So this just flew across my transom. After pulling us out of the TPP, Trump is now apparently reconsidering in light of the (almost obvious) inevitable outcome: China would begin to move into areas formerly occupied by the U.S.
Dear Mr Trump:
I know you consider yourself an expert negotiator, but your choices suggest otherwise. Permit me to help you with some basics. When a power vacuum is created, someone will either be sucked into it, or they will jockey to become the dominant player. This is Interactions 101. So when you say, "I'm taking my ball and going home," you abandon leadership in the game, and someone else will then slide into that leadership position. This is true because the vast majority of the world looks to leaders. Sheep are common. Shepherds are comparatively rare. So when the shepherd takes his staff and goes home, the sheep will look to the next available shepherd.
Now, it appears, you are beginning to see that China is sliding into the enormous power vacuum created by U.S. nationalism/populism. When England goes nationalistic/populistic, the world yawns. But when the "leader of the free world" does it, the impact is enormous. In the past year, you have largely sacrificed our position as a world leader to your nationalistic/populistic rhetoric. So we will increasingly be paying homage to other countries that adopt this role. I know your "base" loves it. In time they will come to regret it. We will become the nation that is an "also ran," and the fears they had before will be realized.
I actually admire the more hard-line stance. I think it should have been taken decades ago. BUt the "I will take my ball and go home" stance is a serious mistake. Usually, the kids find another ball, and play resumes. The kid with the original ball looks like a sore loser that cannot handle not getting things "their way."
Maybe you just need to grow up a little? Your interpersonal skills bear all the hallmarks of a grade-school mentality, so it is no surprise your negotiation skills and political skills would be similarly limited. Perhaps you should take a lesson from the great leaders that came before you? Each of them had a unique skill: they could recognize their limitations and bring the right people into the mix to deal with it. Clinton lacked this skill - and that is why she is not president. You apparently also lack this skill - which suggests to me that your slim margin of less than 100,000 votes in three states was just a luck of the draw. Maybe you could make SOME effort to prove us wrong?
Or not. And if not, then I suspect that there will be a collective "you're fired" in 2020. See you then.
Dear Mr Trump:
I know you consider yourself an expert negotiator, but your choices suggest otherwise. Permit me to help you with some basics. When a power vacuum is created, someone will either be sucked into it, or they will jockey to become the dominant player. This is Interactions 101. So when you say, "I'm taking my ball and going home," you abandon leadership in the game, and someone else will then slide into that leadership position. This is true because the vast majority of the world looks to leaders. Sheep are common. Shepherds are comparatively rare. So when the shepherd takes his staff and goes home, the sheep will look to the next available shepherd.
Now, it appears, you are beginning to see that China is sliding into the enormous power vacuum created by U.S. nationalism/populism. When England goes nationalistic/populistic, the world yawns. But when the "leader of the free world" does it, the impact is enormous. In the past year, you have largely sacrificed our position as a world leader to your nationalistic/populistic rhetoric. So we will increasingly be paying homage to other countries that adopt this role. I know your "base" loves it. In time they will come to regret it. We will become the nation that is an "also ran," and the fears they had before will be realized.
I actually admire the more hard-line stance. I think it should have been taken decades ago. BUt the "I will take my ball and go home" stance is a serious mistake. Usually, the kids find another ball, and play resumes. The kid with the original ball looks like a sore loser that cannot handle not getting things "their way."
Maybe you just need to grow up a little? Your interpersonal skills bear all the hallmarks of a grade-school mentality, so it is no surprise your negotiation skills and political skills would be similarly limited. Perhaps you should take a lesson from the great leaders that came before you? Each of them had a unique skill: they could recognize their limitations and bring the right people into the mix to deal with it. Clinton lacked this skill - and that is why she is not president. You apparently also lack this skill - which suggests to me that your slim margin of less than 100,000 votes in three states was just a luck of the draw. Maybe you could make SOME effort to prove us wrong?
Or not. And if not, then I suspect that there will be a collective "you're fired" in 2020. See you then.
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