The U.S., Biden and neocons alike argue, is the indispensable country, as demonstrated by Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. But for every problem the U.S. solves, there are three more it caused, including the one it tries to solve.
The Indispensable Country
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication, WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "The Stringer."
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Since November 19, sez Reuters, the Houthi have attacked 30 ships in about 70 days. The Economist mentions that about 200 container ships went through the Red Sea on one particular week, so, about 30 ships per day. So, the Houthis are affecting about 1.5% of the cargo throughput, according to my back-of-the-envelope math.
A New York Times (Biden’s owners’ preferred mouthpiece) headline on Jan. 24: “Shipping Costs Soar in Wake of Red Sea Attacks.” Backing up that editorial “soar”? “For a ship carrying goods worth $100 million, that means an extra $700,000 for the few days necessary to go through the Red Sea area.” That is, 7/10ths of a percent. If you slept through Business 101, you still absorbed, via osmosis, the concept that businesses pass the costs of products onto the consumers. If you were spending $100 on the item, you are now being forced to cough up $100.70. Unless I’m missing something (very possible), this barely rises above a rounding error.
I have never, ever seen such a totemic, superstitious, fetish response to a candidate as I have seen by the democrats to Trump. Even the right’s hives-and-anaphylaxis reaction to Hillary wasn’t this bad. Biden’s vote totals in NH and SC, even for an incumbent reelection primary, were appallingly low. With Trump in the opposite corner, the democrats should have had a huge turnout for the primary specifically to send a message to everyone that Joe Biden has massive, unwavering support from a unified and responsive bloc of voters. Instead, Biden’s owner-handlers are trying the old make-him-a-warrior tactic to generate greater voter enthusiasm.
We better all start learning to speak Trump. Ich bin ein bigly.
Officially, there is only one candidate in the Democrat primary, and two in the Republican primary, which might cause some Democrats to skip the primaries. Most of those who plan to cast a ballot for Biden say they are not voting for Biden, they’re voting against Trump.