Bernie Sanders 2020

That's proof enough that Israel is not a democracy. We're giving money to a country run by a tyrant. The country needs to be able to vote on this issue during our next election.

Please make the case for how the trade war with China is "bumbling?"

How would you deal with what is an obviously huge issue or do you not think it is?

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Please make the case for how the trade war with China is "bumbling?"

Many domestic businesses have been hurt, trading relationships (especially for agricultural products) have been upset — perhaps permanently, and the on-again-off-again whims of the Commander-in-Chief make it very difficult for businesses to plan for the future.

Partisan influenced opinion.

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How would you deal with what is an obviously huge issue or do you not think it is?

What makes you think I'm an economist? It is a huge issue. So is the climate crisis. We didn't arrive here overnight. But I will say that I believe multi-national action would be more effective than the US going head-to-head with China. And I think that dealing with the most contentious issues — like intellectual property — should have been done 0ne by one in step-wise fashion rather than trying to destroy China's economy and make it cry "uncle".

Note that Finn is an ultraconservative Trump lover. Nothing that Trump does will be bad in his eyes.

It's pretty clear you've never engaged in high stakes negotiation.

The U.S. wheat industry is reacting with disappointment after President Donald Trump said that Japan, their No. 1 customer, doesn't really want to buy their grain.

According to White House transcripts, Trump made the comments Aug. 13 while speaking about energy during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania:

"Many car plants — they’re coming in from Japan. I told Prime Minister Abe — great guy. I said, 'Listen, we have a massive deficit with Japan.' They send thousands and thousands — millions — of cars. We send them wheat. Wheat. (Laughter.) That’s not a good deal. And they don’t even want our wheat. They do it because they want us to at least feel that we’re okay. You know, they do it to make us feel good."

One way to phrase this is the United States of America is a “representative republic” (a “representative democracy,” in a Republic).

What does that have to do with his deals?

They are buying the wheat, what difference does it make how he frames it?

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What does that have to do with his deals?

I don't know. How do you think he directs the negotiations? I'm just asking — how much hands on involvement does he have?

I think he has a lot of involvement. It's something he clearly takes great pride in. Whether or not he's good at has to be judged by the deals, but I'm fairly certain that his agents don't have the authority to cut a deal of which he hasn't approved.

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They are buying the wheat, what difference does it make how he frames it?

Because it's a stupid way to talk about trade and it undercuts his credibility.

Why is it stupid? Because you don't like him. Wheat producers really don't care whether or not Japan wants to buy their wheat as long as they do. Trade organizations are not wheat producers and they always feel compelled to speak out on PR matters.

How does it undercut his credibility? You don't find him credible regardless of what he says. I have a sneaky suspicion that the nations that deal with him find his promises and threats credible. Mexico and Canada got on board the USMCA deal pretty darn quickly...much sooner than the Dems in Congress.