2024 OT Election Day Thread: Donald Trump elected POTUS, GOP wins Senate and House of Representatives

I sort of agree with a lot of what you are saying. You are correct about the historical things. But I don't really understand the bolded part. If the problem is "not being strong enough to be independent of US". Isn't the solution to become stronger? And how could Europe become stronger if not by investing in its military?

What wold you suggest Europe should do?

You'd be lying, or at best telling a half truth.

Poland, Czech Republic and the Baltic States also pushed for it. It was not his idea, he echo's an idea that already existed, and trying to frame it in the manner you are, is not reality. It's a gross misinterpretation of history.

I'm sitting here waiting on my delivery atm, but for what time I have can sift through you post and see this in a repeated pattern.

For example, your comment about spending, this was not something invented by America to sell cars.

Nonsense, dribble.

It has been a long standing complaint of Nato prior to Trump, nor does it merely serve to purchase US weapons, and even when you talk of weapons, many of them (roughly speaking) 40/50% aren't American.

This is in fact a problem Ukraine themselves had because the equipment wasn't unified, it was a mish-mash of donations that makes learning to operate vehicles or weapons, or other items far more difficult.

Increasing spending, actually adopting a unified like military including weapons, with a specific focus on arms production and innovation, yes, Europe would become stronger.

Ukraine itself is an asset, it's currently one of the best armies in the world atm and in a post-war state, will be eager for military development and partners. The UK especially would benefit from them as a partner.

You talk as if states do not change which is very limited thinking.

As for your other nonsense about them merely being colotomies, this kind of talk is exactly why the world is turning on America and China is moving in.

It's not because he's saying the small thing loud, it's that he's actively coming across as hostile, entitled and unhinged.

Not just him, the people around him.

They litterally came to Europe to talk about culture war bullshit leaving everyone bemused as to if he was suffering from some form of mental breakdown.

Turns out he was just promoting a Nazi party.

America is the one who is on the spiral here. Check the video above, even China is saying it. They themselves are alarmed by erratic behavior going on.

The golden age is a shower, that stinks of rotten piss.

Europe is already investing enough in military. Investment is not the problem, readiness is. Europe's command structure is totally dependent on US calling the shots. NATO is pretty much US with all other countries just being foot soldiers.

In your scenario, let's assume they started spending more and buy even more US equipment. How would that make Europe stronger or independent? You're now even more dependent on them. You might not know but US puts extreme conditions on when and how their military equipment can be used.

To become independent from US, EU will need to either become a federation or more closely integrated rather than this garbage where EU Commission is not democratic and the countries in EU have this convenient setup where for unpopular decisions they blame the EU by rubbing their hands off completely. It always baffled my mind how Eu has a single currency but multiple treasuries.

Another thing to do is to increase the aggregate demand in Europe it self so it can't be threatened with sanctions or tariffs. Do more investments. There's European Investment Bank, why is it not being used as much as it can?

Basically to answer your question on how to be independent: First stop being so afraid that if US leaves somethig drastic will happen. Tell US no when something isn't in Europe's interest and not always roll over. Make steps towards removing US military from Europe and be open/transparent to the electorate at the same time.

Article 5 has only been invoked once after World War II. It was when America was attacked 9/11, we died for them.

What he typed here was both insulting and moronic.

• United States: Approximately 2,400+
• United Kingdom: Approximately 450+
• Canada: Approximately 150+
• France: Approximately 90+
• Germany: Approximately 50+
• Italy: Approximately 50+
• Poland: Approximately 40+
• Denmark: Approximately 40+
• Australia: Approximately 40+
• Spain: Approximately 30+
• Georgia: Approximately 30+
• Romania: Approximately 25+
• Netherlands: Approximately 25+
• Turkey: Approximately 15+
• Czech Republic: Approximately 14+
• New Zealand: Approximately 10+
• Norway: Approximately 10+
• Estonia: Approximately 10+
• Hungary: Approximately 7+
• Sweden: Approximately 5+
• Latvia: Approximately 4+
• Slovakia: Approximately 3+
• Finland: Approximately 2+
• Jordan: Approximately 2+
• Portugal: Approximately 2+
• South Korea: Approximately 2+
• Albania: Approximately 2+
• Belgium: Approximately 1+
• Bulgaria: Approximately 1+
• Croatia: Approximately 1+
• Lithuania: Approximately 1+
• Montenegro: Approximately 1+
  
  
  MAGA truly are an embarrassment.

RFK Jr has zero qualifications.

Did I ever say claim that Poland or other Baltic states were against it? I said it was pushed down NATO's thorat precisely because of US not what Baltic states wanted. France and both Germany were against it and they had a good reason, not a moral reason but at least you call a good RealPolitik reason. They wanted a buffer state between NATO and Russia. So if things were to go to sh*t NATO (specifically Europe won't be directly involved) and Ukraine will bear the burnt of it.

I'm not talking about the 2% goal. I'm talking about the 5% ask from Trump. Yes, much of that spending will go to buy US weapons. What modern 5th gen aircrafts does Europe make? Germany is already talking and discussing about buying F-35s. You here saying that it's not a ploy by US when 70 years ago Eisenhower (a conservative president, mind you) warned against the power and influence of MIC.

As for your other stuff about Ukraine being an asset or having the best army. I have no idea what that got to do with the point I was making about Europe's dependence on US? You somehow feel that I'm downplaying Ukraine or see them as lesser?

And I don't know what you mean by Colotomies or the rest of your post. Did I ever defend Trump or say that what US is doing right or are you saying that Europe is independent from US and only Trump is unhinged? I believe that Trump went full on stick approach instead of carrot and stick. That's the only difference. If your position is otherwise then I have nothing to possibly tell you.

Thank you. You just proved my point for me!

I'm sure those 450 dead British troops, or 150 dead Canadian troops when they were being killed, presumably blown to bits, weren't thinking about budgets, or being Americans lackeys, but rather rather trying to protect an ally with shared values with the common idea to protect people by engaging with what is universally seen as evil.

Might be wrong, I'll ask their living relatives if they were a lackey.

This was a great point, the MAGA power cap.

LOL, you think I'm American or a MAGA. That's what you got from me? Truly impressive. First your post is not an argument. It's an emotional appeal to discredit me because you think I'm your enemy just becasue I called Europe US's colony. I didn't say anything about these soldiers, much less insulted them. As for them believing, they could have believed whatever they wanted. What does it have to do with my argument?

Let's turn your argument upside down: If those countries refused to aid the US and these soldiers didn't go to war to die in and are still alive. Would that make these dead soldiers traitors, cowards or non-believers in universal human values? What's your point here?

It would make them Donald Trump.

Ah so now you're saying countries' leadership counts and not individual's beliefs? So, what was your point again with bringing those soldiers?

Ah. Oh. Ahhhh.

So.

Run out of arguments, I see.

Culture war, bullshit. Yes.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/thought-and-cancelled-elections-how-do-jd-vances-europe-claims-stand-up

The people who are concerned, and take everything he says as anything other than insane ramblings nothing to do with the actual reason people are there, are people typically of poor education, much of the time "I'm not racist but" who need help, rather than someone who should dictate anything. This is how you ended up with Trump and why the world is in deep, deep shit.

The only actual point he made, was ironic. In the sense that Europe has a threat from within, stupid people. Far right spreading their bile like a cancer.

Explainer

‘Thought crime’ and cancelled elections: how do JD Vance’s claims about Europe stand up?

US vice-president told litany of tales of Europe’s rights infringements in speech to leaders at defence gathering

• JD Vance stuns Munich conference with blistering attack on Europe’s leaders

Does this prove JD Vance lies on practically every point? Thought crime’ and cancelled elections: how do JD Vance’s claims about Europe stand up? US vice-president told litany of tales of Europe’s rights infringements in speech to leaders at defence gathering JD Vance stuns Munich conference with blistering attack on Europe’s leaders Daniel Boffey and Alexandra Topping Fri 14 Feb 2025 19.23 GMT Share In JD Vance’s confrontational and pugnacious speech at the Munich Security Conference, the vice-president ran through a series of examples to highlight his claims that Europe has gone off the rails. Here, we look at what he said – and whether it stacks up. United Kingdom Speaking about “our very dear friends, the United Kingdom”, Vance claimed a “backslide away from conscience rights” had “placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs”. The British government, he said, had charged Adam Smith-Conner, a physiotherapist and an army veteran, with the “heinous crime of standing 50 metres from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own”. Vance claimed that Conner told an “unmoved” law enforcement officer that he was praying for an unborn son that he and a former girlfriend had aborted years before. “Adam was found guilty of breaking the government’s new ‘buffer zones law’, which criminalises silent prayer and other actions that could influence a person’s decision within 200 metres of an abortion facility,” Vance said. “He was sentenced to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs to the prosecution.” Fact check Smith-Connor was convicted of breaching a safe zone in October last year, after refusing repeated requests to move away from outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth in November 2022. The 51-year-old told the council the day before he would be carrying out a silent vigil as he had on previous occasions. On the day, a community officer spoke to him for an hour and 40 minutes and asked him to leave – but he refused. Smith-Connor was handed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay more than £9,000 costs after the case was brought by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council. Smith-Connor is receiving legal support from Alliance Defending Freedom International, an American conservative Christian legal advocacy group that states it “champions religious freedom through … advocacy efforts”. ADF International said it would be supporting Smith-Connor to appeal against the decision in July. Smith-Connor’s case was brought after a public space protection order was introduced outside the Bournemouth clinic in October 2022, which banned activity including protests, harassment and vigils. October last year saw the introduction of the Public Order Act 2023 in England and Wales, which introduced buffer zones of 150 metres around abortion clinics to stop women being harassed with leaflets, shown pictures of foetuses, or having to pass by vigils. Scotland The Scottish government was said to have begun distributing letters to citizens whose houses lay “within so-called safe access zones, warning them that even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law”. He went on: “The government urged readers to report any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thought crime in Britain and across Europe.” Fact check The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act, introduced last year, introduced safe access zones within 200 metres of abortion clinics, banning harassing, alarming or distressing actions. “Silent prayer” is listed among the banned activities to prevent mass silent vigils that have been used by large groups of US anti-abortion protesters such as 40 Days for Life who gather outside clinics to pressure women entering not to have an abortion. A Conservative US TikToker erroneously claimed that silent prayer at home could break the law in Scotland. However the law states that the actions are banned if they are likely to cause alarm or distress to someone accessing abortion services. Silent prayer in a home which caused no distress and alarm to other would not fall under this category. A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The vice-president’s claim is incorrect. Private prayer at home is not prohibited within safe access zones and no letter has ever suggested it was.” Romania Vance told the Munich security conference that a former European commissioner had “sounded delighted” that an “entire election” in Romania had been annulled. Vance added: “He warned that if things don’t go to plan, the very same thing could happen in Germany too … But when we see European courts cancelling elections and senior officials threatening to cancel others, we ought to ask whether we’re holding ourselves to an appropriately high standard.” Fact check The US vice-president was referring to comments by the former European commissioner Thierry Breton. The former French minister had been speaking after the decision by Romania’s constitutional court in December to annul the early results of the country’s presidential election. The court had intervened after declassified intelligence documents pointed to what was described as a massive and “highly organised” campaign for the independent candidate Călin Georgescu, on the TikTok platform that was probably orchestrated by a “state actor”. Georgescu has committed to stop all Romanian political and military support for Ukraine if elected. Commenting on the case, Breton had said: “Let’s keep calm and enforce our laws in Europe when they are at risk of being circumvented … We did it in Romania, and we will obviously do it if necessary in Germany.” Elon Musk intervened at the time on X, referring to “the staggering absurdity of Thierry Breton as the tyrant of Europe”. Breton responded: “Tyrant of Europe? Wow! But No Elon Musk: the EU has NO mechanism to nullify any election anywhere in EU. Not

etc.. etc.. etc...

Dumb shit, he didn't research, the "i'm not racist, but", people gobble up, who are prime real estate for Russia because they can get them to handstands and rub their bellies.

2 people clapped, everyone else wondering if they put magic mushrooms in the tea.

Meanwhile MAGA "WOW BEST SPEECH IN DA WORLD THEM EURO CUCKS GOT ROASTED WOWOWOWOWOW"

FUCKING ZELENKIY!

@bigballs: Oh hey sarge. I see you're back.

It's culture wars nonsense and misinformation.

The speech was not well recieved here in europe. It was a speech spoken to europeans. But for his domestic supporters in the MAGA movement. And just came across as silly and poorly informed.

@bigballs: His speech was for domestic audiences and his boss(es). If he doesn't understand why it wasn't going to play so well in Europe, then he's not the guy for the job.

Personally, I don't know much about JD Vance, but my impression is that he's trying to be all things to all men. And it's the trollsuit which doesn't fit IMO. He's a serious man, so why not present himself with some tact and diplomacy. I mean, honestly, imagine an unproven foreign VP came to the US and immediately launched into a lecture about how your cultural attitudes were all wrong and the real threat was your own politicians and policies. Why do it? Someone's been giving him some bad advice.

@bigballs:

No what happened is that some people looked at it. Rolled their eyes. Forgot about it and moved on. Sorry to burst into your delusions. But nobody cared. It was barely even mentioned by media over here.

Europeans are too busy obsessing over American politics to be concerned about issues within their own borders. :P

Who is delusional? To say "nobody cared" is "misinformation". And since when is migration policy "culture wars nonsense"? Nobody cares about migration in Germany... or anywhere else. That's all just misinfo and culture wars. That's why Trump and AfD got so many votes.

I see, not well informed about the situation before the election here in Germany...

Clearly, "you guys" don't live in reality.

Oh no, it was covered plenty, and ruffled feathers. A german politician named Habeck didn't care so much, he was very upset about Vances words.

@palasta: Yeah, generally I'm not too politically informed. I just go by what the media rams down our collective throats and what comes up on this board.

Nice to see you responding to my posts for once, though. How you doing, Palasta? Holding up well?

Even when it's been pointed out, he straight up lied, like the duracell bunny acting like it's a thing that never happened banging their little drum, walking off into the distance.

Some further facts.

Also don't call him a Felon, it harms his safe-space.

This is not worth discussing. The EU was bemused and the only people excited by it was Russia and far-right group, ya now, the bad people who are well known for resulting in good things.

Is this the sort of content usually Brits take in? Watching youtube videos of ... "Jake Broe" ?

I watch Jake Broe yes, he is a former United States Air Force veteran who served as a Nuclear and Missile Operations Officer (13N) who generally fact checks his content and comes across like American who is actually an ally with shared values.

Would presume most people in the UK do not watch military related content. Though his view count is respectable. Though not Tucker, hang around with rapists and dictators wow Moscow has shopping carts! good.

Oh, I've watched some of his videos!

Usually get my political news from Joe Rogan or Judge Napolitano videos, mind. But you've got to diversify sometimes.

Thank God for YouTube algorithms.

I loved it when he had Scott Ritter on multiple times.

Sometimes send my kids over so they can learn about Russia.

I'm glad your... social media content... involves ingesting videos of an American airforce "bro" who will "generally" fact check his own content. lmao

You're trying to do a zinger here, but its really just falling on it's arse.

"bro", got em!

@uninspiredcup: Not to Napolitano's house either, I hope. I mean, the cases were dropped and all but still... :/

My favourites are where he has that guy who looks like Palpatine on. Get a little insight into the dark side and that.

I just looked at my home page of Youtube and... literally nothing is even comes close to being political content. lol

I had to screenshot it and include because some of you seem to use Youtube for some weird rabbit holes. :P

@Stevo_the_gamer: Lucky bastard. You see, this is what I was saying before. I knew they tailor this stuff for different countries.

It was the liberal neocons trying to take him down with Xfiles shit, Posing as a child (shapeshifters), that was so sleek it worked twice.

Thankfully Judge Nutella and John Kennedy 5 saw through the nano-tech bullshit.

Not at all... a zinger? Seriously, I'm just trying to understand how (or why) a Brit starts following political commentary of a Youtube account ... that comments on American issues? (Unless he's more "global" ? ... I haven't seen any of his content nor will I ever try to abuse my Youtube algorithm with such silliness lol). Like, I get if you start following/linking someone because they're entertaining (the funnies) ... but like... political commentary?

Well, well, well. I knew it, Darn it, it always seem to be a conspiracy! Hang in there sir, help is coming,.

Thanks officer!

Aye, aye.

It's all a part of the conspiracy... US social media inundates us with American-focused content.

Is this all sounding a bit wild?

Eggywegs

https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1891238383575290289

It is always a conspiracy! It makes me feel bad for some of folks who obsess about politics in a country they're like... not even close too. Like it's part of their daily ritual to not only ingest American news content but then also obsess on American issues on a gaming forum. lol

Well, you could always cut the politics from the gaming forum.

Me, I come here for the off-topic, but most of the activity's happening in your "election" thread.

Believe me, it would be very welcome for news to be more localised, but that's not the way things are panning out in the world. :( Anything you can do about that, officer?

That's not my decision to make dear sancho. (This reminds me when I worked construction when we would joke that our spouses/girlfriends are hanging with sancho)

Your news should be localized (just like government, small and local), but these companies feed you content that you're interested in. It's how their algorithms work and continue to excel. What do you click on... how long you spend watching it... etc.

If it was up to me, I would unplug the internet entirely. :P

That sounds like actual communism. Not the Juntas and Dictatorships that people call Communism, but actual Marxist Communism.

In a communist state, there is no state. No type of party apparatus exists beyond the local community. Thus the name.

I can assure you it was a different Sancho! :((

I'm a blond fellow with bright blue eyes, and I go by another name entirely in the real world. There's not a chance anyone would mistake me for whoever was hanging with your colleague's spouses.

It is a shame, I agree, that our cultures are disappearing so quickly, but then I suppose it's just a part of the price we pay for the success of this global economy. Ho hum.

I can assure you dear rabbit... What I am referring too is not Marxism. Lol

Ay dios mio! You are still possibly a suspect none the less! Not sure why Sancho or how it came to be in slang when it comes to that. haha!