Comments on: China Plays Hardball http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/ Reality-based political commentary Sun, 10 May 2026 13:21:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218462 Chris Weigant Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:52:26 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218462 John M from Ct. [4] - (aside: I always worry I'll get your capitalization wrong, sorry) all good points. Seriously, like all of them. -CW John M from Ct. [4] -

(aside: I always worry I'll get your capitalization wrong, sorry)

all good points. Seriously, like all of them.

-CW

]]> By: ListenWhenYouHear http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218451 ListenWhenYouHear Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:38:37 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218451 <i> Wait, did I get that right? Did I say, or imply, that there are "members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs"? </i> I think it is like you said — China is posting their 45-day warnings so that the American business chiefs can rush to Trump and tell him in undeniable terms how unspeakably devastating it will be for them if China doesn't remove the tariffs. Even if Trump’s people understood, he would not listen to them because they are beneath him in his mind. It is only the CEOs of major corporations that matter to Trump. He listens to them, hoping they will consider him one of them. Poor little rich boy! China knows who they have to talk to Trump to get what they want done. <i> This is so G-D depressing. Sorry for venting, folks...</i> There is no need to apologize; we are in some majorly depressing times! Wait, did I get that right? Did I say, or imply, that there are "members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs"?

I think it is like you said — China is posting their 45-day warnings so that the American business chiefs can rush to Trump and tell him in undeniable terms how unspeakably devastating it will be for them if China doesn't remove the tariffs. Even if Trump’s people understood, he would not listen to them because they are beneath him in his mind. It is only the CEOs of major corporations that matter to Trump. He listens to them, hoping they will consider him one of them. Poor little rich boy! China knows who they have to talk to Trump to get what they want done.

This is so G-D depressing. Sorry for venting, folks...

There is no need to apologize; we are in some majorly depressing times!

]]> By: BashiBazouk http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218448 BashiBazouk Tue, 15 Apr 2025 14:27:16 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218448 At least our opposition forces have a <a href="https://www.dailydot.com/debug/crosswalk-hack-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg/" rel="nofollow">sense of humor...</a> At least our opposition forces have a sense of humor...

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218442 nypoet22 Tue, 15 Apr 2025 02:41:52 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218442 one has to wonder why someone in the president's circle thinks he's playing cards. https://gifs.cackhanded.net/wargames/lets-play.gif one has to wonder why someone in the president's circle thinks he's playing cards.

https://gifs.cackhanded.net/wargames/lets-play.gif

]]> By: John M from Ct. http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218441 John M from Ct. Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:18:26 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218441 The technology of rare-earth metals and magnets is inside baseball, economically speaking. The American consumer has no idea about this aspect of their nation's economy, I daresay. So who is China messaging, with these dire 45-day warnings? It can only be American industry, and those members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs. It's their job to recognize the threat here, and get the president and his inner circle to get back to normal trade patterns with China or risk crippling the country in almost irreversible ways. Wait, did I get that right? Did I say, or imply, that there are "members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs"? Ha-ha! I must have been kidding! There's no - zero - nada - uh-uh - joking, right? - evidence that anyone in charge of American economic policy in the Executive Branch has the slightest idea how global and national economics WORKS. The entire thing is some product of a severely damaged old man's id and its bitter resentments of his life-long inferiority compared to people of intelligence and competence. Revenge, anger, and the desire to inflict pain and humiliation on everyone who doesn't flatter him endlessly, is the only factor in this so-called economic policy. Rare earths? What the hell are those, and who cares anyway? China must suffer because etc. etc. This is so G-D depressing. Sorry for venting, folks... The technology of rare-earth metals and magnets is inside baseball, economically speaking. The American consumer has no idea about this aspect of their nation's economy, I daresay.

So who is China messaging, with these dire 45-day warnings? It can only be American industry, and those members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs. It's their job to recognize the threat here, and get the president and his inner circle to get back to normal trade patterns with China or risk crippling the country in almost irreversible ways.

Wait, did I get that right? Did I say, or imply, that there are "members of the president's advisory staff who understand American industry and its needs"?

Ha-ha! I must have been kidding! There's no - zero - nada - uh-uh - joking, right? - evidence that anyone in charge of American economic policy in the Executive Branch has the slightest idea how global and national economics WORKS.

The entire thing is some product of a severely damaged old man's id and its bitter resentments of his life-long inferiority compared to people of intelligence and competence. Revenge, anger, and the desire to inflict pain and humiliation on everyone who doesn't flatter him endlessly, is the only factor in this so-called economic policy. Rare earths? What the hell are those, and who cares anyway? China must suffer because etc. etc.

This is so G-D depressing. Sorry for venting, folks...

]]> By: John From Censornati http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218440 John From Censornati Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:01:50 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218440 Was it OK for the dictator from El Salvador to disrespect the orange one with that outfit he was wearing in the White House today? Was it OK for the dictator from El Salvador to disrespect the orange one with that outfit he was wearing in the White House today?

]]> By: John From Censornati http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218439 John From Censornati Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:09 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218439 China also has a government that does not have to respond to voters. They can inflict a lot of economic pain on their population. We'll see how tariff-manly Fat Donny is. China also has a government that does not have to respond to voters. They can inflict a lot of economic pain on their population. We'll see how tariff-manly Fat Donny is.

]]> By: Kick http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/04/14/china-plays-hardball/#comment-218438 Kick Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:53:20 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26272#comment-218438 <i>Even though the Trump administration put many of its sharpest levies on hold last week while boosting tariffs on China, companies around the country say the recent messiness of announcements and uncertainty is hurting business: Their costs are rising, and demand is slowing as spooked customers in the United States and abroad slam the brakes on spending.</i> I would like to add that although I am not "spooked" even a scintilla, after spending decades purchasing whatever my heart desires, I am now determined <b>not</b> to buy anything that I do not <b>need</b>, and I feel certain I'm not the only person who could most definitely contribute but will most assuredly "slam the brakes on spending" and refuse to participate in the ensuing Trump Tariff Tax fiasco. Count me out. Even though the Trump administration put many of its sharpest levies on hold last week while boosting tariffs on China, companies around the country say the recent messiness of announcements and uncertainty is hurting business: Their costs are rising, and demand is slowing as spooked customers in the United States and abroad slam the brakes on spending.

I would like to add that although I am not "spooked" even a scintilla, after spending decades purchasing whatever my heart desires, I am now determined not to buy anything that I do not need, and I feel certain I'm not the only person who could most definitely contribute but will most assuredly "slam the brakes on spending" and refuse to participate in the ensuing Trump Tariff Tax fiasco.

Count me out.

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