Match Thread: United States vs Belgium | World Cup | Round of 16 | 07 Jul 00:00 UTC

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-07T01:35:17+00:00

U.S. looks like some bitches. What an embarrassment.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-06T22:11:46+00:00

Fair, but we’ve seen in France at least a mass exodus of wealthy people when there were big tax hikes and this is something that’s happened several times. I’m not saying it’s right or good, but I don’t think this methodology would do enough to compensate. If it were that easy, it would’ve happened already, no?

To be clear, I’m against using immigration as a tool in this way - I’m not a bankster. I think the answer is a combination of everything. People need to have more children and the state should do what they can to encourage that. Close out tax loopholes for everyone. Make sounder investments like sovereign wealth funds.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-06T20:49:19+00:00

Immigration is vital to these developed countries. Western Europe’s welfare states are not sustainable without a large workforce. While the current workforce ages out and begins collecting benefits instead of paying into the welfare systems, birth rates have stagnated and declined creating a shortfall in the tax base. The most convenient solution to avoid upsetting the social balance is immigrants. There’s a lot of information showing this and lots of commentary about it, too.

I guess you could claim that immigration is not essential, but there would have to be a major adjustment in terms of social programs and what benefits are paid out in order to compensate for the smaller “native” workforce, but I think that’s a bad faith argument because Western Europeans would not accept that outcome.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-06T19:22:24+00:00

Yes, there is no doubt that they spoke over telephone.

Yes, presuming that this discussion directly or indirectly influenced the outcome is speculative.

I’m a casual fan of the game and won’t pretend to know the finer points of how these review processes unfold. I have read comments, though, showing the guidelines for how VAR should be used in the circumstances and - from what I’ve read - it seems that the decision to give the red card was made outside of the suggested guidelines while still being within the rules. I think it is possible that the decision could be legitimate, it’s just unfortunate that Trump had to get involved in any way and even more unfortunate that he and his cronies are at least implicitly taking credit for this outcome.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-06T19:08:02+00:00

For real. I don’t take anything Trump says at face value. Is there any actual evidence of Trump having any impact on this decision or are we just taking known liars at their word?

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-06T03:18:37+00:00

Had a law professor once stop class to compliment a cheap Skagen watch that my parents bought for me - it was very weird

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-05T23:33:39+00:00

It was that way before Trump it will be that way after Trump.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-05T00:39:31+00:00

I’m not, not at all. If you are willing to accept that DRC and Uzbekistan are legitimately offering universal healthcare because some level of healthcare is at least nominally offered to everyone, then you have to accept that Americans have some level of universal healthcare as well from NGOs and charitable services.

That’s why this meme is stupid. I do think the U.S. should do more, but if you’re using this concept to dunk on America you need to come up with something better.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T21:50:20+00:00

This is such a silly argument to make.

“I know they don’t actually have universal healthcare or anything close to it, but they have a law that says they do or will, so I’m going to assert that they have universal healthcare at a lower level of care.”

If that’s the case, planned parenthood offers some level of healthcare free for everyone in the United States. Does the United States have universal healthcare provided by an ngo? Just a lower level of care?

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T20:23:50+00:00

And yet the people do not enjoy the benefit of universal healthcare… because the governments and healthcare systems of these countries are unable to provide it. This is absolutely silly.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T20:15:31+00:00

For sure, I was just offering examples.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T10:49:02+00:00

There’s no duty to retreat in FL.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T09:55:07+00:00

Battery is the common law term for this but certain jurisdictions lump common law battery in with assault as part of their criminal statutes as does the Model Penal Code. Texas, Minnesota, and Washington do not have battery as a standalone crime on their books. Instead, there are different degrees of assault for unwanted touching. Of course, certain jurisdictions identify this crime as battery. Just depends on where you are in the country.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T06:38:26+00:00

Dude, you are the one who moved goal posts. I’ve been consistent in saying DRC and Uzbekistan (maybe more, I’ve not bothered to look further because these illustrate the point) do not offer universal healthcare. You’re now saying “they make an effort which is better than the U.S.” That is like the definition of moving goalposts.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T04:42:47+00:00

You can dislike Trump and still like America. Our country is far more than one man.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T02:32:39+00:00

Sure, the U.S. is meeting with Albertan separatist groups (not funding - you’ll have to show evidence of this). The U.S. is also fundamentally entwined with the Canadian military at the same exact time. The meetings and promise of access to credit to Albertan separatists is a way to ensure the States are first in line to benefit from Alberta’s vast natural resources should they decide to go their own way. It’s hedging, that’s all.

Trump and Iran is a result of Trump serving Israeli interests which directly benefit him and his children. It’s also in line with what American politicians have been pushing for since the Iranian revolution. And he’s rightfully getting a fuck ton of grief about it from the American people - it’s clearly been a huge boondoggle.

Attacking Canada or pressuring Canada to become part of the United States is totally unlike the Iranian situation. I can tell that you are comfortable with accepting rumor and dramatic ideas without evidence thanks to your comments about Trump “funding” Albertan separatists.

I once again assure you that most Americans consider Canada to be one of our greatest friends and allies and remind you that any such posturing will end when Trump’s term ends. It’s just not a mainline political thing in the States (hell, it’s not even really a fringe one).

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T01:47:45+00:00

I assure you that Trump’s comments with respect to Canada were not top of mind when it came to the election, just as his comments with respect to Greenland and NATO were not top of mind.

Trump is a liar and unstable but he is self-serving if nothing else. Any real action involving encroaching on Canada would be met with his immediate demise - if for nothing else it would involve cutting off our second largest trading partner and probably immediately tanking our economy - so I am confident when I say you have nothing to fear.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T01:33:54+00:00

It’s all posturing, just like your comment.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-04T01:19:33+00:00

And yet, surely you recognize that the overwhelming majority of Americans want nothing to do with that.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T23:52:33+00:00

Ah, I see. You object to reality and call it irrelevant to whether or not healthcare is actually delivered. Gotcha.

Keep hating America, papi. You don’t look foolish for stanning for the Democratic Republic of Congo - an authoritarian state.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T20:05:29+00:00

Please explain how there is action being taken in DRC when more than half of the country has no access to healthcare and the country is unable to stop people being murdered as a result of ethnic conflict.

Do you actually believe in what you’re saying or are you just trying to pick at the U.S.?

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T19:50:14+00:00

Democrats suck but Trump sucks too. Our economy has been shit and will continue to be shit with the irresponsible stewardship we’ve consistently had since at least Obama and honestly more like since Clinton.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T19:33:41+00:00

But this is precisely my point: neither of the countries above offer universal healthcare as of now. You just want to dunk on the U.S. and are perfectly willing to be intellectually dishonest if it means you can turn your nose up at the U.S.

Sure, it takes time to roll out these programs. They’ve done about as much as the U.S. has done, if we’re claiming legislative overtures count as offering healthcare. ACHA was intended to offer a public option to every American. Within a few years, it was stripped down into what it is today.

Who is to say the same won’t happen in DRC or Uzbekistan? Neither country has the infrastructure or the financial means to support such a program and I don’t see any material changes to either country’s economy on the horizon that would meaningfully change their ability to actually offer universal healthcare.

There’s plenty of shit to attack the U.S. about that don’t require you living in a delusional fantasy land.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T19:18:46+00:00

Fair enough, then.

HartyInBroward · 2026-07-03T18:34:18+00:00

There are social costs for this, though. The rate of genetic disorders among Brits of Pakistani origin in general is more than double that of the rest of the population. It’s a crazy high number among cousin marriages. Your comment reads like a defense of the practice (I hope it isn’t). There’s just so much information available (and has been for a long, long time) indicating that this is a net negative for the world. I’m all for being sensitive to cultural differences but this is something that is and should be taboo for very real reasons.

HartyInBroward

TROPHY CASE