Truly A Paper Tiger

By gucciminh.

The term was frequently used in Chinese Internet discourse regarding the trade war begun by United States President Donald Trump. Internet users referred to Trump as a "paper tiger", frequently observing that the United States economy depends heavily on Chinese companies for a host of necessities, electronics, and raw components.

They have him pegged.

A "quick one" from Krugman.

When the leaders of the world’s two most powerful nations met in Beijing, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping spoke about the lessons of history:

Can China and the United States transcend the so-called ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new paradigm for major-power relations?”

Donald Trump, on the other hand, spoke about fast food

Just as many Chinese now love basketball and blue jeans, Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the five largest fast food chains in the United States, all combined. That’s a pretty big statement.

I’m old enough to remember when we were a serious country.

So am I. I believe the exact phrase is "Serious as cancer".

"Basketball and blue jeans" is yet another demonstration of how shallow he is. How do already overpaid sportsball weasels getting Chinese endorsement money help any other Americans but billionaire team owners? "Blue" jeans, what is he, his grandfather? Aren't "blue jeans" made in Vietnam or Central America? The Chinese restaurant bit is obvious bullshit & means less than nothing. Mencken's "The White House will be adorned by a downright moron" is completely correct, innit?

If the "gift link" doesn't work, digby excerpted much of it.