4 ms·

Trump is un-necessarily provocative towards China, or is weak on China? Which is it?

by ppf 6y ago

dragonwriter 6y ago
You can be both unnecessarily provocative and weak in the same domain. Provocation and effective use of strength aren’t the same thing; just as you can “speak softly and carry a big stick”, so can you do the opposite.
- ppf 6y ago
  Maybe, but that depends if you think trade action against China, and drawing attention to the increasing oppression of the citizens of Hong Kong, is ineffectual. Do you have any proposals?
unfunco 6y ago
All bark.
- ppf 6y ago
  Any ideas for "bite", if trade sanctions aren't enough?
jacquesm 6y ago
I wouldn't immediately associate Trump with rational thought, there may not be an answer here that satisfies.
- ppf 6y ago
  Right, so somehow he navigated the entrenched political machine of Washington DC to become president, de-escalated and decreased American influence at various war-torn hotspots (this is a whole different debate, but IMHO withdrawing from hotspots that the US has largely helped create is only a good thing), implemented a number of quite successful US business and trade policies, and started healthcare reform in the form of transparent pricing laws, all while being an irrational, despotic lunatic?
  - jacquesm 6y ago
    Yep. And those that enabled him are just as guilty of putting a guy like that in a position of power. Or did you think he did this all by himself?
    - ppf 6y ago
      In case you missed it, that was a list of the upsides of the Trump presidency. He certainly hasn't done anything like turn 3rd world countries into slave-trading hellhole failed states. Wouldn't want someone like that in a position of power, would we?
      - jacquesm 6y ago
        You list a whole pile of things that when looked at slightly differently are net negatives and claim victory, and as for your last point, there is still a good 6 months to go, I wouldn't put it past him. Frankly, we all collectively should be downright ashamed of Trump being the leader of the most influential country in the world, the fact that this happened is a terrible strike against this particular form of democracy. The damage done will take decades to repair, and likely America's reputation in the world will never recover to the point that it was at before Trump pulled his coup of the Republican party.
      - ppf 6y ago
        "You list a whole pile of things that when looked at slightly differently are net negatives" Granted, but that's true of almost all of any politician's work. Kinda makes the point that it's not all bad, eh? "America's reputation in the world" - give me a break. Out here, in the rest of the world, we don't really care. America really isn't (or ever was) the bright shining light the world looks to.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

Trump is un-necessarily provocative towards China, or is weak on China? Which is it?

by ppf 6y ago

Trump is un-necessarily provocative towards China, or is weak on China? Which is it?

You can be both unnecessarily provocative and weak in the same domain. Provocation and effective use of strength aren’t the same thing; just as you can “speak softly and carry a big stick”, so can you do the opposite.

ppf 6y ago
Maybe, but that depends if you think trade action against China, and drawing attention to the increasing oppression of the citizens of Hong Kong, is ineffectual. Do you have any proposals?

unfunco 6y ago

All bark.

ppf 6y ago
Any ideas for "bite", if trade sanctions aren't enough?

jacquesm 6y ago

I wouldn't immediately associate Trump with rational thought, there may not be an answer here that satisfies.

ppf 6y ago
Right, so somehow he navigated the entrenched political machine of Washington DC to become president, de-escalated and decreased American influence at various war-torn hotspots (this is a whole different debate, but IMHO withdrawing from hotspots that the US has largely helped create is only a good thing), implemented a number of quite successful US business and trade policies, and started healthcare reform in the form of transparent pricing laws, all while being an irrational, despotic lunatic?
- jacquesm 6y ago
  Yep. And those that enabled him are just as guilty of putting a guy like that in a position of power. Or did you think he did this all by himself?
  - ppf 6y ago
    In case you missed it, that was a list of the upsides of the Trump presidency. He certainly hasn't done anything like turn 3rd world countries into slave-trading hellhole failed states. Wouldn't want someone like that in a position of power, would we?
    - jacquesm 6y ago
      You list a whole pile of things that when looked at slightly differently are net negatives and claim victory, and as for your last point, there is still a good 6 months to go, I wouldn't put it past him. Frankly, we all collectively should be downright ashamed of Trump being the leader of the most influential country in the world, the fact that this happened is a terrible strike against this particular form of democracy. The damage done will take decades to repair, and likely America's reputation in the world will never recover to the point that it was at before Trump pulled his coup of the Republican party.
    - ppf 6y ago
      "You list a whole pile of things that when looked at slightly differently are net negatives" Granted, but that's true of almost all of any politician's work. Kinda makes the point that it's not all bad, eh? "America's reputation in the world" - give me a break. Out here, in the rest of the world, we don't really care. America really isn't (or ever was) the bright shining light the world looks to.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]