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0 pointscrossroadsguy1mo ago0 comments

At this point US has close to zero (if not negative) "soft" power.

0 comments

This is what democrats and Hollywood are for. Some people still believe in them.

Trade and tarriff relief are an option still. Despite how shitty the US has been and the distrust that will cause in the future access to US markets will be very attractive until the economy collapses. Soft power isn't just from countries liking you after all.

crossroadsguyOP1mo ago

Access to US market? Is that a joke you are trying to crack? An “access” that literally depends upon how loud the orange fool farted on the commode that morning — that access and that market? I mean do you really not see what’s happening or you are just being a nice contrarian? Because this baffles me.

rtkwe1mo ago

It's still a very rich market and I'm mostly looking to a post Trump world. I completely understand other countries are going to be much more dubious about giving things up permanently for long term promises but things like not blocking sites or allowing US access to the markets both of which can be easily in response to another Trump-esque flailing is a much easier ask and negotiation.

I'm not saying things will return to the pre-Trump semi-hegemony but I do think it's over the top to think the US economy will have zero soft power in the years after Trump too.

happymellon1mo ago

> Trade and tarriff relief are an option still.

That surely is running out of steam. Everyone's got whiplash from trying to watch America and it's tariffs. How do you know it won't be applied anyway, or forgiven for whatever flavour of the day policy it changes to.

There is very little point in conceding to it when you'll have another opportunity for something else that might be more amicable before the inks dry on that tariff.

micw1mo ago

Would be a good reason for the EU to start a 200% tariff for US software and cloud services then.

sssilver1mo ago

How would this work? Wouldn't a reciprocal tariff with identical parameters by the US against EU tech companies completely obliterate EU tech landscape?

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dirasieb1mo ago

...and collapse their own economies in the process

riffraff1mo ago

> Trade and tarriff relief are an option still

Are they though? Trump tried to use them to get ownership of Greenland a few weeks ago and just gave up. Then he tried to bully Canada again, and also gave up again. I think at this point nobody takes his offers of relief or threats seriously anymore, since any deal you make can be invalidated a couple weeks later.

rtkwe1mo ago

There's a huge range of stuff way below trying to annex Greenland or the strong arming he tried to use against Greenland. This thread was talking about how the US could get countries to not block their free anti-censorship VPN not territory annexation. It's a way smaller ask, comparing them borders on absurd.

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nickorlow1mo ago

Tarriff relief isn't much of an option as of a few mins ago...

rtkwe1mo ago

There are still loads of completely legally valid tariff and other trade barriers ripe for negotiation that existed long before the ill named 2025 "Freedom Day".

jjtwixman1mo ago

Bro literally nobody trusts you any more. We do what you say, you put tariffs on us, we don't do what you say, you put tariffs on us.

We don't care any more. We don't like you. Do you understand?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

coliveira1mo ago

This is what democrats and Hollywood are for. Some people still believe in them.

rtkwe1mo ago

crossroadsguyOP1mo ago

rtkwe1mo ago

I'm not saying things will return to the pre-Trump semi-hegemony but I do think it's over the top to think the US economy will have zero soft power in the years after Trump too.

happymellon1mo ago

> Trade and tarriff relief are an option still.

There is very little point in conceding to it when you'll have another opportunity for something else that might be more amicable before the inks dry on that tariff.

micw1mo ago

Would be a good reason for the EU to start a 200% tariff for US software and cloud services then.

sssilver1mo ago

How would this work? Wouldn't a reciprocal tariff with identical parameters by the US against EU tech companies completely obliterate EU tech landscape?

1 more reply

dirasieb1mo ago

...and collapse their own economies in the process

riffraff1mo ago

> Trade and tarriff relief are an option still

rtkwe1mo ago

1 more reply

nickorlow1mo ago

Tarriff relief isn't much of an option as of a few mins ago...

rtkwe1mo ago

There are still loads of completely legally valid tariff and other trade barriers ripe for negotiation that existed long before the ill named 2025 "Freedom Day".

jjtwixman1mo ago

Bro literally nobody trusts you any more. We do what you say, you put tariffs on us, we don't do what you say, you put tariffs on us.

We don't care any more. We don't like you. Do you understand?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse