This is the result of the tyranny of the minority, and because so many MAGA refuse to see Trump for what he is: A life-long crook, a three-time dishonorable husband, a malignant narcissist, a convicted criminal, a man awash in venality, and a man whose intellectual skills are declining before our eyes.
Choosing this sort of damaged human being to represent and lead America has cost us immensely in respect and admiration in the eyes of the world.
Trump, according to this latest study, is regarded more negatively than Putin! (See the chart in the link.)
US popularity collapses worldwide in wake of Trump’s return "The world is more divided than ever, but there’s still something (nearly) everyone agrees on:
The U.S. is unloved.
The United States is becoming less popular globally in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to new data.
The 2025 Democracy Perception Index summarizes attitudes toward democracy, geopolitics and global power players, and canvassed more than 110,000 respondents across 100 countries."
[SKIP] "A majority of people surveyed had an overall negative perception of the U.S., marking a steep decline from last year."
40 comments:
Even the American Enterprise Institute took note -
"In the YouGov EuroTrack survey conducted in February 2025, US favorability in Europe has fallen by between six and 28 percentage points since August 2024. Favorable views of the US fell 20 points in Sweden (from 49 percent to 20 percent) and separately in Germany (52 percent to 32 percent), 26 points in France (50 percent to 24 percent). The drops were less steep in Britain (49 percent-37 percent), Spain (51 percent to 43 percent) and Italy (48 percent to 42 percent). In Denmark, a non-stop target of Trump’s plans, favorable views fell steeply, from 48 percent to 20 percent. More than half of those surveyed in Britain, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark have a negative view of the US. In Denmark’s case, 74 percent do. JD Vance’s trip last weekend is unlikely to improve things very much as Trump still appears hell-bent on “getting Greenland.”
Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again" is a lie. Just another lie in Trump's ongoing collection of lies.
His MAGA is but a con. Exactly what Trump is, and has always been.
Trump is a "man" who cannot and should not be trusted. Dishonesty and deceit are his strongest character traits.
As Machiavelli's "The Prince" said. "It's better to be feared than loved".
Machiavelli's work was not printed until 4 years after his death. Safest way to publish. He sometimes was contradictory as in -
"He who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived"
Trump should want the Chinese CCP to love him? Who knew....
Trump craves attention, even bad attention, which outpaces the good kind because he's a terrible human being. The Chinese know he's a fool and play him as such. We just saw him get humiliated by them on tariffs.
Trump is the classic blowhard. Full of sound and fury and signifying nothing but hot air, lies, astounding stupidity.
It is doubtful that trump will hire a PR firm to try to convince everyone that he is and was competent. You certainly won't see his spouse clarifying what he just said.
In bidens defense for the republicans to blame him for the mess at Newark is as ridiculous as chuckie saying he wants duffy to fix it now. Can't fix something overnight that has been broken for decades and since we had a head of transportation who had no knowledge of land, sea or air it is not wonder nothing was done. He did check a number of boxes so qualifications were not required.
Joe C's understanding of the Prince is a bit off the mark. Machiavelli was actually describing how rulers oight not be. Fear is never a model for effective leadership. Only the ignorant or those lacking self awareness seem to think otherwise.
Trump's mass layoffs at the FAA included roles that directly supported safety inspectors and airport operations.This suggests that Trump's actions have directly contributed to the widespread dysfunction airports are experiencing.
Also, the problem affecting Newark, for example, were NOT happening when Secy. Buttigieg was in office.
Skud, you seem to be so concerned with Secy. Buttegieg's qualifications when he was Transportation Secy., but never once have I heard you complain about RFK, Jr.'s complete lack of anything approaching a qualification for head of HHS, or the Secy. of Education, of the Secy. of Defense. Why are you so concerned only with Democrat's qualifications?
PS. Trump was elected POTUS without so much as even being elected dog catcher. So what's you problem? It seems to be mostly partisan hackery on your part, since I've never heard you complain about the dozens of unqualified people serving in Trump's Regime.
skud is a member of the MAGA tribe. Regardless his empty claims otherwise. Absolute silence is tacit approval.
I think we know what skud's problem with Mayor Pete really is.
No controllers were laid off and it takes three years to train a controller which puts it in the control of mayor pete but I don't even place blame on him. I have a problem with any incompetent running anything but that is the political world we have created. All presidents give appointments to those who will support their agenda or those who they want to keep their enemies close because they stepped aside to give you the nomination.
I've read almost everything Machiavelli has written that has survived Lindy. You're totally clueless, Les. The Prince was Machiavelli's "job application" to the de Medici. Needless to say, he didn't get the job, but that doesn'''t mean he wasn't trying.
From Wikipedia:
The Prince shocked many readers by assuming that immoral acts are justifiable if they achieve political glory.
He'd make a great CIA agent today. Ever hear the domino story. I wonder if he knew George Kennan, author of America's Soviet Containment Strategy.
You ask some very good questions Shaw - why hasn't skud called out any of the cabinet heads who've totally dropped the ball?
Concur with the fallout occurring after firing of key personnel at the FAA, including their leader who was well respected by the department. Best way to demoralize a team is to take out the leader. When that team is responsible for the safety of flight control and the airplanes for the nation?? I'm not seeing any wisdom in the FOTUS admins actions.
LOL - skud made a joke. They seem to believe Trump is and was competent. LOL - not even when they were younger was DJT competent. How do I know? Well, the anecdotal record is replete with stories but my evidence is based on one observation: if DJT was at all competent they wouldn't have had to cheat as much as they have throughout their life.
-FJ, Joe at al...
Machiavelli may have been right, however the MAGA ancestors, like all you Geeez posters always said Obama = Bad for America because in your group's opinion, America wasn't respected or liked abroad. You all claimed the same during the Biden admin.
Us crazy progressives always knew you folks were full of it then, but maybe you could help us out... why the change of heart?
Though no air traffic controllers were let go, other essential FAA workers were dismissed, officials said.
Dave Spero is the president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union representing FAA employees. He spoke before a Congressional subcommittee and said that essential employees were fired. Some of the employees who were let go worked as:
Aeronautical information specialists: This position helps with "evaluation, selection and preparation of navigation maps, routes, chart, procedures and flight paths."
Maintenance mechanics: These employees work to improve and maintain FAA facilities.
Management and Program Assistants and Aviation Safety Assistants: This position maintains office records and data reports and work to support logistics.
Environmental Protection Specialists: These employees work to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
"The government should never pull people out of the aviation system without an analysis or thought of what the outcome could be," Spero said before the subcomittee. "This is by definition, an introduction of risk. Any ‘fork’ thrown into that system threatens the safety and effectiveness of the system as a whole."
“Despite the cuts and workforce reductions at the FAA, many airports are understaffed in air traffic control towers“ —Arizona Central
-FJ is telling us he wants an American dictator to rule by fear.
I'm shocked. Shocked.
A lesson I learned from working in Theatre - there may be one or two people on stage in the spotlight but behind the scenes there are legions of people making sure the show is seamless for the viewing audience. It is telling our trolls think they and only they are responsible for their successes. It is telling they don't even see the support they have and had in their lives.
No person is an island because even islands are surrounded by the air and sea. And if necessary, because I'm just that literal sort of fae today, no person exists in a vacuum because in a vacuum there is no air so they'd be dead. Ipso facto oreo cherio. (I know fake latin but it does give me a smile so there is that)
Did you read "The Prince" Dave? A Prince begins every reign in gaining the "fear" of its' opposition. In America its' called, "The 1st 100 Days". Everything after that depends on the remaining "love" for the regime (by Congress).
In other words, "Ecclesiastes 3". There is a time for fear, and a time for love. Everything has it's time. A Presidency isn't a one-directional polemic, like most of your arguments. Every culture needs a counter-culture to cure it of its' excesses. For every regime falls as a result of its' own excesses.
So the president of a union says none of their members should be laid off. That is like weingarten saying teachers should be paid more to not teach.
The air traffic control system has needed a significant upgrade for decades and that goes across party lines. As you stated Most control towers are understaffed but the layoffs were not in control towers. In this case your pointing fingers at trump should be pointing fingers at the last six to eight administrations.
Mayor pete was a joke as head of transportation and did more disservice to the country than service. There was a town in Ohio he didn't think was worth his time but after all he had to take maturity leave.
erratum - bad link for counter-culture, above.
-FJ/JC,
Thank you for verifying my point about your pro-dictator authoritarian nature.
It was your first link that confirmed it. Counter culture is a different topic.
I'm not going to waste the time to listen to Yarvin's neo-Nazi pablum.
Wiki informs us of all we need to know about that racist MAGA fascist Curtis Yarvin: (pseudonym Mencius Moldbug)
It clearly explains why you revere him.
Curtis Yarvin began constructing the basis of the ideology in the late 2000's, with Nick Land elaborating and coining the term "Dark Enlightenment". The movement has also had contributions from figures such as venture capitalist and J.D. Vance sponsor Peter Thiel.
The Dark Enlightenment, also called the neo-reactionary movement or neoreactionarism (abbreviated to NRx), is an anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian, and reactionary philosophical and political movement. A reaction against Enlightenment values.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has cited Yarvin as an influence. Prior to his election to the Vice Presidency, JD Vance cited in his 2022 Senate Campaign Yarvin's "strongman plan to 'retire all government employees,' which goes by the jaunty mnemonic 'RAGE.'" In a 2021 interview, "Vance said Trump should 'fire every single midlevel bureaucrat, every civil servant in the administrative state, and replace them with our people. And when the courts stop you, stand before the country and say, The chief justice has made his ruling. Now let him enforce it.’
Yarvin: “You'd simply declare a state of emergency in your inaugural address, you'd actually have a mandate to do this. Where would that mandate come from? It would come from basically running on it, saying, 'Hey, this is what we're going to do. 'You can't continue to have a Harvard or a New York Times past the start of April”. Because "the idea that you're going to be a Caesar and take power and operate with someone else's Department of Reality in operation is just manifestly absurd. Machiavelli could tell you right away that that's a stupid idea."
In a post that linked approvingly to white supremacists Steve Sailer and Jared Taylor, he wrote: "It should be obvious that, although I am not a white nationalist, I am not exactly allergic to the stuff." In 2009, he wrote that since US civil rights programs were "applied to populations with recent hunter-gatherer ancestry and no great reputation for sturdy moral fiber", the result was "absolute human garbage".
Michael Anton, the State Department Director of Policy Planning during Trump's second presidency, has also discussed Yarvin's ideas, and Yarvin has claimed to have given staffing recommendations to him. In January 2025, Yarvin attended a Trump inaugural gala in Washington; Politico reported he was "an informal guest of honor" due to his "outsize influence over the Trumpian right."
Employing Hitler’s favorite demonization tactic, Yarvin’s personalized “Mein Kampf” is revealed in “How Communists Created the Modern Democratic Movement”.
And true to his Nazi core, Trump continues to call Democrats communists, as he gains fealty from neo-Nazi Jews like -FJ and Stephen Miller.
And for all the "disloyal" Jews who voted to "destroy America":
“Just a quick reminder for liberal Jews who voted to destroy America & Israel because you believed in false narratives! Let’s hope you learned from your mistake & make better choices moving forward!"
That would be enough to get Hitler to reenact his victory celebration on June 21, 1940, as he accepted the surrender of the French in Compiegne, France.
More fascist cruelty for -FJ to cheer:
ICE agents in six cars raided a gas station in farmworker town of Oxnard, CA. They surrounded an undocumented father and his two children in a truck, took the father and just left the children behind.
"They left the children inside the truck".
https://www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/ice-raids-overwhelm-california-communities-20319412.php
You didn't like Yarvin's "Gray Prince"? I'm SHOCKED!
btw- I didn't need to read Yarvin's "Mein Kampf". I read Hitler's. And I don't need to read Bernie's "Communist Manifesto" or "Das Kapital". I read Marx's.
The bench mark for fascist cruelty is getting awfully low these Trumpian days...
Our resident sociopath -FJ knows it didn't start with the gas chambers.
Does he care that Americans were rounded up as well? No.
Does he care about the American kid with cancer being deported? No.
So did -FJ hide his copy of "Mein Kampf" from his mother under his mattress?
"But Mom, it's not a Playboy magazine! It's perfectly NORMAL!" ;-)
It must warm the cockles of your MAGA heart.
-FJ is an Agent Provocateur. I don’t think he believes half of what he posts. Also, he’s usually wrong.
Yes, as it reveals the shallow depth of Democratic party thought. One that must wrap itself in anti-white neoracism for dear life... or lose all political relevance.
Why would I do that? I lived in Spain under Franco.
I didn't see any gas chambers there, though...
Only when allowed can a provocateur provoke. Who knows what -FJ actually believes. He may nor know himself.
I see -FJ admits he's a fan of Franco. Was he assigned there by the Kremlin?
Are there ANY fascists or dictators he doesn't admire?
It's also "mighty white of him" to be so concerned with "anti-white neoracism".
Yes, indeed he is a fan of "Mein Kampf" and his fellow racist neo-Nazis' fear of "replacement".
"They will not replace us", amirite, -FJ?
^^Has completely lost relevance^^
I do know this:
Virtue is a habit, and not a faculty or a passion.
-George Boole, "An Investigation of the Laws of Thought"
.
-FJ sees "anti-white" racism as the real problem. Yup. Just like the Proud Boys and the Klan. He epitomizes my assertion that racism isn't racism to racists
He displays his "virtue" by embracing cruelty, lies, greed, and authoritarian power.
His Jewishness and ideology are more akin to Netanyahu and Stephen Miller than to Bernie Sanders and Jamie Raskin. That's all we need to know about his "virtue".
No wonder tRump never realized virtue. It's not transactional.
I see all forms of racism as a problem, Dave, even the neoracist anti-white variety. The kind that forces white farmers to flee South Africa after centuries of loyalty.
JC,
"Centuries of loyalty" to what, apartheid and massacres? And Musk, with actual Nazi grandparents, says the whites are suffering "genocide". This is the line from white racists like him.
If you believe him, I have a rubber Tesla to sell you.
Is THIS what "neoracist anti-white variety" looks like?
According to the organization Action for Southern Africa, 72% of farms and agricultural holdings are owned by whites, who make up 7.3% of the population. Black Africans, representing 81.4%, own only 4% of the land.
But since more white farmers are victims than black farmers, it must be "neoracist anti-white variety". Yeah, those poor little innocent "victims" are the likely racists, like Musk and Trump, their saviors.
Really? It's not do unto others...?
...before they do it unto you? ;)
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