It happened. A day that will go down in infamy

[UnseenParticipant]

Today, America became the world’s largest banana republic.

A message is being sent here, but to whom?…

Anyone who is actively opposing Trump, who gets in the way, who speaks out, or embarrasses him.
So, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and AOC, the left-leaning Youtubers, and even the likes of Joe Rogan and, of course, those pesky liberal Supreme Court justices + the undependable Amy Coney Barrett.

BONUS: The first of the Epstein files is being delivered to Congress today and the raid is a great distraction.

[PopeBeanieModerator]

Unseen wrote:

A message is being sent here, but to whom?…

What you said, plus “everyone”. The world is The King’s stage. And his people still abide.

Unseen wrote:

BONUS: The first of the Epstein files is being delivered to Congress today and the raid is a great distraction.

Of course the identities of innocent people will be redacted. Maybe even the non-innocents? Or edited? Nothing will surprise me, unless this is a real turning point for His Majesty.

Just had an idea for a quote:
“I could walk down Main Street in New York, do whatever I want with young girls, and get away with it.”

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

The damage to American credibility goes far beyond economic policy. Shutting down USAID wasn’t a minor budget; it was a strategic self-inflicted wound to U.S. credibility and influence. The world sees it as a cynical and petty move, given that it was only about 0.1% of GDP. That’s pennies compared to GDP but it bought enormous goodwill and influence abroad. By March 2025, 83 percent of USAID programs were cancelled, and 94 percent of staff were laid off. These cuts had immediate, tragic consequences: some estimates attribute over 417,000 deaths (over 280,000 children) to the disruptions, with programs against HIV, malaria, and other critical diseases deeply affected. It handed an opening for China and others to fill the void, affecting American leadership and perceived global commitments.

The FBI searching John Bolton’s home and office (a raid, not an arrest) as part of an investigation into alleged mishandling of classified documents only adds to a growing perception of political vendetta and contributes to a broader erosion of trust. Washington has long lectured other nations about democracy and civilian control of the military.

Troops patrolling the U.S. capital projects instability, almost like a developing nation in crisis. After 9/11, U.S. troops were highly visible in airports and around government buildings, but the world understood that as response to foreign attack. The difference now is that the troops are being deployed in a context of political instability, not foreign threat. That makes America look more like a state struggling to contain internal fractures. Allies worry the U.S. is becoming unpredictable, and that treaties/guarantees could weaken if domestic disorder deepens. China, Russia, Iran highlight the images as propaganda: “Look, America can’t even govern itself, yet it lectures us.” We expect that to be said by them but ordinary people around the world see the footage and think, ‘If democracy looks like this, maybe it isn’t as stable or superior as the U.S. claimed’.

In short: tariffs can be reversed, aid programs can be restarted, but once the world sees federal troops on the steps of Congress, the symbolic damage is immense. It makes the U.S. look less like a beacon of stability and more like a democracy in defensive decline. I am both upset and annoyed by this. My American friends, here in Ireland (and the USA) are scared, embarrassed but also more annoyed that I am.

They are just not ready for fascism. Yes, the U.S. has strong institutions, a long democratic tradition, and a culture of civil liberties but those don’t make it immune to authoritarian drift. What we’re seeing now are warning signs that would set off alarm bells if they were happening in another country. The purging or intimidation of prosecutors, selectively targeting political opponents, granting blanket pardons to allies classic ‘Dictator’s Handbook’  steps in dismantling rule of law. The erosion of Soft Power Institutions narrows U.S. influence down to military/economic coercion. Deploying troops in the capital isn’t about security — it’s a symbol that civilian institutions can’t manage dissent on their own. That’s authoritarian imagery. Delegitimizing elections with repeated claims of “fraud” or that opponents are “enemies” lays the groundwork for refusing to accept peaceful transitions of power.

Unlike societies that slipped gradually into fascism in the 20th century, Americans are highly polarized and armed. The country is more like a pressure cooker now (and I think has been for quite a while). A large part of the population still expects constitutional protections and would resist openly fascist measures while another part is primed to cheer strongman politics. Institutions (courts, media, bureaucracy) are being tested to see if they bend or break.

Then I read this and thought, as much I stand with America, I may not bother to renew my visa just yet. Though we all had a fun weekend here in Dublin

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Reg,

Lots to process here, but USAID is no generator of humanity if it does things like this:

Terror Finance at the State Department and USAID
MEF research finds that the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development have provided hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations involved with designated terrorist organizations.
February 1, 2025Sam Westrop
https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-research/terror-finance-at-the-state-department-and-usaid

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Reg:

I meant to say “benefactor of humanity” instead of “generator of humanity”, though, of course, USAID isn’t either if it bankrolls terrorism. This isn’t “soft power” but soft-headedness.

Regarding John Bolton, it is funny that Trump called him a “low-life”, when Trump hired him during his first Term. Trump is essentially showcasing his lack of memory and his addle-brained spaghetti-throwing approach to policy.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

Yes, USAID was not always used properly. But fixing the problems and adding better oversight to the projects it finances was a better (and in the long run , a more cost effective) solution than just pulling the plug on the whole thing.

Bolton was probably expecting this as his commentary over the last few years was not going to impress Trump. I was going to say something pithy about the hawk becoming the prey, but I won’t.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Reg:

Top 15 Organizations That Benefit from USAID
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/15-top-organizations-that-benefit-from-usaid-where-the-money-goes/ar-AA1yoKMy

Also, what are Catholic Relief Services and World Vision doing in the pay of USAID, on top of their tax exemption? The Catholic Church alone could hold an art and real estate auction, invest it properly, and probably support the entire budget of USAID in perpetuity. Assuming, of course, that these assets don’t get sued away by all of the Church’s victims.

[Author]

Posts