American Politics 3.0 - Back to Brunch

[nik-]

Sorry for being coy.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Haha, I posted a link to an FT article and a summary of what the Brazilian president said. That was followed up by:









Opendoor is the only poster actually responding to the article - an article about Brazil's position on the USD and BRICS+.

So, who was making this about China? I was sharing news about the US dollar regime.

Nobody needs to, with you it's always implied

[TheIronMaiden]

I appreciate the variety of view points on this forum, even if I don't agree with the majority of them.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I prefer to think of JohnnyB as anti US as opposed to pro China. The anti-US ends up causing the pro-China in my completely made up opinion of the poster.

Yeah, I think the US has taken a really ugly turn domestically, and I deeply dislike some aspects of US foreign policy in recent years too. There are a lot of conservative voices in the US that are essentially pushing for greater conflict in order to protect US dominance and who want a unipolar world, and I see that desire for continued hegemony or unipolar dominance as deeply unethical, because it implies the populations of the big emerging markets of the world not catching up economically. So, I'm in favour of countries like Brazil trying to find ways to secure their growth and development through pursuing alternate currency regimes if they want, and I'm in favor of Europe taking an approach that starts with their own strategic interests, and I'm in favour of economic cooperation, trade, and infrastructure development of the kind that China is promoting. It's a good thing for the world to have these kinds of initiatives.

Edit: And just to clarify, it's not even that I'm really anti-US. There's a lot a like about the US and Americans. It's more that I'd like to see a world where the US is less dominant because other populations have come up economically.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

I'm in favour of economic cooperation, trade, and infrastructure development of the kind that China is promoting

You're in favor of the economic imperialism that China is conducting under the guise of helpful cooperation? There are many African countries whose economic development is being totally hamstrung by "infrastructure" built by the Chinese which is now turned around and charging massive tariffs or requiring specific export destinations.

Your post yesterday almost drew my comment- it was out of place and context in the conversation and I immediately thought about why you wanted to post it. I couldn't come up with anything reasonable TBH, but neglected to comment. I suspected that it was due to the links to China in Macron's comments. That article was somewhat interesting- but I don't think it should be any surprise that looking at the situation critically, the President of the EU Council would want to publicly support a more independent EU and also support his block power leader (Macron), while not actually giving any consideration to how that would change any policy or modify any approach to policy creation. It was lip service- pretty obviously. Macron's overall goal in making the comments is also pretty transparent. He's trying to create news stories that are dramatically different from the intense domestic pressure he is facing so that he can hopefully change the conversation and reelevate some French nationalism. He's floundering a bit and trying to scramble back towards talking points that helped him rise in popularity instead of this recent hit he has taken for pensions. Those talking points were anti-nato, anti-US hegemony, and pro european army. These were essentially eradicated by the Russian invasion, and unlikely to proceed in the wake of that event as NATO has received much greater focus.

The article today is even more lip service. BRICS has now been discussing an alternate reserve currency for over a decade. #### or get off the pot. They know they can't actually do it, it's a consistent talking point they bring up anyways to play to the protectionist elements of their domestic political environments. Backing it with Gold and natural resources? LOL ok bud.

[afc wimbledon]

To paraphrase Churchill

'Indeed it has been said that the US is the worst form of World Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time and are likely to replace it.…’

The prospect of China replacing the US as the worlds dominant power has led me to re-assess my lifelong left wing knee jerk abhorrence of US foreign policy, there is nothing particularly admirable about the way the US has acted since the end of world war 2 but it will seem like the work of a saint compared to the utter ***kicking China will give smaller countries that don't do as they are told if they end up in charge

[TheIronMaiden]

I can't believe I liked a quote from churchill.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

To paraphrase Churchill

'Indeed it has been said that the US is the worst form of World Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time and are likely to replace it.…’

The prospect of China replacing the US as the worlds dominant power has led me to re-assess my lifelong left wing knee jerk abhorrence of US foreign policy, there is nothing particularly admirable about the way the US has acted since the end of world war 2 but it will seem like the work of a saint compared to the utter ***kicking China will give smaller countries that don't do as they are told if they end up in charge

The thing is, there really isn't likely a world where the US is the globally dominant power and countries like India, China, Brazil etc. have come up economically. An India or a China at even half of US GDP per capita is a much larger economy than the US, and they won't be dominated if that's the situation. There are also the countries like Indonesia and Nigeria as well as others with very large populations that would like to climb the ladder too. So, unless the US is going to have an enormous number of kids, they won't be dominating the world under those circumstances. And that would be a good thing, because it means literally billions of people living healthier lives with more opportunity. It doesn't mean the US wouldn't be one of the biggest powers, or even the biggest power for a long time, but they won't be dominant if we move towards a world with more evenly distributed development.

It's bound to have tensions and take many years to get there, but I hope that we do get to a point where we see countries across the Global South really climbing the economic ladder in my lifetime, and I hope we can get there peacefully.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I can't believe I liked a quote from churchill.

Don't be too quick on feeling bad. AFC altered it, as he said, but the phrase he was altering wasn't Churchill's. Churchill said it, but attributed it to someone else, as if it were a known phrase even in his time.
[I]t has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time;

And Churchill continued...

but there is the broad feeling in our country that the people should rule, and that public opinion expressed by all constitutional means, should shape, guide, and control the actions of Ministers who are their servants and not their masters.

So the oft repeated phrase is missing context.
https://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfs...democracy.html
https://richardlangworth.com/worst-form-of-government

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

The thing is, there really isn't likely a world where the US is the globally dominant power and countries like India, China, Brazil etc. have come up economically. An India or a China at even half of US GDP per capita is a much larger economy than the US, and they won't be dominated if that's the situation. There are also the countries like Indonesia and Nigeria as well as others with very large populations that would like to climb the ladder too. So, unless the US is going to have an enormous number of kids, they won't be dominating the world under those circumstances. And that would be a good thing, because it means literally billions of people living healthier lives with more opportunity. It doesn't mean the US wouldn't be one of the biggest powers, or even the biggest power for a long time, but they won't be dominant if we move towards a world with more evenly distributed development.

It's bound to have tensions and take many years to get there, but I hope that we do get to a point where we see countries across the Global South really climbing the economic ladder in my lifetime, and I hope we can get there peacefully.

This evidence free assumption basically totally ignores that US led globalism has provided the biggest increase in global quality of life in history. But alright. It will be better when it's no longer the US for ... reasons.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

The thing is, there really isn't likely a world where the US is the globally dominant power and countries like India, China, Brazil etc. have come up economically. An India or a China at even half of US GDP per capita is a much larger economy than the US, and they won't be dominated if that's the situation. There are also the countries like Indonesia and Nigeria as well as others with very large populations that would like to climb the ladder too. So, unless the US is going to have an enormous number of kids, they won't be dominating the world under those circumstances. And that would be a good thing, because it means literally billions of people living healthier lives with more opportunity. It doesn't mean the US wouldn't be one of the biggest powers, or even the biggest power for a long time, but they won't be dominant if we move towards a world with more evenly distributed development.

It's bound to have tensions and take many years to get there, but I hope that we do get to a point where we see countries across the Global South really climbing the economic ladder in my lifetime, and I hope we can get there peacefully.

Yes a dominant Hindu fundamentalist India armed with nukes and an utter hatred of its neighbours along with a profound expansionist desire, sounds healthy as #### that does

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Every time I read or hear from nuclear arms experts they are terrified of the relationship between India and Pakistan...not North Korea or Russia. Modi being in charge doesn't help. Just throwing that out there.

[photon]

Wow Moscow Mitch might be retiring soon. End of an era.

https://thespectator.com/topic/gop-s...ll-retirement/

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by photon

Wow Moscow Mitch might be retiring soon. End of an era.

https://thespectator.com/topic/gop-s...ll-retirement/

When there's nothing left to destroy, a demon rests.

[ResAlien]

Now if Feinstein’s corpse could go ahead and retire so that some judges could get confirmed that’d be super. Sorry but it’s time to hit the bricks Methuselah you clearly can’t perform your job duties anymore

[nik-]

Originally Posted by photon

Wow Moscow Mitch might be retiring soon. End of an era.

https://thespectator.com/topic/gop-s...ll-retirement/

He may leave, but his turkey neck will still be there months later.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Yes a dominant Hindu fundamentalist India armed with nukes and an utter hatred of its neighbours along with a profound expansionist desire, sounds healthy as #### that does

The poverty to be seen in parts of India is intense. Their GDP per capita in current USD is just over $2,000 and is still only $7,000 in international current dollars. Compare that to America's $70,000. They have 30% of the population (420 million people) living on less than $3/day, and that's on the international standard that factors in purchasing power. How many more children would have access to healthcare, education and food security if they could reach even a quarter of US GDP per capita?

There are more important things than ideology, and if they can climb the ladder and do so peacefully it should be celebrated and supported. It's not like they don't already have nukes, and Modi, and the issues with Pakistan anyways.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

Now if Feinstein’s corpse could go ahead and retire so that some judges could get confirmed that’d be super. Sorry but it’s time to hit the bricks Methuselah you clearly can’t perform your job duties anymore

Pretty sure she said this would be her last term and she would not seek re-election.

Buuuut it's you, so I assume this is purely a joke post, so forget what I just said.

[OldDutch]

Russia invaded Ukraine, and China running drills over Taiwan. What a bright, safe new “competitive” future we are walking into.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Pretty sure she said this would be her last term and she would not seek re-election.

Buuuut it's you, so I assume this is purely a joke post, so forget what I just said.

They can’t confirm judges while she’s “working from home”. To allow a temporary replacement on the committee they need 60 votes. She needs to get wheelbarrowed to Washington or retire, she’s four thousand years old and shingles has held up judicial appointments for months now