Posted On: Saturday - May 16th 2026 8:03PM MST
In Topics: Trump China The Neocons World Political Stupidity
Yes, that is a real automobile make or at least it was in '23, as we reported that summer in Dispatches from the Middle Kingdom: Oh, the cars you'll see!. We even passed a dealer in Peking. The Chinese are believers in luck and superstition, or at least were in '23 - I'm not going back there to keep up - so one could reckon that this Trump-Chi naming was done for that reason back in '17 or so. Good luck to them both.
However, the production of the TrumpChi started in '10, so go figure.
President Trump and Chairman Xi are meeting in The Middle Kingdom as of press time here, and this is Peak Stupidity's opinion on the matter. We'd feel a whole lot better about all that Trump is involved in, ALWAYS leaving his egotistical, narcissistic, Caudillo-like behavior aside as much as we can, were it not for this recent stupid Iran War.
We'd like to believe it's all 5-D Chess or Risk (the game of World Conquest), and the President has the Trump card over Xi's hand of deuces and counterfeit jokers. As much as anyone, bloggers most definitely unexcepted, doesn't like to be proven wrong*, I would not at all mind being wrong about the Iran War. That's not likely. A friend told me that Napoleon (at some point) was said to have been "blundering to glory". Could that be Donald Trump with Iran? I know one thing - he would never admit it, were it the case. Even if it were, I don't agree with the idea of making stupid unthinking moves in the hopes of it "working out for the best" strategically for America and our relationship with China.
Nope, Trump has been suckered. I don't know if was the Israelis directly telling him "it'll be over in a week, no problem!", or perhaps one of his guys. They don't make the old calm rational strategic thinking guys anymore, on either side, so Trump probably got some advice about "Stop with the cope and cringe - my friend said this worked great in 'Call of Duty'".
So there he is spending time with Chairman Xi. There was the big old tree diplomatic faux pax, that I will write about in another post, as it seems a missed opportunity for Trump's brash mouth. #Disappointing.
A couple of dozen Big Biz bigwigs of manufacturing, finance, and "TECH" have come with, to make deals I suppose. (I'm pleased only that Elon Musk was one of them... unless he's come to recruit "talent".) Trump loves him some dealmaking, Constitutionalism and sovereignty issues not at all withstanding. Now, about ...
Sucking Face: That's an old, crude but humorous expression for kissing. It's a different organ that people are often accused of kissing, but that is one thing I like about Trump. He'll say a few nice words about everybody, even murderous illegal aliens, but doesn't feel the need to kiss ass diplomatically. His brash talk is often welcomed.
I especially like that Trump does not feel the need to kiss up to the largest manufacturing power on the planet. China is indeed the economic enemy of America, and it's not all on the up and up, they don't play fair, and the've got plenty of people within America here to help China win this. Trump might be helping himself and his Big Biz buddies, but he's at least working on behalf of America.
Saving Face: Back to that war thing, this is where Trump may as well be "the first Chinese President". That is, not in the way one thinks of Bai Dien and those that won't fight economically, but saving face is a Chinese thing. Generally, Chinese people would rather lie than be embarrassed and admit wrongdoing. Donald Trump is loath to admit he's been wrong.
That is a problem when it comes to our extraction from the Iran war. How will Trump get out of this while still saving face? One can't just admit it publicly that the war has been a stupid mistake right now, as that would be a bad move both diplomatically and militarily. Maybe those bright young advisors who got him into this thing can find a way for Trump to save face and GET! US! OUT!
Until then, Trump's standing up for America against China and the World won't mean as much to me.
* The Global Financial Stupidity topic that we have hundreds of posts about is an example. I WILL feel like an idiot if the financial SHTF or something like it doesn't happen by, let's call it 5 years. If by - make it a round number - the end of '30, we aren't experiencing something one could have read about in Lionel Shriver's The Mandibles (6 part review here), Peak Stupidity will cease and desist writing about this topic. Or else, you all won't be able to read about it, because things will have gotten bad enough to where the whole internet is down!
However, being wrong is one thing, but I'd still be glad my boy can be a young adult in a world that has not gone full Mandible.
Comments:
The Alarmist
Monday - May 18th 2026 5:59AM MST
PS
I would imagine a lot of money is being pumped into both the predictive markets as well as the push polling to dispirit the potential Massie voters. I would imagine the actiual polling machines have already been compromised too. Let’s hope Massie’s supporters aren’t having any of that, though the last round in Indiana doesn’t bode well for him. They’ll say, once again, that the farce is strong with MAGA.
🕉
I would imagine a lot of money is being pumped into both the predictive markets as well as the push polling to dispirit the potential Massie voters. I would imagine the actiual polling machines have already been compromised too. Let’s hope Massie’s supporters aren’t having any of that, though the last round in Indiana doesn’t bode well for him. They’ll say, once again, that the farce is strong with MAGA.
🕉
Hail
Monday - May 18th 2026 3:59AM MST
PS
___________
The Massie primary is Tuesday, May 19. The results should be known 36hrs from now.
Polymarket long had Thomas Massie at about 70% to win.
Then, on May 13, there was a sudden drop followed by tumultuous movements over the next few days. Now it’s been at 55-60% for Massie to LOSE (past 36 hours).
Trump is, as usual, drumming up low-info supporters to vote for his yes-man. The Trump people want to dump low-info bodies on the primary and get his yes-man in. Maybe they’ll succeed. If so, it’s a mark against all of us.
https://polymarket.com/event/ky-04-republican-primary-winner
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from
https://www.unz.com/isteve/isteve-open-thread-24/#comment-7623138
___________
The Massie primary is Tuesday, May 19. The results should be known 36hrs from now.
Polymarket long had Thomas Massie at about 70% to win.
Then, on May 13, there was a sudden drop followed by tumultuous movements over the next few days. Now it’s been at 55-60% for Massie to LOSE (past 36 hours).
Trump is, as usual, drumming up low-info supporters to vote for his yes-man. The Trump people want to dump low-info bodies on the primary and get his yes-man in. Maybe they’ll succeed. If so, it’s a mark against all of us.
https://polymarket.com/event/ky-04-republican-primary-winner
________
from
https://www.unz.com/isteve/isteve-open-thread-24/#comment-7623138
Moderator
Monday - May 18th 2026 3:39AM MST
PS: "Very curious what you will have to say on the "tree incident."
It wasn't going to be too much more than what I wrote in that UR comment, Mr. Hail. If Trump knew a little more history, of BOTH our countries, he might have had a very nice comeback. Mine would surely be too long for a great soundbite, haha.
Anyway, I want to write "Massie v Trump" today, so I'll write about the trees just after that.
It wasn't going to be too much more than what I wrote in that UR comment, Mr. Hail. If Trump knew a little more history, of BOTH our countries, he might have had a very nice comeback. Mine would surely be too long for a great soundbite, haha.
Anyway, I want to write "Massie v Trump" today, so I'll write about the trees just after that.
Moderator
Monday - May 18th 2026 3:37AM MST
PS: I see, Possumman, he's down there as a missionary. That's a different story than if he were down there "bugging out". I would like to read about whatever he thinks of the place. I'll post pictures and some short posts of what I remember (been over a year!), so if you have anything to add, please comment there. A full post would be great too, if your son had time.
On TUR, there was a commenter I think named (handled?) AaronInMVD, and I did know the URL of his website for a while. He was living down there, and he responded to me, if not on TUR, on his own site. By the time we went down there, I didn't have any info in memory, or I might have tried to meet him somewhere. It's different with the family though ... hard to do investigative touring.
On TUR, there was a commenter I think named (handled?) AaronInMVD, and I did know the URL of his website for a while. He was living down there, and he responded to me, if not on TUR, on his own site. By the time we went down there, I didn't have any info in memory, or I might have tried to meet him somewhere. It's different with the family though ... hard to do investigative touring.
Hail
Monday - May 18th 2026 2:37AM MST
PS
Very curious what you will have to say on the "tree incident."
Very curious what you will have to say on the "tree incident."
Possumman
Sunday - May 17th 2026 6:01PM MST
PS. They are in Montevideo renting a house near the presidential palace/botanical gardens He has church there and another 2 hours away. We have not visited there yet but may eventually. OPC missionary he formerly had a church in northern NJ. We were shocked when he started planning this adventure as you might imagine!
Moderator
Sunday - May 17th 2026 8:26AM MST
PS: "The Copium I’ve heard is that Iran is about wresting control of the ME resources from its current regime of control by the City of London. There is certainly validity that Cabal are running things there … "
Everybody, I mean people who DO want the best for this country, is rationalizing all that, but it's hindsight... "See, this worked out well because the Chinese ...". I'll check out the Athenian Expedition to Sicily - thanks.
Everybody, I mean people who DO want the best for this country, is rationalizing all that, but it's hindsight... "See, this worked out well because the Chinese ...". I'll check out the Athenian Expedition to Sicily - thanks.
Moderator
Sunday - May 17th 2026 8:24AM MST
PS: I'd like to hear all about that, Possoumman, not the cars but Uruguay. I swear I keep thinking I'll put my posts up from our trip there over a year ago with pictures any day now.
I hope you can add something. I was not impressed with Montevideo at all, but because of my traveling with family, I couldn't get to anywhere else but 2 towns on the coast. Where is your kid/family, if you can tell me? Roughly..
I hope you can add something. I was not impressed with Montevideo at all, but because of my traveling with family, I couldn't get to anywhere else but 2 towns on the coast. Where is your kid/family, if you can tell me? Roughly..
The Alarmist
Sunday - May 17th 2026 6:45AM MST
PS
The Copium I’ve heard is that Iran is about wresting control of the ME resources from its current regime of control by the City of London. There is certainly validity that Cabal are running things there … Israel is a creation of the City of London, after all … but it still looks like the US recprised the Athenian Expedition in Sicily circa 413 BC (read the Wiki on it), setting the US up for its fall in a few years. My money has always been on the dissolution of the USA as we know it by 2033. Sad!
🕉
The Copium I’ve heard is that Iran is about wresting control of the ME resources from its current regime of control by the City of London. There is certainly validity that Cabal are running things there … Israel is a creation of the City of London, after all … but it still looks like the US recprised the Athenian Expedition in Sicily circa 413 BC (read the Wiki on it), setting the US up for its fall in a few years. My money has always been on the dissolution of the USA as we know it by 2033. Sad!
🕉
Possumman
Sunday - May 17th 2026 6:22AM MST
PS One of my kids and his family recently moved to Uruguay--needed a car of course so bought a new Jac JS8--7 passenger Chinese SUV looks like any 3row suv you would see here--apparently not a lot of minivans down there--he has 3 little kids.
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Massie’s principled opposition to Israel and AIPAC, and his total opposition to the now-established policy of giving Israel control over U.S. foreign policy, is the reason this guy Ed Gallrein is running against him (with funding that would make a Saudi prince blush).
Israel is also the reason A123 (a pro-Trump cheerleader and Israel Booster) is against Massie. I think “it’s really that simple.” The talk of voting with the Democrats is just usual political hit-job hype-talk.
Another big reason (besides Israel) that Trump dislikes Massie is this: Massie is a strict constitutionalist, ala Ron Paul. He has opposed Trump’s overreaches on principled grounds. Trump, being who he is, received a narcissistic injury and has raged at Massie regularly for a long time.
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https://www.unz.com/isteve/isteve-open-thread-24/#comment-7623333