The Commentariat -- August 25, 2019
Idiot Abroad
Michael Birnbaum & Toluse Olorunnipa of the Washington Post: "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made a surprise visit to ... [Biarritz] Sunday, a move that caught President Trump off-guard and added another element of tension to the meeting of world economic leaders. Zarif's arrival in Biarritz appeared to be a covert initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron, a senior European official said, and other leaders were not informed ahead of time. There was no immediate plan for the Iranian foreign minister to meet anyone other than French officials, the officials said.... 'No comment,' Trump told reporters when asked about news that Zarif was coming to town. Zarif came to Biarritz on the invitation of his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi wrote on Twitter. The aim of the visit is to 'continue discussions about recent initiatives between the presidents of Iran and France,' Mousavi said. And he said there would be no meetings or negotiations with the U.S. delegation during the trip." The NBC News story is here.
Damian Paletta of the Washington Post: "President Trump said Sunday that he had reached a trade pact 'in principle' with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, in an apparent effort to gin up support for a tough-talk negotiating style that he says is bearing fruit. Abe, however, said more work had to be done, and it was unclear what format the trade pact might ultimately take. Large trade agreements typically require congressional approval. Trump's description of the trade deal made it sound as if it would be narrower in scale, though he didn't provide many details. Trump, talking up the deal's potential effect, said it could be signed as soon as September. 'We've been working on a deal with Japan for a long time,' he said. 'And we've agreed in principle ... billions and billions of dollars.'" Right. Brett Samuels has the Hill's story.
Morgan Chalfont of the Hill: "President Trump on Sunday promised a 'very big trade deal' with a post-Brexit United Kingdom after meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the Group of 7 (G-7) summit." Mrs. McC: Of course the predicate of any sentence that begins "President Trump promised" is more meaningless than "covfefe."
Darlene Superville & Zeke Miller of the AP: “... Donald Trump signaled regret Sunday for an escalating trade war with China, as he faces a tense reception from world leaders meeting amid mounting anxiety of a global economic slowdown at the Group of Seven summit in France. Trump is trying to use the conference to rally global leaders to do more to stimulate their economies, as fears rise of a potential slowdown in the U.S. ahead of his reelection. But Trump's counterparts, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are trying to convince him to back off his trade wars with China and other countries, which they see as contributing to the economic weakening.... Sunday, during a breakfast meeting with [the U.K.'s new PM Boris] Johnson, Trump [answered,] 'Yeah. For sure,' [to] reporters [who] asked if he has second thoughts about escalating the trade dispute, adding he has 'second thoughts about everything.' But he insisted that 'we're getting along well right now with China.' Johnson ... chided Trump on his hardnosed China policy. 'Just to register a faint sheep-like note of our view on the trade war,' he [said].... 'We're in favor of trade peace.'" ...
... Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: All the news organizations are calling Trump's remark a "signal of regret." Really? "Yeah" is a pretty weak "signal," & Trump no doubt already has forgotten it. ...
... ** Update: From the NYT liveblog, linked below: "The White House says President Trump's admission to 'second thoughts' about threatening action against China was misinterpreted, and that he only regretted not raising tariffs higher." Justin Wise of the Hill has a more extensive report on the walkback. (The Times report is the single sentence cited, but probably will be updated.) I would give myself an "atta-girl" or a Toljaso award except it doesn't take the Oracle of Delphi to predict Trump or his minions would paper over the only "regret" he ever expressed in his life.
... According to Damian Paletta & others in a Washington Post report, Trump's full answer was, "Yeah, sure why not. Might as well. Might as well. I have second thoughts about everything." Then, "But Trump showed no willingness to back down, saying 'it has to happen.' He accused China of unfair trade practices that he said had to be addressed through tough U.S. measures, no matter the cost. 'I think they want to make a deal much more than I do,' Trump said before [the] breakfast with ... Boris Johnson.... At their first joint meeting -- a dinner of regional Basque specialties -- leaders had 'constructive discussions' about Amazonian deforestation and Iran, according to a senior European official. But the conversation turned 'rough and tumble' when it turned to Trump's desire to bring Russia back into the group next year.... The other G-7 leaders have been deeply opposed to Trump's effort to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin back to their table, saying it would reward bad behavior and give a green light to the annexation and ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. Over dinner, Trump spent some time bashing former president Barack Obama about the decision to kick out Russia, repeating his public statements that Putin had only been kicked out because he outsmarted Obama...." ...
... Update. As of 7:34 am ET, here are the lowlights of the WashPo report: "The White House said President Trump's earlier suggestion that he regretted escalating the trade war with China was 'misintrepeted' and that what he regrets is not raising tariffs higher. Trump said North Korea has not violated any rules with recent missile tests, during meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, who said the tests clearly violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. Trump said it is 'certainly possible' he will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to next year's G-7 meeting in the United States, a move that would almost certainly be opposed by allies." The Post calls the White House's "reinterpretation" of Trump's "regrets" "a head spinning about-face." The whole report is worth reading, as without saying so, it really highlights what an embarrassment Trump is.
... The New York Times is liveblogging developments at the G7. "In comments to reporters ahead of a breakfast with Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, the president said that he had 'no plans right now' to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to force businesses to leave China as punishment for the country's trade practices. 'Well, I have the right to. If I want, I could declare a national emergency,' Mr. Trump said at the beginning of a day of consultations with world leaders at the Group of 7 summit.... Mr. Trump insist[ed] that none of his counterparts had questioned his China trade war at an opening dinner Saturday night.... 'We think that on the whole, the U.K. has profited massively in the last 200 years from free trade and that's what we want to see,' [Johnson] said [at the breakfast], adding, 'we don't like tariffs on the whole.' Mr. Trump offered a quick retort to the prime minister, asking how Britain was doing 'the last three years,' a reference to its recent economic stagnation.... In a series of early-morning tweets from his hotel room on Sunday, Mr. Trump blamed the 'the Fake and Disgusting News' for predicting that this year's gathering would end in disaster. In fact, he insisted, 'we are having very good meetings, the Leaders are getting along very well.'" Mrs. McC: IOW, the real leaders are walking on eggshells & Trump hasn't blown his lid ... yet.
Toluse Olorunnipa, et al., of the Washington Post: "While Trump struck a positive tone upon his arrival in Biarritz -- tweeting 'Big weekend with other world leaders!' -- the tension surrounding the meeting was held barely below the surface as anxious diplomats kept close watch on the president's Twitter account. Some Trump administration officials hinted that the president was prepared to disrupt the meeting's carefully planned script with his trademark bombast.... On Saturday, Trump used his brief public remarks to praise the 'perfect' weather and predict that Macron and other world leaders 'will accomplish a lot.' But privately, some of his advisers were grumbling over the direction the summit was taking before it even officially began.... Shortly after [Trump & G7 host Emmanuel Macron had] lunch, some senior [Trump] administration officials said they were frustrated with how the French were handling the summit.... Macron has already said he will not pursue a joint communique this year, describing the tradition as 'pointless' given Trump's combative approach.... Trump's continued embrace of his 'America First' agenda -- even in the face of growing signs of global economic turmoil -- indicates that the various world powers will not be able to rely on the United States for steady leadership amid crisis, said Jon B. Alterman, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies." ...
... Lori Hinnant, et al., of the AP: "The posturing by leaders of the G-7 rich democracies began well before they stood together for a summit photo.... Just before boarding Air Force One for France, Trump tweeted yet another threat of new tariffs on French wine in retaliation for France's digital services tax. Macron greeted him warmly..., but had already called for an end to the trade disputes that he said threatened global growth.... European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson traded barbs over who would go down in history as 'Mr. No Deal' and take the blame for a Brexit departure from the European Union that threatens to go off the rails. And nearly everyone kept a trade threat close at hand." ...
... Michael Shear of the New York Times: "Lunching on a patio overlooking the Bay of Biscay at the Hôtel du Palais on Saturday, President Trump gushed over Emmanuel Macron, the French president and the host of the weekend's annual Group of 7 meeting, held this year in the quaint beach town of Biarritz in the south of France.But ... members of Mr. Trump's administration were publicly and privately dumping on the French president and his team. They complained that the focus of the summit was more on 'niche issues' than the global economic challenges facing their nations. Senior administration officials said that the agenda would center too much on issues designed to play well with Mr. Macron's domestic audience -- like climate change, income and gender equality, and African development -- and was engineered to highlight disagreements with Mr. Trump's administration. They accused Mr. Macron's aides of ignoring pleas by Trump administration officials to focus the summit, which runs through Monday, on national security and a looming economic slowdown. And they said Mr. Macron was purposely trying to fracture the Group of 7 by veering away from its longstanding mission of ensuring that the strains on other economies do not spread globally." ...
(... Mrs. McCrabbie: In a country full of "quaint" towns, Biarritz is not one of them, IMO. Nearby resort town Saint-Jean-de-Luz is "more quaint," at least in the old part.)
... Tusk v. Trump. Michael Birnbaum & Damian Paletta of the Washington Post: "European Council President Donald Tusk on Saturday said escalating trade tensions between President Trump and other world leaders risk throwing the world into recession, bemoaning 'senseless disputes' that had ripped countries apart. 'This may be the last moment to restore our political community,' he told reporters at the beginning of the Group of Seven summit [in Biarritz, France].... Trade wars will lead to recession while trade deals will boost the economy,' he said. In response to a question, Tusk questioned Trump's motivation in trade wars launched by the United States.... In a sign that leaders are bracing for things to only get worse, Tusk said the E.U. was ready to retaliate against Trump if the U.S. leader followed through on some of his trade-related threats directed at France. Trump has said he will impose tariffs on French wine because France recently imposed taxes that impact U.S. technology companies." The Hill story citing the Post is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Norimitsu Onishi of the New York Times: "As the Amazon burned and the world faced an ecological disaster, President Emmanuel Macron of France bluntly criticized Brazil's leader this week and threatened to kill a major trade deal between Europe and Brazil. President Trump, on the other hand, posted a tweet only Friday evening, saying that the United States was ready to help contain the fires, but adding that 'future trade prospects' between the United States and Brazil 'are very exciting.' The contrast highlighted the gap in leadership on issues affecting the global climate. As the Trump administration denies established climate science and has abandoned an international accord intended to fight global warming, European leaders have energetically stepped in to take up the mantle of leadership.... Mr. Macron's criticism of Brazil was followed up by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who said forcefully that the Amazon fires would be a central issue during the summit.... Earlier this month, Germany and Norway suspended payments to Brazil's Amazon fund -- a conservation program that had been central to curbing deforestation -- after the Bolsonaro government weakened its leadership.... Last month, Ireland became the first member of the European Union to express opposition to the trade deal between the European Union and Brazil as well as three other South American nations...." More on the Amazon debacle linked under Way Beyond the Beltway.
Neil Irwin of the New York Times: "The series of economic and financial developments on Friday was a strange, bewildering, exhausting microcosm of why the global economy is at risk of a meltdown. It showed the odd interplay at work between the Chinese government's actions in the escalating trade war with the United States, the sober-minded global central bankers who have limited power to deploy and an American president whose public pronouncements often appear driven by grievance more than strategy.... In one dizzying day, [Donald Trump] had seemed to be searching for whom or what to blame for economic troubles, first using Twitter to call his own Federal Reserve chief an enemy of the United States and then to urge American companies to stop doing business with China. And that was just while the markets were open. Later Friday, he said he would apply tariffs to all Chinese imports and increase those already in place.... President Trump's shoot-first approach adds to the risks at a delicate moment, with major economies in Asia and Europe already teetering and policymakers' capacity to contain the damage in question." (Also linked yesterday.)
Peter Baker of the New York Times: "President Trump asserted on Saturday that he has the authority to make good on his threat to force all American businesses to leave China, citing a national security law that has been used mainly to target terrorists, drug traffickers and pariah states like Iran, Syria and North Korea.... Mr. Trump posted a message on Twitter citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 -- a law meant to enable a president to isolate criminal regimes but not intended to be used to cut off economic ties with a major trading partner because of a disagreement over tariffs.... Presidents have used it to target international terrorists, drug kingpins, human rights abusers, cyber attackers, illegal arms proliferators, and multinational criminal organizations.... Seeking to use it in a trade dispute with a country like China would be a drastic departure from its history.... In raising the possibility of forcing American businesses to pull out of China on Friday, Mr. Trump framed it not as a request but as an order he had already issued.... In fact, aides said, no order has been drawn up nor was it clear that he would attempt to do so." (Also linked yesterday.)
... The story has been updated, with Keith Bradsher added to the byline. "... the threat itself could still have a long-lasting impact on relations with China and perhaps embolden hard-liners in Beijing pressing President Xi Jinping to take a more confrontational approach to the United States. Mr. Trump's claim that he can order American companies to pull out of China also represented the latest audacious assertion of power by a president who has repeatedly crossed lines his predecessors did not.... American business leaders warned that forcing companies to leave China would hurt the competitiveness of American industry and cause heavy financial losses."
** The Real Reason Trump Is Slamming Powell (or Powel). Jonathan O'Connell, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Trump stands to save millions of dollars annually in interest on outstanding loans on his hotels and resorts if the Federal Reserve lowers rates as he has been demanding, according to public filings and financial experts. In the five years before he became president, Trump borrowed more than $360 million via four loans from Deutsche Bank for his hotels in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, as well his 643-room Doral golf resort in South Florida. The payments on all four properties vary with interest rate changes, according to Trump's official financial disclosures. That means he has already benefited from falling interest rates that were spurred in part by a cut the Federal Reserve announced in July, the first in more than a decade -- and his payments could drop by millions of dollars more annually if the central bank grants Trump's wish and further lowers short-term rates, experts said." Daily Kos has a summary of the WashPo report here. See also Akhilleus's comment at the end of yesterday's thread. (Also linked yesterday.)
"Trump Revived the Jewish Left." Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: "Donald Trump might have thought he was going to lure Jewish voters to the Republican Party with his lock-step alliance with the Israeli right. Instead, by attempting to use American Jews as mascots for an administration that fills most of them with horror, he has spurred a renaissance on the Jewish left.... For Jews on the left, fear has been magnified by insult as Trump, the man who helped unleash a new wave of anti-Semitism, posed as the Jews' savior because of his devotion to the Israeli right.... Never Again Action was born in reaction to the perceived failures of mainstream Jewish organizations to stand up to Trump.... The Jewish left rejects the idea that anti-Zionism is equivalent to anti-Semitism, but even more than that, it rejects the idea that Israel is the guarantor of Jewish safety or the lodestar of Jewish identity.... For those primarily concerned about Jewish life in the diaspora, Israel, which has courted anti-Semitic nationalist leaders in Europe, isn't really an ally, much less an ideal. And Trump, who always speaks of American Jews as if they belong there, is a grotesque enemy."
"The Great Trump Crackup." Conservative Rick Wilson in the New York Daily News: "Donald Trump's affect, speech patterns and overall delivery this week have been alternately horrifying and hilarious. A combination of waking hallucinations, verbal tics, lies surpassing even his usual fabulist standard, aphasias and lunatic blurtings, each public utterance was a moment where the eye of his aides either popped or rolled, depending on their level of cynicism.... With no adult supervision in the White House left..., this is a man on the edge, and there is absolutely nothing and no one to stop him.... His sweaty, heavy-breathing press sprays on the White House lawn left reporters in a state of stunned silence, the spittle-flecked rantings of a man determined to machine-gun out a hundred ideas in the time a rational person would discuss two." Mrs. McC: The Daily News has a monthly limit, but you can open the page in a private window.
Daniel Dale & Konstantin Toropin of CNN: "When ... Donald Trump was asked Wednesday what victims of mass shootings are telling him about gun laws, he did not answer directly. Instead, he boasted of 'the love for me' among the people he visited in hospitals in El Paso and Dayton after the August massacres in those cities. 'Not only did they meet with me, they were pouring out of the room. The doctors were coming out of the operating rooms. There were hundreds and hundreds of people all over the floor, he said. Facts First: Doctors did not leave any active operating rooms, spokespeople for both the El Paso and Dayton hospitals said. The Dayton spokesperson said doctors did not even leave any patient rooms." (Also linked yesterday.) ...
... Mrs. McCrabbie: Trump is so nuts he thinks doctors would let patients die on the operating tables just to get a chance to see the "Chosen One." OR, he's so nuts he knows the doctors did no such thing, so he has to make up the story to puff himself up. Pathetic, either way.
Presidential Race 2020
Donald Trump has no strategy or plan. His reckless actions drove his own companies into bankruptcy -- now they threaten the global economy and increase the risk of a recession that will hit working families hardest. -- Elizabeth Warren, in a tweet Friday ...
... Jim Tankersley & Thomas Kaplan of the New York Times: "On the campaign trail this past week, Democratic candidates blasted Mr. Trump for his economic stewardship, criticizing his gyrating trade policy and accusing him of hurting American workers and farmers and stoking a possible recession. In doing so, they signaled a readiness to seize an issue that has been a strength for Mr. Trump -- the nation's economy -- and harness it as an advantage for themselves."
Verhampshire. John Bowden of the Hill: "Former Vice President Joe Biden mistakenly praised the state of Vermont Saturday when asked about his impression of Keene, New Hampshire by reporters during a press gaggle. Video of the exchange shows Biden remarking about Vermont's 'beauty' after an unseen reporter asks him for his 'impression' of the town, which is located in southwestern New Hampshire, close to the state's border with Vermont."
Regina Zilbermints of the Hill: "Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) on Sunday announced he would mount a primary challenge to President Trump. The conservative radio host unveiled his campaign on ABC's 'This Week.' 'We've got a guy in the White House who is unfit, completely unfit to be president and it stuns me that nobody stepped up, nobody in the Republican Party stepped up, because I'll tell you what[,] George, everybody believes in the Republican party, everybody believes he's unfit,' Walsh told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "He lies every time he opens his mouth." Mrs. McC: Fortunately for Trump, Walsh is as unfit as Trump is.
Emily Atkin of the New Republic interviewed Christopher Leonard to reflect on David Koch's climate legacy. Leonard: "Koch Industries -- that is, David and Charles Koch and their political network -- has played an almost unparalleled role in helping to cast doubt on the basic science behind climate change; create doubt in the public mind that climate change is real; and particularly, most importantly, to cast doubt on the idea that government regulation can or should do anything to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.... Because of Koch's funding, the climate denial movement had an organizational backbone out of the box.... And that helped ... mainstream the ideas. And critically, it helped translate climate denial into a political reality.... The Koch network played a vital and unrivaled role in burning down the moderate wing of the Republican Party that acknowledged the reality of climate change.... The machine will continue to go forward as it has, even without David Koch at the forefront."
David Kirkpatrick of the New York Times: "Prince Andrew [of Britain], facing intensifying scrutiny of his ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, broke a long silence on Saturday to say that he never saw or suspected any behavior involving the sexual trafficking and exploitation of underage girls during their long friendship. The prince's statement, which was issued in his own name instead of by Buckingham Palace, was by far the most comprehensive account he has offered of their friendship. Yet Prince Andrew offered no new explanation for continuing a relationship with Mr. Epstein after the financier emerged from a Florida jail in 2010 following a sex crime conviction." The Guardian's story is here.
Beyond the Beltway
Nick Corasaniti, et al., of the New York Times: "In the year after receiving test results showing alarming levels of lead in this city's drinking water, Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark ... mailed a brochure to all city residents assuring them that 'the quality of water meets all federal and state standards.' He declared the water safe and then condemned, in capital letters on the city's website, 'outrageously false statements' to the contrary. And he elevated an official to run the city's water department who had served four years in prison for conspiring to sell five kilograms of cocaine. The moves were the latest in a long line of questionable actions that have created one of the biggest environmental crises to hit a major American city in recent years. This month, the city told tens of thousands of Newark residents to drink bottled water, but only after receiving a stern warning from federal officials about lead leaching into tap water from aging pipes.... An investigation by The New York Times ... reveals blunders at all levels of government in safeguarding Newark's water infrastructure.... The crisis could also cast a shadow over the presidential campaign of Senator Cory Booker, who served as Newark's mayor from 2006 to 2013."
Way Beyond
Brazil. Marcelo Silva de Sousa of the AP: "Backed by military aircraft, Brazilian troops on Saturday were deploying in the Amazon to fight fires that have swept the region and prompted anti-government protests as well as an international outcry. President Jair Bolsonaro also tried to temper global concern, saying that previously deforested areas had burned and that intact rainforest was spared. Even so, the fires were likely to be urgently discussed at a summit of the Group of Seven leaders in France this weekend. Some 44,000 troops will be available for 'unprecedented' operations to put out the fires, and forces are heading to six Brazilian states that asked for federal help, Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo said." ...
... Jair Diddled While the Amazon Burned. Dom Phillips of the Guardian: "While the Amazon burned and Brazilians demonstrated their outrage, Brazil's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro went to a comedy club. As the president's pre-recorded speech to the nation explaining how he planned to use the army to fight the fires -- while simultaneously insisting the rate of burning forest was nothing out of the ordinary -- was broadcast on television on Friday night, he was at a standup show in Brasília by right-wing Christian comic Jonathan Nemer." (Also linked yesterday.)
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Reader Comments (10)
Another LTTE pinch-hitting as a Sunday Sermon:
"So how are things looking after three years with the purported author of “The Art of the Deal” in charge?
Trump’s best seller, really written by Tony Schwartz, should have told us what to expect. Although his name was on the cover, Mr. Trump didn’t write a word of it (quora.com), and its real author, Mr. Schwartz has said it should be re-categorized as fiction.
If anyone were looking for fake news, “The Art of the Deal” would have been a good place to start, a complete fabrication that foreshadowed the Obama “birther” lies that launched Mr. Trump’s political career.
Trump’s six bankruptcies offered a hint, too, and Trump the president has continued to prove that while his claims of deal-making savvy are purest hokum, he does have a talent for wrecking them.
As president, he has abrogated the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran Nuclear Deal, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and most recently the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia.
He has replaced the Paris Climate Accord with deregulation of our own CO2 emission standards, NAFTA with an as-yet-unratified agreement very like the original, the TPP with a trade war, the Iran nuclear deal with threats, and the IRNF treaty with promises to expand our nuclear capability, already fully capable of incinerating the planet.
The promised deal with North Korea has brought only more missile tests. His beef deal with the EU won’t be in effect for seven years (Vox.com) and the impending Taliban pact intended to bolster Trump’s 2020 election requires almost nothing of the Taliban in exchange for the complete withdrawal of American troops (washingtonpost.com).
No deals on infrastructure and health insurance, but lots of arms sales (sites.tufts.edu).
In sum, broken deals, bad deals, and, for us, the worst of deals: a Trump presidency."
(And Boris Johnson might want to hesitate a wee bit before relying on the Pretender to ride to his no-deal Bexit rescue.)
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exclusive-joe-walsh-announces-republican-primary-challenge-president/story?id=65122073
The Pretender has to be shaking in his small-toed boots now that “Deadbeat Dad” Walsh is challenging him.
What a crew! This pack of losers really do deserve one another.
Bu though I harbor increasing doubts, I'm still thinking the country doesn't deserve them.
Pack of losers...."does" or "do?" The one is correct, the other sounded better.. I went with the sound, but the residual guilt is tangible. Thus this confession.
@Ken Winkes: You're right; should be "does." The subject is "pack," & the verb should agree with the subject -- i.e., "this pack ... does" -- not with "losers," which is the object of the preposition "of". This is a common grammatical mistake, so common that it is pretty much moot. I know I make it often in speaking & at least occasionally in writing.
Mrs. Bea: At least here in the good ol' US of A.
In England it would be "pack are." :-)
Funny to me, at least, as I am a big fan of Leeds United soccer team, and every time I say things like "the team is" on the discussion page I frequent, I am excoriated.
Gee. Who ever could have imagined that the hosts of a particular event might have set an agenda that accrued to their own benefit? Apparently not the Trump team. And just as apparently that team is (are?) incapable of checking on, and preparing for, that agenda prior to arriving.
They fill me with more and more confidence every day.
Pretty soon Agent Orange is going to.be flaunting a new piece of paper before the cameras with big boasts of economic stardom. Yes indeed, akin to the headfake with Kim Jong-Un's summit "deal" to agree to discuss a future deal, Abe will have to get on a knee and write his own letter to the Ogre, entitled: "A fantastic declaration to agree to negotiate a future deal". So much winning...
On another note, how 'bout Macron strutting on the big international stage pulling the Iranian PM out of his hat? In any other context it would be unthinkable to keep the US president out of the loop of something so diplomatically consequential. Alas, our prez* is busy tweeting to Sean Connery so he's clearly not on par for the big shoes he's supposed to be filling. A real leader would organize an emergency team to take advantage of the situation and set the terms of the debate. Instead Drumpf is hiding in the curtains somewhere knowing that scary Sharia law Iranians are palling around the hallways, while Jared is probably taking marching order via WhatsApp with Mohammed Bone Saw.
Here on Grammar Sunday, have to say I'm just sorry you all couldn't have been in Mrs. Hevly's 8th grade class English class, too.
Not that I never make a mistake, but interestingly, as the 1960's began I learned more grammar in that class (we also diagrammed like mad) in my little rural Washington town than many of my fellow university students (one third of whom were "preppies") ever knew.
There is a politics of grammar (as well as a grammar of politics?), but will save elaboration of that thought for another day.
Joe Biden appears to be not handling the PR necessities of running around the country giving speeches. Honestly, he needs to go. He never seems to know where he is. Despite Jill, I do NOT think he can beat the Monster. Who are these people forgiving him Clarence and saying he is their guy?
I am completely removed from the broadcasted G7 info-- the Monster has no idea what to do in polite society, never mind how to handle complex problems of this current time. Nothing he says will have any consequence unless he unleashes nuclear war. So tired of mainstream commentators actually referring to this imposter as "the president." As if he has standing, is intelligent, is honest and sensitive...etc. Thanks for your courage, RCers, in reporting the cascading crapola day in, day out.
The Walsh/Weld announcements: I don't see either making it very far on their "I'm not deranged Trump" - "be brave" and stand up to the bully campaigns. Until either of them can offer up an alternate China trade policy, or an alternate domestic economic stimulus agenda that doesn't increase the debt, I doubt either of them will get much recognition in the republican party and make it on the state ballots. Which is unfortunate because we desperately need the bipartisan conversation about who owns US treasury debt and how we deal with Chinese state-moderated capitalism. At this point in time it seems like all Walsh wanted to do was to offer a public confession and apologize. OK Joe, you're woke, what else you got?
@Schlub: Quite right about the Brits making those collective nouns plural. American English has a rule, seldom followed, that makes a great deal of sense: that is, if the collective noun is used in a sentence that expresses agreement, then it is singular; but if it expresses "non-collectivity," then it is plural. Ergo, "The team is proud of its news jerseys," but "The team are divided on the cut of the new jerseys."