USA Politics

[____no5]

Trump is finally putting two and two together that Putin isn't interested in peace.

This is a swallow way to put it. Nobody is interested in unconditional peace. Not Zelensky administration, not eastern NATO (Brussels /UK), not US, not Russia. Or, everybody is interested in peace but in their own terms.
First of all US, as clearly shown in this NYT article, is a major party in the war, not a mediator. Second, an "unconditional ceasefire" was never a thing in a conflict and in this case it has nothing to do with peace and everything to do with regrouping and live to fight another day.
Check carefully what Pete Hegseth said back in February. "Division of labor" has nothing to do with peace either. US has understood that their resources are not endless, so they wish to focus on China and Europe allies on Russia. Thus the declarations of Europe's rearmament following Hegseth's visit.

Third, not related to what I quoted, but still, I fail to see why a 15 minutes talk where we cannot hear what was said was such a breakthrough. It's comical to spin it like this, especially when Macron was initially planned to attend (3 chairs) and that was bluntly rejected by Trump (2 chairs).

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

I know it's not the US, but I'm quite interested in seeing the Canadian election results tonight.

Liberal candidate Carney won, although with the Liberal party holding a parliamentary minority. Multi-party alliance time, I guess. He declares “old US relationship over.” Not sure what that means but it sounds declarative.

A news story (westernpost.ng)

Trump, on his part continues to troll about making Canada the “51st state,” I guess Greenland would be the 52nd according to his rhetoric?

 

[Yax]

I guess Greenland would be the 52nd according to his rhetoric?

Nah, it'd be a territory with no representation of its own. A damn colony.

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

Nah, it'd be a territory with no representation of its own. A damn colony.

You’re right. I was just being facetious.

Moral questionability and absurdity of the US claiming Greenland aside, its low population wouldn’t make it a reasonable statehood candidate.

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

US-Ukraine mineral deal is signed.

NBC News

 

[____no5]

I couldn't find the full text but it normally should also include ports, natural gas and other resources, under a 50-50 joint fund in perpetuity. An impossible deal to sign for Ukraine, thus a significant Trump victory, subject to see the full text of April 30.

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

Democratic party, unsurprisingly, is split on how to deal with Trump. The progressive arm wants to double down on identity politics but its moderate wing is becoming more active.

KTSM News

My .02 is: a moderate party (whether rebranding of a current party or forming a new political party) in the U.S. would do so well.

I can’t speak for my whole country, obviously, but I think most Americans are tired of the extremes in both major parties taking over the agenda and asking everyone to choose sides on whose brand of crazy they want.

Day to day, we’re not the nation of ideological whackos the rest of the world sees in the news. General concerns are the economy, public safety, standards of living, and the environment (to an extent), with growing concern over our maintaining democratic institutions.

Kamala Harris speaks out.

Funny, she mostly hid away during the 4 years she was VP, was never that popular even among Democrats, was a weak presidential candidate, and now has something to say.

 

[The Garlon]

Democratic party, unsurprisingly, is split on how to deal with Trump. The progressive arm wants to double down but its moderate wing is becoming more active.

KTSM News

My .02 is: a moderate party (whether rebranding of a current party or forming a new political party) in the U.S. would do so well.

I can’t speak for my whole country, obviously, but I think most Americans are tired of the extremes in both major parties taking over the agenda and asking everyone to choose sides on whose brand of crazy they want.

Day to day, we’re not the nation of ideological whackos the rest of the world sees in the news. General concerns are the economy, public safety, standards of living, and the environment (to an extent), with growing concern over our maintaining democratic institutions.

Kamala Harris speaks out.

Funny, she mostly hid away during the 4 years she was VP, was never that popular even among Democrats, was a weak presidential candidate, and now has something to say.

I don't see how the progressives are all that ideologically extreme. Always wanting to lower our taxes and give us affordable healthcare. Those bastards.

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

I don't see how the progressives are all that ideologically extreme. Always wanting to lower our taxes and give us affordable healthcare. Those bastards.

I’m talking about hyper-focus on identity politics and special interests.

Extreme fringes in both major parties have made their party platform’s leading messages about identity rather than policy.

 

[Flaming Blimp Crash]

I don't see how the progressives are all that ideologically extreme. Always wanting to lower our taxes and give us affordable healthcare. Those bastards.

There was only one party that was even hyper-focusing about identity politics during the campaign - and it wasn't the Democrats. The most identity-related stance that was part of the Democrats' platform was that women as individuals should be the authority of their bodies and if that's ideologically extreme, that should tell you where the overton window's at in the US.

EDIT: Changed a word.

 

[Flaming Blimp Crash]

The only gender-related thing I'd heard at all the entire campaign was the nonsensical and patently false claim from the right of "Children are going to school one day as one gender and coming back home with a complete sex change."

 

[Sheriff_of_Huddersfield]

The argument that the Democrats have not engaged in identity politics is a fiction I wish were true.

No, for no reason at all, the party is talking about shifting to a moderate tone and refocusing on policy rather than identity politics.

Here are some articles and commentary discussing the Democrat’s reassessment of identity politics that apparently are unnecessary to even discuss.

Democrats Wonder: Are We Too Correct?

Devastated Democrats Play the Blame Game, and Stare at a Dark Future — NY Times

Sanders: Democrats can’t ‘hang your hat’ on identity politics

James Carville Slams Dems Use Of Identity Politics: 'So Freaking Arrogant'

Democrats and the case of mistaken identity politics

That said, the populists will wage strawman arguments against “woke” long after the Democrats will have stepped back from identity politics (assuming that’s their path).