this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2026
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Europe

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[โ€“] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Well, she got a point there. Terf Island ain't got it name for no reason.

I guess I dont have to explain the hypocrisy in her comment (just before it gets misunderstood)

[โ€“] Buffalox@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

Ensure women and girls are safe

Why not boys? Could have been included by writing children for instance. Sexist very much?

[โ€“] Johandea@feddit.nu 0 points 3 hours ago

Because sexism against boys and men is a-ok. Thanks feminism!

[โ€“] 9point6@lemmy.world 95 points 20 hours ago (4 children)

As much as this may well have happened, and is shitty if it did:

For those unaware, using the express as a source is like saying you overheard the news story from a racist loner in a pub

[โ€“] supamanc@lemmy.world 11 points 16 hours ago

It is true. It also happened like 15 years ago.

[โ€“] GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 6 points 15 hours ago

And yet Americans drink that shit up. It's always the express, the sun or daily mail.

[โ€“] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 21 points 20 hours ago

So very on brand for the Trump administration.

[โ€“] Denjin@feddit.uk 10 points 19 hours ago

Surprised they didn't mention princess Diana in the headline.

[โ€“] HowRu68@lemmy.world 49 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

Trashy US undersecretary, on trashy Xitter, showing a trashy newspaper, about " white trash". Really?^^

[โ€“] floofloof@lemmy.ca 24 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Counting on the Americans not to know the difference between a local council and the UK Government, I guess.

[โ€“] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 7 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (2 children)

Eeh, people from europe fail to understand the distinction between state and federal government in the US all the time - because why should they know, despite the nuance both systems at their heart are aspects of the US government. Broadly the same deal as the distinction between council and central government in the UK (assuming the express isn't making stuff up again)

[โ€“] grue@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

despite the nuance both systems at their heart are aspects of the US government.

Sure, just like how France's government is an aspect of the EU's government.

[โ€“] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz -1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

State governments are not aspects of the US government. The US government refers specifically to the federal government. It's called dual sovereignty or something to that effect. States governments are separate institutions with their own constitutions, and are for the most part independent (or at least were intended to be), although still subject to federal law.

The closest comparison would be like the parliaments of Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Technically their own countries ('states'), but subject to the agreements of the larger union (the federation or kingdom, depending on which nation).

Local councils in the UK have an equivalent in the US as well. States are generally divided into counties with their own governments, and most cities as well as some towns have their own metropolitan or municipal governments.

Granted, not even most americans, being ignorant, fully understand that there are multiple levels of government with different jurisdictions that they're subject to. That's why you see idiots fucking up state or local infrastructure when they're really mad at the federal government.

[โ€“] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

To quote wikipedia:

In the United States, state governments are institutional units exercising functions of government within the countryโ€™s federal system, alongside the federal government.

The idea that state governments, or county governments, aren't aspects of the US government is pretty absurd. They aren't part of the federal system, sure, but they are part of the government of the united states.

also gonna need a real big citation for this claim:

The US government refers specifically to the federal government.

People might sometimes use it to mean that, but the words themselves refer to the government of the united states, of which state governments are a big part.

... Honestly, are you american? Because one or the other of us has an excellent point about national identities and their role in understanding the US government, and I'm leaning towards your interpretation right now.

[โ€“] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 0 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

"Within the country's federal system" means, yes, the state governments are federated under one government: the federal government, which is a separate institution.

"Alongside the federal government," i.e. "exercising functions... alongside the federal government." Meaning they are separate institutions that operate parallel to each other.

The idea that state governments, or county governments, aren't aspects of the US government is pretty absurd. They aren't part of the federal system, sure, but they are part of the government of the united states.

You have that backwards. Read your own wikipedia quote again. State governments are part of the federal system, but not part of the federal government (which is the government of the United States).

USG stands for "US Government" and is an official term often used in international relations and diplomacy to refer specifically to the federal government of the United States. The "United States" as an entity refers to the federation of states, each of which has its own state government. The terms and conditions of dual sovereignty are defined in the US Constitution, and each state government is chartered by its own constitution which defines how matters of state governance run.

Yes, I'm american, and I've worked for the federal government in the past. Federal and state governments are separate organizations. Very little coordination or communication happens between them, even trying to do so would be difficult and only happens rarely, except for highly specified cases where there are typically established liaison staff (such as distributing funding from federal departments to state counterparts, or state and federal personnel cooperating on disaster relief efforts). But for the most part, they don't even work in the same buildings.

Also, this should be the most telling sign, but federal and state taxes are handled completely separately. Two separate filings for two separate taxes to two separate governments. Because federal and state governments are separate institutions with different functions albeit with overlapping jurisdictions.

[โ€“] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Maybe take a deep breath here:

First, I've never claimed the federal government and the state governments aren't distinct groups, hence the quote from wikipedia that expressly outlines that concept. So I'm just going to ignore everything you said in support of that, since... I agree.

Second, and please correct me if I'm wrong, it seems like you're honestly trying to make a case that state governments are not a part of the US government, based on a semantic argument that the specific term "the US government" refers exclusively to the US federal government. That seems... like you're going to need a whole lot more to support that position if that's the case. Again, I've never argued that they are a part of the federal government, just that they are a part of the governmental system of the united states and thereby the government of the US.

If this is indeed just about the specific language used instead of, say, the concepts in a discussion about people being unfamiliar with a topic thus getting the specifics wrong, then I do not care even slightly enough to keep arguing about this.

[โ€“] SARGE@startrek.website 2 points 18 hours ago

Tldr: Long winded way of saying "is he wrong to assume that?"

American here, I can assure you that the majority of the people around me have absolutely no idea about anything involving the UK government.

In the last month I have overheard two separate conversations in different states, asking if the UK has a "president", and at least one got the answer "no, they have a queen".

I'm not even sure most Americans are aware the queen died. I'm not sure how they could possibly have missed it, but our country is collectively under a rock, so...

I have heard many people over the years trying to argue US law for things happening in the UK.

I have had to inform a great many people that the UK includes Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most people have been surprised to find out Ireland isn't united as a single country.

Americans in general are not smart. Even less informed about anything that happens outside the US than I assume most people in the EU know about the US state Ohio.

[โ€“] GiveOver@feddit.uk 13 points 19 hours ago

He was suspended and later resigned. So at least we still have some semblance of consequences for politicians being a twat

[โ€“] nostrauxendar@lemmy.world 5 points 18 hours ago

Honestly the US can butt the fuck out of anything to do with other countries at the moment I think

[โ€“] doleo@lemmy.one 4 points 18 hours ago

Right, so the fact that the council leader is no longer employed there means the "diplomat" is advocating the UK ensure a similar fate for twitter? Cool, I'm on board.