patrick.net

Booger says

Why the fuck would anyone buy a phone made by a Chinese company???

It's like letting the Chinese have all your information. Get a phone pre-laded with Chinese spyware!

Feux Follets says

Not to mention a certain model Buick SUV !

Nobody buys those in the US.

bob2356 says

anotheraccount says

Here. I never supported Hillary, why bring her into this? This is about Trump now.

Anything that reflects badly on trump requires bringing up hillary.

Nope wrong. Anything about pay for play DOES require brining up HRC though.

Trump discussion is pure speculation. There is actual evidence of pay for play w HRC that can be discussed.

CBOEtrader says

Trump discussion is pure speculation. There is actual evidence of pay for play w HRC that can be discuss

Still waiting for all the evidence to add up to an arrest warrant or indictment. When will that be coming? All those BLOCKBUSTER revelations and no arrest. Sad.

FortWayne says

Americas agriculture does come first. He's working out a deal... something Democrats will never understand. Because the only thing Democrats understand is "give me, give me".

As much taxpayer dollars that go into corporate agriculture it damn well should come first. Especially with all those corporate farms crying give me, give me. I thought we were cleaning up the swamp? I guess that doesn't include big contributors to the republican party.

I don't know - but assume this is part of a deal to get China on board to sort out North Korea. If true, I think it is a pretty low price to pay.

anotheraccount says

No thread about ZTE?

Their phones suck ass, how's that?

My understanding that ZTE was used to demonstrate how easily US can bring to their knees even huge government-connected Chinese firms with just a flick of a finger.

Hassan_Rouhani says

My understanding that ZTE was used to demonstrate how easily US can bring to their knees even huge government-connected Chinese firms with just a flick of a finger.

And Trump could not even pull that off. What a wuss.

bob2356 says

As much taxpayer dollars that go into corporate agriculture it damn well should come first. Especially with all those corporate farms crying give me, give me. I thought we were cleaning up the swamp? I guess that doesn't include big contributors to the republican party.

All that China had to do is target agriculture and Trump gave up. Sad.

Thanks god China still can't make semiconductors. They've spent billions trying but so far that's one thing only we (and S. Korea and Japan) can make.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-29/why-can-t-china-make-semiconductors-jglgice5

just_passing_through says

Thanks god China still can't make semiconductors.

And they still kicked Trump's ass in this negotiation. You would think them not being able to make semiconductors would give us an upper hand.

Feux Follets says

Anyone still wondering why Potus and his administration is bowing to China to save ZTE ?

I don't think it's Indonesia project alone. Mnuchin is trying not to rock the corporate boat which has no real allegiance to US. Bottom line, Trump is a crappy negotiator and clearly not a billionaire if he needs small $10.5 million bribes.

anotheraccount says

You would think them not being able to make semiconductors would give us an upper hand.

Here is a interesting article on the evolving semi industry in China. Of course their rivals in Taiwan have long mastered this.

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/semiconductors/our-insights/semiconductors-in-china-brave-new-world-or-same-old-story

Interesting evolution of talking points: from "nothing can be done on trade because it's impossible" to "much more could've been done".

Hassan_Rouhani says

Interesting evolution of talking points: from "nothing can be done on trade because it's impossible" to "much more could've been done".

Who said that? Most people on this board on both sides have been saying that China is a problem. Trump is doing a disservice to the country by starting something he can't finish. It's worse than inaction because poor negotiation likes this makes China stronger.

anotheraccount says

poor negotiation likes this makes China stronger.

This is a fallacy, IMO: how does getting trade concessions in exchange to, say, not completely destroying ZTE is "making China stronger"? If anything it makes them weaker as it confirms that they can be pressured via threatening their companies dependent on US tech. They have nothing to hit back with and it became painfully obvious.

Hassan_Rouhani says

getting trade concessions

What trade concessions exactly did we get? I thought he wanted to reduce the trade deficit by something like $300B.

anotheraccount says

Hassan_Rouhani says

getting trade concessions

What trade concessions exactly did we get? I thought he wanted to reduce the trade deficit by something like $300B.

Loosening of ag and auto exports. And Chinese got nothing. Getting nothing doesn't make one "stronger".
As for reducing the deficit by $300B: this is a move in that direction. The same move can be done over and over again using many US-dependent Chinese companies as leverage.

There goes the argument that China was helping Trump with North Korea.

anotheraccount says

There goes the argument that China was helping Trump with North Korea.

Looks more like NK was helping china with trump. 9D chess oriental style.