An ugly thought crossed my mind. I saw the pomp and circumstance that the King bestowed on

[Baitball Blogger]

Trump, and it made me question England's resolve to stand up to Trump. Then it occurred to me that Prince Andrew is prominently among the names that keep coming up in the Epstein files and emails. So, is it possible that England is about to bend the knee to Trump to beg a favor from him to hide the worse of the evidence against Andrew?

I do have to say, that never before in history has it been so easy to see how our lives are controlled by all these political power plays to hide personal wrong doing. And worse, how private money is used to create puppet masters with these provocateurs like Charlie Kirk. I heard a podcast from Candace Owen that made me think. What she said stuck, because she didn't attack the left. She said that Charlie was getting pressured from Netanyahu because Kirk was turning his opinion against Israel because of Gaza. She made it sound like Charlie was in a pickle because he already took the money. Add to that that he was having second thoughts on the pedophile issue. She didn't suggest a conspiracy theory, just that these were the issues that were dogging Kirk at the end of his life.

We live in such contemptible, corrupt times. But it has never been more clear to me that Trump wants to attack anyone who now goes against Charlie, not because he has any special emotional attachment to him, but because he needs more people to step up and take the money to take his place and continue stirring the pot. That is going to be hard to do if Kirk gets a true vetting for the things he said. They are going to try to martyr him to use him to create more like him.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Quite possible. The pictures of the Princess of Wales clearly sucking up to Trump and flirting with him

shocked me. Out of character for her.

She is professional and well mannered.
And does her job.

But she has some pride and character and has stood to bad people before.
Catherine must be taking one for the team.

So then I knew the UK must want something from Trump and want it bad.

[Ocelot II]

2. Prince Andrew has been more or less persona non grata with the royals for several years,

and his sleazy reputation and connection with Epstein is no secret in the UK. He no longer gets government funding, he can't use his rooms at Buckingham Palace, and he doesn't get government-paid security. His social media accounts were deleted, his page on the royal family's website was rewritten in the past tense, and his military affiliations and patronages were removed, and he also stopped using the style His Royal Highness. At this point there's not much of a reputation left to protect. So I don't think Andrew is much of a factor beyond the embarrassment that he already has been.

What's more likely to be going on is that Trump is being given the royal dog-and-pony show because the UK wants to stay in his good graces, and can use the royals' flattery to get it. They know Trump loves that shit, and it's probably all he needs from them to keep him happy. I'm just afraid he'll want even more gold bling than he's already tarted up the Oval Office with. Maybe he'll want the presidential limo adorned so it looks like Charles' royal coach. I'm sure he envies all the elaborate ceremony that surrounds the royals, but what he probably doesn't realize is that Charles has very little actual power. He, like the other European monarchs, is a figurehead, kind of a mascot. Sucking up to the King doesn't necessarily get him the love of Parliament, where the actual power lies. He probably also doesn't know that Charles' namesake and predecessor, Charles I, was executed by Parliament for treason.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Good synopsis.

Thank you.

[msongs]

4. uk does that same show for most heads of states who visit. insert visitor here... nt

[Baitball Blogger]

5. That's hopeful.

I heard he brought his own sheets. I bet it's his way of protecting his DNA. Might be a lot to uncover if a test can reveal any ongoing medical problems.

[msongs]

9. maybe covering his dna from crime scenes lol nt

[misanthrope]

6. I think it more likely they are afraid of Trump conspiring against them

They want to stay on his good side because they are afraid he will leave them in a lurch at the worst possible time. Which he is likely to do anyway without sufficient "tribute" from them.

[TommyT139]

7. Any pomp

...is because it is so pathetically easy to manipulate Trump.

Britain has had citizens freezing for the last few winters, and electric companies putting in prepay meters for homes and apartments. In other words, if you want to turn the lights on, make sure your meter is paid first.

The British economy is in big trouble, and if they can shave off tariffs just by pandering to his ego, have at it.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Not to mention that we haven't heard of any collection of british undocumented residents from ICE.

Can you imagine what would happen to England if they had to recover their displaced residents?

[TommyT139]

12. Good point!

I think there was a Irish citizen way back a couple months ago, but you are totally right.

[msongs]

11. coin meters for heaters have been around for decades nt

[TommyT139]

13. Is there a part of the US

...that has prepay meters for all household electricity? (Not specifically heat - those were two different examples -- pardon my writing.)

If so, I've been fortunate enough not to have been aware of this arrangement of public utilities.

[Skittles]

14. I remember meters in England when I lived there as a child in the 60's

so they are making a comeback?

[TommyT139]

16. Yes.

From Dec. 24, 2024 -- a cheery Christmas Eve article, I guess ---

"Prepayment meters could cost UK households third of income in winter"

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/dec/24/prepayment-meters-could-cost-uk-households-third-income-winter-energy-bills

[LeftInTX]

10. I always doubted that they were going to stand up to him.

[ananda]

15. Big question for me -- why do they care about Andrew?

We already know he's on the fucking list.

[Baitball Blogger]

17. Video evidence?

[ananda]

18. No, ai meant literally, why do they care?

It's coomon knowlege already.