters you will find again that there is zero bulk appetite to go back into the EU and that's been consistent despite every attempt of people like me (Labour/Lib Dem, graduate bleeding heart) to say otherwise

I'm very Remain and still think it was a dumb vote but it doesn't help to ignore reality.

This government should try. They have definitely not tried to make a case for it even though it's really needed now. That's their job as government. Not pleasing the crowds - that's the job of demagogues like Farage. A government has to govern and make the tough decisions and be transparent about them and about why. It's not at all what's happening. They're burying their heads in the sand and not being honest with the voters.

If Brexit means aligning ourselves with the authoritarian oligarchs then we are really screwed.
Not only will this mean accelerated deregulation and therefore loss of worker rights and standard of living (already happening) but it will be especially bad if we become little more than a US protectorate. Talk about sovereignty ha! We'll be actual vassals this time. Frankly, it'll be probably better living in the actual US than sticking around here. I don't want that to happen to the UK but our government is showing unforgivable signs of weakness. As for Farage, he's the literal 5th column... Let the Tories detox and grow a spine. Same for the Libdems. I mean, they're all abysmal.

I approve of what they are doing. They are showing the obvious, practically - that for the future of the UK we need to be closely aligned with the EU and perhaps most importantly that we can be trusted. It's a long term view. In even 10 years things might look very different- not just for us either.

Making sure that we retain domestic arms manufacturing (including steel production and other parts of the supply chain) is of strategic importance though.