13h ago

The art of the deal

62 comments

Yeah but he still frames it as a win. That's the problem. Loose goals so he can frame anything as a win and his supporters don't think twice (or once for that matter)

I had to do a double-take on the fact that Trump's approval rating has been steadily improving since the beginning of January. Jesus fuck people are ignorant. I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the wealth inequality, the media consolidation, the education standards the way they are...
- Approval ratings tend to go up as people fear to speak against their oppressor.
- The fact that his approval rating still exists after that first term shows that he can do whatever he wants and his followers will still support him. It's a cult, nothing will change that.

Good work trump. The world respects America again. /s

Trump is such a coward. He can't commit to anything he says. I thought actually implementing the tariffs was the goal? What about that whole schtick on eliminating income taxes with tariff revenue? Do people just dream big on Trump's pie-in-the-sky fantasies, get on board, and then get brought back down to reality and conveniently forget all that big talk only to still have the audacity to call it a fucking W? The threat of the tariffs accomplished nothing. Trump is incompetent beyond belief.
- They have replaced their god with trump. Trump did it therefore it was good. Trump criticised it therefore it was bad. You're asking them to retain information and think logically and critically about it instead of cheering on their lying and very false god. All the statistics say that support for right wingers drops off heavily the more education you have. His supporters aren't the smart cookies. They like what he says and they like how he says it and he never tells them they're stupid. They're not fact checking him, that's what libs do. They're not libs, they're red blooded Americans. Trump can absolutely do no wrong in their eyes.

As a Mexican, I find this image very offensive. Trudeau knows his sweetheart hates Sheinbaum and would never betray him like that.

I also believe this is all just peacocking and him and all his billionaire buddies and the ultra rich corporations all got to use the VERY predictable stock market changes to get even richer. Of course he doesn't care if the tariffs hurt anyone. He is busy making the 1% money so they don't starve or go without healthcare or education. Didn't you hear? Republican is the new working class party. Just ask all the government employees that Muskrat just fired ....

Unfortunately to his fans it looks like he won! Which probably means more tariffs going forward.
- Yah, I think we'll start making progress again in this country when we all realize that most people don't care about facts, they just want stories.
  Donald Trump's power has nothing to do with anything other than his flagrant disregard for reality and his chronic disorder that makes him just launch into stories about anything and everything. And not just stories, they're always ridiculous stories like you would tell children. This works because most people are again, children who want stories.
  While Trump and his ilk have woven these epic stories of good versus evil and how rotten the enemies are and how great the good guys are, the left and the dems have been trying to quadruple down on being "civil" and producing charts and graphs and data to back their arguments. I get it, I used to think reality mattered to other people, but now I get it, that for the vast majority of humans, nobody really thinks.
  I don't mean that as an "I'm smarter than everyone" statement, but a discovery about a fundamental quality of the human experience, which is people only think they think. What actually goes on for all of us, all day long, is we feel a thing, experience a sensation or emotion, and our brain writes a story to explain it. You believe this story because you tend to never doubt what you come up with in your head, but your brain doesn't naturally default to facts and logic, just ways to connect feelings and experiences. This is intrinsic to how our minds work and it's what let us survive ice ages and predators and apocalypses of ancient times. But in a modern, complex world with language and politics and technology, it just makes us more confused and wrong, which is why people tend to cling to people who can successfully create a narrative that weaves everything together in some sensible way. Not actually sensible, it just has to "feel" right and the brain will accept it even if you don't agree with the person telling the story. This is why there are so many people and institutions that suddenly feel like they've turned "pro trump" it's because we're monkeys and we follow our leader, especially when they can make enough of us follow a storyline.
  
  This is a great explanation. Thanks!

As an onlooker from Europe eagerly awaiting the fall of the US, this is disappointing. :( But congrats to the people of these three countries I guess.
At least US is still shooting itself in the foot with the China tariffs.
- Once the US falls, most if not all of Europe will follow, I'm afraid. The world is a very entangled thing nowadays.
- I mean, he still manage to bring the very divided Canada together. Most people around me cancelled every US based subscription services they had, and people will pay attention not to buy americans products. The world needs to come together to bring this undereductaed and dangerous country down.
  
  As a (current) American citizen, I agree, bring it down.
  
  Hopefully our collective memories hold and not dofo things
  
  As an American living in America. Trumps actions make me not want to buy anything American either.
- Idk, I kind of love the China tariffs.
  Oh wait, you meant the tariffs we're putting on China, not the China tariffs they're putting on US oil and coal.
  But really I'm happy with any taxes on oil and coal.
  
  But really I’m happy with any taxes on oil and coal.
  I'm sure this will lead to a massive investment in renewable and clean energy sources.
  Aaaaannnny day now.
- It's more of a low hanging fruit thing right now. The tarrifs will happen. There was pushback so they backed down while they continue to field dress the United States government. They will circle back around.

Ignorant perspective. They basically pumped and dumped, but in reverse, and everyone thinks they're the stupid ones.
This is exactly how we got here. Please stop.
- If I could only remember which cunt used to do the same schemes, without suffering any consequences... Nah, can't remember.
- Dumped and pumped?
  
  Stocks. They are manipulating the media so they can sell high and buy low. Rinse and repeat.

The EU will most likely stave off tariffs by buying much more US gas.

Huh.. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/03/world/sheinbaum-trump-tariffs-paused/index.html
- Yes, Mexico moves 10k reserves to the border.. to twiddle their thumbs there. And Canada agreed to invest 1.5 billion in the border they already agreed to with Biden. Epic win!
  
  México is having a huge problem with the narcos and keeps getting worse, if only we had elements to spare to combat this problem... But hey, sending them to the border to harrass migrants and then give them to the same narcos is an epic win, right?

So, the $1.3 bn border plan that was already agreed last year on December 17?
Not quite.
Apart from several additions, the fold from Canada comes from moving their hazy plan phases from planning to implementing. That's where the W is for Trump.
It's a subtle difference. But with the addition of a temporary delay on the tariffs, Trudeau will actually be pressured into having to implement this thing. It's been a month and half since the plan was announced, and any Canadian that dislikes Trudeau knows he's not famous for actually doing something about issues that their own citizens ask for, even less other countries, so this would seem as necessary
Beyond that, 77% of Canada exports are to the US. That 77% makes up about 12% of the US total imports. I don't know what the endgame is but propping up Canada for a trade war they can't win is not the way.
Same as with Mexico. They are very conscious that many South American countries would like to step in their place should they fail to provide USA amicable trade relationship.
Up to you to make your own conjecture.
- You're giving fuckface credit for time moving forward
  
  Y'all really don't like facts you don't agree with, do you?

Lol, no. Trump cancelled the tariffs after both said they'd retaliate, not because they both agreed drugs and cartels are bad.
- How is this a "lol no"?
  "Take this same deal or we retaliate". Is that not what the meme says. Did he not get the same deal in the end? Was retaliation not always implied? Does this meme imply they agreed cartels are not bad?
  
  The meme makes it seem like Trump backed down because Canada and Mexico tricked Trump into thinking he got something when he really didn't. He backed down because of the retaliation, not because he was tricked.
- I'm still salty neither Mexico or Canada stood up and said the trade deal trump won't stop complaining about, is what he took credit for in 2018.
  
  “That’s not how I remember it!”
  Bam. His base: aroused by another W

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