Invoking Vaclav Havel, he said it was time to stop pretending that what the western powers called a rules-based order was not a self-serving sham.
“Great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. But when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what’s offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating,” he said
“Being a happy vassal is one thing, being a miserable slave is something else,” he said.
“If you back down now, you’re going to lose your dignity, and that’s probably the most precious thing you can have in a democracy, it’s your dignity.”
I’m sure you’ll forgive me, but I rather think that given what he has accomplished in his first year, his overall skillset and deep knowledge in relevant fields, and his preeminent experience at the highest levels of economic and strategic discourse, he is much more trustworthy on the topics of trade and economic diversification, defense and sovereignty and affordability - and far better suited to protect and progress our country away from US dependence - than you are, random internet stranger who has none of the equivalent skills, experience or access to critical information from expert advisors.
But that’s just me. I prefer to pragmatically consider my options with some humility and respect for expertise, rather than pooling together all the insight of a high school bong session.
Imagine someone throwing their trust at a capitalist unironically. Nevermind, you don’t have to because murderaxeman is here!
Who do you put your trust in when it comes to making economic and political decisions in the face of a generational existential threat to our sovereignty, as well as a massive, rapid and necessary restructuring of our economy?
To keep the status quo of ever widening income gaps and growing fascism a banker of course.
Revolution requires people not invested in keeping a system that serves wealthy and their favorite proxy, the corporation, exclusively.