S05.E15: China and Xi Jinping

[Athena]

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Other segments: 2018 North Korea-United States summit, Trump administration family separation policy

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by Athena

[Annber03]

That end song was a beautiful antidote to that super creepy and annoying jingle :D. 

Ye gods. This is why term limits for any type of leadership are a very, very, VERY good idea. That was frightening. As is Trump with his creepy praise for autocrats/dictators. Could you imagine the outrage if any other U.S. politician said that stuff about people like Xi and Kim? Jesus Christ. Can't somebody tape Trump's mouth shut already or something? 

LOVED Oliver's rant about the sheer hypocrisy of using the Bible in regards to the immigration debacle going on at the border, too. Thank. You. My mom just made a good point, too, regarding Trump trying to put this on the Democrats and saying he's "just following laws": let's just say that this was their doing. When in the hell has Trump ever cared about wanting to continue something the Democrats supported? 

There's got to be up and coming leaders out there willing to fight all the shit discussed in this episode. I hope we start hearing from and seeing them as soon as possible. This insanity needs to end, fast. 

Edited June 18, 2018 by Annber03

[attica]

It's always funny to use profanity while singing. I don't quite know why, but it's reliable. It's usually funny to have kids use profanity. Having kids sing profanity is therefore a solid choice. (I do find myself wondering what the parents think about their moppet voicing those lyrics, but since it's not my call, I guess I won't clutch my pearls. There are, as we have daily proof, way worse ways to treat kids.)

[iMonrey]

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regarding Trump trying to put this on the Democrats and saying he's "just following laws": let's just say that this was their doing. When in the hell has Trump ever cared about wanting to continue something the Democrats supported? 

Exactly. You mean the same way he couldn't change the ACA because Democrats did it? Oh wait . . .

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(I do find myself wondering what the parents think about their moppet voicing those lyrics, but since it's not my call, I guess I won't clutch my pearls. There are, as we have daily proof, way worse ways to treat kids.)

I always wonder where they get these kids too. Do you suppose they are the children of the show's staff? 

[ahisma]

That was a much-needed piece on Xi Jinping. I did not know about the trade infrastructure investment; that is a huge way they are going to cement relations with a lot of other countries. There wasn't time, but there could be a part 2 on how China is starting to try to position itself as the go-to in the world. For example, many African countries are starting to see Chinese offers of aid as preferable to US/Western offers. Add that to Trump destroying our international relationships, and we are going to lose our position as the world's superpower in record time. Ironically, it's Trump supporters who love to chant USA is #1.

Edited June 18, 2018 by ahisma

[Danny Franks]

I don't know how many more ways the Trump regime can come up with to make it blindingly obvious that they're evil and must be stopped, I really can't. Taking children hostage and putting them in internment camps is a new low, but I fear that there are still depths left unplumbed by these cut-rate Nazis.

Xi Jinping establishing himself as de facto emperor of China is an extremely concerning occurrence. I remember reading about the vote last year, and wondering why on earth the politburo would agree to locking themselves out of power. But I guess if Xi's popularity is this high, they may have just felt unable to say no. 

The idea that China is optimistic and hopeful for the future really does jar with almost everyone in the Western world. It's an interesting juxtaposition, and I guess it's indicative of the change in the balance of economic power, and soon the balance in military and political power. Exacerbated by the destructive, insular right wing forces in the West, that seem set on dismantling everything their parents and grandparents built.

I already knew about the Chinese infrastructure investments around the world. They've effectively taken over from Europe and the US in some African countries, as the main source of aid and investment. Just evidence of them willing to play the long, long, long game, while so many other countries are obsessed with the immediate future. 

The forced indoctrination is no surprise either. That's the sort of thing that always happens when people have this much power, and are this determined to keep it. That social score thing was terrifying, though. Effectively a big brother system, ensuring obedience.

The fear is, what happens when Xi dies? Who takes over? Some other bureaucrat? Someone Xi has handpicked? Someone worse? With China, and Erdogan in Turkey, Putin, and with Trump openly idolising dictators, while his supporters hold him in the same adoration that Chinese people hold Uncle Xi, sliding into a world where democracy is genuinely under threat feels like a possibility.

[Lantern7]

I went to public grade school in Brooklyn, and that was in the district represented by Chuck Schumer. Do not ask me if he told that story back then. We’re talking early/mid-Eighties. It sound like a good story, but apparently Chuck relies on it too much.

How the fuck did China find American kids (CAUCASIAN!!!) to sing propaganda? Also, it’s amusing that people have talked shit about the president’s skin color for ages, yet Jinpeng is the likened to an orange cartoon bear. Not liking the lack of sense of humor with that guy.

Edited June 18, 2018 by Lantern7

[The Solution]

2 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

I don't know how many more ways the Trump regime can come up with to make it blindingly obvious that they're evil and must be stopped, I really can't. Taking children hostage and putting them in internment camps is a new low, but I fear that there are still depths left unplumbed by these cut-rate Nazis.

They're just getting started. They haven't even broken a sweat yet.

[meowmommy]

4 hours ago, attica said:

t's usually funny to have kids use profanity. Having kids sing profanity is therefore a solid choice. (I do find myself wondering what the parents think about their moppet voicing those lyrics, but since it's not my call, I guess I won't clutch my pearls. There are, as we have daily proof, way worse ways to treat kids.)

I use just about every profanity that has found its way into American vernacular, but somehow having a kid say fuck just bothers me.  Particularly since it's scripted.

3 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

Xi Jinping establishing himself as de facto emperor of China is an extremely concerning occurrence. I remember reading about the vote last year, and wondering why on earth the politburo would agree to locking themselves out of power. But I guess if Xi's popularity is this high, they may have just felt unable to say no. 

I sense a lot of deja vu to Mao and the Great Cultural Revolution.  The people's peasant who walled off China from the outside world for 25 years, while propagandizing them and stripping them of the right to independent thought.  

I find it both sad and refreshing that a comedy show does a better job of distilling and analyzing national and world issues than the oh so serious press, who are for the most part too terrified of being seen as biased to take on controversial topics with any degree of conviction.  Sometimes there really is only one side to an issue.

[peeayebee]

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Exactly. You mean the same way he couldn't change the ACA because Democrats did it? Oh wait . . .

Heck, Sessions just said that the DOJ won't defend the ACA re various State's lawsuits. He apparently can pick and choose which laws to defend (though ripping children from their parents is not a law).

Money makes the world go round. More and more we're seeing how morality and ethics don't matter to the people in charge. 

Loved the clip of the guy yelling at Cohen, "Hey, it's that guy who's going to jail!"

My two favorite parts of the show:

1) "No he doesn't, no he isn't, no he's not, no he isn't, no he didn't, no he isn't, no he doesn't, no he doesn't, no he doesn't, and that's not why he's doing it." So awesome.

2) The video of Schumer's identical commencement speeches. Oh.My.Lord. That was hilarious and fantastically edited.

I also loved the bit that the OED's definition of optimism is simply, "No."

BTW, in the clip of Greta von Sustern interviewing Trump, it looked like it had VOA in the corner of the screen. Was this a clip from Voice of America? If so, I'm so sorry America's voice is ignorant, bombastic, and disgraceful.

[Annber03]

19 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Loved the clip of the guy yelling at Cohen, "Hey, it's that guy who's going to jail!"

My two favorite parts of the show:

1) "No he doesn't, no he isn't, no he's not, no he isn't, no he didn't, no he isn't, no he doesn't, no he doesn't, no he doesn't, and that's not why he's doing it." So awesome.

2) The video of Schumer's identical commencement speeches. Oh.My.Lord. That was hilarious and fantastically edited.

I loved all of that, too. The bit with Schumer cracked me up, especially the way he dragged out certain words during his speech. 

[mojoween]

The thing I don’t get about Cheeto and Sessions bleating that it’s all the Democrats fault that the “law” is in place is that the Dems don’t control the House. 

Or the Senate.  For years.  So when the fuck did this law get passed?  Hmm?

I hate them all.  

[meowmommy]

2 hours ago, peeayebee said:

BTW, in the clip of Greta von Sustern interviewing Trump, it looked like it had VOA in the corner of the screen. Was this a clip from Voice of America? If so, I'm so sorry America's voice is ignorant, bombastic, and disgraceful.

Yes, that's indeed the Voice of America.  I'm sure the huddled dissidents in NK who risk death and dismemberment to listen to VOA enjoy the dotard's praise of the dear leader.

37 minutes ago, mojoween said:

The thing I don’t get about Cheeto and Sessions bleating that it’s all the Democrats fault that the “law” is in place is that the Dems don’t control the House. 

Apparently they're citing a bill that was passed in 2002 that says UNACCOMPANIED immigrant children shall be placed in a detention center.  If you rip the kid out of the parent's arms, their being unaccompanied is pretty much on you.

[dcalley]

7 hours ago, peeayebee said:

BTW, in the clip of Greta von Sustern interviewing Trump, it looked like it had VOA in the corner of the screen. Was this a clip from Voice of America? If so, I'm so sorry America's voice is ignorant, bombastic, and disgraceful.

Unfortunately, yes. From https://www.voanews.com/z/5382

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Plugged in with Greta Van Susteren examines various aspects of United States policy by interviewing policy makers and having discussions with opinion shapers. After hosting news programs for CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, Greta Van Susteren brings her interviewing skills and curiosity to VOA for a weekly 30 minute dive into America’s international relationships.

[Robert Lynch]

10 hours ago, meowmommy said:

Yes, that's indeed the Voice of America.  I'm sure the huddled dissidents in NK who risk death and dismemberment to listen to VOA enjoy the dotard's praise of the dear leader.

Apparently they're citing a bill that was passed in 2002 that says UNACCOMPANIED immigrant children shall be placed in a detention center.  If you rip the kid out of the parent's arms, their being unaccompanied is pretty much on you.

I don't think Sessions or Trump cares what happens to the immigrant kids being separated from the parents. They are the typical out of touch rich old white men who have no sympathy for lower class individuals. Blaming it on the Democratic Party is just stupid and using religion as a tact is so low.

[Danny Franks]

11 hours ago, mojoween said:

The thing I don’t get about Cheeto and Sessions bleating that it’s all the Democrats fault that the “law” is in place is that the Dems don’t control the House. 

Or the Senate.  For years.  So when the fuck did this law get passed?  Hmm?

I hate them all.  

They know it doesn't matter, that their cultist voters will believe what they say. And that their cultist voters will blame Democrats for Trump getting bad press, and hate them even more. It's all about sowing division and stoking anger. And it's so damaging that there are people who legitimately doubt the US will ever recover.

[DEL901]

17 hours ago, meowmommy said:

I sense a lot of deja vu to Mao and the Great Cultural Revolution.  The people's peasant who walled off China from the outside world for 25 years, while propagandizing them and stripping them of the right to independent thought.  

This is something about Trump that has worried me for a while.  The vilification of "intellectuals", the dumbing down and outright lying about everything, "no one can help you but me" and the moves to shut the borders.  It's like the Great Cultural Revolution - American Edition.

[ganesh]

16 hours ago, peeayebee said:

The video of Schumer's identical commencement speeches. Oh.My.Lord. That was hilarious and fantastically edited.

That might be the best video ever. No offense Chuck, you take the trip around the world. You can fall in love in every country. 

[Danny Franks]

2 hours ago, DEL901 said:

This is something about Trump that has worried me for a while.  The vilification of "intellectuals", the dumbing down and outright lying about everything, "no one can help you but me" and the moves to shut the borders.  It's like the Great Cultural Revolution - American Edition.

This is widespread amongst the right wing, and has been for some time.

In the US, the Republicans have long pushed worse educations standards wherever they could, and denigrated intellectuals. They know that stupid people are easier to manipulate, and even more so when they're being conditioned to sneer at anyone more intelligent or educated than themselves.

And in the UK, it's little different. The "we've heard enough from experts" mantra from Brexiters, designed to discredit the qualified opinions and views of the damage that Brexit would do. The way that right wing newspapers encourage ignorance and mock anyone who doesn't have knee-jerk, reactionary attitudes.

I would imagine that the right in France, Germany, the Netherlands and anywhere else probably use the same methods to promote ignorance and anger.

And it's only going to get worse, as Trump and his people are backed further and further into a corner, and they lash out more and more violently. Before this is over, I'm about eighty percent sure Trump will urge his supporters to commit acts of violence in his name.

[Robert Lynch]

18 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

This is widespread amongst the right wing, and has been for some time.

In the US, the Republicans have long pushed worse educations standards wherever they could, and denigrated intellectuals. They know that stupid people are easier to manipulate, and even more so when they're being conditioned to sneer at anyone more intelligent or educated than themselves.

And in the UK, it's little different. The "we've heard enough from experts" mantra from Brexiters, designed to discredit the qualified opinions and views of the damage that Brexit would do. The way that right wing newspapers encourage ignorance and mock anyone who doesn't have knee-jerk, reactionary attitudes.

I would imagine that the right in France, Germany, the Netherlands and anywhere else probably use the same methods to promote ignorance and anger.

And it's only going to get worse, as Trump and his people are backed further and further into a corner, and they lash out more and more violently. Before this is over, I'm about eighty percent sure Trump will urge his supporters to commit acts of violence in his name.

I kind of wished for normalcy for once, but knowing with Trump, there is no such thing as normal. 

[ALenore]

China's largest social network has blocked all mentions of John Oliver.

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China's largest social network, Weibo, has blocked all mentions of John Oliver after the TV host criticized President Xi Jinping. 

On Sunday's episode of Oliver's HBO show, "Last Week Tonight," Oliver blasted Xi's consolidation of power and attempts to establish what he described as a cult of personality by way of abolishing presidential term limits, amassing lists of "untrustworthy" people, and censoring content on the internet at an unprecedented pace. 

As a result, Weibo has censored all posts mentioning Oliver's name and show in an attempt to stop people from reading about Oliver's attacks on Xi.

 

I suspect he knew this was coming.

[SuburbanHangSuite]

^^^ And loves every bit of it.  

 

On 6/18/2018 at 10:26 AM, iMonrey said:

I always wonder where they get these kids too. Do you suppose they are the children of the show's staff? 

I will happily volunteer my kid for such a worthy cause.  

[Victor the Crab]

I find little children unleashing swear words to be quite adorable. You have to think their parents were cool with their kids doing this,

Ugh! Chuck Schumer is so lame. Couldn't the Democrats bring his niece Amy along to fir up the base and not be so fucking embarassing?

[Hanahope]

On 6/18/2018 at 10:37 AM, ahisma said:

There wasn't time, but there could be a part 2 on how China is starting to try to position itself as the go-to in the world. For example, many African countries are starting to see Chinese offers of aid as preferable to US/Western offers.

I'm sure Xi had a lot of influence over the recent NK summit and trump's essentially pulling out of the Korean Penninsula.  Easier for China to expand its influence there.

trump is doing this whole love/hate bit with China over trade, tarriffs, money.  I've yet to see any winning by the US.