There’s a First Time for Everything. . .
[guest post by Dana]
. . .even the once unimaginable:
President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month, multiple sources told CBS News, and inauguration officials are making plans for additional foreign dignitaries to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Trump invited Xi in early November, shortly after the election, sources said, but it was not clear whether he has accepted the invitation.
One can hardly imagine an American presidential inauguration being attended by one of the world’s vile dictators, and at the invitation of the President-elect. But given Trump’s comments a few short months ago, none of this should be surprising:
“They hate when I say, you know, when the press — when I called President Xi, [the press] said, ‘Well, he called President Xi brilliant.’ Well, he’s a brilliant guy. He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he’s a brilliant guy, whether you like it or not. And they go crazy.
Just so we’re clear, this is who Trump’s affection is directed toward:
Xi presides over a dictatorship that makes systematic use of slave labor and torture, that mercilessly persecutes religious minorities, that engages in the ghastly practice of harvesting vital organs from Falun Gong practitioners and other dissenters, and that imprisons between 1 million and 3 million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps. Its absolute control is reinforced by an Orwellian system of high-tech surveillance designed to suppress any whisper of thoughtcrime or opposition. It is a literally genocidal regime that constantly threatens to plunge East Asia into war in order to conquer its democratic island neighbor, Taiwan.
(In addition to Xi, Trump is apparently also considering inviting other world leaders, like Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.)
—-Dana
Just effing insane. There’s no defending thos.
Why invite our enemies and not our allies to celebrate an historic moment in our history: the peaceful transfer of power.
Dana (8a9494) — 12/11/2024 @ 7:48 pmBack in 1972, when China was still in the middle of Maoist adulation with all that entailed, Nixon flew to meet Mao, shake his hand and talk. Hordes of outraged conservatives of the Yale skull and crossbones & National review type, excoriated Nixon for “selling out” Taiwan, meting one of the Head Reds, etc.
Nixon being slightly more pragmatic, noted that pretending that 1 billion people don’t exist was foolish, that we looked foolish by pretending that tiny “Taiwan” was really China, and that meeting with the Chinese could drive a wedge between Sino-Soviet efforts. He was totally right.
Present day, some felt that Trump was Putin’s poodle 2017-2020, because he didn’t insult Putin in meetings, and settled for the more pragmatic things: opposition to the Nordstream pipeline, giving weapons to Ukraine (which Obama never did), and bullying our lazy NATO “Allies,” to meet their tiny 2% of GDP pledges to more armaments. All that was practical, and valuable, even if it didn’t appease those who feel that only insulting Putin to his face is the measure of a man’s opposition to a dictator.
In the same line, I don’t see any harm in inviting Xi to a ceremony that will be publicized in China, and will illustrate how we do things. Younger Chinese might be impressed, and that might be useful in future years. And with Putin tied down in Ukraine and booted from Syria, this is a great time to remind Xi that we’re not tied down anywhere, and pull Xi a little closer to us. That too might be useful in future years.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (c68ef9) — 12/11/2024 @ 8:49 pmOh my god.
The horror.
Xi will come and then go back to his country. Unlike the 50,000+ Trump’s predecessor let in.
lloyd (5d8c15) — 12/11/2024 @ 8:54 pmSince the US isn’t a member of International Criminal Court, accused war criminal Vladimir Putin can safely travel to the US to attend.
Rip Murdock (4aa4a0) — 12/11/2024 @ 9:10 pmDemocrat party likes china too! More then they like anti free trade Bernie Sanders.
asset (0e0f4c) — 12/11/2024 @ 9:49 pmAnybody in nj planning to shoot one of the drones down?
asset (0e0f4c) — 12/11/2024 @ 10:23 pmSince the US isn’t a member of International Criminal Court, accused war criminal Vladimir Putin can safely travel to the US to attend.
If we joined, we’d have to close the UN.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 7:13 amNixon’s opening to China doomed the USSR by enticing the Chinese to join with the West. What we have now is the end result. If we are to avoid war with China, we need to woo them back. That includes convincing them to alter some of their domestic policies, such as the Uighur exploitation and their export-dominated economy. But that will not be accomplished by stick alone; some carrot required.
I have no problem with Trump inviting Xi to attend. It’s what statesmen do, and I am rather surprised that Trump, of all people, is assuming that role. I would hope that he’s also inviting the leaders of Europe, Central and South America, even the ones we don’t particularly like.
I would draw a line at Maduro or Putin though. Maybe Raul Castro would be OK.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 7:20 amI fear that I was right in what I said last week. Some folks are going to be aghast at whatever Trump does. And some others are going to cheer the worst of it, too.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 7:22 amI’m glad we are finally admitting China is an enemy. Perhaps we can stop complaining about tariffs used against them and their slave labor.
NJRob (e0db05) — 12/12/2024 @ 8:37 amThe point is, inviting Xi to the inauguration of an American president is a much different animal than what Kissinger, and ultimately Nixon did. I dont believe this is any “statesmen” move either. To believe that is to ignore Trump’s fanboying over the world’s dictators. There are clear reasons why no other president has made such a decision, and concerning such a symbolic and historic event. Additionally, how do you think this would be received by the massive Chinese diaspora – and voting block – in the Inited States?
Dana (663590) — 12/12/2024 @ 8:43 amSo, let me understand. Trump talks about levying huge tariffs on Chinese goods, then invites Xi to the inauguration. In this you see Trump being a kiss-up? You might want to clean your glasses.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 8:49 amAdding to my comment at 11: I actually think that Trump’s point in inviting Xi isn’t any sort of statesmanship, but rather it’s intentionally trying to push peoples button and show them that he will do whatever he thinks everyone else is afraid to do, and break norms or traditions of wise and limited engagement with Communist leaders. I don’t think it has anything to do with your Nixon analogy. It’s a way for Trump to look bigger in his own eyes, and least he assumes will look like he’s a powerhouse in the eyes of voters. It’s along the lines of “no one has ever had crowds as big as mine” nonsense.
Dana (46602c) — 12/12/2024 @ 8:54 amTrump loves strongmen. He wants to be one. He wants to rule with an iron fist, perhaps. We shall see.
Dana (46602c) — 12/12/2024 @ 8:55 amAnd what I see is you pounding Trump into the mold you have.
But really, you would have Trump drop all trade barriers with China, but not invite Xi? This would tell the strongmen of the world what? That we will forego cosmetic symbolism while giving them everything they actually want?
Personally, I’d invite every dictator in the world to our peaceful transfer of power. I’d certainly prefer it wasn’t quite so hypocritical, given Trump, but really … isn’t it something to rub their noses in?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 9:26 amTrump loves strongmen. He wants to be one. He wants to rule with an iron fist, perhaps. We shall see.
Maybe he does want that. He won’t get it. Occasionally we have strong presidents who move fast and break things. Jefferson, Jackson, Polk, Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, Reagan.
Not all have been wonderful, but the same thing happened with each of them: their impulses were contained by the system (even Jackson’s mostly) and they left office when their time was up.
I think that Trump will run up against limits pretty quickly. Unless he is moving in a popular direction, he will be constrained. Deport people who are supposed to be deported? Sure. End birthright citizenship? Good luck with that. Send tanks into cities? Impeachment if he’s lucky.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 9:35 amAnd Trump is nowhere as smart or competent as Jefferson, Jackson, Polk, Lincoln, Wilson, FDR or Reagan.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 9:37 am1. I am all for friendly relationships with heads of nuclear tipped nations, whatever else we do to opppose them: and Trump has opposed them substantively: tariffs, treaties, nudging reluctant allies to arm up: all the things that the “trump loves dictators” crowd ignores because their iddea of diplomacy is evidently to insult them, or keep them at a distance. Ignoring what Trump DID is the error many made in lionizing Merkel, who actually weakened Germany, but she used the right plattitudes, so that was OK.
2. He wants to rule with such an iron fist, he had his opponent’s house raided, had the opponent indicted, for keeping documents many other politicos had in their garage, spoke to whatever media outlet he could find, and insists that votes be counted properly.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (0c349e) — 12/12/2024 @ 10:09 amDJT is a weird mirror; we all see things in it. The difficulty, for me, is not letting my personal antipathy overwhelm me. I remember folks at Stanford just losing their minds the day after Reagan whipped Carter. The things they said!
So everyone has a right to their opinion, independent of my belief system. But I consider all politicians suspect. And demonizing or deifying these characters worries me.
I have no solutions. But DJT strikes me as a disunifying force to the electorate. If DJT does something of which I approve, I need to say so, no matter how I feel. If DJT does something of which I do not approve, I also need to say so.
I fear for our future as a nation.
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 12/12/2024 @ 11:07 amI don’t have strong opinions about everything, and I don’t have a strong opinion about Xi showing up on Inauguration Day.
If it were me, I wouldn’t invite Xi because of his relationships with Hong Kong and the Uighers, for his economic support of three Axis of Evil members (Iran, Russia and NK), for his totalitarian control over his own people, for his spying and hacking and economic dirty tricks on America, for his bringing fentanyl to our country, etc. I’d rather invite our actual allies. But that’s me.
Paul Montagu (7de6df) — 12/12/2024 @ 12:23 pmIf Trump thinks there’s something to gain by it, we’ll see.
I’m sure the Taiwanese are taking note, that they are on their own; and I’m also sure the PLA leadership are too.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 12/12/2024 @ 12:51 pmHarcourt Fenton Mudd (0c349e) — 12/12/2024 @ 10:09 am
The trouble is, that while Trump has disputes or complainst about China, none of them seem to involve the fact that it is a tyranny, and not even too much their foreign policy, except with regard to the United States.
Maybe Trump wants to discuss Tik-Tok with Xi. Xi is blocking a sale of the U.S> portion of Tik-ok.
There is a buyer who isn’t asking for the algorithm, (which China is apparently using as an excuse for forbidding a sale) but just to transfer the members and the record to a new platform.
What nobody wants to admit is that it is far from unusual for ex-elected officeholders to have what is considered classified information in their possession.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 12/12/2024 @ 3:56 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 12/12/2024 @ 9:35 am
think Trump is going to the push immigration enforcement to point where it encounters popular revulsion, and that will let him compromise and liberalize the law, which he may want to do because Musk and others before have convinced him (and they are right) that enforcing current law would do economic damage to the United States.
I am not sure he is that Machiavellian. But he’s in a trap of his own making.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 12/12/2024 @ 4:02 pmThis one doesn’t bother me much. It can be debated whether it’s a good idea or not to do this, but on it’s face I’m not outraged.
Nate (cfb326) — 12/12/2024 @ 7:08 pmXi is unlikely to attend Trump’s inauguration:
Rip Murdock (4aa4a0) — 12/13/2024 @ 7:59 amThat would be a disappointment to his voters. They’re all for revulsion.
Rip Murdock (4aa4a0) — 12/13/2024 @ 8:02 amRip, I didn’t think about it in my comment, but I’m glad you caught it, that Xi at a Trump inauguration would’ve sent a chilling message to Taiwan.
Paul Montagu (7de6df) — 12/13/2024 @ 8:23 amThe mere fact that Trump invited Xi sent the same message to Taiwan: you’re on your own.
Rip Murdock (4aa4a0) — 12/13/2024 @ 8:29 amI think Trump is going to the push immigration enforcement to point where it encounters popular revulsion, and that will let him compromise and liberalize the law……..
Rip Murdock (4aa4a0) — 12/13/2024 @ 8:02 am
No, they’re not. They don’t know what it means.
When I say popular revulsion, I mean also among his MAGA base.
What could do it?? Raiding an elementary school or a hospital and removing patients; retaliating with an enforcement campaign in localities where there are complaints by politicians; complaints of corruption and bribe taking; deaths in prison, including by suicide; releasing rapists out of jail in order to try to deport them – and maybe, if this goes on for awhile, deporting them and then having them come back to some other place in the United States and committing another rape; refusing to issue Social Security cards to some babies, including those whose parents simply don’t want to bother with bringing proof of citizenship and filling out forms or are too ignorant or ill to do so; trying to punish local officials for not aiding federal officials –
There are numerous ideas out there.
Homan is to be a “czar” with no actual responsibilities for anything but oversight of everything.
When Homan gets fired, we will know.
Right now he’s mainly lying, and he’s letting Eric Adams agree to something much more limited than what he says he wants to do and not calling attention to it. He wants to make it look like everybody is on board with everything, It’ll be his downfall.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 12/13/2024 @ 10:28 am“China would be concerned with the risk of potential hostile actions by the Trump administration after Xi’s visit, which would jeopardize Xi’s authority and credibility,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank.
Arresting him for holding slaves or judicial murders, for example.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 12/13/2024 @ 10:44 am