Trump

[Jack Regan]

@Alan if you ever want to get the hell out of the US, there's probably a bunch of Wolves Forumers who'd give you a place to stay. Get out while you can, if you can.

Not sure Bilston would be an improvement TBF!

 

[Alan]

I appreciate it. But leaving in this sort of moment would feel like running away. As if I can have a tangible impact by staying, heh. Still, though. I have a Colombian coworker who’s here on a Green Card (or maybe Work Visa) and I’ve told him I’d be there to support him if the worst happens.

Also, I can’t put my cats through the journey. Maūi especially would probably just keel over.

 

[leedswolf]

China sends back new Boeing jet made more expensive by tariffs

With $55m price set to balloon by 125%, 737 Max returns to Seattle production hub still wearing the colours of Xiamen Airlines

www.theguardian.com

 

[leedswolf]

Personally, I wouldn't trust Trunp to address an envelope...

MPs and peers oppose Donald Trump address to parliament during UK visit

Concerns raised address would be inappropriate because of president’s comments about UK, Nato and Ukraine

www.theguardian.com

 

[Tony Towner]

Dow down another 3% so the FTSE will drop again tomorrow. Retirement drifts further away as the days go by

 

[leedswolf]

Fear and Lothing; Closer to the Edge:

"
On Easter Sunday 2025, two men addressed the world. One had trouble breathing, the other had trouble shutting up. One clung to life long enough to offer a final blessing. The other clung to grievance like a toddler with a toy he’d already broken. And in the space between their words—between grace and bile, between resurrection and resentment—we found the chasm that defines this era.

THE LAST BLESSING

Pope Francis, just hours before his death, emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with the breath of a dying man and the spirit of a giant. Unable to read his own Urbi et Orbi address, he still insisted on standing before the faithful, waving to the crowd, blessing children, offering joy.

“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” he said.
“All of us are children of God.”

His message, read aloud on his behalf, pleaded for peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Congo. He called for aid instead of arms, compassion instead of cruelty. He asked the world not to close its doors to migrants and those in need.

He died the next day.

This is what courage looks like. This is what faith sounds like. And this is what a final sermon should be: selfless, human, hopeful.

THE PETTY TYRANT’S PARADE

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic and deep inside his own echo chamber, President Donald Trump spent Easter Sunday spraying venom on Truth Social like a skunk with a grudge.

His opening post tried for warmth:

“Melania and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter!”

But the illusion didn’t last. Soon came the bile:

“Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and ... .”

And, of course, he couldn't resist revisiting the 2020 election, accusing his opponents of fraud and wishing them a sarcastic "Happy Easter."

No mention of resurrection. No nod to Christ. No humility, no mercy, no grace. Just recycled lies, tired blame, and a Hallmark card dipped in acid.

He didn’t stop there. He attacked Biden. He attacked judges. He called immigrants criminals. He declared himself “the greatest friend that American capitalism has ever had.”

And then, as if it were all normal, he went golfing.

THE RUBRIC: HUMANITY VS. HUBRIS

It would almost be funny if it weren’t so blasphemous. But the contrast doesn’t stop there—it gets louder the closer you listen.

If we grade them on compassion, Francis passes while Trump tantrums.

If we grade them on truth, Francis pleads for it while Trump buries it.

If we grade them on the spirit of Easter—hope, forgiveness, love—Francis embodied it with his final breath. Trump mocked it with his thumbs.

One man spent his last day calling for peace.
The other spent his yelling into the void he created.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO GRIFT

What Francis gave away—blessing, kindness, dignity—Trump has only ever tried to sell. Every Easter post is a sales pitch in a tinfoil halo. Every “God bless” is a dog whistle to the paranoid. And every “Happy Easter” is followed by another tantrum against a judge, a migrant, or a ghost from the 2020 ballot box.

This isn’t faith. It’s performance art for the spiritually bankrupt.

You can’t preach resurrection while fantasizing about revenge.

You can’t invoke Christ while mocking the crucified.

And you sure as hell can’t call yourself a servant of God while suing the prophets and golfing through plagues.

HISTORY TAKES ATTENDANCE

Francis’s final appearance was a moment history will remember—a weak body held upright by moral strength. Trump’s Easter outburst was one more smear on an already stained record.

The Pope asked the world to imagine peace. Trump asked the world to imagine him on the throne again.

One gave his last breath. The other won’t stop breathing threats.

We do not confuse noise with meaning. We do not mistake a megaphone for a message.

One gave a blessing.

The other gave a middle finger.

And one of them had the decency to die with dignity.

TO THE CATHOLICS WHO STILL WORSHIP TRUMP

You don’t get to hide behind “God uses imperfect people.” That line is for those who repent. That’s for sinners who kneel, not tyrants who tweet. You think Jesus would’ve stormed the Capitol in a red hat? You think the man who flipped tables in the temple would pose for a Bible photo op after gassing a crowd?

You call yourself pro-life while cheering on mass deportations.

You take communion while swallowing conspiracy theories whole.

You ignored every single Gospel passage about humility, compassion, and the dangers of wealth—and replaced them with Trump’s golden toilet.

Pope Francis begged us to remember the poor. Trump called them criminals.

And you still chose the guy with the spray tan and a grudge.

Pick a side. Because one of them followed Christ.

And the other thinks he is Christ—minus the love, the sacrifice, or the spine".

 

[leedswolf]

 

[AndyWolves]

Dow down another 3% so the FTSE will drop again tomorrow. Retirement drifts further away as the days go by

Just gotta hope that trump is after lower interest rates and when he gets this we get a sense of normality back.

Otherwise, keep putting into that retirement fund to blunt the losses and hope in 5-10 years it's all worked out

 

[Lupo]

View attachment 13530

Be there or be square...

 

[leedswolf]

The wrong Norfolk...

"Businesses in Norfolk have inadvertently drawn a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean into Donald Trump’s trade war, after a mix-up over shipments landed the island with a whopping tariff.

US officials appear to have misinterpreted goods coming from an aquarium firm in Horsham St Faiths and an engineering company in Diss as originating from Norfolk Island – more than 10,000 miles away. It meant the Australian territory, home to just 2,188 people, was surprised to be hit with 29% tariffs this week despite saying it has no trading relationship with the US. This rate is 19% higher than the rest of Australia which like the UK’s is 10%".

 

[Dire Wolf]

The wrong Norfolk...

"Businesses in Norfolk have inadvertently drawn a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean into Donald Trump’s trade war, after a mix-up over shipments landed the island with a whopping tariff.

US officials appear to have misinterpreted goods coming from an aquarium firm in Horsham St Faiths and an engineering company in Diss as originating from Norfolk Island – more than 10,000 miles away. It meant the Australian territory, home to just 2,188 people, was surprised to be hit with 29% tariffs this week despite saying it has no trading relationship with the US. This rate is 19% higher than the rest of Australia which like the UK’s is 10%".

Idiocracy reigns.

 

[Walshes Wolves]

I agree Trump is an idiot, but tarrifs are seen as positive by the media, when they support the countries and governments, that are imposing them.

July 2024.

Commission imposes provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles from China while discussions with China continue

Today, nine months after the initiation of an ex officio anti-subsidy investigation, the European Commission has imposed provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China.

ec.europa.eu

Biden administration confirms China 25% steel tariff - EUROMETAL

The Biden administration confirms it will increase the tariff rate on certain China-origin steel and aluminium products under Section 301 from 0-7.5% to 25% in 2024. This follows an in-depth review by the United States Trade Representative. The move is part of tariff action against multiple...

eurometal.net

 

[Sniffer]

Not this again.

 

[AndyWolves]

I agree Trump is an idiot, but tarrifs are seen as positive by the media, when they support the countries and governments, that are imposing them.

July 2024.

Commission imposes provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles from China while discussions with China continue

Today, nine months after the initiation of an ex officio anti-subsidy investigation, the European Commission has imposed provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China.

ec.europa.eu

Biden administration confirms China 25% steel tariff - EUROMETAL

The Biden administration confirms it will increase the tariff rate on certain China-origin steel and aluminium products under Section 301 from 0-7.5% to 25% in 2024. This follows an in-depth review by the United States Trade Representative. The move is part of tariff action against multiple...

eurometal.net

I'll bite.

Do you want to explain why gold is at an all time high?

 

[Keef]

View attachment 13530

Hopefully the Vatican won’t invite them, because we all know trump would make it all about him, but on the plus side all the memes about him falling asleep would be everywhere

 

[Walshes Wolves]

I'll bite.

Do you want to explain why gold is at an all time high?

It isn't about biting. It is about not being selective about proclaiming bad news. Yesterday on another thread about the referendum, Brexit was given as an important factor to children not getting the chance to try new medical treatments. The article, or the poster never mentioned that the EU had been accused of stopping children suffering with cancer, not getting the right treatment several years ago
To keep putting one-sided news up, with no mention of the other side of the story, is basically just posting one sidesided propaganda that people are being fed.
If you are not aware of the other side of the story, there is no problem with that, but surely being a mouthpiece for shallow propaganda, is nothing to congratulate yourself about?

Children with cancer 'denied drugs because of EU rules' - BBC News

EU rules must be changed to allow more testing of potentially life-saving cancer drugs on children, says Institute of Cancer Research.

www.bbc.co.uk

European Union pediatric legislation jeopardizes worldwide, timely future advances in the care of children with cancer - PubMed

Pharmaceutical companies are being forced into long-term commitments to clinical trials before efficacy in adults has been demonstrated. Pediatric clinical oncology trials are being driven by regulatory "tunnel vision" and not by therapeutic benevolence, epidemiologic data, or feasibility. As a...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[AndyWolves]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914629783037886637

If this is true, I wonder if other pharmaceutical businesses will follow?

 

[AndyWolves]

It isn't about biting. It is about not being selective about proclaiming bad news. Yesterday on another thread about the referendum, Brexit was given as an important factor to children not getting the chance to try new medical treatments. The article, or the poster never mentioned that the EU had been accused of stopping children suffering with cancer, not getting the right treatment several years ago
To keep putting one-sided news up, with no mention of the other side of the story, is basically just posting one sidesided propaganda that people are being fed.
If you are not aware of the other side of the story, there is no problem with that, but surely being a mouthpiece for shallow propaganda, is nothing to congratulate yourself about?

Children with cancer 'denied drugs because of EU rules' - BBC News

EU rules must be changed to allow more testing of potentially life-saving cancer drugs on children, says Institute of Cancer Research.

www.bbc.co.uk

European Union pediatric legislation jeopardizes worldwide, timely future advances in the care of children with cancer - PubMed

Pharmaceutical companies are being forced into long-term commitments to clinical trials before efficacy in adults has been demonstrated. Pediatric clinical oncology trials are being driven by regulatory "tunnel vision" and not by therapeutic benevolence, epidemiologic data, or feasibility. As a...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

So what's the balance to the narrative that Trumps tariffs are hurting everyone? Can you show me evidence of where Trumps tariffs have had a good outcome?

Stating that other countries use tariffs too so they must be ok misses the point, tariffs are a tool.

 

[leedswolf]

Just gotta hope that trump is after lower interest rates and when he gets this we get a sense of normality back.

Otherwise, keep putting into that retirement fund to blunt the losses and hope in 5-10 years it's all worked out

From the FT's White House Watch;
President Donald Trump lashed out (again) at Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell yesterday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump, who has repeatedly criticised the US’s top central banker for not lowering interest rates fast enough, branded Powell “Mr Too Late”.
Markets didn’t love it. The US dollar sank to a three-year low against a basket of its key trading partners — a move analysts and investors pinned on rising doubts over the Fed’s independence, as well as slow progress on making trade deals.
Wall Street stocks also took a hit. The S&P 500 dropped 2.4 per cent but was on track to recover some of its losses at the open on Tuesday. Gold has hit a record high in this morning’s trading as investors flock to haven assets.
Trump’s repeated attempts to pressure the Fed to lower interest rates “NOW” — and his increasingly fervent invectives against Powell — has drawn attention to the legal precedent that has protected independent government agencies for the past nine decades.
The president himself seems confident that he has the authority to fire the central banker. He told reporters in the Oval Office last Thursday: “If I want him out, he’ll be out real fast, believe me.”
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on Friday that Trump would “continue to study” the matter of dismissing Powell, who has vowed to remain in office until the end of his term in May 2026.
The president’s vendetta has even raised alarm within his own party.
“I don’t think the president, any president, has the right to remove the Federal Reserve chairman,” John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican who sits on the Senate banking committee, said on NBC on Sunday. “I think the Federal Reserve ought to be independent.”

 

[Walshes Wolves]

So what's the balance to the narrative that Trumps tariffs are hurting everyone? Can you show me evidence of where Trumps tariffs have had a good outcome?

Stating that other countries use tariffs too so they must be ok misses the point, tariffs are a tool.

I am not defending Trump's tarrifs, just pointing out that nothing was said when the EU or Biden were doing it.
There is just no balance and one-sided propaganda. The media are giving out half stories and looking for clickbait. There is no balance at all..