It's unfortunate the trilateral conference will not be as newsworthy as it deserves. That is yet another facet to the historic nature of the Biden presidency, moving pro-actively to advance American interests in the global order even though the domestic political returns are virtually zero. This administration is demonstrating an understanding of international affairs that makes previous administrations seem misguided by comparison.
My tour of duty in Korea gave me an unexpected lesson in the history of that part of the world. Well before WW2 or the Korean conflict, Korea was the unwilling colony of the Japanese empire from the end of the Russo-Japanese war in 1905 until the end of the war. Words cannot describe the level of hate Koreans developed for Japan. Older Koreans I met told me they were expected to speak Japanese, even changing their names to Japanese names. And when Korean women were chosen to be used as "comfort women" for Japanese soldiers throughout the empire, the level of resentment was unimaginable.
Not until this administration has the Korea/Japan historic rift made much meaningful progress. This trilateral conference is historic.
From my chair, it seems that certain politicians and news media are keeping up the drumbeat of a bad economy to keep people angry, while regular folks go about living their life in contrast to what those politicians and news media purport. One is reality, the other is propaganda.
Regarding your comment on travel, it’s not just travel in the US. I live and travel extensively in Europe, and I have never seen the number of American tourists I’m seeing this year—and despite massive increases in travel and accommodation costs.
Ok, I have to say… I’m shocked. Shocked and dismayed. Shocked, dismayed and irrefutably disappointed, as I’m sure all magats are around the globe.
How is it possible that he can tell us all that he’ll do something, very specific, tied to a date certain… and then not do what he promised?!?!
Is this not the man who told us he’d build a wall with Mexico paying, that he’d lower drug prices, make America a shining beacon for health care, show us his taxes, and treat women and minorities with respect?
Say it ain’t so!
I mean, I’m typing this with tears in my eyes, because the hero to so many has done the unthinkable.
He didn’t do what he said he would. He chickened out. He refused to give us mere mortals access to the irrefutable evidence he SWORE he would show us today. He lied.
Oh, the humanity!
And as sad as I am, what must the magats of the world be thinking? That he lied and doesn’t actually have irrefutable proof? No. Never. It was the commies, or the rinos, or the marxists or the socialists of the radical democratic that did this!!!!
What. A. Piece. Of. Crap.
No wonder he’s the top choice of republicans… craps of a feather flock together.
And I told myself I wouldn’t cry if it didn’t happen, but… well… every big strong man, I mean… huge… will come up to him, tears in their eyes, sobbing that he’s still trusted more than Jesus, sir, and they’ll never stop believing, sir, even if he’s never lied before and will never lie again. Sir.
Trump knows not how to tell the truth on anything! It’s in his DNA! But, the media continues to plaster his face in the news each & every day giving him free air time. Come on guys, he’s playing y’all like a ukulele!
The American refineries need to get up to speed. As always, corporate America is screwing the American citizens. Time to look elsewhere to buy our refined products? - is that possible?
Trump: What catches my attention and puzzles me is the fervor in which so many fellow republicans continue to throw themselves into his bonfire of lies.. still.
Travel: 100% agreed. Have also noticed in this last year overflowing restaurants, shopping strip malls, and more cranes than ever building every last vacant(ish) lot in most cities I’ve visited. (Disproportionately with luxury mixed use). Statements of disastrous inflation truly feel out of sync to my out-in-the world observations.
While gas is high, so is the average credit card debt. Per Forbes "Across the country, many Americans are struggling with mounting credit card debt. The most recent data from the Federal Reserve reveals that credit card debt soared to $1.03 Trillion—yes that’s trillion with a T—in Q2 2023. The record-high figure represents a substantial increase compared to the country’s pre-pandemic credit card debt level of $927 billion."
Excellent newsletter.
The price of gas is high, Why?
Not because of Federal Oil Leases, not because of Biden policies, rather the lack of refining capacity
This is a failure of Capitalism, that is, unless you are a C Level Executive with energy companies…What do I mean?
These execs are rewarded for their incompetence, lack of capacity increases prices, which increases profits…so their bonuses are thru the roof!
It's unfortunate the trilateral conference will not be as newsworthy as it deserves. That is yet another facet to the historic nature of the Biden presidency, moving pro-actively to advance American interests in the global order even though the domestic political returns are virtually zero. This administration is demonstrating an understanding of international affairs that makes previous administrations seem misguided by comparison.
My tour of duty in Korea gave me an unexpected lesson in the history of that part of the world. Well before WW2 or the Korean conflict, Korea was the unwilling colony of the Japanese empire from the end of the Russo-Japanese war in 1905 until the end of the war. Words cannot describe the level of hate Koreans developed for Japan. Older Koreans I met told me they were expected to speak Japanese, even changing their names to Japanese names. And when Korean women were chosen to be used as "comfort women" for Japanese soldiers throughout the empire, the level of resentment was unimaginable.
Not until this administration has the Korea/Japan historic rift made much meaningful progress. This trilateral conference is historic.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/politics/joe-biden-camp-david-japan-south-korea/index.html
From my chair, it seems that certain politicians and news media are keeping up the drumbeat of a bad economy to keep people angry, while regular folks go about living their life in contrast to what those politicians and news media purport. One is reality, the other is propaganda.
Regarding your comment on travel, it’s not just travel in the US. I live and travel extensively in Europe, and I have never seen the number of American tourists I’m seeing this year—and despite massive increases in travel and accommodation costs.
Ok, I have to say… I’m shocked. Shocked and dismayed. Shocked, dismayed and irrefutably disappointed, as I’m sure all magats are around the globe.
How is it possible that he can tell us all that he’ll do something, very specific, tied to a date certain… and then not do what he promised?!?!
Is this not the man who told us he’d build a wall with Mexico paying, that he’d lower drug prices, make America a shining beacon for health care, show us his taxes, and treat women and minorities with respect?
Say it ain’t so!
I mean, I’m typing this with tears in my eyes, because the hero to so many has done the unthinkable.
He didn’t do what he said he would. He chickened out. He refused to give us mere mortals access to the irrefutable evidence he SWORE he would show us today. He lied.
Oh, the humanity!
And as sad as I am, what must the magats of the world be thinking? That he lied and doesn’t actually have irrefutable proof? No. Never. It was the commies, or the rinos, or the marxists or the socialists of the radical democratic that did this!!!!
What. A. Piece. Of. Crap.
No wonder he’s the top choice of republicans… craps of a feather flock together.
And I told myself I wouldn’t cry if it didn’t happen, but… well… every big strong man, I mean… huge… will come up to him, tears in their eyes, sobbing that he’s still trusted more than Jesus, sir, and they’ll never stop believing, sir, even if he’s never lied before and will never lie again. Sir.
Thank you for the reminder of the health care plan from Trump. That binder of blank pages. I needed that laugh.
Trump knows not how to tell the truth on anything! It’s in his DNA! But, the media continues to plaster his face in the news each & every day giving him free air time. Come on guys, he’s playing y’all like a ukulele!
The American refineries need to get up to speed. As always, corporate America is screwing the American citizens. Time to look elsewhere to buy our refined products? - is that possible?
Wait! Maybe he just needs money? Maybe he’ll do what he promised and release his irrefutable evidence if we just give him some cash?
Come on, guys, we can do this… let’s all donate say… a thousand dollars each, and then he’ll HAVE to show us his proof.
Who’s in with me?
Trump: What catches my attention and puzzles me is the fervor in which so many fellow republicans continue to throw themselves into his bonfire of lies.. still.
Travel: 100% agreed. Have also noticed in this last year overflowing restaurants, shopping strip malls, and more cranes than ever building every last vacant(ish) lot in most cities I’ve visited. (Disproportionately with luxury mixed use). Statements of disastrous inflation truly feel out of sync to my out-in-the world observations.
Will Hogg’s new group get free pillows? Asking for a friend...
While gas is high, so is the average credit card debt. Per Forbes "Across the country, many Americans are struggling with mounting credit card debt. The most recent data from the Federal Reserve reveals that credit card debt soared to $1.03 Trillion—yes that’s trillion with a T—in Q2 2023. The record-high figure represents a substantial increase compared to the country’s pre-pandemic credit card debt level of $927 billion."
That's no small increase.