I never really looked into the guy tbh. Pretty sure I saw the wife release some statement about how shocked and sad she was and that was as deep as I got.

Didn’t realize he was estranged with his family. Not surprised to hear that tho because yeah a lot of these guys psychos/sociopaths

Screw it, I’m down for Luigi Mangione 2028.

Actually I doubt even the rich would take a shot at him. It’d make him a martyr.

If someone did take a shot, it’d probably be a fame seeker or someone with personal connections to the CEO.

Despise? Disgusted by? Hmmm…

“Don’t tread on me, unless you’re a cop. If so, I will gladly lick the soles of your feet.”

The fact that we are entering a time when a coup in the USA is a legitimate threat is so utterly terrifying.

From at least Reagan to now diehard conservatives have laid the foundation for all of this over the course of decades and Mitch McConnell and many of the other conservatives now in dismay at this shift absolutely played a crucial role in making it all possible.

I’ve always wondered what people in Germany felt in the 1930s. Well, now I know. I’m not saying Trump/Republicans are literal nazis and authoritarianism is inevitable but the utter chaos unfolding is reminiscent.

not sure if you deserve the downvotes lol. Whatcha mean?

Top “generals,” plural I believe.

edit 1: just remembered different services use different ranks, the other confirmed fire was an admiral.

edit 2: Another general was indeed fired: Gen. James Slife

And they’re likely getting replaced with diehard loyalists. The Joint Chiefs is already going to a MAGA if I heard correctly.

Quoting Lenin: “There are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen.”

And it’s starting to feel like there are days when centuries happen.

If Trump genuinely, fully wants to drive the United States into authoritarianism, forcefully installing diehard loyalists in the military is one of the most crucial early steps.

I rarely lean into conspiracy theories and we’re living in insanely complex times but this move has me genuinely worried. Hopefully, my fears turn out to be a figment of imagination.

I’m sure that several prominent politicians have been putting together teams to run campaigns but the GOP candidates probably mostly wanted to avoid any official announcements or major actions until Mitch made it official. Now the gate is open and the race is on.

And if they gut medicaid, that’ll push pestilence even further and contribute to death as well. The situation in Ukraine contributes to war.

I’ve never bought into the apocalypse stuff but it’s interesting how quickly and easily things line up.

True, sticks won’t bring about world peace on their own. Might save Europe from getting whacked for now.

Hopefully we reach a war-free era in the not so distant future and humanity prospers.

There were three guys with sticks. China couldn’t project power far but Soviet-Sino relations were strained and the risk of war was high because they share borders.

I’d love for there to be a world with no sticks period but humanity is a long way from that. Europe becoming the forth guy with a stick could force everyone else, and especially Russia, to be more cautious. And if it comes to blows, the EU/UK are gonna want to have that stick.

If you’re EU/UK and multiple parties are around you with big sticks, would you rather be defenseless or have a stick?

I mean yeah, it can work exactly that way. The Cold War was horrifically bloody in many countries and regions, but the USA and USSR directly slugging it out would have bathed the world in much more blood. Likewise, the Soviets and China going at it in a full scale war after the Soviet-Sino split would have been horrific.

It’s a high risk strategy but not one without rewards.

Sure. And that reinforces my point, better for Europe to have its own stick.

Beyond which, amid AI, aging populations, global warming, blah blah, many countries are going to face serious internal challenges. At least for the USA, the pressure will make the global hegemony harder to sustain. Amid surging debt, it’s not hard to envision a world where the USA literally can’t afford to shield Europe. Get saner minds than Trump leading the USA, and it may be possible to establish a more equal and mutually beneficial relationship of peers.

I mean, if Europe doesn’t need the USA, that’s good for them? Like, congrats?

The reserve currency is a tricky thing and will likely hurt the USA in the long run. If nothing else, America won’t be able to export its inflation.

But if that leads to more options for international trade, it’s possible that the world as a whole benefits.

I loathe the idea of agreeing with Trump and friends, but I do think he is right in pushing for Europe to be more self reliant and battle ready. I distinctly remember Obama pushing Europe to increase defense spending and he got some pledges but I don’t think they bore much fruit. Trump’s harder stance may have and might be forcing Europe to step up a bit more. Even if so, he still could have handled the whole situation a bit better. Less public belittling and NATO bashing, for example, even if he and this representatives are taking a harder stance behind the scenes.

I feel terrible for laughing at this. Guess I should submit and go belly up myself in repentance.

Sardonic humor is practically a necessity for survival at this point. Really glad that this wasn’t a high lethality crash.