[flagged]
Regards, an European.
(Serious question, not a European)
https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/10/11/frances-emergen...
- declining GDP
- higher (st?) energy prices across the board
- dependency on the US for energy and defense
- unelected EU government
I am simply unsurprised by the result. It was obvious for a long time that he had a good chance of winning and appealed to a lot of people. The result is likely going to show him winning the electoral college and the popular vote. Sounds like democracy doing its thing.
We really do need a rebuild of the Civilian Conservation Corp, which built out massive infrastructure in the US. Not Potemkim style infra like ghost cities, but infra that is needed and useful. Bridges, dams, solar and wind, dikes, etc. Paired with effective economic and trade policy and you get a golden age for a few decades.
People contributing to the economy and building infrastructure results in a lot of knock on benefits.
Example: I heard the leader of the West Coast Vintage Computer Club remark, recently "Well, the problem is the Department of Education! We need to get rid of that!"
Even Boris Johnson didn't mange all that mess.
It seems like it absolutely is the US's problem, albeit indirectly. If Russia gets the outcome it wants in Ukraine, they'll have access to rich mineral deposits, vast quantities of grain, and nuclear power, boosting their economy and their status as a rival world power to the US. It will signal to Putin that he can be aggressive towards other neighbouring countries with little pushback. The war has resulted in a growing alliance between Russia, Iran and North Korea which is altering global military power dynamics and not in the US's favour. Also, China is watching what's happening with eagle eyes to determine whether to invade Taiwan, which would definitely escalate the US's engagement.
As an apolitical person, I've been pretty down and worried about the near future for the last 15-20 years in this post-truth society. The more science and data we have, the more we throw away the rational and retreat into our own emotional blind spots and dark psychological hang-ups. Across the board.
But this too shall pass.
The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, signed by Belarus, Khazakstan, Ukraine, Russia, the US, and the UK, obliging respect for signatories' borders and sovereignty, territorial integrity, economic security… is also what put Ukraine into the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
And what happens when Russia invades again after a few years with a revitalized military?
This will send the wrong signal to Putin, and prove his model of acquiring buffer areas around Russia actually works - next on the list are the Baltics, and Moldova perhaps.
I'm going to be in the trenches as soon as they get ideas about Finland - and you do not want that.
We have no business relying on the US anymore. They are too far gone. Their political rhethorics are polluted by Russian propaganda. (Just look at the rest of the comments here...)
It's time to get busy defending ourselves. Time for a war effort that doesn't involve merely wearing flag pins or doing cute street protests.
We need to be funding our own defence. We need to be sending actual troops in Ukraine, not just weapons. No more of this sidelines bullshit.
- Wisconsin
(You can't talk for all of Europe.)