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Post by queshank on Nov 5, 2024 18:01:26 GMT
Your idea seems to be aimed at increasing income inequality thru the economy and using government force to fix it and smooth out the wrinkles.
Nah. I'd rather sort out the inequalities created by the economy. Fix the problem, not the symptoms and all that.
Queshank
This is an unserious response.
...sure.
Queshank
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Post by queshank on Nov 5, 2024 18:02:09 GMT
That'll be $10 for your first lesson RP.
You're welcome.
Queshank
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 18:03:00 GMT
That'll be $10 for your first lesson RP.
You're welcome.
Queshank
Super silly. |
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Post by queshank on Nov 5, 2024 18:03:21 GMT
That'll be $10 for your first lesson RP.
You're welcome.
Queshank
Super silly.
 Queshank |
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Post by queshank on Nov 5, 2024 18:04:13 GMT
I have an idea. Let's make it worse in the name of it not being ideal!
Your idea seems to be aimed at increasing income inequality thru the economy and using government force to fix it and smooth out the wrinkles.
Nah. I'd rather sort out the inequalities created by the economy. Fix the problem, not the symptoms and all that.
Queshank
Here's workbook page 1 for you.
Sort out what I'm saying here. Give us your best guess.
Queshank
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demos
Legend
Posts: 9,206
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Post by demos on Nov 5, 2024 18:31:30 GMT
Trump's NATO was a weakened NATO. Russian belligerence would refocus NATO's attention back to external threats. Putin probably didn't want to get in the way of his enemy making a mistake. This is a far more likely scenario than "Putin feared Trump." NATO's weaknesses have less to do with who the U.S. President is and more to do with Europe. Neither Obama nor Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014 could convince them to increase their defense spending, and since 2022, there have been fits and starts to reaching 2 percent of GDP (especially looking at you Germany). Even now they've carved out exceptions to sanctions to preserve their own interests vis a vis Russia (diamonds, uranium, and other commodities), which help Russia's economy. And there are clear divisions within the alliance which only grow as it expands. Those issues preexisted Trump, haven't gone away as much as been papered over since 2022, and will continue after the conflict in Ukraine is over regardless of who the President is. |
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 19:04:33 GMT
Your idea seems to be aimed at increasing income inequality thru the economy and using government force to fix it and smooth out the wrinkles.
Nah. I'd rather sort out the inequalities created by the economy. Fix the problem, not the symptoms and all that.
Queshank
Here's workbook page 1 for you.
Sort out what I'm saying here. Give us your best guess.
Queshank
I have a workbook question for you. Tell me the period in US history with the worst inequality. Bonus points if you can tell me why, and what ended it. Get the answer right and I'll give you serious kudos. |
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 19:05:56 GMT
Trump's NATO was a weakened NATO. Russian belligerence would refocus NATO's attention back to external threats. Putin probably didn't want to get in the way of his enemy making a mistake. This is a far more likely scenario than "Putin feared Trump." NATO's weaknesses have less to do with who the U.S. President is and more to do with Europe. Neither Obama nor Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014 could convince them to increase their defense spending, and since 2022, there have been fits and starts to reaching 2 percent of GDP (especially looking at you Germany). Even now they've carved out exceptions to sanctions to preserve their own interests vis a vis Russia (diamonds, uranium, and other commodities), which help Russia's economy. And there are clear divisions within the alliance which only grow as it expands. Those issues preexisted Trump, haven't gone away as much as been papered over since 2022, and will continue after the conflict in Ukraine is over regardless of who the President is. That's fair but I would never say Trump was the entire story, or that there aren't issues with the alliance. I am arguing that Trump made all of it worse and weakened NATO through his rhetoric. But it's not some absolute story. |
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demos
Legend
Posts: 9,206
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Post by demos on Nov 5, 2024 19:18:28 GMT
^ I think his rhetoric made the cracks and issues within NATO more visible, which made it appear weaker because it was more public than usual (Trump is not exactly known for tact).
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 19:24:42 GMT
^ I think his rhetoric made the cracks and issues within NATO more visible, which made it appear weaker because it was more public than usual (Trump is not exactly known for tact). That's exactly what I am talking about. Internal issues are what they are but they stay internal to present a united front to outsiders. This is how strong families, teams, firms, etc operate. |
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Post by queshank on Nov 5, 2024 19:26:01 GMT
^ I think his rhetoric made the cracks and issues within NATO more visible, which made it appear weaker because it was more public than usual (Trump is not exactly known for tact). That's exactly what I am talking about. Internal issues are what they are but they stay internal to present a united front to outsiders. This is how strong families, teams, firms, etc operate.
rofl
You literally just described how weak families, teams, firms, etc obfuscate ...
Queshank
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 19:29:53 GMT
That's exactly what I am talking about. Internal issues are what they are but they stay internal to present a united front to outsiders. This is how strong families, teams, firms, etc operate.
rofl
You literally just described how weak families, teams, firms, etc obfuscate ...
Queshank
In MAGA world, everything gets reversed. Election losses are wins. Attacking the constitution is patriotism. And public infighting is unity. Brilliant! But unconvincing in the extreme. |
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demos
Legend
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Post by demos on Nov 5, 2024 20:14:59 GMT
That's exactly what I am talking about. Internal issues are what they are but they stay internal to present a united front to outsiders. This is how strong families, teams, firms, etc operate. Obama was more tactful about his calls for Europe to spend more on defense; Trump was definitely not - said out loud what had previously only been said in private. But the issues were obvious to people who followed NATO and foreign policy. And that would include Russia; they certainly weren't oblivious given Germany's interests and policy for decades now.
The only people they were presenting a united front to was the general public. And frankly, that illusion needed/needs to be shattered, especially when there's talk about expanding NATO's operations to the Pacific.
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Post by RinsePrius on Nov 5, 2024 20:19:36 GMT
That's exactly what I am talking about. Internal issues are what they are but they stay internal to present a united front to outsiders. This is how strong families, teams, firms, etc operate. Obama was more tactful about his calls for Europe to spend more on defense; Trump was definitely not - said out loud what had previously only been said in private. But the issues were obvious to people who followed NATO and foreign policy. And that would include Russia; they certainly weren't oblivious given Germany's interests and policy for decades now.
The only people they were presenting a united front to was the general public. And frankly, that illusion needed/needs to be shattered, especially when there's talk about expanding NATO's operations to the Pacific.
Putin invaded Ukraine based on his own timetable, irregardless of what the west was up to... Is that a more accurate assessment in your view? |
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demos
Legend
Posts: 9,206
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Post by demos on Nov 5, 2024 20:56:07 GMT
Putin invaded Ukraine based on his own timetable, irregardless of what the west was up to... Is that a more accurate assessment in your view? Somewhat.
The 2014 invasion was in response to events in Ukraine: the election, Maidan, and uprisings in Donbas. Absent those events, I don't think there's a Russian invasion.
The 2022 operation was also about events in Ukraine, but also involved the West at least tangentially, because Ukraine was preparing to formally apply for EU membership in 2021 - drawing it further from Russia's orbit. That formal application was officially made 4 days after Russia invaded. IMO, they needed Zelensky's government to collapse and be replaced with a pro-Russia government a la pre-2014; the buildup - and ultimately the northern operations (i.e., marching on Kyiv) - were a form of compellence.
EDIT: I should add that I think we have given Ukraine bad advice based on promises and representations that we were never going to fulfill, and as a result, put them in a bad position vis a vis Russia.
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