I really hope so.

And sadly the over 50 countries now desperately calling the White House to beg negotiate are just inflating and reinforcing the Trump administration’s ego and postponing the inevitable.

Stand strong. We’ll come out of this better than depending on another culture’s votes and whims. We do not start fights, but we can sure as hell win them collectively.

Of course they do. Note that according to them it’s because “everyone gets tariffs, no exceptions”.

Well, except the likes of Russia or North Korea, of course. They seem to escape what even the penguins couldn’t.

Like Trump likes to say so much: FAFO.

Multiple can play that game.

More meat for the meat grinder. And unlike Ukrainians Russia does have a choice to stop the war - all they need to do is stop and leave.

Ukrainians die to protect their homeland against invasion. Russians die for needless oligarchic aspirations of dominion of the elite. It’s not the same thing for either side, as many like to make it seem as if Ukraine has any responsibility in the matter.

Any loss of life on Russia’s side is completely optional, and due to Putin’s whims. Not that it matters to the vultures surrounding Ukraine.

If that simplistic and dismissive view is your take on the whole Ukraine defending their sovereignty against a foreign invader…

Then Doktor Jidanbo prescribes you with less Fox News consumption - as 9/10 dentists say it clouds judgement.

Stopping the ‘meat grinder’ is actually very simple. All that needs to happen is for Russia to stop attacking Ukraine and leave Ukrainian soil. All Russia needs to do is wanting to actually end it, which is the part all the greedy vultures wanting to carve up Ukraine conveniently leave out.

I rather die a proud fighter who fought my oppressors than live in misery while they gleefully take what’s mine, and my loved ones. Capitulating to bullies only leads to more bloodshed. Standing up to them and making them regret their barbaric ways is how you actually stop them.

Take that any way you want, as that’s all I’m gonna say.

Where’s Trump and his “young, brave men”? You know, that speech. The one aimed at Zelensky stating he should just stop the war and stop being desperate by conscripting more people for the defense effort?

Eh, must have left it in the same place he left the “Zelensky is a dictator” comment after he was asked if Putin was also a dictator.

So whataboutism, distorting my words to suit your point and strawmen are your answers. Good to know rather early this conversation isn’t going anywhere, since both of us will always be right and wrong at the same time, according to each other.

One crook or two facing consequences does not excuse all the others that consistently get away. Specially the ones we don’t even know about. She’s just “the one that was caught this time”, with plenty more in line like her waiting for their chance to succeed where she could not. And your willingness to see her “not-reward” as if it was an actual punishment written in the law for her crimes speaks volumes - to the point it makes me wonder what potential role or benefit you’re getting (or hoping to get) from such a system. And before you twist my words to say you’re “not french”, or “not a politician”, know that what I’m saying goes way beyond one person, one position or one nation, so that logic won’t cut it.

Almost makes me think you’re primed to automatically defend scum like her no matter how corrupt she was. Anyways I don’t think this will be a productive discussion for either of us, so forgive me for not participating further.

Cheers.

“Not being president” is not a punishment. Just the absence of a reward for her corruption. If the worst she had was “not being rewarded”, then what stops every other crook from attempting to seize power?

Absence of a reward is not a consequence for breaking the rules. A consequence for breaking the law is the actual punishment, and that also serves as a warning to any other people wanting to do the same.

That’s what’s wrong with the system we currently have, and I’m glad at least she got prison out of it. Leniency is what got us here. There’s got to be actual hard consequences for mocking the system. Rules are only as good as the willingness to apply consequences for breaking them. It’s that simple.

The worst thing in this statement is “could” - “could end her career”.

A system that doesn’t automatically provide real consequences and makes an example of the criminal is a corrupt system in itself. There shouldn’t even be a ‘could’ in a so-called ‘fair and free system’.

And this isn’t just France, by far. Cheers from the Banana Republic known as Portugal, quite the paradise for corrupt politicians.

Good. Still, any real consequences for her? Like prison time? Or will she be granted the usual politician/millionaire+ special treatment and just go on with her merry life minus the extra power?

Reminds me of Portugal’s former PM (Mr. Socrates), a few years ago, and ‘his’ 20M€. Or the convicted felon running the White House currently.

Putin: Hey Krasnov, it’s becoming too obvious. Tone it down a little, I’ll even give you permission to say you are angry at me. Don’t forget papa bear still loves you. 🥰🍆🍒

I guess she could always seek out a position of leadership at the EU, like von der Leyen or Costa.

Supposedly a safe haven for crooked politicians who failed their respective countries before their people had enough of them.

Greetings from Costaland Portugal.

I originally switched to Ecosia, loved it. Very identical to Chrome because, well, it’s chromium based. Still a food option, but I wanted to make a full swap.

So I reluctantly tried Vivaldi last week (with Ecosia as a search engine), because that’s 2 major changes to a browser this year, meaning migrating all data and setting stuff up, which is more bothersome than I have patience for under normal circumstances.

Yet, I must say I’m positively surprised by it. Loving Vivaldi so far, and I’m not even using all it has to offer.

Maybe he could take the opportunity, accept Merz’s invitation and stop by Germany. Unless this is a “dictators club only” trip.

*Wink wink

Guessed as much with the wave of censorship many people, including myself, noticed and shared, pretty much exclusively to anti-MAGA opinions, and regardless of them being constructive and objective.

That, and the increase in bot activity in european and canadian subreddits, to the point it felt there were more pro-MAGA’s demotivating and belittling people trying to make a change, than actual europeans or canadians.

It’s one thing to not agree with my opinion, it’s a-ok with me and everyone has a right to it. I even agree with moderating extreme and violent statements when necessary. It’s another thing entirely to censor my opinion because you don’t like it. And on a forum like Reddit that’s inadmissible.

Nuked my account, changed to Lemmy and never looked back. And I’m happy for it. If you can’t take my opinion without trying to take my voice away I’ll just leave you alone in your echo chamber.

This is good. We are doing what we can, but truth be told even if we put everyone together, across Lemmy, Reddit, Facebook and so on, we are still just a tiny bubble compared to the hundreds of millions that live in the EU.

Even more so if we count in alternative allied markets like Canada or the UK. We are doing what we can, but the ‘big guns’ (governments, companies, etc.) can do much more than we can with the reach of their influence. They are important in making this effort an actual change-inducing movement instead of a minority fad.

This is a good thing to ask for, and I’m happy they’re stepping up along with us.

As portuguese I’m proud of my country for doing that. I hope this is the start of a more active role within EU, especially because we’ve been sitting too comfortably as a nation. Also because we’re the closest ones to the US and the west EU entry point.

Needless to be said, before the “acshually” movement starts saying “they didn’t have an F-35 order”, they did have the intention to buy them, just like the old F-16’s.

Regardless, Trump is an immature toddler who puts up tariffs against other nations and as soon as they counter him he immediately removes them and starts crying about unfairness.

In his case “not buying the planned F-35’s” pretty much = “Blowing up purchased and delivered F-35’s to send a message”.