Politics

[Tubby’s Canteen]

The fact that you still take 100% of Trump's rhetoric seriously and literally at this point in time cracks me up! His unpredictability in regard to what is rhetoric and what is a viable threat is a deliberate tactic, by the way, that is obviously effective... Sorry you are not appreciating and enjoying it as much as I am...

The trust of others is irrelevant and pretty much unnecessary in his negotiating style... The pesky little fact that Trump and all the other world leaders know is that they will continue to align with the U.S. and do business with us because they have to... We are still the dominant superpower in the world with the most powerful military, the largest economy, and most import consumer buying power...

I've said it here and in other threads many times that they all hate us until they need us, and then they love us again... That remains true regardless of who resides in the WH... It is for these precise reasons Canadians can sleep soundly at night with a military of only 68,000... You're welcome by the way...

The fact you can’t take 100% or even 50% of what the president of the United States says seriously should not be a position you brag about.

Canadians can sleep soundly in our beds at night because we’ve got a long and proud tradition of supporting our allies in whatever military action is necessary. As much as you’d like to think Americans single handily won the world wars Canadians we there along side of you. And actually in both years long. Korea Canadians were there , Vietnam Canadian volunteers off set the number of draft dodgers. Bosnia , Afghanistan Canadian were there.

Vimmy ridge? taken by Canadians, the Netherlands? Canadians Liberated them. Longest sniper shot in history? A Canadian took it. Juno beach? Canadians, Iranian hostage crisis Canadians got 6 of your countryman out.

None of that is to belittle the incredible military service Americans have made , and continue To make. But to pull your hat down tight and say that Canadians owe you a thank you when Canadians were standing alongside of you is wrong.

 

[Red Leg]

Quit acting like Europeans, Canadians or whoever are traveling internationally because of some sort of intellectual superiority.

Quit acting like Europeans? This is a site where a significant majority travel internationally - hunting and otherwise. I would suggest intellectual superiority has little to do with it. Though along with an interest in hunting a fascination with other cultures, languages, and history might.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I guess you buy into the Archie Bunker observation: The problem with traveling overseas is there’s too many foreigners

Justified took a pretty good crack at it too “ I’ve been to Mexico Boyd , you wouldn’t like it it’s full of Mexicans”

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

This travel argument is ridiculous from the start. If Europeans want to see any sort of different landscape or go further than a few hours away from their home they HAVE TO go to a different country. Meanwhile Americans are spoiled for choice as to what they can see and experience while staying within their own borders. Major mountain ranges, deserts, beaches galore, rugged coastlines, huge, tiny and everything in between national parks, rainforests, wetlands, 5 giant lakes, dense northern forests of north central and north eastern America, beautiful rolling hills, the great plains, creek and river bottoms of the central America. Then we have the pure rugged beauty of Alaska and remoteness of Hawaii.

Quit acting like Europeans, Canadians or whoever are traveling internationally because of some sort of intellectual superiority.

I guess you buy into the Archie Bunker theory of international travel: The problem with traveling overseas is that there are so many foreigners!

 

[CJW]

Quit acting like Europeans?

Huh? Not sure why you quoted me like that. Not what I said. There is no exclamation mark or period after Europeans in my post.

This is a site where a significant majority travel internationally - hunting and otherwise. I would suggest intellectual superiority has little to do with it. Though along with an interest in hunting a fascination with other cultures, languages, and history might.

I'm not sure what you're getting at. My point is that Americans can travel far from home and see many different landscapes and different cultures and still be in their own country. Europeans generally can't. They can easily leave their country for their pick of another with a few hours drive. That's it.

 

[CJW]

I guess you buy into the Archie Bunker theory of international travel: The problem with traveling overseas is that there are so many foreigners!

When did I say that traveling overseas is bad for any reason?

You completely missed the purpose of my post which is that it's super easy for them to travel to a different country for the weekend.

Figured I would clear that up since it seems to some I wrote in code.

 

[BSO Dave]

That could have been boiled down to "the man is driven by a strong ego wrapped in Stars & Stripes".

This is a gross oversimplification to describe a man who defied all political odds at least twice if not three times, and in doing so, owns the greatest political comeback in world history... You TDSer's and Euro-haters can mock this man all you like, but the facts remain that an adolescent, egomaniac has become the most powerful man on the planet not once, but twice, and is now playing the fiddle that the rest of the world must now dance to...

As mdwest already correctly stated all world leaders are egomaniacs and narcissists to one degree or another... It just so happens that Trump uses it to this country's advantage...

Apparently some voters did believe Trump. Why shouldn`t others believe him too?.

In regards to Trump or not the markets may react differently than what the world politicians believe. They need predictability just like any household economy.

Trump campaigned on tariffs and a global trade reset and did EXACTLY what he said he would do... He also predicted that some temporary economic pain domestically may be a side effect. The American people decided to trust him... Not sure where the unpredictability came into the picture?

Regardless, the U.S markets are recovering nicely, and the tariffs are already paying dividends via new trade deals or actual revenue. This reset had to happen for the U.S. to re-establish our global economic future... Everybody on Wall Street knew it, and every politician in D.C. knew it... Until Trump, none of them ever had the balls to pull the trigger...

Globally, Canada will pursue closer trade and ties to the UK, EU, China, and India. We'll be better positioned for it in the 21st as China and India rise, and the US wanes.

Yeah, becoming more dependent on China is a great economic strategy... Let's see how that one works out for Canada...

Don't hold your breath for the demise of the U.S. just yet... Your prediction of the U.S. waning isn't likely to age well...

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

When did I say that traveling overseas is bad for any reason?

You completely missed the purpose of my post.

I read your post and it wasn’t clear to me what your point was. Whatever your point is, it wasn’t clearly conveyed.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Approximately 46% of US citizens have a passport.
70% of Canadians do. That was my point. And facts confirm. If o it want to tilt at that particular windmill, have at it

By your numbers, 98m Americans traveled. Out of 340m
30m Canadians traveled. Out of 40m

The math is left as an exercise to the reader, as the old, before the fancy new curriculum, schoolbooks used to say.

Feeling somewhat superior over us inbred, Trump voting Americans? Okay, let’s review this passport issue…

A higher percentage of Canadians have passports than Americans. Now why oh why could that be? Maybe because there is nowhere to vacation in Canada, other than skiing and seeing polar bears!

Hmmm, while I like our non-superior brothers in Canada, most Canadians live within 100 miles of the U.S.A. border. I don’t think Canada has many tropical vacation locations. Oh, Canada has great skiing, hunting albeit with certain anti-gun restrictions, and wonderful farmlands and mountains. That stated, not many people vacation in Alberta, do they?

Americans can without leaving U.S. soil go to beach in Florida, Hawaii, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, Marianna Islands and maybe another location or two. We can also ski mountains, and enjoy countless acres of public (BLM) lands for hiking, mountain biking, hunting and shooting, and so on. Most of that public land isn’t under a foot of snow for half the year.

Americans can drive or fly state to state for a vacation and everyone speaks the same language. J We have subcultures that differ enough to make visiting fun! I believe I’ve traveled to every state in the USA and even though I’ve spent time in Europe, Asia, and Africa, I didn’t leave anything behind in Europe or Asia… Nice to visit but I can also visit other states and drive home.

Finally, the map below isn’t new but look at the size of our land compared to Europe. Yes, I know Canada is a larger land mass, but that includes your tundra, perma-frost, and areas that most people seldom venture. So, I don’t know how big the 100 mile strip is that borders the U.S.A. where 90% of Canadians live, but I bet it is no larger than the whole area of Texas!

I like my brother Canadians but the U.S.A. didn’t cause your problems. Your liberal voting, socialist leaning fellow Canadians did.

 

[BSO Dave]

With appropriate respect to you and your imagined Internet credentials, I find them wanting.

You're free to find mine wanting as well, as you obviously do, and I'm fine with it. I'm more trying to point out the foolishness of you doubling down on them and leaning on them.

I do not know him personally... However, in reading hundreds of @mdwest's post over many years of his contributions here, I have found him to be one of the most informed, respectful, and open-minded participants on this forum... In attacking his character, you are bringing a knife to a gunfight...

I also think his analysis of your constant BS is spot on... This is not the hill you want to die on...

 

[Tundra Tiger]

"The fact you can’t take 100% or even 50% of what the president of the United States says seriously should not be a position you brag about."

Bingo.

 

[wesheltonj]

. . .Hmmm, while I like our non-superior brothers in Canada, most Canadians live within 100 miles of the U.S.A. border. I don’t think Canada has many tropical vacation locations. Oh, Canada has great skiing, hunting albeit with certain anti-gun restrictions, and wonderful farmlands and mountains. That stated, not many people vacation in Alberta, do they? . . .

I love vacationing in Alberta. Banff NP, Jasper NP, Yoho NP & Kootenay NP. Granted some parts of the parks are in BC.

 

[spike.t]

I expected India to do something after the terrorist attack a few weeks ago by a group of Pakistan based bad guys in Kashmir.. but I expected the action to be relatively minor... and then the two governments would find a way to de-escalate..

Al Jazeera seems to be giving it more coverage than the big EU and US news agencies.. and while sometimes Indian news agencies are decent, clearly they're biased on this one..

Plenty about it on my bbc app

 

[spike.t]

South Africa's Julius Malema hits out after not getting UK visa

The UK Home Office was unable to process Julius Malema's application in time for his trip, the High Commission says.

www.bbc.com

 

[BSO Dave]

The fact you can’t take 100% or even 50% of what the president of the United States says seriously should not be a position you brag about.

I can and do take Trump very seriously because I possess the cognitive ability of rational thought which allows me to understand, and accept his character and demeanor without an emotional reaction...

The fact that you cannot differentiate between serious policy issues and Trump's trolls is an intellectual deficit. Your emotion is blocking your ability to think rationally... It's the first and most common symptom of TDS...

And, as far as Canada's contributions to the historical wars, I have no doubt they all served bravely and sacrificed equally if not proportionately... My reference was more about the world's foremost nuclear superpower that you happen to share a 5,525-mile border with... With that nuclear umbrella, you really don't need an army at all... In fact, why bother, when you certainly don't have enough to repel the inevitable U.S. invasion... LOL...!

 

[spike.t]

Not good...pushing the cashless society.....wonder if international cards will have same limits....

New Banking Regulations: Card Withdrawal Limits Changed Starting From May 15th – Here’s How They Impact South Africans

New Card Withdrawal Limits - Starting May 15th, 2025, new banking regulations issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will change the

www.ipiafrica.org

 

[Brent in Az]

"Conservative" isn't synonymous with "libertarian", "Republican", or "populist"

Churchill would be well left of US Democrats and unelectable other than in a novelty manner like Bernie.

It's just that the US spectrum is shifted so far to the right.
I don't begrudge Americans for it: The same isolationism that keeps less than half of them from owning a passport also reaches to the more educated in a different form of isolationism and general ignorance. US defaultism.

The type that now insists that running massive deficits, instituting tariffs, abandoning free trade, and just being generally boorish on the world stage is now the default "Conservative" position.

Perhaps in the continental US, but the rest of the world shrugs and looks forward. You'll have to excuse me for being a conservative of the traditional stripe. Not the one that was minted in 2016 and worships a cult of personality. We'll have to agree to disagree.

I'll take a move to balanced budgets with appropriate taxation, a market solution to climate change, agreeable pro-business and pro-development policy, a deference to constitutional laws and norms, and a solid commitment to a free trade agenda in the vein of traditional European conservatism as opposed to what is passing as "Conservative" south of the 49th.

Globally, Canada will pursue closer trade and ties to the UK, EU, China, and India. We'll be better positioned for it in the 21st as China and India rise, and the US wanes.

By all means, you can have the MAGA hats and pats on the back in an echo chamber.

Good luck with that.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I can and do take Trump very seriously because I possess the cognitive ability of rational thought which allows me to understand, and accept his character and demeanor without an emotional reaction...

The fact that you cannot differentiate between serious policy issues and Trump's trolls is an intellectual deficit. Your emotion is blocking your ability to think rationally... It's the first and most common symptom of TDS...

And, as far as Canada's contributions to the historical wars, I have no doubt they all served bravely and sacrificed equally if not proportionately... My reference was more about the world's foremost nuclear superpower that you happen to share a 5,525-mile border with... With that nuclear umbrella, you really don't need an army at all... In fact, why bother, when you certainly don't have enough to repel the inevitable U.S. invasion... LOL...!

I got to say you never fail to disappoint Dave, I’m glad your here you give view into the mind of the maga faithful.

 

[CJW]

The terrorist organization said that it would "strike with an iron fist all these renegades," that threaten civilians.​

Hamas’s “Arrow” unit (“Wahdat Sahm”) pledged to carry out on-site executions against three Gazans accused of collaborating with Israel by “slitting their throats.” In a statement circulating online, the unit added that images of the executions and their confessions “will be broadcast to the public in audio and video,” also claiming that “the limbs of 13 thieves and people who incite chaos and anarchy will be amputated and their legs will be shot."

Hamas pledges to execute, amputate Gazans accused of ‘treason,’ ‘theft’

The terrorist organization said that it would "strike with an iron fist all these renegades," that threaten civilians.

m.jpost.com

 

[WAB]

"Conservative" isn't synonymous with "libertarian", "Republican", or "populist"

Churchill would be well left of US Democrats and unelectable other than in a novelty manner like Bernie.

It's just that the US spectrum is shifted so far to the right.
I don't begrudge Americans for it: The same isolationism that keeps less than half of them from owning a passport also reaches to the more educated in a different form of isolationism and general ignorance. US defaultism.

The type that now insists that running massive deficits, instituting tariffs, abandoning free trade, and just being generally boorish on the world stage is now the default "Conservative" position.

Perhaps in the continental US, but the rest of the world shrugs and looks forward. You'll have to excuse me for being a conservative of the traditional stripe. Not the one that was minted in 2016 and worships a cult of personality. We'll have to agree to disagree.

I'll take a move to balanced budgets with appropriate taxation, a market solution to climate change, agreeable pro-business and pro-development policy, a deference to constitutional laws and norms, and a solid commitment to a free trade agenda in the vein of traditional European conservatism as opposed to what is passing as "Conservative" south of the 49th.

Globally, Canada will pursue closer trade and ties to the UK, EU, China, and India. We'll be better positioned for it in the 21st as China and India rise, and the US wanes.

By all means, you can have the MAGA hats and pats on the back in an echo chamber.

Good grief, MAGA hat??? You obviously haven’t read many of my posts. However, I maintain that if you think Canada has a conservative government, you either don’t understand the term, or you’ve missed the positions of the new administration.