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#34 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-01-04 03:04 PM
Take a bit of time to look to history and look up the word precedent'.
No need to look it up. There have been "precedents" for almost anything, with positive or negative outcomes, which may also depend on someone's time frame and/or perspective and someone's definition and emphasis on what the "success" (of achieving particular / "certain" goals) in any given case means... as politicians and PR professionals know very well.
As they say, "There is a first time for everything", "Past performance is no guarantee of future results", "Your mileage may very" etc., especially if the "results" part can be and keep being redefined and goal posts moved.
I oppose it also because US regime change has rarely gone well.
Except, if you took a bit of time to look closer, there actually has been no "regime" changed!
The players may have changed, but the "regime" stayed the same, and the [presumed] new regime of Machado is not and has never been in the plans - too disruptive and messy with no guarantee of "success" and would require "boots on the ground" and long-term planning, which Trump isn't known for, instead of quick "show of success" and moving on to the next episode of geopolitical "Apprentice" - so if you think that any this was about a regime "change" or for the US benefit you're on a very wrong track.
"Are you not entertained?!"
Cui bono? Trump's ego and a distraction from his domestic political and personal problems as well as host of other reasons - see, for instance, drudge.com for a partial menu of them.
Bullying and lying has always been Trump's stock in trade and "brand," which could be ignored, but now he has unmatched US military and intelligence and Treasury resources at his disposal.
As far as a real "precedent," this one is likely to end like all past Trump's "hit-and-run" / "Apre moi le deluge" scams... er, "enterprises" - financial, legal, reputational failures and damage for people (and lately countries) he uses and deals with, while he enriches and glorifies himself... because of utter incompetence of his opposition.
"A man can't be too careful in the choice of his enemies."
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#200 | Posted by visitor_ at 2026-01-06 11:29 AM
My preference is for a smaller and more restricted Federal Government with less interference internally and externally.
If you think that reducing small number of government employees in some departments (while vastly increasing number of ICE and other enforcement depts employees with under/non-qualified people) constitutes "smaller" (as in "reduced power") federal government, particularly executive branch and President, then you don't understand what "smaller federal government" means and you may just find out in about 3 years and couple of weeks.
How confident are you that recent President's actions and SCOTUS "shadow docket" decisions make the role of the government "smaller"?
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One thing that we all see is the knee jerk reaction to everything Trump.
Knee-jerk reactions are "free and universal", not limited to "everything Trump", "everything Biden", "everything Republicans" or "everything Democrats."
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