wwest5829

Just for the record for some not remembering. Donald Trump was twice impeached. That is the documented history. The Senate did not find him guilty.

Yep! We await your party governing with all responsibility for success or failure on their backs. I would have rather seen the complete opposite but my reasoning was because I wanted all responsibility to be on the backs of the Democrats to put up or shut up dealing with the justified frustration/anger within the working middle class due to the decades long economic squeeze resulting in the unsustainable income/wealth gap. Well, here we are … but now … I await the Republican sweep to address the issues of the working middle class upon any hope of a participatory democracy depends.

Hang on, I fear we are in for a rough ride … “America First”! Indeed … as a working middle class American economic refugee retired in Thailand, I want the people of Thailand to know I had no hand in the coming events having voted in opposition (for all the good it did us). I am estranged from the country of my birth and cannot support nor defend such a country having voted to place an American citizen jury convicted felon in the leadership position.

I am thinking both parties … the Republican Party is no more, taken over by Trump because he gave voice to the justified frustration/anger within the working middle class. Motivated by emotion not reason they want the system now exiting to undergo radical change (seemingly at any cost). The Democrats, likewise, seen as part of the same, having compromised or supported policies actions/inactions bringing the working middle class to where we are. My crystal ball is clouded … is the outcome the destruction of the current system at the hands of an authoritarian oriented person like Trump? Or will it end with the majority of Americans coming to the realization that Trump and his Project 2025 ilk are not the answer to addressing their needs and yet not seeing a Democrat Party which is controlled by the same rich and famous? Bernie again hammers on this point in his article in the Boston Globe.

I learned a lesson in 7th grade. Oh, a far less serious repeating of something someone had said concerning my girlfriend at the time. Ended the relationship and since then, I do not offer my assistance in carrying information to others where it might very well bite me in the butt!

You are consistent with Trump and Vance … people have said … OK, and documented fact? Crickets …

Interesting outlook considering the whole popularity of Trump and his Project 2025;ilk is to shake up the status quo, do away with much of the way things have been done from government regulations, education, taxation, trade, etc. “We’ll see, said the Zen Master “ (tip of the hat to the movie, “Charlie Wilson’s War”).

Perhaps feeling estranged from the USA as I am. My other thought is not to waste time projecting … “what ifs”. Naa, let us wait until what we feared and pointed out comes into fruition. 1 st thing happening now … failure to file required transition forms so the current administration passes on current information to the incoming administration. Result … gap in US government preparedness.

True and yet doable with some planning. Happy with my decision to retire here in 2011.

Ah, been here 13 years … not feeling the pain? Instead benefitted from being an economic refugee from the USA.

My decision to retire abroad was economics based. I was outpriced from having an earned working middle class retirement in the USA based on my sustainable monthly budget of $2400 usd ($1570 of that from SS). There is another concern for those of us already abroad, challenges to our right to vote from abroad, a challenge to Social Security to do like the U.K. does and freeze COLA adjustments of citizens outside US territory … afterall we are already denied Medicare benefit if outside US territory (except if fully retired US military even though both of us continue to pay the Part B monthly premium).

Just an honest wish that the Kingdom of Thailand would pass legislation to stop the use of this law for political purposes. I think it does damage to the very thing they declare they want to protect.

So, you are stating that there was no reason for the SCOTUS ruling? Evidently, the Justices thought there was a reason to rule on this point of Constitutional Law..

Recognition of the political reality. Trump and McConnell manipulated the SCOTUS appointments resulting in that court ruling that Trump has immunity while President. Yes, corruption is replete in the American societal institutions. Very happy to be outside the US physical territory but interested in watching the results …

Thanks. Good to know that there were no U.S. troopers in Afghanistan under the last Trump Administration.

Go talk to Rudy at Gekko Garden.

No question Trump and his Project 2025 ilk have won the mandate. A clean sweep of the White House, Senate and House. While I am estranged and will isolate myself as far as possible, I will stand aside and watch if he will make good on his words, declared policies or if it was just the usual. Up to his supporters … I can no longer support nor defend support. Let us see what the majority reaps from their emotional based choice. Not my circus. All credit, all responsibility belong to Trump and his supporters.

We’ll see said the Zen Master … tip of the hat to the movie, “Charlie Wilson’s War”.

Recommend reading the Atlantic Daily analysis I posted. I too am glad to be out of the physical USA … estranged.

True, in this election we are clearly in the minority. Do tell, in history has the majority always been right? We will all live with the result around the globe …

I have pondered on this and other matters in the Thai balance of things and the potential downside. I retired to Thailand over 13 years ago … wow! I learned there was a greater degree of freedom in some aspects; you have more freedom with your property (downside, no pesky zoning laws means a bar can move in next door). No pesky police vehicles with radar guns on the highway (downside, one of the highest road death total in the world). Sabai, sabai certainly can be seen as a positive … live and let live but …

History documented … he started these two?

I fear Americans are about to find out …

Just a bit of a different twist. A large part of retiring to Thailand was my inability to enjoy a retired working middle class retirement in the USA. I agree with you that I can have that earned retirement here in Chiang Mai. However, my sustainable monthly income is $2400 usd ($1570 of that from SS). As an American, I am taxed on worldwide income but as my income is under the amount required … I owe no income tax. Along comes Thailand proposing to change the rules after I have lived here as my only global residence, they require I bring in 65K baht a month and now they say I am to pay income tax. We will wait and see but … there are other countries wanting retirees to spend their money in those countries and some of them will allow joining their national healthcare scheme after a period of trouble free residences.

Yea, there was a referendum in the USA once upon at time, sovereign states declared they were leaving the country … same result … war. As regards Crimea, my thought would have recommended a deal whereby, the Crimea was restrained as part of a sovereign Ukraine but a long term lease be provided for Russia (recognizing the importance of the Black Sea fleet and majority Russian oriented citizenry) … that in return for guaranteed fuel supplies from Russia. So, yes, please …