Patong2021

How do you propose that the Philippines respond to China's expansionist activities. China has ignored international rulings in respect to the territorial waters of the Philippines. It is China that has militarized this part of the South China Sea. The Chinese have also encroached into waters claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. How do you propose these nations deal with China which is quite literally destroying the fragile ecosystem by blasting coral reefs and dumping contaminated land fill into the ocean to extend and build up its squatter locations. This activity is done without any concern for the environmental impact. Please explain how these countries should respond to the Chinese militarization of the region and the multiple violent confrontations initiated by the Chinese. These countries are aware that China is allied with Russia which launched an invasion into a weaker neighbor and are familiar with the Chinese invasion of Tibet .

One could always have Eisenhower who initiated the Bay of Pigs fiasco and set the groundwork for the Vietnam war debacle. Or Nixon and his long list of reprehensible illegal activities And then there was Reagan who's administration which secretly facilitated the illegal sale of arms to Iran, which was subject to an arms embargo at the time. The administration hoped to use the proceeds of the arms sale to fund the Contras, an anti-Sandinista rebel group in Nicaragua. The difference between the people you mention is that they couldn't keep their peckers under control, while the others violated serious US laws and facilitated death and destruction. This is why people are willing to forgive Clinton's transgressions and even look the other way with the odious JFK.

As the youngest, I also believe I have good judgment of the character of my older siblings and can say that my oldest brother is a dud. I also know that the Walz brother comments are taken out of context. The man has nothing to do with his younger brother and in typical sibling fashion has a comment with inside meaning. Just ask Noel and Liam Gallagher how that works.

Context is needed. A large portion of that "welfare" spending is on health and education. Yes, it is one of the top spenders on its people. In comparison, Alaska which has higher welfare spending, is a right wing Republican state. It survives off of Federal welfare spending, much of which is paid for by tax revenues from successful Democrat states like California and New York. Using your logic, one could say that Alaska is a welfare state, the Republicans will control the state forever. The reality is that Minnesota ranks high among the states in the quality of health and welfare services. It is known for its high standard of general medical services, its extensive children’s health and welfare programs, and care for the elderly. People living below the poverty level are about 10% of the population compared to 11.5% for the nation. Republican states like Mississippi are close to 20%, and Louisiana is 18%+. In fact , Republican states are more likely to have lower living standards and more impoverished people as part of their population. The reality is that Minnesotans for the most part have a decent quality of life. The cost of living there is significantly higher than in Republican states, because of the climate. The cold weather requires extensive heating for much of the year, better quality dwellings and infrastructure that can resist the cold and freeze and thaw cycles. A large part of welfare spending is to ensure that people can heat their homes and that children can have a hot meal. Not such a bad thing.

This is going to be awkward. Russia was just exposed for planting spyware in the Mongolian government website and email system. It is a serious attack on a "friendly" nation. https://therecord.media/mongolia-apt29-watering-hole-attacks-exploits-nso-group-intellexa

Poor innocent terrorists were caught this time. Israel learnt its lesson on October 7. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/world/middleeast/gaza-unrwa-hamas-israel.html https://www.nbcnews.com/news/un-workers-played-direct-role-oct-7-hamas-attack-israeli-intelligence-rcna136201 Of the 19 UN personnel named, 10 were to be disciplined. That's nice, they are disciplined for aiding and abetting or participating in starting a war, murdering, raping and taking hostages.

Names have been released 5 people. It appears that they were executed. Medical examinations will be needed to confirm.

What exactly did you expect him to do? The golden rule is to never get involved in a domestic dispute. Call the police. Stand on the side, and cough so that your presence is known, but that's it. It is a no win situation. The thugs always win unless they upset nastier thugs, like the police or senior military. This is not his country and the locals are not worth dying for. Interjecting oneself is a good way to be killed, and they do kill foreigners with impunity.

I expect that Trump's idea of a connection would be to visit a local trailer park with his QAnon talking points. 😁

If this is the best that the Trump collective can come up with, they will need to consider something more convincing and substantive. You know, stuff like policy and how exactly they intend to fix the many problems they say are not their doing.

An opinion does not change the reality, the actual facts. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23484314/trump-fuentes-ye-dinner-white-nationalism-supremacy He has a long history of enabling hate. And he refused to condemn white supremacists. As he says, they are his people. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-doesnt-disavow-white-supremacy-tells-far-right-extremist-group-to-stand-by

I was highlighting some of the prominent supporters of Trump. They have some characteristics in common. Did you read the Pew Research data summary? Educated people are not likely to be supporters of Trump.

So true. It's like old men sitting on the front porch yelling at kids playing in the street or passing kids for laughing too loudly. They are the type of people who complain about everything, It's no wonder they attract the miserable people of AN. So much anger. A real need for more fiber in their diet.

What is factually incorrect? Do you disagree that they are his supporters? Do you disagree that the research and polling data shows that educated and older afro americans prefer Harris Walz over Vance Trump? Do you disagree that amongst afro americans that women are massively in favour of Harri Walz and that older women are the demographic most likely to work on election campaigns and turn out to vote?

And yet the voters of the state disagree with you. Despite your claims, he did win a Republican district when he defeated Republican Gil Gutknecht, a six-term incumbent. He was elected multiple times and served from 2007 to 2019. When he ran for Governor he was elected twice defeating his Republican rivals. He can't be that unpopular if he has a consistent winning record.

Mr. Trump enjoys support from some of the B List rappers like; Da Baby - The gentleman has a respectable rap sheet in terms of street cred for a rapper. He is best known for the 2018 incident where he shot and killed a 19-year-old man at a Walmart. And there is Kanye West. The man puts the K in karay-zee. He is known for his anti semitic statements and his parading around of the scantily clad attention seeking Bianca Censori. And there is Kodak Black. He had an extensive criminal record and charges, including sexual assault. Trump, in his last day in office saw fit to commute his sentence. Perhaps, he saw a kindred spirit. Unfortunately, this misunderstood artist has since returned to his criminal ways. He made the headlines when he was shot in the leg in West Hollywood, California, after a fight involving members of his entourage broke out near a restaurant where pop singer Justin Bieber was having an afterparty. His last arrest was in December 2023 when Plantation, FL police claimed they found the rapper passed out in a parked Bentley SUV, blocking traffic in the dead of night. Though charged with possession of cocaine, citing a positive field test, the "white chunky substance" police found turned out to be oxycodone, according to court documents. Kodak had assured fans after the arrest that the substance was not coke, declaring, "I ain't no baser, bitch." Now that's a classy statement keeping in line with Trump's crudeness. And rounding out the upstanding citizen group is Wacka Flacka Flame. He's just a misunderstood fun loving fellow if you put his multiple drug possession and firearm felonies aside. And just like Donald, he can salute too. He looks very patriotic just like General Bonespurs. There are some other prominent supporters, like a certain senator who is alleged to be a closeted homosexual, not that there is anything wrong with being a homosexual, just that it would be nice not to be a hypocrite. Assuredly, not everyone is a convicted felon or accused sex offender like Mr. Trump, but they do seem to identify with a fellow philanderer and felon. It also makes for a sharp difference with VP Harris. Her support in the Afro American community is solidifying and particularly strong with the educated and the older members of the community. In particular, women are more likely to support VP Harris and these are the voters who vote. It was this block which delivered Georgia and to a lesser extent Pennsylvania and Michigan to the Biden side last election. It is probably why the Republicans have spent so much time in trying to disenfranchise the Afro American voter.

The painting was moved, not taken down. As much as I am a respectful admirer of former PM Thatcher, I can understand why PM Starmer would want her portrait removed from a room which he is likely to work from. Would you want to have a portrait of your ex staring down at you in your bedroom? The portrait has been relocated to another room at No. 10. This is not an unusual practice. It is the purview of the sitting PM to select works of art to decorate the PM's workplace and home. The UK Daily Mail is trying to make this an issue, when it is not.

He does not benefit from tax free status and use a designated place of religious freedom to promote his political views. Nor has he ever demanded the death of any particular religious group. Nor has he ever advocated for violence against his nation. A key difference is that the man is watched and sanctioned by the police for even minor infractions. There are many English people who disagree with him and criticize his views. In contrast are known hate preachers like Anjem Choudary who has benefited from the generous benefits of the UK, while actively pursuing violent actions against its citizens, and who has never been rebuked or criticized by the muslim community as a whole.

answered above.

What? On what basis do you make this claim? How do you know how she paid for her education? Imagining something does not make it true. You do not even know what she studied. Her undergrad was in economics and political science. As an attorney general she was responsible for negotiating several of the largest settlements in US history, settlements that benefited Americans in all states. She was AG for a state with an economy that is bigger than most countries' economies. How would you know how hard it is to be a prosecutor? Have you ever practiced law and litigated a multistate case? You offer a simpleton's assessment of a prosecutor's role. It is your personal opinion that she is clueless to world and local issues. Meanwhile, she had enough understanding of her local issues to ensure being elected as a prosecutor and state attorney general. She has been in the national administration for the past 4 years and is aware of world events. Because you are unaware does not mean your are correct.

It is obvious that you do not. New York has a limited definition of rape, that has yet to be updated. Judge Kaplan in his ruling that dismissed Trump's counterclaim of defamation against his sexual assault victim said that when Carroll repeated her allegation that Trump raped her, she was truthful. Judge Kaplan also set out in detail why it may be said that Trump raped Carroll. “The only issue on which the jury did not find in Ms Carroll’s favour was whether she proved that Mr Trump ‘raped’ her within the narrow, technical meaning of that term in the New York penal law. “The jury … was instructed that it could find that Mr Trump ‘raped’ Ms Carroll only if it found that he forcibly penetrated Ms Carroll’s vagina with his penis. “It could not find that he ‘raped’ her if it determined that Mr Trump forcibly penetrated Ms Carroll’s private sexual parts with his fingers – which commonly is considered ‘rape’ in other contexts – because the New York penal law definition of rape is limited to penile penetration.” The jury found in favour of the victim and that is the key issue. Your argument is of the position that molesting someone is acceptable so long as it does not involve penile penetration.

Nevermind. 😶‍🌫️

Rape is specifically defined under New York law. In other jurisdictions his sexual assault would be considered rape. The judge has already addressed the issue. Trump had the benefit of New York's outdated legal definition of rape. Your casual dismissal of the assault says it all. A jury of Trump's peers found the evidence credible and sufficient to deliver its verdict.

By foreigners, do you mean mostly westerners and northern asians? The data does not support your conclusion. On the contrary, the suicides reflect the demographic of the people who visit Thailand. Look at the demographics of the foreign suicides. Now look at the demographics of the foreigners in Thailand. The data shows that white males of lower socio economic status (education and wealth) and those with chronic disease are the most likely to unalive themselves. Thailand is a magnet for this demographic, so it should not come as a surprise when they unalive themselves at a rate reflective of their numbers. They don't necessarily travel to Thailand with the intent of unaliving. Sometimes it is perceived seen as the best option for an elderly person with a chronic health condition and with no financial means to care for himself.

Yes, he will do whatever he can to cop a plea deal. He will do it to protect his children, especially Barron. He will string out the cases against him as long as possible, and will likely die before final appeals are heard, thereby vacating the charges. He will most likely manifest dementia as there is a history in his family and this would result in a staying of charges. No, he will not go to prison. The USA will never imprison a former president for the sake of the national image and of the office.