Recent posts

#91

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Valmy - April 13, 2026, 01:36:07 PM

Yeah he has been channeling Stalin with regard to the Pope for awhile.

#92

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Zanza - April 13, 2026, 01:35:10 PM

I wonder why the Pope is 'weak on nuclear weapons'.  Is it because the Vatican does not have a nuclear arsenal?

Ok, but how many divisions does he have?

#93

Off the Record / Re: Hungarian Politics

Last post by Sheilbh - April 13, 2026, 01:23:19 PM

It had grown to ridiculous levels lately (zebras and such at Orbán's family castle) but it was going on an industrial scale from pretty much 2011.

The decisive national-level switch was the fucked up economy, I am pretty sure. It made the corruption more in your face and annoying.

FWIW - as I say I think part of the lesson from this is that there isn't necessarily a lesson or a single rulebook on defeating illiberal/authoritarian democrats.

But I think anti-corruption is a really, really powerful weapon if it can be harnessed. Even in the least democratic of those regimes - there's a reason Navalny is where he is. It's also where I think we need to be really careful not to just negatively polarise. So Orban etc are populists, therefore populism bad and we must do the opposite of populism - because to me it seems like part of what you need to be saying is that they're crooks and they're out to con you and it is a conspiracy against the public. Because it's effective, because it's true.

That does mean you need to be in a position to do that. So I've said in relation to the US there's lots of analogies to the Gilded Age - the political reaction to the Gilded Age was populism. And I think oppostion to Trump should channel that: no billionaires in the White House, no insider trading in public office etc. But that means you need to clean house a bit on your own side around billionaires and suspiciously wealthy members of Congress. Otherwise the possibly less true, cynical populism of "they're all at it" wins.

#94

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Jacob - April 13, 2026, 12:40:57 PM

Trump cannot tolerate any centre of moral authority that is not subject to his ego.

#95

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Caliga - April 13, 2026, 12:37:10 PM

I wonder why the Pope is 'weak on nuclear weapons'.  Is it because the Vatican does not have a nuclear arsenal?

#96

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Jacob - April 13, 2026, 12:35:17 PM

It's been embarrassing for a long time.

#97

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by The Minsky Moment - April 13, 2026, 11:30:06 AM

Translation for every Trump social media communication.

ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME

#98

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Syt - April 13, 2026, 11:22:36 AM

Weak on crime? Is pedophilia even illegal in the Vatican?

I don't think Trump thinks that's a crime.

#99

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by The Brain - April 13, 2026, 11:17:07 AM

Weak on crime? Is pedophilia even illegal in the Vatican?

#100

Off the Record / Re: Hungarian Politics

Last post by Tamas - April 13, 2026, 11:14:14 AM

Anecdotal evidence from someone I know: one former Orbán voter said that while he supports Fidesz politics, the corruption was too much, causing him to switch votes for the first time. Tamas, any idea how much that reflects other right-wing voters?

It had grown to ridiculous levels lately (zebras and such at Orbán's family castle) but it was going on an industrial scale from pretty much 2011.

The decisive national-level switch was the fucked up economy, I am pretty sure. It made the corruption more in your face and annoying.