Your point that Trump and Putin are not oligarchs, rather I think that they are autocrats, is well taken. That said, trump’s autocracy is weaker than Putin’s. As the Russian elite learned, they hold their assets entirely at the behest of, and therefore at the mercy of, Putin. That isn’t the case in the USA—yet. It remains to be seen how far Trump will manage to subvert the rule of law, the institutions etc. He will certainly try to do so as soon as it is to his advantage.
Russia in this sense is the dolls that cloak a smaller doll.... It is only lies that must be believed. Ukraine revealed this fact: that the KGB Russia is the cloak it makes from lies and the compromised.
By the time Trump falls out with Musk, Musk may have accumulated key contracts and dismantled regulators. Key gains are on satellites, communications and (global) data including data accumulated by cars.
I wonder how long this Burgfrieden is going to last? These are both mega egos and want to be nr 1, which is not really posible. Another point might be that Musk burned a lot of other people’s money with Twitter and the following X saga. He might not be that strong.
If the rich businessmen thought they had the power, they needn't have gone to Mar a Lago to kiss the ring. Bezos and the LA Times would have allowed their editors to endorse Harris.
Another interesting take on the US President-elect. There’s been too much fluff from many people about what DT is going to be and what he’s going to do. Currently, he’s only warming up. I don’t think even he knows what he will do. I think he’ll do as much as he can get away with. There will be turbulence. Seatbelts on.
You’ve certainly made me think with this one. I had lazily thought that Russia is an oligarchy and the USA is heading that way. But you’re right. You can’t call the likes of Abramovich an oligarch (although that’s how he’s nearly always described) because if he fell out with Putin he’d be gone, and his money too. The danger in America is an effective dictatorship, with a facade of democracy (ie elections), much like Russia, Turkey or Hungary.
Thanks for that analysis - it told me a few things I didn't know - there are real advantages in a classical education (I was a clever, simple engineer 60 years ago)
You don't name it, I think? But to me, for a long time, it (Russia) and it's would be copyists down to TFG/GOP, are just plain Criminal organizations, posing as a "States"
Never more nakedly open, than the Putin/GOP about to destroy any liberal democracy, and certainly to stop any would be additions - Georgia, Ukraine, Iran, there are plenty (Maybe even Belarus - OR Lebanon, Palestine, if Iran went, undercutting the Terrorist Criminals running there)
But the power of the US - under a terrible "Joker" head, are the clever, malicious very rich, to whom their Proles have, and will, cede unlimited control to.
Frightening.
PS - the really clever Putin supporters are everywhere, and can seem convincingly "sincere"
There is real skill involved, in using tiny nuggets of truths...
Trump is not the Lord Sauron, the All-Seeing Eye, as panicking liberals seem to have imagined since 2016.
Trump has triumphed in two Presidential elections largely because of the imbecility of his liberal opponents, not only in the campaigns, but for years beforehand. He has taken his chances well, but his guile wouldn't have defeated worthwhile opponents.
Trump is dangerous ? Not nearly as dangerous as Biden is or Harris would have been - it's liberals who want to "take on" Putin at the risk of world war.
Your evidence that Trump is a tyrant in waiting, is merely that he has put his cronies in positions of power - as every incoming President does.
They're certainly not the cronies a potential tyrant would choose. A tyrant would select deep, subtle, brilliant, conspiratorial minds. Trump, however, has selected, well...what you could call Trumpians, i.e. disreputable loons.
At least give the guy a chance to seize absolute power - he hasn't been inaugurated yet ! And if he then tries something on, he will split business, police, the military and everything else in two; chaos, not tyranny would be the result.
American liberals also delude themselves with the word "populism," imaging that there is little difference between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump because both attract voters who are frustrated by class inequality.
Trump enjoys politics almost as much as he enjoys cheeseburgers - wouldn't be in politics otherwise. Politics gives him a platform from which he can brawl with people - and, better still, insult them, both nationally and internationally.
As an autocrat, Trump would largely be deprived of those pleasures.
How can this hedonistic wheeler-dealer, a fiting grandson for the scoundrelly Friedrich Drumpf, possibly be compared either to a Calvinistic puritan like Orban or a driven, introverted megalomaniac like Putin ?
And the countries - Hungary is the last redoubt of Eurpean traditionalism, Russia a zone of tragedy utterly unlike America the Optimistic.
Great piece. Well worth £1.15 a week. Considering the bloody Guardian costs £2.30 every DAY!
That is very kind
Your point that Trump and Putin are not oligarchs, rather I think that they are autocrats, is well taken. That said, trump’s autocracy is weaker than Putin’s. As the Russian elite learned, they hold their assets entirely at the behest of, and therefore at the mercy of, Putin. That isn’t the case in the USA—yet. It remains to be seen how far Trump will manage to subvert the rule of law, the institutions etc. He will certainly try to do so as soon as it is to his advantage.
Putin lives in total fear.
He has not delivered on his central purpose.
Russia in this sense is the dolls that cloak a smaller doll.... It is only lies that must be believed. Ukraine revealed this fact: that the KGB Russia is the cloak it makes from lies and the compromised.
By the time Trump falls out with Musk, Musk may have accumulated key contracts and dismantled regulators. Key gains are on satellites, communications and (global) data including data accumulated by cars.
Thanks Nick, yes 1,15/week is a bargain.
I wonder how long this Burgfrieden is going to last? These are both mega egos and want to be nr 1, which is not really posible. Another point might be that Musk burned a lot of other people’s money with Twitter and the following X saga. He might not be that strong.
So... how do we destroy them?
If the rich businessmen thought they had the power, they needn't have gone to Mar a Lago to kiss the ring. Bezos and the LA Times would have allowed their editors to endorse Harris.
But businessmen are thick in very important respects. So they pay homage for business reasons.
Another interesting take on the US President-elect. There’s been too much fluff from many people about what DT is going to be and what he’s going to do. Currently, he’s only warming up. I don’t think even he knows what he will do. I think he’ll do as much as he can get away with. There will be turbulence. Seatbelts on.
I wish I could believe seatbelts would help. Airbags, or parachutes, possibly.
You’ve certainly made me think with this one. I had lazily thought that Russia is an oligarchy and the USA is heading that way. But you’re right. You can’t call the likes of Abramovich an oligarch (although that’s how he’s nearly always described) because if he fell out with Putin he’d be gone, and his money too. The danger in America is an effective dictatorship, with a facade of democracy (ie elections), much like Russia, Turkey or Hungary.
100% correct!
Thanks for that analysis - it told me a few things I didn't know - there are real advantages in a classical education (I was a clever, simple engineer 60 years ago)
You don't name it, I think? But to me, for a long time, it (Russia) and it's would be copyists down to TFG/GOP, are just plain Criminal organizations, posing as a "States"
Never more nakedly open, than the Putin/GOP about to destroy any liberal democracy, and certainly to stop any would be additions - Georgia, Ukraine, Iran, there are plenty (Maybe even Belarus - OR Lebanon, Palestine, if Iran went, undercutting the Terrorist Criminals running there)
But the power of the US - under a terrible "Joker" head, are the clever, malicious very rich, to whom their Proles have, and will, cede unlimited control to.
Frightening.
PS - the really clever Putin supporters are everywhere, and can seem convincingly "sincere"
There is real skill involved, in using tiny nuggets of truths...
Trump is not the Lord Sauron, the All-Seeing Eye, as panicking liberals seem to have imagined since 2016.
Trump has triumphed in two Presidential elections largely because of the imbecility of his liberal opponents, not only in the campaigns, but for years beforehand. He has taken his chances well, but his guile wouldn't have defeated worthwhile opponents.
Trump is dangerous ? Not nearly as dangerous as Biden is or Harris would have been - it's liberals who want to "take on" Putin at the risk of world war.
Your evidence that Trump is a tyrant in waiting, is merely that he has put his cronies in positions of power - as every incoming President does.
They're certainly not the cronies a potential tyrant would choose. A tyrant would select deep, subtle, brilliant, conspiratorial minds. Trump, however, has selected, well...what you could call Trumpians, i.e. disreputable loons.
At least give the guy a chance to seize absolute power - he hasn't been inaugurated yet ! And if he then tries something on, he will split business, police, the military and everything else in two; chaos, not tyranny would be the result.
American liberals also delude themselves with the word "populism," imaging that there is little difference between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump because both attract voters who are frustrated by class inequality.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/upshot/voters-trump-bernie-sanders.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gE4.5V-6.ct2kzAy_9lzh&smid=url-share
Trump enjoys politics almost as much as he enjoys cheeseburgers - wouldn't be in politics otherwise. Politics gives him a platform from which he can brawl with people - and, better still, insult them, both nationally and internationally.
As an autocrat, Trump would largely be deprived of those pleasures.
How can this hedonistic wheeler-dealer, a fiting grandson for the scoundrelly Friedrich Drumpf, possibly be compared either to a Calvinistic puritan like Orban or a driven, introverted megalomaniac like Putin ?
And the countries - Hungary is the last redoubt of Eurpean traditionalism, Russia a zone of tragedy utterly unlike America the Optimistic.
But the oligarchy was just as much in place under Biden. And would have been under Harris.
That's an underlying reason for the Democrats' problems.
And please don't worry about Musk - public opinion isn't determined by campaigns.
You don’t appear to have read the article? It says Trump’s regime is NOT an oligarchy.