dagblog - Comments for "Zero-Sum Trump and the Chumps"

just some grist for your mill

artappraiser — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 04:12:52 +0000

In reply to Zero-Sum Trump and the Chumps

just some grist for your mill I ran across:

What we're seeing Trump do this week-- bashing allies, imposing tariffs, cozying up to dictators, & reaching out to Russia-- is all four elements of his ideology in practice. It's a feature not a bug and was evident well before the election https://t.co/d9bKtHqdE6
— Tom Wright (@thomaswright08) June 8, 2018

Not necessarily an ideology. But he is doing nearly everything he said he would do, over and over, as a candidate. That will thrill his hardest-core supporters, and raise eyebrows but little pushback among those who like his tax policy. What it is not is a surprise. https://t.co/joMbwSWqro
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 9, 2018

Consistent theme for people I talk to who didn't meet Trump till the transition and only worked for him then/in White House is "Trump's behavior is getting much worse." Consistent them for people who knew him before that is "this is how he's always been."
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 9, 2018

I think you are onto

artappraiser — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 02:42:23 +0000

In reply to Zero-Sum Trump and the Chumps

I think you are onto something good here describing the new MAGA isolationism.

They idolize a faux image of the post WWII U.S. where they see the military might as responsible for our leap to great global power when it was in fact capitalist internationalist things like the Marshall Plan that done it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Reaganomics synchs here somehow because Reagan's foreign policy ideological mumbo jumbo certainly fits and Bannon is clearly a fan.

Haven't thought on it enough, but certainly find your essay intriguing.

Edit to add: No argument at all about your pegging of Trump's way of looking at business, that should be clear to most by now! You just do it well. But I am thinking broader, on: why does it sell to so many now? Including someone like Bannon.

Look at the price of gas.

artappraiser — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 02:27:48 +0000

In reply to Sure. And I don't think his

Look at the price of gas.

Excellent point! And a here and now thing, won't take any time to sink in. As they say in Maine: summa's heeyah, and we're back to the traditional major price hikes just as Joe Lunchpail loads up the kids in the gas guzzling SUV. If Trump's such a maestro of cutting through the corporate b.s. for Joe, that shouldn't be happening. This one strikes me as a basic of a MAGA program! (For a president, it's like getting the blizzard cleaned up fast if you are a big city mayor, if you can't fix that, you're useless.)

Sure. And I don't think his

Doctor Cleveland — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 02:12:44 +0000

In reply to Agree with everything you've

Sure. And I don't think his voters are motivated by economic reality. It's the triumph of media over the real world.

But, for what it's worth, Trump is likely to undo the few silver linings that globalization has brought blue-collar America. The trade-off, for the working classes, has been fewer jobs and lower wages in exchange for lots of cheap foreign goods. You don't have any money, but Walmart is cheap.

Trump can (and may be on the fast track) to NOT bringing back jobs BUT making prices higher. So now you won't even be able to shop at Wal-Mart.

Look at the price of gas. If Trump voters are blue-collar types (and that has been exaggerated) they are the ones who are getting hurt.

Agree with everything you've

Michael Maiello — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 17:55:11 +0000

In reply to Zero-Sum Trump and the Chumps

Agree with everything you've said. Would add that Trump is also working a con here because, as you point out, trade might be mutually beneficial to countries as a whole, but every country has winners and losers within. Trump is not going to ever do anything of substance for the poor, of course. He doesn't care, for one thing and even if he did, his best solution is that these people wind up with some jobs that make them just barely not poor anymore.

But what he is going to do is he's going to speak to the free trade victims and he's going to tell them that Canada and Mexico and Europe and China stole their money. That story feeds right into the zero sum mentality but it might be effective politics, at least with the electoral college in place.

I agree, NCD. But you can't

Doctor Cleveland — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 15:48:20 +0000

In reply to What's worse, really worse?

I agree, NCD. But you can't cover all of Trump's failings in one post.

What's worse, really worse?

NCD — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 14:29:21 +0000

In reply to Zero-Sum Trump and the Chumps

What's worse, really worse?

Not the Russian connections, the Russian mob/oligarch money, the grifting, the constant lies.

He has a personality disorder which makes his "national security" zero sum crusade far more dangerous.

Narcissists love to talk about themselves, they always interrupt and switch the focus back to themselves.

Narcissists enjoy getting away with violating rules and norms.

Narcissists violate boundaries, they show wanton disregard for other people’s thoughts, feelings, possessions, and physical space.

Narcissists often expect preferential treatment, in their mindset, the world revolves around them.

Narcissists have an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

Narcissists are quick to judge, criticize, ridicule, and blame others.

Narcissists manipulate is through guilt, claiming they are innocent victims being treated unfairly.