Now this is funny . . .

Watch this if you want a good laugh. The world's biggest buffoon.

Trumpanzees should probably not click on that link . . . I can see this thread going south if they do.

Funny - but not serious. 

As to Merkel he would not shake her hand anyway - they are politically on opposite sides of the world in that. 

What I cannot understand is what really is going on in our world.   It seems to be a bad time for politicians.    Looking at recent developments -

*    Merkel was forced to resign as leader of the CDU after a party's popularity dropped below 30%  in recent State elections in Germany and he SDU partner did even worse at 19%;

*    Macron in France now has a popularity rating of 18% - he was not the right guy in the last French Presidential elections - but the only one who could beat le Pen';

*    In Sweden and Denmark the Government is run by Conservative parties that can veer further to re right easily;

*    Austria and Italy are run by conservative parties in coalition with the extreme rightest parties;

*    Poland and Hungary are run by extreme rightwing governments; and

*    Brexit says it all.

In the meantime despite the media frenzy in there USA there is no way that Trump will be beaten by any Democratic nominee in the next election.   The DP cannot afford to veer too far to the left or they will be wiped out in elections.   Even in the recent mid-term election the Democratic candidates  in the Rust belt states in the main promised that they would vote with  the RP to support Trump policies. 

There are very wrong things with extremists - but did the left-leaning and centrist  political elite not dug a hole for themselves by neglecting the interest of their own people.    Most people in the US and Europe are at present financially worse off than they were in 2000.   The elite is getting wealthier  and they have not been hit by lower living standards at all  - while the rest suffers.  Things are not going the way ordinary people expected or hoped for - so I can see the situation worsen at an alarming rate.     

No Rooinek - I see the situation in a serious light from a totally different perspective.   Those scenes are no affecting Trump's support base at all.   The serious situation is wider than Trump - it goes all he way to the situation throughout the world from a political perspective..  

Democracy seems to be self-destructing itself.  

Whoosh Rooi , Mike seems to be close to the money regarding politics. 

Draad

It does bother me and I can only see a new order coming through in world politics.    However, what is bothering me even more is the SA situation.

The ANC has been thoroughly corrupted,   There is no leading ANC  member - bar perhaps a few people like Gordahn  -  not knee deep in filth and corruption.  No wonder many people call them the Association of National Criminals.    You cannot find a day going by without evidence pouring in

The problem is that the ordinary voters are beginning to realize it and I think that the ANC wi;l; be punished next year in the elections.   Problem is the EFF will gain support - but even that is not at all clear if the VBS and other scandals keep popping up.  

Insofar as this country is concerned the situation is totally unstable and no one really knows where the country is really going.      

Draad

It does bother me and I can only see a new order coming through in world politics.    However, what is bothering me even more is the SA situation.

The ANC has been thoroughly corrupted,   There is no leading ANC  member - bar perhaps a few people like Gordahn  -  not knee deep in filth and corruption.  No wonder many people call them the Association of National Criminals.    You cannot find a day going by without evidence pouring in

The problem is that the ordinary voters are beginning to realize it and I think that the ANC wi;l; be punished next year in the elections.   Problem is the EFF will gain support - but even that is not at all clear if the VBS and other scandals keep popping up.  

Insofar as this country is concerned the situation is totally unstable and no one really knows where the country is really going.      

No end to the comedic relief provided at America's expense..last week we got Trump tweeting he was Tariff Man and the internet went off..

 ...Tariff Man the world's worst Super hero ever raises taxes and ruins the economy

Faster than one of his marriages..

...fights a never ending battle...to stay out of jail..

Tariff Man's super power is he can convince blue collared workers it is'nt his fault when they lose their jobs because of his trade war..

Ben White?@morningmoneyben

The Tariff Man Cometh.

24610:04 AM - Dec 5, 2018

Brycy

I wish you were right - but it is not all that easy.   In the US and countries like France there were huge industrial areas and those industries have been largely closed and the people left unemployed because of -

*   the fact that the capitalists moved the factories to countries with lower labour costs and the industrial products then imported into the USA; and 

*    in the case of the French - the industries were closed on account of the EU regulations/

In both the USA and in France the workers largely lost their jobs and the areas became known as the "Rust Belt" areas.   

That is why the trade war started by Trump is and will not causing unemployment at all - the people were already unemployed and the moving of factories to other countries is stopped.   So what does the trade war in fact means.   It entails high protective duties paid on import of goods - especially iro industrial products from low income countries owned by American Companies.

The money thus raised is used to subsidize and help industrialists to further invest in industry in the US,   So the impact of the Trade Wars will be felt by the countries where the industrial products enter the USA.    That does not mean  that the working class is really detrimentally affected by the trade barriers,

In France the working class is in near to total rebellion against their Government - they have lost income and standard of living on a huge scale.   The French blamed the EU for that and the unrest is already spreading to other countries - with the exception of Germany.

It is factual that political leaders like Trump is using to their political advantage the huge level of  discontent and disconnection of the governing elite and main capitalists from the ordinary people    That I foresee  as continuing and getting worse.   

On a broader scale I cannot see  how the present scenario will weaken the Trump support base in the USA. and also I cannot see how the liberal governments in Europe.                         

...notso clevermike yr right .. Trump's base.. not much hope there..

Brycy

Are you calling working class people idiotic?   

Rooinek - my comment is a joke - but remember the famous comment allegedly made by Marie Antoinette -  "The people complain that they do not have bread - let them eat cake".

She got her head cut off for being the Queen totally disconnected from the people her husband was supposed to govern.    Her mother (Maria Theresa) and brother (the Emporer  Joseph)  were much wiser and did more to help them getting the loyalty of the Austrian people.

I refer to the above  to show how dangerous it is for government to be disdainful; and disconnect from the people they are governing.    Disdainfulness of ordinary people has a serious counter-productive result and that is what Trump realized and used.    That is why Europe is in uproar and that is why signs for the future are all bad.  

Fact is the middle class are the backbone of democracy and what has happened since 2000 is that the middle class was damaged - perhaps beyond repair - in the US and in Europe    

  .