Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
The rather hawkish DIgnatius WaPo: ... we should see the Singapore meeting for what it is: Kim set this ball rolling five years ago, with a little- noticed call for “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and “high-level talks” with the United States. Since then, Kim has deftly maneuvered the twists and turns — defying a threat of “fire and fury” obliteration from Trump last year to complete development of a nuclear-tipped missile that could threaten America. Once Kim had obtained this capability in November, he began to pivot toward negotiations.
The North Koreans screwed up and accidentally caved in their main underground nuke test site. Being next to China, they can't test above ground. Being broke, it will take a very long time to build another underground site.
Kim makes lemonade: in a truly remarkable bit of inventiveness, he claims that they have achieved their goal and don't need any more testing... indeed, they will invite the foreign press to watch as they blow up the little that remained of the test site, thus demonstrating to the world how very reasonable and peaceful they really are. Surely there is no longer any need for economic sanctions from their big brother, China.
After checking with big brother Kim parlays that into making nice with South Korea, and, seeing how much our naive president desires being in the media spotlight, invites him to the North Korean version of the greatest show on earth.
Kim and our glorious leader make a great show, for sure: they shake hands, Kim tells glorious leader that he will be a good boy and not make any more bombs (details to be determined at a later date), glorious leader tells Kim that we'll stop flying around pretending to bomb North Korea, all is wonderful (details to be determined at a later date)... let's have a lot of pictures taken so everyone can see how wonderful we are, and then have lunch.
@bartab Lol at the pervasive sadism in the Republican party whose primary pleasure now is from trying to make liberals unhappy. Is there any real joy in their lives?
Here are the complete actual details (akin to "facts", a concept very much under attack these days) of the agreement:
1) The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
2) The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
3) Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
4) The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
Just read the half-dozen analyses in WaPo, truly a chump event also overflowing w ass-kissing. A sampling; the first is a synopsis and quite unbelievable:
…Beijing: Trump Has ‘Unrealistic Ideas’… …Will Kim Take the Money?…
"President Donald Trump praised North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as a “funny guy” who “loves his people” on Tuesday after concluding his summit with Kim. Kim definitely has a funny way of demonstrating that love, because North Koreans are the most abused people on Earth, and that is definitely not an easy title to win."
or maybe ZeroHedge: "Trump Suspends Joint "War Games" With South Korea, As China Emerges Big Summit Winner"
or perhaps you prefer The Washington Times:
"President Trump needs a “Plan B” to force Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear program. Much like negotiating with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, any direct talks with North Korea are not likely to succeed if American negotiators continue to ignore human rights and focus exclusively on arms control."
or the Washington Examiner:
"Tuesday June 12, 2018: President Trump’s agreement Tuesday with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had better not mark the end of negotiations, because if it does, our dealmaking chief executive got much the worse of the encounter than his counterpart. It wasn’t even close."
and of course there's always The American Spectator:
"Trump Appears Too Eager to Dance With North Korea’s Leader"
@Maurice - Personally, I think you have every right to gloat. While I disagree nearly 180 with the man and what he stands for (provided anyone can determine that), I’m glad you pointed out the notable achievement of opening dialogue with N. Korea. Nobel Peace prize? I wouldn’t go that far. But I feel strongly that dialogue with the other side is generally better than shooting at them.
@Maurice - I value your input on the board. As I said, I generally disagree politically, but you have sometimes helped make me more tolerant of the other side. It’s all for the good.
@hank- What's to "gloat" about? Our Maximum Leader has simply gone down the same road as quite a few previous presidents. With undoubtedly, the same results. Great theater, though. Come to think of it, that's enough to make him gloat.
I’d love to buy all a drink, but I don’t drink. Interfere with the anti rejection meds I take post transplant. My only sin is probably too many diet coke’s. I tell you, every day is a beautiful day. It’s too bad so many spend it full of bitterness and hatred.
I’d love to buy all a drink, but I don’t drink. Interfere with the anti rejection meds I take post transplant. My only sin is probably too many diet coke’s. I tell you, every day is a beautiful day. It’s too bad so many spend it full of bitterness and hatred.
@bartab, you have good reason not to drink. Health first. But, you reminded me of a line Jackie Gleason used once when he sat down to dinner with a guest, ordered up a tall cold one, and was informed by the guest that he didn’t drink.
“Ya mean this is the best you’re going to feel all day long?”
I can't say Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for no other reasons than I've been left a little flabbergasted with some past recipients.
In any case, this is not some "world" award. Just like the Oscar's it's the opinion of a group of people. Let's not get too worked up about it. You wnat to give Trump an award, just do it yourself.
Indeed. I would think that someone in your critical, life-appreciating state might not take shots all the time the way you love to do, always spouting and getting in the last dig. Without even having read the articles posted. But sure, peace out. Health crises are bigtime stress, bigtime.
Today Trump praised the world's worst dictator and promised to stop military exercises with South Korea, in exchange for nothing. Reports indicate that both the South Koreans and Dept of Defense were caught completely offguard by this. Who told him to do this? As reported by the Wall Street Journal in January: Vladimir Putin. From the WSJ today, for those who don't subscribe:
Talking to Trump: A How-To Guide Insights from more than 50 people the president met with in his first year in office
by Peter Nicholas and Rebecca Ballhaus Updated Jan. 18, 2018
President Donald Trump has received huge public exposure in his first year through blanket TV coverage, speeches and tweets. But what is he like in person?
While some of the president’s most provocative private comments have made headlines—his demands for loyalty from top officials and his vulgar reference to African nations, for instance—The Wall Street Journal gathered others shared by more than 50 people who met with the president to discuss a range of issues in the Oval Office, on Air Force One and at Mar-a-Lago in the past year. Here are their insights:
Be prepared for a change of topic...
In an early session on his infrastructure plan, Mr. Trump detoured into a riff about part of the road network that has long bugged him: guardrails. “It’s put together with these screws, right?” he told cabinet members and business executives, who nodded solemnly. “I always think if I ever went into that sucker I’d be afraid that it opens and you get speared.” He continued: “I want to hire whoever their salesman is. He’s the greatest salesman in the world. That is the worst crap.”
...especially if it involves old enemies and old friends...
In an April meeting focused on bolstering business, Mr. Trump repeatedly interrupted his speech to jab at the news media or to call out executives in the audience, many of whom are his longtime buddies. “Trump reads his audience and responds to that,” said Kathy Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, an association of executives that organized the White House event.
...and expect him to be blunt...
Meeting last spring with representatives of veterans’ groups and Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Mr. Trump criticized the slow pace of terminating federal employees, particularly at the VA. “You just need to start firing people,” he told Mr. Shulkin. “Let them sue us. I don’t care if they sue us.”
...to the point of abruptness.
Mr. Trump abruptly stood up before a March meeting had finished with five chairmen of congressional committees and Vice President Mike Pence. “I have to go do some work in the Oval Office,” he told them, according to one of the chairmen. “But if you need me, I’ll be in there.”
He can be persuaded to change his mind...
Mr. Trump was annoyed with Congress last summer for passing legislation imposing new Russian sanctions. He told aides he was inclined to veto the bill because he wanted better relations with Russia. Aides told him Congress would override the veto, making him look weak. Mr. Trump yielded, signing the bill in August. A White House official said the president never gave serious consideration to not signing the bill, but was frustrated at Congress for inserting itself into a foreign-policy matter.
...especially if it is tactfully done…
Around the same time, Mr. Trump had an idea about how to counter the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, which he got after speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin : If the U.S. stopped joint military exercises with the South Koreans, it could help moderate Kim Jong Un’s behavior. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis used an approach that aides say can work: “He says, ‘Your instincts are absolutely correct,’ and then gets him [the president] to do the exact opposite of what his instincts say,” said one person close to the White House. Mr. Trump dropped the idea, although he has ordered aides to give the exercises a low profile, eliminating press releases and briefings about them.
...and he can take frankness.
Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings from Baltimore took Mr. Trump to task for his depiction of African-American neighborhoods as destitute and crime-ridden. “Most black people are doing pretty good. We have people struggling to make ends meet, but that’s insulting,” Mr. Cummings told him. “Probably nobody has ever told you that.” “You’re right,” Mr. Trump responded, “nobody has ever told me that.” Mr. Cummings later, however, wound up disillusioned, saying, “I don’t think it made any difference.”
Sometimes delaying works best...
To convince Mr. Trump to change course, White House aides sometimes stall, hoping he’ll forget what he wanted done and move on to something else. Trying to dissuade him from taking tough trade actions against other countries, aides caution that such moves could reverse the stock-market gains he touts. Or they might tell him that an action he wants to take on steel or aluminum must wait a month or so until the Commerce Department weighs in.
... but he can also get exasperated...
People who overheard a phone conversation between the president and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recall Mr. Trump saying, “Rex, Rex, Rex, how many times do I have to tell you…”
...and arguments are rarely final.
During the campaign, Mr. Trump talked about how the U.S. should have seized Iraqi oil as recompense for the 2003 invasion. In office, Mr. Trump returned to the idea and advisers told him it wasn’t feasible. They thought the matter was put to rest. Mr. Trump has since asked about it again. One White House official characterized his question as: “Why do we go into these wars if we don’t get anything for it?” Said another U.S. official: “No case is ever settled.”
He is happy to play tour guide...
In the middle of meetings with executives and lawmakers, the president sometimes invites them to walk over and take pictures in the Oval Office if they haven’t visited before. “I mean, who does that?” said Scott Heitkamp, the CEO of ValueBank, who attended one such meeting in March.
...even if the seating arrangement is tricky.
Unlike past presidents, who often sat on couches with Oval Office visitors, Mr. Trump sits behind his desk, raising the question for guests: Can they put their papers on the Resolute Desk? “At one point, I set my papers on the table, and then I thought, maybe that’s not the best form,” said former Rep. Jason Chaffetz. “So I picked them back up again and set them back on my lap.”
He can be courteous with Republicans...
When Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.) visited the Oval Office after his return in September from a near-fatal shooting, Mr. Trump made sure he sat in the chair normally reserved for visiting heads of state. “That’s an honor,” Mr. Scalise said.
...and Democrats...
Mr. Trump spent months courting Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va), at one point introducing the senator to an assistant and instructing her: “When Joe calls, you make sure to give me the message.”
...and isn’t beyond using chocolate to win someone over.
Mr. Trump invited Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.) to fly with him after a rally in Louisville as he sought support for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. On board, the president asked him whether he had any children. Three, Mr. Comer said. Mr. Trump handed him three Air Force One-branded boxes of M&Ms: “Give them to your kids and tell them they’re from me.”
But he has a short fuse...
Backstage at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, when Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.) told Mr. Trump several religious organizations in his state opposed the White House’s travel ban, the president snapped: “Nobody told me you were going to be a nasty man.”
...and sorry can be the hardest word.
Weeks after Mr. Trump’s election victory, the incoming president and his advisers were considering how to handle China being upset by a phone call he held with Taiwan’s leader. The question of an apology was broached. “Never, ever apologize,” Mr. Trump said.
And finally...
Mick Mulvaney, the president’s budget director and frequent golf companion at the Trump course in northern Virginia, said Mr. Trump will point out arcane features during the rounds, noting “which trees have died and which trees to cut down and what greens are struggling with what fungus.”
I enjoy your insights on mutual funds and the like, but you should realize you aren’t going to change any minds politically, so why even bother? I have no desire to read any articles by left leaning political hacks, just as I’m sure you are not spending anytime watching Fox News. Give it a rest, People would rather hear your thoughts on DSENX or whatever other fund than hearing about your hatred for anything not sanctioned by the Washington Post. Believe whatever you want, that’s fine. I don’t have a need to read some crap written by a kid a couple of years out of journalism school at Missouri University.
Comments
The rather hawkish DIgnatius WaPo:
... we should see the Singapore meeting for what it is: Kim set this ball rolling five years ago, with a little- noticed call for “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and “high-level talks” with the United States. Since then, Kim has deftly maneuvered the twists and turns — defying a threat of “fire and fury” obliteration from Trump last year to complete development of a nuclear-tipped missile that could threaten America. Once Kim had obtained this capability in November, he began to pivot toward negotiations.
Of course this sums it up most clearly of all:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-obama-had-held-this-summit-we-know-how-the-gop-wouldve-reacted/2018/06/12/a031b73a-6e75-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html
Kim makes lemonade: in a truly remarkable bit of inventiveness, he claims that they have achieved their goal and don't need any more testing... indeed, they will invite the foreign press to watch as they blow up the little that remained of the test site, thus demonstrating to the world how very reasonable and peaceful they really are. Surely there is no longer any need for economic sanctions from their big brother, China.
After checking with big brother Kim parlays that into making nice with South Korea, and, seeing how much our naive president desires being in the media spotlight, invites him to the North Korean version of the greatest show on earth.
Kim and our glorious leader make a great show, for sure: they shake hands, Kim tells glorious leader that he will be a good boy and not make any more bombs (details to be determined at a later date), glorious leader tells Kim that we'll stop flying around pretending to bomb North Korea, all is wonderful (details to be determined at a later date)... let's have a lot of pictures taken so everyone can see how wonderful we are, and then have lunch.
Kim the con man found his mark.
https://nytimes.com/2017/08/15/us/politics/trump-charlottesville-white-nationalists.html
1) The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
2) The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
3) Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
4) The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
What a breakthrough! Wow!!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/06/12/daily-202-in-kim-he-trusts-trump-sounds-naive-after-meeting-north-korea-s-leader/5b1f1bbf30fb04775d8813c9
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/06/12/reporters-thought-this-video-was-north-korea-propaganda-it-came-from-the-white-house/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-north-korea-summit-was-a-triumph-of-trumpian-stagecraft-and-the-media-fell-for-it/2018/06/12/0ebe2488-6e42-11e8-bd50-b80389a4e569_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/06/12/a-summit-without-substance/
…Beijing: Trump Has ‘Unrealistic Ideas’…
…Will Kim Take the Money?…
"President Donald Trump praised North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as a “funny guy” who “loves his people” on Tuesday after concluding his summit with Kim. Kim definitely has a funny way of demonstrating that love, because North Koreans are the most abused people on Earth, and that is definitely not an easy title to win."
or maybe ZeroHedge:
"Trump Suspends Joint "War Games" With South Korea, As China Emerges Big Summit Winner"
or perhaps you prefer The Washington Times:
"President Trump needs a “Plan B” to force Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear program. Much like negotiating with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, any direct talks with North Korea are not likely to succeed if American negotiators continue to ignore human rights and focus exclusively on arms control."
or the Washington Examiner:
"Tuesday June 12, 2018: President Trump’s agreement Tuesday with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had better not mark the end of negotiations, because if it does, our dealmaking chief executive got much the worse of the encounter than his counterpart. It wasn’t even close."
and of course there's always The American Spectator:
"Trump Appears Too Eager to Dance With North Korea’s Leader"
Regards,
Ted
And bartab, what a great name, here is some more:
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/trump-kim-and-the-boys-in-the-camps/
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/singapore-summit-kim-jong-un-winning/
@Maurice - I value your input on the board. As I said, I generally disagree politically, but you have sometimes helped make me more tolerant of the other side. It’s all for the good.
Regards
http://freebeacon.com/politics/claire-mccaskills-private-plane-used-on-campaigns-rv-tour-through-missouri/
@bartab, you have good reason not to drink. Health first. But, you reminded me of a line Jackie Gleason used once when he sat down to dinner with a guest, ordered up a tall cold one, and was informed by the guest that he didn’t drink.
“Ya mean this is the best you’re going to feel all day long?”
In any case, this is not some "world" award. Just like the Oscar's it's the opinion of a group of people. Let's not get too worked up about it. You wnat to give Trump an award, just do it yourself.
Indeed. I would think that someone in your critical, life-appreciating state might not take shots all the time the way you love to do, always spouting and getting in the last dig. Without even having read the articles posted. But sure, peace out. Health crises are bigtime stress, bigtime.
From the WSJ today, for those who don't subscribe:
Talking to Trump: A How-To Guide
Insights from more than 50 people the president met with in his first year in office
by Peter Nicholas and Rebecca Ballhaus Updated Jan. 18, 2018
President Donald Trump has received huge public exposure in his first year through blanket TV coverage, speeches and tweets. But what is he like in person?
While some of the president’s most provocative private comments have made headlines—his demands for loyalty from top officials and his vulgar reference to African nations, for instance—The Wall Street Journal gathered others shared by more than 50 people who met with the president to discuss a range of issues in the Oval Office, on Air Force One and at Mar-a-Lago in the past year. Here are their insights:
Be prepared for a change of topic...
In an early session on his infrastructure plan, Mr. Trump detoured into a riff about part of the road network that has long bugged him: guardrails. “It’s put together with these screws, right?” he told cabinet members and business executives, who nodded solemnly. “I always think if I ever went into that sucker I’d be afraid that it opens and you get speared.” He continued: “I want to hire whoever their salesman is. He’s the greatest salesman in the world. That is the worst crap.”
...especially if it involves old enemies and old friends...
In an April meeting focused on bolstering business, Mr. Trump repeatedly interrupted his speech to jab at the news media or to call out executives in the audience, many of whom are his longtime buddies. “Trump reads his audience and responds to that,” said Kathy Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, an association of executives that organized the White House event.
...and expect him to be blunt...
Meeting last spring with representatives of veterans’ groups and Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Mr. Trump criticized the slow pace of terminating federal employees, particularly at the VA. “You just need to start firing people,” he told Mr. Shulkin. “Let them sue us. I don’t care if they sue us.”
...to the point of abruptness.
Mr. Trump abruptly stood up before a March meeting had finished with five chairmen of congressional committees and Vice President Mike Pence. “I have to go do some work in the Oval Office,” he told them, according to one of the chairmen. “But if you need me, I’ll be in there.”
He can be persuaded to change his mind...
Mr. Trump was annoyed with Congress last summer for passing legislation imposing new Russian sanctions. He told aides he was inclined to veto the bill because he wanted better relations with Russia. Aides told him Congress would override the veto, making him look weak. Mr. Trump yielded, signing the bill in August. A White House official said the president never gave serious consideration to not signing the bill, but was frustrated at Congress for inserting itself into a foreign-policy matter.
...especially if it is tactfully done…
Around the same time, Mr. Trump had an idea about how to counter the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, which he got after speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin : If the U.S. stopped joint military exercises with the South Koreans, it could help moderate Kim Jong Un’s behavior. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis used an approach that aides say can work: “He says, ‘Your instincts are absolutely correct,’ and then gets him [the president] to do the exact opposite of what his instincts say,” said one person close to the White House. Mr. Trump dropped the idea, although he has ordered aides to give the exercises a low profile, eliminating press releases and briefings about them.
...and he can take frankness.
Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings from Baltimore took Mr. Trump to task for his depiction of African-American neighborhoods as destitute and crime-ridden. “Most black people are doing pretty good. We have people struggling to make ends meet, but that’s insulting,” Mr. Cummings told him. “Probably nobody has ever told you that.” “You’re right,” Mr. Trump responded, “nobody has ever told me that.” Mr. Cummings later, however, wound up disillusioned, saying, “I don’t think it made any difference.”
Sometimes delaying works best...
To convince Mr. Trump to change course, White House aides sometimes stall, hoping he’ll forget what he wanted done and move on to something else. Trying to dissuade him from taking tough trade actions against other countries, aides caution that such moves could reverse the stock-market gains he touts. Or they might tell him that an action he wants to take on steel or aluminum must wait a month or so until the Commerce Department weighs in.
... but he can also get exasperated...
People who overheard a phone conversation between the president and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recall Mr. Trump saying, “Rex, Rex, Rex, how many times do I have to tell you…”
...and arguments are rarely final.
During the campaign, Mr. Trump talked about how the U.S. should have seized Iraqi oil as recompense for the 2003 invasion. In office, Mr. Trump returned to the idea and advisers told him it wasn’t feasible. They thought the matter was put to rest. Mr. Trump has since asked about it again. One White House official characterized his question as: “Why do we go into these wars if we don’t get anything for it?” Said another U.S. official: “No case is ever settled.”
He is happy to play tour guide...
In the middle of meetings with executives and lawmakers, the president sometimes invites them to walk over and take pictures in the Oval Office if they haven’t visited before. “I mean, who does that?” said Scott Heitkamp, the CEO of ValueBank, who attended one such meeting in March.
...even if the seating arrangement is tricky.
Unlike past presidents, who often sat on couches with Oval Office visitors, Mr. Trump sits behind his desk, raising the question for guests: Can they put their papers on the Resolute Desk? “At one point, I set my papers on the table, and then I thought, maybe that’s not the best form,” said former Rep. Jason Chaffetz. “So I picked them back up again and set them back on my lap.”
He can be courteous with Republicans...
When Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.) visited the Oval Office after his return in September from a near-fatal shooting, Mr. Trump made sure he sat in the chair normally reserved for visiting heads of state. “That’s an honor,” Mr. Scalise said.
...and Democrats...
Mr. Trump spent months courting Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va), at one point introducing the senator to an assistant and instructing her: “When Joe calls, you make sure to give me the message.”
...and isn’t beyond using chocolate to win someone over.
Mr. Trump invited Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.) to fly with him after a rally in Louisville as he sought support for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. On board, the president asked him whether he had any children. Three, Mr. Comer said. Mr. Trump handed him three Air Force One-branded boxes of M&Ms: “Give them to your kids and tell them they’re from me.”
But he has a short fuse...
Backstage at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, when Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.) told Mr. Trump several religious organizations in his state opposed the White House’s travel ban, the president snapped: “Nobody told me you were going to be a nasty man.”
...and sorry can be the hardest word.
Weeks after Mr. Trump’s election victory, the incoming president and his advisers were considering how to handle China being upset by a phone call he held with Taiwan’s leader. The question of an apology was broached. “Never, ever apologize,” Mr. Trump said.
And finally...
Mick Mulvaney, the president’s budget director and frequent golf companion at the Trump course in northern Virginia, said Mr. Trump will point out arcane features during the rounds, noting “which trees have died and which trees to cut down and what greens are struggling with what fungus.”