Politics Japan and Trump 2.0

[Lothor]

What do you think would Britain's 'backbone display' to Trump look like? I'm really not sure what we can do.

When Trump does come over for his state visit, the British public needs to protest, mock and ridicule him as hard as possible and our security forces should ensure his motorcade passes through those areas of protest!

My answer would be that words from leaders are important – that's why the deranged ravings of Trump on social media are taken seriously. Starmer says nothing at all when the US trashes its relationship with Europe and imposes tariffs on its trading partners. Instead, he sidles up to Trump and simperingly hands over an invitation from the king. When countries are incapable of acting in good faith, like the US at the moment, you don't appease them. Something's badly wrong when even Japan, a country with a lot more to lose from standing up to the US and not known for speaking directly, is talking more assertively than Britain.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Interesting foreigners perspective on Trump.

Donald Trump Is a Good President, by Michel Houellebecq, Translated by John Cullen

One foreigner’s perspective

harpers.org

 

[mdchachi]

Interesting foreigners perspective on Trump.

Donald Trump Is a Good President, by Michel Houellebecq, Translated by John Cullen

One foreigner’s perspective

harpers.org

I'll read it when I get a chance later however note this article was written in 2019. And the source of the article is a provocateur to say the least.
"Our only hope of survival would be that white supremacy becomes 'trendy' in the United States."
I couldn't find any commentary from him about Trump since he got re-elected.

* UPDATE *
Ok I read the article. So basically he's happy about Trump weakening the U.S. from it's role as a superpower. And he doesn't address anything he did domestically. That's not a very glowing article. He also called Trump repulsive. That I can agree with.

Also according to this, he now says:
"I would not write the same article today as in 2018, because an event has occurred in the meantime: the attack on the Capitol. In my eyes, Trump has discredited himself and should have disappeared from political life."

 

[Ukigumo]

My answer would be that words from leaders are important – that's why the deranged ravings of Trump on social media are taken seriously. Starmer says nothing at all when the US trashes its relationship with Europe and imposes tariffs on its trading partners. Instead, he sidles up to Trump and simperingly hands over an invitation from the king. When countries are incapable of acting in good faith, like the US at the moment, you don't appease them. Something's badly wrong when even Japan, a country with a lot more to lose from standing up to the US and not known for speaking directly, is talking more assertively than Britain.

I think you're probably more willing to accept conflict than I am. Pi**ing off Trump would hurt Britain's poor people and not those with surplus money like me and many others. It's OK to show miscreants the error of their ways but if they refuse to see sense, you have to be willing to apply 'kesa uchi'.

Even if one encounters the greatest sinners, one should, with kindness, offer sermon and show them the path of good men. If the worst occurs and they do not conform then, without hesitation, apply kesa uchi and send them to Buddha!' - Kesa no Hitotachi no Seishin

 

[mdchachi]

I think you're probably more willing to accept conflict than I am. Pi**ing off Trump would hurt Britain's poor people and not those with surplus money like me and many others. It's OK to show miscreants the error of their ways but if they refuse to see sense, you have to be willing to apply 'kesa uchi'.

Even if one encounters the greatest sinners, one should, with kindness, offer sermon and show them the path of good men. If the worst occurs and they do not conform then, without hesitation, apply kesa uchi and send them to Buddha!' - Kesa no Hitotachi no Seishin

We're far beyond demonstrating the error of his ways. kesa uchi should have been applied years ago.

 

[Petaris]

What do you think would Britain's 'backbone display' to Trump look like? I'm really not sure what we can do.

When Trump does come over for his state visit, the British public needs to protest, mock and ridicule him as hard as possible and our security forces should ensure his motorcade passes through those areas of protest!

Could you just like, I don't know..., keep him maybe? Isn't there some dungeon under the tower of London that you could put him?

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Hot take-

I feel like all of you focus on the negative things about trump and don't focus on anything good he's done, like idk, tax cuts? Aren't adults always complaining about taxes?

 

[Lothor]

I think you're probably more willing to accept conflict than I am. Pi**ing off Trump would hurt Britain's poor people and not those with surplus money like me and many others. It's OK to show miscreants the error of their ways but if they refuse to see sense, you have to be willing to apply 'kesa uchi'.

Even if one encounters the greatest sinners, one should, with kindness, offer sermon and show them the path of good men. If the worst occurs and they do not conform then, without hesitation, apply kesa uchi and send them to Buddha!' - Kesa no Hitotachi no Seishin

The US and UK have huge amounts of poverty, despite mainly experiencing economic growth since the Second World War, so the correlation between GDP and the absence of poverty seems to be weak. Political decisions to privatise public assets, reduce tax rates for wealthy people and welfare benefits for the poor, and not to close tax loopholes have had a far greater effect on generating poverty than a trade war. The wealth to reduce poverty is already there but it's not being distributed.

I'm not denying that there will be an effect of a trade war, but I'm sick of politicians' arguments that we must have economic growth to reduce poverty when clearly it hasn't.

I'm with mdchachi on this one: economic conflict is a necessity because the consequences of allowing the US to be run according to the whims of a corrupt venal fascist are much worse. I'm normally quite a conflict-averse person.

 

[nice gaijin]

Interesting foreigners perspective on Trump.

Donald Trump Is a Good President, by Michel Houellebecq, Translated by John Cullen

One foreigner’s perspective

harpers.org

yeah... from the perspective of other nations that want to see a weaker America, Trump is doing a GREAT job of dismantling American hegemony and hobbling all of its federal functions. This isn't the glowing review you think it is.

Hot take-

I feel like all of you focus on the negative things about trump and don't focus on anything good he's done, like idk, tax cuts? Aren't adults always complaining about taxes?

His tax cuts that benefitted the ultra wealthy and business interests, at the expense of the lower and middle classes? The only significant piece of legislation he managed to pass in his first term? The one that ultimately RAISED taxes on people earning less than a few hundred thousand a year? Those tax cuts?

Or are you talking about his new proposed cuts that would further worsen wealth disparity in the US?

Or are you talking about the massive tariffs that are tanking international trade and raising prices of everything far beyond the inflation people were bitching about throughout the last election?

The reason no one is crowing about this is because it's bad policy that only benefits the super rich.

 

[salyavin]

In his first term Trump gave a nice present to workers as well.
Trump-GOP Tax Law Encourages Companies to Move Jobs Offshore–and New Tax Cuts Won't Change That

 

[mdchachi]

Hot take-

I feel like all of you focus on the negative things about trump and don't focus on anything good he's done, like idk, tax cuts? Aren't adults always complaining about taxes?

That's mainly because he hasn't done anything good. Except he hasn't started any new wars. So that's one good thing.

The reason why thinking people who aren't wealthy aren't impressed by his tax cuts are detailed here. On top of that the cuts made our national debt/deficits much worse.

 

[Ukigumo]

(Oval office press conference)

Me: Mr Trump, you say you're close to a peace deal between Putin and Ukraine, but it is Zelensky who is generally resistant to your deal.

Trump: I'm really good…great in fact.

Me: Yes…How would you feel if, say, Cuba invaded Florida, took a fifth of the territory and then Macron said he'd suggested a deal with Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez in which Cuba would keep the territory he'd illegally taken from the USA, killing many American soldiers not to mention, Floridians civilians in the process, in exchange for peace and Macron would also receive large numbers of manatees, orange groves and swamp water at a cut-down price?

Trump: <to his aid> What the f**k's a manatee? <looks puzzled> What? They just bob up and down in the water all day? Can we make steaks outta them, cos I've got a great idea? <looks into the distance thinking 'World's greatest manatee steaks…>

Me: Mr Trump?

Trump: Yah? Oh…errr…look that would never happen because I'm strong…America's really strong…stronger than it's ever been it's entire history because of my tariffs, I think. I've made deals all my life…great deals…the best in the entire history of deals…I'm so good at deals and business…I'm great in fact…very great…greater than Mohammed Ali.

Me: But haven't you been bankrupt five times?

Trump: Look, you don't hold the cards, I have the cards…I hold more cards than anyone in the entire history of card holding….
(repeat to fade)

 

[mdchachi]

Trump: Yah? Oh…errr…look that would never happen because I'm strong…America's really strong…stronger than it's ever been it's entire history because of my tariffs, I think. I've made deals all my life…great deals…the best in the entire history of deals…I'm so good at deals and business…I'm great in fact…very great…greater than Mohammed Ali.

Me: But haven't you been bankrupt five times?

Trump: Look, you don't hold the cards, I have the cards…I hold more cards than anyone in the entire history of card holding….
(repeat to fade)

Often I think of the Emperor's New Clothes when Trump appears in the news. It shows that human nature hasn't changed in hundreds of years. But why? Why are people so gullible and ignorant? All he has done is tell certain people what they want to hear. Why can't so many people see through the facade?

 

[salyavin]

US Visa Applications from Japan Now Require Disclosing Social Media History

According to a recent announcement, all US visa applicants from Japan must include info on all SNS accounts used within the last five years.

www.tokyoweekender.com

 

[Petaris]

Often I think of the Emperor's New Clothes when Trump appears in the news. It shows that human nature hasn't changed in hundreds of years. But why? Why are people so gullible and ignorant? All he has done is tell certain people what they want to hear. Why can't so many people see through the facade?

I suspect some of them don't want to admit that they were wrong and so they are putting on the blinders and sticking to their narrative.
I suspect some of them really are so incapable of questioning what they are told that they just can't believe anything else.
I suspect some of them are scared of what will happen to them if they don't carry the line.
I suspect some of them think that Trump will reward them for their loyalty.
I believe all of them are going to regret it.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Let's have a positivity session about Trump. I like that he's trying to ban abortion. If you don't wanna get pregnant, don't do you-know-what. I like that he's actively searching out the illegal immigrants and keeping new ones out. I like that he's removing transgender and LGBTQ protections, and enforcing that a man is a man and a woman is a woman, men marry women only and women marry men only. I like that he puts AMERICA FIRST. Every American should take after that example. (I'm a republican; can you tell?)

 

[Ukigumo]

Often I think of the Emperor's New Clothes when Trump appears in the news. It shows that human nature hasn't changed in hundreds of years. But why? Why are people so gullible and ignorant? All he has done is tell certain people what they want to hear. Why can't so many people see through the facade?

I think it's the public's inability to critically appraise information effectively, poor theory of mind, confirmational bias perhaps mixed in with a bit of Cinderella syndrome as people want others to make the hard decisions. But the biggest issue is poor education. I watched a person at a MAGA rally, the type wearing a Davy Crockett hat saying, "College types are all democrats. What the hell are they teaching them in college?"

 

[Lothor]

I suspect some of them don't want to admit that they were wrong and so they are putting on the blinders and sticking to their narrative.
I suspect some of them really are so incapable of questioning what they are told that they just can't believe anything else.
I suspect some of them are scared of what will happen to them if they don't carry the line.
I suspect some of them think that Trump will reward them for their loyalty.
I believe all of them are going to regret it.

I remember reading about the former tribal situation in Papua New Guinea in one of the Jared Diamond books. The country used to contain perhaps thousands of tribes, each one living within their territory of a few square miles and having almost no contact with others. If someone encountered a member of a different tribe, the reflex response was to try to kill them for being different. Sadly, humans seem to have this instinct in them, which we have mainly managed to overcome through socialisation and empirical experience. I think that instinct is still quite strong in many Republicans and supporters of far-right parties in other countries, which explains the racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.

Edit: I've thought a bit more about this, and the tribe analogy seems to nicely explain many of the Republican policies and the mindset.

1) The gutting of overseas aid: We shouldn't be helping other tribes.
2) Tariffs: If we must trade with other tribes, we must get what we can from them.
3) The pro-natal movement: We must make our tribe as big as possible.
4) Anti-abortion: Similar.
5) Homophobia/transphobia: Those people are not going to make our tribe as big as possible, so they are a waste of resources.
6) Abandoning of DEI: We should not help people who don't look like they are part of our (white) tribe.
7) Militant Christianity: Only our tribe's God is the true god.

Ideally, people with such views would keep themselves to themselves and not bother the civilised world, who understand reciprocity and value diversity, as the ones in Papua New Guinea did. However, having bright, shiny things, like smartphones, involves contact with the wider world. Hence,

8) We must appropriate resources from other tribes (Greenland, Canada, Ukraine).

 

[Ukigumo]

I remember reading about the former tribal situation in Papua New Guinea in one of the Jared Diamond books. The country used to contain perhaps thousands of tribes, each one living within their territory of a few square miles and having almost no contact with others. If someone encountered a member of a different tribe, the reflex response was to try to kill them for being different. Sadly, humans seem to have this instinct in them, which we have mainly managed to overcome through socialisation and empirical experience.

I think this is spot on. Humans were tuned to protect their resources, such as water, food shelter, care for their kith and kin and the presence of an 'outsider' potentially put those things at risks so at the very least they'd've been viewed with suspicion and probably far more radically. And you're right, that instinct remains albeit in a different guise.

We are apes with a very thin veneer of civilisation…thinner in some more than others.

I think that instinct is still quite strong in many Republicans and supporters of far-right parties in other countries, which explains the racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.

Edit: I've thought a bit more about this, and the tribe analogy seems to nicely explain many of the Republican policies and the mindset.

1) The gutting of overseas aid: We shouldn't be helping other tribes.
2) Tariffs: If we must trade with other tribes, we must get what we can from them.
3) The pro-natal movement: We must make our tribe as big as possible.
4) Anti-abortion: Similar.
5) Homophobia/transphobia: Those people are not going to make our tribe as big as possible, so they are a waste of resources.
6) Abandoning of DEI: We should not help people who don't look like they are part of our (white) tribe.
7) Militant Christianity: Only our tribe's God is the true god.

Ideally, people with such views would keep themselves to themselves and not bother the civilised world, who understand reciprocity and value diversity, as the ones in Papua New Guinea did. However, having bright, shiny things, like smartphones, involves contact with the wider world. Hence,

8) We must appropriate resources from other tribes (Greenland, Canada, Ukraine).

Have you thought of running for office, Lothor? I'd vote for you!

 

[Lothor]

Have you thought of running for office, Lothor? I'd vote for you!

Nah! I'd make a terrible politician!

I agree with the adage that we're three meals away from social breakdown, which is why neglect, or even denial, of climate change and all it entails scares me witless.

All this makes me wonder how to respond to the rank and file of the far right. Sympathy for lonely people whose lives have turned out badly (see this article – I remember reading a book on hooliganism; the best cure was for them to get a girlfriend) or disgust at the inability to learn from history and not see beyond humanity's basest and most tribal instincts.

 

[Ukigumo]

Nah! I'd make a terrible politician!

The best people for important roles don't wish to do those roles.

I agree with the adage that we're three meals away from social breakdown, which is why neglect, or even denial, of climate change and all it entails scares me witless.

I wish you hadn't shared that adage

All this makes me wonder how to respond to the rank and file of the far right. Sympathy for lonely people whose lives have turned out badly (see this article – I remember reading a book on hooliganism; the best cure was for them to get a girlfriend)

A good girlfriend wouldn't tolerate hooliganism and expressing that displeasure would be very unpleasant!

 

[Ukigumo]

I'm wondering if the USA really might be doomed.

How easily can this sort thing be undone once this 'trial by ordeal' is over? I genuinely feel very sorry for our cousins across the pond.

 

[Ukigumo]

This is a British satirical comedy panel show. It's just a bit of fun!

 

[Lothor]

I'm wondering if the USA really might be doomed.

How easily can this sort thing be undone once this 'trial by ordeal' is over? I genuinely feel very sorry for our cousins across the pond.

One of the US's strengths was that its top universities attracted the best and brightest from around the world, who then stayed in the country, such as the Nobel Prize winner Shuji Nakamura, who was treated like dirt by the Japanese company he worked for but was welcomed with open arms by the University of California. The high calibre of many immigrants to some extent counteracted the low education that the average American receives. But who would want to go to the US to study now?

 

[Ukigumo]

One of the US's strengths was that its top universities attracted the best and brightest from around the world, who then stayed in the country, such as the Nobel Prize winner Shuji Nakamura, who was treated like dirt by the Japanese company he worked for but was welcomed with open arms by the University of California. The high calibre of many immigrants to some extent counteracted the low education that the average American receives. But who would want to go to the US to study now?

Yes, it was ultimate career move to go and do science in the USA and every PhD student aspired to doing that, for a few years at least. The reason was the sheer amount of funding that was available over there compared to Europe. The main part of the job in science is chasing grant money and although preliminary science was done in that process, the administration load is huge; one became a form filler.

Don't worry, the previous golden era will return to the USA in time as the electorate start taking 'the red pill'…or thanks to 'fatty deposits'