Here’s a criticism of the Trump administration’s lack of decorum and coherence.
While the chaos was indeed embarrassing, an appearance of decorum and coherency is not necessarily true character and wisdom (it can be, but not the same).
The appearance of American decorum and coherency in the past was backed by its opulence and generosity, which has resulted in an accumulated trade deficit of over USD20 trillion, about another USD20 trillion of disproportional spending on global policing, and close to USD40 trillion in debt. Now the debt is due, only it’s the young and the future generation who have to pay.
But the young Americans can’t even afford rent.
The boomers have indulged the American dominance, now leaving a society that is deep in an addiction. (See The American addiction and the trade war.)
The United States of America is a dynasty that has spent all its riches irresponsibly and can no longer afford the opulence and generosity.
As embarrassing as this administration is in its lack of decorum, it is praiseworthy for realizing that America can no longer afford its grandeur and therefore has to stop pretending.
Last night, I had a phone call with a friend in China. Among other things, he simply asked me, “Why does the US hate China so much that it no longer cares about losing its face?” (Somehow, the question was more potent in Chinese: 美国难道仇恨中国到一个地步, 就不要脸了吗?) ” To that, I answered, “No, the US does not really hate China. It’s just that the politicians are pretending to be like that to make themselves still look strong, principled, and patriotic in the eyes of the voters. In reality, the US is just trying to save itself and has realized that it can no longer pretend generosity.”
The Chinese who now despise and hate the US for what this administration does do not understand, or are unwilling to admit, how much China has reaped from the American generosity in the past. If they did, they’d be both grateful and sympathetic to Americans, especially the young and the future.
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