MAD hasn't been an actual concern for a couple or three decades, now.

In the bolded; And, that would have been...………? Businessmen like Trump, perhaps? Obviously. All of it fully supported by Republicans as well as Democrats, right? Ummmm, yes, absolutely.

It sure wasn't labor who wanted manufacturing to leave the country. What fucking sense would THAT make? They wanted less dues paying members so they could make less money? Brilliant plan.:rolleyes:

Nations dependent on each other are less likely to go to war against each other. Are they not?

Have you closely examined Chinese made products lately? It's getting VERY good and still less expensive than the American made stuff. In astrophotography, a good comparison would be cameras. You can pay thousands for SBIG or Atik, or you can pay hundreds for ZWO or QHY that work very well and make beautiful pictures. Guess what nearly everybody does?

Our trade problems involve more than just tariffs and taxes. Much more.

Lets look at China.
We took some manufacturing to China. Workers lost some reasonable paying jobs. In return we got some shoddy goods.

Then the big store boys started to buy mainly China made goods. This engendered more loss of manufacturing to China. The Chinese in the meantime undertook a policy of forcing American companies into joint ventures and as a result the theft of intellectual property was much easier.

The next move by the Chinese was the opening of local competitors which have access also to the American market.

The American globalists have forced a lack of choice on the American consumer and then some of them find themselves outwitted by the Chinese.

In 2015 China announced a grand plan "Made In China 2025". China intends to move up the value chain. However this time America's eyes are wide open.

US targets "Made In China 2025".
https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/...h-tech-economy

We are dumb.

We went to sleep and allowed a huge transfer of science and technology in a relatively short span of time to a country, which is gearing up for massive fight for what it considers its area.

Be careful when using the L word around here. I've been accused of being one. Probably has something to do with being a rational anarchist which is often confused with being a PITA. ;)

Our and other advanced countries' science and technology were primarily stolen.

The realization has finally dawned that Donald Trump does not respond to reason

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/06/10/opi...man/index.html

In one fashion or other, it seems, most of the other G-7 leaders have felt betrayed. All these leaders believe deeply in the natural order of things and the value of preserving a global club of democracies, while Trump believes -- and has never demonstrated more clearly than in Charlevoix -- in simply shredding such values at will and for his own convenience or profit. This weekend's G-7 simply placed all these feelings in greater, starker relief.

"Does not respond to reason" is pretty much the generic definition of 'personality disorder.'

The reasons I've always despised DJT are fully evident, a petty, vengeful, narcissistic, intentionally factually ignorant bullying bullshit artist represents the interests of the Republic.
What could possibly go wrong.

Some pretty vile things said to today by Trump policy makers about the Canadian Prime Minister, leader of a country who has faithfully fought along side us in war after war.

I think Robert De Niro sums it up pretty well.

Trump's insane trade war
By Jeffrey Sachs

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/06/01/opi...ade-war-sachs/

Maybe Donald Trump really is the Manchurian Candidate, a stooge of some foreign potentate. Much more likely, Trump is just mentally unstable and narcissistic. Whichever it is, Trump is rapidly destroying American global leadership, alliances, and interests. Wednesday's announcement of new tariffs on steel and aluminum exports from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union is the latest bizarre and self-destructive move.

I have just returned from a trip to Europe. Across Europe, there was not a single word of respect for Trump. The constant refrain was extreme puzzlement and deep consternation. How did America fall so far so fast? What do we need to do to survive?

Trump's so-called policies are not really policies. Trade wars are on, off, on hold, on again, within the span of days. Summits are on, canceled, or maybe on. Foreign companies are sanctioned today and rescued the next. He says one day he would like to see overseas troops called home soon, and tells them to stay the next. Global agreements and rules are ripped to shreds. Trump's garbled syntax and disorganized thoughts are impossible to follow.

The US has probably never before had a delusional President, one who speaks gibberish, insults those around him including his closest associates, and baffles the world. By instinct, we strive to make sense of Trump's nonsense, implicitly assuming some hidden strategy. There is none.