Donald Trump is running out of foreign leaders to alienate

Senior · #1 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:14 AM

Quote:

March 20, 2017
By Steve Benen

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Donald Trump. Photo: Saul Loeb

It’s a scene so familiar, it’s almost a cliché: a foreign leader visits the White House, and there’s an Oval Office photo op in front of the room’s fireplace. The American president is on the right, the foreign leader is on the left, and the two share a hearty handshake to demonstrate a friendly, cooperative relationship. In the Trump era, the scene has been rewritten. Last month, the U.S. president welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the White House, and Trump repeatedly pulled the Japanese leader’s arm as some kind of bizarre power move, culminating in a hilarious post-shake look from Shinzo. Last week, as The New Republic noted, it was German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s turn to sit across from Donald Trump, leading to “one of the most cringe-inducing staged events in political history.”
Studiously avoiding talking to or even looking at each other, both world leaders strongly suggested they couldn’t wait to stop being in each other’s company…. When Merkel asked if Trump wanted to shake hands, he ignored her. Ordinarily, a half-way competent president would manage to avoid quite so many international incidents, but Trump has managed to create these problems after just two months – in many cases, for reasons that are only obvious to him.

Remember, as we discussed a month ago, Republicans spent years investing enormous energy into the idea that President Obama hurt the United States’ international standing. The opposite was true, but GOP officials nevertheless argued, with unnerving vigor, that America had forfeited the admiration of the world. During the Republican presidential primaries, for example, Jeb Bush insisted that during the Obama era, “We have lost the trust and confidence of our friends.” Around the same time, Scott Walker and Donald Trump had a chat about “how poorly” the United States is now “perceived throughout the world.” Mitt Romney added, “It is hard to name even a single country that has more respect and admiration for America today than when President Obama took office.” It wasn’t true then, but it is true now.

In just the past week, Trump has alienated Germany, Britain, and most other members of the 28 nation NATO alliance.

Incompetence in the extremis.

FrancSevin · #2 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:24 AM

Good! When he does run out,,,;can we expect no more malicious threads on the subject?

Three years from now the left could possibly chose an electable candidate who would then repeat Obama's "apology tour." Until then, the world will have to deal with a tough, strong, and determined, President of the United States.

ShivaTD · #3 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancSevin

Good! When he does run out,,,;can we expect no more malicious threads on the subject?

Three years from now the left could possibly chose an electable candidate who would then repeat Obama's "apology tour." Until then, the world will have to deal with a tough, strong, and determined, President of the United States.

There won't be any point to it. By then the US will have given up any leadership role in the world and that vacancy will be filled by Russia, China, or both.

I would anticipate Russia will take over world political leadership and China will take over world economic leadership and the US will be relegated to the status a third world country with a third world economy and no influence in world affairs.

That is the expressed goal of the Trump administration. The destruction of the Constitutional government of the United States (the political speak is "the deconstruction of the administrative state" as Steve Bannon puts it) and the destruction of the US economy based upon it's policy decisions that are a result of delusion as opposed to factual information.

ShivaTD · #4 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior

Donald Trump is running out of foreign leaders to alienate

In just the past week, Trump has alienated Germany, Britain, and most other members of the 28 nation NATO alliance.

Incompetence in the extremis.

Trump wouldn't shake hands with Merkel at their last meeting arguably because she's not a "babe" but had she been a real "hottie" he would have just walked right up and grabbed her by the crotch.

Oh, but that was just "locker room talk" remember. The fact that over a dozen women stepped up after Trump's statements became public to claim they were the women sexually assaulted by Trump, confirming his locker room talk, was just fake news.

waltky · #5 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:57 AM

Has he tried Iceland yet?

FrancSevin · #6 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShivaTD

Trump wouldn't shake hands with Merkel at their last meeting arguably because she's not a "babe" but had she been a real "hottie" he would have just walked right up and grabbed her by the crotch.

Oh, but that was just "locker room talk" remember. The fact that over a dozen women stepped up after Trump's statements became public to claim they were the women sexually assaulted by Trump, confirming his locker room talk, was just fake news.

This is the crap that makes your otherwise intelligent postings dubious.

This is better but I still find disagreement.
QUOTE=ShivaTD;878484]There won't be any point to it. By then the US will have given up any leadership role in the world and that vacancy will be filled by Russia, China, or both.

I would anticipate Russia will take over world political leadership and China will take over world economic leadership and the US will be relegated to the status a third world country with a third world economy and no influence in world affairs.

That is the expressed goal of the Trump administration. The destruction of the Constitutional government of the United States (the political speak is "the deconstruction of the administrative state" as Steve Bannon puts it) and the destruction of the US economy based upon it's policy decisions that are a result of delusion as opposed to factual information.[/QUOTE]

Leadership is often described ( not defined, but described) as convincing someone to do what you want, even though they didn't, and be happy to do it.

Trump has a reputation for doing so in the business world. With the election of THE Donald, Our nation is betting it will work in the diplomatic world. He has four years to try. We shall see.

AZRWinger · #7 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 09:18 AM

It would never dawn on the Trump haters that if Merkel really hated Trump so much she wouldn't have come for a state visit. Truth is she is facing a tough reelection bid thanks to her reckless policy of mass Muslim importation and unswerving devotion to providing bailouts to other European Union members. She'd like to create at least the appearance of state craft in the relationship with Germany's most important ally.

No doubt she had a rough time when Trump brought up Germany's failure to pay its fair share of NATO expenses. Of course to the rabid Trump haters, pointing out a deadbeat is wrong, the US taxpayer should shoulder the burden for the "advanced" nations of western Europe.

ShivaTD · #8 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancSevin

This is the crap that makes your otherwise intelligent postings dubious.

Get a sense of humor. Yes, it's based upon the fact that Trump is misogynist that admitted to sexually assaulting attractive women in private (confirmed by some of the victims) but not even Trump would sexually attack a world leader in public regardless of how beautiful she might be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancSevin

This is better but I still find disagreement.

Leadership is often described ( not defined, but described) as convincing someone to do what you want, even though they didn't, and be happy to do it.

Trump has a reputation for doing so in the business world. With the election of THE Donald, Our nation is betting it will work in the diplomatic world. He has four years to try. We shall see.

Apparently the description of "Leadership" used originated with tyrannical dictators that forced people under the threat of death to do whatever the dictator demanded they do.

Donald Trump did meet this description.

He would sign a contracts with construction companies to pay for them to build his projects and then not pay them. That forced the companies to file lawsuits to receive payment for the work they'd done. Because these companies had borrowed money to pay for the supplies and fixtures used in the construction, and the bills were going past due because of Trump's failure to fulfill his payment obligations under the contract, the businesses often had to settle for pennies on the dollar just to get enough cash to stay in business and even then many failed.

When Donald Trump took over the Resorts International casino construction in Atlantic City to build the Taj Mahal the banks gave him a thumbs down knowing that he wouldn't be able to repay the loans. Trump resorted to selling "junk bonds" that promised to pay the bond holders 15%. Trump, because of his incompetence as a corporate executive, ignored all of the available information that the casino business in Atlantic City would never provide the revenue to pay for the cost of paying the interest on the bonds went bankrupt in three months. So he went bankrupt to avoid fulfilling his contractual obligation to pay 15% on the bonds. The bond holders were forced to take a significant cut in payment and instead take over part ownership of the casino. Eventually Trump was force out of his management position at the Taj Mahal because if his executive incompetence.

Anyone that wants to do business with Trump needs to get paid in advance because Trump has absolutely no integrity as a business person. Four bankruptcies where he was the self-appointed CEO all due to his incompetence.

Trump only gets his way by force and not by leadership and there isn't a independent board of directors in the United States that would appoint Trump to an executive position in the corporation because Donald Trump is not a leader. Donald Trump a private sector authoritarian (dictator) that uses force to achieve his ends and it was because of this very fact that he was entertaining on the TV series the Apprentice. A good executive that's a leader providing inspiration would never say "You're fired" because they'd never have to. Only an authoritarian that doesn't generate the inspiration of those below them, because they don't deserve respect, would ever find themselves in a position to fire someone.

A true leader is the person that accomplishes their goals because they "lead" by example and others choose to emulate that which the leader does. They don't create win-lose situation but instead create win-win situations. Win-Win situations create voluntary agreements where both parties are committed to the fulfillment of the contract.

The authoritarian (dictator) creates the win-lose situations but the party that loses never forgets and will do everything possible to not comply with the terms of agreement. It is an involuntary agreement secured by force and/or coercion that lacks validity under contract law.

Donald Trump can never be a world leader. He simply doesn't have the ability to be a world leader. He'll never have the respect of other world leaders that already view him as a bad joke that should be ignored whenever it's possible and prevented from doing anything harmful whenever necessary.

World leaders may often be able exploit Donald Trump because Trump has no knowledge of he "world stage" and is incapable of making informed decisions. He didn't want to know the relevant facts as a businessman and within his first two months he's already proven he doesn't want to know the facts as president.

At best Trump supporters believe that as an authoritarian Donald Trump will be able to secure "deals" based upon threatened force and/or coercion that the other parties to the agreement will feel no obligation to fulfill. Is that what you would consider to be in the best interests of our nation?

Or would it be better to have a leader that can reach voluntary agreements without the use of force and/or coercion that the other parties to the agreement are fully committed to fulfilling because of the mutual benefit to both nations?

An honest answer would be appreciated.

pjohns · #9 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShivaTD

The destruction of the Constitutional government of the United States (the political speak is "the deconstruction of the administrative state" as Steve Bannon puts it) [is the goal of the Trump administration].

I, too, believe in the destruction (or "deconstruction") of The Administrative State.

In other words, I would very much like to see fewer regulations.

But that hardly means forfeiting our leadership role in world affairs, whether economic or military.

300 H and H · #10 (**permalink**) 03-20-2017, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShivaTD

Get a sense of humor. Yes, it's based upon the fact that Trump is misogynist that admitted to sexually assaulting attractive women in private (confirmed by some of the victims) but not even Trump would sexually attack a world leader in public regardless of how beautiful she might be.

Apparently the description of "Leadership" used originated with tyrannical dictators that forced people under the threat of death to do whatever the dictator demanded they do.

Donald Trump did meet this description.

He would sign a contracts with construction companies to pay for them to build his projects and then not pay them. That forced the companies to file lawsuits to receive payment for the work they'd done. Because these companies had borrowed money to pay for the supplies and fixtures used in the construction, and the bills were going past due because of Trump's failure to fulfill his payment obligations under the contract, the businesses often had to settle for pennies on the dollar just to get enough cash to stay in business and even then many failed.

When Donald Trump took over the Resorts International casino construction in Atlantic City to build the Taj Mahal the banks gave him a thumbs down knowing that he wouldn't be able to repay the loans. Trump resorted to selling "junk bonds" that promised to pay the bond holders 15%. Trump, because of his incompetence as a corporate executive, ignored all of the available information that the casino business in Atlantic City would never provide the revenue to pay for the cost of paying the interest on the bonds went bankrupt in three months. So he went bankrupt to avoid fulfilling his contractual obligation to pay 15% on the bonds. The bond holders were forced to take a significant cut in payment and instead take over part ownership of the casino. Eventually Trump was force out of his management position at the Taj Mahal because if his executive incompetence.

Anyone that wants to do business with Trump needs to get paid in advance because Trump has absolutely no integrity as a business person. Four bankruptcies where he was the self-appointed CEO all due to his incompetence.

Trump only gets his way by force and not by leadership and there isn't a independent board of directors in the United States that would appoint Trump to an executive position in the corporation because Donald Trump is not a leader. Donald Trump a private sector authoritarian (dictator) that uses force to achieve his ends and it was because of this very fact that he was entertaining on the TV series the Apprentice. A good executive that's a leader providing inspiration would never say "You're fired" because they'd never have to. Only an authoritarian that doesn't generate the inspiration of those below them, because they don't deserve respect, would ever find themselves in a position to fire someone.

A true leader is the person that accomplishes their goals because they "lead" by example and others choose to emulate that which the leader does. They don't create win-lose situation but instead create win-win situations. Win-Win situations create voluntary agreements where both parties are committed to the fulfillment of the contract.

The authoritarian (dictator) creates the win-lose situations but the party that loses never forgets and will do everything possible to not comply with the terms of agreement. It is an involuntary agreement secured by force and/or coercion that lacks validity under contract law.

Donald Trump can never be a world leader. He simply doesn't have the ability to be a world leader. He'll never have the respect of other world leaders that already view him as a bad joke that should be ignored whenever it's possible and prevented from doing anything harmful whenever necessary.

World leaders may often be able exploit Donald Trump because Trump has no knowledge of he "world stage" and is incapable of making informed decisions. He didn't want to know the relevant facts as a businessman and within his first two months he's already proven he doesn't want to know the facts as president.

At best Trump supporters believe that as an authoritarian Donald Trump will be able to secure "deals" based upon threatened force and/or coercion that the other parties to the agreement will feel no obligation to fulfill. Is that what you would consider to be in the best interests of our nation?

Or would it be better to have a leader that can reach voluntary agreements without the use of force and/or coercion that the other parties to the agreement are fully committed to fulfilling because of the mutual benefit to both nations?

An honest answer would be appreciated.

Now you know how we have felt about Obama for the last 8 years.

You've got such a long way to go now don't you. 8 years is a long time.

Regards, Kirk

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