Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US control of Greenland

Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by TrackerFF on Saturday January 17, 2026 @12:48PM (#46660145)

It is wildly fascinating to experience, in real time, how fragile the US system is. Trump really did show that the US is built on the assumption that people in power will behave, basically a honor system. Trump is stress testing every single aspect of the US.

He's dousing the US with gasoline, and fumbling around with matches. The people around him, knee deep in gas, are too afraid to take the matches from him.

In so many other countries, Trump would face a no confidence vote. Snap elections.

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by fritzorino on Saturday January 17, 2026 @01:02PM (#46660274)

Yeah those checks and balances that Yanks are always waxing poetic about have turned out to be basically horse shit. There are no checks and balances, they elect a king for 4 years and then hope for the best. That's the American system.

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by blibble on Saturday January 17, 2026 @01:21PM (#46660466)

it's the same brilliant system that requires the current incumbent to certify their replacement

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by cudgy on Sunday January 18, 2026 @05:22AM (#46666563)

Lol … you think the president is in control.

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by fritzorino on Sunday January 18, 2026 @10:14AM (#46668439)

Lol... he is in control, since he is the president... lol....

lol...

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by pseudalopex on Saturday January 17, 2026 @04:44PM (#46662424)

> Trump really did show that the US is built on the assumption that people in power will behave, basically a honor system.

> In so many other countries, Trump would face a no confidence vote. Snap elections.

US Congress could do many things. But Trump's party support him. Or fear his supporters would not vote for them in the next elections. Or fear worse.

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Re:Eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US ... by root_axis on Saturday January 17, 2026 @09:45PM (#46664374)

Actually, I'd say it held up pretty well all things considered. This required decades of propaganda, years of state actor support, bankrolled and media managed by the richest man in the world, the complacency of the existing institutions, and most recently, submission by big tech and the the wider aristocracy.

It was not easy.

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