Steven Sarens
@stevensarens.bsky.social
European liberal democrat (as in "liberal democracy") 🇪🇺
The Five Pillars of liberal democracy are 1 | Free & Fair Elections, 2 | Separation Of Powers, 3 | Rule Of Law, 4 | The Civil Liberties, and 5 | Non-discrimination against non-antropogenic personal attributes
September 4, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The Five Pillars of liberal democracy are 1 | Free & Fair Elections, 2 | Separation Of Powers, 3 | Rule Of Law, 4 | The Civil Liberties, and 5 | Non-discrimination against non-antropogenic personal attributes
After the US will have found its democratic bearings again, a united Congress will vote the TEGSARA (the Trump Era Grift Sanctioning And Recovery Act).
September 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
After the US will have found its democratic bearings again, a united Congress will vote the TEGSARA (the Trump Era Grift Sanctioning And Recovery Act).
One of the more uplifting prospects of GAI (General Artificial Intelligence) is that it will pretty soon do away with $100 million CEOs. But then there will be a new multi-million battle, about which competitor gets to have the best GAI CEO.
June 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
One of the more uplifting prospects of GAI (General Artificial Intelligence) is that it will pretty soon do away with $100 million CEOs. But then there will be a new multi-million battle, about which competitor gets to have the best GAI CEO.
One of the last things GAI will be able to understand is why people want to be wealthy beyond a level that provides for a comfortable life without having to work.
May 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM
One of the last things GAI will be able to understand is why people want to be wealthy beyond a level that provides for a comfortable life without having to work.
When judging the degree of development of a country, don't look at how its wealthy people live. Wealthy people live good in just about any country. No, look at how its poor people live.
May 20, 2025 at 11:28 AM
When judging the degree of development of a country, don't look at how its wealthy people live. Wealthy people live good in just about any country. No, look at how its poor people live.
In general, Europeans associate being wealthy with being morally bad, until proven otherwise, whereas Americans associate being wealthy with being morally good, until proven otherwise. That's why in the US money can quite literally buy you an election to office. In Europe, not so much.
May 14, 2025 at 2:38 PM
In general, Europeans associate being wealthy with being morally bad, until proven otherwise, whereas Americans associate being wealthy with being morally good, until proven otherwise. That's why in the US money can quite literally buy you an election to office. In Europe, not so much.
Does communism mean authoritarianism? Does capitalism mean democracy? Where do Europe or the US currently figure in this scheme? The theory of the "Political-Economic Wedge" may shed some light ...
May 13, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Does communism mean authoritarianism? Does capitalism mean democracy? Where do Europe or the US currently figure in this scheme? The theory of the "Political-Economic Wedge" may shed some light ...
Populists don't use statistics to sway voters, they use cases. Because no matter how outrageous your statistical claim is, you will always find an actually true case to "prove" it.
May 11, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Populists don't use statistics to sway voters, they use cases. Because no matter how outrageous your statistical claim is, you will always find an actually true case to "prove" it.
Multi-culturalism is an excellent idea, provided it consists only of cultures that appreciate multi-culturism.
May 1, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Multi-culturalism is an excellent idea, provided it consists only of cultures that appreciate multi-culturism.
"Terrorism" is - and only is - any planned act that aims to kill, maim, or otherwise physically injure random non-combatants that belong to a certain social group (nationality, ethnicity, religion, language, ...), or to destroy or damage their residential, communal, or utility infrastructure.
April 24, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"Terrorism" is - and only is - any planned act that aims to kill, maim, or otherwise physically injure random non-combatants that belong to a certain social group (nationality, ethnicity, religion, language, ...), or to destroy or damage their residential, communal, or utility infrastructure.
A liberal democracy should be open to all tolerant ideologies. To intolerant ideologies, not so much. Actually, it should fight them with all means available. Note that some religions indisputably qualify as intolerant ideologies.
April 20, 2025 at 6:06 PM
A liberal democracy should be open to all tolerant ideologies. To intolerant ideologies, not so much. Actually, it should fight them with all means available. Note that some religions indisputably qualify as intolerant ideologies.
The EU can only execute any coherent migration strategy if member states delegate the procedure for obtaining citizenship to the EU. That would also immediately end all golden passport schemes.
April 13, 2025 at 12:21 PM
The EU can only execute any coherent migration strategy if member states delegate the procedure for obtaining citizenship to the EU. That would also immediately end all golden passport schemes.
Christians and Muslims, they died together during October 1918 defending the sovereignty of a liberal democracy, France. Now forever, they rest together. Glory to the heroes.
April 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Christians and Muslims, they died together during October 1918 defending the sovereignty of a liberal democracy, France. Now forever, they rest together. Glory to the heroes.
Doesn't "The Land of the Free" mean that anyone who is on "The Land" (i.e. US territory) is free?
April 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Doesn't "The Land of the Free" mean that anyone who is on "The Land" (i.e. US territory) is free?
"We'll slap huge tariffs on you. If you don't retaliate, we'll reward you with lowering them a bit" is like saying "I'm taking your wallet. If you don't resist, you won't get hurt". That promise is NOT a favor, to be appreciated as a foundation for future amical encounters.
April 12, 2025 at 5:43 AM
"We'll slap huge tariffs on you. If you don't retaliate, we'll reward you with lowering them a bit" is like saying "I'm taking your wallet. If you don't resist, you won't get hurt". That promise is NOT a favor, to be appreciated as a foundation for future amical encounters.
It would seem that a necessary condition to the US ever again - even after Trump has gone - regaining the trust of its traditional allies is that it inscribes in its constitution the interdiction to annex territory.
April 12, 2025 at 5:17 AM
It would seem that a necessary condition to the US ever again - even after Trump has gone - regaining the trust of its traditional allies is that it inscribes in its constitution the interdiction to annex territory.
Reposted by Steven Sarens
The action figure Rambo was playing with as a child.
April 11, 2025 at 6:10 AM
The action figure Rambo was playing with as a child.
You know your democracy is under attack when after an election suddenly certain prosecutions are being dropped, without any change in the law that could account for that.
April 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
You know your democracy is under attack when after an election suddenly certain prosecutions are being dropped, without any change in the law that could account for that.
My graph on tariffs. Market starts at (P1, Q1). Trump slaps on tariff. Shifts the supply line of exporters up to the dash line. New equilibrium at a higher store price (P2). Also less goods consumed (Q2). Exporters also lose because their net price has dropped to P3, and they now sell only Q2.
April 10, 2025 at 11:37 AM
My graph on tariffs. Market starts at (P1, Q1). Trump slaps on tariff. Shifts the supply line of exporters up to the dash line. New equilibrium at a higher store price (P2). Also less goods consumed (Q2). Exporters also lose because their net price has dropped to P3, and they now sell only Q2.
The US is no longer "the greatest democratic experiment in history". That honour is now bestowed on the EU.
April 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The US is no longer "the greatest democratic experiment in history". That honour is now bestowed on the EU.
When Christian-nationalist Americans proudly claim their ancestors fled religious persecution in Europe, they really mean "religious persecution of Christian denominations akin to ours", implying they would likely have no qualms about any other religious persecution. On the contrary.
April 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
When Christian-nationalist Americans proudly claim their ancestors fled religious persecution in Europe, they really mean "religious persecution of Christian denominations akin to ours", implying they would likely have no qualms about any other religious persecution. On the contrary.
A lie is when a speaker states something as true whereas he/she does not believe it is true. So, a stated untruth is not a lie if the speaker believes it to be true. Then he/she is merely ill-informed. Technically you can even lie by telling the truth, if you believe it to be untrue. Complicated.
April 4, 2025 at 5:30 AM
A lie is when a speaker states something as true whereas he/she does not believe it is true. So, a stated untruth is not a lie if the speaker believes it to be true. Then he/she is merely ill-informed. Technically you can even lie by telling the truth, if you believe it to be untrue. Complicated.
In the often disingenuous discussion about who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, who is the attacker and who is the defender, who is the invader and who is the invaded, there should really be only one question: whose civilians are dying?
April 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM
In the often disingenuous discussion about who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, who is the attacker and who is the defender, who is the invader and who is the invaded, there should really be only one question: whose civilians are dying?
In a liberal democracy, the only payments allowed to government are taxes (voted by the legislative), remuneration of formal public services or products, e.g. bus fares, museum entree fees, or post stamps (managed by the executive), and fines and indemnities (ordered by the judiciary). That's it.
March 28, 2025 at 6:58 AM
In a liberal democracy, the only payments allowed to government are taxes (voted by the legislative), remuneration of formal public services or products, e.g. bus fares, museum entree fees, or post stamps (managed by the executive), and fines and indemnities (ordered by the judiciary). That's it.
A "constitutional crisis" is when two governmental powers apply the US Constitution but arrive at conflicting outcomes. That's NOT what's happening now! The executive power is simply ignoring the Constitution, and even trying to substitute it. This is an insurrection, aiming for a dictatorship.
March 27, 2025 at 5:08 PM
A "constitutional crisis" is when two governmental powers apply the US Constitution but arrive at conflicting outcomes. That's NOT what's happening now! The executive power is simply ignoring the Constitution, and even trying to substitute it. This is an insurrection, aiming for a dictatorship.