politics

The very idea of a President Trump scares some, bolsters others in Asia

29 Comments
By Simon Cameron-Moore

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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016.

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29 Comments
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Trump has already backtracked on so many of his promises that it is impossible to predict what kind of policies he will have should he win. Having said that, there is a power structure in the US that will reign him in should he get out of control. No US president has free reign to do whatever he wants.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

There is no limit to the number of news articles that can be written about "the very idea" of Donald Trump, but let's see if we can find it anyway.

Thanks modern media, and thank you journalism 2016.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

What scares me is that Trump is clearly pushing for votes from dumb people. These are people that like what they hear, but do not know better.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

No US president has free reign to do whatever he wants.

Really? Obama just lied his way into giving the Iranians a nuclear bomb. With Hillary you know she is into overthrowing governments. Trump? Who really knows?

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

His idea of making Japan and South Korea pay up rather than enjoy a cheaper ride under the U.S. security umbrella sent shudders through Tokyo and Seoul.

Why is Simon Cameron-Moore of Thomson Reuters getting away with publishing falsehoods? Japan and Korea already pay for the US's presence here.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Trump is such a wild card, a true "joker", that it is impossible to do the what-if game with him. He'll do and say what he wants, for better or for worse (most likely worse in most cases) and it would be up to the Congress and the Supreme Court to correctly enforce the checks-and-balances.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

"Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States".

how many times must people and media twist this topic? Lets finish the correct sentence in which he said without the left taking things out of context:

Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on,"

Trump was stating that the vetting of visitors coming into the country was weak. It threatens the security of the United States. The left took it as some racial slur.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

if the U.S. leaves, there will be a vacuum and China will try to fill it,” said Miyake, research director at the Canon Institute for Global Studies. “It’s a survival issue for all allies of the United States.”

Translation: We need you. We cannot defend ourselves. We're afraid of China. Please don't go USA, never mind the base protesters in Okinawa. Never mind the damage control for the recent crimes committed by active (and former) US servicemen.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If Trump is elected president, the major task of all other countries of the world is to figure out how to disengage from the USA, and reorganize centered on China. China will calm down once we all recognize it as the center of the world.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

China will calm down once we all recognize it as the center of the world.

Ironic. They are the middle kingdom. But with all their censorship and 3rd world slum-like conditions all the rural areas, I doubt that will happen. Plus Chinese people love going to the US to invest.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I LOVE Trump! Finally a guy who says things the way they are. I despise political correctness. Go Donald, go!

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

@keitai - I am not a Trump supporter and would not vote for him (Would not vote for Clinton either) however I fully agree with you. The media is out to nail Trump in any way possible as he was not bending over to the Globalist agenda. His statement about stopping Muslim immigration until things get figured out is also backed up by Jeh Johnson, the Obama appointed director of Homeland Security who indicated within the same week that it is not possible to vet all immigrants/asylum seekers to determine if there are terror ties. The media constantly reminds us that the"New World Order" (a precise term used by politicians of both parties) has no room for those with a nationalist agenda or those wishing to protect a nation state's borders. It is now interesting however that Trump is starting to be advised by establishment republicans and he is already starting to tone down his message to attempt to appease the status-quo.

Those making blanket statements that "Trump supporters are dumb" add nothing to any argument. It is better to state your disagreement with the man and why. There are things Trump has said that I agree with and things I disagree with. Although there are some issues which I agree with him on it does not mean I believe he would be a good President. On the other hand I know quite a few very intelligent people how are staunch supporters of Trump.

I think Trump will continue to moderate as it becomes clear he will be the republican candidate. It will also be interesting to see who he chooses as a running mate if he does cross the finish line. I have heard Newt Gingrich is being tossed out there as a possibility.

More interesting times to come I am sure.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Thanks modern media, and thank you journalism 2016.

Speed, as a compilation of quotes from academics and diplomats representing a variety of countries in the region, the article seemed fair to me. Militarily, little would likely change under a Trump presidency as both reality and status quo inertia will dull any of Trump's wild swings. Economics are another situation: Any president could ignite a trade war from which no side would emerge unscathed.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Trump's wild swings.

Sometimes its better to take a swing. Rather than to just keep retreating and retreating and retreating and . . .

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It is much scarier to think that Mrs Clinton who has no real experinece or qualifications other than being married to a former president to be one herself might win. It is terrifying to be honest. Trump can and will save the US from a near decade of liberal excessive spending and wild social propaganda for extreme causes. Thank goodness we have a chance to return to sanity if he wins.

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

Trump's wild swings.

Sometimes its better to take a swing.

He did. He strongly supported going into Libya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ivogwgDxRE

"I can’t believe what our country is doing. Gaddafi in Libya is killing thousands of people, nobody knows how bad it is, and we’re sitting around we have soldiers all have the Middle East, and we’re not bringing them in to stop this horrible carnage and that’s what it is: It’s a carnage."

"You talk about things that have happened in history; this could be one of the worst. Now we should go in, we should stop this guy, which would be very easy and very quick. We could do it surgically, stop him from doing it, and save these lives. This is absolutely nuts. We don’t want to get involved and you’re gonna end up with something like you’ve never seen before."

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A country elects its own leaders, such as our President and it is for our country alone. No other country can assure us Prosperity or Security. Just as every other country considers the same options.

For the USA a President that is straight forward is much easier for the whole country to understand and deal with. Most probably likewise for the rest of the world.

However, Trump is not yet the President. He is working off of an incomplete set of data with less support from the very party he is trying to help. Political rhetoric during elections, especially the primary, is much too early to "predict" what Trump "may" or "may not" DO. To begin with he is not working with the party "agenda", but his own, which no one can really say till he does reveal it. So as with all "candidates, their "promises", "positions" and "posturing" will change until such time as they actually hold the power to make a difference.

However, no leader of a country will be a "fool" to push his own agenda when his own survival and in this case Trump's empire also depends on the health and security of USA. (The exception to that was I guess, Obama. He had everything to gain regardless of how he performed.) Once Trump does get the information he needs to evaluate and decide the course of the country, we must rely on his ability to build and grow his empire. The quicker the Republican party gives him the correct and meaningful unbiased information, the sooner we will know more of his thoughts. However, that will probably NOT happen. They are all afraid of him.

The so called insiders are probably much more afraid of Trump than the rest of the world except may be China and the Muslim world. He knows the agenda and the methods of the existing insiders because he was working with them. Any change from taxes to immigration can change the entire political and economic environment not only within the USA but the entire world. That also will impact the military and the balance of powers. Economic power is political power and political power is military power. And "force" has power over people.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Let the people's voice be heard. if they don't want to be embroiled in foreign conflicts then Trump might be just the guy for them.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Kind of hard to take this article seriously when the author refers to Pakistan and Malaysia as moderate Muslim countries, especially when he contradicts himself later by pointing out that the Malay government has eliminated free speech.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Poll Clinton and Trump is neck and neck.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No worries -- it is not possible for him to win the presidency.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

China (and Russia) are probably laughing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I despise political correctness.

Is that right? So which do you prefer, "capitalist pigs" or "wealth creators"? "Redneck gun-nuts" or "pro-2nd Amendment rural residents?"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The guy with the funny hair will not win. Period.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Trump can and will save the US from a near decade of liberal excessive spending

Let's see, who started two REALLY, REALLY expensive wars in the 2000s? Which party was he from? Oh, let's not forget all the tax breaks for the rich and big corporations. They may not be called 'spending', but they do nothing to help the national debt, just the same.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Keitai,

Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on,"

Trump was stating that the vetting of visitors coming into the country was weak. It threatens the security of the United States. The left took it as some racial slur.

For one thing, it wasn't taken as a racial slur. It was taken as an assault on religion, which is precisely what it was. Please try to keep the civil liberties you mock straight, at the very least.

For another, do you really think you're being somehow clever by equivocating his comments with *"...our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on?"* (Get your quotes right, as well)

Replace the word "Muslim" with "Catholic" and see if it still holds the same innocent meaning you seem to believe it does. Or replace "Muslim" with "journalist," "woman," "African," or "homosexual" and see if anyone is overreacting.

No, nothing was taken out of context. Americans understood the context perfectly fine. And the context was unconstitutional fascism.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sometimes its better to take a swing. Rather than to just keep retreating and retreating and retreating and . . .

And apologizing and going overboard with political correctness.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

@LFRAgain

Yes, it was taken as a racial slur. No, you cannot replace "Muslim" with "Catholic" as its the majority of extremists from that region that is creating all these violent attacks. Its not something you can edit like some word in a textbook by substituting one religion name for the other. Please go out into the world and learn a bit about life instead of eating from the socialists' hands.

You should just represent yourself and from unreliable sources instead of representing Americans. Actually, you should not say "Americans" as not all Americans are socialists. Just the minority who do not understand reality. Take a look at all the leftist news outlets who continue to cut Trump's sentences short and twist his words to make him out as some dictator. Let me remind you that you are eating from a socialist's agenda, much like Hitler and Stalin who were both socialists. Trump is trying to remove the masks from the crooked politicians faces so that the people can see the true corruption.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Yes, it was taken as a racial slur.

No, it wasn't. "Islam" and "Muslim" are not terms related to "race" or some sort of genetic predisposition. They are words associated with religion. Anyone who mistakenly believes Trumps views on Muslims were racist in nature can be forgiven for the oversight. Anyone who continues to believe Trumps comments were perceived to be racial bias is a blooming moron.

His assorted comments about *Mexicans," however... Yes, those were racially-tinted slurs maligning an entire population. Maybe that's where your misconception is coming from.

The thing is, with Trump's long list of comments, retractions, and reaffirmations -- depending on which way the wind of popularity blows -- it's easy to get things confused.

Please go out into the world and learn a bit about life instead of eating from the socialists' hands.

I live out in the world. I've got nearly 5 decades of road under my feet, visited 5 different countries, lived in three of them, and have seen vastly more of what life is like outside of the United States than 99% of Trump's willfully ignorant supporters.

The fact that you still peddle terms like "socialist" and "leftist" like we still lived in the 1960s and are battling the evils of the Great Soviet Menace™ suggests you might want to take some of your own advice and step beyond the borders of the US for an extended period.

Take a look at all the leftist news outlets who continue to cut Trump's sentences short and twist his words to make him out as some dictator.

"Leftist" news sources don't have to cut short anything Trump say. His stump speeches have all the grammatical and linguistic complexity of a 5th grade elementary student. He does perfectly fine all on his own sounding not only like a megalomaniacal narcissist, but also an absolute idiot.

Let me remind you that you are eating from a socialist's agenda, much like Hitler and Stalin who were both socialists.

Let me remind you that you are eating from . . . well, i have no idea what. It sounds an awful lot like a Joe McCarthy stump speech, but then again, we all know what happened to Joe McCarthy, don't we?

The issue with Trump has less to do with Trump trying to {ahem} "remove the masks from the crooked politicians faces so that the people can see the true corruption" and more to do with him being a ten-faced lying politician of the worst kind.

Already, he has backed away from some of the most passionately delivered bait he dangled in front of supporters like you. No taxing businesses or the wealthy? Well, apparently, that's now "negotiable." No soliciting donor money to drive his campaign and unduly influence him? That's no longer an issue for him, it would seem.

Punish women who have abortions! he cries. Oh, wait. He took that back. But not before he got a rousing, "Hell, yeah!!" from supporters while campaigning.

Chit chat with North Korea, probably the last and scariest bastion of old-Socialism state-owned economies left in the world. Oh, wait. He didn't really mean that either.

How about Trump saying he would order US military personnel to commit war crimes by having them murder the families of suspected terrorists? Oh, wait, he took that back. But not before he got another rousing, "Hell, yeah!!" from supporters while campaigning.

How about Trump blowing off a positive relationship with Great Britain, one of America's oldest and staunchest allies, politically, economically, and culturally? Oh, wait, he walked that back too.

No more corrupt politicians or business as usual! he cries. Except for when he claims on federal election commission documents that his Westchester Country golf course is worth $50 million, yet his lawyers still keep insisting to Westchester Country tax authorities that it's really only worth $1.35 million... No, wait, make that $9 million. No, wait. It's $50 million in Trump documents and $9 million for Westchester County if it means he can skirt his tax liability. Oooooh!! It's all just so darn confusing, this Trump fella. He says e's for the little guy, but he keeps saying and doing thing that are just so very, very . . . establishment.

But as Trump himself said, "I fight very hard to pay as little tax as possible," just two weeks after stating in an interview, "“I am willing to pay more, and you know what, the wealthy are willing to pay more,” to a rousing "Hell, yeah!!" from supporters.

How about Trump stating in November of last year, "Wages are too high for American workers!" to a rousing chorus of, "What the f$#...?!" from supporters. "Oh, no, wait. You misunderstand me. What I really meant was wages have to be higher! Much, MUCH higher!!" [And the crowd goes wild!]*

This is the guy you think is fighting the good fight for you and other "little guys" who are tired of getting gamed by the wealthy and influential in Washington?! Wow. Your standards are clearly very, very low when shopping for a champion.

That you aren't insulted in the least by how much of a fool Trump has taken you and all of his supporters for is truly saddening.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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