Yes. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad strategy.
This is not a one-round game. Elections happen repeatedly. If you show someone you will punish them for bad behavior even at cost to yourself, it might teach them to change their ways. On the other hand, always minimizing your losses in the current round (i.e. having no memory or vision) makes you a perfectly predictable and exploitable player.
What we’re talking about is a game between two players: democrats and their potential voters. It is totally a valid strategy in game theory to punish the other player when they’re not cooperating. If you’re always cooperating even when your opponent (i.e. your preferred political party) isn’t, you’re just encouraging them to continue to not cooperate.
Try out this interactive page.
That’s not how it works. Using that logic voting for Himmler would be the right thing to do because at least they’re one step less awful than Hitler. Fucking demand that Himmler change his ways or a better candidate is allowed to run.
A lot of countries have political theater instead of actual politics, but the US is really deep into it.
Aside from the actual effect of the resumption of rare earth exports, Trump’s apparent priority given to the issue signals to Beijing just how reliant the U.S. is on China in this regard — something that would not have gone unnoticed by Xi.
Xi never came calling
Just one day before the June 5 call, Trump wrote on social media: “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”
His conversation with the Chinese leader would have further reinforced Xi’s tough image — not just for a Chinese audience, but for international observers as well.
This was certainly encouraged by how China described the call. According to China’s official statement, Xi “took a phone call from U.S. President Donald J. Trump” – the subtle implication being that it was Trump who initiated the call.
This framing promotes the idea that Xi holds the upper hand. The Chinese statement also highlighted that the Geneva talks were “at the suggestion of the U.S. side,” implying that China did not back down in the face of Trump’s trade pressure — and that it was Trump who ultimately blinked first.
It goes on with lots of interesting details. Worth the read.
Why are you guys getting so personally triggered by a one-word comment? They said it’s performative. Yes, the liberals do it too. Is this a sports game? Are we keeping scores? Is your team winning?
I don’t think the world applauds that at all. The US used to be the good guys. Very flawed but still “good” as things go. Now they’re just dangerous and thrashing wildly…
You are being liberated. Please do not resist.
You guys get to wank off at all? You’re wank billionaires, you ingrates! I never get any time for it with my girlfriend always demanding sex.