Symphony – Page 5 – Pacific Daily Times Editorials

America’s divide is staggering. Neither Trump nor Biden divided America; our difference in values did. We were divided since the Pilgrims arrived and signed a Compact where Christians and non-Christians would work together. But, both overreached and tried to boss the other—both tried to force their values on everyone—whether classic Bible-wielding Christians, those who believe in no god, those who believe in every god, those who believe in one kind of marriage, and those who believe in any kind of marriage.

For many years, we worked in peace to make it through our differences together. But having grown up, we now see our true colors. Many of us grew up in families and circles that go against our true values. People switch loyalties. After the last two presidential elections, fewer people think of themselves as independents, and many Democrats and Republicans hopped to the other side of the fence.

We can’t blame leaders for our division. Instead, we must look to lines of thought that promote peace. America does not need to help Taiwan as much as America must absolutely learn from Taiwan. That island nearly half the size of Lake Michigan with a population larger than Florida hosts the most peaceful and yet resilient people in the world. COVID theatrics—either way—never worked on the Taiwanese, who calmly stood together through it all. Now, safety restrictions are lifting and life is nearly back to normal without a problem.

As America unites against the self-made enemy known as China, Taiwan is plopped in the limelight. While some Americans will see another poster boy on whom to lavish messiah complex -driven “compassion”, some may see the peaceful people whom America can still become like.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 8, 2021

SymphonyNovember 7, 2021

China tripped the alarm. Revelations of a US aircraft carrier -shaped target in China’s Taklamakan Desert doesn’t exactly resemble a friendly trick-or-treat visit. Congress is upset, calling this the closest we’ve ever been. Washington tries to use calm rhetoric, saying they don’t foresee problems until 2024—it used to be 2025. But these days, they leave more and more room to avoid being wrong should a scuffle go ballistic in the Pacific.

The tech industry certainly is paying attention. Intel is building at five sites, three in the US, one in Ireland, and one in Israel. At the same time, the US government is questioning chip makers about their supply chains. One of those is TSMC, in Taiwan. Now, Congress wants to spend $52B on subsidies for chip makers inside the US. The message is clear: America is getting ready for a China-initiated disruption in the chip supply chain, the largest part in the world of which goes through Taiwan.

By the look of it, 2025 is the year when China will both be militarily dangerous and, for the chip industry, will no longer matter. While some news outlets cast China’s economy in a positive light, others show deep reasoning to sound the economic alarms. It looks like China is getting into a tighter and tighter pinch, and China’s economic response is the same as its response to political disfavor: marketing.

This week, the EU says it has unanimous support to strengthen relations with Taiwan—specifically because of China’s aggression.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, November 8, 2021

SymphonyNovember 7, 2021

America is losing trust in Washington. 38% is actually not that low for a sitting president; they all take a dip at times, especially between elections. And, it’s November of an off-election year. But, the recent USA Today poll shows a greater dissatisfaction. Democrats don’t want Biden to run again, and he hasn’t even been in office one year. The only other option is Trump. When a sitting president can run for re-election, but doesn’t, that is very bad for the whole party. But, that’s how upset Democratic voters are with their own people.

Republican voters aren’t too happy with their own party. They never really have been. A large portion of the Trump base is still angry with State Republicans for approving the election against their warnings. Nonetheless, that same, blamed Republican party is looking toward progress in the two approaching elections. That means we will switch from control by one distrusted party to control by another distrusted party.

In many ways, that would be a dream come true for the American founders—that government is best when distrusted by its own people. As bad as things are, there is a silver lining.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 1, 2021

SymphonyNovember 1, 2021

China has been told, then told again. This week, China was told again again again. The EU gave a blistering rebuke to China’s unsolicited three cents about what other governments call their offices. Specifically, Taiwan is labeling it’s representative office in Lithuania as “Taiwan”. China recalled and expelled diplomats with Lithuania in wake of the matter.

Moves like this show the disturbing psychology guiding the Chinese. Reducing communication does not improve China’s position; it diminishes China’s position. So, why would China do that for anything other than histrionic reasons? The recall of its office in Lithuania resembles Napoleon storming out of his own cabinet meeting just before he fell from power. Moreover, analysis such as this does not cause the Chinese mind to reconsider; the Chinese see the warnings as conjured propaganda without substance.

As if the EU’s response over Lithuania wasn’t enough, US Secretary of State Blinken told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang where the bear crapped in the buckwheat. China’s been aggressive; that’s bad. Single-sided—AKA “unilateral”—action to alter the status quo with Taiwan—AKA “invasion”—is unacceptable. The US will intervene. This may be news to the ears of those in China’s echo chamber where selective listening is the norm. Yes, China may be unaware that the US plans to respond if China invaded Taiwan, even after all that has happened. China’s frame of mind could come partly from three decades of countries letting China push them around. But all of a sudden, a fresh wind blew through the G-20.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, November 1, 2021

SymphonyNovember 1, 2021

Revelations and research into the election continue from both Republican State Legislatures and from Democratic Federal Congress. But, as the story unfolds trying to indict Trump or his allies for the January 6 overrun of the Capitol, the same to-indict testimony cites evidence or arguments as to why the election may have been illegitimate and should have been reversed back in January. This doesn’t compel us to unseat Biden. Congress chose him under its privileges and powers granted by the Constitution. But with the past in the past, the only reason for Democrats to pursue Trump is that they fear his re-election because they know he would have won were it not for certain factors they don’t want the public to know about—more.

The issue at hand is not even about who should be president now, but rather what Congressional Democrats’ actions show that they know which they are not telling us. Most of all, they seem oblivious to how obvious it is to everyone but themselves.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, October 25, 2021

SymphonyOctober 25, 2021

Taiwan was thrust into a position without being asked. In 1971, the United Nations removed the Taipei-seated government known today as “Taiwan” and switched to recognizing the Beijing-based government known as “China”. The Taiwanese were elbowed out of the global forum. Now, the US is working to bring Taiwan back in, but not the same way as in 1971. If the trend continues, China and Taiwan would both have a place in the General Assembly, though no government would admit that outcome quite yet.

At the same time Washington swoons the world and Taiwan toward each other, we hear the old fashioned, non-Trump, typical vibrato from the Biden administration. Biden’s own China ambassador nominees says China can’t be trusted. That kind of diplomacy is rooted in neither Trump’s success-at-any-cost focused strategy nor the moderate go-along-to-get-along mantra. Washington Democrats have read the polls and calculated that hating on China is popular with the electorate. This administration will blame and shame China more than Trump. Expect a WWI style war reparations ending to the coming scuffle, not the rebuilding WWII effort MacArthur did in conquered Japan.

Afghanistan’s failure is a false signal to China, but the Beijing echo chamber sees it as a true sign the US is weak. They don’t get it. America wanted out of Afghanistan. And, Americans won’t want post-Afghanistan disaster to hit Taiwan. China is an election campaign whipping boy, but can’t figure out that because China doesn’t know what an election really is.