Chomsky on Trump

[Richard Barrett]

One, Trump has been made bankrupt four or six times depending on viewpoint.

He filed for bankruptcy in order to avoid paying taxes, which if I recall correctly he spun as being "smart". I'm not sure what exact circumstances would enable the kind of expulsion you mention in your second point. Has this ever actually happened?

[P. G. Tipps]

Are the words Brexit and Trump interchangeable?

I take your point but they are quite clear connections and it is hardly by accident that May is going to be the first foreign leader to be granted an "audience" with Trump this week.

Anyone who saw and heard arch-Brexiteer Gove's interview with Trump a few days ago and the cringeworthy staccato-like 'yes. yes. yes' responses to every silly thing Trump had to say would have been left in little doubt as to the likely brave new direction of UK foreign policy.

In a world of large political blocs Brexit really means if we cease being an important member of one large bloc we have to accept joining or more realistically being dominated by some other large bloc and there has always only been one realistic alternative to the EU for the UK.

At least our politicians understand that only too well but they appear to think that will give the UK new influence in the world. 'America First' demonstrates just how much progress the USA's new favourite pet-poodle is likely to make in any future trade talks with its head-patting master.

Not an attractive prospect for those who firmly believe the UK should and can have a better and more honourable role in world affairs than that ?.

[french frank]

Following a complaint I have removed one post, and a following one which quoted it. For the record, it was deleted for the language in which it was expressed: the substance was such that, in my view - though this, I admit, is an entirely personal one - no right-minded, members of the liberal elite with any self-respect, or respect for their fellow beings, could disagree.

[Dave2002]

I suspect most of us have read it (the deleted post) already.

Are we now discussing global politics, or is this a temporary period in which we can consider whether we are to suffer a truly awful period for the next decade, or whether some optimism will turn out not to be misplaced?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/america-first-energy

President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan ....

Perhaps we really are now living in "interesting times".

[french frank]

We are not - with impunity - discussing global politics. It is sometimes quite difficult - for some people, impossible - to separate political thought, theory and ideas from how much we hate the politicians who are ruling us who are creating an unequal, prejudiced and generally hateful world.

But do try …

I suspect most of us have read it (the deleted post) already.

Are we now discussing global politics, or is this a temporary period in which we can consider whether we are to suffer a truly awful period for the next decade, or whether some optimism will turn out not to be misplaced?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/america-first-energy

Perhaps we really are now living in "interesting times".

[jean]

He filed for bankruptcy in order to avoid paying taxes, which if I recall correctly he spun as being "smart".

You make it sound as though that was the only reason, but the businesses were failing anyway.

I still don't really understand how US bankruptcy differs from ours, though.

[french frank]

You make it sound as though that was the only reason, but the businesses were failing anyway.

I still don't really understand how US bankruptcy differs from ours, though.

At a quick glance, according to Wikipedia, in the UK 'bankruptcy' only applies to individuals and partnerships which are insolvent. Bankruptcy is not, properly, a term used for companies - perhaps in the US it is? (It's used here too, but that's incorrect).

Thought: maybe it's in the definition of 'insolvency'?

[Dave2002]

We are not - with impunity - discussing global politics. It is sometimes quite difficult - for some people, impossible - to separate political thought, theory and ideas from how much we hate the politicians who are ruling us who are creating an unequal, prejudiced and generally hateful world.

But do try …

Maybe these pages will be of interest though -

https://web.archive.org/web/20090130015537/http://www.whitehouse.gov/

https://web.archive.org/web/20090130015656/http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment/

You can put in different dates in the first of these links, to see what comes up.

Enjoy - as they say somewhere!

[pastoralguy]

Alex Salmond was interviewed after the Trump inauguration and he commented that when he was dealing with him , so long as Salmond was agreeing with him then 'I was the greatest politician EVER! ' However, if Salmond disagreed, then Trump would refer to him as 'little Alex'.

[jean]

We are not - with impunity - discussing global politics...

What's the punishment to be, then?

[french frank]

What's the punishment to be, then?

Removal to the Basement where threads tend to fizzle out without the grandstand factor.

[Lat-Literal]

You make it sound as though that was the only reason, but the businesses were failing anyway.

I still don't really understand how US bankruptcy differs from ours, though.

I don't either - the point RB has made is one I could be prepared to accept but as with much else now I am not sure the actual facts are in the public domain. On the question about the circumstances in which EU citizens would be moved from Britain after 3 months, I don't think it matters here. The point is that they can be lawfully and hardly anyone knows it. Democracy can only hope to work fairly if the general public has a clear understanding of the facts. Where there are points that campaign teams don't want to make, they can lose.

[french frank]

I don't think your being rude here effects him or the world situation. All it does is get a formal complaint. Personalising insults here - whether towards other members, Radio 3 staff or anyone else in the public eye - is a waste of breath.

Sadly, I'm aware that people take more notice of loud-mouthed individuals who go round declaring their opinions (however unpleasant) in strong terms than of reasoned arguments. Hence Mr Trump and Brexit. Speaking to 'the people' aka populism.

Though I do wish you and your counterpart would stop exchanging complaints about each other, as this accounts for about 95% of all formal complaints received.

I'm not going to endlessly argue
BUT the problem is that the attitude to this hideous man normalises abuse which we, as human beings, shouldn't tolerate.

Being "polite" lets him and his ilk get away with it
and the millions of people marching yesterday prove that many of us don't want him to get away with it.

[Bryn]

At a quick glance, according to Wikipedia, in the UK 'bankruptcy' only applies to individuals and partnerships which are insolvent. Bankruptcy is not, properly, a term used for companies - perhaps in the US it is? (It's used here too, but that's incorrect).

Thought: maybe it's in the definition of 'insolvency'?

Useful, if rather brief, item here.

[french frank]

Useful, if rather brief, item here.

I think that probably nails it:

"Why is bankruptcy in the US different?

In the US it is more common for a company to go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which gives it an opportunity to reorganise and emerge from bankruptcy.

Chapter 11 basically gives an ailing company a bit of breathing space and allows the management to stay in charge while negotiating with creditors.

For example, the US airline TWA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy before it was bought by American Airlines. "