Vice President J.D. Vance took off the gloves in Europe. Many European leaders are shocked. Good!
Vance Shocks Europe
On Friday, Vance lectured European leaders on freedom of speech, AfD, Elon Musk, and even Gretta Thunberg.
It was a speech Europe needed to hear and masterfully delivered. The reactions were nearly as amusing as his speech.
CNN comments Vance turns on European allies in blistering speech that downplayed threats from Russia and China
US Vice President JD Vance vented at European leaders Friday, telling them that the biggest threat to their security was “from within,” rather than China and Russia.
Vance used his first major speech as vice president to lambast European politicians, claiming they are suppressing free speech, losing control of immigration and refusing to work with hard-right parties in government.
The audience at the Munich Security Conference was expecting to hear about the Trump administration’s plans to end the war in Ukraine, but instead were treated to a bombastic rejection of liberal orthodoxies that have prevailed in Western Europe since the Second World War, in a speech that downplayed the threats to the continent posed by Russia and China.
“The threat that I worry most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, not China, it’s not any other external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values,” Vance told a stone-faced audience.
The vice president — who met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the conference — said “shutting down” unorthodox viewpoints is the “most surefire way to destroy democracy,” and called on European leaders – who have been elected by their respective peoples – to “embrace what your people tell you.”
“If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk,” he said.
While many had expected the vice president to echo Hegseth’s calls for European countries to hike their defense spending as a precondition for continued American support, Vance’s message was blunter: “If you are running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you.”
“When we see European courts canceling elections and senior officials threatening to cancel others, we need to ask whether we’re holding ourselves to an appropriately high standard,” Vance said.
The vice president’s remarks in Munich come just over a week before the German national elections, in which the country is widely expected to swing right after a campaign season where immigration ranked among the key issues.
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been courting both the Trump administration and Elon Musk, is polling at roughly 21% ahead of the February 23 election, which would make the party the second largest political force in Germany and the first far-right party to hold such a position since the Second World War.
Vance on Friday criticized the “firewall” that caused other major parties within Germany to shun the AfD.
“What no democracy – American, German, or European – will survive, is telling millions of voters that their thoughts and concerns, their aspirations, their pleas for relief, are invalid and unworthy of even being considered,” Vance said. “Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters. There’s no room for firewalls.”
After his remarks, Vance met with AfD leader Alice Weidel for about 30 minutes, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and German domestic politics, a spokesperson for Weidel’s office said. The vice president also met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Friedrich Merz, who CNN reported earlier this month is the frontrunner to become next chancellor.
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius later called Vance’s criticism of European leaders “unacceptable.”
“I strongly oppose the impression that Vice President Vance has created that minorities are being suppressed or silenced in our democracy,” Pistorius said.
The vice president said he “understands” the argument that Romania canceled its election – which has been rescheduled for May – because “Russian disinformation had infected” the electoral process, but said European leaders needed to get some “perspective.”
“If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with,” he said.
Vance said that Europe’s assaults on free speech extended into the digital realm, claiming that leaders had “threatened and bullied social media companies to censor so-called misinformation,” citing the example of the Covid-19 lab leak theory.
“It looks more and more like old entrenched interest, hiding behind ugly, Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don’t like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion,” he added.
Asked to respond to Vance’s remarks later Friday, Trump said he believed they were “brilliant” and “well received.”
“And I think it’s true, in Europe, they’re losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech,” Trump said. He later added Europe “has to be careful” and said the continent “has a big immigration problem.”
Brilliant and Well Received
NRP notes German chancellor slams Vance’s call for Europe to be inclusive of far-right parties
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sharply rebuked U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Saturday, a day after Vance gave a speech saying European leaders should not shun far-right political parties.
Scholz emphasized that a commitment to “never again” also applies to political parties like Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, also known as the AfD, which has downplayed the horrors of the Nazi regime.
He went on to say Germany will not accept outsiders intervening in the country’s elections, adding: “That is not done, certainly not among friends and allies.”
Last year, the group became the first far-right party since the Nazis during the World War II era to receive the most votes in a state election. But it has yet to be part of a federal governing coalition as a result of a pact — also known as a “firewall” — by other parties to refuse to work with the AfD.
On Friday, Vance did not mention the AfD directly but said German parties should drop the “firewall” — much to the surprise and concern of European leaders in the room.
“Europeans, the people, have a voice,” Vance said in the speech. “You can embrace what your people tell you, even when it’s surprising, even when you don’t agree.”
Vance also met with AfD leader Alice Weidel on Friday. He separately met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier; Friedrich Merz, the head of the center-right Christian Democratic Union party; as well as Scholz this past week.
Here’s another amusing response …
Vance Unites Europe
The Boroiwitz Reports says Europe United in Belief That JD Vance is a Prick
Crediting the vice president with ushering in a new era of European solidarity, attendees at the Munich Security Conference left Friday’s session united in the belief that JD Vance is a prick.
“I came to Munich full of skepticism that we as a group of nations could find common ground on anything,” Danish delegate Hartvig Dorkelson said. “That all changed the moment that asshat Vance opened his mouth.”
Vance did his job, and judging from the reactions, it was a job well done.
Vance’s Speech
Please play the Video. Vance’s speech was excellent, albeit with almost no applause.
German Elections Feb 23 – Only One Coalition Makes Sense (But No One Wants It)
Friday morning, I commented German Elections Feb 23 – Only One Coalition Makes Sense (But No One Wants It)
All of the other parties have ruled out working with AfD. But no other coalition makes any sense. Disaster looms.
German Political Polls
If parties get 5 percent of the vote they are in. Otherwise the votes are reapportioned. with minor exceptions.
Compared to the coalition math I presented in German Elections Feb 23 – Only One Coalition Makes Sense (But No One Wants It), only differs by a couple percentage points for Die Like (far Left) and BSW (Far Left).
However, those percentage points may be sufficient for a Grand Coalition to have a majority.
The worst possible outcome for SPD, Union (CDU/CSU), and the Greens is the top line in the above image. See the math below.
Coalition Math
- SPD+Union+Greens+AfD+Linke+BSW = 90 Percent
- Union (CDU/CSU) would get ~30 percent of the remaining ~10 percent = 3 Percent – Total 33 Percent
- SPD would get ~15 percent of the remaining ~10 percent = 1 or 2 percent, Total 17 Percent
- AfD would get ~21 percent of the remaining ~10 percent = 2 percent, Total 23 Percent
- Greens would get ~13 percent of the remaining ~10 percent = 1 percent, Total 14 Percent
Elections are by delegates, not quite exactly as I presented, but similar.
It is very possible that a Grand Coalition CDU/CSU + SPD would not have a majority if Die Linke and BSW meet the 5 percent threshold.
And if FDP also hangs on, it is even more likely that no two-way majority other than CDU/CSU plus AfD is possible.
How Did Vance Change the Math?
We do not know the answer to that.
But if he boosted AfD or any of the other minor parties at the expense of CDU/CSU Germany may be ungovernable.
What to Expect?
Since no coalition makes any sense but the one CDU/CSU rejects, expect months of bickering followed by the formation of a dysfunctional and unstable coalition.
The only other possibility is CDU leader Friedrich Merz breaks his pledge and forms a coalition with AfD.
What About Trump?
Germany can expect a nightmare. This one is 100 percent.
Trump wants defense spending at 5 percent of GDP when Germany does not even spend 2 percent.
Germany has one of the worst infrastructures in the EU (internet, fiber lines, phones, and trains). And as discussed above, Germany is deindustrializing having over-relied on diesel and analog phones while avoiding AI and EVs.
Finally, Germany has a trade surplus with the US of $85 billion that Trump vows to flatten with tariffs.
Germany is in piss poor economic and piss poor political shape.
A crisis looms.
Related Posts
January 9, 2025: Trump Demands Defense Spending 5 Percent of Europe GDP, No Chance of That
Much of the EU is struggling to get defense spending up to 2 percent of GDP. 5 percent of GDP has zero chance. Let’s discuss the math.
February 13, 2025: Trump Fails to Pull the Trigger on Reciprocal Tariffs, Will Study the Issue
Q: What’s Going on in the EU?
A: We have a trade deficit with Ireland of $87 billion. And we have a trade deficit with Germany of $85 billion. That is $172 billion of the $203 billion deficit with the EU.
Please, give specific examples and details, how is free speech suppressed in Europe? Where and when and by who? Give me examples of big power disuse, bullying of activists, disinformation spread. Thanks
Good Lord it’s rampant in Germany, UK,
https://nypost.com/2025/02/21/world-news/germans-cant-insult-politicians-which-is-why-we-need-to-protect-free-speech-in-the-us/
https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-germany-trump-europe-cpac-47ef3cc32ad64123f6a0c33e2cced0f2
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gze361j7xo
https://reason.com/2024/10/17/british-man-convicted-of-criminal-charges-for-praying-silently-near-abortion-clinic/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/policing-speech-online-germany-60-minutes-transcript/
I’m always fascinated by the use of language to control perception and dialogue in the political and social sphere. In the U.S. we are comfortable describing politics in terms of the left, center and the right. Apparently in Germany there is no such thing as the right- only the “far right”. The left, even in its most extreme forms advocating almost complete state control of the economy, gets to assume the moniker of “Green” thus insuring that they are perceived as warm and fuzzy protectors of nature and conservators of the planet with all the altruism associated with that.
The notion that the Nazis were “far right” baffles me. Can anyone explain what that’s about? Seems like utter nonsense – albeit dangerous nonsense – to me.
I’m still not convinced of the characterization of AfD as far-right…
Perhaps the weak, phony and spineless Europeans are smarter than we are.
They appear to be spineless because third world migration is ongoing and no one stops it. Crime increases and police look other way like in some countries accusing rape victims of racism. Kids and adults getting stabbed, some killed in public places by jihadists.
Vance scares me more than Trump! I hope Trump stays healthy and alive.
Europeans suppress speech, maybe now they will see the truth spoken. Glad Vance made that dynamic speech that they needed to hear and apply.
When the Ukraine war will be over the European don’t need us. Who will attack them: Iran ? Since the threat is from within they no longer need Trump. The EU suppress freedom to control their caste people. They Christian/ Muslim tension is tearing Europe apart. If EU will try to rule with an iron fist the caste people will fight back with some help from outside, from foreign entities. What is happening here, under Trump/Vance, will happen in Europe.
The EU economies are a house of cards, built on a foundation of sand (debt). With or without Ukraine, their problems are just starting. The UK is worse. Similar issues in US, so who am I to point fingers. PIIGS will add a few letters before it is over. Be patient.
Vance reminds them, that this is a “Security Meeting” in essence. JD reminds them, that the U.S. Soldiers currently represents 1/5 (35K) of there a fighting force (180K), and perhaps they should take it a tad more serious. He brightly let them know, that going against the wishes of there Citizens, may not end all that well. He also pointed out, that other Countries are moving and fast, into a different direction. Perhaps they need to pay more attention.
You can Lead a Horse to Water, BUT…
I love the “Not since the Nazis” comparisons.
Vance is spot on. “Far right” has become to mean anyone who is not Far Left. CNN and NRP miss the entire point, and I’m sure purposefully. Minorities have a great voice in today’s politics. It’s the majority that is being suppressed.
If Vance’s words don’t wake them up, the pitchforks and torches at their front gates will.
No, far right is anyone far to the right of Ronald Reagan. Reagan was solidly conservative, but from today’s Republican Party standpoint, Reagan is left of center.
That’s absurd.
Trump wants to cut military spending–not exactly Reaganesque or Right Wing
Trump wants to reign in free trade–Again, not a right wing position.
Trump was the first POTUS to enter office pro gay marriage – last I checked that wasn’t “right wing!”
Trump doesn’t want to start wars but wants to end them-who knew the 1960’s hippies were so Right Wing???
Alexander Haig was in control for a while.
No matter how you twist this, the USA is not making many friends. This will not fair well. Divided we fall. Trump is the master of Kaos.
With fair weather friends, like much of NATO, do we need them? No, they need us. Canada hasn’t been interested in national defense since 1945, when they realized the U.S. would protect them. France left NATO when they were sure Germany was no longer a threat, and Russia would have to fight through the U.S. and German forces, giving them time to decide what to do. They laughed at Trump when he warned them not to depend on Russian gas. Now they bitch at Vance telling them the truth. Europe has a death wish. And they want the U.S. to again save them.
How and when France left NATO?
Mish, are you still in trouble in France. I recall that you had a violation regarding your online speech.
I believe so.
I was fined 8,000 Euros and for many years they sent me overnight DLS packages threatening me. That ended when I moved to Utah.
https://mishtalk.com/uncategorized/mish-fined-8000-euros-for-quoting-french-blog/
Stall them as long as you can. The US is running on barrowed time and barrowed money but the Euro is in worse shap, and will crash before the dollar does. You might be able to settle the fine for one Gold Eagle.
The Usonians are not really known for self awareness. Everything that Vance accused the Europeans of the US are also guilty of. Moreover, all the accusations are about Europeans following the diktats that came out of the White House. Just because the White House is under new management, it doesn’t change the fact that source of all European evils are the US.
Vance’s speech reminds me of an open letter from French military personnel, a few years ago, signed by serving military personnel (anonymously) and retired military personnel (in their own names), which said that soon the main mission of the military would be to defend the country from within, to oppose the multiple challenges posed by immigrant populations that would begin to occupy more and more territory. It is a fact that the main threat comes from within, and not from Russia or China.
If you feed them they will breed.
The spineless European leaders are lying to the people about climate change, the economy and immigration. The Muslim population in the European powers centers: Brussel, Paris, Marseille, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin ==> is high. The EU leaders can’t stand Victor Orban, Vance and Trump, bc they are indecisive and weak. Only one EU leader has balls: little Georgia Meloni. Her hairstyle is: black with tones of silver and gold. Tulsi: black & silver isn’t good enough.
The EU leaders are talking about the Russian invasion, but not about the Muslim invasion.
Mish. You keep hitting them out of the park. Wrigley Field. Go Cubs! Sox ok too. 🙂
I watched that video and excellent you recommended it. JD Vance did a great job. What is troubling is to see the Eurocrats barely clapping. They want us to fight their conflicts (that they create), tolerate their tariffs and limitations on freedom of speech.
You can have any party you wish….as long they abide by the democratic rules. I would hope everyone here, including Mish, agrees.
Europe is pissed off that they are not included in the negotiations but to include Europe is problematic. Who can speak for Europe? No one has the authority to do so. If you put 27 people around a table, none of whom has authority to sign, expect that the negotiations will take years and years. Nothing can get done so it is nonsensical
to have them in the process. Another thing is that Western European
militaries have declined so much that together they could put to the max 5,000
soldiers on the ground in the peace settlement to cover a front of over a
thousand kilometers. That is an absurdity in itself.
The European governments said that Ukraine must win and that the war is existential for Europe but they have not upped their military spending by much and supplied with just enough for Ukraine to not lose but far from what is necessary for them to win. Normally I would say that this is a highly cynical policy but I have come to the conclusion that it comes down to just sheer governmental incompetence. That is probably the opinion of Trump and JD Vance as well and they said it loud and clear.
European countries are run by pro open borders and socialist Marixists. Soon to become an Islamic caliphate. Lawlessness prevails (murder, rape etc).
It had to be said in the clearest way possible and JD Vance did in a way that the Europeans could not but understand. If we do not have shared values when especially when it comes to free speech then there is no reason to treat you as special. You would be like any other country to us. Then he said “choose” at the end.
JD Vance is Trump’s best pick in my opinion.
Now for the reaction. The leaders of course are horrified but the man or woman on the street is giving a different signal and one that the leaders do not like. They are talking about Trump and they are saying among themselves and spontaneously to strangers that they wish they had someone like him in Europe.
Well said. On your last sentence, is that true the talk on european streets?
Yes. I am the first one to be surprised. They like him coming in like a whirlwind and cutting expense. They know their own governments are spending their tax euros in stupid ways and on things that harm them directly. They are glad that he seems to have ideas on how to stop the war in Gaza and Ukraine. Their own leaders look clueless and lost. Basically they admire that he has big balls.
I read Vance’s book years ago and when I found to that was him that was running for VP I put a Trump sign in my front yard. They can impeach Trump any time. TSTB
I live in Europe, in Slovakia 35 years and have not heard talk like that, but I heard many talks, where people tell they are confused, horrified, afraid, sad, angry of what is your Mr. President saying and doing. Myself included… But I can live in a bubble, better check some popularity ratings of him in Europe.
Vance is from your hometown.
Yep
No there not, most people here are aghast these morons are running the US.
No different from the last administration. Clueless.
Where are you?
What a cheek! This guy is second to a President who tried a putch (seven dead in the Parliament/Capitol) and has become the USA’s Hugo Chaves (other one who tried a putch, also got away with it and was later elected President) and who is complicit in the Gaza ethnic cleansing, and in spite of it gives lessons on democracy to the Europeans. This is amazing. There is something wrong in our world these days.
Palestinians never released all hostages as promised. Israel did, and needs to retailiate and go back into Gaza and fight for our hostages. Paletinians always lie about what they will do. They even hate their own people using hospitals and schools to hold Hamas meetings and storing military items. I am not Jewish ancestory either. Trump endorsed retaliation for their lies to Israel.
How is a president telling unarmed protestors to go to the Capitol and protest peacefully, a putch? From the look of it, the protestors on the lawn were fired on without warning by the Capitol Police, precipitating a riot. The Capitol police chief said he was kept out of the intelligence loop, so what was being done behind his back and by whom?
You also failed to mention the 4 year soft coup against a sitting president, as well as illegal spying against him when he ran for his first term in office.
Well, someone had a full bowl of Fruit Loops this morning. Keep muchin’
Usonians are not exactly known for their self awareness.
Leave ‘The World Stage’ to the Brits.
What happened to Gonzalo Lira?
There was a bigger ‘ putch ‘ at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Nickel Beer Night 50 years ago.
We promised Europe to Russia, in exchange for Canada and Greenland. The wars will be over in time to get the suckers and losers that fought them home for Christmas.
Wow, all that in what 27 days? Trump really is something…………..
It only took a phone call… months ago.
Love him or hate him … it took some Cohones for Vance to go into the lions den and speak of true liberty and prosperity in a place where those 2 are both 4 letter words in most of Europe.
I don’t think so. He was in the middle of vassals who are nothing militarily speaking without the United States. They have also just committed economic suicide by ceasing to use cheap energy from Russia, and instead using much more expensive American gas. They are increasingly dependent on the United States. So they just have to listen without saying anything.
While I agree that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown that Europe has neither the will not the means to defend itself … I don’t believe that they see it that way.
A post WWII world trying to prevent WWIII.
Europen leaders do not want to hear it.
The cost of guilt was high. Feeling guilty for 80Y is long enough. Macron wants to build an Anti Trump coalition: Trump is changing our way of life. He imposed tariffs on us. Dr Trump wants to treat Tehran with gene therapy. More than 50% of Iran industries are in Tehran. Tehran grew to 9/10 millions people. Elburz mountain block Tehran from the Caspian sea. Tehran, at 3,500 above feet above sea level, is dry and cold. Sand storm from the Sahara and the Gobi deserts hit Tehran. Iran’s refineries are using mazut, the dirtiest oil. Electricity stop for 4/6 hous per day. Tehran traffic jams are clog. The spread between rich and poor is growing. Inflation explodes. Iran new aircraft carrier was launched after Hezbollah was defeated and Assad escape. Tehran needs Trump new world order.
CIA overthrew Mossadegh for The Shah in 1953.
Liberal democracy was born from the ashes of post-WWII Europe and the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation of Americans. Democracy is not a monolith. Technically, Russia is a democracy. Hungary is an EU democracy, but Victor Orban’s decade-long hollowing out of that country’s free press, academia, and judicial system’s ability to be a check on his power means that Hungary’s democracy more resembles that of Russia than France. Orban’s decade-long rule in Hungary shows clearly that democracies can be twisted and perverted to the will of those who set out to destroy the tenets of liberal democracy. A liberal democracy must protect against being destroyed by autocratic-minded populists who will do so in the name of “democracy” itself. Romania canceled an election because it became clear that outside autocratic forces interfered enough in the election to swing the result in favor of a candidate aligned with a more autocratic version of democracy. Liberal democracies are very aware that the autocratic/authoritarian powers in the world (Iran, Russia, and China) are employing soft power using social media and other means to undermine the political hold that liberal democratic parties have on the “Western” democratic nations.
I see some of your points … but Hungary is moving in the right direction economically and most of Europe is moving in the wrong direction. Like the US (until very recently), they are more focused on trans-sexual appreciation than they are on overall societal prosperity. We shall see how it shakes out.
I guess if your only barometer is economic growth, and even with that, Hungary had a negative 0.50% GDP in 2023 and 0.90% in 2024. Liberal Democracy is built around values, the rule of law, and individual liberty. Effectiveness is not just measured economically.
So values … like incarcerating anyone who exposes the rape and grooming gangs? Those values? Rule of law … except for the border and the crimes committed by those who come through the border? That kind of rule of law?
I have no comment on the “grooming” comment, but on the immigration issue, the law, and the constitution in the U.S. is what people really are complaining about. In the U.S., once you set foot on U.S. soil, you have all of the same constitutional rights as any citizen. If you declare that you want amnesty for various reasons you have a right to have your case reviewed by a judge. For the most part, coming across the U.S. border without proper documentation is not punishable by incarceration. So, yes the rule of law.
Where did you hear that those coming across illegally are entitled to all the protections of the constitution? Those who truly want that, are still saying that they don’t … in order to sell the idea a bit at a time.
A quick search produced this from Lawyer.com:
Undocumented (sometimes called “illegal”) immigrants living and perhaps working in the United States have some rights under the U.S. Constitution, despite their unlawful immigration status. Aspects of the Constitution that address certain basic human rights apply to all people, even those who lack proper documentation. Examples of these rights include:
Did you mean wrong direction economically? Hungary, like other European countries, is in demographic decline. They are projected to lose 1.1 million people from 9.6 million to 8.5 million by 2050. That is even with pro-family/baby policies of Orban’ s gov’t.
They need to fix this population decline or they headed towards economic oblivion in the coming decades. What they really need is a change in government(not what the pro-Orban crowd wants to hear) as too many of the educated class are leaving for other EU countries.
Funny how the champions of “democracy” change their tune when the “wrong” person or party wins (as Orban’s party did overwhelmingly in 2022 despite the meddling of Samantha Power and her ilk).
That’s right because we understand the lessons of history. Hitler was elected. Putin was elected, and the longer he has stayed in power, the more he has undermined the ability of that nation’s democracy to challenge his rule and power. Over time, Orban has undermined the country’s judiciary so that it cannot act as a check on his absolute power. He has overseen constitutional changes that solidify his party’s majority.
One of the most amazing things in history is Washington refusing a third term.
Orban blocked the Muslim and African invasion brigades, Spain and Germany didn’t.
adsolutely. And that is why nearly everyone in that room and their ultra left media have gone after Orban. And don’t forget Poland. I’ve have seen video at their border of shooting to maim migrants who would not listen and were tearing down fence and wire to illegally enter…. Not women, not children, and these men had no children…….20 to 30 something single males. I’m sorry but that is an invasion I don’t care who is doing that and where they are trying to do it.
Have you been to Hungary? Have you talked to younger and educated Hungarians? I have, and Orban’s reputation as a threat to freedoms and democracy in this historically oppressed and war-torn country is well deserved.
Do you mean, for the most part, people fleeing war zones and genocide? Ask yourself, what would Jesus do? Would he follow Orban’s way or Germany’s?
Censorship for political purposes is not liberal democracy. It is an attempt by those in power, to cling to power. That is autocratic, in and of itself. It is very telling that the U.S. Democrats are upset that government corruption being exposed. Of coarse, they benefited from that corruption, so they don’t want it exposed.
Russia, Russia, Russia was a Democrat Party propaganda campaign. European liberal democracies are undermining themselves through third world immigration, which is turning their citizens toward parties such as the AFD, as they are being ignored by their increasingly autocratic government leadership.
If you cannot see what is going on globally, I cannot necessarily help you. It used to be democracy vs. communism; after the fall of the Soviet Union and the ascent of China into the global economy, it is not autocratic/authoritarian democracy vs. liberal democracy. The communists gave up the battle with the liberal democracies, and instead of adopting liberal democracy, they developed differing versions of a hybrid form of democracy defined by the common denominator of a cult of personality autocracy (e.g., Putin, Xi, and the Ayatollahs). Instead of taking the liberal democracies on directly using the threat of force, they see a better outcome by using liberal democracy itself to sow division and discontent to slowly erode the form of government that defeated Communism without firing a shot.
It sounds like Nigel Farage helped write Vance’s speech.
Both good men.
George Galloway needs to know that the remains of those gray stones lining 55th street going east from Western Avenue in Chicago were originally built by and for the Lace Curtain Irish ~ 125 years ago.
I summarise Vance’s speech as “We want you to have the same polarised hate filled society that we are building in the US”. – no thanks!
Specifics:
Great lecture about democracy from a country thats elections are purely driven by huge amounts of cash and that isn’t actually rated as a full democracy in league tables.
The US remains the most impressive country of the last 100 years but you are going through a weird patch right now.
Equating gold with free speech in the US could perhaps be extended to other heavy metals as well, lead for instance.
Too much truth for you to handle there, obviously, so denial becomes the only option.
The fact is the EU is an Orwellian nightmare-state where the people are imprisoned, under the iron jackboot of EU tyranny.
So all your “what-about-ism” arguments are nonsense.
People like you prove why the EU will continue to descent to the lower depths of poverty and failure, at an ever increasing rate. I’ll be cheering that on as well deserved.
I have plenty of European friends who live very happy lives, can move freely within the EU, work in whatever country provides them the most opportunity, and feel as though they live in a safe and tolerant society. No, they do not feel like prisoners at all unless, of course, you are referring to Orban’s Hungary. You do not know what you are talking about.
Denial is strong with this one.^
I guess you missed the part about how people are being imprisoned in Europe for Wrong-Think, or how the election was cancelled in Romania etcetc etc
The election was canceled because it was corrupted by outside forces intent on eroding liberal democracy in that country. As I have said in various posts today, not all democracies are created equal. Putin contends that Russia is a democracy. China has elections.
Are many Russians defecting to London these days?
In the UK you can be arrested for a Facebook post suggesting that maybe letting in millions of Muslims wasn’t a great idea. Same in Germany if you point out that the OSS (precursor to the CIA) was involved in staging the scenes to make work camps look like death camps. Or for questioning the 6,000,000.00000000 figure.
Study Goebbels! Free speech, when responsible and well-meaning, is great freedom, but a certain percent of the population and those who are intent upon destroying liberal democracy can and will attempt to use free speech against a nation.
“Free speech, when responsible and well-meaning, is great freedom”
And always conveniently defined as speech I agree with. Funny how that works.
Enjoy the wilderness. Nobody is going to take you guys seriously again for 20 years.
The corrupt love power and having total control over the people. We witnessed it under both Obama and Biden. Just like America’s democrats, Europe’s leaders will likely not relinquish their power easily as they continue to rig the system against their opposition. They talk about preventing another “Nazi” Germany when in fact, they themselves have become just like the Nazis by silencing and punishing anyone with an opposing viewpoint. Evil lost its foothold in America when God spared POTUS Trump from being assassinated and then went on to assume his rightful position as President and undoing the evil that gripped America the last four years. Evil needs a new host now, which is Europe.
Our “free speech” administration says it’s not OK to criticize a certain county in the Middle East who is committing genocide.
I wonder why “freedom of speech” stops at our shores?
Because you don’t have a democracy anymore. You have an oligarchy.
You know why. Because American politicians are terrified of the Israel lobby. Congressman Thomas Massie explained how everyone in Congress has an AIPAC minder. Shortly thereafter his young and healthy wife died. It is shameful how free speech against Israel’s actions – especially on college campuses – has been conflated with antisemitism.
Good for You Mr. Vance! Spoken like the “True Leader” that you are. “Free Speech” is the Bedrock of America!!!
I listened to the whole speech. I was skeptical at first of Vance being Trump’s pick for VP. Vance is a brilliant speaker. He definitely ruffled the feathers of the European elites. I’m not kidding when I say that this is one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard in my 70 years. Vance will most likely be the front-runner for the GOP presidential nominee in 2028. This guy does not get flustered when responding to questions. Most European politician are aghast at the speech. Many European citizens have applauded what Vance has said and that their own politicians are too afraid to admit.
I totally agree, and He definitely has a future in “Party Leadership” I think. Top of the ticket, sure looks like a place to work for, and He appears to be doing just that IMHO.
Trump flat out said Vance isn’t his successor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oR4EjqdwJ8
Was He lying to us all?
Just You…
You do realize that Trump “Only” represents 1 Vote, so I think everything will be Ok.
If you are in a job for less that a month would you expect your boss to name you as his successor when he retires in four years?
Sometime in the ‘80s the Republicans were aghast when they were all at a Reagan speech and realized only the Postmaster General stayed behind.
I don’t see that most European leaders are aghast at the speech itself; I hear them only wondering how it’s possible that people like Musk and Vance can rise to the highest political levels.
This time the Deep State’s “lone wolf” missed. And unlike in 2016, this time Trump picked a VP they hate just as much.
They are mainly worried that their populations will see that they are not wearing any clothes.
Sometimes your dreams come true. Maybe Europe thinks China is not a problem, like Vance said, dumps the old US ally and gives Greenland to Xi Jinping, and prefers chinese military bases in Italy or Germany.
Instead of learning from German’s Nazi history – fueled by Hitler’s misinformation, the Republican Administration changes the conversation to a debate about free speech. Instead of reasonable gun regulations, they worry about infringement on our 2nd Amendment. Instead of addressing climate change, they blame DEI hires. This kneejerk reaction to attribute blame to the wrong problem is why Republicans cannot successfully govern. Why encourgage the world to adopt Republican Administration policies? Red States are the most polluted, fail in education and always have a hand out for government subsidies.
Dems have been censoring conservative speech for many years now. That’s something to be very concerned about & must be addressed.
Dems have been infringing on American’s constitutional right to keep & bear arms for many years, while doing very little to hold criminals responsible for all sorts of violent crime, oftentimes with illegally obtained firearms. Again, this is very concerning & must be addressed.
Let’s see what DOGE finds out about the climate change. I don’t deny humans are altering the climate, but America shouldn’t tank our economy to only be undone by China, India, et al. And WE ALL KNOW that climate change is for many liberals really climate hysteria which is used to enrich themselves. Without a doubt, it’s a money machine. Again, very concerning & there’s nothing wrong with a conservative minded approach for a while. Feel free to go live in Brazil & protest their deforestation of the Amazon which is probably one of the biggest manmade causes of global climate change.
Red states are the ones growing economically & where all the northern & CA liberals want to move to & are bringing their liberal minded ideologies with them.
Congratulations, Jennifer, you get the worst post of the week award. Please go back to Daily Kos.
Again “freedom of speech” advocate condemns free speech.
You can’t make this up.
Careful…. If you hurt their feelings, they’ll hide your posts.
Interestingly, I have never heard true conservatives complain about their speech being censored. Where are the complaints from George Will, Peggy Noonan, and William Kristol? It seems that the “conservative” voices that you are referring to are not conservatives but instead alternative media provocateurs like Glenn Beck, Alex Jones, and Ben Shapiro.
There are tame conservators and there are the untamed ones.
There are pre-Obama Presidency conservatives and post-Obama Presidency anarchists who stole the conservative label.
Brother, I’m not an anarchist. That’s your friends Antifa.
Like Jennifer, you need to go back to the Daily Kos.
That’s ‘George F. Will’ to you – Big Cub fan.
My speech has been censored. I am a true conservative. I am complaining to you.
Has your speech been censored by a private enterprise or the government?
Then you haven’t been listening, you moron.
Clean your ears out and, or learn how to read.
Hitler was not in favor of free speech. The Second Amendment is an enumerated civil right that certain groups are trying to regulate away, a tactic also Nazi approved.
“Second, the Nazi gun laws of 1938 specifically banned Jewish persons from obtaining a license to manufacture firearms or ammunition. Third, approximately eight months after enacting the 1938 Nazi gun laws, Hitler imposed regulations prohibiting Jewish persons from possessing any dangerous weapons, including firearms.”
As for climate change, it’s still colder than it was 6000 years ago.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/ancient-forest-melting-ice-1.7443094
last, when you can sell a broom closet for $2 million it’s easy to have high GDP. While you are sneering at the countryside you might want to remember that your food, gas, electricity, building materials and possibly your water all come from the countryside. The subsidies are to keep your prices low.
The cities and the countryside are supposed to be symbiotic. Instead the cities have become parasites.
A Nazi! Welcome, brother!
Europe loves to talk about preventing another Nazi Germany. But they themselves have actually become the Nazis by suppressing and punishing anyone with an opposing viewpoint. Vance was 100% right!
Hilary Clinton has entered the chat.
Instead of having any brains, liberals have to resort to garbage like this comment^
idiot
A polish/Jewish immigrant- Herchel Grynszpan – shot a clerk in Paris German Ambassy. That led to Xtal Nacht. Stalin: Hitler knows what he is doing. An opportunity to advance Nazi policies.
All part of the plan, including astroturfing certain economic blogs.
Climate Change? Have you checked your electric heat pump for this week?
National politics aside, consider how a decade plus of poor policies have hamstrung Germany as seen from afar (NY). Immigration: like Biden, Merkel waving the green flag to any and all. Energy: aversion to nuke and fossil (especially nat gas) creating uneconomic burden on industry. Ukraine: staying in the shadows while France andf UK have tried unsuccessfully to become Europe’s vanguard. Finance: hope against hope that CZB can hold off the big bad Italians
German guilt from WW2 has unleashed illegal immigration and the curtailing of freedom of speech. The mistaken cure for their guilt has given them much greater problems. Governments are not the friend of their citizens—keep governments as small as possible
There is no lower form of life than one that works from within to destroy their own culture and race.
The EU Parliament has committed treason against their own people.
As Rutger Hauer said in The Blade Runner, “Time To Die”..
Anything specific to back this up? Can you name one thing the EU has done to destroy EU culture?
Jon L – France has allowed many citizens of France’s former colonies to enter the mainland, and remain devout Muslims. They don’t adopt French culture.
Germany has allowed Turks to work in the country, and many can become German citizens, since the 1960s. Again, Turks have not taken on German culture, but remain adherents of Islam.
Adoption of wind/solar/’green’ energy- without planning on what happens when nuclear/coal/nat gas are dropped from the energy mix. France of course is doing well in the energy business since they went nuclear in the 1980s.
Contracting for Russian nat gas was a poor choice – evidently EU culture hasn’t realized that Russia, like Islam, hasn’t given up on their desire to rule the world, and without using democracy.
Hope that helps.
By eu culture, he means white culture. Brown people ruin it every time.
The German legal system outlaws neo-Nazi activities, and this legal system has been in place since the Nazi horrors of WW2. To have clueless MAGA Americans like Musk and Vance tell the Germans that the AfD led by Alice Über Alles is a harmless, pro-democratic political party is almost funny. The AfD has clear neo-Nazi sympathies, and that is the reason why no other German political party wants to get in bed with them.
I don’t know anything about AfD, but I seriously doubt they plan to relive the Holocaust if they gained full control over the German parliament. However, I fully expect them to follow in Trump’s footsteps & start taking radical steps towards removing every illegal & possibly legal immigrants as defined by the EU over the past 15 years. They probably would pull a Gerexit, and I for one would welcome these changes.
The Holocaust began over ten years after Hitler became an anti-establishment political figure in Germany and almost five years after Hitler was elected Chancellor. The Holocaust would not have happened at all if Hitler would have been shut out of politics in the late 1920s or early 1930s before he was able to chip away and eventually destroy democracy in Germany.
Thanks for the history lesson, you dope.
Okay, I’ve read the last of your dribble.
For me, you join President Musk with the HIDE post option.
If you don’t know anything, please inform yourself first about facts and then use a bit of logic to come to conclusions. As Isaac Asimov noted some time ago: “There is a cult of ignorance in the United Staes nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Describes our present leaders very well.
Isaac Asimov writes SciFi. I watched Foundation on Apple TV.
I found the rest of your post boring and obtuse.
You’re a known it all Albert. No thanks!
I love statements that start with “I know nothing “ and end with an unshakable opinion. Double plus good!
“The AfD has clear neo-Nazi sympathies”
no they don’t you lying liberal, to whom anyone to the right of Karl Marx is considered “extreme right”
And why not form a new Government with the AfD?
Iit’s not like the utterly incompetent brainless liberals who form the present “centrist” Government and the “mainstream Parties” have shown any ability whatsoever to do anything positive for Germany.
Sp I see just more colossal failure for Germany in the future, and I have no sympathy whatsoever – stupid is a stupid does, and you obviously can’t fix stupid in Germany..
Another Nazi brother! Welcome!
We’re building Wellness Centers, not concentration camps. Was the brainworm/healing crystal guy’s idea.
It is more than strange that Mr. Vance endorses the German AfD, which is completely anti-American and wishes to align with Russia instead of Western countries. The German CDU is pro-American and pro-Western in its values, and it cannot simply abandon these principles by forming a coalition with the AfD. The gap between the AfD and the CDU is much, much wider than the difference between the GOP and the Democrats. Just imagine building a Republican administration together with the Democrats (for example, Ms. Harris as VP under President Trump). That would be absurd, and it’s even more so when considering a potential coalition between the pro-Kremlin AfD and the pro-American CDU.
Read the article, he didn’t “endorse” anyone or any party. He pointed out that censorship of millions of people and ideas you might find objectionable is the wrong approach and runs counter to our values (First Amendment).
No endorsement. Acceptance, sure. A quarter of Germans in a Parliamentary government is a significant number of citizens to acknowledge as having a voice in their governance going forward.
The article then said he met with the President (SDP), the expected next chancellor and party leader (CDU), the current Chancellor Scholz (SDP) and the AfD leader. He’s saying inclusion and actually embracing it! Funny how fast the lefties don’t really want that when the ideas, embraced by millions and voted on in a change of direction, aren’t consistent with their wishes.
How Biden set the stage for GOP budget cuts
https://www.stephensemler.com/p/how-biden-set-the-stage-for-gop-budget
The EU is a prick. There’s nothing cool about it. Nothing good. It’s corrupt and gay.
And MARXIST..
What a stunning contribution… you’ve given me a lot to think about!
Berlin ready to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine after elections, but with one condition, says Germany’s front-runner Merz
https://www.yahoo.com/news/berlin-ready-supply-taurus-missiles-114816716.html
Berlin has already, for years, nuked their own people and country.
BFD
It would have been better for Europe if all the soldiers from the winter of 1914-1915 had returned to their respective countries and hanged their leaders from the gallows.
The same here,,,
That would have been logical and just, but then the bell curve, i.e. IQ distribution reared its ugly head, and still doing so.