Jingthing

Are you paying?

The first European I met here in Thailand was very aware of the situation. So I think an awful lot. Certainly Europeans and Russians often would. Maybe the MAGA thing has you confused. Pro Trump or anti Trump.

Yeah I would respect hearing that. But you're not everyone. I recall being on a bus tour in Turkiye with mostly Australians during a heated U.S. election season. They were very cool educated Aussies but a few of them made it very clear to me that they were angry that they had to hear this American political stuff constantly even on their own media. So I didn't talk about it. Of course they had a point. What percentage of Americans can even name the Australian PM. I reckon much less than one percent.

Just met a random friendly foreigner stranger in the course of daily life so we starting talking. In tourism oriented Pattaya, it's usual to ask nationalities, probably the first thing usually asked. So that's how.

You know I am asking a REAL question and I'm sure Americans abroad are going to be dealing with this for years to come. My first encounter since the tragic election results were very dramatic. We were sharing nationalities and when I said American he immediately had an extreme reaction like it was awkward for him because he didn't know my maga status (I suspect he was anti maga but who knows). There is no doubt he was referring to the election but I don't want to quote him exactly. The encounter ended without me being clear that I wasn't maga. I don't think that's what I want in future. I want people that are thinking about this to know, even if they are pro maga foreigners. Even better if they know. As said before feeling out the specific people and situation is probably the way to go, but I wish it would be easier and less awkward. Heck, I will now formally invite magas to this. Do you want non-Americans who you think are curious to know you're maga. If so, how do you go about telling them without being a total A-hole and saying so the first sentence.

A reminder. This topic is really targeted to NON maga Americans. It would be polite for maga Americans to direct their sore winner gloating impulses to other topics. Well, I tried anyway.

Is there a great business opportunity in designing and marketing some kind of dignified accessory or pin indicating being a pro-democracy, anti-maga American while traveling abroad? A billion dollar idea or what? I wouldn't advise wearing such a thing in the U.S. as the magadonians in victory are rather rabid at the moment being such sore winners.

Turning this around, if you meet a Russian you seriously don't wonder what they think about Putin and his war? I really can't imagine the mindset of that.

I predicted Harris would win with a narrow margin and Trump would fight to overturn it. I've no doubt that's what Trump would have done, but it turns out Trump won this time, so my prediction about Harris winning was wrong. So what?

Yeah well living in Pattaya, I can tell you that there are many Maga Americans here. Perhaps the majority. No hat needed. Less so in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Fine. It's a personal decision. It's clear to me that you're more maga than I am. I really don't want to be associated with maga in any way. I'm pretty sure many or most non-Americans these days are thinking about Trump when they meet an American. Well Europeans anyway. We're not the only nationality dealing with stuff like this. I've seen reports of Germans abroad being greeted with admiration of Hitler and assuming they like him too.

So you lie to them then.

What seems simple to you is not simple to me.

Yep. I don't even mind paying some tax here even though us non immigrants get nothing in return. I wonder if they would better off saying expats not working in Thailand, just pay a 30,000 baht flat tax just for breathing the air here. I would be happy to pay it if i could avoid actually having to worry about filing and tax strategies all the time.

Absolutely, and the Russian propaganda machine which is definitely the best in the world, will be helping with that without the magas even having to ask them to.

At this point I think Trump is very similar to Orban in the now no longer a real democracy Hungary. But there's always room for him to get worse.

That's good advice for sure but I prefer to keep this year a perfectly clean ZERO slate so there never can be any doubt. At my level, I'm not really worried about paying much tax here ever. I'm more worried about the mechanics of it and having to pay for greedy advisors.

Your question doesn't make any sense. Stop wasting my time. Bye.

Yes, please prosecute all the perps they can catch to the full extent of Dutch law.

Again -- maga is a cult. The American left is definitely not a cult.

This came up for me the other day and I wasn't sure how to deal with it. Now that we know that the maga autocratic cult was not a one time fluke, that maga now represents who we are as a country for better or worse (worse) when we meet non-Americans if we don't support the maga cult, and the question of nationality comes up, do we just say Americans, or do we somehow try to communicate we're not "that" maga kind of American? Of course I'm not talking about faking being Canadian, is that really fair to Canadians. I can't speak for all non-maga Americans, but I still love my national homeland and I'm not ashamed to be American. But I'm ashamed of maga. In some ways, I think all Americans have some complicity in maga happening, just as all Russians have some complicity in Putin happening. I compare this to Russians now. You meet a Russian and most people will wonder, is this a Z Putin loving Russian, an opponent, or someone completely apolitical. I look at Russians I may meet and tend to guess based on age, appearance, affect, etc. but not always right. I have an appearance that could easily be maga (or not). Thinking out loud, I guess the wisest way is to check for any reaction from new people that indicates they are wondering (are you a maga or not) and then easing into the discussion if they seem receptive. Is there another way? I can't imagine just announcing, I'm American but I hate Trump. Penny for your thoughts?

If you say so. It's not like anything I say would ever change your mind.

Sorry. It's definitely a cult. Not saying all Trump voters are in the maga cult. That gives a little bit of hope for the future.

Oh come on. Do you not know history. Hitler first came into power via an election.

Funny that you mention Stalin. I associate maga autocrats with Putin. Putin has worked very hard to rehabilitate the bad reputation of Stalin and he is now glorified again in Russia.