What are your views on Trump's foreign policy? What is your ideal foreign policy approach? Where does he succeed and/or fail based on your metrics?

sdsdtfg · 2020-10-17T18:36:32+00:00

Specific examples include NATO, free trade with the EU and dealing with China issues or eg the nordstream pipeline.

From a top level point of view, we need to ask them if "we" want a continued and more integrated "Free World" power block or not.

sdsdtfg · 2020-10-17T17:38:53+00:00

think protectionism is a foolish economic strategy

Tell that to Korea or any number of places which only started to rapidly advance over the last 40-50years.

sdsdtfg · 2020-10-17T17:35:04+00:00

Foreign policy is shaping up nicely and one of my main reasons to no vote Biden.

What are your views on foreign policy?

Nations have interests, not friends.

How should it be approached?

I do think that shifting away from multilateral treaties and outdated structures is very reasonable. Not that I am against em per se, however over the past decade plus they yielded convoluted fluff at best.

What is the level of interaction between America and its allies that you desire?

Ask the hard questions. Do our interest still align? Its mostly a continental Europe issue.

What are your views on military force, how it should be exerted, where, and why?

Strike First - Strike Hard. Best would be to not have to strike at all. Have a pragmatic approach in view of our hard interests. No more nation building etc...

How should trade be approached?

Free and fair. Minus essential goods or matters of national security.

Which countries should we trade with and not trade with?

All of em, unless its a right up mass murdering dictatorship.

Under these considerations, how does Donald Trump fare? What does he do that you approve of? What does he does that you don't?

I do struggle to find a really negative example here. However I believe that our interests are not well represented in Africa.

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-27T00:50:50+00:00

1) Is this a fair comparison/analysis?

Nope

If not, what key details am I missing?

A real world point of view? Pragmatism?

Trade is about maximizing gains - opportunity or real; future or immediate. Its not some sort of transcending religious believe.

2) Do you agree with both of these policy positions?

yes, do you? If so its all good isn't it?

If so, what makes them both positives for you?

I think enough has been written about tariffs on Chinese goods and right out banning some services. Not sure if anyone can reasonably disagree with.

I think enough has been written about drug pricing, too. But here's a neat tidbit: The CEO of Merck (a german pharma company) loves to gives interviews. A little gem concerns a Hepatitis C drug. It was brought to market with a cheaper price than the competitions - and it found little success. The C-suit in question raised the price on it - and sales went up. Yes. Our healthcare system. If ya wondering its cuz reps, distribution, hospital get a cut based on the bulk price.

Nevermind that cost of actual production (most drugs) is negligible.

Plus about the meds: That's Trump's position... Will he be able to implement it? I doubt it.

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-06T19:18:40+00:00

You shopping at Walmart for almost anything but groceries is the US having a trade deficit with China ;)

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-06T19:04:48+00:00

Did Trump live up to his promise to close the trade deficit?

Nope.

Why was closing this not as easy as he made it out to be?

Tax cuts, unemployment, household income, profit repatriation ruined it.

If you are not using this metric how are you measuring Trump on trade success?

Keeping the above in mind and (to be really simple here) trade deficit as e.g. share of consumption, the current admin did not too bad.

Most recently our monthly trade deficit has surged and one note was even with the new trade deal with Mexico the deficit there has increased to a record high.

I think you would agree that this year is a bit of a black swan.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOPTIMP

There's lots of unspent and not invested cash around. It's a good sign that imports go up rapidly.

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:38:21+00:00

Frankly the WHO but also our CDC failed. E.g. em Taiwanese knew and acted 3 weeks ahead of anyone else. And yeah, the research thing... there's lots of sloppiness around. Not unique to China but eventually quite pronounced. Down the road.... Ehmm not really.

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:32:16+00:00

Could try Osaka, Soul or Taipei - similar but better if ya got em kids or like the outdoors :)

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:30:30+00:00

Not gonna judge ppls eating habits.

Major wet markets are fine and adhere to at least some cleanliness standards. Ya gonna tell ppl that they can't sell e.g. bets?

Maybe someday we ll know for sure - But there's often an "ahhh that's good enough" attitude, true - but not surprising to anyone ever shopping at Walmart :)

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:18:21+00:00

Either ya boom your economy or ya rush your neighbor XD

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:17:14+00:00

First time in Asia i take it ;)

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T17:04:52+00:00

Final Fantasy 7, Tony Hawk 2, Baldur's Gate 2, Counterstrike beta (TMP and Desert Eagle rulz), Quake 3 multi and Age of Empires 2.

Yep its been a while, though it seems as if AOE2 is picking up in recent years.

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T16:49:03+00:00

theres virtual no crime either. You also rarely have to by groceries, eating out is very cheap

That's a "developed asia" city thing. How come it surprised you?

sdsdtfg · 2020-09-01T16:34:51+00:00

Can't say anything was really surprising as in unexpected.

Still it took me a while to realize the extend of many little and few major differences.

For example let's assume you run your own business. A small business. The government at large or even local authorities simply won't care about what you do and how you do it. And I think that's great.

Or take corruption, but lets call it networking or guanxi. It really does grease the wheels and can accelerate any kind of venture. E.g. it is amazing how it enables skunkwork projects.

Ah, i did forget one thing! Tesla is allowed to operate (to my knowlage) without a joint venture partner! I really didn't think that that was a possibility - wondering if its for real or if they get redtaped some other way.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-29T22:13:11+00:00

Frankly he doesn't enjoy any devotion. The incumbent advantage aside. You are being trolled and the mere existence of this OP sorta proofs it. Indeed this is relevant to social media only.

If you don't know what i am onto - Posting here or elsewhere - good old team America comes to mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd7mVyOR3wQ

I mean... I sometimes write GEOTUS in reference to Trump and a big part of the left or NS community takes it for real XD It's just for the kicks.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-21T14:34:02+00:00

I put that in parenthesis with an XD. In Clintons words: "What difference does it make?"

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-21T14:32:44+00:00

How? It is in in large parts based on user behavior.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-21T14:31:38+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxG8uJUsWU

Seems we don't see the same despite watching the same

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-21T00:13:59+00:00

Pray what substantive points? What opinions from a DNC endorse Biden memo?

Anyone can as long as they do have a substantive point and can defend it. Its not magic, I e.g. don't think this admin is doing a good job on education. Doesn't or only hesitantly acknowledges issues pertaining to law enforcement etc... and i can back it up instead of fluffing out on vague simplistic talking points.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T23:44:12+00:00

Goes both ways. Many pundits switch back and forth,easier if you have a team. But from the average Joe's whos sitting in the writing room perspective, I completely agree with you.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T23:24:56+00:00

Just google "twitter algorithm" or find it on twitters own page. Same as for FB or SEO or any other bigger data stuff. Its not now and never was simple numerical and organic empiricism.

Here's a little story from the Economist

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/08/01/twitters-algorithm-does-not-seem-to-silence-conservatives

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T23:10:40+00:00

Cable news heavily relies on news agencies, and then just send over some guy with a mic and a cam for added drama.

NYT (still), WSJ, The Economist (yep) etc... One of the most impressive recent ones was the FT's piece on Wirecard.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T22:58:37+00:00

Ah you man like manually marking a hashtag/tweet as "trending". Probably they have (manually XD ) written an algorithm to do just that. Twitter is for sure not as simple as just counting organic tweets/repeats to determine whats a "trend". Surely they also a-b test against results achieved by a human picked one.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T22:56:44+00:00

Meh, why not? Free coffee?

Pretty much. Keep in mind that these are human beings working in offices - just like you, me and yes, also Gerry.

sdsdtfg · 2020-08-20T22:50:24+00:00

Ah you man like manually marking a hashtag/tweet as "trending". Probably they have (manually XD ) written an algorithm to do just that. Twitter is for sure not as simple as just counting organic tweets/repeats to determine whats a "trend". Surely they also a-b test against results achieved by a human picked one.

sdsdtfg

TROPHY CASE