Politics

[Wheels]

And, now what? We will have to see what this means for Canadians.

Trump has just harmed his own government’s case
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trump-has-just-harmed-his-own-governments-case/

I can't access the article. It is behind a paywall.

 

[Pheroze]

I can't access the article. It is behind a paywall.

Nuts. Not sure how to fix that. I will try and find it or similar.

 

[Pheroze]

DSame kind of sentiment but not the Canadian view of the problem.

Donald Trump eyes intervention in Meng Wanzhou case to get China trade deal - Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/11/trump-intervene-meng-wanzhou-case-get-china-trade-/

https://www-washingtonpost-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/world/former-canadian-diplomat-reported-missing-in-china-following-arrest-of-huawei-executive/2018/12/11/350c6bb8-fcdb-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQHCAFYAYABAQ==#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s&ampshare=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/former-canadian-diplomat-reported-missing-in-china-following-arrest-of-huawei-executive/2018/12/11/350c6bb8-fcdb-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html

 

[Nature Boy]

Foxi,

Liberals have perused a globalist agenda the last couple of decades. Multinational companies have interests that are in conflict with individual nations. Companies that are domiciled in a country do not share the same goals as their home countries. ie: As in our two nations, Ford, BMW, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank. In America we call it Wall Street vs. Main Street.

This is part of the reason there has been a backlash by the common man against the liberal elite across the western world that last few years. In America it started in 2010 with the "tea party movement". The tea party movement had no leadership. It was a grassroots movement against the establishment. Democrats and the establishment Republicans all fought to destroy the tea party and it died still born. Fast forward to 2015 when Trump came down the escalator. No one knew what Trump stood for. He was a Republican who had recently changed parties from a being a Democrat his entire life. Who would have guessed that this pompous, vulgar, arrogant jerk would raise the standard of the tea party and become the leader that was not present in 2010.

Look at what is happening in Europe. Look at the backlash and hatred toward the EU from many of the citizens of the member countries. Five years ago, who would have thought that Orban would be the conservative leader of Europe. Since then you have Austria, Italy that have moved to the right. Farge, Wilder, Le Pen have filled a vacuum in their respective countries. Merkel has gone from "Leader of the free world", to not even leading the CDU in two years. Tusk and Junker are hated as unelected bully bureaucrats making $100 million a year in salary.

I agree that Macron was celebrated like a pop star by the media and the left. He still didn't have major support in France. Just look at the percent of the vote he won in the first round of the election. He won partly due to the percent of people that did not want Le Pen to win. It would be interesting to see how many of the yellow vests would now vote for Le Pen.

The common man in the western world is growing tired of supporting a globalist agenda to the determent of their children and their pocketbooks. We are at the fulcrum. The western world is an interesting place to live in 2018. What an exciting time to be alive.

Wheels, this is a great post. It's painfully easy to see what's going on if you are woke at all. Populism is taking over the western world and rightly so imo. Its the natural response to be sold out. Brexit was pre Trump, same exact issues. I knew Trump would win long before most ever thought he had a chance. But I studied Brexit. GB is a mess, a bad mess. The globalists sold them out, period. Trump will win again, mark my words. I do not care about Trump's manners. If you knew what these so-called "proper" politicians were really like you would want Trump or anybody but them. They are ruthless to a level I can't describe. He's non party, he actually cares about the country. He, in a weird way has become the biggest champion of the working man since likely the 60's pols.

The issue is simple: the globalists and elitists and the Russians (in terms of targeting the USA) want unfettered illegal immigration so they can 1. stay in power 2. get rich. That is it, period. It kills the citizens of the USA, esp. the poor and working poor. Just a huge tax burden, huge amounts of unskilled labor that keeps wages low and creating general chaos to destroy the nations they target. I keep it simple. I have my guns and when the shit hits the fan, I will fight it out and then that's that.

 

[Nature Boy]

Remember I suggested that Trump is using Sun Tzu's strategy and tactics in fighting the Chinese? I'm sure some snickered.

Well, here we are, still just days after the Huawei CFO arrest in Canada, when many thought that the move would severely hamper the U.S/China negotiations. In fact, many thought that the move was part of a plan to do exactly that by parties within the U.S. Government that want Trump to fail with China and elsewhere.

And yet, China has just announced that they will lower tariffs on U.S. autos and they are calling for Trump to take a win/win approach to the trade negotiations. The CHINESE want win/win!! The CHINESE!!! Many of you are familiar with Chinese influence in Africa. Have you ever seen China take a win/win approach there? Ever??? Have they ever taken a win/win approach anywhere for that matter? But, here we are. They have publicly stated that's what they want (and we all know it isn't, unless it's the best they think they can get).

I could certainly still be wrong on all of this. But, I'm more confident I'm not wrong with every passing day. Xi might want to brush up on the Art of War himself, as he seems to have been played quite well by Trump.

https://theconservativetreehouse.co...rade-tariffs-the-dance-continues/#more-157644

Maybe Trump being the POTUS thinks we have a fighting chance but China is a miserable gov't and they have been raping us for decades. Read the book by Michael Pillsbury. Through pure stupidity and grifting (hi hillary!) the Chinese have killed us. If the left wins then they will expedite our death as they are almost beyond belief in their thievery/stupidity. We should have never allowed them access to out tech, access to our schools, and lobbying and bribing. It's a joke. China is the world's enemy, a 50x bigger threat than anyb ody else to the USA. Putin is a thorn but they are a mess.

 

[Wheels]

DSame kind of sentiment but not the Canadian view of the problem.

Donald Trump eyes intervention in Meng Wanzhou case to get China trade deal - Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/11/trump-intervene-meng-wanzhou-case-get-china-trade-/

https://www-washingtonpost-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/world/former-canadian-diplomat-reported-missing-in-china-following-arrest-of-huawei-executive/2018/12/11/350c6bb8-fcdb-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQHCAFYAYABAQ==#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s&ampshare=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/former-canadian-diplomat-reported-missing-in-china-following-arrest-of-huawei-executive/2018/12/11/350c6bb8-fcdb-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html

Trump is an enigma. I will not pretend to know what he means, much less what he says. The things he has accomplished in two years, well that is a different matter.

I find it interesting that Trump, Mnuchin, Ross, Lighthizer, Navaro and Kudlow knew nothing about a pending arrest while Trump and Xi were negotiating at the G20. Bolton says he was told but never communicated the information. This makes me wonder if there is a multi pronged attack against China, or a US Attorney does not like Trump and has decided to throw a spanner in the works, or a US Attorney is just doing his job and we have a coincidence.

There is a tremendous amount about the Huawei CFO arrest that we have yet to learn.

 

[bilmcc]

I spent nearly half my life opposing Soviets. Now it appears our friends in the NRA set up conduits between Russian operatives and senior Republicans, henceforth referred to as traitors. All you NRA guys coming out of the woodwork to join the Communist Party, or like real Americans, will you invoke the 5th Amendment? Brown bear hunting is real good over there, so I guess it is all reasonable.

 

[Hank2211]

Trump is an enigma. I will not pretend to know what he means, much less what he says. The things he has accomplished in two years, well that is a different matter.

I find it interesting that Trump, Mnuchin, Ross, Lighthizer, Navaro and Kudlow knew nothing about a pending arrest while Trump and Xi were negotiating at the G20. Bolton says he was told but never communicated the information. This makes me wonder if there is a multi pronged attack against China, or a US Attorney does not like Trump and has decided to throw a spanner in the works, or a US Attorney is just doing his job and we have a coincidence.

There is a tremendous amount about the Huawei CFO arrest that we have yet to learn.

President Trump has not helped matters by suggesting, as he has over the last couple of days, that he might make the case against the Huawei executive go away if the US strikes a good trade deal with China.

These statements have given Ms. Meng some new, and interesting, defences to the extradition proceedings. It looks like - as some have suggested on this thread - that Ms. Meng might have been arrested not because she is thought to have committed a criminal offence in the US, but because she would make a good bargaining chip. If this is indeed the case, President Trump is risking serious damage to US credibility in extradition matters, as well as putting allies at risk for the sake of a US advantage in trade negotiations. In particular, Canadian citizens have been put in jeopardy, with two now having been arrested in China on "trumped" up charges. President Trump can certainly use allies in this way, and there is likely very little Canada can do about it, but people have long memories . . .

 

[BC.Pat]

I am curious to see if Mrs Meng actually stays in Canada or skips back to China. Any body take that bet?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Cross posted in Lighter Notes because this is too funny.

 

[Hank2211]

To be fair, there's no evidence she ever said that. It appears that the famous economist John Kenneth Galbraith might have though. And when you think about it, why couldn't it be true? People are oppressed under both systems, so the quote could just be a funny way of saying that when it comes to oppression, one system isn't better than the other.

I am a capitalist, and proud to be one, but I can acknowledge that there isn't a bright line between the two systems, and there isn't a purely capitalist society in the world that I know of, nor do I think such a society would be a good place to live if it existed. On the other hand, there have been systems which are, or were, socialist, and history tells us clearly that they weren't good places to live.

 

[Wheels]

Noticed today that it looks like a third Canadian has been taken "hostage" by China.

Has Trudeau said or done anything as recourse or is he just letting this happen? I am not seeing any real news down here.

 

[Pheroze]

Has Trudeau said or done anything

His only policy achievement has been the legalization of pot. Everything other substantive initiative has failed. It's a joke. They have no ability to address this issue.

 

[Wheels]

His only policy achievement has been the legalization of pot. Everything other substantive initiative has failed. It's a joke. They have no ability to address this issue.

Thanks for the update. That has to be extremely frustrating.

I don't know what Canada's best lines of recourse are but there has to be something that a PM would do. Canada has a trade deficit with China. Canada is in a winning position to negotiate from there! Start with Tariffs or kick out the Ambassador or something. Doing nothing only puts a fourth citizen in China's sights.

I feel for the families involved.

 

[Hank2211]

Thanks for the update. That has to be extremely frustrating.

I don't know what Canada's best lines of recourse are but there has to be something that a PM would do. Canada has a trade deficit with China. Canada is in a winning position to negotiate from there! Start with Tariffs or kick out the Ambassador or something. Doing nothing only puts a fourth citizen in China's sights.

I feel for the families involved.

There's an old saying "When elephants roll over, mice get squashed." Canada is the mouse caught between the US and Chinese elephants. There's very little Canada can do, and anything it can do might just put more Canadians in China at risk.

Personally, I believe Trudeau should have done what others have done before hi - once he got word that Ms. Meng would be arrested once she set foot in Canada, he should have had the Foreign Affairs people whisper that to the Chinese ambassador. If she had then stayed away, no harm done, and the US could still try to get her on their won. If she had come to Canada anyway, the Chinese couldn't blame us.

But our Prime Minister, who gives Boy Scouts a bad name, just decided to do nothing, something he's exceptionally gifted at.

 

[Wheels]

There's an old saying "When elephants roll over, mice get squashed." Canada is the mouse caught between the US and Chinese elephants. There's very little Canada can do, and anything it can do might just put more Canadians in China at risk.

Personally, I believe Trudeau should have done what others have done before hi - once he got word that Ms. Meng would be arrested once she set foot in Canada, he should have had the Foreign Affairs people whisper that to the Chinese ambassador. If she had then stayed away, no harm done, and the US could still try to get her on their won. If she had come to Canada anyway, the Chinese couldn't blame us.

But our Prime Minister, who gives Boy Scouts a bad name, just decided to do nothing, something he's exceptionally gifted at.

In all likely hood, this matter was all dealt with in the law enforcement community, with no one giving a second thought about political repercussions until it was to late. After Meng boarded the plane in China, the manifest was probably forwarded. She was flagged and even though she was in-transit, she was removed from the plane upon landing in Canada. She probably just got sloppy in her travel habits.

Freeland chastises KSA over the use of the death penalty. Trudeau chastises KSA over the extrajudicial killing of it's own citizen, Khashoggi. Yet doesn't chastise Obama for the extrajudicial killing of Americans with drones, or chastise American States that have the death penalty. Seems like the actions of a bully dealing with a weaker foe and lacking character when dealing with the same actions by a stronger foe. Unfortunately China is the stronger foe and Trudeau will take no action when China takes Canadian hostages. Baffles the mind.

This is not meant to be criticism of Canada. America has had weak kneed leaders too. It is easy to remember 50 Americans spending 444 days in Tehran.

Again, I hope this doesn't escalate to more Canadians being taken hostage, and the three will be able to come home soon.

 

[sgt_zim]

Noticed today that it looks like a third Canadian has been taken "hostage" by China.

Has Trudeau said or done anything as recourse or is he just letting this happen? I am not seeing any real news down here.

Trudeau is the most feckless of all the asshats I can think of. I'd go so far as to say H.L. Mencken saw Trudeau coming from almost a century ago;

As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Just substitute Canada's McMansion for the WH.

 

[Wheels]

"..........and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

Unfortunately this happens to all countries at some point.

 

[Foxi]

"..........and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

Unfortunately this happens to all countries at some point.

Wheels,
I'm afraid there's already one living there.
Election fraud, illegal Russia connections, money laundering, as well as further 14 !! investigation procedures
Withdrawal from Syria.
IS Terrorists clap their hands with joy on their thighs.
To be praised by Putin for that would scaring me.
Loyal employees burned in the dozen.
International agreements with his allies throwing into the chimney .
And Mattis he has kicked out now.
Wow.
Make America great again,but not so.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Weehls,
I'm afraid there's already one living there.
Election fraud, illegal Russia connections, money laundering, as well as further 14 investigation procedures
Withdrawal from Syria.
IS Terrorists clap their hands with joy on their thighs.
To be praised by Putin for it, would have to make all the world suspicious.
And Mattis he has kicked out now.
Yes,make America great again,but not so.

Election fraud? What election fraud?

ISIS clapping their hands? They don’t have any hands now.

The US pulling out of Syria is just an opportunity for the EU to send in their own to take our place.