The last three courses. The chocolate covered dates were a joyous surprise. Lamb was excellent, but as always could have done with more garlic.

Best of luck, TG. Not that you need the affirmation from a random male on the ol’ internet but you got this!

As others have said, have a chat with him. Tell him how this makes you feel. How he responds will be the key. Hope it goes/has gone well.

Each of which would have their counterbalance. But the main counter for anything will be/needs to be the American people as a whole; who need to once again rally behind the founding principles & laws of the Republic. Only the people can stop absolutism.

I think that there are many steps towards that eventuality, of which annexation of Greenland is potentially one. What such an action will do is align the US with the de facto ideology of Russia and China in terms of foreign policy. There are many other steps that would need to be taken for WW3.

A not insignificant part of me truly feels he’ll do it, and that we’re all about to experience something similar to the political climate that was prevalent pre-1914: boisterous nationalism, webs of national alliances, arms races, territorial expansion, and gunpowder just waiting for a spark.

This sounds like the mechanisations of the Tea Goddess. Hope the burn wasn’t too severe.

If the US invades Greenland, NATO ceases to exist.

I’m not saying Trump and his court (for that is what it is) aren’t fascist, I think the term absolutist is better applied.

I think we’re seeing an attempt to bring American Absolutism to life.

Even in terms of economy there are comparisons. Louis left the state near bankrupt while he lived in coddled luxury, and the economic policies of Trump will do the same for the vast amount of Americans.

Trump is doing the same, even with the gaudy decoration of the White House and the new Ballroom; making it is Versailles.

He’a consolidated patronage, ignored or bypassed congress, and made the existing nobility (GOP, Democrats, whatever) subservient or powerless. Greenland and Venezuela add to it

Louis XIV consolidated his power and patronage around himself, he ignored the decision making bodies of the Estate General, made the existing nobility subservient to him. He undertook expansionism in costly wars. All symbolised by the Palace of Versailles and himself.

It’s called Absolutism.

Now, the label one could associate with Trump (besides ‘orange’) would likely be fascism. I’ve seen that ascribed to him, and in many ways that’s an apt fit. But in reading about Louis XIV I increasingly see parallels between the Sun King and Trump.

It’s interesting because as with all history it allows us to reflect on our modern times; learning lessons, offering solutions, managing expectations. That sort of thing.

Which bring me to Louis XIV and Trump.

Not all polities during this time succeed, of course, and some succeed better than others. The UK and France, for sure, Austria-Hungary not so much, Germany the stirrings of possibility, and Italy not at all just to give some generic examples.

Same.