While I think your comment is perfectly valid and I do agree with it. I also think maybe you’re looking too deeply into what is essentially a pity bon mot.

Is that your policy? Sorry bub, even abstaining is a political stance.

Sorry, by “it” I meant the cartoon. I don’t see much fascism on display in the image. The whole obey thing and Unitary executive theory where Trump controls everything is by definition authoritarian. With flecks of totalitarianism when it comes to thr handling of immigrants. Non of this prevents his administration also being fascist.

It’s not really fascism, more authoritarianism/totalitarianism.

What a petty diva Musk is. FFS, every jab Musk tries to land on Trump circles 'round to him. As he, himself stated he got Trump elected despite credible accusations that Trump palled around with and knew about Epstein’s PDFilia.

Most of the legal issues raised in this piece assumes that the executive cares for such trifles. To sum it up concisely: “I’m the President, bitch and I can do WTF I want. Don’t like it? Come at me.”

Not if they don’t want to stand out like a soar thumb. While it maybe true that if E2EE is outlawed only outlaws will use it that and national agencies, use of it will be criminalized.

TBH, it’s kind of fighting yesterday’s wars. To play devil’s advocate I think they should be working to outlaw quantum resistant encryption instead.

This could be an exceptional way to ban all crypto assets.

Unlikely that this will happen but if we are playing a game of escalation perhaps he could deputise people with access to millenary equipment. Remember, the armed forces pledge allegiance to the constitution and nobody else. They also have the duty to not follow an illegal order.

Don’t you fear that it’ll be seen as escalatory?

That’s a mighty dangerous game. Two things will happen if this will happen:

1. Your economy will collapse. Some crucial US goods and services are the only game in town.
2. US will turn away from it’s old western allies towards the autocratic countries of the world.

I fear it’s not enough. Not by half.

What can they do? They’re wiped out, democratically at least until the mid terms. Considering the speed of events, the mid term is too late.

That and reneging on past promises. Bet Ukraine regrets giving up their nukes on a promise from the US for protection.

What’s even more troubling for nuclear proliferation reduction efforts is the weight any such promises will have in the future: “no thanks, I’ll keep my nukes, thanks-you I don’t want to me Ukrained”.

that issue dissapears if the country has a good amount of nuclear or hydroelectric in the mix.

It also disappears if we have copious energy storage.

If we are talking non nuclear renewables, I understand that the UK is in an enviable position regarding wind, being one of, if not, the windiest nations in Europe. If I haven’t misremembered maybe we should prioritise wind generation. Leave geothermal to places like Iceland, or maybe the nations around the Pacific Rim.

Trump’s vision is so myopic that he can’t see beyond his own nose. Same for is ability to care. If the US reneges on promises made as detailed in the Budapest Memorandum what chance will they have in other such promises. Countries are watching. This is doubly ironic as Trump keeps talking about nuclear war.

You’re right about the US’s military, but you know who also had an outstanding military? Almost all (now dead) empires. I think it stretches exceptionalism beyond all credibility to think the US will buck this trend. That the US empire will be thought of in the past tense is pretty much inevitable, I’m most worried about how it goes. Will it be with a bang, or a whimper. I fearful of the former as they can mount a pretty big bang.

Can you deport into a meat grinder?

Trouble is, with the funding gone, the choice they now have is fight and die, or negotiate a settlement and most probably die. But slower. Probably. Ultimately, an independent Ukraine was a wonderful dream. Time to wake up. And with it any faith that the US will have to keep it’s promises.

Or, looking at the popular vote figures would the rest of the United States.