heybruce

Still no evidence that the US asked for a base in Thailand.

Speaking as a white person from the US: WTF are you going on about?

First he and the Republicans will have to find proof of cheating and corruption. They've been trying (or maybe just talking about it) for years and still have nothing.

When Trump ran for President in 2016 he didn't understand the nuclear triad or why the US policy has always been to prevent nuclear proliferation. I'm not sure if he understands these things now. I have always opposed Trump as President because he is blatantly unqualified and apparently incapable or unwilling to learn. Of course with his attempted blackmail of Ukraine, cozying up to Putin, support for insurrection, etc. I now have many other reasons to oppose him as President. I don't oppose Trump on all things. If he wants to go back to (un)Reality TV and entertain people with low standards and too much free time I have no objections.

I'm glad you asked: "As of May 18, the Trump administration had launched 40 airstrikes in Somalia in 2020 alone. That figure is made all the more staggering by the fact that, from 2007 through 2016, the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama conducted 41 airstrikes in Somalia total, according to reporting from Airwars." https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/22/obama-drones-trump-killings-count/ " President Donald Trump has revoked a policy set by his predecessor requiring US intelligence officials to publish the number of civilians killed in drone strikes outside of war zones." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47480207 Funding for ongoing wars continued under Trump. Bombings of countries we weren't at war with increased, but accountability decreased under Trump.

There is nothing twisted about my words. You clearly don't understand basic economics.

You didn't introduce the subject of tax increases, but you posted uninformed and misleading opinions on the subject. For example: You also seemed unaware that interest rate increases reduce inflation by slowing the economy, but curiously seemed certain that tax increases slow the economy. The gaps in your knowledge of economics give me the impression that your opinions are simply restatements of the biased nonsense spewed by wing-nut pundits on television. I'm happy to be on your ignore list.

Actually I would like to see the system changed, both by giving the Fed some power to adjust tax rates in addition to interest rates, and by ending the nonsensical debt ceiling rule that is the topic subject. However I recognize that is politically impossible. I'm simply correcting your posts implying that tax increases are more dangerous to the economy than the current path we are on which involves interest rate increases to bring down inflation. However the greatest near-term threat to the economy is the ridiculous debt ceiling rules. Congress already passed the budget and spending plans, now McCarthy is saying he won't pay for the agreed upon spending. That is absurd and should be illegal.

So you have no reply to my post.

Any approach that brings down inflation risks triggering a recession, though so far it looks like inflation is coming down while the economy is staying strong. Should we just accept high inflation or do you have a miracle cure for the problem.

Powell assumes his audience knows that interest rate increases are intended to lower inflation by slowing the economy. Tax increases also slow the economy, thereby lowering inflation and reducing the deficit. I'm sure if the Fed had the power to increase tax rates in addition to interest rates they would be using both tools to reduce inflation and the deficit. They might not be successful, but they'd probably do better than Congress. Regardless, those who object to high inflation and high deficits should be aware that tax increases can deal with both simultaneously.

Is you knowledge of economics that poor? The idea is that higher interest rates lower inflation by slowing down the economy.

Unless you count land grabs, claiming territorial waters of other countries, claiming international waters, interfering with elections...

Care to tell us specifically how the US interfered in the recent election, or in any way in Thailand this century?

In case you haven't noticed, the Fed has been raising interest rates to slow down the economy. Raising taxes has the same affect with the added benefit of reducing the deficit.

From your link: "The ranking, announced this week, was largely based on Florida’s public higher education system, which scored above other states on metrics including graduation rates, cost of degrees and student debt. The state’s pre-K-12 system ranked No. 14, based on high school graduation rates, preschool enrollment rates and results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, among other measurements." Funny that they didn't use port-graduation employment and income as metrics for the universities, or test scores for the pre-K-12. Florida does have good public universities at this time, but DeSantis' interference is just beginning to affect them. I've met too many Florida high school graduates who are completely baffled by simple arithmetic to have much faith in the K-12 schools.

For those who didn't read the full article, here is the "offensive" statement: 'The US ambassador wrote: “Yesterday, tens of millions of people participated in the vote across the Kingdom of Thailand – as election observers, poll workers, members of the media, candidates, and, most importantly, voters. As a longstanding friend and ally of Thailand, the United States looks forward to the final results.”' How is that intervention in Thai politics?

Really? I'd take the potted plant every time. Dictators destroy democracy.

Do you like him using the power of the state to attack a business that dared take a public stand on an issue that he disagreed with? Do you like him passing laws that he knows will get thrown out in court and spending millions of dollars in taxpayer money to defend them? Do you like him using Florida tax money to fly migrants between other states? Perhaps you want a President who will use US tax money to fly migrants between European countries.

If you judge the quality of a party by its enemies, this speaks well of Move Forward.

Like on January 6 2021? You may have a point.

"He is the IDGAF guy, says whatever is on his mind with no regard for the fallout." I've tried repeatedly to explain why that it a bad thing, clearly without success. I'll try again. Imagine having a insecure girlfriend prone to over-analyzing your every word. Now imagine that this girlfriend has nuclear weapons. Wouldn't it be a good idea to choose your words carefully before speaking? When the US President speaks, the world listens, including those parts of the world with nuclear weapons. I don't want a President that speaks without choosing his words carefully.

"Prigozhin said that if Ukraine’s commanders withdrew their soldiers from the area around Bakhmut, he would give Kyiv information on Russian troop positions, which Ukraine could use to attack them. Prigozhin conveyed the proposal to his contacts in Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate, with whom he has maintained secret communications during the course of the war, according to previously unreported U.S. intelligence documents leaked on the group-chat platform Discord." https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/14/prigozhin-wagner-ukraine-leaked-documents/ I don't know if that is true, but if it is it indicates Russia's Wagner-dependent military is bordering on collapse. Putin should be scared. Sorry for the paywall source. I hope someone can find an open source.

This is excellent news, but I expect there will be a judicial coup in the near future, followed by a military coup if the ensuing protests go on too long. It's definitely progress, but the future will not be easy. I found this especially interesting: "Pita’s party has won all 33 Bangkok constituencies and swept all constituencies of several provinces in all regions of the country including the capital city’s neighbouring ones." The "elites" (dinosaurs) have lost Bangkok, the city that they made the focus of wealth and power in Thailand. The people are screaming that they want the relics of bygone ages out of government. Will the relics listen?

"we won't touch you and next government will not touch us" Of course only elected governments are expected to follow that rule. Never the coup governments.