Trump spoke of the need for a new economic model, and then recalled how protectionism is far from a bad word in US history; rather, it was seen as a means to promote manufacturing and build industry.
Trump said, “Like Henry Clay, we want to put our own people to work. […] “Clay was a fierce advocate for American manufacturing. He said that free trade would throw wide open our ports to foreign production without duties while theirs remained closed to us […] Clay said that trade must be fair, equal and reciprocal.”
Trump then went on to use the term “American System”, associated with the current of economic nationalism promoted by figures such as Alexander Hamilton, Clay and Henry Carey, champions of investment in industry and infrastructure, and protection against the free market claims of European empires, which sought to undermine American economic independence in order to defend their own pre-eminence.
“In explaining his American System, Clay argued that the sole object of the tariff is to tax the produce of foreign industry with a view of promoting American industry,” Trump said. “For too long our government has abandoned the American System.”...Consortium News
Roots of Trump’s ‘Economic Nationalism’
Andrew Spannaus
42 comments:
Tom, what's your take on Trump dropping a YUGE MOAB on Afghanistan? It's full on escalation now. The diehards are cheering for this because they say Trump held up his promise to "bomb the shit out of ISIS." I'm just wondering what effect this will have on what the hell is going on in North Korea.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-white-house-drops-mother-of-all-bombs-1492102824-htmlstory.html
Trump is asserting his position as a strongman.
Oops. Maybe that's a rushed conclusion.
Trump won't say if he greenlit use of 'mother of all bombs'
Could be he has just turned the generals loose to do what they want, which he criticized O for not doing.
Sounds about right. Seems like the way this is going, bigger conflict with Iran might be back on the table again in the future once Trump decides to bomb the hell out of North Korea for not complying. Hopefully we're not screwed somehow after all of this or made to be a big target for crazies.
http://dailycaller.com/2017/04/13/donald-trump-comments-on-dropping-largest-non-nuclear-bomb-on-afghanistan/
Not clear from this whether Trump himself was involved in the decision or had just authorized the military to do what they want as they see fit.
However, it is looking like this is connected with the missile strike to "send a message" to anyone opposing the US.
I suspect that Trump and the military are both on the same page here. How much the generals are running this is not yet clear.
Could be he has just turned the generals loose to do what they want
Could be Trump got steamrolled by Deep State. Same result.
Could be but my impression at this point is that Trump saw what was coming down on him and headed it off at the pass by pivoting out in front of them. Now they are playing catch up.
I am pretty sure that Trump himself is have a great time and laughing over it. He know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.
I still think Bannon will be ousted though, but the angle of Trump heading these people off at the pass is something even I'm gonna think about some more and try to put the pieces together as this goes on.
I think Trump sees the handwriting on the wall. He doesn't have the allies to pull off the Bannon agenda, and Ivanka and Jared seem to be against it. Bannon's influence seems to be waning, and it's probably a matter of time for him.
Anyway, all this is getting too bizarre to comment on or post about. It's getting to be the the crazy gone exponential. The wheels are coming off, the screws are loosening, the steering wheel is detached from its post, and the brakes are failing.
I'm not buying n-D chess - Trump is blatantly ignorant and in waaaay over his head. He is essentially engaged in ego-damage control and doesn't have the intelligence, nerve, or conviction to take a stand.
What is clear is that the various factions of the deep state are ruthlessly jockeying for position and that there is *nothing* to slow them down.
I agree with Noah, Trump has lost it. The deep state is in control and with Trump's wounded ego it seems we are in real danger of another war. The deep state seems to be setting him up for an attack on North Korea. Another BIG mistake. Why in the hell would a president say that he is leaving the generals in charge?
Trump is not even skilled at playing checkers. Tic-Tac-Toe might be above his capabilities to administer the office of the President of the United States. His skill set is not suited for his position.
There is no there, there. Anyone, at this point, who does not see this, is not paying attention or simply deluding themselves. No deep thought, no vision, no principles, except to bolster his own sense of self-aggrandizement.
He’s Narcissus gazing upon his reflection in his cell phone seeking validation from his Twitter account.
Vincent, agreed but the true believers and fanboys are still trying to claim this is all some kind of strategic game. I saw one of these people try to claim this was all some kind of grand plan to focus on North Korea and that ISIS needed this kind of bokbing. The guy claims to be a libertarian or civic nationalist or whatever the fuck this alt right alt lite shit is becoming.
It's all unbelievable how divided they are about the whole thing. It's like a little kid getting himself locked in a candy store and going wild from the sugar high.
These videos for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gN1C4KqxJM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSzgdOD4QpE
Lot of people believe this too. It's like some kind of religion in some alternative universe to me.
Or this:
https://youtu.be/hsmyIrbSG2s
Interesting analysis on UNZ Review: http://www.unz.com/akarlin/syria-666d-chess/
Vincent, agreed but the true believers and fanboys are still trying to claim this is all some kind of strategic game
This is a strategic game. The question is won is running it.
If it were not a strategic game, the US military would tell Trump to forget about it, they aren't going to follow his orders because they are illegal.
At this point, based on what some top legal experts have alleged, not only is the president a war criminal under international law and in violation of US law, but also the generals. They are up to their necks in this and these are capital offenses.
I don't think these folks are just prancing around. This is serious stuff.
But if it's true they don't have a plan and are shooting from the hip and making it up as they go along, then the US and world are in very, very deep doo-doo. The US as global leader run by crazy people and fools? OMG.
Penguin, the true believers and fanboys are all smoking crack.
An interesting etymology for his handle Styx – hexen – hammer – 666, taken from Greek mythology – German – English – religious symbolism, basically meaning bat shit crazy.
Look, if you need the world’s best advice on how to bankrupt a casino, Trump’s your boy. Unfortunately, that skill set does not transfer well to POTUS.
Trump’s magic mirror on the wall, into which he beseeches, is his television tuned to Fox and Friends for the answers. Maybe, we need Katie Couric to ask him which newspapers he reads?
Tom, my opinion was directed solely at Trump, but I would sleep better if he had surrounded himself with better qualified people.
When elected, I gave him and the office all due deference. But around day 60, my jury rendered its verdict, and I cannot understand why anyone continues to think Trump is some grand wizard – no pun intended. We all had that uncle when our extended family met for Christmas dinner that we, as young children, snickered to each other, “he’s crazy!”
To your point, I think we are starting to see Trump being corralled by other actors, who do have a plan. What it is, or who is directing it is only just becoming apparent, as we begin to see the makings of a shakeup. I don’t believe they are shooting from the hip, or crazy – only dangerous, e.g. we don’t need to play chicken with North Korea to see whose dick is bigger.
Unfortunately, Trump has surrounded himself with far too many generals, who as a group, like to blow shit up. There is a reason the Secretary of Defense should be a civilian. All generals and Presidents are war criminals; only the losers of military conflict are ever judged otherwise.
Is it too late for a recall election?
"But if it's true they don't have a plan and are shooting from the hip and making it up as they go along, then the US and world are in very, very deep doo-doo. The US as global leader run by crazy people and fools? OMG."
Pretty much this. Psychopathic morons & narcissists, just like all the people in gov who foolishly believe we're broke and we're running out of US dollars.
I don't think that other leaders like Putin and Xi are in the dark about this. They are going to ramping up fast.
This is looking like the US Deep State has conclude that they need to do it now while the window is still open. The window is shutting as Russia and China ramp up and in a few years it will be closed.
Moreover, if China pulls off OBOR and controls the world island (Asia, Eurasia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa economically, it's over for the US as global leader.
So the US Deep State and ruling class is faced with few options at this point. Either act now or forget it.
I have been setting forth the overall geopolitics and geostrategy here at MNE for some time. Now it appears to be coming to a head unless other forces or factors supervene.
Each week we have a theme and Trump plays the media into a sensational wave.
I can't wait to see what next week brings.
Tom, which all makes for a rather nasty witch’s brew.
And,factor in Europe is conflicted between reigning Trump in, and their fear of an expansive Russia.
The dominos are lining up for confrontation. This all can get out of control very quickly.
Where are the adults? Who are the adults? Certainly, not Trump
[MOAB]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gN1C4KqxJM
What a surprise. The man with the tiny hands likes really huge bombs.
This all has been in the planning stage for years if not decades.
The policy objective is permanent US global hegemony through economic and military dominance.
China is the actual target since only China is capable or challenging US global dominance long-term.
The strategy is to take down the USSR's former allies — Libya, Syria, and Iran, and co-opt India away from Russia. this puts the US on China's southern border.
The US has also been actively involved in subverting and flipping Central Asian countries and the US already effectively controls the territory of Afghanistan with a large permanent troop presence there.
After Russia's allies are subdued, then the next step is to subdue Russia and partition it. This put on China's border Western border.
North Korea is to be integrated with South Korea, putting the US on China's northeastern border.
The US 7th Fleet and long range bombers stationed in Guam ring China's southeastern border. US allies in the Pacific provide bases for the US to attack Chin'a eastern border.
The vice is closing. Trump is just a pawn the great game that is proceeding apace, in spite of what he may believe.
From day one, I inferred Trump’s ignorance and arrogance would allow the Establishment to do end runs around him.
"The strategy is to take down the USSR's former allies — Libya, Syria, and Iran, and co-opt India away from Russia. this puts the US on China's southern border."
Well I knew these people have always wanted a big conflict and war with Iran, but I just didn't see the overall picture of what this was all really about, but when you bring up the unification of North and South Korea and how all of this is taking place right now, it really puts things into perspective.
So it's all a means of expanding and maintaining the empire for as long as possible.
So it's all a means of expanding and maintaining the empire for as long as possible.
If we don't make the rules, some other country like China will."
Sums it up.
BTW, this is not only elementary strategy, US strategists have been talking about this publicly for decades.
Books have been written on it, for (Brzezinski) and against (Chomsky).
US policy has been clear on it.
Wolfowitz Doctrine
The US 7th Fleet ...
This has been bugging me for a long time: Why is there no 11th fleet, but there is a 12th fleet? Why did the US Navy skip that number? There's got be a reason for it. You just don't start at 1, proceed thru the years sequentially to 10, and then just skip over 11 and go to 12. Gotta be a reason for this.
I brought this up here once before, but I didn't get a satisfactory answer. Since you mentioned the 7th fleet, Tom, I figured I'd try asking again :)
I don't know. I served in the US Navy and it never came up.
Wikipedia lists the fleets but doesn't account how the numbering system was chosen. Maybe there was no rationale other than pick a number.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_of_the_United_States_Navy#Operating_forces
Tom, a unified Korea is apparently a double-edged sword. The US may like to be on China's border, with no doubt huge military bases. But the thinking has long been that it may not go this way. It may end up with a unified Korea not wishing to entertain US bases and troops. The dominoes start to fall: Japan will then kick out US forces. After all, in both South Korea and Japan, US forces are bitterly loathed. But more important than any of that is that a unified Korea will allow economic integration (energy especially from Siberia) with China. The Far East economies would then really start to motor and integrating India into the mix would put the empire on life support.
One sticking point will be a unified Korea will be in possession of North Korea's nukes. They'll have to give them up or face a nuclear Japan, since Japan isn't going to allow itself to be the only non-nuclear power in the region. It's a mess, and the insane clown is making things worse. Eventually something will give: either a peaceful reintegration, which has its own problems and may go either way (pro-US or anti-US), or war, with the Koran peninsula in ashes, possibly Japan too, nuclear contamination of China or a wider war that will suck China in. This may be one of the reasons the US policy has been the status quo: it leaves US forces in the region and the fear of an anti-US but united Korea, with the nightmare problems that that poses, averted.
The not-so-wild card here is China, in that all the Asia countries realize that the handwriting is on the wall economically, and their future lies with China. Australia, too, is facing that choice.
So unless the US can end China's ambitions one way or another, it's a just matter of time.
Attempting to dominate the world militarily will fail. Washington should have a "plan b" or just accept that the world has been multi-polar since the early 2000s.
Everyone opposed to a unified Korea speak up now - or forever hold your peace.
lastgreek and Tom, I don't know if it's true but I remember reading somewhere once that the fleets were numbered for certain regions of the world: odds for the Pacific and evens for the Atlantic, or is it the other way round? More fleets were subsequently required for one region than the other, and so the missing numbers. It could be true, but truth be told I haven't got the faintest idea.
John, that makes a lot of sense. Just like highway numbered system -- odd numbers for north-south, even numbers for east-west. Thanks!
Right, the fleets are regional and span the world.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/USN_Fleets_%282009%29.png/350px-USN_Fleets_%282009%29.png
The numbering is odd to the west of CONUS (continental US and even to the east of CONUS.
Hey maybe the Russians think we actually have 12 fleets????
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