Trump: Russia should be in the G7

[GeorgiaModerate]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

Its also a great way for Trump to get a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Russia was expelled from the G7 for its annexation of Crimea.  Let's see them give Crimea back to Ukraine, then we can talk about readmitting them to the G7.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Tbh with the G20, the G6/7/8 strikes me as kind of irrelevant nowadays.

It'd clearly be better to just have a half-dozen or so countries decide literally everything of consequence anywhere in the world.

We should give that a try.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

If economy was all that mattered, then why isn't China part of the G8/9?  This particular group was always about more than mere economic strength, but a largely shared vision of how the world should be.  When Russia was added to the G7 to make it the G8 it was for political reasons rather than economic anyway.

It would make more sense to add India than either Russia or China to the G7 if it was desired to bring it back up to G8.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

No. It isn't.

It might be a legitimate position for a pre-Trump Republican to take. But Trump himself is... tainted, when it comes to matters Russia-related. Perhaps he could recuse himself and let Pence make the Russia-related decisions?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Yeah, but where are the emails?

#NeverForgetHerEmails

[DavidB.]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

No. It isn't.

It might be a legitimate position for a pre-Trump Republican to take. But Trump himself is... tainted, when it comes to matters Russia-related. Perhaps he could recuse himself and let Pence make the Russia-related decisions?

He's only "tainted" because of Democratic conspiracy theories by people who still cannot come to terms with the fact that Hillary ran a terrible campaign.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

No. It isn't.

It might be a legitimate position for a pre-Trump Republican to take. But Trump himself is... tainted, when it comes to matters Russia-related. Perhaps he could recuse himself and let Pence make the Russia-related decisions?

He's only "tainted" because of Democratic conspiracy theories by people who still cannot come to terms with the fact that Hillary ran a terrible campaign.

Yes noted Democrats James Comey and Robert Mueller are big-time conspiracy theorists.

[DavidB.]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

No. It isn't.

It might be a legitimate position for a pre-Trump Republican to take. But Trump himself is... tainted, when it comes to matters Russia-related. Perhaps he could recuse himself and let Pence make the Russia-related decisions?

He's only "tainted" because of Democratic conspiracy theories by people who still cannot come to terms with the fact that Hillary ran a terrible campaign.

Yes noted Democrats James Comey and Robert Mueller are big-time conspiracy theorists.

Let me put it differently.

Were there ties (whether direct or indirect) between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin? Probably.

Should these ties have existed? Probably not.

Did the FBI act appropriately if they investigated this? Absolutely.

Did any of this affect the actual election and its result? I strongly doubt it. Yet too many Democrats act as if this played a major role. It did not.

[ProudModerate2]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

No. It isn't.

It might be a legitimate position for a pre-Trump Republican to take. But Trump himself is... tainted, when it comes to matters Russia-related. Perhaps he could recuse himself and let Pence make the Russia-related decisions?

He's only "tainted" because of Democratic conspiracy theories by people who still cannot come to terms with the fact that Hillary ran a terrible campaign.

Yes noted Democrats James Comey and Robert Mueller are big-time conspiracy theorists.

Let me put it differently.

Were there ties (whether direct or indirect) between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin? Probably.

Should these ties have existed? Probably not.

Did the FBI act appropriately if they investigated this? Absolutely.

Did any of this affect the actual election and its result? I strongly doubt it. Yet too many Democrats act as if this played a major role. It did not.

Why are you (trying) to put so much emphasis on the "did any of this affect the actual election," part of your comment.
The most important aspects of why we should ALL detest the Orange Fuhrer is in the other points YOU have made. Your inability (and others who follow the GOP) to not see this is beyond belief.

[DavidB.]

Why are you (trying) to put so much emphasis on the "did any of this affect the actual election," part of your comment.

Because that's what matters.

The most important aspects of why we should ALL detest the Orange Fuhrer

This is where I stopped reading, sorry.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Can we try to not derail this thread into discussing the 2016 election and Russian effects on it?  There are plenty of other threads for that.

[Tender Branson]

Canadian PM Trudeau has handed a picture to Trump today, showing the brothel that Trump's grandfather operated in Canada once:



https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/06/08/justin-trudeau-gives-donald-trump-a-photo-of-the-brothelhotelbar-friedrich-trump-owned-in-canada

[ProudModerate2]

The most important aspects of why we should ALL detest the Orange Fuhrer

This is where I stopped reading, sorry.

Oh ... I am so sorry I hurt your little eyes.

[Dereich]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

Putting aside the usual Trump-Russia issues, I'm not sure "Russia is a major economy and should be included" is a legitimate argument. Russia would easily be the smallest country by GDP in a renewed G8. If Trump was just looking to add to the G7 India, Brazil, and South Korea all make more sense as they add the same (or more) economic value as Russia while not clashing as much with the group's liberal democratic principles.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I'm on the fence on this issue, but perhaps those who oppose this can start understanding that this is a legitimate position for Trump to take, given that Russia is still a major economy?

Putting aside the usual Trump-Russia issues, I'm not sure "Russia is a major economy and should be included" is a legitimate argument. Russia would easily be the smallest country by GDP in a renewed G8. If Trump was just looking to add to the G7 India, Brazil, and South Korea all make more sense as they add the same (or more) economic value as Russia while not clashing as much with the group's liberal democratic principles.

"Russia is a geopolitical power with many interests" is an argument that makes more sense, in any event.

[DavidB.]

Putting aside the usual Trump-Russia issues, I'm not sure "Russia is a major economy and should be included" is a legitimate argument. Russia would easily be the smallest country by GDP in a renewed G8. If Trump was just looking to add to the G7 India, Brazil, and South Korea all make more sense as they add the same (or more) economic value as Russia while not clashing as much with the group's liberal democratic principles.

I'm not necessarily opposed to adding these countries either, I guess. And which liberal democratic principles are we talking about? It's not as if Moscow could even remotely be considered to be a liberal democracy before they invaded Crimea.

[ProudModerate2]

Idiot-In-Chief doubles down on wanting Russia back into the G7 ...

"I think it would be an asset to have Russia back in," Trump said during an impromptu press conference at the summit. "I think it would be good for the world. I think it would be good for Russia. I think it would be good the United States. I think it would be good for all of the countries of the current G7. I think the G8 would be better."

[ProudModerate2]

.... And the Orange Clown blames Obama for Crimea's annexation by Russia (what!).
LOL. Here is what he said:

"You'll have to ask Obama, because he was the one that let Crimea get away."
"He allowed Russia to take Crimea. I may have had a much different attitude."

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Putting aside the usual Trump-Russia issues, I'm not sure "Russia is a major economy and should be included" is a legitimate argument. Russia would easily be the smallest country by GDP in a renewed G8. If Trump was just looking to add to the G7 India, Brazil, and South Korea all make more sense as they add the same (or more) economic value as Russia while not clashing as much with the group's liberal democratic principles.

I'm not necessarily opposed to adding these countries either, I guess. And which liberal democratic principles are we talking about? It's not as if Moscow could even remotely be considered to be a liberal democracy before they invaded Crimea.

Russia was added back in the late 90's when it looked like they were headed that way with the intent of keeping them on that course. It proved about as successful as the premature inclusion of China in the WTO. Incidentally, if China weren't in the WTO, Trump could have acted directly against Chinese dumping onto the world economy of their excess steel and aluminium production. Still doesn't mean it would have been a good idea, but at least we wouldn't be irritating our allies.

But it sounds like you want to add a bunch of countries to the G7 so that they total around 20 or so to talk about economic matters. A shame no one else has thought of something like that.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Canadian PM Trudeau has handed a picture to Drumpf today, showing the brothel that Drumpf's grandfather operated in Canada once:



https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/06/08/justin-trudeau-gives-donald-trump-a-photo-of-the-brothelhotelbar-friedrich-trump-owned-in-canada

That's one hell of a metaphor.

[Fuzzy Bear]

.... And the Orange Clown blames Obama for Crimea's annexation by Russia (what!).
LOL. Here is what he said:

"You'll have to ask Obama, because he was the one that let Crimea get away."
"He allowed Russia to take Crimea. I may have had a much different attitude."

It would not have been in America's interest to interfere in this matter.

There are legitimate questions as to the legitimacy of Ukraine's current government, which is the result of a pro-Western coup.  The Crimea annexation is, in part, a response to this, but it is also, in part, a result of a majority of Crimeans wishing to be part of Russia.  I'm not real keen on this 1930s-style resolution of the issue, but I'm also not a big fan of the kind of expansion of NATO that has expanded in ways America explicitly promised Russia in the 1990s would not happen.

I am somewhat torn about Trump's course here.  I am not a Free Trader, and I do believe that we ought to have a cost-benefit analysis of our entangling alliances, but I do agree with the idea that while we should not have this massive interventionist foreign policy that seeks to spread democracy worldwide, it is true that our most stable and enduring allies are the democracies of the world.  The Europeans aren't pulling their weight in our alliance, but we have far more in common with these nations than we presently do with Russia.  On the other hand, we DO have much in common with Russia, including common enemies. 

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Its not the time, but sooner than later they should. They broke into DNC cyber system