John Drake

Yes, because, unlike the US, China has so much to offer "most developing countries." https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/FLASHBACK-China-likely-to-seize-Ghana-s-mineral-and-electricity-revenue-over-default-of-loans-IMF-1954920 The four steps to Chinese delivery of "help" for poor countries. 1.) Provide loans at above average interest rates for "infrastructure" 2.) Require loans to be used to hire Chinese companies and workers for "infrastructure" projects 3.) See target countries default on loans they never were going to be able to pay back 4.) China steps in and takes over not only the infrastructure built by the loans but entire commercial sectors of the economy.

War!

I don't understand the British in particular living 24/7 in these topics about the US. I've made a few, very few comments, usually allowing for my ignorance of firsthand knowledge about UK subjects. One of the reasons of course is that the UK in actuality is a rather small irrelevant country on the fringe of Europe. Not much of what happens there effects any place other than there. The US on the other hand influences even the smallest of international actors and actions. So I can see why non-Americans shove their nose in here. Still, it doesn't excuse their woeful ignorance about subjects such as illegal immigration, which some of us have experienced firsthand for almost our entire lives. Personal experience always trumps self-serving graphs and charts put out by organizations and political parties who derive their income from serving illegal immigrants.

Not going to buy my vote with this. My vote is for sale, however, to whomever will add $200 or $300 to my Social Security check above and beyond the COLA.

Chinese ambassador meets Thai PM http://th.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/dszl/dshd/202312/t20231216_11205225.htm

The biggest item of American influence is access to its markets. Thailand has been given too much of a free run there. It should stop, now. Thailand has been spitting in the face of the US ever since Covid, when Chinese vaccines got the red carpet treatment and the PM in attendance, while US vaccines arrived on a courier flight in the middle of the night and were met with a forklift. That is abominable US policy, to just take it off a dinky country like Thailand. Like I say, shift everything to the Philippines.

Now we know why the US ambassador was snubbed like this and shoved off to meet with an underling. When is the US going to learn to play hardball with these guys? Stop giving them things (such as trade privileges and investments) and hammer the door closed. Contrary to what a lot of people think, Thailand is not an essential or even important US interest. All funding, support, investment, defense agreements and trade pacts should be going to the Philippines. Cut Thailand loose.

The embassy has been at its most creative when developing ways where it doesn't interact with US citizens in person. To go back to the letter would cause them more work. And that they'll never do.

Can't even see the prime minister. Handed off to an underling.

Precisely my thinking. I simply wish it was Biden running against Trump again, instead of that airheaded nitwit. I could bring myself to vote for Biden pretty easily, considering the economic benefits I got from his presidency.

He, as I am, is voting his economic interest. Only a fool would vote against it. It's the most fundamental reason there is to cast a vote.

I sort of agree. I just can't stand the prospect of listening to her for four years. But I can't stand the idea of listening to him, too. Add a favorable exchange rate on to your reasons btw. As is, the poll doesn't allow for another non-Harris, non-Trump choice, so I didn't bother.

"I'm Xi Jinping and I approve this message."

Why?

That she has suddenly gone on this media interview blitz, albeit all of them friendly interviewers, after hiding from the press for over two months shows she and her campaign are panicking. It looks and is desperate. And even with friendly interviewers she is chopping up responses and, as proved when the teleprompter went out in Michigan, incapable of continuing her own stump speech for even an extra 30 seconds. This is unprecedented levels of dullness.

She is breathtakingly stupid. Even Biden is coming out contradicting her now. Funny, once they got Joe away from his handlers and let him do live press conferences, he's looked bright, alert, and on the ball. What drug did they have him on the past few years? Apparently, seeing Harris as a possible successor has awakened him to the pending disaster.

What if I'm just saluting the Emperor Vespasian?

Musk's rocketry program has given the US a clear cut lead in reusable rockets. China is desperately trying to steal the technology and grab the lead in it. So, of course, the US government goes after Musk, while pouring ever expanding sums of money into Boeing's worthless pockets, where they can't begin to compete with Musk.

Maybe going after TikTokers, Youtubers, and other "influencers" who live here on education visas and the like. If so, that wouldn't be a bad thing to do.

Such a pity.

Yes, if there is one thing we should have learned it's to trust the government: Bay of Pigs Gulf of Tonkin Watergate MKUltra WMDs in Iraq Now, don't forget to keep asking questions about Maui and North Carolina. East Palestine has been successfully erased from the memory bank already.

Maybe they should. But human participation may spot things a drone would miss. Actually, Thailand could well go out to the RTAF Museum and bring back into service the O1 Bird Dogs they've got sitting out there. Wonderful observation aircraft, durable, reliable. I think Ravens used them as FACs during the war in Laos. There are successor aircraft of course. But the helicopters at least make sense for peacetime emergency services. The US helped several months ago, if I remember correctly, by donating inflatable military river boats. Both beat submarines and new jets.

Could be useful as spotters and emergency food, water, and medicine drops. I'll bet they would work great in a place like North Carolina right now. Not to mention a flood like Thailand had in 2011.

Nevertheless I think both Texas and Florida could go for Harris. Much has changed since 2020. And there are certain issues, abortion and health care, that put Trump on the defensive with suburban women and men. I'll not be surprised if Harris takes Florida or Texas or both.

The lies about going to war are big trouble. The other things, the exaggerations and gaffes, simply demonstrates the man does not have the ability to think quickly on his feet. He is a lumbering oaf. Having the oaf as president, in case of the equally stupid Kamala blowing a gasket, would be a humiliation for the US.