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Replying To Freethinker:  "The beauty of free speech, freedom of expression and indeed freedom is that each individual can think about or express anything they wish - within guidelines, of course. If you want to concentrate on matters internal to Ireland - crack on. Other people take a more rounded view of world affairs and can get concerned at certain developments around the world. It seems to be becoming normalised for authoritarian leaders to feel they can grab whatever they want to - be that members of the opposite sex or a country or portion of. These actions will always provoke a response from people, either in favour of or against. It's the way of the world really."
As Orwell wrote, "Some pigs are more equal than others"

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3623 - 05/01/2026 21:05:28    2649971

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The only real difference this time I suppose is that they aren't even bothering with any pretence about the real reason for their intervention in Venezuela. Could be the same in Greenland, and noone in the EU will say boo to him.

The problem is that it gives the likes of Xi and Putin carte blanche to futher their own ambitions. Noone in the west will be able to say anything to them with a straight face.

It's depressing watching history repeat itself.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10177 - 06/01/2026 10:55:19    2650011

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "The only real difference this time I suppose is that they aren't even bothering with any pretence about the real reason for their intervention in Venezuela. Could be the same in Greenland, and noone in the EU will say boo to him.

The problem is that it gives the likes of Xi and Putin carte blanche to futher their own ambitions. Noone in the west will be able to say anything to them with a straight face.

It's depressing watching history repeat itself."
1938 all over again.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 293 - 06/01/2026 15:47:03    2650062

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Replying To Bon:  "No funnily enough this stuff doesnt matter to me and I dont waste a second worrying about it, we have some serious issues in this country that has nothing whatsoever to do with any of that carry on, yet the likes of you are easily blinded by all that guff."
Agreed. Look at the stories that are being ignored due to this coverage: Bill Clinton and Epstein Island, the Minnesota Day Care Scandal and Tim Walz taking himself out of reelection, etc. But as you correctly point out there are some serious issues in Ireland without looking overseas.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 152 - 06/01/2026 16:21:51    2650069

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "Agreed. Look at the stories that are being ignored due to this coverage: Bill Clinton and Epstein Island, the Minnesota Day Care Scandal and Tim Walz taking himself out of reelection, etc. But as you correctly point out there are some serious issues in Ireland without looking overseas."
Please elaborate on Minnesota daycare scandal.

All I've seen is a young man knocking on doors requesting to see kids which is suspect behaviour

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1867 - 06/01/2026 16:30:37    2650070

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Replying To Bon:  "No funnily enough this stuff doesnt matter to me and I dont waste a second worrying about it, we have some serious issues in this country that has nothing whatsoever to do with any of that carry on, yet the likes of you are easily blinded by all that guff."
When the price of fuel or groceries goes up do you think it's your local garage shop who are responsible for increase ? or intel cutting jobs in Kildare a local decision ?

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1867 - 06/01/2026 16:38:21    2650073

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "Agreed. Look at the stories that are being ignored due to this coverage: Bill Clinton and Epstein Island, the Minnesota Day Care Scandal and Tim Walz taking himself out of reelection, etc. But as you correctly point out there are some serious issues in Ireland without looking overseas."
Haha Trump is far more tied to Epstein than Clinton. Go after both of them if they are implicated. Release the files as promised? Wouldn't that show what Clinton was upto? This kinda response is laughable. As if people don't want Clinton to be investigated. Like it's such a stupid argument.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8695 - 06/01/2026 18:07:25    2650084

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "I have 4 kids and run a business so spare me the nonsense about our own country. I am well aware. Feel free to post about it if you wish."
Well if you think its nonsense that speaks volumes ;)

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2650 - 06/01/2026 19:03:10    2650092

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Replying To jm25:  "When the price of fuel or groceries goes up do you think it's your local garage shop who are responsible for increase ? or intel cutting jobs in Kildare a local decision ?"
And how does worrying about things in the USA change any of this? All these things are going to happen and you can't influence them. Places cut jobs thats a fact of life. But hey you keep glued to American news if thats what does it for you.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2650 - 06/01/2026 19:06:47    2650093

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Replying To Bon:  "Well if you think its nonsense that speaks volumes ;)"
No it's nonsense for you to suggest i am not interested in these things considering my situation. Again feel free to post your views on here and discuss these issues.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8695 - 06/01/2026 20:06:14    2650098

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Replying To Bon:  "And how does worrying about things in the USA change any of this? All these things are going to happen and you can't influence them. Places cut jobs thats a fact of life. But hey you keep glued to American news if thats what does it for you."
I don't and worrying doesn't change anything


you said it doesn't matter to you and other things here matter more which is fair enough.

It's more general awareness that a lot of what happens in USA Russia UK etc can have an indirect knock on affect to people here

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1867 - 06/01/2026 21:35:07    2650109

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Replying To jm25:  "I don't and worrying doesn't change anything


you said it doesn't matter to you and other things here matter more which is fair enough.

It's more general awareness that a lot of what happens in USA Russia UK etc can have an indirect knock on affect to people here"
I'd say a fairly direct effect to be honest.

The price of electricity, petrol and grains is a direct consequence of war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

I don't know how many of you have private pensions that are traded but what US leadership is doing plays havoc in real time.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4116 - 07/01/2026 08:08:16    2650121

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Replying To jm25:  "I don't and worrying doesn't change anything


you said it doesn't matter to you and other things here matter more which is fair enough.

It's more general awareness that a lot of what happens in USA Russia UK etc can have an indirect knock on affect to people here"
I get 100% that they have a nock on on people here. The point I'm making is that anything that goes on outside of our own country is completely outside of our control, Trump will do what he wants, Putin, Israel etc will do what they want and there's not a thing we can do, yet there's people on this thread and plenty of others that are obsessed with all this and its living rent free in their heads which is absolute madness and will destroy your mental health.
I can guarantee you one thing trump/putin etc aren't worrying about us.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2650 - 07/01/2026 08:17:13    2650123

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Replying To Bon:  "I get 100% that they have a nock on on people here. The point I'm making is that anything that goes on outside of our own country is completely outside of our control, Trump will do what he wants, Putin, Israel etc will do what they want and there's not a thing we can do, yet there's people on this thread and plenty of others that are obsessed with all this and its living rent free in their heads which is absolute madness and will destroy your mental health.
I can guarantee you one thing trump/putin etc aren't worrying about us."
I'd imagine that at this point you have made your position pretty clear about other people's "obsessions" with what is happening in the world at large. If you keep banging on about it, you will be in danger of being accused of letting these people live rent free in your own head - no ?? Live and let live, or each other own, as my dear departed mother used quote.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1993 - 07/01/2026 08:51:19    2650124

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Replying To Bon:  "I get 100% that they have a nock on on people here. The point I'm making is that anything that goes on outside of our own country is completely outside of our control, Trump will do what he wants, Putin, Israel etc will do what they want and there's not a thing we can do, yet there's people on this thread and plenty of others that are obsessed with all this and its living rent free in their heads which is absolute madness and will destroy your mental health.
I can guarantee you one thing trump/putin etc aren't worrying about us."
I get what you mean. I pay attention to it and can form an opinion but I do know people who obsess about it. I personally know somebody who cried when trump was elected. That to me is madness.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4116 - 07/01/2026 09:29:24    2650129

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Replying To Bon:  "I get 100% that they have a nock on on people here. The point I'm making is that anything that goes on outside of our own country is completely outside of our control, Trump will do what he wants, Putin, Israel etc will do what they want and there's not a thing we can do, yet there's people on this thread and plenty of others that are obsessed with all this and its living rent free in their heads which is absolute madness and will destroy your mental health.
I can guarantee you one thing trump/putin etc aren't worrying about us."
Oh so now you understand it does impact our lives. And now you are softening your stance as people are pointing it out. Just to be clear, I am not obsessed with Trump and he certainly does not impact my mental health. I love Politics and I love History and it seems to be repeating itself currently.

These things are very interesting . And people who casually defend Trump on here should be called out on it. Because in most cases they don't seem to care about the dangers of it. As i said previously, anyone can change the topic and post about what goes on in our country if they wish.

I have 4 kids, run a business and it took me years to save enough to build a house last year and the cost of everything was crazy and we had to jump through hoop after hoop to get planning permission for a pretty standard house. The planning process and follow on fees are a scandal in itself. Throw in the cost of childcare and running the house in general I could be posting here all day about it. But the fact is that's not as interesting as the state of world politics.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8695 - 07/01/2026 10:06:23    2650134

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Replying To Bon:  "I get 100% that they have a nock on on people here. The point I'm making is that anything that goes on outside of our own country is completely outside of our control, Trump will do what he wants, Putin, Israel etc will do what they want and there's not a thing we can do, yet there's people on this thread and plenty of others that are obsessed with all this and its living rent free in their heads which is absolute madness and will destroy your mental health.
I can guarantee you one thing trump/putin etc aren't worrying about us."
The Dunnes stores workers clearly did not think that about apartheid in SA. As a small country and as individuals it may not look like we can do nothing but small actions by individuals add up. There are plenty of actions as individuals we can do and we don't need others to make those decisions for us.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2143 - 07/01/2026 10:21:20    2650138

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "The only real difference this time I suppose is that they aren't even bothering with any pretence about the real reason for their intervention in Venezuela. Could be the same in Greenland, and noone in the EU will say boo to him.

The problem is that it gives the likes of Xi and Putin carte blanche to futher their own ambitions. Noone in the west will be able to say anything to them with a straight face.

It's depressing watching history repeat itself."
The USA history in global politics is a complicated one. They have gone missing when needed most and when they have used their might they have used it often for tge wrong reasons. The two biggest examples of going missing which resulted in disastrous consequences were post WW1 and post the downfall of the USSR. Had tge Wilson view of the world been continued we perhaps would not have seen the rise of the Natzis and the mess in the middle east and likewise Clinton's pivot to America first allowed the rise of Putin in Russia. There are of course examples post WW2 where America got it right, the most notable Korea but too often decisions were made for the wrong reasons leading to bad outcomes.
I don't think Xi or Putin will change any course they are on because of what the US did, the moral high ground of democratic countries was lost a long time ago. All that has been accomplished is pushing to former antagonist closer together but neither do either of them trust each other as ultimately all each of them care about is their own survival. If the EU and US decided to corporate together on trade China's relationship with Russia would be very fragile.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2143 - 07/01/2026 11:35:11    2650149

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