So, Trump, the "laughingstock," is on his way her
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Posted On: 05/20/2017 3:16:36 PM
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So, Trump, the "laughingstock," is on his way here to Europe. Here's my take on what is going on:
I live in Germany, which borders on about ten other countries. Hardly a month goes by when my work doesn't take me at least once to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Spain. For those who don't know me, I speak German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Catalan and Schwyzerdüütsch (Swiss German).
A few others, too, but not of countries I visit with any regularity. When I speak to the locals here, it's not just with English-speaking tour guides and hotel receptionists.
I haven't been to Asia, Africa or South America since the election, so I have no first hand knowledge of how Trump is going down there.
However, here in Europe, the reaction is indeed a mixture of derision and apprehension. Mix that with a healthy dose of disbelief ("how, as a nation, could you allow this to happen in the first place?". One German conspicuously called him a "laughingstock." That's easy to do if you don't have to suffer the consequences of his executive orders and cabinet appointments.
The reaction would be mostly one of ridicule if so much weren't dependent on our leadership (or lack of it). They see Trump as a bumbling figurehead who is unaware of his figurehead status (thus his "I don't get no respect" routine), a paranoid egotist with an inferiority complex as wide and as deep as the Grand Canyon.
The euro has gained over 6% on the dollar in the last two months, and the euro is not exactly on solid ground. So much for the Republicans' love for letting the markets have the final say. That speaks volumes.
People here may not be thrilled with their own politicians, but after centuries of being led by monarchs and religious nuts, they recognize poor leadership when they see it. The Europeans' reaction at the end of the presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama was generally: "If you can't give him a third term, can we have him?" That was NOT what they said at the end of the terms of Reagan, Bush I and Bush II.
What they don't get is that we didn't have safeguards in place to prevent such an obviously unpopular and unqualified person from ascending to the presidency. THAT, more than anything else, has shaken Europe-wide confidence in the United States.
They were convinced, after the fraudulent elections that gave W his two terms, that safeguards would be put in place to prevent this ever happening again, especially with such devastating consequences. They don't know who exactly is pulling the strings, but they are rather certain it isn't Donald Trump, who probably thinks that Luxembourg is a Jewish deli on 7th avenue.
The Germans do not see a parallel between Trump and Hitler. Someone got the wrong impression, there. Hitler knew exactly what he wanted and set out a plan to achieve it. He was clever enough to manipulate popular opinion behind him, and did enough for the people to make it seem like he was on their side.
He built the autobahn system, and supported education and research, if only for his evil purposes, etc. Hitler didn't whine about fake news." Hitler made himself the news.
Trump is seen more like the rebel leader in Woody Allen's "Bananas," who, once in power, was mostly concerned with being cheered by the crowds, and then started ruling with ridiculous decrees ("From now, the official language of San Marcos will be Swedish!"
Trump is more destructive than that, though, since his decrees and appointments have been to the financial benefit of his cronies and to the detriment of the nation as a whole.
No one that really cares about education, housing, diplomacy or the environment appoints cabinet secretaries like DeVos, Carson, Tillerson or Pruitt. The Europeans follow these appointments closely--more so than half of America, it seems.
If people in Europe "are less worried than they were six weeks ago," as one German put it, it could be easily attributed to the fact that the European nations, one by one, have been rejecting the Trump model as a blueprint for their own future. In the Netherlands and France, the Trump model has been rejected, even with blatant Russian interference (at least in France).
Here in Germany, the contest is between two different, but equally "non-Trump" figures. The SPD, the Social Democrats, have stupidly nominated a pure (though far from moronic) bureaucrat for chancellor--a guy who has spent most of his career taking lots of public money to sit behind a desk, much like the hated Hollande in France.
Schultz is cleverer and more charismatic than Hollande (no great feat, there), but so far has had little more to offer than tired old slogans ("mehr Gerechtigkeit!"
She has shown more common sense than most leaders dare to even attempt. The decision, after Fukushima, to do a 180° on nuclear power enraged her own party's business backers, and thrilled her green opposition. She went ahead anyway, convinced it was best for her country. How's THAT for a novel concept in a leader, eh? Who does she think she is? Obama?
Trump as leader of the USA, at least here in Europe (Hungary possibly excepted), is essentially DOA. A new American president is closely watched here, and first impressions take hold quickly--usually because they are accurate. Europe hasn't written the entire USA off. They can't, and they know it. They are not stupid. But they HAVE written Trump off as a serious partner for dialogue.
They will deal with those Americans that they consider aware and coherent. They will smile, shake hands for the cameras, and then write off those Americans they consider useless (Trump) and always watch over their shoulders those Americans they consider to be a danger (Trump's backers and "advisers"
So far, the joke is mostly on us. The Europeans are remaining vigilant to make sure the joke doesn't turn out to be on them, too.
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