Is America heading towards dictatorship?

[kebabking]

This is why we need a European Army. It should have got off the ground after Russia invaded Ukraine. With US behaving like it appears to be under Trump maybe it is time to get it off the ground. If US annexes Greenland we have to at least kick US military bases out of Europe.

What we need is an ETO - not an EU organ, and realistically there'd be perhaps a dozen+ states joining it. It needs to do, imv, only one real thing apart from the mutual defence promise, and that's about procurement/standardisation.

The other thing we need is a significant increase in defence budgets in the immediate term, but the truth from my point of view is if we rationalised what we actually need our militaries to do, sorted out our defence industrial strategy, and put defence/security/resilience at the heart of our societies/body politics, 2-3% GDP of those dozen+ states would be enough in the longer term. But because of the mess we're in, we'd need to crank it up to 4-5% in the short term.

The standardisation thing is why the US gets so much more for it's buck, despite their own issues with stupid inter-service gold-plating and pork barrelling - it's just burning shipping containers of cash every day in return for not much.

 

[Elpenor]

More money for guns and bombs. While people freeze in their homes

 

[kebabking]

More money for guns and bombs. While people freeze in their homes

Go to Ukraine, ask them why they are freezing in their homes - those that have them.

 

[Elpenor]

Go to Ukraine, ask them why they are freezing in their homes - those that have them.

Why not make defence spending 100% of GDP then and the European army you dream about can fight as many wars as it wishes

 

[Yossarian]

I really wish I had a better understanding of China. I'm unsure of where the line is between western propaganda and actual reality of life there, in terms of human rights etc.

Reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are a good starting point if you don't consider those groups to be Western propagandists

 

[kebabking]

Why not make defence spending 100% of GDP then and the European army you dream about can fight as many wars as it wishes

Well that's just silly - there'd be no roads to invade places with for a start.

Fuck me, just fucking moronic.

 

[chilango]

Well that's just silly - there'd be no roads to invade places with for a start.

Fuck me, just fucking moronic.

Yeah, what are the armies gonna shoot up and bomb if there's no hospitals or schools?

Amirite?!?!

 

[Nylock]

It’s plain to see what they posted, and not just one sentence chosen by you to make your own point. Considering it was posted in the midst of conversations I was having as I defended myself against abuse, it was absolutely uncalled for and unnecessary. Rude is an understatement. Prejudging people knowing nothing about them is low. I am who I am. If someone doesn’t like me or my posts, that’s not my problem. The high and mighty need to reflect lest they fall into the trap of hypocrisy. When someone is new to a forum and gets harassed by some, there is a failure of a person’s rights. I’m no better than anyone else and that goes for everyone. I wouldn’t dream of putting myself above others. It’s embarrassing.

Yes, it is plain to see what they posted. Which is why I did not selectively quote from it but rather, quoted the post in it's entirety. I highlighted the one sentence as I thought that was the bit you were taking exception to. If the quoted post was not the one which made you voice the assumption that we want experts posting here then please, by all means, direct me to the one from the board veteran who does "want experts posting" and who "said they were old and waving their fist at the sky" in the post. That way, I can at least correct my apparently wrong-headed assumption about who exactly you're referring to when building your strawman about the prevailing attitude here.

 

[tim]

I agree. I think she was responding to chilango but referring to another member or possibly, others.

Perhaps Coffeecup will confirm

I dont want them to confirm. They are boring.

 

[magneze]

Can we have a separate forum for all this meta-shit?

 

[Rompipalle]

I dont want them to confirm. They are boring.

Tough.

 

[Pickman's model]

True that.

This is pretty scary. Trump 2 is already shaping up to be looking like the worst case scenario.

Oh things will get far worse than this

 

[Derek S-H]

Jesus, that headline.

Again, this thread is not about you or your feelings; either post something useful or stick to threads with content that you can contribute to.

Excellent advice, though meaningless as it's a discussion Forum and you're not practising what you preach.

 

[PTK]

Go to Ukraine, ask them why they are freezing in their homes - those that have them.

Your reply implies that you think that this European Treaty Organisation that you propose should fight the Russian military in Ukraine. If you are not advocating this, then establishing an ETO will not make any difference to the people of Ukraine.

 

[lazythursday]

Again, this thread is not about you or your feelings; either post something useful or stick to threads with content that you can contribute to.

Excellent advice, though meaningless as it's a discussion Forum and you're not practising what you preach.

I have some sympathy for you as I remember when I first joined these boards (I'm a relative newcomer compared to many) I found some of the regulars difficult to engage with and intimidating.

But you've now made ten posts on this thread and as far as I can see only one of them is at all on-topic which is pretty rude to the rest of us who aren't involved in this ongoing spat across threads.

 

[Derek S-H]

I have some sympathy for you as I remember when I first joined these boards (I'm a relative newcomer compared to many) I found some of the regulars difficult to engage with and intimidating.

But you've now made ten posts on this thread and as far as I can see only one of them is at all on-topic which is pretty rude to the rest of us who aren't involved in this ongoing spat across threads.

Wow, you counted my posts! Who are you?

All my posts are on-topic: the Thread asks if America is heading towards a dictatorship and I said the direction of travel seemed pretty clear.

There is no spat on my part; I basically don't give a toss about insecure posters desperately trying to protect their little empire from "attack." Which, presciently, is exactly what Trump and the MAGA lunatics do.

Perhaps if a bit more courtesy was shown it would be reciprocated?

 

[Derek S-H]

it makes perfect sense as it is. but there's a typo in there, the us should obviously be is.

from your post you haven't read the forum terms and rules, or you wouldn't be pissing about with usernames in contravention of them.

Nice link!

Can I also draw your attention to these:

1. Behaviour. We're happy to host lively and robust debate but racists, bullies, sexist oafs, bigots and general all-round irritating arses are not welcome on these boards. Over the top swearing, endless personal attacks and needlessly disruptive conduct is not permitted and posters who continue such behaviour after being asked to stop will be banned. Threads that descend into personal insult-a-thons will be binned.
2. Even more briefly: Don't act like a dick and we'll all get along fine.

I think we can all get along if there's enough will to do so.

 

[lazythursday]

Wow, you counted my posts! Who are you?

All my posts are on-topic: the Thread asks if America is heading towards a dictatorship and I said the direction of travel seemed pretty clear.

There is no spat on my part; I basically don't give a toss about insecure posters desperately trying to protect their little empire from "attack." Which, presciently, is exactly what Trump and the MAGA lunatics do.

Perhaps if a bit more courtesy was shown it would be reciprocated?

You can bring up a list of a users posts on a thread extremely easily in the search function. Perhaps give it a go and reflect if the above post is accurate (or courteous).

 

[Derek S-H]

You can bring up a list of a users posts on a thread extremely easily in the search function. Perhaps give it a go and reflect if the above post is accurate (or courteous).

Oh, I can't be bothered with all that, life is far too short to point score!

But thank you for the information, somebody else might find it useful.

 

[Pickman's model]

Nice link!

Can I also draw your attention to these:

1. Behaviour. We're happy to host lively and robust debate but racists, bullies, sexist oafs, bigots and general all-round irritating arses are not welcome on these boards. Over the top swearing, endless personal attacks and needlessly disruptive conduct is not permitted and posters who continue such behaviour after being asked to stop will be banned. Threads that descend into personal insult-a-thons will be binned.
2. Even more briefly: Don't act like a dick and we'll all get along fine.

I think we can all get along if there's enough will to do so.

If my behaviour had fallen within the prohibited behaviours in those sections I am sure the moderator who liked coffeecup's post mentioning bullying would have commented on it

 

[Rompipalle]

You can bring up a list of a users posts on a thread extremely easily in the search function. Perhaps give it a go and reflect if the above post is accurate (or courteous).

... or relevant?

The off-topic posting and rehashing of earlier arguments/criticisms works both ways and as far as I can see, the resumption of them is very often coming from those who have been engaged with the bullying behaviour that has caused such a lot of trouble.

If the said bullying continues I will be taking the earlier advice of the forum owner and reporting any such posts that I see, so that the moderation team can consider them.

 

[Aaronf]

Is America heading towards dictatorship?

I think so, especially with Trump back in charge. Power goes to some people's heads and they get ideas above their station. They don't see what most see though and think it's their way or the highway! I'm glad I'm not American even though sometimes I wouldn't mind being there rather than the UK.

Thankfully Trump is old and generally older people have less time to live out their fantasies of how they see the world, from sci-fi to anything else

 

[Derek S-H]

If my behaviour had fallen within the prohibited behaviours in those sections I am sure the moderator who liked coffeecup's post mentioning bullying would not have passed on without commenting on it

I think possibly point 2 would apply, to both you and Trump.

But such is life - we are stuck with both for the foreseeable future.

 

[lazythursday]

... or relevant?

The off-topic posting and rehashing of earlier arguments/criticisms works both ways and as far as I can see, the resumption of them is very often coming from those who have been engaged with the bullying behaviour that has caused such a lot of trouble.

If the said bullying continues I will be taking the earlier advice of the forum owner and reporting any such posts that I see, so that the moderation team can consider them.

And you've made six contributions to the thread and not a single one of them is on the thread topic.

All I'm asking for is something worth reading.

 

[PTK]

How are we defining dictatorship?

 

[Pickman's model]

I think possibly point 2 would apply, to both you and Trump.

But such is life - we are stuck with both for the foreseeable future.

I'm sure you do.

 

[smokedout]

There is no spat on my part; I basically don't give a toss about insecure posters desperately trying to protect their little empire from "attack."

You clearly do give a toss. Almost all your posts on this forum involve some kind of beef and slagging off the longer standing posters here. Why not just put people on ignore if you don't like what they say and keep your posts on topic?

 

[Pickman's model]

How are we defining dictatorship?

If it's where someone can issue orders which have the force of law then perhaps the US has been a dictatorship for quite some time

 

[Rompipalle]

And you've made six contributions to the thread and not a single one of them is on the thread topic.

All I'm asking for is something worth reading.

But I have made several contributions on other similar threads/topics... perhaps you just haven't seen them.

I maintain my stance that bullying fellow forum members is unacceptable and I believe that philosophy applies on ALL threads and I am going to call it out whenever and wherever I see it.

 

[Pickman's model]

Wow, you counted my posts! Who are you?

All my posts are on-topic: the Thread asks if America is heading towards a dictatorship and I said the direction of travel seemed pretty clear.

There is no spat on my part; I basically don't give a toss about insecure posters desperately trying to protect their little empire from "attack." Which, presciently, is exactly what Trump and the MAGA lunatics do.

Perhaps if a bit more courtesy was shown it would be reciprocated?

I'm a) not insecure and b) not trying to protect urban from attack. The more I see of your posts the more persuaded I am I know what the s and h of your username stand for.