Etiquette



DP Etiquette

First rule: Don't be a jackass.

Other rules: Do not attack or insult people you disagree with. Engage with facts, logic and beliefs. Out of respect for others, please provide some sources for the facts and truths you rely on if you are asked for that. If emotion is getting out of hand, get it back in hand. To limit dehumanizing people, don't call people or whole groups of people disrespectful names, e.g., stupid, dumb or liar. Insulting people is counterproductive to rational discussion. Insult makes people angry and defensive. All points of view are welcome, right, center, left and elsewhere. Just disagree, but don't be belligerent or reject inconvenient facts, truths or defensible reasoning.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Trump Strategy: Start From Good, Make it Worse, Partially Fix It, Claim Victory



The Washington Post writes about president Trump's renegotiation of NATA: “It covers many things, including autos, intellectual property and labor rights. Several trade experts noted that many provisions in Monday’s agreement resemble what was in President Barack Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal Trump pulled out of when he took office.

The deal does not resolve the tariffs the Trump administration put on steel and aluminum earlier this year, taxes that have proved a major sticking point in trade relations and led to Mexican retaliation against U.S. goods. It also does not resolve a broader issue over what are known as “232 tariffs,” taxes on foreign goods the Trump administration has imposed in the name of national security. The administration used that process for the steel and aluminum tariffs, over the strong objections of many U.S. allies and trading partners — including Canada. And Trump is considering 232 tariffs on foreign autos.”

Yet again, Trump starts with a status quo he claimed was the worst ever or something close thereto, i.e., NAFTA, then he guts it, then he comes up with something close to the old status quo but not final, and then claims victory.

Trump arguably is the single most reality-detached, corrupt, lying president that America has ever had.[1]

Footnote:
1. Last January, experts on US presidential history ranked Trump dead last of all American presidents: https://sps.boisestate.edu/politicalscience/files/2018/02/Greatness.pdf

Obviously, most (all?) Trump supporters will reject that as fake news or the like.

B&B orig: 8/27/18

No comments:

Post a Comment