jas007

As for your "reminder from before"? I explained my position. You either can't read or you simply don't want to understand. Ii think that's called "denial." To accept reality would conflict with your belief system. You're in denial. As for arguing in "bad faith"? Where is the bad faith? Why would it be unreasonable for the USA to act in its own best interest? That's an OK way to proceed for Ukraine, but if the USA acts in a similar fashion, that's not acceptable? Sounds to me like narcissism. Gaslighting others is a common technique. A typical way of manipulating others to get what you want. And here, Ukraine wants money, weapons, and material or whatever. And they want the USA to ignore the fact that half the aid previously furnished was stolen. They want the USA to ignore the fact that Ukraine has already lost the war. And with Trump's latest move, perhaps Zelenskyy succeed in his scam. Sad, but apparently true, unless Trump has some secret plan. Apparently, the Neocon warmongers now control Trump. As I've pointed out more than once. It's not a matter of being a "Russian supporter." It's not an either/or proposition. I'm sure in your mind you would like that to be the case, but only because you're in denial and can't see the big picture.

Let's assume it's only natural for Zelenskyy to ask for help. More money weapons, and supplies. That's totally understandable. Scam money out of whoever you can. That seems to be the game in that part of the world. But, just because Zelenskyy asks for help doesn't mean the USA should be stupid enough to give it to him. Why waste money on a war that that can't be won? What's the end game? Let Ukraine deal with Russia however they want. But the USA and its money and war materials need not be involved. The USA can no longer afford to be the world's policeman.

Even if we assume that things will get "ugly" long term because tariffs are not the way to establish a level playing field, that's a discussion for another day. The issue here is what happens with the trade negotiations. What agreement will be reached and how soon? Some people think Trump is living in a world that no longer exists and that the world's financial and economic center of gravity, so to speak, has shifted, that the US is no longer the dominant player it once was, and that this factor, alone, is determinative of an outcome where China wins and the US has no choice but to fold. At least that seems to be the theory. Other people think that, despite a changing world, things don't happen quite so quickly. The US dollar is the world reserve currency and will remain so for the near term, at least. The dollar's importance may eventually fade, but that process will happen over decades, not weeks. And so? It's a so-called "race to the bottom" in the currency markets. Trump wants lower interest rates and a weaker dollar. And the Fed will have no choice but to eventually comply. Moreover, most central banks around the world are playing the same game. They may not all act in unison, but eventually, they won't have much choice but to play the game so long as the US Fed keeps printing. As I've said, that's not a long term solution for the Fed and there is a breaking point, but before that breaking point is reached, there will be a trade deal. After that? Who knows? For now, they've kicked the can down the road. That's usually how it works, right? Take a look at Trump's financial advisors. They're all from the financial sector. The path forward shouldn't surprise anyone. As usual, the people of the world will end up the losers.

The time I'm thinking of was the mid 90s. And I'm pretty sure that San Francisco was a much safer place back then than it is today. Obviously it had its problems. Ditto every big city in America.

Traditionally, China may move "slowly," as you say, but right now, they may not have that luxury. As for Trump and the midterms? This thing will be over long before the midterms. Trump's big focus is on China, and he thinks tariffs are the way to go. I'm not so sure he's going to flip flop quite so soon.

To be sure, China has enough manufacturing capacity to supply Planet Earth with capacity to spare. As for plenty of "money"? They have a central bank and can print money, as can the US Federal Reserve. Just yesterday they lowered rates and decided to print more. They also have US bonds as part of their reserve, but weaponizing those would be counterproductive. A well educated and generally happy workforce? Perhaps. I'm afraid, however, that you don't understand the importance of the US market and why its importance isn't strictly a matter of the number of consumers in the USA vs the number of consumers in the world. Things aren't so simple. In any event, politics and economics are intertwined. They always are. And in this case, the importance of the US dollar as the world reserve currency cannot be emphasized enough. It's a political weapon and it works. The stage is set. The actors are Xi and Trump. One is on shaky political grounds and has little time to spare before the wheels to his economy start falling off. Without the US market, it all comes to a halt, sooner rather than later. Trump, on the other hand, has the US Federal Reserve backing him up, not necessarily because that's what they want to do, but because it's what they will do to protect the credit markets. And the Fed can print all the money it wants with much of the resulting inflation exported abroad. One of the benefits of having the world reserve currency. Is there a limit to that strategy? Sure, but that limit will not be reached before China has to fold. Whether or not the US is being "driven into the ground" because Trump wants to "suck up to Putin" is irrelevant to the more immediate outcome. The upshot: Trump will get at least some that he wants. Neither side may be entirely happy, but that's usually how deals work, right? Time will tell. I think I'm right, but I could be wrong.

Let me guess. You think I'm the one that doesn't understand economics? Why don't you enlighten everyone? We'll wait.

How do they measure inflation in Thailand, and how accurate is that measure in reflecting real consumer prices for essentials like food and energy?

I don't think so. Why would that be the case? Trump's tariffs may well result in more inflation and higher prices, but the Fed can and will print whatever money is necessary to keep the credit markets alive. That's a given. That's policy. Inflation will result, but that effect is not instantaneous. Will store shelves soon be empty? Of junk from China, perhaps, but so what? I think that food will still be available. People can wait to buy new junk. No one is going to riot because they can't buy new Barbie Dolls or new appliances. Anyway, the people forecasting trouble don't see trouble happening for six weeks or so. By then, China will be in big trouble, politically. So long as Trump stays the course, he wins.

Sooner or later, "the people" reach a breaking point. That seems to be a point many here fail to acknowledge.

This problem is hardly unique to Thailand. Consumers don't like higher prices and they want the government to "do something." But the government is in a bind. They could raise interest rates and slow the economy and perhaps dampen inflation that way, or, they could lower rates to stimulate an already faltering economy while in the process creating even more inflation. The usual choice is to protect "the economy" with the hope that people will adapt to the higher prices that result from lower rates. Just this morning or yesterday, China lowered its rates to protect the "economy." Guess who pays? In the USA, Trump wants the Fed to lower rates to help "the economy.." Again, guess who pays.

Once again, you miss the point. You're not seeing the big picture. It's not a matter of dead kids lying "at the feet of" Russia, as if the resolution of the issue of fault settles anything. Even if you're right about the fault issue, so what? No one ever said the world is a fair place. It's not. And in this case, being "right" and continuing a losing battle is simply asking for more grief. "I'm right and it's all Russia's fault" does not justify killing more kids and endangering the world. I guess if Zelenskyy wants to take that position and gets away with selling that nonsense to the Ukrainian people, that's what will happen, but why should the USA be involved? Trump should know better.

For sure. But sometimes, I can find exactly what I want without having to fool around too much, so I may pay a little extra. But, as another poster has said, a lot of the stuff is probably made in China, so until this tariff thing is settled, ordering products made in China from the USA Amazon might not be such a good idea.

Once in a while, I buy things from the USA Amazon and those purchases are shipped to Thailand. Depending on what you buy, the import duties aren't too much and the shipping may be free. Maybe tall that will stop, if the tariffs go into effect.

I don't know about the media in Ukraine, but if it's anything like the media in the Western world, it's pretty much all propaganda. Over and over, the people who consume the media are fed the same lies. And eventually, those lies become the "truth." It's almost humorous. And once people are brainwashed, they're beyond salvation. Look at the COVID scam. They had most of the world believing that a deadly virus was circulating that could somehow be stopped by flimsy masks and plastic partitions between booths in restaurants. One-way isles in grocery stores and six feet of distance between people in public spaces. And god help you if you were caught outside enjoying life without a mask and a vaccine passport. And if you didn't wish to partake in their "vaccinations," you were an agent of death, a killer of grandmothers, on the loose. Fast forward to today, and you're a "fascist" if you don't subscribe to Zelenskyy's fantasies. And again, people believe the nonsense because that was how they were programmed.

For Trump, it's a blast from the past and a symbolic gesture, for sure. There's no good reason why that place needs to be a prison. I never went there, but I can remember standing around in San Francisco looking at it. That was back in the days when San Francisco was still a civilized place.

I am. You are the perfect example. Anyone buying into your nonsense would have to deny a lot of reality. You'd have to believe that Russia would stop, apologize, and return all captured territories to Ukraine, including Crimea. You'd have to believe that, despite massive help over the past few years from the US and from the EU, none of which was successful in stopping Russia, that somehow, more aid is necessary and would result in a Ukrainian victory. You'd have to believe that kids won't be slaughtered by the thousands. And that even if they are, "so what"? And you'd have to be indifferent to the consequences of WW IIII breaking out and possibly escalating to a nuclear armageddon. So tell me, who's brainwashed?

Apparently, the people opposing the tariffs have a couple of legal theories. And while the cases are not frivolous, once you factor in the political aspects, the courts may well be reluctant to wade into the matter. I'd be surprised if the issues are settled anytime soon.

Just because something is a "talking point" doesn't make it untrue. I have yet to see a persuasive argument that details how, exactly, Zelenskyy's fantasies could ever come to fruition. Russia isn't going to stop and say "sorry." They aren't giving back Crimea, and they aren't giving back the parts of the Donbas that are now part of Russia. It's a war and they won. And yet people like you repeat the left wing narrative that anyone who sees reality and opposes a continuation of the war for no good reason must be "fascist." What do you say to the families of the hundreds of thousands of kids who will no doubt be slaughtered for no good reason? It's a meat grinder for those kids, and there's no point to it. And there would certainly be no value to the world if WW III were to break out simply because the war mongers have good propaganda and people like you believe it. It's called brainwashing for a reason.

It's not a slam dunk case, in any event. And in this case, the court might be reluctant to conclude that Trump isn't acting within his powers under the Act.

That kind of litigation probably won't be settled overnight. In the meantime, there will be a trade deal with China.

I think the reference is to the situation within China, not the negotiations. And from what I hear, the situation in China is far from perfect right now. A collapsed real estate market, bankrupt mortgage lenders, closing factories, angry laid off workers, all but empty retail stores, among other problems. Xi doesn't really have the luxury of trying to outlast the US Fed and their ability to counterfeit the world reserve currency at will. Hence, the trade negotiations will begin in Switzerland. I think China just cut interest rates, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have done that if their economy was doing well. Their currency was already under pressure.

Here's the problem: your view of the war, how it started and why, and how it's now progressing does not comport with reality. In fact, it's all more or less wishful thinking. I've outlined why. Ukraine cannot win the war at this point. For them, it's over and the best they can hope for is a deal with Russia. The sooner the better. Maybe, they can keep what's left of their country. Consider the past three or four years. Ukraine had ample support from the US and from certain EU countries. Apparently, more support than they really could use, as half the money and equipment was stolen or sold on the black market. And now they want more? I don't think so. How can you possibly be so callous as to think thousands more dead kids is no big deal? And I'm not "supporting" Russia. I'm just not in favor of endless wars that enrich only bankers and the military complex and the politicians who profit from the corruption. And, most importantly, I'd rather not see WW III.

Go back and look at some of your earlier posts. You state that Putin's original intent was to take all of Ukraine, but that's a questionable assertion. That's why the original incursion was called a "Special Military Operation" and not a war. The objectives were limited. You say "no one denies" that Russia's original goal was to take all of Ukraine, but again, just because that assertion fits your narrative doesn't make it true. Finally, you assert that countries have a right not to be Russia vassal states. By implication, the gist of that assertion is that Putin could continue the war from Ukraine into other countries. And finally, you have stated that it's in the "best interest:" of the US to continue its involvement in the war, but nowhere do you explain why. In reality, the US has no strategic interest in Central Europe in today's world. It's no longer 1939 and, in case you're not aware, the USA is just about bankrupt. Wasting billions on an exercise in futility in Central Europe is probably the last thing that should happen, bth for the country as a whole and the people who will pay the price via inflation and destruction of the dollar. In any event, the reality is that the war is now lost. It's over. Russia will continue the war and continue to move West until Zelenskyy comes to his senses. And perhaps Trump will also come to his senses and withdraw all American support. I'd refer you to the start of the war, where Russia poured in over the entire Russian and Belarusian border in an attempt to take Kyiv. It seems you're not familiar with the war's first year or so -- it might be a good thing to study as you're obviously very interested in the topic. Yes, Russia DOES (or did) want to take the entire country and the current disaster is what they have to settle for. No one denies this was Russia's original goal, including Russia. And you're claiming they COULD overrun all of Ukraine... but are settling for a costly stalemate? Sorry, that doesn't make sense. I know you think Russia is entitled to use other countries as buffer zones -- same as the Soviets -- even if against their will, but those same countries have the right NOT to be Russian vassal states.

Just for those who aren't paying attention: The news this morning is that representatives from China and the USA will be meeting in Switzerland to begin the negotiation process. Perhaps China isn't so invincible, after all.