China

Trade With China, Canada, Mexico Are Dominant In American Economy

When one looks at a map of the United States, based on significance of trade with our leading trade partners–China, Canada, and Mexico–it is clear that Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs of 10 percent on China and 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, will cause an economic calamity.

Eighteen states have China as their major supplier of imported goods; twenty three states have Canada as their major supplier of imported goods; and three states have Mexico as their major supplier of imported goods. Germany, Saudi Arabia, and India have an impact in a few other states.

So it is pure insanity to impose protective tariffs, when history tells us it always leads to economic disaster.

Donald Trump Trying To Bully Senate Into Submission On Appointments!

Donald Trump is clearly working to bully the Republican majority in the US Senate into submission regarding his many controversial Cabinet and other appointments, and stripping the Senate’s power of “advise and consent” on Presidential appointments.

Trump’s aim is to make the US Senate lose its status as a co-equal branch of government, along with the House of Representatives, part of his plot to establish an authoritarian executive branch, uncontrolled by the legislative branch.

In so doing, he is working to undermine the Constitution, rule of law, and American democracy.

This, despite the reality that his victory was NOT a massive one, and that he has not won a majority of all votes cast by the American people, while defeating Kamala Harris by less than a two point margin.

Trump is causing our closest allies, including the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to consider NOT sharing intelligence information.

Such an eventuality undermines American national security, and puts America in danger from its adversary nations, including Russia, North Korea, China, and Iran, among others.

Irrational For Any Female, Black, Or Latino To Support Trump!

With less than three weeks to Election Day, and early voting having begun, including this author and blogger having voted by mail already, one has to wonder how any female, black, or Latino American could find justification to vote for Donald Trump.

Voting is a complex act, as clearly, no candidate for any public office has a “perfect” record, and one can disagree with some views or policies of any candidate for public office.

But anyone following public affairs, and who has reasoning powers, would have to overlook reality to vote for Donald Trump in 2024.

This is particularly the case for females, African Americans, and Hispanic-Latino Americans.

The fact that Trump appointed three Supreme Court Justices who brought about the end of abortion rights guarantee should be enough information for all women except the extreme anti abortionists, who do not care about the welfare and lives of pregnant women.

The fact that Trump has been openly racist throughout his life, not just in his Presidency, should convince African Americans that he has no regard or respect for African Americans and Hispanic-Latino Americans.

For the latter to allow the immigration issue to overcome the history of Trump’s lack of concern for immigrant families trying to escape oppression, violence and bloodshed in their home countries, and to separate children from their families, as occurred in the Trump Presidency, is shocking.

Trump’s bizarre behavior of swaying and dancing at a rally, truly erratic behavior;

his constant threats to go after “internal enemies” who he thinks are more dangerous than Russia or China;

and his obsession with tariffs and with deportation of more than ten million migrants, which all would undermine the American economy, and particularly the agriculture industry

should be enough to convince any rational voter who is female, black or Latino, along with everyone else, that they must unite around Kamala Harris, who has been backed by massive numbers of conservatives and Republicans who see Trump as a threat and disaster for the nation!

From Ronald Reagan To Donald Trump: Complete Tranformation Of Republican Party!

The Republican Party of Ronald Reagan has completely transformed in the 40 years since, and has become alien to the beliefs of conservatives, due to the impact of Donald Trump.

Ronald Reagan believed the Soviet Union was a threat to world democracy, while Trump and MAGA supporters are openly pro Russian Federation, as well as friendly to North Korea and China, and also other authoritarian regimes around the world. So Trump and his supporters are isolationists, and do not give a damn about Ukraine.

Ronald Reagan believed in free trade, but now Donald Trump and his ilk promote protectionism, and pledge rise in tariffs if he elected, which would increase the cost of living for all Americans.

Roneld Reagan believed in supporting immigration as a strength of America, while Trump and his supporters are nativists, who wish to prevent all immigrants from anywhere but Europe.

The historical Republican Party is now dead, only kept alive by a small number of old line Republicans, who wish for a return to the ideals of Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan had many faults and shortcomings, but it is clear he would not support the Donald Trump controlled Republican Party!

JD Vance On Donald Trump, Foreign Policy, Abortion: Inheritor Of Maga Philosophy

JD Vance hated Donald Trump with a passion, until he did not.

He thought Trump was a potential Hitler, said the most insulting things about Trump.

At the same time, he connected with billionaire Peter Thiel, a right wing advocate, who pushed him to run for the Senate seat in Ohio, and is his major benefactor.

As a result, Vance has adopted admiration for Trump, and has taken on positions that are extreme, the most so for any Republican since Barry Goldwater in 1964.

Vance has demonstrated he is an isolationist, not willing to support Ukraine or Taiwan, so like Trump, cozying up to authoritarian governments, a shocking development for the heritage of the Republican Party since World War II.

Vance also has made clear he wants no exceptions for abortion, a national ban, and even if a young girl is made pregnant by a male relative, that incest is not an excuse to avoid following through on pregnancy, an unreasonable view.

Vance should be seen as a real threat long term, because he can now be seen as the inheritor of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement!

The fact that the Russian Foreign Minister has just praised Vance should be a warning sign of the danger of Trump and Vance, and to the long term stability of NATO and other alliances with democracies against authoritarian governments, including Taiwan against China, and South Korea and Japan against North Korea.

If Trump wins or even if he loses, JD Vance will be a presence in American politics for the long run, and it is essential that Americans understand the long term threat to American foreign and domestic policy!

Republicans In Congress Plan Wrecking Ball On Democrats, Presaging Civil War!

The Republican Party at large, in both the House of Representatives and Senate, are planning a “wrecking ball”, open revenge on Democrats, due to the felony conviction of Donald Trump.

The Republican Party is declaring war on civility, and advocating open insurrection against the Constitution, the judicial system, and the rule of law, and this is being led by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and the multitude of MAGA Republicans.

In so doing, unstable American right wing extremists are being incited to rise up in rebellion, with the potential for mass bloodshed and violence throughout the nation.

The likelihood of a new wave of assassinations of public leaders, as occurred in the 1960s, but on a much greater scale, is becoming a reality, as we commemorate today the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, two months after the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968.

This level of threat is a clarion call that could make for a level of violence reminiscent of the pre Civil War period in the 1850s.

This is no laughing matter, as the breakdown of law and order would also endanger America’s position in a world with major threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.

Donald Trump And American Foreign Policy: Goodbye To Ukraine, NATO, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan!

It has become very clear that IF Donald Trump is returned to the White House for a second term this November, that American foreign policy will be totally obliterated from what it has been since 1945!

Trump will not support Ukraine, and is willing to let Russia and Vladimir Putin take it over!

Trump will not continue to support NATO, as he is an isolationist of the worst kind, more interested in gaining the support of authoritarian leaders, including Putin, but also the dictators of China, North Korea, Hungary and elsewhere!

So America will have no allies in Europe, endangering American national security!

It is also unlikely that Taiwan and South Korea and Japan would have confidence in a President, who would be more interested in collaborating with the tyrants of Asia!

Donald Trump Violated Emoluments Clause In Office, Suspected And Now Proved!

On top of all the other scandals that Donald Trump has engaged in, now there is information indicating that Trump violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prevents anyone in the Presidency from gaining profit by monetary deals with other nations.

This reminds us of the issue being brought up when Trump was President-Elect, and his assurances that there would be no such violations, as his sons would be in charge of his assets while he was President.

But, no surprise that this was a lie, and that Trump benefited from economic investments by 20 nations, including China, Saudi Arabia, and many of the other nations on the list being Middle Eastern oil nations, and no shame or embarrassment on the part of Donald Trump.

Still, with enough violations of the law, adding to the long list of such situations, Trump continues to be backed by the Republican Party at the same time that they are making a claim that Joe Biden benefited from his son Hunter Biden’s investments, but with absolutely no such evidence or truth!

If America does not wake up to the threat of Donald Trump, in so many ways, the nation’s future is one of a Fascist dictatorship, with even worse results than we already know of Trump’s past transgressions!

Difficult, Challenging Year Ahead In 2024!

America is facing the likelihood that 2024 will be the most tumultuous year imaginable, as the nation faces the following:

A Presidential Election in November where the likelihood is that we will have the first time since 1888 (Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison), that a former President (Donald Trump) is challenging the sitting President (Joe Biden).

A Supreme Court that seems hellbent on moving further to the Far Right on many constitutional matters, despite its tremendously low public opinion rating, making it the most right wing in a century.

A likelihood of new climate crises continuing, and unlikely that much will be done to deal with it, as many people around the nation and the world become victims.

A growing crisis on issues that divide the nation, including voting rights, abortion rights, gay and transgender rights, gun control, antisemitism, civil rights and ethnic and racial minorities, immigration reform, political chaos in Congress, and growing religious extremism, among others.

A world crisis of war in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with the potential for greater US involvement, and the constantly growing threat of China, North Korea, Iran, and other autocracies, along with the Russian threat to the stability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the continuing war in Ukraine.

Joe Biden, The Diplomat In Action

President Joe Biden demonstrated his diplomatic skills these past few days, having what is described as productive meetings with the leaders of China and Mexico at the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in California.

Twenty one nations are part of APEC, including, among others, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia.

Biden has had long experiences in diplomacy as Vice President under Barack Obama, and earlier was engaged in foreign relations in his 36 years in the US Senate, including time as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman.

Along with George H. W. Bush and Richard Nixon, Biden stands out on a short list of Presidents since World War II with foreign policy expertise before becoming President, and that is a major asset for American national security!