What Kind of Country Is The US Becoming?

[Legato]

5 minutes ago, John Stone said:

.............. I believe that's the type of  argument the NAZI used against the Weimar republic. 😄

Godwinned?

Anyways, here's the full 14147 order for those brave enough to read it.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14147-ending-the-weaponization-the-federal-government

[John Stone]

31 minutes ago, Venandi said:

You seem surprised by all of this.

You were repeatedly warned that law fare would have consequences. Now those consequences will be lasting ones and when they spin up in reverse (after the next election) you will relish the moment and defend them with the same YUK YUKs Flybaby does. 

Bide your time, in a couple of years you'll like it again.

........I didn't need the warning after witnessing the first Trump tenure................. I'm not that gullible............. and I most definitely am not partisan.   

But, ur assuming Trump won't be ruling over a 3rd term. 

In the interim,  let's see the maneuvers he (Trump) will make (is making) to ensure a midterm win. 

[Hodad]

24 minutes ago, Nationalist said:

Lol...

"AHHH! ORANGEMANDBAD IS ATTACKING US...LIKE WE ATTACKED CONSERVATIVES! HOW DARE HE! AHHH!"

Dumb fckin' Libbies. You really thought you could rape the legal system AND the NGO finance AND the border...

and get away with it?

Stupid you.

You're trying to make an equivalence that simply doesn't exist. Until you pop your infobubble and re-enter reality you're going to sound increasingly unhinged. 

[John Stone]

30 minutes ago, Legato said:

Godwinned?

Anyways, here's the full 14147 order for those brave enough to read it.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14147-ending-the-weaponization-the-federal-government

.................. I always find it helpful to read between the lines.

14147 is a complete contradiction of the norm understanding that the DOJ acts INDEPENDANTLY of the Executive. 

What it does is empower (not a wink or a nod) but empowers the DOJ / FBI free reign to prosecute, harass, intimidate legally, Trump's political opponents. 

14147 is a broad threat ................. to any opponent , institution, business to STFU or we'll come for you.

Trump is  not hiding it ............ he is broadcasting it.............. it is intimidation at the highest level. 

 

[Deluge]

35 minutes ago, John Stone said:

 and I most definitely am not partisan.   

Which is why Juan Piedra spends an equal amount of his time on this forum bashing democrats who are trying to keep illegal aliens in the country. 

[Nationalist]

23 minutes ago, Hodad said:

You're trying to make an equivalence that simply doesn't exist. Until you pop your infobubble and re-enter reality you're going to sound increasingly unhinged. 

Look who's concerned with reality.

Libbie...at this point, fck your warped notions of reality. Go rape a little girl. The other Libbies will excuse you.

[John Stone]

3 minutes ago, Deluge said:

Which is why Juan Piedra spends an equal amount of his time on this forum bashing democrats who are trying to keep illegal aliens in the country. 

pot meet kettle? 😄

[Deluge]

1 minute ago, John Stone said:

pot meet kettle? 😄

Nope.

Patriot (me) meet Third-Worldist (you).  

[Legato]

11 minutes ago, John Stone said:

.................. I always find it helpful to read between the lines.

14147 is a complete contradiction of the norm understanding that the DOJ acts INDEPENDANTLY of the Executive. 

What it does is empower (not a wink or a nod) but empowers the DOJ / FBI free reign to prosecute, harass, intimidate legally, Trump's political opponents. 

14147 is a broad threat ................. to any opponent , institution, business to STFU or we'll come for you.

Trump is  not hiding it ............ he is broadcasting it.............. it is intimidation at the highest level. 

 

The lines between that you are reading are soaked in the liquid form of TDS, conjecture at best.

[Hodad]

10 minutes ago, Nationalist said:

Look who's concerned with reality.

Libbie...at this point, fck your warped notions of reality. Go rape a little girl. The other Libbies will excuse you.

WTF is wrong with you? For your sake, I hope your useless ass is just day-drunk again. Jeebus.

Edited April 20 by Hodad

[Nationalist]

2 minutes ago, Hodad said:

WTF is wrong with you? For your sake, I hope your useless ass is just day-drunk again. Jeebus.

Pucker up you destructive little shit!

You disgusting fcks begged for it.

[John Stone]

8 minutes ago, Legato said:

The lines between that you are reading are soaked in the liquid form of TDS, conjecture at best.

Objective, perhaps.

Definitely not blind drunk on partisan politics. ........... strange that is exactly what the founding fathers predicted would destroy the great experiment. 

I don't hate Trump ............. he is just an 80 y/o ....... anachronism .  

If I detested anyone it would be his head shop - they know better, but they're drunk on power and their perception that they can control it from behind the throne. (they might be correct)

Edited April 20 by John Stone

[User]

1 hour ago, Hodad said:

This is generally a good an insightful post. What's missing though is the acknowledgement that this is EXACTLY the playbook that authoritarians always run, and EXACTLY the playbook that Trumpco runs. From casting himself as a savior (literally, at this point) to speeches about immigrant invasion and American carnage and threats to suburbia, open talk of retribution and revenge, hardened tribalism (now with uniforms/merch!) etc. The boundary pushing and norm-busting. The unprecedented number of unprecedented actions. The aggressive attacks on the media and the judicial branches. Harnessing the legal authority of the government for personal and political purposes. Literally, people afraid, angry and mislead to the point of forming a mob to attack our own government. 

We're living through all of what you describe, but it feels like your premise is that Trump will save us from it--is an antidote to his own playbook. That's where it gets weird. 

As usual, you push your own leftist lies about what Trump is doing 

[John Johnston]

Becoming? Where ya been? 

[Venandi]

4 hours ago, Hodad said:

What's missing though is the acknowledgement that this is EXACTLY the playbook that authoritarians always run...

It's a general observation that (I think) applies from tribal and survival leadership selection to the governance of nations. IMO, it's the "playbook" of anyone of any stripe who seeks power and it's especially useful (as a tactic) when the other group has created a bloody mess that directly affects the life of nontraditional voting blocks. It can make those folks single issue voters and become the means of achieving power.

Let's not pretend that liberals and democrats are not authoritarian either... you'd be hard pressed to logically prevail with that premise...after all, it was the insane actions of lunatic progressives who paved the road for a Trump victory. All you had to do to avoid Trump was nominate a reasonable candidate and not be bat shi% crazy. Turns out you couldn't do either.

Edited April 20 by Venandi

[Hodad]

1 hour ago, Venandi said:

It's a general observation that (I think) applies from tribal and survival leadership selection to the governance of nations. IMO, it's the "playbook" of anyone of any stripe who seeks power and it's especially useful (as a tactic) when the other group has created a bloody mess that directly affects the life of nontraditional voting blocks. It can make those folks single issue voters and become the means of achieving power.

Let's not pretend that liberals and democrats are not authoritarian either... you'd be hard pressed to logically prevail with that premise...after all, it was the insane actions of lunatic progressives who paved the road for a Trump victory. All you had to do to avoid Trump was nominate a reasonable candidate and not be bat shi% crazy. Turns out you couldn't do either.

🤷‍♂️Harris was female and Black. I think that's radical to some people, but there wasn't really anything in her campaign platform that was extreme. I don't think she was a very compelling candidate, but she didn't propose anything crazy in the campaign.

And no, the Democrats are not authoritarian. There has been no effort to consolidate power, or undermine the courts or the media--let alone threaten them. There's been no effort to, you know, overthrow democracy. Rather, they keep playing by the same old rules that we always have, even as the Republicans change the game. Hell, they're not even assertive enough to effectively combat authoritarianism. 

[User]

40 minutes ago, Hodad said:

🤷‍♂️Harris was female and Black. I think that's radical to some people, but there wasn't really anything in her campaign platform that was extreme. I don't think she was a very compelling candidate, but she didn't propose anything crazy in the campaign.

And no, the Democrats are not authoritarian. There has been no effort to consolidate power, or undermine the courts or the media--let alone threaten them. There's been no effort to, you know, overthrow democracy. Rather, they keep playing by the same old rules that we always have, even as the Republicans change the game. Hell, they're not even assertive enough to effectively combat authoritarianism. 

The amount of cognitive dissonance you have or lack of honesty is astounding 

[WestCanMan]

On 4/15/2026 at 1:36 PM, Zeitgeist said:

When I see decent people treated this way, and when it tracks with many other stories I’ve heard recently about how harsh and insensitive the US has been towards foreigners and even some of its own citizens, I can’t help wondering if the US really has declined, and I’m saying this as a conservative and long-time visitor to the US. Maybe places like Panama or Costa Rica are where I should be retiring and it’s time to sell the place in Florida.  
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/canadian-detained-at-alligator-alcatraz-for-owing-us12000-in-back-taxes/

1. That's a CTV article about a person who has been affected by a Trump policy. It's like listening a muslim tell you about something the Jews did. You have to take their story at about 12% of its face value, and then add the lion's share of guilt to their own side into the story to get a realistic picture.
2. I don't care what happens to one person. Millions of Canadians were treated worse than that during covid. We had protesters go to jail for more time than murderers get. 
3. If you wanna judge every country on earth by one injustice then you might as well sign up to live on Mars. 

Edited April 20 by WestCanMan

[Zeitgeist]

58 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

1. That's a CTV article about a person who has been affected by a Trump policy. It's like listening a muslim tell you about something the Jews did. You have to take their story at about 12% of its face value, and then add the lion's share of guilt to their own side into the story to get a realistic picture.
2. I don't care what happens to one person. Millions of Canadians were treated worse than that during covid. We had protesters go to jail for more time than murderers get. 
3. If you wanna judge every country on earth by one injustice then you might as well sign up to live on Mars. 

I disagree.  If we make light of this, more Canadians will face this kind of treatment and meet public indifference. It’s not just about Canadians. It’s a general mean-spiritedness about America that has been prominent for a while now and is turning off a lot of people internationally. You don’t have to look far to discern people’s disgust. I think it signifies a decline in basic decency and kindness. Canada isn’t off the hook either. For a period of time Canada felt like a dictatorship, and not all of it can be blamed on the necessities of handling a public health crisis.  

Edited April 21 by Zeitgeist

[paxamericana]

14 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

It’s a general mean-spiritedness about America that has been prominent for a while now and is turning off a lot of people internationally.

We’re the mean one!? Coming from a country whose national sport is b!tching about America… Okay. Look you Canucks really need to work on that passive aggression.

Edited April 21 by paxamericana

[WestCanMan]

13 hours ago, Zeitgeist said:

I disagree.  If we make light of this, more Canadians will face this kind of treatment and meet public indifference. It’s not just about Canadians. It’s a general mean-spiritedness about America that has been prominent for a while now and is turning off a lot of people internationally. You don’t have to look far to discern people’s disgust. I think it signifies a decline in basic decency and kindness. Canada isn’t off the hook either. For a period of time Canada felt like a dictatorship, and not all of it can be blamed on the necessities of handling a public health crisis.  

It's not mean-spirited to follow the rules. 

I never felt like I could just go plunk myself down in the US and start a life there without following any rules.

[Zeitgeist]

1 hour ago, WestCanMan said:

It's not mean-spirited to follow the rules. 

I never felt like I could just go plunk myself down in the US and start a life there without following any rules.

I don’t see how he didn’t follow rules.  His business got into trouble during the pandemic and he made a plan to pay off creditors, which he was doing.  It’s just kicking someone when they’re down.

[WestCanMan]

39 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

I don’t see how he didn’t follow rules.  His business got into trouble during the pandemic and he made a plan to pay off creditors, which he was doing.  It’s just kicking someone when they’re down.

Dude, if you don't think that Canadians were treated ten times worse than that by our own f'ing gov't then I don't have the time of day to talk to you on this issue. 

That guy had 6 years to get his ducks in a row. Canadians were bent over by the Libs RIGHT DURING COVID. Millions of Canadians were. 

I'll gladly trade 10M actual victims this year for one mediocre sob story 6 years from now.

Edited April 21 by WestCanMan

[User]

42 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

I don’t see how he didn’t follow rules.  His business got into trouble during the pandemic and he made a plan to pay off creditors, which he was doing.  It’s just kicking someone when they’re down.

I still don’t believe this is your line. You have ignored my pointed questions about illegal immigration enforcement.

It seems you want to bend the rules and not care about just about anyone who violates the law. 

[Nationalist]

21 hours ago, Zeitgeist said:

I disagree.  If we make light of this, more Canadians will face this kind of treatment and meet public indifference. It’s not just about Canadians. It’s a general mean-spiritedness about America that has been prominent for a while now and is turning off a lot of people internationally. You don’t have to look far to discern people’s disgust. I think it signifies a decline in basic decency and kindness. Canada isn’t off the hook either. For a period of time Canada felt like a dictatorship, and not all of it can be blamed on the necessities of handling a public health crisis.  

IMO...There have been 2 destructive issues that have lead to this...social split.

1. For decades, people had been losing reverence for government. It had become a joke for the vast majority of people. Enter Trump. In his first campaign, Trump touted exactly what people wanted to hear. Make America Great Again. He was a disrupter of "the norm". He was also an outspoken critic of Globalization. So...the Globalists attacked. They're still attacking.

2. Joe Biden...for whatever reason and circumstances...became POTUS and failed in every way for 4 years. This angered the right to no end. Especially the border bullshit. The reaction to this plus all the lawfare that went on, were BOUND to produce even more social friction.

It all just goes to show...yet again...

"Ya gits wut ya pays fer."

If you need to blame someone...go look in a mirror. "We the people" are the cause of our own hardship...

In a Democracy.

Edited April 21 by Nationalist