I’ve been thinking about this, and I think both American approaches to trade with china and other Asian countries is misguided.

There are the free-trade folks who want to keep trade opened so we can sell goods and purchase inexpensive goods. After all, this is exactly why we have the high standard of living we currently do. The trouble though is, the developing countries are developing, and are now able to do the high level stuff they once relied on us for.

Then we have the Liberal/union folks who want to put up barriers with most every country, in an effort to bottle up the good stuff here – ignoring the facts about where our high standard of living comes from, and the fact that other countries will respond to hostile trade law with their own hostile trade laws.

With regard to Asia, we tend to treat them like special needs children, because to us, they seem irrational and crazy. I think they seem that way because we assume they start with the same assumptions as we do.

For example, in the US or Europe, you make a deal with someone, and that’s that. You wrote the contract, now both side fulfill their portions. In Asia (including the Middle East) and especially China, that’s never that. Every time you talk to the turkey’s they’re trying to get a discount, weasel out of something, or assuming you into doing loads of extra. They’ll pull tricks, like have you over to negotiate a price, and have your competition in the next room doing the same. There’s no honor or kindness. And – our tendencies toward honor and kindness are seen as weaknesses to exploit.

I think Trump’s focus on China is because of their currency, and the fact that many factories in all the other developing nations are more and more often owned by China. Trump also does business with the Chinese and knows what I’m talking about here.

I’m thinking the Chinese might respect some hostile measures in response to their artificial currency. They have a shit more to lose than we do anyway. Let them adjust their currency to the dollar. We’ll adjust a tax to their currency. (Seriously, the US could collapse China just by writing a law that made it illegal to buy superfluous consumer garbage.)

If we combine that with some type of long term relief here for business, I think we could see some move back. Our corporate taxes are unreasonable. We don’t need more taxes we need more payer.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4404107/navigating-new-political-landscape/?playlist_id=87937#/v/4405075/obamacare-repeal-coming/?playlist_id=87937

Scott Brown elected Massachusetts State Senator

Do you think a woman who had posed nude could ever achieve national political office?

Disaster in Haiti

The only hope long term for Haiti is a deadly disease that only affects jerks. That’s the only hope for a lot of developing nations criminally ruled by jerks. The CIA got close with AIDS, but they didn’t realize back then that butt-sex and being a jerk were not mutually inclusive. Ah well, dreams for the next conservative administration.

‘We are the world’ Haiti relief recording session begins

These people need to be stopped. Send your money to Red Cross.

State of the Union address

I don’t know why people take Obama’s speeches to seriously. I mean, they were never meant to be taken literally. His message is one of hope and change. We can all learn valuable lessons from his speeches but – lol – you can’t apply those ideas directly to policy – that was never the intended purpose of his message.

Toyota Recall

Yeah! Another fat-cat scapegoat! Yeah, let’s get’m! Whoohoo!

Obama getting tough on China for trade agreement infractions

I’m getting tough on my credit cards too. I’m taking a different approach though. I’m paying off the debt – or at least trying.

Underpants bomber now talking, encouraged by parents

Wow Obama administration! Way to go getting the kid to ignore his lawyer’s advice. If only all terrorists had responsible parents. And thanks for telling us about it too. Now all of America knows how great of a job you’re doing protecting us. Hey, so have you gone ahead and put Al Qaeda on the list to receive your FUCKING news letter yet?

Sarah Palin to receive $100k speaking fee for Tea Party Convention

Only a Liberal would find this controversial. She’s a Conservative from Alaska. What do you think she’s going to do with the cash? Buy something with it? You give those people a rifle and a pair of boots – a few years later they’ve got a city with a shipping port. Watch, she’ll invest in some unknown little jackass somewhere and turn another baby-blue state red. Astroturf my ass… U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A

Healthcare reform bill stalled

Ok guys, I get it. You got caught up in all the inaugural excitement. We elected Obama assuming “change” meant a thoughtful approach, but you thought we gave you a mandate to turn the country on its keel. So you went after you’re dreams: single payer, sky-rocketing business costs, and reduced carbon output. I can’t blame anyone for going after their dreams. And hey, at least you go that juicy stimulus!

But those darn Democrats, they got in your way. Single payer was compromised into single payer under a different name – then into a public option. Then even that was compromised – first into some fancy long winded name coined by Pelosi that essentially meant public option, and finally, a year later, into nothing more than a list new regulations – more similar to the Republican alternative to Hillary Care than the brilliant progressive stride we were all assuming would slide through. (Eh, regardless of the naïve math and unfunded state Medicaid mandates) And to add insult to injury, you have to buy some of those Dem votes too.

And darn-it – you could have passed it. Hell, you could have passed a bill covering sea lions FFS. I know you’d like to blame the Republicans, but shit man – you knew you had all the power and that’s how you wrote the bill. No Republican could have voted for that thing any more than you guys could all climb on board with invading Iraq! Or – wait. You got tricked on that one – hu? Well, you know what I mean. You can’t blame the dog you’re walking when you walk into a pole – even if he was enthusiastic about it.

So the question is: What now. Indeed, this bill is shot to shit. Stack that monstrosity on the back of the toilet in the staff bathroom. But what now? Should you pole-vault over the wall with Pelosi? Should you try to come to some reasonable consensus with a few reasonable Republicans? Should you keep this unorganized circus with your ring leader off in his own ring singing his poems?

I’m not sure what you should do. I’d like to see some actual reform though.

Congress to cut funding for KSM trial in NY

Every time anyone asks Obama or anyone in his admin a question about trying KSM in civilian court, they duck the question and assure us he’ll be convicted and executed. So if this is just going to be a $1 billion show trial – why not just “have the trial” (wink-wink)? You know – take a few days off, “have the trial,” print up some transcripts and stuff, execute the bastard, and use the $1 billion on some new Predator drones or something.

Don’t ask don’t tell – once again up for debate

What part of “don’t ask don’t tell” is so hard to understand?

LOL – I was just watching NOVA. They were showing a company in CA that is manufacturing solar panels out of a photovoltaic ink ‘printed’ onto foil. Then they assemble the panel with a sheet of expensive old glass on top. These things are cheep, return on investment in 7.5 years, and that’s at CA energy prices. They are sold out for the next 3 years. Why the F*ck aren’t these guys expanding? Do they need investment? CA taxes – lol. I heard on Fox they are withholding an extra 10% from paychecks to save their utopia. Good grief. Poor Arnold. Poor Liberals. They paint themselves into the corner so often.