*sigh* Soft Power and selling your brand, then failing at it.

Snotty smug tiresome bullshit. Worse than that shitbag John Stewart.

I don't disagree with you on that aspect, however his point on soft power, brand selling and diplomacy are spot on as far as opinions are concerned. Hell even the patron saint of the DoD, even stated in this segment that if you do not invest in soft power, that means I have to buy more bullets. The fact that Trump is pretty much alienating the U.S. from the rest of the world while countries like China and Russia are stepping up and filling that void of world leaders when it comes to soft power. Look up BRICS and what Russia is doing in Venezula (forgive if I misspelled the country).

Hell as he said, Trump's business is selling his brand, which he suppose to be good at and what are people around the world thinking? I get it all the time when I encounter Europeans.

European: Oh you're American?
Me: Yes
European: Did you vote for Trump?
Me: No
European: Why did your country vote for him?
Me: A plethora of reasons that I do not want to get into right now, I am enjoying my beer and you're killing my buzz man.
European: Typical American (insert random insults in native language and stupid American with how's America first treating you)
Me: Whatever man
European: Fuck you!
Me: Love you too.

Actual conversation I had when I was in Tokyo not to recently.
 
European: Oh you're American?

The thing is I can remember those same conversations about every US president for the last 20+ years I've lived outside the US. Some europeans just cant get over some kind of collective memory of failed empire and cant get over the fact that Europe on the whole has become a sad old lady who can only complain about the world.

The fact that Trump is pretty much alienating the U.S. from the rest of the world while countries like China and Russia are stepping up and filling that void of world leaders when it comes to soft power. Look up BRICS and what Russia is doing in Venezula (forgive if I misspelled the country).

Yes and no. China is certainly trying various soft power strategies but they've been doing that since GWB's presidency and honestly its not working out as planned, especially in Africa and the FSU 'stans. As for Russia, same but they started during Obama's time.

I rather doubt POTUS Trump will be able to cause irreparable damage to Brand America despite what the professional pessimists in the media may say.
 
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I rather doubt POTUS Trump will be able to cause irreparable damage to Brand America despite what the professional pessimists in the media may say.
It will greatly depend on the next POTUS. I think most people (except 30% or so of the US voters who still believe in him) already discounted this one as a buffoon.
I dont agree we Europeans considered other presidents similarly (except maybe Bush Junior). Personnally I had much respect for Reagan, Bush Senior, Clinton, Obama. Probably more than many Americans themselves. Doesnt mean we necessarily agreed with all they said and did, but at least we didnt consider them as narcissistic , immature cretins.
 
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It will greatly depend on the next POTUS. I think most of people (except 30% or so of the US voters who still believe in him) already discounted this one as a buffoon.
I dont agree we Europeans considered other presidents similarly (except maybe Bush Junior). Personnally I had much respect for Reagan, Bush Senior, Clinton, Obama. Probably more than many Americans themselves. Doesnt mean we necessarily agreed with all they said and did, but at least we didnt consider them as narcissistic , immature cretins.

And btw note that the two which were the least liked lost the popular vote, so are far less legitimate... maybe that’s a sign?
 
And btw note that the two which were the least liked lost the popular vote, so are far less legitimate... maybe that’s a sign?
Well, Kennedy may have lost the popular vote to Nixon in 1960, but Kennedy is well regarded. Nixon, not so much.
 
Snotty smug tiresome bullshit. Worse than that shitbag John Stewart.
Jon Stewart makes me laugh. John Oliver mostly makes me cringe. I've been thinking for a long time that he needs to hurry up and become a US citizen. (Does he have citizenship yet?) I found it quite surprising that American audiences would keep watching to a British guy who whines about their country. I noticed that he was careful to use "we" about the US, so perhaps some people didn't realise he wasn't a Brit.
 
Well, Kennedy may have lost the popular vote to Nixon in 1960, but Kennedy is well regarded. Nixon, not so much.
Sorry, I didnt go that far (just the ones I knew in my short Frenchy life :))
 
Jon Stewart makes me laugh. John Oliver mostly makes me cringe. I've been thinking for a long time that he needs to hurry up and become a US citizen. (Does he have citizenship yet?) I found it quite surprising that American audiences would keep watching to a British guy who whines about their country. I noticed that he was careful to use "we" about the US, so perhaps some people didn't realise he wasn't a Brit.
His wikipedia profile says “English-American Comedian” but just mentions “British” as his nationality. I think the accent doesnt leave much doubt where he’s from though. Hey, it could be worse, imagine a French John Oliver with an awful froggy accent weekly on US TV. I guess he would be lynched already! :D
 
Thats you. I'm saying I had to tolerate bitching from Europeans for every POTUS since Clinton, First of His Name.
Well and I had to tolerate the same since Mitterrand (and all the “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” and “freedom fries” crap during the war in Irak, some brilliant strategic move - based on lies- you guys are not so proud of anymore)
 
Gonna be a long wait though :(
On the bright side, he’s a gold mine for comedians.;)

I must admit a guilty pleasure : I created a Twitter account just to be able to follow him. I dont even need the comedians’ banter about what he writes. :D
 
On the bright side, he’s a gold mine for comedians.;)

Not even a gold mine. Mining is work.

They're like monkeys running around picking up overripe fruit that's fallen off the tree.

The thing is - Trump isn't that stupid. He's bombastic, but he's not stupid. The people around him aren't that stupid.

What I really wonder is what they're trying to distract everyone from with all the theatrics.
 
Not even a gold mine. Mining is work.

They're like monkeys running around picking up overripe fruit that's fallen off the tree.

The thing is - Trump isn't that stupid. He's bombastic, but he's not stupid. The people around him aren't that stupid.

What I really wonder is what they're trying to distract everyone from with all the theatrics.

Naaah I don’t buy the argument it’s just all smoke and mirrors and there is a super smart plan behind it. I think they are really into the theatrics.
 
Beauty pageants - only nasty old mysogynists have anything to do with these anymore.
Reality TV - only unimaginative, culturally retarded dullards are into it.
Casinos - only sad sacks who dont know what else to do with their time go to them.
Manhattan real estate - only shifty people who view everything as a win-lose negotiation are into it.

No, he is not an idiot. He is something much, much worse. He is a creep. And about half of the people in America are creeps just like him. Hillary calling his supporters "Deplorables" was impolitic, but it wasn't incorrect.
 
I don’t buy the argument it’s just all smoke and mirrors and there is a super smart plan behind it.

I don't either.

I think it's smoke and mirrors with a particularly ill-conceived plan behind it.
 
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He is a creep

True. Anyone paying attention since the 80s knew that already.

Hillary calling his supporters "Deplorables" was impolitic, but it wasn't incorrect.

Here I disagree. There was a large “vote the bastards out” factor that DNC insiders just couldn’t handle. Hillary “it’s my turn now” Clinton was exactly what lots of people didn’t want. She never could really act sincere like Slick Willy (I voted for him twice) and that comment solidified the idea that she looked down on people.

I think it's smoke and mirrors with a particularly ill-conceived plan behind it.

My guess is that the plan is “oh shit, we actually did it, now what? OK let’s just run constant distractions”
 
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There is no plan other than to break as much as he can. He has no intention of leading the country or being a President in any conventional sense. He just wants to get even with the snobs on the coasts who have always snubbed him, and he is channeling all of anger from the Deplorables to this end.
 
The thing is I can remember those same conversations about every US president for the last 20+ years I've lived outside the US. Some europeans just cant get over some kind of collective memory of failed empire and cant get over the fact that Europe on the whole has become a sad old lady who can only complain about the world.



Yes and no. China is certainly trying various soft power strategies but they've been doing that since GWB's presidency and honestly its not working out as planned, especially in Africa and the FSU 'stans. As for Russia, same but they started during Obama's time.

I rather doubt POTUS Trump will be able to cause irreparable damage to Brand America despite what the professional pessimists in the media may say.
Maybe its because us Europeans are better taken care of than American citizen even will be.

And if we talk shit about US presidents, news flash, its probably because its true and because BOTH parties are right wingers that care more about companies than about people.
 
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