For strange reasons related to how humans process numbers the 200th bicentennial was a much bigger deal than even a decent not Trump ruined 250th would be. In 1976 Americans did not doubt the vitality of their democracy and could not have even imagined an anti-democracy fascist regime like Trump in power. The 250th is a time when Americans wonder if American democracy has been lost forever. To get it back, Americans will need to fight very hard as Hungarians recently did, seemingly against all odds. I'm not confident Americans will be so lucky.

1976 will be remembered mostly for the tall ships.

Edited June 3Jun 3 by Jingthing

On 6/1/2026 at 4:03 PM, Jingthing said:

It's often said and it's so true that everything Trump touches turns to the brown stuff. It takes a special kind of special to bankrupt casinos, so we were well warned.

Trump is making the 250th all about him in his now familiar American dictator cult of personality style. But by now, most American oppose him, so it's getting even weirder.

I'm old enough to have attended key events of America's bicentennial. It was truly inspiring and amazing and obviously historic! So I know how this could have been. But thanks to Trump, it will be a shambolic farce.

Trump was elected by American voters in a democratic process, even though they well knew that he was a fraudster, a sex fiend and a bancruptcy artist.

The USA is not just a moral cesspool internally, for decades they are the biggest exporter of terrorism and war crimes on the planet.

Americans are truly getting everything they deserve.

5 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

Trump was elected by American voters in a democratic process, even though they well knew that he was a fraudster, a sex fiend and a bancruptcy artist.

The USA is not just a moral cesspool internally, for decades they are the biggest exporter of terrorism and war crimes on the planet.

Americans are truly getting everything they deserve.

Well I wouldn't put it quite that way, but I can't say you're terribly wrong.

For Americans to get better and deserve better they're going to have rise up and demand that. What happened in Hungary gives some hope but overall in the case of the USA I see no rational reason for optimism.

10 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

The USA is not just a moral cesspool internally, for decades they are the biggest exporter of terrorism and war crimes on the planet.

No we are not.

21 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

The USA is not just a moral cesspool internally, for decades they are the biggest exporter of terrorism and war crimes on the planet.

11 minutes ago, TedG said:

No we are not.

Then tell me, is there anybody since the Second World War who did worse:

Since World War II, direct U.S. military operations and proxy wars have resulted in the deaths of over 900,000 civilians and non-combatants, with an estimated 432,000 to 450,000 direct civilian deaths occurring in the post-9/11 conflicts alone. Millions more have died indirectly due to disease, malnutrition, and the destruction of infrastructure.

https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/costs/human

10 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

Americans are truly getting everything they deserve.

1 minute ago, jts-khorat said:

Then tell me, is there anybody since the Second World War who did worse:

We have a long ways to go beat your legacy.

This puts a smile on my face.

Trump turns everything he touches to Excrement; 250 anniversary or World Cup. What is more disturbing is half of America prefers excrement to having a good time. Who knew?!

5 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

Trump turns everything he touches to Excrement; 250 anniversary or World Cup. What is more disturbing is half of America prefers excrement to having a good time. Who knew?!

35 percent now.

10 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

Trump turns everything he touches to Excrement; 250 anniversary or World Cup. What is more disturbing is half of America prefers excrement to having a good time. Who knew?!

Depends on what your definition of having a good time is.

6 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Depends on what your definition of having a good time is.

Playing in poo is not my idea of a good time. Obviously FOX & Friends think different.

Credit where credit is due, commissioning half naked muscular men to wrestle in a cage on the Whitehouse lawn, to celebrate the 250 years since the founding of the USA is not only the undoubted apogee of current culture, but also a not insignificant tribute to Gay Pride!

2 hours ago, JAG said:

Credit where credit is due, commissioning half naked muscular men to wrestle in a cage on the Whitehouse lawn, to celebrate the 250 years since the founding of the USA is not only the undoubted apogee of current culture, but also a not insignificant tribute to Gay Pride!

If this type of activity exemplifies the current culture then we are going down the path of Rome.

1 hour ago, Hawaiian said:

If this type of activity exemplifies the current culture then we are going down the path of Rome.

I am a keen reader - always have been.

I spent the early part of the year wading through this; not exactly easy going but interesting.

I wouldn't say parallels in history, but definitely some umh, similarities!

18 minutes ago, JAG said:

I am a keen reader - always have been.

I spent the early part of the year wading through this; not exactly easy going but interesting.

I wouldn't say parallels in history, but definitely some umh, similarities!

America has not reached the stage of depravities of ancient Rome. Not yet, that is.

Just now, Hawaiian said:

America has not reached the stage of depravities of ancient Rome. Not yet, that is.

Agreed, but it is entirely possible to see how they could start to slide...

What could possibly reflect the current state of America more than a cage fight on the South Lawn where the goal is to cause brain damage in one's opponent? All that's missing are the lions.

It seems there's just not enough brain damage in the Oval Office, so Trump wants to create more....all in celebration of the 250th.

To top it off, Trump now wants to keep the cage and scaffolding, which dwarf the actual White House, as a permanent fixture, a reminder of those who gave their brain cells in the honor of Trump's own 80th birthday.

Trump has even equated the scaffolding, done under the auspices of a company run by his son Eric, with the Eiffel Tower.

For the gala, instead of something moving like Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man", Trump will likely have played "YMCA" or maybe the aphasia-inspired "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".

The left coercing entertainers to boycott the festivities is Trump's fault.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The left coercing entertainers to boycott the festivities is Trump's fault.

Why do they have to be coerced? Trump is losing his supporters like rats deserting a sinking ship.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The left coercing entertainers to boycott the festivities is Trump's fault.

The show will go on, with President Trump replacing them as the star act.

I am praying that the cage fighters also join the boycott ... What a sight that would be.

On 6/1/2026 at 9:58 PM, Screaming said:

It should be a glorious celebration, I just wish I could go back to the U.S. to celebrate. I hope the treasury produces the $250 Trump bill so I can buy one. It will be worth allot of money someday.

Is it too soon to mention that UK has pubs older than 250! I think the oldest one still in operation is 700 years old.

Many places in Europe are the same.

To the north the oldest Canadian restaurant is dated from 1754.

10 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Is it too soon to mention that UK has pubs older than 250! I think the oldest one still in operation is 700 years old.

Many places in Europe are the same.

To the north the oldest Canadian restaurant is dated from 1754.

Yes, we know. So what?

Seems Trump has now sent a message on Truth Social that all the concerts are off, and there will just be one big rally.

30 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Seems Trump has now sent a message on Truth Social that all the concerts are off, and there will just be one big rally.

At least he hopes it will be a large crowd... That's OK, he'll just ai one as usual when it's not as big as he wants.

Edited June 5Jun 5 by gargamon

On 6/2/2026 at 1:02 PM, Hawaiian said:

The majority of well established entertainers don't want to have anything to do with Trump.

You mean the same fools that are soon to be extinct, thanks to AI ?
I'll be SO happy to not have to hear them yap.

Them and musicians can't happen fast enough.
Now, when they figure out how to replace democrats with AI, thats a party right there.

Trump is ruining America's 250th Celebration

What? Is he breathing too loud? Or just the fact that he's still breathing at all that's making the lefties whine like my little sister did when we were toddlers? MOM! MOM! He's ruining it.

Edited June 5Jun 5 by impulse

On 6/2/2026 at 1:02 PM, Hawaiian said:

The majority of well established entertainers don't want to have anything to do with Trump.

Yes. Even the Aristocrats with their act turned him down , much to his annoyance.

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

Trump is ruining America's 250th Celebration

What? Is he breathing too loud. Or just the fact that he's still breathing at all that's making the lefties whine like my little sister did when we were toddlers? MOM! MOM! He's ruining it.

You don't have to be a lefty to know that the plans for a grand celebration have fallen apart. No one of any stature wants to participate.

What better way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of a revolution against a madman of Germanic origin, who held too much power, than doing the whole thing all over again?

On 6/1/2026 at 2:58 PM, Screaming said:

It should be a glorious celebration, I just wish I could go back to the U.S. to celebrate. I hope the treasury produces the $250 Trump bill so I can buy one. It will be worth allot of money someday.

Only if there's another pandemic and a corresponding shortage of toilet paper.

On 6/4/2026 at 11:28 AM, JAG said:

I am a keen reader - always have been.

I spent the early part of the year wading through this; not exactly easy going but interesting.

I wouldn't say parallels in history, but definitely some umh, similarities!

Have you finished Gibbon? he blamed the rise of Christianity as a main cause of Romes decline. It was prophesy that if the Vestal virgin shrine in the forum Romana fell the City of Rome would fall. less than 18 years later in 410 Rome was sacked and the decline really set in. It has no parallels with the USA