What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Razgovory]

You refused to elaborate.  You said that UN convention on genocide "rules", and I'm very interested in it "ruling" in the future.  Maybe on China or Saudi Arabia.  I'm sure charges are coming down the pipe on those two.  Any day now...

The US state department made a determination in 2021 that the PRC is committing genocide against the Uighurs, one of the rare points of agreement between the Biden and Trump administrations. Several other governments announced similar conclusions, including parliamentary resolutions in Canada, the UK, France and the Netherlands.

Charges are not coming down the pipe through the United Nations vs the PRC because they have enough influence with member states to block them.  That is a political reality but not a conceptual fault with the definition of genocide.

I'm not sure what the basis for a genocide charge against Saudi Arabia would be under the UN definition. 

The UN definition clearly does not support a genocide charge vs South Africa.

The blockade of Yemen by Saudi Arabia and the subsequent famine might qualify as genocide.  Of course the US, France, Britain and Canada are supporting the Saudi efforts in Yemen.  So again the political realities prevent a charge of genocide.  I believe the US was investigated for war crimes in Afghanistan by the ICC, but the Trump administration stopped it.  I think Russia is now being investigated for Genocide not for what it did in Chechnya but crimes committed in a Western direction.  I don't think that Azerbaijan is being investigated for genocide, though the blockade of it's Armenian population and the subsequent evacuation of the territory by ethnic Armenians may qualify.  Again, Azerbaijan is an important US ally so that may explain why the is no investigation.  Countries that do have investigations are Mali, Libya, Myanmar, and Israel.

In practice, it seems, the charge of genocide is reserved for the weak, the small, the poor, and the disfavored.  Because the prosecution is so selective, the charge of genocide is a political act rather than a legal one.

The UN convention on genocide is extremely broad.  It doesn't distinguish between the deaths of 50 or 5 million.  It doesn't require any deaths at all.  Because of this definition is so wide lots of things that aren't genocide could be legally genocide.  If one were so political minded, and dishonest, you could make an argument of for genocide in south Africa.

[Valmy]

In practice, it seems, the charge of genocide is reserved for the weak, the small, the poor, and the disfavored.  Because the prosecution is so selective, the charge of genocide is a political act rather than a legal one.

Well no fucking shit.

The UN convention on genocide is extremely broad.  It doesn't distinguish between the deaths of 50 or 5 million.  It doesn't require any deaths at all.  Because of this definition is so wide lots of things that aren't genocide could be legally genocide.  If one were so political minded, and dishonest, you could make an argument of for genocide in south Africa.

No reason to be hypothetical here Raz. One is very much doing that.

The UN is an imperfect tool. I think we all established that decades ago. Because ultimately laws are only as good as the political will to enforce them and as much as people don't like genocide triggering an international economic collapse or a global war of it requires an amount of political will that few world leaders possess.

I don't know what you want us all to say.

[Savonarola]

Trump Administration Ends Harvard's Ability to Enroll International Students

A Trump masterpiece as it's both shocking and unsurprising.  At least it wasn't MIT; they'd have to shut the place down.

[Razgovory]

That is pretty awful.  You know, I didn't think that Tamas' stuff about Orban would be that relevant fort he US, but here we are.

[HVC]

Trump Administration Ends Harvard's Ability to Enroll International Students

A Trump masterpiece as it's both shocking and unsurprising.  At least it wasn't MIT; they'd have to shut the place down.

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

They didn't kiss the ring.

[Savonarola]

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

Unlike other universities, Harvard didn't comply with the demands of the Trump administration. Columbia had actually been the administration's first target.

[HVC]

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

Unlike other universities, Harvard didn't comply with the demands of the Trump administration. Columbia had actually been the administration's first target.

Sorry, but was it specific demand? Like the DEI he was gung ho about 2 or so months ago, or something? was it just a general not bowing deep enough or ring kissing like Baron said?

[Valmy]

It is kind of ridiculous the President has the ability to just unilaterally dictate something like that.

[Syt]

One Big Bill Act has provision that bans states for ten years from enacting any legislation that might hinder AI research and use. Also adds a bunch of fees to immigration. $3500 if you take in an unaccompanied minor, $1000 when applying for asylum etc. And $150B or so for the Pentagon $40+B for The Wall. Also adding provisions to sell federal lands, ahgressive lease out land and sea for mining/drilling (while decreasing the royalties payable for those rights), expanding timber production in alnational forests by 25%, cutting funding for renewables, and raising fees if someone files protests against mining ($150 for first 10 pages, $5 for every additional page, plus $10 for every item protested against).

[Razgovory]

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

Unlike other universities, Harvard didn't comply with the demands of the Trump administration. Columbia had actually been the administration's first target.

Sorry, but was it specific demand? Like the DEI he was gung ho about 2 or so months ago, or something? was it just a general not bowing deep enough or ring kissing like Baron said?

The demand was about fighting antisemitism.  The demands kept increasing from there.  The last letter from the government didn't even mention antisemitism.  While I don't agree with the protests, I defend their right to do them.  The right to free speech includes speech I find offensive.

[grumbler]

It is kind of ridiculous the President has the ability to just unilaterally dictate something like that.

He doesn't have the power, just the ability. This won't stand up in court.

[Valmy]

The demand was about fighting antisemitism.  The demands kept increasing from there.  The last letter from the government didn't even mention antisemitism.  While I don't agree with the protests, I defend their right to do them.  The right to free speech includes speech I find offensive.

Yeah it is really about the government seizing control of the Universities. The ridiculous claim that the Universities are somehow not doing enough to fight antisemitism, or are propagating antisemitism, is just a pretext.

[Savonarola]

Remind me again, what great mistake did  harvard make again to get all this attention?

Unlike other universities, Harvard didn't comply with the demands of the Trump administration. Columbia had actually been the administration's first target.

Sorry, but was it specific demand? Like the DEI he was gung ho about 2 or so months ago, or something? was it just a general not bowing deep enough or ring kissing like Baron said?

As Raz said the initial demands concerned antisemitism; Harvard refused to comply, Trump froze almost $3 Billion in government funds, Harvard sued and it's just gone on from there.

[Razgovory]

It is kind of ridiculous the President has the ability to just unilaterally dictate something like that.

He doesn't have the power, just the ability. This won't stand up in court.

You'd think that, but who knows anymore.