Saudi Arabia

Imagining A Theodore Roosevelt-Donald Trump Meeting!

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At a tumultuous time like now, in late March 2025, after two months of the second Donald Trump Presidency, it seems appropriate to make a comparison between a past President, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President, and Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th President.

First, the similarities:

Both TR and Trump were Republican Presidents, although massively different in philosophy and outlook.

Both TR and Trump ushered in massive change, revolutionary in many ways.

Both TR and Trump were attention grabbers on a daily basis, constantly creating news and publicity.

Both TR and Trump were egomanics, having an element of insecurity that required them to insist on “rocking the boat” on a regular basis.

Both TR and Trump could be described as “characters”, highly outspoken more than any other combination of Presidents.

It has been said that TR wanted to be “the bride at every wedding, and the groom on every wedding cake”, and that Trump wanted to be equally admired and noticed constantly.

TR was toasted by Great Britain as a great man during and after his Presidency, and loved every minute of it, while Donald Trump was toasted as a great man during his first Presidency by the Saudi Arabian government, and loved every minute of it!

Both TR and Trump were born to wealth and in New York City, with TR in Manhattan, and Trump in Queens County, and with TR’s vacation home in Nassau County, Long Island, at Oyster Bay, and Trump’s vacation home in Palm Beach County, Florida at Mar a Lago.

As former Presidents running again for reelection in 1912 for TR and 2024 for Trump, both were victims of assassination attempts, with TR more seriously wounded than Trump, but both showing a defiant spirit at the time of their being victims.

Now, the massive differences between TR and Trump!

TR was our youngest President ever at age 42 and ten and a half months of age in September 1901, while Trump was our oldest inagurated President age 78 and 7 months in January 2025, and he will be the oldest President when he leaves office in 2029, surpassing Joe Biden in that statistic if it occurs.

TR believed in a need for a stronger, more engaged national government, challenging the conservative, laissez faire philosophy of the Republican Party, and proudly asserting he was a “progressive”.

Trump has declared “war” on the federal government, wanting to cut down the involvement of the national government in a wide variety of ways, promoting a return to state and local government control as in the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

TR was the promoter of environmental reform and conservation of natural resources, regarded as the single most significant President in that area of policy.

Trump has made clear his desire to shut down most environmental and conservation efforts, and promote more drilling and more industrial use of natural resources, despite the reality of climate change and global warming. He is attempting to cut back on national parks, national conservation lands and national monuments in a dramatic fashion.

TR believed in the need for federal government regulation for consumers, regarding food and drug protection, while Trump has allowed himself to appoint a Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, who is reckless and unstable, and has created great concerns about the protection of health for the American people.

TR promoted openmindedness on workers’s rights, while Trump has demonstrated that he is unconcerned about the average working man and the significance of labor unions.

TR believed in the concept of corporate regulation and responsibility, while Trump has the belief that corporations should not be regulated, and corporate taxes should be cut, both in his first term, and now in his second term. So TR utilized the anti trust laws, while Trump has not and will not do so.

TR and Trump both were involved in the issue of the Panama Canal, with TR promoting a revolution in the area of Colombia which broke away, became independent with US support, and agreed to the building of the Canal, while Trump is now promoting US takeover the Canal, which was given back by treaty in 1977 under Jimmy Carter, and returning to Panamanian control in the year 2000.

TR was aggressive in his relations with the rest of Latin America, promoting the “Big Stick” policy, with intervention in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, while Trump has created tensions in the entire Western Hemisphere, and including our Canadian neighbors to the North, as well as the nations south of the US.

TR cultivated good relations with Japan, while looking down on China, while Trump is being aggressive in his policies toward China, and ready to use tariffs against all nations, including those in Asia.

TR wanted good relations with Europe, particularly with Great Britain and France; was suspicious of Germany; and critical of Russia and its mistreatment of Jews and other minorities. Trump, on the other hand, seems ready to abandon NATO and our close alliances with Western democracies since World War II, and is cozying up with our traditional antagonist, the Russian Federation..

TR won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to negotiate the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War, while Trump is hoping for a Nobel Peace Prize by resolving the Russia-Ukraine War.

It is very clear that TR, were he alive today, would be a major critic of Donald Trump, and would have no issue in confronting him openly and “in his face”.

The question is how would Trump react to such scathing and extreme criticism!

Trade With China, Canada, Mexico Are Dominant In American Economy

Ronald 3 Comments

When one looks at a map of the United States, based on significance of trade with our leading trade partners–China, Canada, and Mexico–it is clear that Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs of 10 percent on China and 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, will cause an economic calamity.

Eighteen states have China as their major supplier of imported goods; twenty three states have Canada as their major supplier of imported goods; and three states have Mexico as their major supplier of imported goods. Germany, Saudi Arabia, and India have an impact in a few other states.

So it is pure insanity to impose protective tariffs, when history tells us it always leads to economic disaster.

Donald Trump Violated Emoluments Clause In Office, Suspected And Now Proved!

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On top of all the other scandals that Donald Trump has engaged in, now there is information indicating that Trump violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prevents anyone in the Presidency from gaining profit by monetary deals with other nations.

This reminds us of the issue being brought up when Trump was President-Elect, and his assurances that there would be no such violations, as his sons would be in charge of his assets while he was President.

But, no surprise that this was a lie, and that Trump benefited from economic investments by 20 nations, including China, Saudi Arabia, and many of the other nations on the list being Middle Eastern oil nations, and no shame or embarrassment on the part of Donald Trump.

Still, with enough violations of the law, adding to the long list of such situations, Trump continues to be backed by the Republican Party at the same time that they are making a claim that Joe Biden benefited from his son Hunter Biden’s investments, but with absolutely no such evidence or truth!

If America does not wake up to the threat of Donald Trump, in so many ways, the nation’s future is one of a Fascist dictatorship, with even worse results than we already know of Trump’s past transgressions!

Celebration Of Journalism At White House Correspondents’ Dinner!

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Last night, for the first time since 2016, the profession of journalism was celebrated at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC.

The years in between had included Donald Trump boycotting the event, and then the COVID 19 Pandemic made such events not possible for a few years.

President Joe Biden saluted the importance of the profession of journalism, which has been under vicious attacks by the extremist right wing Republican party elements, led by Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and a multitude of other authoritarian leaders, with only a small percentage resisting such condemnation of the truth of events.

Journalism is what keeps a nation free and informed, and it is the job of journalism to expose facts, truth, reality, no matter what or who it exposes to the light of day!

Journalism and journalists are under constant attack, and in many nations, including the Russian Federation, Iran, mainland China, North Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and a multitude of other nations that attack democracy, journalists are arrested, tortured, and murdered.

These journalists are true heroes, and America must not allow the forces of evil in this nation to destroy the First Amendment, and suppress the reality of the attack on women’s rights, civil rights, gay and lesbian rights, gun regulations, voting rights, education, environmental advancement, and so much more!

The Complicated “Economy” Issue: Lowest Unemployment In Half Century, But Highest Inflation In Decades!

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With the Midterm Elections of 2022 a month away, the economy has become the major issue to many voters, and to politicians campaigning for office.

Republicans emphasize the highest inflation in decades, and the higher mortgage rates on housing, rising to close to 7 percent.

Gasoline prices are rising again due to the collaboration of Saudi Arabia with the Russian Federation, and food prices have soared.

And yet, the Democrats can brag that the unemployment rate at 3.5 percent is the lowest since 1969, so we have a really complicated situation, which makes predictions on which party will control the House of Reprsentatives and Senate hard to figure out.

Which party will control more governorships and other state elected offices, including Secretary of State and Attorney General, is also impossible to forecast with confidence!

International Relations Becoming More Dominated By Authoritarian Leaders

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The world in 2022 is becoming more dominated by authoritarian leaders than any time since World War II, a sign of major challenges for President Joe Biden.

Already, the Russian Federation, China, North Korea, and Iran are constantly challenging America and its democracy.

But now, Saudi Arabia, under Mohamed bin Salman, in cooperation with Vladimir Putin, is cutting oil production, and creating an economic nightmare of higher oil prices, just as the Midterm Elections of 2022 come upon us in one month.

The Democrats already have problems with inflation and higher mortgage rates and this despicable action by Saudia Arabia, in lead with Putin, could very well undermine the push to protect American democracy in the upcoming elections, and prevent protection of abortion rights.

This will be a very difficult month, with growing sense that MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump could end up in control of government, and undermine, in league with an extremist right wing Supreme Court, many of the progressive
advancements in government and civil rights that have occurred in the years since the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson!

Low Moment For Joe Biden In Saudi Arabia, Will Undermine His Presidency!

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President Joe Biden has reached a low point in his Presidency, with his visit to Saudi Arabia, and having to deal with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammmed bin Salman, the heir apparent to be King of Saudi Arabia, a truly evil person!

Biden had said he wanted to make Saudi Arabia and MBS pariahs, but due to the issue of gasoline prices, and the growing threat of Iran, he had to bow, effectively, and do a “Fist Bump” with MBS.

It was a humiliating moment, and makes the viability of Joe Biden’s Presidency very shaky, at a time just months before the Midterm Elections of 2022!

Biden’s Upcoming Trip To The Middle East

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President Biden is making a trip to the Middle East this week, with emphasis on his visit to Saudi Arabia and to Israel.

Both nations are a major problem for Biden, as he has to back off on his condemnation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s promotion of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and has to deal with an unstable situation in Israel, which will soon have its fifth election in two years, with the possibility of the return of Benjmain Netanyahu to the Prime Ministership.

Human Rights remains a Biden concern, but sadly, other issues and concerns, including the price and availability of oil supplies, must be considered.

Both nations are crucial allies, but with governments that are highly controversial in their policies, and Joe Biden has to manage a very difficult diplomatic situation, that no matter what evolves, will lead to criticism!

The problem of the Palestinians, and also of Iran and the Nuclear Deal controversy, will be the center of attention in both nations.

The Problem Of Saudi Arabia: Oil And Human Rights

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When President Joe Biden ran for President in 2020, he was sharply critical of Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights, particularly the horrific murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2018.

Mohammed bin Salman is the heir to the throne in Saudi Arabia, and is a danger, but due to the impact of the oil problem, somehow, Joe Biden has seen it necessary to visit the kingdom sometime in July, but the question is how does he balance the energy issue and yet not bow to the Saudi Crown Prince in an obsequious manner?

This is the real test of Joe Biden, one of innumerable others, and makes one wonder why he, or really anyone, wants to end up in the pressure cooker of the White House!

America must stand for human rights in a world where it is in danger, but practicality makes that extremely difficult!

Priority For Joe Biden And Secretary of State Antony Blinken To Support Allies And Be Tough On Adversaries

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With the confirmation of Antony Blinken as Secretary of State for President Joe Biden, the priority is for both Biden and Blinken to make perfectly clear that foreign policy will return to normalcy.

This means that America must restore the close relations with our NATO allies, and with Asian allies, including Japan and South Korea, all heavily damaged under Donald Trump.

It also means being tough toward our adversaries, including the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin; China; North Korea; and Iran, making clear we are not cozying up to these dictators, while dealing with them in a “tough love” atmosphere.

It also means we cannot allow Saudi Arabia to manipulate America, as it did under Donald Trump.

It also means working in unison with other nations on climate change, and promoting a series of fair trade agreements, instead of imposing higher tariffs on Americans, as Trump practiced.

Confrontations might occur, hopefully not, but we must make clear that America will uphold democracy as part of its historic mission, and will never abandon its democratic allies in the world!