ronnie50

His companies have filed for bankruptcy six times, so no, he doesn't understand the economics of his actions on the electorate (and probably wouldn't care, even if explained to him using simple words). The fact he's a loud-mouthed loser, who thinks he's the smartest guy in the room, and surrounds himself with those equally incompetent - well.. writing is on the wall. Thing that worries me more is if China or Russia, who of course fully realize this, decide now's their chance to make major moves..

Yes, it's almost a headline for The Onion, isn't it? "Trump slaps tariff on himself for signing 'unfair' US-Canada-Mexico Trade Agreement" (Washington, D.C.) United States' President Donlad Trump today imposed a 25 percent tariff on himself for signing the 2018 US-Canada-Mexico Trade Agreement. "It's a wonderful thing. Tariffs. I can't get enough of them," Trump said. "By introducing a 25 percent tariff on myself, I'm showing Canada and Mexico they can't beat me," he added. "America first!" The annual cost in dollars to Trump's self-imposed tariff amounts to $1 billion, according to the White House. A spokeswoman added Presidential advisor Elon Musk was expected to cover the costs, but would defer payments due to poor revenues from his SpaceX and Tesla sales.

Wanna 'bet'?

Now Trump hits Australia. Another "poke' in one of the 'five eyes'. Canada didn't blink. Instead it dropped its gloves and laughed in the face of the aggressor like every Canadian hockey player does. Aus should do the same - or at least teach Trump what real tackle football is like - without 100 pounds of padding on a fat guy.

Likewise, Canada can find another buyer. No one wins at this game. It will send the US and the world into a recesion. That means most people except the rich end up poorer - again - engineered by a guy who only has respect for the rich, oligarchs and other dictators.

Sure have.

They're just palying the game with him. This is going to hurt everyone sooner than later.

No it won't 'make US products more attractive and save and create US jobs' - at least not in any substantial way. There is a reason US industries and companies import products, particulalry raw materials from Canada, likw steel, aluminium, minerals, copper, etc. It's because US manufacturers of raw materials closed shop when everything was cheaper to make and ship from China. Canada was the next best choice (for steel/aluminium), so they imported from there. The US steel/aluminium manufactures cannot quickly upscale production to meet demand, so while they try hard, and hire a few more hands, imports are still needed at 25-50%. That doesn't make US final products more attractive at all. It makes them more expensive. Finally, on the notion of filling US (treasury) coffers with more money. Sure, that will happen. And where do you suppose it will go? To rebuild the US's 1950s infrastructure (Interstate highways, bridges, airports, schools, etc. or better social security and public health care)? Of course not. Trump will turn it into more tax cuts - which mean little to nothing to the majority if they're making 15-20 bucks an hour in some service sector job.

Trump just doubled the tax on Canadian steel and aluminium. Quebec's up next. Turn off the lights to the eastern seaboard of the US.

Oh that is hilarious.

You mean kinda like the non-tax-paying billionaire oligarch mafia in the United States?

Yes, it's true that post-war years saw the greatest take up of union members. But it was only down 5%, according to your graph by 1980 - the year Reagan was elected, and look at it after that. Conservative brainwashing/misinformation from Reagan and his buddies about unions was partly to blame - so was offshoring of their jobs, a big mistake (as you will surely agree). Or would you disagree with that? The guy who made $35 an hour in a unionized auto parts assembly line in Michigan, was lucky to be washing rental car returns at Hertz for $12 an hour 10 years later. No health insurance or pension of course. But Bill Clinton was also to blame for the offshoring. no question about that. I reckon Trumps' gutting of the US federal service is more about union-busting than it is about gutting essential services. He's just doing the same this to the entire federal government that Reagan did to all the unionized air traffic controlers. That's most likely what this is. He'll hire them back at half salary and fewer benefits - and no unions of course. Why people can't see the forest for the trees. Pulling some down pulls everyone down and the spiral down the toilet continues for all.

In case you missed it, the trade unions created the middle class from 1950's through early 1980's. The Reagan Movement all but destroyed them.

Nice try. Thats was February 2024 - LAST YEAR - under Biden (275,000). https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osec/osec20240308 This February (2025) the labor force added 151,000 jobs. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

Oh, sure. Harris' campaign was a ridiculous replay of Hillary Clinton's - all Hollywood weirdos and wealthy celebrity luvies. No real people. Didn't work for Clinton and of course didn't work for Harris (I don't think there was anything wrong with Harris 'herself' actually, but she and the Democrats ignored working class and middle class voters - again! - bad campaign). But let's be honest, the erosion of the American middle class and the betrayal of the working class voters began with Reagan. That's clear. But for decades following him all Presidential administrations - Republicans and Democrats - continued the sell out of the middle/working class. Bill Clinton was more than happy to pick up where Bush left off and send the remaining factories to China. So I get that part of Trump and his followers (try to reverse the erosion and bring back good jobs). But so much has changed since then - the country is now run by a handful of oligarchs and Trump seems okay with furthering that. Getting rid of entire government departments won't fix any of this, nor will pandering to the libertarians. Otherwise everyone should start buildng their bunkers - if you can't beat them...

Yup, but they don't want to discuss that. They are fans of Ayn Rand and think the novel Atlas Shrugged is being played out now in real time and the conclusion is being delivered by Trump and his clowns.

Thing is - you could ask the same question to Indian and Brit tourists, both of which seem to be in the news quite a bit for all the same wrong reasons as Jews/Israelis lately - antisocial, fighting, insulting to local Thai sensibilities, etc. That's just an example. I doubt Thais know much about Jews or their religion, other than Thai workers in southern Israel were taken hostage and some killed by militants from Gaza. Thais put up with all of us here - regardless of where we are from - and they couldn't care less to know about where we're from. That's because they see money flowing from tourism. Otherwise, they couldn't care less. I've lived here as long as you, and that's my take. Regarding the Halal food. I'm neither Jewish nor Muslim, but I once worked briefly in the Middle East and clearly remember an educated Iraqi guy (doctor) telling me that he (and others) believed it was fine to eat in a Jewish restaurant, but not sleep beneath their roof. Don't know why. A protest against Palestine land grab I guess. But I don't really know. (but yes, the Halal food is pretty good in Thailand - Lebanese especially).

Unlikely. The federal government firings and shutdowns of whole departments will mean the US private sector suppliers will need to lay off staff and cut back, that will then affect their suppliers and so on. Likewise, the trade war Trump started with the US' largest trading partner Canada (and Mexico), will result in layoffs on both sides of the border, possibly business failures, and a downward cycle to recession in both countries (if not worse), as expendable income of families dries up and prices shoot up at the same time.

I read today or yesterday that, in response to Trump's tarriffs, the premier of Ontario (the guy threatening to turn off the power to Northeast US) plans to go ahead full throttle, even though Trump offered another one month pause. It will badly affect the electricity grids of Minnessota, Michigan and New York States.

Why does Canada export dairy products to the USA? Doesn't the US have their own cows, milk and cheese?

...and I bet he was not sharing a cell with any other inmate. You, know, the country with prison cells that average 20+ inmates? I wonder how much of his bank accounts were drained before 'he committed suicide'. I agree with the family. A suicide sounds unlikely. Problem is you can't get a relaible autopsy in Thailand. There was old spikey-hair, the forensic 'expert' but she was tainted by the establishment and would do whatever they told her (remember the wand she touted that was supposed to detect explosives - but had nothing inside?). I had a nephew-in-law in Samut Sakhon who died in a drunken fight with a workmate in their accommodation. The medical examiner said he died from blood loss after falling on glass shards. I pointed out that his upper body - and his forearms - were littered with identical 2 cm wide cuts - in other words the attacker stabbed him repeatedly. I got no reply.

TBH, I don't know why the sh@t always hits the fan in Bangkok in October, but that seems to be the month that the biggest (and sometimes violent) demos reach their feverish pitch. It's also the worst of the rainy season too (just incidentally). The 2014 Coup happened in October, as did the one in 1977 and the bloodiest of all in October 1976. There were coups in other months too, but it just seems that the opposing sides (the wealthy-establishment troika vs opponents and vice versa - particlalry red shirts - yellow shirts over last 20 years) starts during the hottest time of the year - (around March/April) and often climaxes around October.

Agree a referendum is more appropriate. Having said that, these groups (look at who they are) have another agenda and the casino scheme is an excuse. Destablization of the government is being planned behind closed doors I suspect - and speaking of 'suspect', if true, it will be the same 'suspects' as always that are hatching their schemes. This event, and the Thaksin court vote to deny his travels abroad, were just the beginning. The year 2025 - by October - could be another yellow shirt sh@tshow. Step by step.

I think some posters clearly don't understand who really runs Thailand - and it sure isn't Thaksin. The powerful troika that really run Thailand (for their own club), are letting Thaksin and his daughter play in the sandbox. If there was real democracy the Move Forward Party would have formed a minority government, the courts would act on precedence and not on a judge's whim, and there would be no such thing as a criminal libel law. The stitch-up has been in place for decades.

Thanks for sharing the thread. I hadn't seen that, but read it all. Actually, I side with (many of) those who think it's a good idea to get it done (fin my case, it's or the blue book as well as the license). So that's what I'll do - also my address has changed, still same province, and there are 10 months left on the current license so I can get nearly 6 years if I go do it now. So, again, anyone who has done it recently at the Chatuchak LTD, please tell me which building and which counter(s) you went to? Txs.