Eugene Robinson: You do realize Trump doesn't know what he's doing
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 hes 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 thats profound about Trump is the truly spectacular depth of his ignorance. As evidence, take a glance if you dare at your 401(k).
The presidents 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 administrations 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 presidents history suggests otherwise. Veterans of the high-stakes world of New York real estate have told me about what they described as Trumps 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.
That might work with a subcontractor who doesnt have the power to say no, or even with a fellow developer who vows on the spot never to do business with Trump again. But would any skilled negotiator think such a stunt would work with China, the worlds second-greatest economic power? Wouldnt the Chinese government have to react in kind, if only as a matter of sovereign pride? And wouldnt startled investors conclude that their fear of a serious trade war the kind with no winners, only losers had been realized?
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/robinson-you-do-realize-trump-doesnt-know-what-hes-doing/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=625d4a6b60-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-625d4a6b60-228635337
matt819
(10,749 posts)But, in contrast to Charles Blow's piece the other day, this one is very tame. Still, needs to be said. Over and over and over.