You know that South Park episode where Japan is trying to use Pokemon to conquer the US and every time someone from the US goes to ask them about it they distract them by saying how huge their penis is? I can pretty much guarantee that tactic would work against Trump. Just tell him that he’s winning and how amazing he is and how much you’re being screwed over by him and he’ll be happy.
I finally understand the Winnie-the-Pooh comparisons, and now I want to see a jacked Pooh Bear. Maybe a sexy Eeyore and a scrawny tweaker Tigger too.
Eh, close enough
Because Trump doesn’t know either. It is all posturing and nihilism.
Japan: What do you want?
America: Yes
America: Oh, shit! We didn’t think we’d get this far!
I mean if we REALLY hang them out to dry, they’re gonna revise their constitution and probably get the canned sunshine tech tree unlock pretty damn quick.
Same goes for South Korea.
Japan: What do you want?
America: Crash our own markets so our buddies can buy the remains of our economy for a few bucks. Nothing to do with you at all, but not gonna tell you that.
As someone who is good at reading between the lines of Japanese news reporting, here’s my translation of a Japanese news source on what is being discussed in tariff negotiations:
アメリカ側は日本車の安全基準を見直すことなど要求を並べてきましたが、日本車にかかる関税25％を引き下げるつもりがあるのかなど、日本との交渉の方針は確認できなかったということです。
(Translation: The American side lined up requests to review Japanese automobile safety standards, but there was no confirmation of whether there was intent to drop the 25% automobile tariffs, and no indication of where the negotiations with Japan would lead.)
また日本への輸出を拡大したい農産物の品目に牛肉やコメ、魚介類、じゃがいもなどを列挙し、関税以外の障壁や制約を取り除くことも求めてきました。
(Additionally, the US negotiators rattled off a list of products they requested to expand their exports to Japan of as well as to remove regulations/non-tariff barriers. This included beef, rice, seafood and potatoes.)
赤沢大臣はこうした指摘に「優先順位をつけて示してほしい」と述べたということです。
(In response to these pointers, Minister Akazawa stated “We would like these requests ranked by priority”.)
So all in all, the US side seems to spend their time listing a bunch of grievances, the Japan side lending an ear to their concerns, but not sure where the give-and-take part of the negotiations is here.
THE ART OF THE DEAL
Trying to have a conversation with the Trump administration is like trying to talk about politics, economics, the weather or whatnot with a conservative at the dinner table right now. It’s just not worth the effort because they do not listen. Ever.
“Art of the Deal”! Seriously, they want something that they can call a win and the only form of negotiation they understand is the shakedown and bullying. We shouldn’t assume there was ever another goal, at most there was a concept of an idea.
Attack first, then attack the response. It’s just bullying and control. Now you can say they admitted they were wrong and are still wrong by not offering enough. The point is control, terror, continued concessions, “winning”.
What is America doing ?
deleted by creator
Being destabilised by Putin’s puppets.
They can’t negotiate for anything in case they actually get it and have to back down on the self destruction. The self destruction is the goal, and to make some money alone the way…