The Trump Presidency, Season 2

[Beebo Brink]

Don't know how this rather depressing piece seems to Americans

I don't agree with all the points the author puts forth, but certainly enough of them are true to make this demoralizing.

In my view, he really skims over the corrosive effects of Russian propaganda and, more importantly, the role of pervasive right-wing media empire propaganda in creating a right-wing bubble devoid of facts. Conversely, he overemphasizes the degree to which Democrats are in a bubble. I think we have a much better idea of how little power we have right now, and that's very much at the root of the unpopularity of the Democratic party; we want them to fight harder, better than they have so far. There were glimmers of that with the "weird" meme that Walz unleashed, but Newsom is the first one to go full tilt in attacking Trump effectively.

There is an objective (more or less) truth out there, but Republicans have the least awareness of it. The "both sides are in bubbles" argument he's making is somewhat disingenuous. There is an asymmetrical dynamic at work that doesn't fit into his argument, so he ignores it.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

I don't agree with all the points the author puts forth, but certainly enough of them are true to make this demoralizing.

In my view, he really skims over the corrosive effects of Russian propaganda and, more importantly, the role of pervasive right-wing media empire propaganda in creating a right-wing bubble devoid of facts. Conversely, he overemphasizes the degree to which Democrats are in a bubble. I think we have a much better idea of how little power we have right now, and that's very much at the root of the unpopularity of the Democratic party; we want them to fight harder, better than they have so far. There were glimmers of that with the "weird" meme that Walz unleashed, but Newsom is the first one to go full tilt in attacking Trump effectively.

There is an objective (more or less) truth out there, but Republicans have the least awareness of it. The "both sides are in bubbles" argument he's making is somewhat disingenuous. There is an asymmetrical dynamic at work that doesn't fit into his argument, so he ignores it.

Agreed. I think they are trying to play "both sides" as a bad rhetorical tactic. The "facts" they insist upon in the article are more in line with what democrats are saying and NO, democrats don't think we are winning, and they probably know that.

 

[Essence Lumin]

I don't agree with all the points the author puts forth, but certainly enough of them are true to make this demoralizing.

Conversely, he overemphasizes the degree to which Democrats are in a bubble. I think we have a much better idea of how little power we have right now, and that's very much at the root of the unpopularity of the Democratic party;

I agree with him that the democrats aren't doing much to fight all of this. At the national level they have the progressive wing which only 1/3 of democrats in congress are a part of. Look at Chuck Schumer, useless.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

I agree with him that the democrats aren't doing much to fight all of this. At the national level they have the progressive wing which only 1/3 of democrats in congress are a part of. Look at Chuck Schumer, useless.

I have a SLIGHTLY more favorable opinion than you of the democratic party in general, but agree Chuck Schumer is 100% useless. He seems to just want to play politics and hold on to his seat and does nothing of any value.

 

[Noodles]

There is an objective (more or less) truth out there, but Republicans have the least awareness of it. The "both sides are in bubbles" argument he's making is somewhat disingenuous. There is an asymmetrical dynamic at work that doesn't fit into his argument, so he ignores it.

There are bubble aspects to both sides, but the fucking MAGA idiot bubble is like 100x larger and is doing its best to actively kill people and the sane bubble just wants people to not be assholes to eachother.

 

[Free]

Trump is still working hard on that Peace Prize.

 

[Free]

Also, I know you all want to go around constantly burning the American flag. But Trump has (finally!) put a stop to it.

Trump’s war on free expression could plant a burning flag on the Supreme Court steps

Trump is picking a fight he knows he can’t win, writes John Bowden. Does he want to provoke protests or merely rile up his supporters against liberal judges?

www.independent.co.uk

First Amendment? Never heard of it.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Who has control over “legitimate” coercive and lethal force?

26th August 2025 How President Donald Trump is forcing perhaps the most basic question in constitutional law * There are many things which can be regarded as fundamental to constitutionalism and co…

davidallengreen.com

One-by-one Trump has trashed the other lauded fundamental elements of the United States constitution and its culture of constitutionalism: he Rule of Law, the Separation of Powers, Representative Democracy, Judicial Review, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, and so on.

And now he is getting down to the most basic of basics: who has control over legitimate coercive and lethal power - that is, power that will be upheld by the courts even when challenged?

And if it is concentrated in him, then there will be little practical difference between the United States and a gangster state: in essence, if not in form, a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Also

Trump's red state army threatens America's cities

DC is just the appetizer.

www.publicnotice.co

 

[Free]

Magnet math, how does that work?

Trump says China has to give US magnets or face 200% tariff

 

[Noodles]

Magnet math, how does that work?

Trump says China has to give US magnets or face 200% tariff

1 - Demmand China give you a ton of magnets

2 - Point the magnets at China

3 - These magnets start attracting more magnets from China

4 - Posess all of China's magnets.

 

[Casey Pelous]

1 - Demmand China give you a ton of magnets

2 - Point the magnets at China

3 - These magnets start attracting more magnets from China

4 - Posess all of China's magnets.

 

[Free]

Fake Armies of the Night: Trump Unleashes Show and Awe on Washington (archive.today)

DONALD TRUMP’S D.C. TAKEOVER IS the usual Trumpian blend of idiocy, cruelty, and bullshit. Just look at its creation myth. In the early hours of August 3, a 19-year-old was attacked by a group of D.C. teenagers near Washington D.C.’s U Street bar scene as he tried to prevent a friend’s car from being stolen. Beyond that, the details were murky and the lamentable event — I’ve been mugged in D.C., it’s not a life highlight — would have been quickly forgotten except for one thing. The beat-up kid was Edward Coristine, aka “Big Balls,” an Elon Musk hire for his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Coristine is too young to legally drink, but is old enough to wipe out a federal employee’s career with a key stroke.

A week later, Trump vowed to avenge Big Balls by launching a hostile takeover of the capitol in order to “take our capital back from violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals.” He wasn’t referring to his Cabinet.

I like the Rolling Stone's nickname for this: Trump's Potemkin police state.

 

[Free]

DOGE is still doge-ing shit up.

DOGE accused of copying entire Social Security database to insecure cloud system

Live copy of NUMIDENT "lacks any security oversight," whistleblower alleges.

arstechnica.com

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Magnet math, how does that work?

Trump says China has to give US magnets or face 200% tariff

Just make sure you don't get them wet!

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Trump's where he is because his barrage of non-binding oft-reversed empty schoolyard name calling and posturing keeps the news cycle filled enough that people can't concentrate on any one 'worst thing' (other than the mysterious likely ambiguous difficult to corroborate contents of the Epstein Files).

As JD Vance said in the campaign of 2024: "“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.”

Of course it goes the other way around as well. Also Hannah Arendt analyzed it in Nazi context earlier.

Anyways Trump always lying is something we do know it happens. It is a problem - yes. But still a manageable problem in theory. The press is considered the fourth power in many states, which is there to correct such things.

But the rpress in America failed to be that watchdog America needed. They failed to discuss the lies and more so to bring Trump's real agenda into broad daylight, and they do fail again. For many reasons.

So the rise of Trump is also possible because the press is refusing to do its job properly. And grass roots press coverage simply is not wide spread enough.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

But the rpress in America failed to be that watchdog America needed. They failed to discuss the lies and more so to bring Trump's real agenda into broad daylight, and they do fail again. For many reasons.

Billionaires seem content to compromise on principle in order to keep their profits secure, so between news media outfits being directed to softball "Sith President Donald Vader", anyone that tries generally has to be lawyered up to the gills or be buried or buying their way out of frivolous lawsuits.

It's only a matter of time before John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" gets axed as well, not that it's news, but it seems a lot closer to it than a lot of otherwise 'official' news sources.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Greenland: US tells Denmark to 'calm down' over alleged influence operation

The aim was reportedly to infiltrate Greenland's society and promote its secession from Denmark.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[detrius]

1 - Demmand China give you a ton of magnets

2 - Point the magnets at China

3 - These magnets start attracting more magnets from China

4 - Posess all of China's magnets.

Trump doesn't seem to realize that at some point, his import taxes just become prohibitive to trade.

Doesn't matter if he sets the rate to 200% or one bazillion woolongs, at some point Americans just can no longer afford buying stuff.

 

[Noodles]

Trump doesn't seem to realize that at some point, his import taxes just become prohibitive to trade.

Doesn't matter if he sets the rate to 200% or one bazillion woolongs, at some point Americans just can no longer afford buying stuff.

There are plenty of layperson analysis to be made. Maybe Trump really does not understand Tariffs, which I doubt, because I don't think he is actually pushing half this stuff.

Maybe he actually tbinks that companies can just magically stand up factories and supply chains in a week and start hiring Americans for good old fashioned 80 hours a week factory jobs (see also the immigration polcies).

More likely, Project 2025 includes plans to purposely crash the economy because these chucklefucks think they can control the fallout (they can't) and then they can just snatch it all up.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

It's partly a protection racket, I think. This thread is worth a look:

Chris Murphy (@chrismurphyct.bsky.social)

Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive. No, the tariffs are a tool to collapse our democracy. A means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief. 1/ A 🧵 to explain his plan and how we fight back.

bsky.app