I think it's worse than many think

[malaise]

I believe Groper Don the Con intends to tear down every norm associated with international relations.
He is of the view that the US is the 'imperial power' and the rest of the world are colonies by order.

Hint - China can devalue its currency without US permission but not according to this lunatic.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Con Job is just carring water for the

Right Wing Financial Empire Builders. Continuation of the Reagan Doctrine,it will be my way or we will Nuke you.

[malaise]

2. Ding ding

We have a winner

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Amazing how many folks just do not get it.

This is what happens when people stop paying attention or not looking for the truth. This did not happen in a vacuum by no means.

[malaise]

12. You're right

It's a mess

[Cary]

58. It's what happens when profoundly stupid people overwhelm us

It's a kakistocracy

[raccoon]

74. From dictionary.com:

kakistocracy

noun, plural kakistocracies.
1.
government by the worst persons; a form of government in which the worst persons are in power.

[JudyM]

77. Every time the rethugs are in charge, only worse this time around.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. Yes and, unfortunately, Nazi-elect tRump is gonna get us all killed.

[Auggie]

3. I believe he could believe that ...

but I also think big business will pressure the GOP to reign in his lunacy and remind him that keeping international relations status quo is a necessity.

[malaise]

5. I hope so

[madinmaryland]

27. I doubt it. The house is a batshit crazy as tRump, and we will need either two or three republican

votes to keep the filibuster and lacking that then two or three repubicans to defeat a bill. Not real good odds.

The only real hope we have is to turn three Repubican Senators and have them caucus with the democrats. Highly unlikely, but we have seen it before (Jim Jeffords).

[Auggie]

38. The House will listen to their 1% donors. They DO NOT want the apple cart upset.*

*Unless the upset opens up markets for them through new trading partners, more privatization or another war.

They will force Trump to act in their best interests, i.e. profiteering.

[raccoon]

75. A candle in the darkness! nt

[guillaumeb]

6. Which US Presidents did NOT believe that the US has a right, and an obligation,

to interfere everywhere in the world?

[malaise]

9. That's a decent question

but at least they tried to mask it within international relations norms. The lies associated with the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the promotion of torture started to tear down IR norms.
The bully ideology has its supporters and that should frighten everyone.

This will be a major problem for Democrats who also share that 'exceptionalism' - right and obligation to interfere.
On the other hand ReTHUGs will understand very quickly that there are folks in the world who genuinely believe in free democratic societies.

[rzemanfl]

7. I just had the thought that China can go back to feudal starvation

much more easily than we can.

[spanone]

10. K&R...

[still_one]

11. Unfortunately, I think you are right malaise

[malaise]

13. I'm hoping I'm wrong and they will stop him

[madokie]

14. He is not good for sure

america will rue the day they elected this cretin to the highest office of the land

[malaise]

15. The planet will regret

this election

[madokie]

16. No doubt about that

[DoctorMyEyes]

17. It is worse than even you think

I can't stress enough, and this comes from my own personal experience of dealing with someone with a personality disorder very similar to Trumps.

There will be no "reining in" - there will be no real "working plan". He's literally a psycopath who is easily bored, loves drama and disorder and nothing is real to him. Not you, not me, not his own kids or the craven dummies he's surrounded himself with who think they are going to "get a pony".

This is his own reality show, we are all bit players and he will act impulsively, illegally and with vengeance and greed. He's an insatiable consumer who would consume everything in the world and the universe and still be consumed by a need/drive for more.

When people say "your institutions will fail you" - believe it. Because, I've seen it in action on a much smaller scale and by someone personality disordered but with much fewer assets, power and support. Our institutions are not set up to deal with someone who has no sense of or respect for norm, rules, or laws. At all. Too much of our society depends on the subject having a conscience - a sense of shame, embarrassment, knowing right from wrong. Trump's behavior is not answerable to empathy or conscience. He doesn't care if you catch him in lies, he'll either deny it or tell another lie. And the more exhausting it all is for you the more energizing it becomes for him.

I swear, this is not hyperbole. He will never, until the day he dies be anything other than the selfish thin skinned greedy bully that he's always been.

[malaise]

18. The harsh reality is that you may well be

correct.

[DoctorMyEyes]

19. I wish I were wrong

but sadly I know that I'm not. And there's not enough SNL sketches between now and Jan to force him to flame out too spectacularly before he's sworn in.

[2naSalit]

35. The Doctor

speaks the truth... there's no "may be" there. I, too, know this from first hand experience.

[malaise]

54. Yes - I agree

Scary

[DoctorMyEyes]

64. I feel for you

Sorry to hear that you have first hand experience too. I think it feels especially awful and foreboding to those of us who have some idea how this plays out.

[2naSalit]

69. Well, I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me

but I do know there are a massive population of people out there who have no clue as to what lies ahead and how they will suffer for it.

[smirkymonkey]

36. +1000

Terrifying, but true.

[world wide wally]

41. The worst part about it is that he is not acting alone

He has the entire GOP and about 45% of the country not only cheering on his lunacy but kissing his ugly ass too.

[Dave Starsky]

53. Well said. Depressingly true.

There is no soft-pedaling this. He is already the world's worst nightmare, and he hasn't even formally taken office yet.

[dixiegrrrrl]

57. You are correct in your description.

Problem is it takes people quite some time to realize what they are seeing and experiencing.

[WiffenPoof]

72. Well Stated

I think you have outlined a reasonable assessment of what we are facing.

[davidn3600]

20. He was elected with that mentality and it is one that is sweeping across the western world

It's anti-globalism and anti-establishment. The goal among the supporters of this movement is to tear down the current global order because they no longer feel that order is working in their favor any longer. They want to destroy international bodies and restore total national sovereignty. The mentality isn't only here, but spreading throughout Europe as well. The people behind these movements like Brexit now have the goal to radically change the world order and tear down global institutions. In Europe, their ultimate goal is to tear down the European Union. Marine Le Pen even said this recently. They want the EU to crash.

That phone call to Taiwan Trump made...that wasn't incompetence like many in the media were saying. That was planned. Apparently it was planned months ago. Trump is going to upset the world order. That's his goal. And his supporters will cheer him on.

It's why Putin also loves what's happening. Because in Putin's view, the current global order is one in which Russia cannot survive. So he's going to fall in love with any world leader who is open-minded enough to changing the way the world works. That's why some in the Kremlin are viewing Trump as a savior.

[RKP5637]

22. Exactly the stuff world wars are made of. I have no doubt we will see some type of WW III under

Trump.

[deaniac21]

78. What are the different types of world war?

[lunatica]

24. What is the end goal?

I understand what you're saying and agree with much of it, if not all of it. This has been coming since Bush was selected. They've syste4matically dismantled as much as they can on the one hand while obfuscating and lying about it, or even claiming they're doing the opposite. Remember PNAC and the goal being that the US will be the only Superpower in existence which will make us an Empire? Well this has been happening.

But if they destroy everything that holds this present world together (for good or for bad), then what do they get out of it? they're no all insane like Trump, nor do they want Trump to be their King.

[DoctorMyEyes]

33. They're playing with fire

They still have their own agendas and PNAC type goals and they think Trump is the vehicle that's finally going to get them there. But, he's not. Not only are their policies horrific and misguided but so is their judgement of their ability to manage Trump. Everybody gets turned on and backstabbed eventually. More than once if he can. He's going to dunk Cruz and Romney up and down like a tea bag full of humiliation for as long as they'll allow him. They may not want Trump to be their king - but he already is, and they're in denial if they are telling themselves differently.

When talking about personality disordered people they alway seem to have a collection of minion/flying monkeys/ramora. I can't claim to understand their pathology except that from what I've seen with our own personal Trump - first they think they're going to get something advantageous to them from the relationship - whether it's emotional or financial. Then they get sucked in and have to bend their morals, then they get in too deep and can't see a way out. In between there's humiliation/reward/gaslighting/punishment and it's on a rinse/repeat cycle. And if they do "break away" don't trust it for a good long while afterward.

[malaise]

25. Then explain the Austrian election yesterday

They expected the anti-immigrant winger to win and an environmentalist - an independent won.

[lonestarnot]

30. Stranger than fiction!

[yeoman6987]

42. Italy was what mattered and it wasn't good

Austria's prime minister is a figurehead with zero power. We'll have to see how France and then Germany goes. That will tell a lot.

[Kingofalldems]

63. Who said it was Italy that mattered? Looks like just you.

[Kingofalldems]

66. SO IF HE HAS NO POWER, WHY DID HE HAVE TO RESIGN?

[davidn3600]

44. But look what happened in Italy

Renzi is stepping down.

There is one thing you can be sure about....there is an enormous amount of distrust at the heart of all of this. These western leaders have done a horrible, HORRIBLE job at keeping the trust of the people. And it is now biting almost every one of them in the ass.

[malaise]

48. The Italian President has frozen Renzi's resignation

Last edited Tue Dec 6, 2016, 06:32 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/05/matteo-renzis-resignation-frozen-by-italys-president


That said Renzi is the IMF's man - he has no interest in the Italian masses. The neo-liberals have messed up this planet.
Remember nothing is at it seems - forget the established narrative and look around at what is really going on.

[Kingofalldems]

65. So what if the phone call was planned, it's still incompetent.

Read like something from Trump.

[RKP5637]

21. Yep! He's Hitler reincarnated. None should kid themselves. He wants to President of the World.

And when his full (fool) power ripples throughout the government, he will be dangerous as hell and will feel empowered to do anything. And what is worse, he has a nation of deplorables on his side. The US is in such deep shit, I think many still have not come to grips with it.

[FarCenter]

23. Being opposed by every other nation is the logical result of our sole superpower status since Bush I

[malaise]

26. I think the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the violation of international norms including

torture shattered beliefs about America's moral standing. Drones didn't help either

[FarCenter]

43. No reasonable politician anywhere had any illusions about America's moral standing

[malaise]

45. You think 'the politician matters

to those presenting and reinforcing the illusion? Seriously - do you?

[FarCenter]

50. "Politician" in the sense of the leadership of other countries

In most of the world, the peasants don't matter or their views are conditioned by the leadership. So international relations are largely a matter of relationships between our politicians and other nations' politicians.

And what is this era of high American moral standing which you are imagining?

The US essentially pursued the English program of conquest, colonization, displacement, and enslavement, followed by some imperial wars with Mexico and Spain, followed by being arms merchant to the winning side in two world wars, followed by economic and financial imperialism backed by overwhelming military superiority. The actual behavior of the US was never of a high moral character, despite our propaganda.

[malaise]

52. THey know but they too present a similar illusion

to their own people - people across the globe know they're being exploited and robbed by the elites via all the institutions.

[raccoon]

76. Well said! nt

[Vinca]

28. Don the Con and his band of whackjobs are going to be big trouble.

You know that manmade island in the South China Sea? I bet he has it bombed. We're going to be in the worst crisis since the Kennedy standoff with Cuba. Invest in bomb shelters I guess.

[malaise]

29. He'll probably seize it and build

a casino

[Vinca]

31. That's a thought. It wouldn't surprise me.

[suffragette]

32. Well, the new Secretary of Education is Erik Prince's sister. I bet Trump will 'trump' up

A conflict/war and throw some money to whatever name Blackwater is using these days. All while he decimates public institutions here and funnels the money to himself and his cronies.

[malaise]

46. Isn't that something?

Good effin' grief!

[suffragette]

55. This is a man who knows no shame. Conflict and chaos are positives to him.

It's bad and getting worse with each new announcement.

[byronius]

34. And somehow the consequences will all be Obama's fault.

[IronLionZion]

37. He's not used to people saying no to him

he's going to be very frustrated. Unfortunately with General Flynn in charge of Defense he might actually give some dangerous orders with no one in power to stop him. Is he going to go to war with someone?

Most likely we will have trade wars and tariffs. Some of his supporters want that and see it as a positive thing. Until they need something that isn't available anywhere else since China makes everything.

[malaise]

49. You know how much the US owes China

Bet this is more about stealing that money

[IronLionZion]

68. Who would be screwed more?

I'm not sure what would happen in an economic confrontation like that. Defaulting on our debt might be worse for us than them. And Trump is crazy enough to do it.

[gordianot]

39. Tweeting a threat to China in December 2016 comes close to August 1914.

The United States is not the only source of crazy people. My son and I are now stockpiling supplies for a survival retreat to the farm on short notice. This is not going to end well.

[DoctorMyEyes]

62. It's good to have a plan

imho everyone should have a "go bag" and at least a rough contingency plan. And I'm saying that as someone who has no paranoid or prepper background. This is a situation that's going to be completely out of most peoples experiences or ability to comprehend till it's either too late or nearly too late.

To my thinking the "best case scenario" right now is that something happens to prevent him from being sworn in. Even if we had to put up with some rioting or even another civil war it would be better than depleting all our resources and destroying the whole world. But, I get that others who haven't engaged with Personality Disordered person in authority might feel differently at this point in time.

[Generator]

40. I think that too!

Putin is his model and best friend. That's why I actually want anyONE else in there. I think he will destroy this country and this world.

[Cryptoad]

47. End Times,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[malaise]

51. Those words aren't in an atheist's word processor

They will stop him. Where is our Smedley Butler?

[Cryptoad]

56. the Smedley's dont even make it out OCS nowadays

[barbtries]

59. i always knew it was catastrophic.

but i have run into a lot of people who think it's just another day at the office. i guess they have more faith in the republic than i do right now.

[malaise]

60. We'll see sis

we'll see

[Paladin]

61. I agree with you.

Last night I talked to an old friend of mine who is gay, and I offered him sanctuary if the persecution got too severe. In my most awful nightmares, I never imagined having to take steps like that in this country. If it takes a civil war to make things right, I'm ready to take part in it.

[hunter]

67. China can cut the U.S. off at the knees if it wants to.

We need them more than they need us.

Imagine empty WalMarts, no replacement cell phones and other electronic toys, serious shortages of car parts, and lots of worthless financial instruments... problems familiar to other American nations, aside from Canada. At least we make toilet paper here, right? Right???

China and India have grown up. Each have a billion potential "consumers." And nukes.

Unfortunately the U.S. might go entirely bat shit crazy and isolationist at that point, which will be a very good time to leave this place, before Canada and Mexico start putting up walls and placing undocumented U.S. American immigrants in camps.

In the meantime, that sucking sound you hear is big money abandoning Trump states. Racism, misogyny, trickle down economics, homophobia, cannabis prohibitions, rotten schools, and other idiocies are bad for business.

More likely some real billionaire or entrenched national security person will punch Trump in the face and we'll get to spend four years speculating about the real power behind the throne. It won't be Pence or any of the knuckleheads Trump calls experts. It's not Trump's nature to surround himself with people who are smarter than he is.

[malaise]

71. I think you're right re China and India

I hope you're right re big money leaving Groper Don the Con states - North Carolina might be the model for that.

[LisiFFXV]

70. There will be war

Count on it.

[Crunchy Frog]

73. I'm guessing that Russia and China will step into the power vacuum.

Hopefully, Putin can "handle" him well enough to keep him from launching WWIII. There's no real way to contain a renegade nuclear superpower, unfortunately.

[J_William_Ryan]

79. "I think it's worse than many think"

No, most everyone knows it's pretty bad.