Paul Krugman has coined a phrase which really encapsulates who -- or what -- Donald Trump is. Krugman writes that he's "a rebel without a clue." Nowhere is that more apparent than on the subject of trade:
Even as he declared himself Tariff Man, Trump revealed that he doesn’t understand how tariffs work. No, they aren’t taxes on foreigners, they’re taxes on our own consumers.
When trying to make deals, he seems to care only about whether he can claim a “win,” not about substance. He has been touting the “U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement” as a repudiation of NAFTA, when it’s actually just a fairly minor modification. (Nancy Pelosi calls it “the trade agreement formerly known as Prince.”)
Most important, his inability to do international diplomacy, which we’ve seen on many fronts, carries over to trade talks. Remember, he claimed to have “solved” the North Korean nuclear crisis, but Kim Jong-un is still expanding his ballistic missile capacity. Well, last weekend he claimed to have reached a major trade understanding with China; but as J.P. Morgan soon reported in a note to its clients, his claims “seem if not completely fabricated then grossly exaggerated.”
The world trading system now hangs in the balance. Trump claims his experience as a businessman has enabled him to understand world trade and to make deals. But Trump is no businessman. The only thing he has ever sold is his name. And that name has been exposed as a fraud.
The question is, how long will the world tolerate this fraud?
Image: splinternews.com
8 comments:
Trump is a malignancy. The Daily Beast recently reported on his reaction to White House aides who warned his tax cuts would create a deficit bomb for the United States. Trump's reaction, according to multiple sources was, "Yeah, but I won't be here." Hundreds of government scientists from 13 federal departments produce a 1,600 page National Climate Assessment. Trump's reaction, "Yeah, I don't believe it."
A president's prime responsibility is to protect the United States and the American people, not to sow the seeds of their ruin. Even that he does not understand and that is what makes him genuinely malignant.The only way he can accommodate his extreme narcissism is by making up his own reality and incessant outright lying.
Given the fact, Mound, that Trump ignores the most self evident of facts, it's remarkable that he's gone as far as he has. It says something about the people he's duped.
With Ford in 0ntario, i tend to shy away from making fun of American voters.
I understand, Willy. We, in Ontario, have also been making foolish choices.
.. Trump is interesting.. to me. Though I don't see him as a 'rebel' .. just as I don't consider Canada's parasitic Ezra Levant as a 'rebel'. Words & terms are important to me. I created a mental tool to guide or govern my writing.. and that tool essentially does not permit me to describe Donald Trump as a pig or dog. Thus I was tickled to see Mound's description in his blunt comment. 'malignancy' - In the past I've employed analogy or metaphor re Trump or snivelling partisan political animals - 'rats in the granary' is an example.. as there are old school solutions to such infestations.
Currently I am looking for ways to 'codify' when writing about Trump or Andrew Scheer, Mitch McConnell, Jason Kenney. And the context or gist of therir fabulism or rascism or ideologies deserve related codification.. ie pounding the same message about such parasites, political animals, frauds, menaces, grifters, liars etc. Some terms, adjectives, descriptors just work for me and for society or culture. Cancer frightens me and much of society.. and so it should. So the common terms regarding an insidious illness.. used whenever Trump is discussed seems a winner.
People fear parasites.. we don't want .. hell, we fear ticks, head lice, lamprey eels, blood suckers. They disgust us, horrify us.. can transmit disease to us or our families. Ringworm, ugh ! Eek ! 'Like an infestation by intestinal worms' - now there's an appropriate description or codifying of the GOP and Donald Trump.. I do hope I have not put 'gangrene' or its putrid stench in to the beginnings of your day... ! But I had a very tough week on many fronts.. and realizing I was feeling sorry for myself.. decide to use my mental tool to switch to feeling 'mischievous' .. its a wicked sharp tool.. I have another such tool, I share freely. When walking into snow driven by prevailing winds.. I pull out my special special Canadian tool.. and begin catching snowflakes on my tongue. It is essentially impossible not to smile with your tongue out..
Sincerely.. a 'rebel salamander with a slithey tongue'
You remind us, sal, that Canadians have always had the ability to smile in the face of adversity. It must have something to do with surviving in this northern climate. It's harder for parasites to survive in cold climates. Unfortunately, as the planet warms, we'll probably see more infestations of them.
.. you know, Owen.. its true. We do revert to a 'smile' - though it may be a 'grim smile' - we know 'smile' like the people of the deer' know snow. When people are lying to me, claim its raining while pissing on my leg, I may feign implacable indifference or suggest they are 'trying to snow the snowman' .. It does confound them.. I always 'take their number' .. As an old school farmboy.. its also an old hockey, football, basketball habit.. a cheapshot gets a 'receipt' - I can wait and wait.. but I will bring the hurt, & leave my number
Thus.. as a North American, I see Trump & Sean Hannity piss in our Great Lakes, or maritime waters, attack peoples, species, habitat, just as our 'public servants' Stephen Harper & Ray Novak did.. Both these 'smartest man in the room' narcissists have their sellout sucks delivering the infection or infesting our culture, society neighborhoods or homes.
Well, this dude does 'not abide' .. its a quiet simmering 'rebellion'.. and the receipt, the reaction, indeed the followup action will always arrive, probably when least expected, maybe at dawn.. a complete out of the blue thunderstrike.. rude crude & well deserved.. and ideally, others more outraged or capable will 'look after business' & I might 'abide' .. and put the pot 'back on simmer' ..
"Quiet and simmering." I think that's pretty accurate, sal. Canadians don't make heroes of their politicians. We admire them sometimes. But we never refuse to see their flaws -- whether they're Sir John A or Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
I've always enjoyed the Royal Canadian Air Farce -- perhaps because it takes the position that none of us are above laughter.
Post a Comment