I am shocked - but maybe not that shocked - that 39% of those polled support the US’s handling of Venezuela. This situation has had lies told to the public (the fake drug narrative), lies told to Congress (that no regime change was planned), an illegal invasion (no congressional approval), piracy (stealing oil tankers), kidnapping (of Maduro), and murder (over 40 deaths reported in the operation in Venezuela).
On top of that, Trump openly bragged that he’s going to send in American companies to extract Venezuela’s oil, and has threatened numerous other nations (Cuba and Mexico and Colombia and Denmark). America has lost all trust and reputation internationally in less than a year. Not to mention it’s obvious that there is a fraudulent scam here to enrich Trump and his buddies through colonialist resource extraction.
And yet something like half the country supports all of this.
toomuchtodo•1mo ago
First time? We win or we learn. This is America.
SilverElfin•1mo ago
Did we ever learn from losing? I’m reminded of this post I saw the other day about “juvenile civilizations”
My sense is that most people don't know what's going on even in normal times, or at best would have some vague idea that the word "Venezuela" is in the news but not be able to explain what's happening, so they interpret the question to mean either "Do you support President Trump" (30% do no matter what he does) or "Do you support the U.S. in this conflict against Venezuela".
Add to that the fact that most mainstream news and social media is now under the thumb of the administration and I have little hope of mass understanding of the recklessness of this move.
Even people who should know better, like Congress, the CEOs of some of America's largest corporations, and SCOTUS, seem to think this is a phase that will pass if they just wait it out.
I don't think the tide will turn until "average" Americans start feeling the pain intensely, which they haven't yet. For now it's just news happening in another part of the world.
SilverElfin•1mo ago
Fair point. But America is so powerful that it may not feel pain intensely for a very long time. Too much capital, military strength, and momentum. For now and for years to come, if our country is controlled by the wrong people, it can continue to damage the world.
As for the news and social media - agree. I was surprised that even the Washington post (if I recall) wrote in support of the raid. But it’s also bizarre seeing X listed in app stores as a “news” app, where it had climbed to the top spot in most countries. Considering it is overrun by far right types, I am not comfortable with where it is leading the world.
anonnon•1mo ago
I don't support it, but seeing the tankies get apoplectic over it is pretty sweet. Also the power flex and the indirect humiliation and undermining of both China AND Russia simultaneously is also pretty sweet.
rsynnott•1mo ago
> And yet something like half the country supports all of this.
It looks like 30-40%; at _this_ point people are likely seeing this as a proxy for "do you support Dear Leader, and all his works", rather than really a poll on Venezuela. If Trump ate a live baby on TV he'd still get like 30% approval on that act in polls.
That said, that may change if it gets messy. See Iraq War, public approval and subsequent disavowal of approval thereof. Very hard to find anyone who will admit to having supported that these days, but at peak about 70% of Americans polled did. That support for this Venezuela thing is _already_ so low is a fairly bad sign for it.
philco179•1mo ago
It's all nothing but a smokescreen, Venezuela, Greenland etc, no one is talking about Epstein/Trump files so in that respect he's achieved his aims. He could have done this at any time over the past year or so, timing is everything
SilverElfin•1mo ago
On top of that, Trump openly bragged that he’s going to send in American companies to extract Venezuela’s oil, and has threatened numerous other nations (Cuba and Mexico and Colombia and Denmark). America has lost all trust and reputation internationally in less than a year. Not to mention it’s obvious that there is a fraudulent scam here to enrich Trump and his buddies through colonialist resource extraction.
And yet something like half the country supports all of this.
toomuchtodo•1mo ago
SilverElfin•1mo ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46495773
toomuchtodo•1mo ago
krapp•1mo ago
hairofadog•1mo ago
Add to that the fact that most mainstream news and social media is now under the thumb of the administration and I have little hope of mass understanding of the recklessness of this move.
Even people who should know better, like Congress, the CEOs of some of America's largest corporations, and SCOTUS, seem to think this is a phase that will pass if they just wait it out.
I don't think the tide will turn until "average" Americans start feeling the pain intensely, which they haven't yet. For now it's just news happening in another part of the world.
SilverElfin•1mo ago
As for the news and social media - agree. I was surprised that even the Washington post (if I recall) wrote in support of the raid. But it’s also bizarre seeing X listed in app stores as a “news” app, where it had climbed to the top spot in most countries. Considering it is overrun by far right types, I am not comfortable with where it is leading the world.
anonnon•1mo ago
rsynnott•1mo ago
It looks like 30-40%; at _this_ point people are likely seeing this as a proxy for "do you support Dear Leader, and all his works", rather than really a poll on Venezuela. If Trump ate a live baby on TV he'd still get like 30% approval on that act in polls.
That said, that may change if it gets messy. See Iraq War, public approval and subsequent disavowal of approval thereof. Very hard to find anyone who will admit to having supported that these days, but at peak about 70% of Americans polled did. That support for this Venezuela thing is _already_ so low is a fairly bad sign for it.