Crazy American Politics

[InversneckieDob]

It's interesting (and a little scary) to read Orlanndo's take on things.

He seems a reasonable person, so I'm guessing the stuff he's saying is a not uncommon opinion Stateside.

The Americans I've communicated with have a different take. Hugely different. 

They do not see any positives in the Trump presidency and tend to see it as the same abomination as those of us outwith America.

They are pinning everything on the mid-terms and the Dems getting control of both houses.

Then there will be at least an attempt at checks and balances.

If the elections go ahead fairly,  their take is that this is inevitable.

Through online groups, I've spoken with a number of folk from Minneapolis/Minnesota.

They're certainly seeing no positives from this carry-on, they're living a dystopian nightmare. 

I think in terms of the longer term picture, the UK has to be less dependent on the U.S. democracy has been proven so fragile there it has to be considered a failing state.

Brexit is daily being shown as the disasterous folly it was, on SUCH a wide variety of levels.

The UK is more vulnerable than ever.

What a time to be alive.

Thank fuck I'll be deid or lang.

[InversneckieDob]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/25/alex-pretti-killing-nra-pro-gun-groups?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Could this be the start of the turning point?

NRA turning is interesting,  if the right-wing religious nutters turn.....

[Jupiter]

Why is this news over here? It is nothing to do with us. If something like that happened here, no way would the Yank media be interested.

[Don Julio]

Really? Relevant facts might that they’re the world’s major superpower. That they’re English speaking and lots of us have relatives there. That they’re supposed to be a beacon of democracy. That societal developments there often seem to follow here?

And conversely that only 50% of them have passports (a record high)?

Don’t you want to live in a country where the populace take an interest in world affairs?

[Mason89]

1 hour ago, Jupiter said:

Why is this news over here? It is nothing to do with us. If something like that happened here, no way would the Yank media be interested.

This will blow your mind but the exact same folk making a cunt of it over there, are trying to import it here 

[InversneckieDob]

1 hour ago, Jupiter said:

Why is this news over here? It is nothing to do with us. If something like that happened here, no way would the Yank media be interested.

I really wish it wasn't. 

I really wish Rapey's antics could be teated like all the other dictatorial, third world failing states.

Sadly the UK in all its post-Thatcherite, post-brexit vulnerability,  has chosen to tie its excerable economic future almost exclusively to this basket case.

That's why it is news over here.

[Jupiter]

Even American snow is news over here, no way were they interested in our snow.

[RicoS321]

19 minutes ago, Jupiter said:

Even American snow is news over here, no way were they interested in our snow.

I agree for what it's worth. I guess it's because they are supposed to be "one of us". Similarly, we get news about stabbings in London or whatever, which have zero bearing on the North East of Scotland. There is a hierarchy of news, and US events are high up in that hierarchy for the reasons others have stated. I don't think it's the coverage that it is the issue, but the fact that we feel the need to amplify it and are required to have an opinion on it. It's a fairly sordid habit, of which I too am guilty. In the end, it doesn't matter. We can't fill ourselves with grief for the deaths and oppression of people across the globe, it's silly to try. That we/me pick and choose who we attend to shows its absurdity. We can have no bearing on the outcomes of Yankee Doodle land. It doesn't deserve our outrage. 

[tlg1903]

 

50 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I agree for what it's worth. I guess it's because they are supposed to be "one of us". Similarly, we get news about stabbings in London or whatever, which have zero bearing on the North East of Scotland. There is a hierarchy of news, and US events are high up in that hierarchy for the reasons others have stated. I don't think it's the coverage that it is the issue, but the fact that we feel the need to amplify it and are required to have an opinion on it. It's a fairly sordid habit, of which I too am guilty. In the end, it doesn't matter. We can't fill ourselves with grief for the deaths and oppression of people across the globe, it's silly to try. That we/me pick and choose who we attend to shows its absurdity. We can have no bearing on the outcomes of Yankee Doodle land. It doesn't deserve our outrage. 

I've just come to the conclusion these days that you need to just take every little bit of joy you can find in this life.  Causes are folly and usually take from you in some way, shape or form (though as football fans who are we to judge?) The rich will always exploit and the poor will suffer from the exploitation and it's not changing in our lifetimes.  The planets probably fucked and at some point ww3 is going to hit so we have that to look forward to as well.   There is literally nothing you, I or anyone on this board can do about it.  

 

America was fucked the moment Biden decided to run again if you ask me.  It meant there was no Democrat selection process and Harris was fucked due to her association with the previous term when parachuted in.  If Harris had somehow  won it would have been by microscopic margin.  Trump and Maga would have kicked off and America would have torn itself apart.  Would possibly already be in civil war.  Trump wins though  and does Trump things......  I can understand why many think civil war seems to be in the post.  

Had the Democrats actually gone through the nomination process because Biden had not decided to pursue a 2nd term I think Trump could have lost. They would have been able to put forward someone who was untainted by the previous administration and possibly even fit to stand for president and it's been a while since you could say that any candidate was. 

Well done Joe

[TheDonbytheDee]

40 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

 

I've just come to the conclusion these days that you need to just take every little bit of joy you can find in this life.  Causes are folly and usually take from you in some way, shape or form (though as football fans who are we to judge?) The rich will always exploit and the poor will suffer from the exploitation and it's not changing in our lifetimes.  The planets probably fucked and at some point ww3 is going to hit so we have that to look forward to as well.   There is literally nothing you, I or anyone on this board can do about it.  

 

Come to that conclusion a few years ago now.

Take each day as it comes and enjoy it as much as you can

It's the young I feel sorry for most.

What a midden we are leaving behind for them and it's not going to get any better.

 

[InversneckieDob]

4 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

 

I've just come to the conclusion these days that you need to just take every little bit of joy you can find in this life.  Causes are folly and usually take from you in some way, shape or form (though as football fans who are we to judge?) The rich will always exploit and the poor will suffer from the exploitation and it's not changing in our lifetimes.  The planets probably fucked and at some point ww3 is going to hit so we have that to look forward to as well.   There is literally nothing you, I or anyone on this board can do about it.  

 

America was fucked the moment Biden decided to run again if you ask me.  It meant there was no Democrat selection process and Harris was fucked due to her association with the previous term when parachuted in.  If Harris had somehow  won it would have been by microscopic margin.  Trump and Maga would have kicked off and America would have torn itself apart.  Would possibly already be in civil war.  Trump wins though  and does Trump things......  I can understand why many think civil war seems to be in the post.  

Had the Democrats actually gone through the nomination process because Biden had not decided to pursue a 2nd term I think Trump could have lost. They would have been able to put forward someone who was untainted by the previous administration and possibly even fit to stand for president and it's been a while since you could say that any candidate was. 

Well done Joe

I'd go back further.

When the Dems decided NOT to run Biden but went Hilary.

I'm convinced Biden wins in 2016 and the Trump cult is abated.

Biden wins again in 20, we're not in the abyss we are now.

[Nellie The Don]

On 24/01/2026 at 18:35, OrlandoDon said:

I’m 100% behind law enforcement

There is no way that any rational person could look at ICE and describe them as law enforcement.

They are a paramilitary domestic terrorist organization. It really is that simple. 

At this point, if you can still find it in yourself to support this regime, then you have made a choice that you can't come back from. Best of luck to you.

[Mason89]

8 hours ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

What a midden we are leaving behind for them and it's not going to get any better.

 

There’s plenty of reasons to be cheerful 

[RicoS321]

10 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

 

I've just come to the conclusion these days that you need to just take every little bit of joy you can find in this life.  Causes are folly and usually take from you in some way, shape or form (though as football fans who are we to judge?) The rich will always exploit and the poor will suffer from the exploitation and it's not changing in our lifetimes.  The planets probably fucked and at some point ww3 is going to hit so we have that to look forward to as well.   There is literally nothing you, I or anyone on this board can do about it.  

 

America was fucked the moment Biden decided to run again if you ask me.  It meant there was no Democrat selection process and Harris was fucked due to her association with the previous term when parachuted in.  If Harris had somehow  won it would have been by microscopic margin.  Trump and Maga would have kicked off and America would have torn itself apart.  Would possibly already be in civil war.  Trump wins though  and does Trump things......  I can understand why many think civil war seems to be in the post.  

Had the Democrats actually gone through the nomination process because Biden had not decided to pursue a 2nd term I think Trump could have lost. They would have been able to put forward someone who was untainted by the previous administration and possibly even fit to stand for president and it's been a while since you could say that any candidate was. 

Well done Joe

America was fucked the moment some Europeans came across the water and set about a wee bit of genociding (nae a word).

Trump is a symptom of a culture, nothing more. Suggesting that Biden running in 2016, or Harris (or other) winning would have prevented the deterioration simply ignores the problem. It's like suggesting that recycling would solve plastic pollution, or electric cars will stop climate change. It hides the problem a little, but the problem is still there. Trump is the fly tipped litter or the belching exhaust in that analogy, spotlighting the problem in the most stark of manner. Although, somehow, it remains hidden, and people will claim that everything will be fine in a few years once Trump pops his clogs and the "sensible" guys start running things again. 

Nobody has a solution to the problem that the US (and everywhere else to a greater or lesser degree) will face in the coming decades and centuries. Unless that solution is the nihilism of nuclear war.

[InversneckieDob]

7 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

America was fucked the moment some Europeans came across the water and set about a wee bit of genociding (nae a word).

Trump is a symptom of a culture, nothing more. Suggesting that Biden running in 2016, or Harris (or other) winning would have prevented the deterioration simply ignores the problem. It's like suggesting that recycling would solve plastic pollution, or electric cars will stop climate change. It hides the problem a little, but the problem is still there. Trump is the fly tipped litter or the belching exhaust in that analogy, spotlighting the problem in the most stark of manner. Although, somehow, it remains hidden, and people will claim that everything will be fine in a few years once Trump pops his clogs and the "sensible" guys start running things again. 

Nobody has a solution to the problem that the US (and everywhere else to a greater or lesser degree) will face in the coming decades and centuries. Unless that solution is the nihilism of nuclear war.

I agree Trump is a symptom rather than cause.

There is a sizeable number of folk Stateside who buy into the racist,  misogynist stuff and couldn't give  a toss about the crimes he commits.

Tge issue is, he gives a focal point for these dreg types to congregate behind.

I think he loses in 2016 he doesn't run again.

Yeah the dregs are still there, but less mobilised.

[Mason89]

By all accounts he was surprised as anyone when he won it in 2016. 
I can understand folk voting him in for a laugh, or falling for the act or just being genuinely bad people in 2016. There’s no excuse now though. Same here with folk still trying to make Brexit work or thinking it’s a good idea. Sit down, shut up. 

[OrlandoDon]

On 26/01/2026 at 00:33, Nellie The Don said:

There is no way that any rational person could look at ICE and describe them as law enforcement.

They are a paramilitary domestic terrorist organization. It really is that simple. 

At this point, if you can still find it in yourself to support this regime, then you have made a choice that you can't come back from. Best of luck to you.

This country is fucked financially, and the current administration ran on (not saying mainly) improved financial responsibility, one of those factors being illegal immigrants in the country. It’s not possible to sustain, the debt is horrendous, including significant benefits to illegals, many of which have been ended. You can also obviously tie crime to illegals too. Obviously not everyone is a criminal, but that leads to the debate of, is every illegal immigrant a criminal?

ICE agents are doing their job. You see them now covering their faces. Their pics are posted online, and they and their families are getting death threats. They get attacked regularly. Obviously it’s their choice to do their job. They are targeting illegal immigrants, rounding up those with records. You’ll hear arguments that others are targeted too, but I understand what they are doing and why. This country cannot fund and support its own people at present, never mind the influx, plus it is a security/safety issue. There’s various factors in play there. Rounding up criminals who are illegal immigrants obviously comes with a significant element of danger.

ICE conducts organized operations. There are no live protests because these are intended to be surprise/secret operations. But you are getting info leaked and people showing up to obstruct justice, and a number paid to do so. Confrontation is inevitable. Death is always sad, but you are also going to find out that most likely Alex pretti was an ICE agitator. According to CNN, possibly the most left leaning media outlet here, he was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with an ICE agent two weeks ago, and broke a rib. This time reportedly he came with a gun and a first aid kit. He was not a bistander filming from a distance or peaceful protestor. It’s a horrible situation and good to see trump and Walz communicating to work together.

What’s interesting is that ICE was significantly used by Obama and from what I read, deportations of illegals peaked in 2011. What is happening now  is not unlike what has happened before, but on a smaller scale. It’s just being politicized way more. Anti trump, republican v democrat. Obama got the nickname ‘deporter in chief’ for a reason, but it wasn’t publicized or discussed as it is today.

 

[OrlandoDon]

On 25/01/2026 at 06:38, InversneckieDob said:

It's interesting (and a little scary) to read Orlanndo's take on things.

He seems a reasonable person, so I'm guessing the stuff he's saying is a not uncommon opinion Stateside.

The Americans I've communicated with have a different take. Hugely different. 

They do not see any positives in the Trump presidency and tend to see it as the same abomination as those of us outwith America.

They are pinning everything on the mid-terms and the Dems getting control of both houses.

Then there will be at least an attempt at checks and balances.

If the elections go ahead fairly,  their take is that this is inevitable.

Through online groups, I've spoken with a number of folk from Minneapolis/Minnesota.

They're certainly seeing no positives from this carry-on, they're living a dystopian nightmare. 

I think in terms of the longer term picture, the UK has to be less dependent on the U.S. democracy has been proven so fragile there it has to be considered a failing state.

Brexit is daily being shown as the disasterous folly it was, on SUCH a wide variety of levels.

The UK is more vulnerable than ever.

What a time to be alive.

Thank fuck I'll be deid or lang.

I don’t see myself as that out there or abnormal, just someone who wants a normal, safe, and affordable life. I’ve seen this country change in 30 years, and someone is finally doing something about it. i’m ready for the abuse, but I relate to jack nicholson in ‘a few good men.’ There’s no easy way of making the change this country needs. But I do believe doing nothing is worse. 
I’ll add, none of you know me besides random posts, and what I mean may not be what you hear.

your comment about the UK being less reliant on the US is spot on and exactly what trump has said. Countries need to do more for themselves, the US can’t afford to fund so many other situations any more. Other countries and leaders need to step up for their own good, much like the US is doing for themselves. I don’t think that makes you a bad place/country/person.

when was last in Scotland, 2015, I went to Edinburgh for 2 days where I spent 4 years at college. I rarely heard a Scottish accent. All English and Eastern European. It was not the Edinburgh I lived in from 1990-1994. I don’t think this makes me a racist or whatever, I love my country and culture. It’s just changing and becoming a different place/culture. Not sure it’s better, but certainly different. I think this country is trying to save the culture from slipping further away.

Edited 15 hours ago by OrlandoDon

[Mason89]

Yeah, it does make you a racist 

Sorry. 

[RicoS321]

9 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

I don’t see myself as that out there or abnormal, just someone who wants a normal, safe, and affordable life. I’ve seen this country change in 30 years, and someone is finally doing something about it. i’m ready for the abuse, but I relate to jack nicholson in ‘a few good men.’ There’s no easy way of making the change this country needs. But I do believe doing nothing is worse. 
I’ll add, none of you know me besides random posts, and what I mean may not be what you hear.

your comment about the UK being less reliant on the US is spot on and exactly what trump has said. Countries need to do more for themselves, the US can’t afford to fund so many other situations any more. Other countries and leaders need to step up for their own good, much like the US is doing for themselves. I don’t think that makes you a bad place/country/person.

when was last in Scotland, 2015, I went to Edinburgh for 2 days where I spent 4 years at college. I rarely heard a Scottish accent. All English and Eastern European. It was not the Edinburgh I lived in from 1990-1994. I don’t think this makes me a racist or whatever, I love my country and culture. It’s just changing and becoming a different place/culture. Not sure it’s better, but certainly different. I think this country is trying to save the culture from slipping further away.

Trump has not said that the UK needs to be less reliant on the US, you've misunderstood. What his backers want is for the UK to spend more money on its defence. That money will, of course, be spent with US private companies. If the UK genuinely becomes less reliant on the US, then it's a direct loss to companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Palantir etc. Less income for the US. Not what Trump means at all. 

Edinburgh is a tourist city, I'm not sure what you were expecting. Most cities are multicultural these days, it's not a big problem. They're unnatural places, with no connection to land or heritage, so it's not surprising. They're littered with American and other foreign owned multi nationals (or international capital funded chains) with zero identity. Homogeneity is their trajectory, by definition. Most cities in the world today exist because people were deceived and removed from their land and forced into cities to work. There is no deep connection to these places, much as I'd like to convince myself otherwise. 

[OrlandoDon]

4 hours ago, Mason89 said:

Yeah, it does make you a racist 

Sorry. 

You hear it endlessly, everywhere, what makes a culture and country special is its people.

there are clear benefits to immigration and we have to be open minded to difference and change. but there has to be process and balance. Foreigners bring clear strengths, that’s fact. At the same time, the more you dilute a culture, you bring in differing languages, beliefs, religions, race, morals, and values. Some for the better, some not. The culture changes. Just ask communities and small towns that are overrun by the 18th street gang for example, or drug cartels, ask existing members of that community if the town has changed for the good in recent years. I suppose the mafia is a good example too.
there was little vetting of illegals coming into this country in recent years and there has been, in my opinion, a negative consequence to safety and culture in many places here.

i said early season that Aberdeen badly needed Scottish players and the lack of Scottish players in the team and squad was a big concern. Does that make me racist too?

[OrlandoDon]

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Trump has not said that the UK needs to be less reliant on the US, you've misunderstood. What his backers want is for the UK to spend more money on its defence. That money will, of course, be spent with US private companies. If the UK genuinely becomes less reliant on the US, then it's a direct loss to companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Palantir etc. Less income for the US. Not what Trump means at all. 

Edinburgh is a tourist city, I'm not sure what you were expecting. Most cities are multicultural these days, it's not a big problem. They're unnatural places, with no connection to land or heritage, so it's not surprising. They're littered with American and other foreign owned multi nationals (or international capital funded chains) with zero identity. Homogeneity is their trajectory, by definition. Most cities in the world today exist because people were deceived and removed from their land and forced into cities to work. There is no deep connection to these places, much as I'd like to convince myself otherwise. 

The MAGA belief is that America was throwing too much time money and energy into other peoples causes, while American people at home suffered and this country continued the decline. Trump is cutting deals everywhere, and he has told others to step up and take more responsibility, including financially. America is not willing to throw as much money to other people than it was doing. Is he cutting deals that benefit America, of course he is. That’s what I mean, trump is negotiating better deals rather than handouts and of course other countries don’t like it.

as for my Edinburgh comment, I simply said it had changed, didn’t say for better or worse. I spent two days there and barely spoke to a Scottish person. That’s different when I lived there. I can’t answer whether it’s good or bad as I don’t live there.

Edited 3 hours ago by OrlandoDon

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

You hear it endlessly, everywhere, what makes a culture and country special is its people.

there are clear benefits to immigration and we have to be open minded to difference and change. but there has to be process and balance. Foreigners bring clear strengths, that’s fact. At the same time, the more you dilute a culture, you bring in differing languages, beliefs, religions, race, morals, and values. Some for the better, some not. The culture changes. Just ask communities and small towns that are overrun by the 18th street gang for example, or drug cartels, ask existing members of that community if the town has changed for the good in recent years. I suppose the mafia is a good example too.
there was little vetting of illegals coming into this country in recent years and there has been, in my opinion, a negative consequence to safety and culture in many places here.

i said early season that Aberdeen badly needed Scottish players and the lack of Scottish players in the team and squad was a big concern. Does that make me racist too?

Whilst I don't think the segregation of "illegals" and regular migrants is for anything more than political theatre, I do somewhat agree with the point about cultural dilution and I do understand that some may see it as an issue. There are a few problems though. The first is that the US is a country of colonial settlers, who didn't just dilute a continent's culture, rather they erased it. I can see why the fear that this might occur, in turn, is real. 

The second point is that the US has designed an economic system (with the US dollar being the world's dominant currency) that requires migration. There is no escape from it. Certainly not under Trump (republicans) or the democrats. Both party's donors simply wouldn't accept it. Locking people up, deporting etc is just for show, just as the Tories hostile environment was in this country. Picking on other people to play to a base being the most obvious explanation. The problem with this economic system, is that it cannot cope with the falling fertility rate, which is below replacement rate in the US (and UK). Thus migration is coming to the US whether legal or not, and the culture will indeed be diluted, just as cultures have been since humans began to travel. I suspect the US will be majority Hispanic before long, as Hispanic migrants have a higher fertility rate for 2-3 generations until it levels out at the national norm. There is no policy that can prevent this under the existing system, so you'll have no choice. Your children's children will witness a very different US. They'll be a part of it, and assimilate into it in much the same way humans have always done over the generations. 

[Mason89]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

i said early season that Aberdeen badly needed Scottish players and the lack of Scottish players in the team and squad was a big concern. Does that make me racist too?

It’s sailing close to the wind, aye. Aberdeen badly need good players in the team & squad. Where they come from shouldn’t be a concern. In fact, given the actions of some of our local youth players over the last few years, I trust them as far as I could throw them. 
 

 

[OrlandoDon]

22 minutes ago, Mason89 said:

It’s sailing close to the wind, aye. Aberdeen badly need good players in the team & squad. Where they come from shouldn’t be a concern. In fact, given the actions of some of our local youth players over the last few years, I trust them as far as I could throw them. 
 

 

It’s all balance. You’ve heard it from the club, the importance of Scottish players and a management team with Scottish influence and experience who know the club and the league. Are the club heading in a racist direction? We signed Cameron and Morrison, interested in Watson and Stanway. I don’t see this as a concern, just the fact that cultural identity does matter.