And then they convince themselves it was their perseverence and gumption that resulted in all their success, which enables them to look down on anyone who isn’t successful, because clearly they just lack perseverence and gumption.

That’s a bit unfair. trump is the world’s worst enemy.

Never really thought about it this way, but my wife’s little piggies do have a lot of personality!

100%. I’m an Australian, married to an American. Moved her here to Australia in 2015 and now she says she’ll never set foot in that country again, not even to visit her own family. Too much uncertainty that trump will throw a tantrum and she’ll get stuck there somehow.

Still are in Australia. It was very confusing to my American wife for quite a while.

It’s pretty intuitive from the saying. It’s the carrot OR the stick, not the carrot ON the stick. The carrot is the reward for doing the thing, the stick is the punishment for not doing it. Just google it.

For a while now I’ve been pushing to abandon the term late stage capitalism in favor of this. I think trump’s swearing in for his second term really established that we’re in the end game now.

Why do they insist on including the failed USA in this? They immediately destroy their own credibility because putin knows the US won’t back them.

I didn’t want to be the one to say it… But yeah, I’ve known some downright scary lesbian women.

OMG I’ve witnessed so many abusive lesbian relationships. Women can be straight up psychos too, and are often a lot more calculated about it.

How does it feel, Americans? Not only have you finally lost the cold war, but now you’re an extension of Russia’s invasion efforts.

I hope every American feels the humiliation of having these bumbling alpha wannabes representing their country.

That’s a good point and thanks for the perspective. Of course I don’t know what it’s like for anyone in Ukraine at the moment, and I can understand the desperation. But trump is a thug, and a wannabe gangster. He will burn all of Ukraine if he thinks it will benefit him. His word is worthless, and so is any deal with the US. Every world leader knows that, it’s just so frustrating that none will stand up and say it, they just keep treating him like a legitimate president when he’s so clearly not.

Zelenskyy would probably get more support from his people if he told trump to get fucked than by being his dancing monkey. I know he’s desperately trying to do what’s best for Ukraine, but sucking up to that piece of shit isn’t it.

FFS. So the US successfully extorted Ukraine. World leaders need to stop fucking doing business with trump. Shit like this just makes him worse.

And the idea that this will keep the US in their corner is beyond stupid. He’ll be demanding more within a month. Fuck trump and fuck America.

So in summary, today is the day the US officially became a dictatorship?

Depressing is right. I consider the US a failed state now.

I imagine a lot of them feel very threatened, for themselves and their families. There’s not a lot of evidence that if maga decided to just start locking up anyone who causes them inconvenience, there would be any authority coming to your aid. It’s survival at this point for them.

The land of the free is fast becoming a human rights wasteland. I’m still reeling from the sheer number of people who seemingly had no idea it was going to be exactly like this.

I’m really hoping this will be the wake up call America needed to get its shit together, because if they don’t, the oligarchs aren’t going to stop there. They’re coming for everything eventually.

Definitely sounds like something Israel would want to do.