How Trump governs by bluffing

[DonViejo]

Mike Allen, Jonathan Swan 4 hours ago

With his announcement yesterday that he's considering $100 billion more tariffs on Chinese goods, President Trump created confusion within his administration and abroad because of a negotiating style you could call "governing by bluffing."

This is how he has lived his whole life: promising big things, and creating on-the-edge, "Apprentice"-style drama — then changing his mind.

He threatened to veto a spending bill that conservatives hate, then signed it.

He announced stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, then the administration started negotiating tons of carve-outs.

He talks of war with North Korea, then agrees to meet with Kim Jong-un.

He muses openly of replacing top aides, including White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, then lets them stay.

more
https://www.axios.com/how-trump-governs-by-bluffing-1523007892-493fa9d8-c0b2-4bcd-a0ee-0a20b7586444.html

[unblock]

1. "bluffing" grants it far more legitimacy than it deserves.

a "bluff" involves a plan and a carefully calculated over-representation of one's cards.
a good bluff has to be credible and it can't be overdone or people catch on and punish you for it.

the things donnie does resemble a "bluff" only with respect to the over-representation part.

but he does it far too often, and far too obviously, he rarely backs it up, and he doesn't do it at the right times.


throwing out random lies and over-exaggerations isn't "bluffing".

it's governing by random bullshit and self-glorifying lies.