Well, it looks like Trump is messing up at the G7 summit, with his talk of imposing tariffs and his sermon that Russia, which has a smaller economy than Texas should be reinstated after being kicked out of the G8 for annexing the Crimea. At any rate, Trump is alienating key US allies with his insults, and confusing them by reversing his rhetoric by later claiming that eliminating all tariffs should be considered. This volatility, or mendacity, is what makes dealing with a dotard so dangerous. With Trump isolating the US from its closest allies, this summit has been described as G6+1, which reminds me of a catchy but rather silly song from about a decade ago:
Tweeting insults from the bowl like a dummy
Donnie got no poker game, just rummy.
D00ds that have to act like this got wee dicks,
And the summit will feel like a G6.
I don't think that next week's summit with North Korea will go any better, I just dread what song it may remind me of...
2 things:
ReplyDelete1.) I submit that Trump absolutely dominated the G7, showing up late, pissing on the other leaders, kissing up to Putin, throwing bombs and getting ALL the media coveral, ALL the time. As long as you understand that it was all for US Domestic consumption, you'll see all the bugs are features.
2.) Not to pick nits, but Russia's GDP is only smaller than Texas' if you do not include Crimea/Sevastapol. And however they came to accrue that income, accrue it they actually did...
Dominated... more like Dumbinated. I think he galvanized opposition to the US among allies, and that any benefits that accrue to him will evaporate when the fallout hits the MAGAts.
ReplyDeleteI can see how a liberal imperialist like yourself hates how Trump is, in spite of himself, sawing off the branch you're all sitting on.
ReplyDeleteAs an anti-imperialist who hates the empire and wants its total destruction, I'm enjoying everything Trump's doing.
OK, Mr. Bastard. If you choose to willfully fail to understand what he's doing and why, you can certainly do that. Not what interests me, and smart, thoughtful observers who are trying to see the overall contours of events.
ReplyDeleteSure, to YOU it looks 'dumb'. But you ain't the audience. He does this sort of thing because he's utterly transactional and zero-sum in everything he does. And everything is political - he's talking to Americans who believe his narrative and WANT him to punish our allies.
Trumpism is obviously dangerous and destructive. But to merely observe that is so, and then drop the mic is to state the obvious without learning anything. Ask questions. Destructive to WHOM? And why? And via what path? What are the potential outcomes, where do these moves on trade go next? What will happen when he's confronted with an economic downturn?
Tantrums are fun, but isn't there anything a little deeper you want to think about?