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As inflation continues, Govt says no to price caps and yes to spending more on Ukraine military

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar were speaking in Limerick today.

THE CABINET WILL not bend to calls from opposition benches for energy price caps to be introduced in order to cushion the cost of living crisis, because doing so would carry too much of a “risk” to the economy, the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told cash-strapped business owners at a conference in Limerick that Ireland will not only continue spending tens of millions of euro on military aid to assist Ukraine defend itself against invading Russian soldiers, but it will likely increase its spending as the war continues.

Speaking at Thomond Park, the home of Munster rugby, the finance minister pledged that he would not drop the ball on Budget 2023, but he warned it would not be a panacea for the cost-of-living crisis.

Ruling out energy price caps in the Budget, Donohoe said:

Any measure that we bring in needs to be affordable and sustainable, and should not be a source of new risk, and we can see significant difficulties with a cap idea.

“You are in effect requiring the taxpayer to take on all of the cost regarding the price of something that is currently uncertain,” he said.

While Budgetary measures will “put money back in the pockets of people”, Donohoe said he would not drain the country’s funds surplus that has been built up due to the government “collecting more money in taxes than we are currently spending”.

“There will always be demands on us to do more and to spend more but we are in really uncertain times, we are dealing with a crisis caused by a huge war in Europe and we cannot be sure who long this will go on for,” Donohoe said.

“This is why we want to ensure that we have the ability to continue to respond back throughout 2023, if things get more challenging or if we have to deal with new risks,” he added.

The Tánaiste acknowledged “people are worried and are seeing their incomes eroded by high prices” but he promised, “they will see on (Budget) Tuesday a very significant intervention by government to help people and families with the costs of living, (they) will see the results of that within weeks, but it wont just be one-off measures, there will be help throughout next year”.

Ireland has, so far, spent €55m on military aid for Ukraine – however, Varadkar said spending for Ukraine will be likely to increase as Ireland plays its part in helping Europe spend its way out of the energy crisis caused by Russia by funding the Ukrainian defensive.

“Yes support for Ukraine will continue – if anything, it will increase – let’s not forget that part of the reason we are facing this cost-of-living crisis is because Vladimir Putin is using energy and food as a weapon of war,” said Varadkar.

“If we don’t help Ukraine, it won’t stop there: I guarantee you (Putin) will threaten other countries, he will threaten more of his neighbours and that will result in a greater risk of famine around the world and a greater energy crisis for the rest of Europe, so we absolutely have to stand by Ukraine – it is not just their war, it is ours as well.”

Varadkar told reporters Ireland would provide asylum to Russian citizens, including those who flee conscription to Putin’s army.

“Yes, so the way it would apply for any Russian person who is fleeing Russia is like anyone (else), they have the right to apply for international protection, and if they make an application it will be considered, and if their story stands up, they will be granted international protection, and if it doesn’t, then it won’t,” Varadkar said.

“The same rules that would apply to anyone (else) would apply to Russian citizens, so, those fleeing Russia have a right to apply for international protection, they don’t necessarily have the right to get it, it has to be assessed and their story has to be checked out,” he added.

Responding to reports on Saturday of a row brewing over healthcare spending, and concerns that the Budgetary package would leave little money for plans to expand free contraception for women, building a state-funded IVF service, or further reducing or eliminating hospitals charges, the Tániaste said that while “negotiating the health budget is always a real challenge every year”, it was “absolutely the intention of the government to extend (free contraception) to women over 24”.

However he continued: “But I should say that new scheme has only just been introduced in the last few weeks so I wouldn’t expect that it will be expanded in January or February (2023), but certainly through the course of next year”.

“You’re going to see significant increase in the health budget next year, you’re going to see more money for more staff and development – will it be everything we would like to do, no, but unfortunately that will never be possible,” he added.

The Tánaiste told a conference of invited small to medium business owners they would not be forgotten in Tuesday’s Budget: “We are not going to allow viable businesses go to the wall during this period of high energy prices which hopefully won’t last too long, although we need to plan for the possibility that it might be prolonged.”

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    Mute KTH
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:41 PM

    Donald Trump pardoned Jared Kushner’s father last time, and now appointed his pardoned father as the French ambassador…
    So no, he was not wrong.

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    Mute Stephen
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:42 PM

    @KTH: Or they’re both wrong.

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    Mute KTH
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:45 PM

    @Stephen:
    Jared’s father…In 2005, he was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering after hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, arranging to record a sexual encounter between the two, and sending the tape to his sister
    Hunter Biden, incorrectly filled out a form and failed to pay his tax on time (because he was addicted to crack cocaine)

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    Mute Don't Forget
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:47 PM

    @Stephen: If Biden Jr. would be treated fairly then I don’t see Biden Sr. pardoning him. He’s right that he’s targeted particularly because it’s his son that wouldn’t happen to another person. The Republicans are outraged because only they get to pardon criminals and believe the law only applies to others.

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    Mute Stephen
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:48 PM

    @Don’t Forget: So, both wrong. Pardons shouldn’t exist.

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    Mute Stephen
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:52 PM

    @KTH: Still broke the law. Both wrong. ( And if it was Joe Soap in Ireland addicted to crack cocaine you wouldn’t be standing up for him ).

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:04 PM

    @Stephen: That’s the issue really and noone is talking about that. Very easy for Biden to consider a failure to pardon as tantamount to locking his son up himself. Ridiculous position to be in.

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    Mute Any Name
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:08 PM

    @KTH: so two wrongs make a right??

    Take off your anything but Trump glasses for one minute and look at the pardon on its merits….it was completely and utterly wrong to issue him a pardon especially as he had categorically stated he would not issue a pardon to his son on multiple occasions.

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    Mute Any Name
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:10 PM

    @KTH: you’re simply an anti Trump individual and no doubt raging Trump won the election.

    18
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:14 PM

    @Any Name: Take off your anything but Biden glasses for one minute. Trump has done just as bad if not worse. And you know it.

    17
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    Mute Pat O'Shea
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:48 PM

    @KTH: Ridiculous comment….both are wrong full stop. A disgraceful move on Biden’s part- he is a complete hypocrite on so many levels. When will the people of Ballina get rid of the Joe Biden mural? It’s extremely embarrassing at this stage. The whitewashing of this guy’s record, particularly over the last year has to stop.

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    Mute Mary.E.
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:53 PM

    @KTH:
    Donald Trump has said that he intended to pardon all the Capitol riot criminals.
    He intends to pardon himself from his own convictions,and many of his other.cronies.
    He is the last person who has any right to comment.
    Trump is only raging because he would have fixed it to make sure Biden was given a severe sentence,while him and his cult escaped justice.

    .

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    Mute Any Name
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    Dec 4th 2024, 6:35 PM

    @Louis Jacob: if you’re a pro Biden supporter enough said! Man was deemed incompetent to run for President but is mentally competent to continue to act as it(he’s been a mere puppet for several years). Looking forward to January

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 6:53 PM

    @Any Name: Read my comments. I cant stand Biden.

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    Mute KTH
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    Dec 5th 2024, 12:30 AM

    @Any Name: @Stephen @Pat O’Shea…
    @Stephen, where did I say I was standing up for Hunter? My opinion that I was asked for, is that Joe is not wrong.
    @Any Name, two wrongs don’t make a right, no, they make it even…
    Hahaha “anti-Trump glasses” I don’t need glasses I’ve 20/20 vision…
    “Completely and utterly wrong” PMSL “categorically stated” ROFL, Trump never said something that wasn’t true? LOL
    “Anti-Trump, raging he won the election” blah blah blah, I’ll make a nice latte from all of your cultists tears in the morning,
    Hahaha,
    I’ve never in my life seen so many people so angry anywhere when person B does what person A did, and knowing person A will do it again soon, but much worse.
    Sad bunch of people.
    Hahahaha :)

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    Mute Sam Walsh
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    Dec 5th 2024, 3:26 PM

    @KTH: Two wrongs don’t make a right. The fact of the matter is Biden has been saying that he would never abuse his power, and that he is not above the law… he’s a hypocrite!

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    Mute John K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:05 PM

    The real issue for me is the blatant lies by Biden, he and his press officer were explicitly asked multiple times if he would pardon his son and multiple times confirmed no, stating no one is above the law. Clearly this lie was just to avoid abuse-of-power questions during the election.

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    Mute John Fagan
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:11 PM

    @John K: One rule for the rich. Same as everywhere.

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    Mute Alan
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:50 PM

    @John Fagan: Biden was one of the poorest members in the US senate, and came from a working class area of Delaware, he’s hardly rich nor his son

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    Mute morgan crowe
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:59 PM

    He was always going to wait until his presidency was nearly over to pardon his son..he was never going to do it at the start of his term as it would be constantly thrown at him everywhere he went.in fairness i think most parents would do the same.

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    Mute Dere
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:54 PM

    @morgan crowe: well his son was knee deep involved in the cesspit that is Ukraine following Natos rainbow revolution in 2012….look where we are know, closest time in history to nuclear war….military industrial complex should give him a medal of honor for bulging their revenue.

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    Mute Philip Gerard (Philip Gerard)
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:03 PM

    @Dere: that would be true if it weren’t a lie with no basis in fact or evidence despite multiple investigations.

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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:35 PM

    @Philip Gerard (Philip Gerard): its a fact, it’s not even disputed. In April 2014 Hunter joined the board of Burisma earning an estimated 50,000 per month. What is disputed is why he got that job, was it because his dad was the vice president of the US? Seems more likely than this crackhead being considered the most qualified and capable person for the job.

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    Mute Alan
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:52 PM

    @Dere: more Russian propaganda as usual from you. I heard Moscow is nice this time of year

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    Dec 4th 2024, 8:00 PM

    @Alan: yawn….is that the go to slogan for the ignorant

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    Mute Gearoid MacEachaidh
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:20 PM

    Of course he was. But every president has used pardoning powers, so I can see why he did it. Hate the game, not the player.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:26 PM

    @Gearoid MacEachaidh: word

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    Mute Mick O'K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:22 PM

    @Gearoid MacEachaidh: every president (I believe) has used the official pardons office to process pardons. Biden however jn this case has not. He lied about the pardon, his administration lied about the pardon. The pardon is dated back to January 2014 also. Joe is covering his own back. Which ironically may bite him in the a$$, if he is charged with any financial crimes Hunter will be forced to testify against his father. Due to his pardon he will not be able to plead the 5th

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    Mute Eric Gaffney
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:22 PM

    All the way back to January 2014. Nothing to see here.

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Dec 4th 2024, 6:54 PM

    @Eric Gaffney: Will he also save the woman who tried to help him so much. “The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the former president on Tuesday, ordering adult film star Stormy Daniels to pay $121,972 in legal fees for a failed defamation suit.”

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    Mute Ned
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:20 PM

    Put yourself in Biden shoes who lost two children already and didn’t want to lose another, so what would you do lad??
    Sure it’s grand you and your ilk to pass judgement from your ivory towers, go give your head a shake.

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    Mute Mick O'K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:24 PM

    @Ned: he refused to acknowledge Hunters daughter until she was 7, he isn’t the family man you think

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    Mute Pat Herlihy
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    Dec 6th 2024, 7:15 PM

    @Ned: What would be the alternative? Let his son suffer under a Trump administration?

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    Mute John Boyle
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:13 PM

    Don’t comment on this platform for the will only delete it the don’t like the truth.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:10 PM

    No he’s not wrong
    Give trump something to get upset about

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    Mute Pat Herlihy
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    Dec 5th 2024, 6:00 PM

    @Marc Power: yes

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:46 PM

    Of course he was. I would have done the same though. It’s his son and Biden’s ambition is a huge factor in his potential in his potential incarceration. I think he chose the evil he could better live with. No point in being a chump.

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    Mute Mick O'K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:24 PM

    @Louis Jacob: he didnt a knowledge Hunters child until she was 7, even then she’s not sloped use the Biden name. He could give a rats about family

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    Mute Setanta O'Toole
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:35 PM

    @Mick O’K: few pints Mick?

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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:44 PM

    @Mick O’K: any chance of saying that coherently?

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    Mute Mick O'K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 7:39 PM

    @Setanta O’Toole: wasn’t wearing me specs

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    Mute Mick O'K
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    Dec 4th 2024, 7:39 PM

    @Michael Burke: none

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    Mute Frank O'Hara
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:20 PM

    Just have the balls and the intellectual honesty to condemn it Larry and leave aside your partisan biases. Hunter Biden literally videoed himself smoking crack while using the firearms that he acquired by lying on his licence application forms. Hunter is also a serial tax cheat whose tax evasion goes back to at least 2012. Joe Biden said when he was still in the race for re-election a few months back that he wouldn’t pardon his son as a matter “fairness” and “equality under the law” and now he’s completely backtracked. He kept attacking Donald Trump back in 2020 for pardoning his allies but he’s just gone an exposed his rank hypocrisy for the world to see.

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    Mute Mic JHintl
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    Dec 4th 2024, 5:19 PM

    As a father I would say he was correct. As a politician he most definitely was wrong. He set a precedent for the Republicans to do as they please without possibility of criticism as they now have a standard set by democrats. It shows how corrupt American politics is.

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    Mute Mary.E.
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    Dec 4th 2024, 6:03 PM

    @Mic JHintl:
    Trump has pardoned more people than anyone else
    He now has a full list of people he wants to pardon including himself.
    He has set the standard not President Biden.

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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Dec 4th 2024, 10:37 PM

    @Mic JHintl: They have a fantastic track record on this already

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    Mute Finbarr Norris
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    Dec 17th 2024, 1:04 PM

    @Mary.E.: Not true, Trump isn’t even in the top 5 when it comes to pardons. Check it out, Democrats are top of the table.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:20 PM

    My real issue with Biden is that he ran atall considering he knew his fragile drug addict son would be heavily in the firing line. The guilt must be overwhelming. Same goes for Don Jr, except we all know Trump doesn’t give a rat’s arse about him.
    Tells you everything you need to know about these men and their reckless ambition
    Even Cheney pulled out of a Republican primary because he found out his daughter was a lesbian and he wanted to protect her.
    Say what you want, but that’s what a real man does.

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    Mute Andrew Harrington
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:46 PM

    YES!

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    Mute sean weir
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    Dec 4th 2024, 3:47 PM

    Yes

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    Mute John Boyle
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    Dec 4th 2024, 4:09 PM

    The laws in America

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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    Dec 4th 2024, 10:36 PM

    The US is a cesspit and he choose wisely nothing worse than an unhinged incoming administration who will provide maximum hilarious news headlines

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