Okay, I guess "many" is a stretch. But the French had a nice do last time around, didn't they? And the Dutch had a fun with the new monarch? I didn't specify non-totalitarian or elected.

Dolly Parton. She's lovely.

I don't think that is a good use of the word "totalitarian". If Trump starts forcing people to do things in the personal lives they don't want to, that is the time to raise the Totalitarian flag, and I would gladly join in.

Inaugurations are used to display national unity after a contentious political campaign. And then it has been used for adulation in the past, normally driven by the media. I don't think Trump will be getting as much adulation this time, and it serves him right.

I've seen that adulation turn into a cult of personality in government. I don't really think it is healthy.

There is a shortsidedness in not participating in the inauguration, and contesting Trump's legitimacy. Those are two different things. They may think they are sending a message of displeasure to Trump, but it does injure national unity and integrity. They are basically contesting the legitimacy of the whole government in the process.

We have a piercing of the usual veneer here, It may be good. Maybe we can get over the superficialities of personality politics and actually focus on delivering real results. It may be yet another game change.

Wasn't that the crux of Trump's election platform?

You can't run with the foxes and hunt with the hounds.

I don't remember seeing any French celebrations. It's be cool if the Italians threw a big party for each new PM, though.

Monarchs don't count; they deserve some sort of fanfare as they're usually there for the long run, and anyway the sole point of any monarchy these days is the pomp and ceremony to bring in tourist dollars.

I introduced the non-totalitarian bound because The State goes to great lengths to display "affection" for unelected leaders in places like North Korea and China, in lieu of genuine public affection.

I think it's a perfectly good use of the word totalitarian. I wasn't referring to the US, by the way, but to states that are run by, ahem, totalitarian dictators. Places like North Korea, China, Zimbabwe. Russia.

He wasn't contesting legitimacy of the institutions. He was contesting effectiveness and integrity of the politicians. He did contest Obama's legitimacy.

Like I said, I think the backlash is deserved. But in protesting, they ought to discern between protesting the man, and protesting the institutions.

Did he not claim the elections would be rigged; Promising holy hell if he lost?
Sounds like he didn't have much faith in US elections or its institutions either

Yeah but succeed in what? Does he even know himself what he wants?!
According to ARD-news yesterday he said "the NATO is obsolete" and "the NATO is very important" in the same interview. You can't even agree/disagree with the guy

I've seen speeches, he keeps saying "I read somewhere" ..... " I read yesterday" .... if Trump were on EF, marton would kill him with "where's your source"-posts. LOL.

I thought the title of this thread was silly so far .... I mean, ask Nostradamos, maybe he saw this coming, or lay the Tarot cards ..... but now I wonder how anybody can even think he will be. The only good thing I hope might come out of this all, is that the Americans rethink their basic political system, where one person can gain so much power.

Well, fine this is what the US wanted but as an outsider I can not believe, that something like this is happening. It will be "Dallas" in the white-house - as I read somewhere (and no I don't remember the source but that's not necessary anymore in the next four years, is it).
Is this guy gonna visit Switzerland? WTF are we gonna do with him? Smile friendly and put him on the next plane back? Pray for snow storms so he can't even land? He's not even funny.

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So the "Obamacare is a total disaster " story is playing out really well

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/o...ht-region&_r=0

Maybe 15 million people are going to be deprived of healthcare by the G.O.P. No replacement has been envisioned. Just wanton destruction of what was originally a Republican idea, but now has Obama's name on it. People will die, a good proportion of them Trump voters. It will be a total mess - "fun" as Phos has said in a different context.

__________________
Whatever works

And that's the bad joke of it all!

This is absolutely not "what the US wanted". He lost by 3million votes and another 92,671,979 didn't want him enough to bother going out to vote for him! They didn't want him either.

I'm sorry, I stick with my "this is what the US wanted" because:
You have a system where it is possible that - apparantly - 3 million votes get ignored. Change it.
And you have citizens who do not bother to vote (!) - to say they didn't want him either is an assumption - the percentage of people who don't bother to vote is possibly higher than here in Switzerland. But we got them too, we know because of them it's even more important to vote, try to encourage them to vote and we live with the results.
If we don't like the choices given, we blot them out - also in elections - as the result looks a lot more realistic if the polling (Stimmmbeteiligung) does not fit the yes/no results = the politicians have to go back to work.

The United States say they are a democracy. Well, live up to it.

Alienating allies, ruining the healthcare system and the environment, and growing his family's net worth?

Trump has set the bar so low that anything other than WWIII would be considered a success by some.

It is what the US wanted.

The reason for him happening is decades of political lethargy and broken promises in the US. The voters wanted action and change, and he's the one who credibly offered it.

The US government really hasn't been that great. We pay for these guys, and they sit around and lie to us, and don't really do a lot in return. They should be put to work.

Trump is a walking fire alarm, and you never know what he'll do next. He promised performance from our government and its politicians. Well he's putting a fire underneath them and the media, and they are kicking back.

As for the gossipy rumours and fear mongering, for me, I don't see much substance in them. Its psych-ops from the departing regime. They don't really mean anything.

I'm more interested in substantial changes and actions. There are lots of opportunities across the board. I want to see what he does with them. We'll see how he manages it when he takes office. The fun hasn't started yet.

THAT - on the other hand - is tactically smart


That's the same everywhere .... I remember all those politicians who said they would stand up for the smokers. LOL.
That's the same everywhere .... oh I mentioned that already.
Well, I personally have not heard, seen or read anything from the departing regime anymore. But I've seen, heard and read about Trump a couple of times and to me the "Burghölzli" would be more appropriate than the white house.

Then what you see in the 'states may be coming to a country near you.

I was reading an article about Brazil wanting their very own Donald Trump.

The best argument for compulsory voting I've seen yet.

Well with crowd funding we could send them the real Donald complete with 18 carat gold fittings

LOL, yeah, Brazil is very close.
Ofcourse you're right. It already is not all bed of roses. And the German system is not much more impressive - chose between A and B and shut up the coming 4 years.
My problem with Trump is, I'm not sure he is mentally healthy?

They might buy him?