Will Trump move to recognize Taiwan as a nation?

[Darren]

That may seem farfetched now. So did moving the embassy to Jerusalem.

With the issues with China now readily apparent, I'm thinking recognizing Taiwan will put China on notice they won't have the free hand they had before and, as a bonus, clear out Foggy Bottom.

[Lord Jim]

Will Trump move to recognize Taiwan as a nation?

Well, since that would be a deeply and profoundly stupid thing to do (the Taiwanese aren't even seeking it) I certainly wouldn't rule it out...

[Burning Petard]

Why would he do that? What prompted the question? On the other hand, there is the old rule of "never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by simple human incompetence." The Trump administration has an abundance of that.

snailgate

[BoSoxGal]

Yes that would be the smart thing to do with covid19 ravaging through the Big Stick and the Ronald Reagan and who knows what other navy ships, not to mention air or ground forces - let’s antagonize China.

He is dumber than rocks and crazier than a shithouse rat, so who knows?

[Darren]

Yes that would be the smart thing to do with covid19 ravaging through the Big Stick and the Ronald Reagan and who knows what other navy ships, not to mention air or ground forces - let’s antagonize China.

He is dumber than rocks and crazier than a shithouse rat, so who knows?

It's a safe bet in a month after the pandemic panic is over, at least one intelligence group will be downsized. Along with that China is up for a spanking beyond the tariff talks.

Based on the recent China collaboration arrests more of that may be upcoming. I still think China is up for some reeducation.

[Lord Jim]

at least one intelligence group will be downsized

Not really a good idea when we already have a President whose own intelligence is severely downsized...

[Darren]

at least one intelligence group will be downsized

Not really a good idea when we already have a President whose own intelligence is severely downsized...

Lots of federal agencies and their depts, etc. need to be scrutinized. It's time to take the "in" out of incompetence.

At 2.5 million employees and growing we need another Hoover Commission. I'll settle for lots of door knob bruises on asses in the very near future. I want to see much more off the tit and out the door in the future.

[BoSoxGal]

Yes that would be the smart thing to do with covid19 ravaging through the Big Stick and the Ronald Reagan and who knows what other navy ships, not to mention air or ground forces - let’s antagonize China.

He is dumber than rocks and crazier than a shithouse rat, so who knows?

It's a safe bet in a month after the pandemic panic is over, at least one intelligence group will be downsized. Along with that China is up for a spanking beyond the tariff talks.

Based on the recent China collaboration arrests more of that may be upcoming. I still think China is up for some reeducation.

We might want to be careful about how we go about re-educating China - we owe them a shipload of money and they own a whole bunch of this country, too.

[Bicycle Bill]

At 2.5 million employees and growing we need another Hoover Commission. ... I want to see much more off the tit and out the door in the future.

And then you'll drown the rest in the bathtub, right?

And just for the record; 2.5 million people working for the federal government — in ALL branches and capabilities — out of 327 million people works out to be about three-quarters of one percent of the total population.  If you're going to try to use figures to prove your point, at least use ALL the figures.

-"BB"-

[Darren]

Yes that would be the smart thing to do with covid19 ravaging through the Big Stick and the Ronald Reagan and who knows what other navy ships, not to mention air or ground forces - let’s antagonize China.

He is dumber than rocks and crazier than a shithouse rat, so who knows?

It's a safe bet in a month after the pandemic panic is over, at least one intelligence group will be downsized. Along with that China is up for a spanking beyond the tariff talks.

Based on the recent China collaboration arrests more of that may be upcoming. I still think China is up for some reeducation.

We might want to be careful about how we go about re-educating China - we owe them a shipload of money and they own a whole bunch of this country, too.

The Chinese don't have the domestic economy we have ... yet. That's why the tariff imbroglio got their attention. They still need to sell us crap.

The virus is now spreading across equatorial Africa. Guess where the Chinese get lots of their materials. Now's the time to level the playing field with the Chinese.

[Lord Jim]

It's time to take the "in" out of incompetence.

LOL!!!

A Trump supporter pretending to care about "competence"...

[Darren]

It's time to take the "in" out of incompetence.

LOL!!!

A Trump supporter pretending to care about "competence"...

Let's play a game, Jim. Shall we?

I'll go first to pick a federal agency for a discussion. You tell me how competent they are. Then I'll provide examples of their incompetence.

I choose FEMA. Tell me how competent they are, Jim

[Big RR]

I'll do you one better; choose the adminstration, tell me how competent they are, and which individuals they could do much better without. I know one who would be the hands down winner here.

[Bicycle Bill]

Not fair, Darren.  When something goes wrong, everyone remembers.  When something goes right, no one notices.

Take the light switch on your wall or the internet service you subscribe to.  When you flip the switch and the lights DON'T come on, then it's the fault of that goddammed good-for-nothing power company.  Same thing if you can't get online — you immediately look to blame Spectrum or Comcast or whoever it is that you use.  But when they come on, just as you expected, or the computer boots up so you can post your drivel to the board here, well — isn't that what's supposed to happen?  That's no big success story; that's just their job.

....and by the way — if you check out this site, you'll see a breakdown of the number of full-time federal employees in each major department/agency of government.  Out of that 2.5 million you mentioned, fully one million of them are employed by five entities:  the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the three departments relating to the major branches of the armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force).  Which one of THOSE do you want to cut?

-"BB"-

[Scooter]

Let's play a game, Jim. Shall we?

I'll go first to pick a federal agency for a discussion. You tell me how competent they are. Then I'll provide examples of their incompetence.

Let's play another game. You pick any federal agency, and provide examples of their incompetence. Then explain how reducing their staff will make them more competent.

[Big RR]

If we reduce the administration by only 1, they would be far more competent. Otherwise, I agree with you Scooter.

[Lord Jim]

Let's play another game. You pick any federal agency, and provide examples of their incompetence. Then explain how reducing their staff will make them more competent.

And then you can explain how firing or driving off anyone on the staff with proven professional expertise and a dedication to the best interests of the American people and replacing them with completely unfit-for-their-jobs political toadies whose only qualification is their proficiency at sucking Trump butt and putting slavish devotion to our would-be king over any responsibility to the public good, makes that agency more competent...

[Darren]

I forgot about the game. I'll get back to that. But first ...

"The shutdown of Samsung's last China phone factory comes after it cut production at the plant in the southern city of Huizhou in June and suspended another factory late last year, underscoring stiff competition in the country.

The South Korean tech giant's ceased phone production in China follows other manufacturers shifting production from China due to rising labor costs and the economic slowdown.

Sony also said it was closing its Beijing smartphone plant and would only make smartphones in Thailand."

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/ ... gKYrpKqMYU

[Lord Jim]

I forgot about the game. I'll get back to that.

You mean you actually intend to respond meaningfully to the points Scooter and I raised?

[Darren]

Next up the UK:

"(Bloomberg) -- U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it could no longer be “business as usual” with China when the coronavirus pandemic is over, the latest sign of hardening attitudes toward Beijing as the crisis drags on. “There absolutely needs to be a very, very deep dive after the event and review of the lessons, including of the outbreak of the virus,” Raab said at a press conference ..."

Read more at: https://www.bloombergquint.com/global-e ... s-u-k-says