Eugene Robinson: Trump has no idea what he's doing

[Ohiogal]

The thing to keep in mind about President Trump, as he thrashes around like a weak swimmer in a strong current, is that he has no idea what he’s doing. None. Not a clue.

I know that he can be clever politically, in a tactical sense. I know that his lies are often both deliberate and effective. I know that his utter shamelessness can sometimes come off as some kind of warped genius. But the only thing that’s profound about Trump is the truly spectacular depth of his ignorance. As evidence, take a glance — if you dare — at your 401(k).

The president’s decision last week to unilaterally boost tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports produced an entirely predictable response — retaliatory tariffs from Beijing on $60 billion worth of U.S. products, a freakout by the financial markets and a screaming plunge in the Dow and other major indexes.

The administration’s trade talks with China had reportedly been going well and were supposed to be nearing an end. Trump accused the Chinese of trying to renege on concessions at the last minute, but the president’s history suggests otherwise. Veterans of the high-stakes world of New York real estate have told me about what they described as Trump’s standard negotiating practice — pitching some kind of fit at the very last minute, when the other party thought things were settled, in hopes of bullying his way to a better deal.

(snip)

I assume Trump realizes that China isn’t really “paying” the tariffs and that the cost is in fact borne by U.S. consumers, who will pay higher prices for made-in-China goods. Either the president constantly lies about this on his Twitter feed, hoping to fool the gullible, or he’s even more clueless about trade than I imagined.

More:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-has-no-idea-what-hes-doing/2019/05/13/a3e6a626-75c0-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html?utm_term=.a58a1be73f5c&wpisrc=nl_opinions&wpmm=1

[Chipper Chat]

1. Damn. I was just about to shop for a new TV.

Guess I'll go garage-saleing this weekend instead.

[Funtatlaguy]

2. We should all forego making major purchases if possible until 11/3/20.

[flor-de-jasmim]

10. Jan 21, 2021...lame ducks can still do a lot of damage

[Iliyah]

3. Bottom line . . . .

t-rump and the Republican party do not care.

[GoCubsGo]

4. That has long been obvious to anyone who has been paying attention.

Trump is a certified moron. The asshole bankrupted a casino, ffs. How the hell does anyone bankrupt a business where the house always wins??? It's not just regarding the tariffs, either. He's clueless on pretty much everything his job entails. The "gullible" people he fools are just as clueless and ignorant as he is. Or, they're too blinded by their own hate and bigotry to notice that he has no idea what he's doing.

That being said, I hope my ancient washer and dryer don't die on me...

[beachbum bob]

5. We all know trump doesn;t know what he is doing, the economic policies, trade and tarriffs are all

part of the rightwing neo-economist he surrounds himself with. Like I said a day or 2 ago...those people are as fucked up in the head with economics and trade as the neo-conservatives Bushco was surround with and the Iraq war and Middle east disaster.

We will see the effect and the subsequent destruction of OUR economy pretty darn quick

[gordianot]

6. Trump wants you to think in terms of a binary world of winners and losers.

Of course he wants you to think he is a winner where his entire life has been about losing and covering it up.

[PJMcK]

7. The last sentences in the column

This says all that we need to know about Trump:

There are many fitting words to describe the Trump administration. One of the simplest is “dumb.”

[underpants]

8. He's not "clever politically" he receives free total media coverage nonstop

which was the biggest factor in his both winning the primary (with less than a majority of votes) and the general (again less than a majority). You simply can’t buy that level of product placement and he stated just that between wrapping up their nomination and their convention.

I call him the “Snuggie POTUS”. It started as a joke but over time people bought into it if, as many did, they thought it was a funny joke because who cares? The media was constantly telling them that Hillary had won.

[llmart]

9. Sadly, and even though it will affect those of us who didn't vote for him, this is probably the only

thing that will get more voters to vote against him. The economy and stock market are what most Americans measure the success of our experience in democracy.

[moondust]

11. True.

Tariffs are relics of the old days of nation-state trade before globalized supply chains and distribution channels. Tariffs on today's iPhones "imported" from China could end up hurting all kinds of people in all kinds of places since they are not simply a product of China.

[NewJeffCT]

12. Trump doesn't know what he's doing

but, some of the people around him are reasonably smart and evil - Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Brad Parscale, etc

[Gothmog]

13. trump is an idiot

[Pobeka]

14. I believe he'll back off the tariffs.

This and 10 cents probably won't get a cup of coffee, but here's my reasoning.

He is probably quite aware if he totally crashes the markets, he'll have absolutely no chance of winning re-election. I suspect his "trusted" advisers are telling him that, and he probably believes them.

Given that, and his huge criminal vulnerabilities which will come to action at the fed/state level should he not be president, winning in 2020 is his only stay-out-of-jail game plan. So his best option by far is to back off the tariffs and let the market recover.

[FakeNoose]

18. He has to turn it into a "win" first

I agree with you that Chump will back off because he has to. It's an absolutely stupid asinine policy anyway and he has been advised against it from the get-go. When he finally does back away from tariffs, it will be all his idea because he "won" the trade war against the Asians.

[Pobeka]

19. Yup. That's how it will be talked about in his head at least! n/t

[Raster]

15. I'll take "more clueless than you ever imagined" for $500, Gene...

...

[calimary]

17. They don't call this man a Pulitzer Prize-winner for nothing.

I love Eugene Robinson’s work! Every time I’ve finished a tasty piece he’s written and wonder how he could top it, sure enough he comes up with another one that does.