Understanding the US - Again

[A_Gupta]

Deutsch Bank pressure index, as reported by Axios.
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/25/trump-stocks-gas-index

How it works: Maximilian Uleer, a strategist at Deutsche Bank, came up with a "pressure index" that considers the one-month change in Trump's approval ratings, stock market performance and whether people and bond markets are expecting higher inflation.

Where it stands: The index is higher now than it was even during "Liberation Day," when the S&P 500 tumbled on the announcement of huge tariffs on basically every country in the world.

[A_Gupta]

Drones over mainland US bases???
https://abcnews.com/International/multi ... =131245527

[uddu]

Will Donald Trump Change 250 Years of US Exceptionalism? • Prof RV
Is the United States at a historic turning point? For over 250 years, American exceptionalism has shaped global politics, economics, and military power. But with Donald Trump back at the center of global decision-making, is that doctrine under threat—or evolving into something new?

In this discussion, Prof RV analyzes whether Trump’s policies—on trade, alliances, military intervention, and global leadership—signal a break from traditional US exceptionalism or a redefinition of it.

Key questions covered:

What is US exceptionalism and how did it shape global order?
Is Trump dismantling or redefining America’s global role?
How do tariffs, NATO tensions, and Middle East policy fit into this shift?
What does this mean for allies like India and Europe?
Is the world moving toward multipolarity faster than expected?

[A_Gupta]

Trump wants to rename the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Trump.

[A_Gupta]

Trump: I hang out with losers because it makes me feel better. I hate guys that are very, very successful and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success.

[g.sarkar]

https://www.rediff.com/news/report/call ... 260328.htm
Call was between...: India on Musk joining Trump-Modi call claim
Hemant Waje, March 28, 2026
India has officially refuted claims that Elon Musk was involved in a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump.
India on Saturday rejected a media report that said billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier this week.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Tuesday's conversation was between the two leaders only.
The New York Times, quoting unnamed US officials, reported that Musk participated in the call between Trump and Modi, adding it was an "unusual appearance" by a private citizen on a call between two heads of state.
"We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only," Jaiswal said.
"As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia," he said.
.......
Gautam

[Tanaji]

NY Times just making up news now? Must be a day ending with day…

[krisna]

This following may help explain why the US is in such deep doo-doo.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/20 ... rally-bad/

Interesting quote from the article of pew research

Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party are much more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to rate fellow Americans as morally and ethically bad (60% vs. 46%). And previous research has shown that rising numbers of both Republicans and Democrats say people in the other party are immoral.

[uddu]

The leftists' Jihadi's hold on U.S is tightening.
https://x.com/MeghUpdates/status/2038067870727655913
@MeghUpdates
BREAKING :

Historic protests against Trump across the United States; more than 9 million americans across all 50 states out on street calling to end Trump madness.

"No to monarchy, no to extremism, no to wars, our forces are not for sale."

[uddu]

https://x.com/PoisonOfChoice/status/2037579094079242441
@PoisonOfChoice
Hacked an Indian dude's mail and found only wacky travel pics. Nothing creepy or scandalous. W for Kashyap.

https://x.com/IntCyberDigest/status/2037543795265274179
@IntCyberDigest
BREAKING: FBI Director Kash Patel's Gmail account was hacked
by Iranian nation-state hackers.

They have published his entire inbox, including mails on his home in India, private life, personal data, business dealings and travel history (Havana, Cuba!).

[A_Gupta]

The No Kings movement’s core message—"No Thrones, No Crowns, No Kings"—asserts that no American president should act as a monarch.

[vera_k]

They can protest the Supreme Court immunity decisions of course. Buts its a fundamental feature/flaw of the US constitution to separate the executive from the legislature to allow the president to take independent action. I wonder if this was a setup that worked best while the US was not a great power and mostly focused on domestic issues like the Civil War.

[bala]

Tis funny how Americans think they have some control over how decisions are made in the US. The prior El Presidentes all acted on their own whims and fancy - the many wars, the uncontrolled, unbridled immigration hordes into the US, Bill Clinton turned the whitehouse into a brothel, Obummer blew up the US deficit numbers and more. The US Deep State of course is laughing behind the scenes duping the US public into believing whatever, while furthering their agenda worldwide. The agendas of Dems and Repubs are going to be at odds forever, each one protesting the other thinking it would make a difference.

[A_Gupta]

They can protest the Supreme Court immunity decisions of course. Buts its a fundamental feature/flaw of the US constitution to separate the executive from the legislature to allow the president to take independent action. I wonder if this was a setup that worked best while the US was not a great power and mostly focused on domestic issues like the Civil War.

Yes, it does seem like a Parliamentary system can respond faster and more effectively to changing conditions than this executive vs legislative split in the form that is there in the US. But Parliamentary systems need stable coalitions or majorities. I'm not sure there is any good solution.

The "grant great power, but be able to hold accountable for abuse of power" model that obtained in the US for some decades is badly broken. The Congress is toothless; and the courts rely on the executive to enforce their decisions. The President can abuse his pardon power and give immunity to any Federal official who defies court orders.

Even the Congress's power of the purse - the executive must spend money that Congress provides and only as Congress provides - itself is broken; and has been for years. The DoD accounts have been effectively unauditable for decades.

[drnayar]

They can protest the Supreme Court immunity decisions of course. Buts its a fundamental feature/flaw of the US constitution to separate the executive from the legislature to allow the president to take independent action. I wonder if this was a setup that worked best while the US was not a great power and mostly focused on domestic issues like the Civil War.

Yes, it does seem like a Parliamentary system can respond faster and more effectively to changing conditions than this executive vs legislative split in the form that is there in the US. But Parliamentary systems need stable coalitions or majorities. I'm not sure there is any good solution.

The "grant great power, but be able to hold accountable for abuse of power" model that obtained in the US for some decades is badly broken. The Congress is toothless; and the courts rely on the executive to enforce their decisions. The President can abuse his pardon power and give immunity to any Federal official who defies court orders.

Even the Congress's power of the purse - the executive must spend money that Congress provides and only as Congress provides - itself is broken; and has been for years. The DoD accounts have been effectively unauditable for decades.

Apparently no one wants to touch it..let alone mention it !!



source: https://potus-geeks.livejournal.com/472793.html

[vera_k]

The "grant great power, but be able to hold accountable for abuse of power" model that obtained in the US for some decades is badly broken. The Congress is toothless; and the courts rely on the executive to enforce their decisions. The President can abuse his pardon power and give immunity to any Federal official who defies court orders.

The Westminster system of today had a less than 100 year record when the US constitution was written. At the time, going back to the bill of rights in 1689, the world was trying to find ways to curb monarchial power. If there is now a King again, all this convoluted effort was for what exactly?

[A_Gupta]

The Westminster system of today had a less than 100 year record when the US constitution was written. At the time, going back to the bill of rights in 1689, the world was trying to find ways to curb monarchial power. If there is now a King again, all this convoluted effort was for what exactly?

There is no human created system that has not failed. Question is - is a recovery possible?

[vera_k]

In 2.5 years at most given a president is anointed for 4 years. Unless the elixir of life is found

[pravula]

The "grant great power, but be able to hold accountable for abuse of power" model that obtained in the US for some decades is badly broken. The Congress is toothless; and the courts rely on the executive to enforce their decisions. The President can abuse his pardon power and give immunity to any Federal official who defies court orders.

The Westminster system of today had a less than 100 year record when the US constitution was written. At the time, going back to the bill of rights in 1689, the world was trying to find ways to curb monarchial power. If there is now a King again, all this convoluted effort was for what exactly?

The roman's did a pretty good job (Senate controlling purse, for example) and influenced US more than the British system (after all, they were breaking from their model of governance)

[A_Gupta]

From the first issue of Spy magazine, 1986

[A_Gupta]

“ “It would take an hour and a half to learn everything there is to learn about missiles. … I think I know most of it anyway.” DJT quoted in Spy magazine, inaugural issue 1986.

^^^^ AI says: "Every time this quote has resurfaced—usually in retrospectives about Spy magazine—journalists, historians of the magazine, and the magazine’s founders themselves have treated it as authentic and undisputed. There is no counterclaim, denial, or correction from Trump, his representatives, or any contemporary source."

[drnayar]

MAGA sign: “Morons Are Governing America.”

[chetak]

कुत्ते की पूंछ टेढ़ी की टेढ़ी

America refuses support to India in case of war against Pakistan: Report

The US has also refused to isolate Pakistan diplomatically in the event of an Indo-Pak crisis.

The United States of America has conveyed to India that, despite New Delhi being a strategic partner, Washington won’t unconditionally support if a conflict breaks out against Pakistan, said a report by the Sunday Guardian. According to critics, this again underlines the fact that the US cannot be a reliable partner for India in times of military conflicts. Notably, even during Operation Sindoor, the United States had refused to back India while claiming to mediate the ceasefire. Critics say that this is one of the main reasons India chose partners like France and Russia for defence collaborations, rather than America.

According to the report, the US officials have conveyed to India that its decision will be guided by Washington’s national interests. The officials made it clear that while India sits at the centre of America’s Indo-Pacific policy, New Delhi shouldn’t expect unconditional backing in a conflict scenario with Pakistan. It said that the US is prioritising a rule-based international order over supporting hard-nosed national priorities.

https://zeenews.india.com/india/america ... 31787.html

[vera_k]

That Spy magazine quote may seem flippant, but it is a sign of the times with morons on all sides if you will. At that time, the US non-proliferation industry was busily overlooking Pak and China collaboration.

Seems the 1980s are back again -
'Grab their oil installations': Trump shares his 1987 interview against Iran

[uddu]

https://x.com/rishibagree/status/2038861142974697804
@rishibagree
The man is identified as Mohammed Rizwan , member of CAIR

https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/2038686445628780813
@MarioNawfal
A man was caught on camera inside a Southern California Whole Foods allegedly pulling down his pants and pressing his genitals against a woman’s ear.

Absolute insanity.I hope they find this pervert quickly and lock him up.

[uddu]

https://x.com/ShefVaidya/status/2038992274965852236
@ShefVaidya
Sigh! A cousin of Diya Mirza, I bet!

https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/2038967293343096896
@DrewPavlou
“Is it a little bit homophobic to focus on the straights of Hormuz rather than the gays of Hormuz?”

No Kings protester, completely serious: “Yes, absolutely, I agree.”