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applegrove

(118,006 posts)
Mon May 13, 2019, 11:50 PM May 2019

Trump has no idea what he's doing

Trump has no idea what he’s doing

By Eugene Robinson at the Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-has-no-idea-what-hes-doing/2019/05/13/a3e6a626-75c0-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.81be15dcf446

"SNIP....


I know that he can be clever politically, in a tactical sense. I know that his lies are often both deliberate and effective. I know that his utter shamelessness can sometimes come off as some kind of warped genius. But the only thing that’s profound about Trump is the truly spectacular depth of his ignorance. As evidence, take a glance — if you dare — at your 401(k).

The president’s decision last week to unilaterally boost tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports produced an entirely predictable response — retaliatory tariffs from Beijing on $60 billion worth of U.S. products, a freakout by the financial markets and a screaming plunge in the Dow and other major indexes.

The administration’s trade talks with China had reportedly been going well and were supposed to be nearing an end. Trump accused the Chinese of trying to renege on concessions at the last minute, but the president’s history suggests otherwise. Veterans of the high-stakes world of New York real estate have told me about what they described as Trump’s standard negotiating practice — pitching some kind of fit at the very last minute, when the other party thought things were settled, in hopes of bullying his way to a better deal.

That might work with a subcontractor who doesn’t have the power to say no, or even with a fellow developer who vows on the spot never to do business with Trump again. But would any skilled negotiator think such a stunt would work with China, the world’s second-greatest economic power? Wouldn’t the Chinese government have to react in kind, if only as a matter of sovereign pride? And wouldn’t startled investors conclude that their fear of a serious trade war — the kind with no winners, only losers — had been realized?


.....SNIP"

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump has no idea what he's doing (Original Post) applegrove May 2019 OP
he only knows one thing. how to hold his base with hatemongering Demovictory9 May 2019 #1
Yup nt Nuggets May 2019 #11
The one thing trump is really good at is losing money. F. You those voters who made him president. rusty quoin May 2019 #2
He seems driven to generate catastrophes not fooled May 2019 #5
He is way in over his head. Running a world economy in the corrupt and inept way he ran emmaverybo May 2019 #3
Whoever the shitbag was that informed him that he, as president, could unilaterally impose tariffs, Mr. Evil May 2019 #4
tRump gets it in his warped brain that he's going to bully China Totally Tunsie May 2019 #6
It's not important if it damages the US. It sounds good to his base so it's a fine policy. Kablooie May 2019 #7
Trump was playing chicken and he lost crazytown May 2019 #8
Trump laid waste to the costs invested by our allies in the Iran deal. soryang May 2019 #9
I am dreaming of complete crash of stock market AlexSFCA May 2019 #10
Wow Nuggets May 2019 #12
Gosh. I am so looking forward to PoindexterOglethorpe May 2019 #13
The Susan Saradon thesis. applegrove May 2019 #15
The Republicans destroyed the economy in 2008 and the Obama administration rebuilt it, and the GOP tblue37 May 2019 #16
Okay Daenerys Storm Born of the House Targeryn, First of Her Name..... Dorian Gray May 2019 #17
I do dream of it, but it's more like a nightmare. Susan Calvin May 2019 #20
Plus who knows what mischief Putin is whispering in his ear? Grasswire2 May 2019 #14
Putin knows what he's doing Martin Eden May 2019 #18
THIS malaise May 2019 #19
I believe in cultural characterics, in a limited way. BobTheSubgenius May 2019 #21

not fooled

(5,791 posts)
5. He seems driven to generate catastrophes
Tue May 14, 2019, 12:45 AM
May 2019

and the tariffs provide him the opportunity to burn down the economy.

I think he was subconsciously casting about for some way to wreak havoc and now he's stumbled across it.

Gonna be bad.

emmaverybo

(8,144 posts)
3. He is way in over his head. Running a world economy in the corrupt and inept way he ran
Tue May 14, 2019, 12:31 AM
May 2019

his own businesses, playing with our national treasure, demonstrates an hubris we can ill afford. As usual, once he wrecks the economy for enough people to feel it, he will be out politically, leaving a Dem administration to clean up the mess.
He never had the skill set, temperament, or minimal qualifications for any aspect of his job description.
Eugene Robinson would better lead the country than this reckless clown.




Mr. Evil

(2,746 posts)
4. Whoever the shitbag was that informed him that he, as president, could unilaterally impose tariffs,
Tue May 14, 2019, 12:43 AM
May 2019

I hope they experience flaming, explosive diarrhea for eternity. All that new knowledge to him was nothing more than a bright shiny new object to play with. He has no clue how tariffs work or about their possible consequences and he could care less. It gives him a free pass to look and sound all gruff and tough to his pathetic, dumbfuck base. He is nothing but a total fraud.

Totally Tunsie

(10,885 posts)
6. tRump gets it in his warped brain that he's going to bully China
Tue May 14, 2019, 01:00 AM
May 2019

just as he did with his contractors, vendors and employees, but he's too cocky to realize he doesn't rule the world, and China isn't going to roll over for him. He can get away with it with his underlings, but now he's antagonizing another world power that doesn't have to cower to him.

The problem now is that he's not only playing with his enterprises and his future, he's playing with ours. We're not (quasi)billionaires. We need that money in our 401(k) accounts, and can't be susceptible to the pettiness and narcissism of our supposed leader interrupting, if not ruining, our finances.

tRump is playing the game; we're paying the penalty.

Kablooie

(18,571 posts)
7. It's not important if it damages the US. It sounds good to his base so it's a fine policy.
Tue May 14, 2019, 01:01 AM
May 2019

His only reason he does anything is to get cheers from his idiot followers.

soryang

(3,299 posts)
9. Trump laid waste to the costs invested by our allies in the Iran deal.
Tue May 14, 2019, 01:23 AM
May 2019

"No one can have any confidence that this administration has thought out a step-by-step plan for anything."

This applies to Korea as well. Three top South Korean foreign policy experts publicly commented (on the one year anniversary of the Panmunjeom Declaration), on the fact that the US never prepared a plan, a roadmap, they say is needed to outline a practical implementation of denuclearization in North Korea with tangible milestones and reciprocal measures to make it work, or at least present a reasonable basis for negotiation of such a plan. Instead the mere mention of a "step by step" process in denuclearization is publicly scoffed at by state department personnel and ignored by experts on VOA and other US media.

In the case of Iran and North Korea, the administration is in the process of feigning a willingness to negotiate while praying for regime change with the resultant chaos and security risks virtually certain to ensue. I recall reading one observer who noted that both Iran and North Korea were within the scope of important Chinese national interests, perhaps for differing reasons, and that both were subject to what is in essence US hybrid warfare in the form of sanctions, diplomatic isolation and propaganda campaigns for the additional purpose essentially of jeopardizing Chinese interests. These approaches are likely to backfire and severely damage the interests of not only our allies but US national interests as well.

AlexSFCA

(6,137 posts)
10. I am dreaming of complete crash of stock market
Tue May 14, 2019, 01:56 AM
May 2019

before 2020 election. A huge number of job losses and a recession bigger than in 2008 will obliterate republican party across the country. With democratic majorities in both houses and most state legislatures we can rebuild the country for the future. We can reform SC by dramatic expansion of number of justices. All of this possible if gop led by trump destorys US economy for good. I am willing to suffer for my kids future.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
13. Gosh. I am so looking forward to
Tue May 14, 2019, 02:14 AM
May 2019

losing most of my income and security. That will make my life so terrific.

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
16. The Republicans destroyed the economy in 2008 and the Obama administration rebuilt it, and the GOP
Tue May 14, 2019, 05:29 AM
May 2019

was not destroyed, but rather gained control of the government.

Susan Calvin

(1,644 posts)
20. I do dream of it, but it's more like a nightmare.
Tue May 14, 2019, 06:23 AM
May 2019

I'm not hoping for it, that's for sure. However, I do expect it . Unfortunately.

malaise

(267,784 posts)
19. THIS
Tue May 14, 2019, 06:18 AM
May 2019

But the only thing that’s profound about Trump is the truly spectacular depth of his ignorance.

BobTheSubgenius

(11,535 posts)
21. I believe in cultural characterics, in a limited way.
Tue May 14, 2019, 12:27 PM
May 2019

I don't believe they are necessarily racist, although they certainly can be. Definitely not in the case of an old, old adage like this one, told by themselves, so to speak.

"If a man doesn't prosper, then his son will. If not his son, then his grandson."

Does that sound like a group that would go into negotiations like these - or any negotiations - half-cocked and flighty? I don't believe for a moment they wound "renege at the last minute." They probably had every conceivable contingency planned for, and with Drumpf's history, I'd bet my house that the histrionics are all his.

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