• FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website
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    7 hours ago

    There is this idea in international politics that the rest of the world should have a say in US elections. Because the outcome inevitably affects us all outside the US. Since we don’t have a say, we still rely on you to be the instrument of checks and balances on your government. And when it is as erratic and boneheaded as your current one, no amount of trade we do with the US should abrogate your responsibilities as the aforementioned instrument. Nor do I think we should stop encouraging protest against the dumb policy of tariffs, which is hurting your own economy as well. Or the end of Roe v Wade. Or the illegal kidnapping of a not much liked head of state. Or the illegal war in Iran. And while this is not exactly the example to follow, the French are rioting for much less these days. It started with bad conditions in schools.

    Capitalism works very much with countries’ economies complementing each other. You have the IT sector, high tech military companies, and whisky. Europe has luxury brands, wine, and various niche industries. You buy our shit and we buy yours and then there is no need to produce your shit here as well and vice versa.

    That’s a result of decades of a transatlantic relationship that worked in everybody’s favour. We invest in your economy and get security guarantees in return. It’s in a way an extended payoff of the Marshall plan. Your tech sector would be much worse if Europe had built up parallel infrastructures. Which nobody thought necessary because we were all friends. And especially arms deals are often decades in the making. So this “you buy our slop and guns so stop telling us to protest our idiotic government” doesn’t sound quite right to my ears. I think that’s too easy an out.

    Rest assured though that Europe will be spending less of its money in the US. The loss of trust as a result of 45/47 is nearly instant. Rebuilding it will take more than a couple of saner administrations. Meanwhile, the US’s purchasing power is shrinking too. Europeans buy military equipment in South Korea and Canada looks to the EU for closer ties. And we haven’t even talked about the bubble yet.

    It’s surprising really that you aren’t protesting more.

    • myyass@lemmy.world
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      6 hours ago

      There are no checks and balances. And per example, what would happen if all tech industries pulled the plug on Europe?–that could happen, look at starlink.

      • skaffi@infosec.pub
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        5 hours ago

        US tech industry hurt itself in confusion

        US Big Tech is loyal, first and foremost, to mammon. Pulling out of a single war torn country isn’t so bad. Pulling out of a rich and highly developed market, with over half a billion consumers, and many globally leading corporations, that will hurt in a different way.

        • myyass@lemmy.world
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          3 hours ago

          Believe it or not these methods are already available and good thing no one told the orange man he can do it. And as in the news you can clearly see no fucks given when it comes to things like that.