United States Presidential Election 2024

[BritDownUnder]

A few quotes about Trump from people who will have to engage with Trump in a few months.

David Lammy - UK Foreign Secretary
... described Trump as a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath”, a “tyrant in a toupée” and a “dangerous clown”.

Kevin Rudd - Australian Ambassador to Washington
... Trump is “destructive” and a “traitor to the west”
... “I believe things are, so precarious on these questions that the Republican Party, which enabled this guy to be elected, have a deep responsibility, a deep responsibility to accept responsibility for the consequence of their actions and begin the processes for one form or another of his removal by constitutional means,”
... “Donald, as we know, is not, a leading intellectual force,”
... Trump supporters are “angry white men”. And Latino and Black men maybe.

Ooops!

[Mark]

Trump is in the pocket of the fossil industries. It will a be a disaster for the renewables transition in the US, and for the global environment. In the long run that is the only change that matters.

I listened to his victory speech...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI9fbbQ-aTo

The Oil and Gas bit is at about 20 mins....
Apparently it all belongs to Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr should leave it alone !!
So..., it's going to be 'Drill Baby Drill'....

A terrible 4yrs for the climate....
The Paris Agreement and COP are now effectively dead ??

[UndercoverElephant]

The Paris Agreement and COP are now effectively dead ??

They were already dead. The only real difference is that now it is harder to deny that they are dead.

[BritDownUnder]

Problem is that the US has about 2% of oil and gas reserves but produces the most so they must be depleting their reserves much more quickly than their enemies. I do expect they will last another Trump term however. In my mind it makes sense to move to renewables quite quickly. USA has good wind reserves in the centre of the country and good grid connections to them so it makes sense to use them.

America's coal reserves are quite good too. The only other oil reserves they have are some shale oil / kerogen reserves in Utah and Wyoming that need heating in the ground before the oil can be extracted. The EROEI must be horrendous. Trump's successors will soon learn about the laws of physics and thermodynamics.

The COP seemed to be a hug fest whereby people who are professional non-profit organisation CEOs and Quango directors fly business class and on full expenses to talk about how bad things are with the climate every two years.

I expect a falling out with Musk in six months to a year.

[Mark]

Trump victory 'major setback' to climate action
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ygplyg09ro

Great....

[clv101]

I expect a falling out with Musk in six months to a year.

Agreed, Musk has a low tolerance for incompetence. Combine that with the power dynamic, Trump will resent Musk's wealth and Musk Trump's power. Their relationship is transactional - will only last while there's clear benefit to both parties.

[BritDownUnder]

I expect a falling out with Musk in six months to a year.

Agreed, Musk has a low tolerance for incompetence. Combine that with the power dynamic, Trump will resent Musk's wealth and Musk Trump's power. Their relationship is transactional - will only last while there's clear benefit to both parties.

I am sure Musk worked with him before and they fell out then and will do again, although Musk does seem a lot more right wing this time around.

Musk is after government business I would guess.

[Mark]

Musk is after government business I would guess.

Or a run to be President in 4yrs time ??

[mr brightside]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/ ... ates-trump

I have to say, i didn't see that one coming. A rare moment of humility and vulnerability from uncle Vlad. I think he's as tired with the war in Ukraine as the Ukrainians are, it's just become a vanity project.

[BritDownUnder]

Musk is after government business I would guess.

Or a run to be President in 4yrs time ??

Not a natural born US citizen. He can't stand for President.

[Mark]

Musk is after government business I would guess.

Or a run to be President in 4yrs time ??

Not a natural born US citizen. He can't stand for President.

Trump is set to tear-up the rule book on everything else....., so why not that as well ?
Although he might be thinking to set up one of his kids to succeed ??

Who knows - all we can be certain of is that he's already looking at protecting his 'legacy'....
Whether that's democratically or not....

[BritDownUnder]

Or a run to be President in 4yrs time ??

Not a natural born US citizen. He can't stand for President.

Trump is set to tear-up the rule book on everything else....., so why not that as well ?
Although he might be thinking to set up one of his kids to succeed ??

Who knows - all we can be certain of is that he's already looking at protecting his 'legacy'....
Whether that's democratically or not....

I think it is a two-thirds majority in congress and three-quarters of states to amend the Constitution. I don't think he has those numbers.

[UndercoverElephant]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cnvjr42yq39t

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Pete Hegseth as his secretary of defence. He is a Fox News commentator and military veteran with no experience in government.

[Forever_Winter]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cnvjr42yq39t

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Pete Hegseth as his secretary of defence. He is a Fox News commentator and military veteran with no experience in government.

It's not all bad though UE. We've got Plodder Starmer who has no experience of the private sector....