2024 US Presidential Election

[Daniel Lion]

RIP Charlie Kirk

For my friends who know me here, I have always been polite and have never posted a meme or attacked a person's character.

Charlie was 31 and a father of two. I am nearly twice his age, and I am absolutely heartbroken over his assassination and murder, as well as the state of the USA. The left-wing media painted him as some crazed right-wing lunatic or "MAGA something." Having listened to him debate many times, I found him rational, civil, and eloquent. I considered him to be a good person, someone who valued family, hard work, and both personal and civic responsibility.

My friends across the political divide could learn something from the way he engaged in reasoned discourse. He avoided personal insults and deferred instead to logic, rational thought, and objective discussion. I considered him a man of quality and honorable character.

I have never suffered from Trump derangement syndrome. I have had friends on the left attack me when I thought his administration did something good, and friends on the right call me a communist. I am neither Democrat nor Republican, and never have been. I am Daniel. I still navigate the world with love as my guide, but I am not a fool or a coward. A person can be loving and still be a strong provider and role model for his children. I believe Charlie embodied these qualities.

I am deeply saddened by his loss and America's loss. He was a good man who tried to guide the nation's youth toward a shared vision of a better country, one that could rise above tribal political divisions.

RIP Charlie. My prayers are with your wife and children.

Daniel

 

[Luman]

trump supporters either have the same terrible personality traits he does, so they see no issues with him being who he is, or they are complacent, knowing his terrible personality traits and don't care enough to denounce him. I'm not sure which is worse.

Many, if not most, world leaders have "terrible personality traits". If they were easy-going and striving to be mellow, they would not get very far. Trump may be more intense at times because he is also a very experienced and successful businessman. I want somebody who has what it takes to run this country in ways that work. We do not need a Mr. Nice Guy as president now or in the immediate future.

 

[Jammer]

It doesn't matter, he was a human being too. This is coming from a European. No one needs to be killed because of their beliefs and words.

I agree. But how do you feel about the Republicans right off the bat laying his death at the feet of the Democrats?

 

[RunningMan]

There is no evidence that Trump has engaged in the behaviors that you accuse him of, so discussing it is pointless.

Trump has been doing an excellent job in his second term.

Trump is the worst ever, worse than I even had expected, as I mentioned months ago. It keeps getting worse.

Donald Trump sexual misconduct allegations - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Anomalous]

 

[Joeseph Stope]

My deepest sympathies go to the Kirk family, and I want to extend them to all of the United States. Am I a Biden supporter? I suppose I am, or perhaps I was, although I am not American. For me, America has always been that wonderful land of optimism and good humor, where people were open and trusting, yet also very much down to earth. Am I betraying my age?

I hope you all find your way back to what America used to be. Is social media the cause of these intense divisions? Well, perhaps, and here I am using it myself.

I find Trump exasperating at times, yet I am amazed at how he often seems to get certain things right, almost as if by accident. At the moment, I hear that visitors are being charged fees just to enter the United States, on top of the cost of flights, overnight stays, and all the tips. Yes, exasperating indeed, but if the country is so divided, perhaps some time apart is what people need.

To leave on an optimistic note, I will pose a question:
Which country do tinnitus sufferers look toward to find a way out of their eternal infernal?

It certainly is not Tierra del Fuego.

 

[Daniel Lion]

My deepest sympathies go to the Kirk family, and I want to extend them to all of the United States. Am I a Biden supporter? I suppose I am, or perhaps I was, although I am not American. For me, America has always been that wonderful land of optimism and good humor, where people were open and trusting, yet also very much down to earth. Am I betraying my age?

I hope you all find your way back to what America used to be. Is social media the cause of these intense divisions? Well, perhaps, and here I am using it myself.

I find Trump exasperating at times, yet I am amazed at how he often seems to get certain things right, almost as if by accident. At the moment, I hear that visitors are being charged fees just to enter the United States, on top of the cost of flights, overnight stays, and all the tips. Yes, exasperating indeed, but if the country is so divided, perhaps some time apart is what people need.

To leave on an optimistic note, I will pose a question:
Which country do tinnitus sufferers look toward to find a way out of their eternal infernal?

It certainly is not Tierra del Fuego.

I like your style, @Joeseph Stope.

In regard to your question, I would say the country I am living in now, Laos. It is quiet and peaceful.

Take care,
DL

Image-wise, it looks like Trump has dropped a clanger. He imposes his 50% tariff on India, allegedly because they are buying Russian oil and gas. China then steps in to take up the slack and supports India with a favorable trade deal. Who wins, who loses? I suppose the market will tell.

China's big 80th end-of-WW2 celebration makes the United States look rather small, especially with the huge military parade showcasing hypersonic rockets, electronic weapons, and underwater drones. If I have read it correctly, it looks like China has "trumped" Trump's tariffs with its ban on rare earth exports—pardon the pun. North Korea supplying manpower and artillery may also tip the balance in the Russo-Ukrainian war, as both sides grind each other down.

And then there is Taiwan. In terms of growing rice, they cannot be beaten, but the real importance lies in semiconductor manufacturing. They seem to hold the number one position in the world. How long can that last? It would be in their best interest to maintain it for as long as possible, especially for security and financial reasons.

Recently, the UK, France, and Germany have been trying to cobble together a response to help Ukraine, with some success. But with Trump playing nice with Vladimir Putin, how will things play out? It is conceivable that by the time a Trump-Vance presidency has run its course, the old Soviet Union could be back and China may have taken Taiwan. If that happens, who ends up with Taiwan's technological know-how?

For my part, I hope Ukraine prevails and Taiwan keeps its independence, but the outlook is not encouraging.

China's population: 1.4 billion
India's population: slightly larger
Russia's population: 140 million
North Korea's population: about 30 million, if I recall correctly

Even economically, this is formidable. It does not seem like a smart move to push India into the other camp.

I have found someone, you, with whom I could discuss geopolitics. I would love to respond to what you have written, but that will have to be another time, perhaps in another life. A fluid conversation over coffee would be ideal.

Farewell, my geopolitical friends. I am going back to greener pastures: offering support to tinnitus sufferers when needed, browsing the research thread with the mindset that there will most likely never be a cure, and of course the Chit Chat thread, where I can share greetings, updates, and laughs with community members.

Take care, everybody.
See you on another thread ️