How do you feel about the new president of USA?

[Baruch]

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

I have waited for 16 years for Bill Clinton to go to jail.  I have waited for 8 years for George W or Dick to go to jail.  I expect I will have to wait a long time before Obama is seen at The Hague.

[Baruch]

Trying to use the past to predict the future smacks, to me, of the gamblers' fallacy.

You can't win, without gambling ... loser ;-)

[Shiranu]

So Betsy DeVos was just appointed.

Still too early to judge?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

So much for diplomacy. Apparently Australia is also on Trump's shit list for wanting us to honor refugee policy we agreed to, but will make Trump look bad politically.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/no-gday-mate-on-call-with-australian-pm-trump-badgers-and-brags/2017/02/01/88a3bfb0-e8bf-11e6-80c2-30e57e57e05d_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumpaustralia-815pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.ba16495af33d
This isn't going to be the only one. I have a feeling we'll have zero friends around the world in short order.

[Hydra009]

Just came across this by chance, but I don't know the source, so I can't vouch:

Donald Trump’s closest advisor ‘said America will be at war with China soon’

Hmm...I wonder if China knows about this?

Pretty scary stuff, but until there are more substantive provocations than tweets, I'll take it with a grain of salt.  Though judging from Trump's disposition, it might not be long until there is some sort of diplomatic incident with China.

We have a really tense relationship with China right now.  Starting shit with them is definitely not something we should be doing.  Any military clash in the South China Sea would not end well for anyone.

[Shiranu]

Where is Batman when you need him?

[Hydra009]

I don't know if you guys heard about this, because it didn't show up in the news, but during Trump's "giving power back to the people" speech I personally made a few new laws.

1) NC minimum wage is now $12/hour instead of $7.25/hour.
2) A state mandate to generate 80% of its energy from non-carbon sources (wind, solar, nuclear, etc) by 2036.
3) The stupid bathroom bill has been abolished.

I had the power and that's what I did with it.  That's how it works, isn't it?

[Atheon]

An accurate picture of Il Douche if he gets his way:

[Baruch]

So Betsy DeVos was just appointed.

Still too early to judge?

No, I judge the Senate and the dickiess Democrats.  Are any Democrats named ... Richard?

[Baruch]

So much for diplomacy. Apparently Australia is also on Trump's shit list for wanting us to honor refugee policy we agreed to, but will make Trump look bad politically.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/no-gday-mate-on-call-with-australian-pm-trump-badgers-and-brags/2017/02/01/88a3bfb0-e8bf-11e6-80c2-30e57e57e05d_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumpaustralia-815pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.ba16495af33d
This isn't going to be the only one. I have a feeling we'll have zero friends around the world in short order.

Good ... the NZ folks are stuck up, and corrupt (lots of white collar crimes based there (there is a lot of competition elsewhere too)) and Australia has sucked up too close to China, in order to rape all the minerals from the Aborigines.  I can put in a good word for Canada, and I suspect they wouldn't mind a new NAFTA that doesn't have Mexico in it.  GB may get free, with May at the helm, from the Eurocrats.

[Baruch]

Where is Batman when you need him?

Playing patty cake with Robin ;-(  Ironman is such more Republican.

[Hydra009]

The former CEO of Exxon/Mobile Rex Tillerson is now Secretary of State.  You're welcome, America.

Asked to state his position on climate change during his confirmation hearing, Tillerson replied that the increases in greenhouse gas concentrations “are having an effect,” but said “our ability to predict that effect is very limited.”

When asked whether climate change causes storms or extreme weather events, Tillerson replied that “there’s some literature out there that suggests that; there’s other literature that says it’s inconclusive.”

U.S. oil companies have long enjoyed a close relationship with the State Department, which aggressively promotes the industry’s interests abroad.

https://theintercept.com/2017/02/01/four-democratic-defectors-join-gop-to-confirm-exxon-ceo-as-secretary-of-state/

[Unbeliever]

[Unbeliever]

President Trump Warns Mexico He Might Send U.S. Troops to Take Care of 'Bad Hombres'

WASHINGTON) â€" President Donald Trump warned in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart that he was ready to send U.S. troops to stop "bad hombres down there" unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press.

Well, who could've predicted this?

[Baruch]

The current Mexican government does a terrible job, even by Mexican standards.  More corrupt that Gringos.  Tell us about those student protestors massacred down there, and the perpetrators covered by the local government.