Trump Threatens And Shakes Down Australia
What does a bully or stand over guy do to his victim? He menaces then extracts some form of payment in lieu of not beating him up. This is what Donald Trump is doing on the international trade scene. Trump threatens and shakes down Australia. This is what he has done with Canada and Mexico, other US allies. The media plays right into his hands by creating this melodrama, where the little guy or gal gets put under pressure from Trump and then we are all supposed to feel gratitude when the threat does not eventuate. The tariff stand over tactic will not serve US interests long term, rather it will poison an already dirty well.
“The Albanese government is set to mount a major effort to win an exemption from a proposed 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports to the United States foreshadowed by President Donald Trump. Assuming Trump follows through on the move, it will put major pressure on the prime minister to match the success of the Turnbull government in 2018, after Trump put a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminium in his first administration.”
Donald Trump An American Bully
The overarching message being taught to our kids is that bullying is alive and well at the very top level of human interrelations. All those bullshit Christians who voted for Trump are hypocrites and morally bankrupt people. The ugly Americans have control of the house. Trump’s behaviour will hasten the demise of US hegemony. Dictators rule via fear and stand over tactics, they do not inspire friendship or loyalty. Trump only won the last election by 1.4 points over Harris – it is not a mandate for Project 2025.
The Stand Over Trump Coalition Of Thugs & Extremists
The US has long been a bully on the international stage. Previous leaders, however, went by the mantra of ‘speak quietly but carry a big stick’. Donald Trump is a blowhard wanting to project a strongman image domestically to his followers. His coalition of tech billionaires, Christian nationalists, and white supremacist far right nutters are imposing an agenda designed to alienate more than 50% of the population via dehumanising laws and government destruction. The parallels with the rise of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party in Germany in the 1930s are frightening. If you put extremists in positions of power and strip away the guardrails you are going to get a shit show.
Australia Gets Shaken Down
Trump threatens and shakes down Australia, for what favours in return we are yet to know. Australia already has a negative trade imbalance with the US of 1 to 2. Therefore, we are not part of the problem, economically speaking. In addition, we are signed up to a financially onerous nuclear submarine deal – AUKUS to the tune of $368 billion. We are the patsies in the room to start with. Who needs enemies when you have friends like America. Neocons run the China bogeyman to appeal to the age old Anglo-settler fear of the yellow peril. Conmen and grifters play on these anxieties to run their scams.
Macro Corruption?
Do you know what macro corruption is? This is the kind of government and corporate corruption we have in the West. Big tickets scams worth millions and billions of dollars. In the developing countries you get a lot of micro corruption with officials wanting kickbacks and bribes. This has been pretty much eradicated in places like Australia but macro corruption thrives. It is too big for the little people, us, to comprehend in many instances. Huge contracts awarded with lucrative jobs offered down the track as part of the revolving door from government to private sector. Companies set up to run refugee processing and incarceration centres costing tax payer’s billions. Billions transferred from the public service to consultancy firms in the private sector. This is the neoliberal sting, where citizens are assured that privatisation is more efficient and, yes, more efficient at lining their own pockets with gold. The empty promises that were made about cheaper power bills through privatising public utilities. The trickledown effect also failed to eventuate, despite this the LNP Coalition are still running the same line to voters. Stupid is as stupid does, I suppose. The culture wars are designed to disguise the economic shake down from prospective voters. While you are getting angry about trans people the Coalition are lining the pockets of billionaires and oligarchs with tax breaks and the greatest transfer of wealth from the middle and working poor to the rich. Peter Dutton represents the Gina Rinehart ‘s and not us. The LNP voted against every ALP government cost of living relief bill over the last 3 years.
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump.
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