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Pototan

(2,505 posts)
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 10:48 AM Dec 2024

I negotiated for a living. What Trump is doing is not negotiating

The sane washing of Trump's maniacal public displays are being normalized as a negotiating tactic. Canada, Mexico, Panama and Denmark. Trump is publicly humiliating America's friendly neighbors and the MSM acts like it is some sort of brilliant negotiating tactic.

I was a union officer in Boston and negotiated nearly 100 union collective bargaining agreements (CBA) for electricians, plumbers, H-Vac and other maintenance workers who worked at hospitals, sports facilities, museums, pharmaceutical facilities, hospitals and colleges in the Greater Boston Area. And let me tell you, publicly insulting, out of the clear blue sky and for no reason, is no way to open negotiations.

The United States has the upper hand with all our neighbors. If we needed to place a military base in Greenland, it would have been easy to accomplish by sharing the operation with our NATO brother in Denmark. There is no need to pick a fight with Mexico. They know they need America as a trading partner. And Canada? Can we have a more secure border than our neighbors to the North. How hard could it be to reach a favorable agreement with them without all this caustic rhetoric. Also, Panama. How hard could it be to assert our dominance at a negotiating table with them to secure the canal?

Look, sometimes you need to go public as negotiations reach impasse. But it's not your opening salvo, especially with a friendly opponent on the other side of the table. Trump is not exercising negotiating skills. He's falling back on what he's most comfortable being. A bully.

57 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I negotiated for a living. What Trump is doing is not negotiating (Original Post) Pototan Dec 2024 OP
My father advocated for "compromise" in resolving controversies and disputes. no_hypocrisy Dec 2024 #1
that is pretty much how negotiations go with my wife rampartd Dec 2024 #2
I'm the boss in my house COL Mustard Dec 2024 #18
nice of her.... obviously a diplomat......nt DoBW Dec 2024 #29
A few years ago, I gave my husband a big coffee mug that says... 3catwoman3 Dec 2024 #46
Hey, I want one of those for MY husband. calimary Dec 2024 #47
I just "Googled" that phrase... 3catwoman3 Dec 2024 #50
My Son was a Business Agent for his Engineers Union True Blue American Dec 2024 #3
Crime Roy Rolling Dec 2024 #44
There is a US military base in Greenland. And it has been there at least since the 1950's. tetedur Dec 2024 #4
In my AF days, I worked with a couple of people who did a remote one year tour there. Prof. Toru Tanaka Dec 2024 #8
Renegotiate the base agreement OrangeJoe Dec 2024 #11
That would make Russia happy. yardwork Dec 2024 #54
The SlobFather is one of those "tough guys" that NEVER got in a real fight in their life, never served, totally NoMoreRepugs Dec 2024 #5
Something changed Nasruddin Dec 2024 #10
Trump is the guy True Blue American Dec 2024 #13
He never negotiated. He sent in others, blew up their deals at the last minute, made others clean up the mess, AND THEN Maeve Dec 2024 #6
I figured it out. To support/voted for Trump, You have to be a special kind of Stupid. Dan Dec 2024 #7
Am I the only one boonecreek Dec 2024 #12
😜🥴🫤🤪 True Blue American Dec 2024 #14
I heard that in Sam Elliott's voice. NotHardly Dec 2024 #15
Chaos is the goal. Trump is Putin's puppet. yardwork Dec 2024 #9
I heard a commentator say that, too NJCher Dec 2024 #25
Agree. The tariff threats are serious but the rest I think it is in large part "flooding the zone" to divert attention Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2024 #16
I wonder if Homan is on a cartels radar? BidenRocks Dec 2024 #34
My response to Homan lonely bird Dec 2024 #49
Parents who buried their kids? spapeggy Dec 2024 #53
Trump never compromises. He expects capitulation, and will use whatever device he can to get there. patphil Dec 2024 #17
re Canada: 0.5 pc of Mexican fentanyl, 9 pc trade imbalance v 129 pc China. Oh and 55 Electoral College votes Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2024 #19
I negotiated for a living. What Trump is doing is not negotiating MLWR Dec 2024 #20
My point Pototan Dec 2024 #51
He needs the continuing rage of his Fox-fueled base. mn9driver Dec 2024 #21
My best guess is that his loud jackass comments are deliberate distractions struggle4progress Dec 2024 #22
China understands Mblaze Dec 2024 #23
Trump picks on the weak Pototan Dec 2024 #55
Angela Merkel Beck23 Dec 2024 #24
Thank you Nelg Dec 2024 #26
Welcome to the Fourth Reich! moondust Dec 2024 #27
trump is a bad negotiator LetMyPeopleVote Dec 2024 #28
He's trying to break our integrity with our allies and trade partners. Bluethroughu Dec 2024 #30
The media talked about the 'tone' between trmp & Biden's Christmas greeting. spanone Dec 2024 #31
Mr TurdSlinger isn't a negotiator he is a thief IbogaProject Dec 2024 #32
Dictators and Tyrants Do NOT Negotiate! MineralMan Dec 2024 #33
All that's missing in Trump's "negotiations" is the horses's head.....so far. Ping Tung Dec 2024 #35
Horse's head from a horse's ass? Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Dec 2024 #41
Forunately, the horse's ass is safely settled in RFKjr"s Road Kill freezer. Ping Tung Dec 2024 #42
And distracting attention from what the other hand is doing mahina Dec 2024 #36
Not only is he not a negotiator, he's interupting the Holidays Ohioboy Dec 2024 #37
Mob boss rule. Loyalty and fiat. "My way or the highway," "Suck up. Kick down" are other phrases to describe the style. Evolve Dammit Dec 2024 #38
Part of what's going on in Canada is Trump trying to hurt Trudeau yliza Dec 2024 #39
There would be literally no down side to Trump dying painfully on live, national tv Orrex Dec 2024 #40
If he ever produced a sentence based on truth... rasputin1952 Dec 2024 #57
Sure he's falling back to his comfort zone AZ8theist Dec 2024 #43
It's like calling Al Capone a negotiator. nt Grokenstein Dec 2024 #45
the moron is not a good man period. pansypoo53219 Dec 2024 #48
He bludgeons his opponents to death. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2024 #52
Many years ago I was a Shop Steward (SEIU Local 6)... rasputin1952 Dec 2024 #56

no_hypocrisy

(50,950 posts)
1. My father advocated for "compromise" in resolving controversies and disputes.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 10:52 AM
Dec 2024

What he really meant was "We're doing it MY way."

3catwoman3

(26,455 posts)
46. A few years ago, I gave my husband a big coffee mug that says...
Sat Dec 28, 2024, 02:04 AM
Dec 2024

…”I don’t need Google. My wife knows everything.”

He uses it regularly - smart man.

calimary

(85,683 posts)
47. Hey, I want one of those for MY husband.
Sat Dec 28, 2024, 03:52 AM
Dec 2024

The best part is, he’d get a kick out of it!

3catwoman3

(26,455 posts)
50. I just "Googled" that phrase...
Sat Dec 28, 2024, 10:58 AM
Dec 2024

…and there are several vendors who carry various versions of the mug.

True Blue American

(18,471 posts)
3. My Son was a Business Agent for his Engineers Union
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 10:59 AM
Dec 2024

And he would agree with everything you say. He sat in on those Union egotiations, refused to run for President because he could not stand the lies from the Corporations Lawyers.

Said he was an Engineer and that is what he wanted to do. He also had no patience for the slackers who turned around and voted Republican.

Trump is a bragging bully. Does not know the first thing about negotiating. His business record shows that. Witout his fathers money, lying, cheating all his life he would be nothing. Ivanka helped a great deal for any success he had.

Roy Rolling

(7,273 posts)
44. Crime
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:31 PM
Dec 2024

Extortion is a crime, not negotiating. Trump is a reality-TV branding poster boy. Nothing special, just criminal enough to break the rules others follow.

tetedur

(1,227 posts)
4. There is a US military base in Greenland. And it has been there at least since the 1950's.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:02 AM
Dec 2024

It was called Thule Air Force Base and now is called Pituffik Space Base.

OrangeJoe

(482 posts)
11. Renegotiate the base agreement
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:02 PM
Dec 2024

I’m waiting for Greenland/Denmark to either cancel or renegotiate the base agreement thanks to TFGs bullying.

yardwork

(66,041 posts)
54. That would make Russia happy.
Mon Dec 30, 2024, 11:01 AM
Dec 2024

Why do we have a base in Greenland? It dates from the Cold War. Putin doesn't need the U.S. to have missiles aimed at him.

NoMoreRepugs

(11,138 posts)
5. The SlobFather is one of those "tough guys" that NEVER got in a real fight in their life, never served, totally
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:19 AM
Dec 2024

relied on their daddies to constantly bail them out and NEVER truly became a man.

Nasruddin

(987 posts)
10. Something changed
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:52 AM
Dec 2024

After the Butler attempted assassination, something changed.
He seems to have taken that fist in the air picture to heart and thinks he's heroic. His fans think he is.

I have always had him in the no-war, peace camp (and personally, cowardly). But don't think that's operative anymore.

True Blue American

(18,471 posts)
13. Trump is the guy
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:27 PM
Dec 2024

At the bar who starts a fight then slips out the door.
He is also the guy who heads for the restroom when it is his turn to buy a round.

Maeve

(43,179 posts)
6. He never negotiated. He sent in others, blew up their deals at the last minute, made others clean up the mess, AND THEN
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:23 AM
Dec 2024

declared victory, no matter what the final deal. And he got away with it because the only ones who could tell the truth worked for him and knew better than to disagree with the boss.

Dan

(4,499 posts)
7. I figured it out. To support/voted for Trump, You have to be a special kind of Stupid.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:38 AM
Dec 2024

yardwork

(66,041 posts)
9. Chaos is the goal. Trump is Putin's puppet.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 11:52 AM
Dec 2024

Putin's goal is to create chaos among western democracies so that he can either colonize or absorb us, one by one.

NJCher

(39,531 posts)
25. I heard a commentator say that, too
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:19 PM
Dec 2024

Last edited Fri Dec 27, 2024, 03:05 PM - Edit history (2)

Greenland has extensive oil and gas reserves; also rare earth minerals.

He said that since there is a relationship between Greenland and Denmark, the intent is to rattle Denmark.

Having gained autonomy in ‘79, Greenland is self-governing. The island still relies heavily on Denmark for financial support, plus management of defense and foreign relations, not to mention its monetary policy.

Greenland has extensive oil and gas reserves; also rare earth minerals.

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,901 posts)
16. Agree. The tariff threats are serious but the rest I think it is in large part "flooding the zone" to divert attention
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:33 PM
Dec 2024

... to divert attention away from Project 2025 machinations and preparations for:

* wholesale deportations
* wholesale removal or suppression of rights from non-white males
* wholesale gutting of health, safety, and mental well-being regulations

Tom Homan let the cat out of the bag Thursday, going full fascist and lying:
“What price do you put on the thousands of American moms and dads who buried their children? You want to talk about family separation; they buried their children because their children were murdered by illegal aliens that weren’t supposed to be here."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3362491

lonely bird

(2,190 posts)
49. My response to Homan
Sat Dec 28, 2024, 10:11 AM
Dec 2024

I am more concerned for those left behind because of gun-masturbating assholes.

patphil

(7,602 posts)
17. Trump never compromises. He expects capitulation, and will use whatever device he can to get there.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:34 PM
Dec 2024

Trump admires Putin, and want's to create his own version of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
So, he is setting his sights on owning all of North America plus Greenland.
He thinks he's just going to take these nations. Not a chance.

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,901 posts)
19. re Canada: 0.5 pc of Mexican fentanyl, 9 pc trade imbalance v 129 pc China. Oh and 55 Electoral College votes
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:40 PM
Dec 2024

55 EC votes: never tRump

10 provinces: one state? Nah, 7 states or 10 states: 14 or 20 Senators, almost all blue. Bye-bye Maga Party. Hello new Liberal Democratic Party (merger of US Democratic Party, Canadian Liberal Party and Canadian New Democratic Party.

Yes, tRump is that stupid, but he knows his followers just swallow any of his fantasies and regurgitate them without thinking.

MLWR

(246 posts)
20. I negotiated for a living. What Trump is doing is not negotiating
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:52 PM
Dec 2024

What trump is doing is called "extortion." He's not a negotiator; he's a bully.

mn9driver

(4,691 posts)
21. He needs the continuing rage of his Fox-fueled base.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 12:57 PM
Dec 2024

Enemies on our borders: Good!
Friendly and neighborly allies: Bad!

Non-white pet eating invaders: Good!
Refugees who need a hand: Bad!

A stolen election: Good!
A crushing total overwhelming victory: Good!
A 50-50 close race: Bad! Terrible!

Expect daily doses of this bullshit for the foreseeable future.

Mblaze

(511 posts)
23. China understands
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:14 PM
Dec 2024

the value of "soft power" and, with BRICS, is gathering friendly responses from nations in need by fulfilling some of their needs without Trumpean quid pro quo demands. Trump needs to learn that poking nations in the eye is a losing strategy.

Beck23

(367 posts)
24. Angela Merkel
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:15 PM
Dec 2024

said, for Trump, everything is win-lose so there is no compromise.

Does Trump even know that GM has a plant in Mexico, or that Canadian lumber is critical to the American construction industry? Yea, go ahead and put a tariff of 25% on Canadian lumber, and while you're at it deport the immigrants doing the construction work.

Nelg

(8 posts)
26. Thank you
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:23 PM
Dec 2024

I was a balancer for Locac17Boston SMW
THANK FOR for your diligence and dedication to the union cause .
In the trades we called people like him bullies and full of shit he didn't do anything last time and won't this time
I'm more worried about him messing with Davis Baken act or turning the whole country into a right to work for less country

moondust

(20,834 posts)
27. Welcome to the Fourth Reich!
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:25 PM
Dec 2024

Sudetenland? Nah, the big guy don't want that.

But Greenland wouldn't be too bad.

Poland? Nah, not that either.

But Mexico would be kinda nice.

And France? Don't think so.

But Canada would be something to brag about and it's BIG.

Bluethroughu

(7,086 posts)
30. He's trying to break our integrity with our allies and trade partners.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:41 PM
Dec 2024

Putin said after his election, it was time for trump to pay up. Trump is going to turn our country into the failed state that Russia became after the fall of the Soviet Union.

We are getting the worst of the worst with this asset and his traitor supporters. They hate this country, and they will break it, if given the chance.

spanone

(138,601 posts)
31. The media talked about the 'tone' between trmp & Biden's Christmas greeting.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 01:45 PM
Dec 2024

What utter horseshit.

One is fucking insane and the other is the opposite.

IbogaProject

(4,195 posts)
32. Mr TurdSlinger isn't a negotiator he is a thief
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 02:01 PM
Dec 2024

Here is a rare negative editorial about him from 2016. It still blows my mind that anyone from the Delaware Valley, especially contractors support him.

Trump's Atlantic City windfall left others broke | Editorial

There is still a lingering misperception that Donald Trump is some kind of business wizard, but it's actually easy to identify one of his key strategies for success: He excels at ripping people off.

The Associated Press pulled back the curtain on his ruined casino empire in Atlantic City last week and exposed a gold-plated scam, in which survivors from the Taj Mahal disaster - a long parade of naive artisans who still have Trump's skid marks on their backs - all told similar stories, cautionary tales that make you wonder how anyone would consider him trustworthy enough to hold elected office.

Their consensus: Trump is a master grifter, who uses bullying and arrogance as negotiating methods, before ending the relationship by withholding payments and making contractors settle for far less by threatening them with litigation - knowing the cost of litigation would eat up most of the money in the dispute.

And frequently, these exploited contractors were left ruined after the Taj went bankrupt in 1991, the AP found.


https://www.nj.com/opinion/2016/07/trumps_ac_windfall_left_others_broke_editorial.html

MineralMan

(148,780 posts)
33. Dictators and Tyrants Do NOT Negotiate!
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 02:10 PM
Dec 2024

Trump wants to be a dictator and a tyrant. He's off to a good start, it seems. The job of Democrats appears to be to deny him the power he demands. I hope we can do that, but am not confident that we can.

Ping Tung

(1,971 posts)
35. All that's missing in Trump's "negotiations" is the horses's head.....so far.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 02:28 PM
Dec 2024

The wanna-be Godfather is not following the script.

Ohioboy

(3,612 posts)
37. Not only is he not a negotiator, he's interupting the Holidays
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 07:00 PM
Dec 2024

POS needs to wait till he's actually president.

Evolve Dammit

(20,429 posts)
38. Mob boss rule. Loyalty and fiat. "My way or the highway," "Suck up. Kick down" are other phrases to describe the style.
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 07:59 PM
Dec 2024

Or sickness, which I have always believed is more accurate. I have seen workplace examples so am aware of these manifestations of those in power. Mary Trump is a national treasure for chronicling the family, and explaining the behaviors in layman's terminology.
Thanks for your experiences and I agree. He is incapable and a sociopathic "bully." Fred must be proud.

yliza

(117 posts)
39. Part of what's going on in Canada is Trump trying to hurt Trudeau
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 08:30 PM
Dec 2024

MAGA wants Poilievre to become prime minister. We had that anti-lockdown occupation of Ottawa a few years ago if you recall, and Poilievre was hanging out with the ringleaders. I’ve heard other conservative MPs parrot culture war rhetoric. The Canadian Conservative Party has a MAGA friendly wing that tried to declare MAGA policies are mainstream after the US election. They keep trying to overthrow Trudeau’s government with no confidence votes even though most Canadians don’t want an early election.

Due to high inflation and general anti-incumbent sentiment Trudeau’s popularity is tanking and the conservatives are taking full advantage. Trudeau was mocked for flying to Mar-A-Lago, with Poilievre declaring he would’ve stood up to Trump (which I’m sure is a lie, based on his record). I fear what might happen in the next election. The only thing that gives me hope is that we have a year to see how destructive Trump policies are before we vote again (which is probably why they keep trying to force an early election).

rasputin1952

(83,497 posts)
57. If he ever produced a sentence based on truth...
Mon Dec 30, 2024, 07:11 PM
Dec 2024

He'd burst into flames, much to my delight.

AZ8theist

(6,677 posts)
43. Sure he's falling back to his comfort zone
Fri Dec 27, 2024, 10:36 PM
Dec 2024

...being A STUPID, IGNORANT, SMOOTH BRAINED RACIST TREASONOUS IMBECILIC INCOMPETENT DOUCHBAG ASSHOLE.

rasputin1952

(83,497 posts)
56. Many years ago I was a Shop Steward (SEIU Local 6)...
Mon Dec 30, 2024, 06:56 PM
Dec 2024

In Washington State.

I agree wholeheartedly. I was in Contract negotiations, and I sat back listening to the "Union Busting" lawyer from Chicago and his team.

At the end of this ridiculous speil, we'd caucus, and when asked why I hadn't said anything yet, I replied, "It's not time yet."

On the third day of negotiations, just before a lunch break, I ticked off seven things that the lawyer was erroneous about. I did not raise my voice, I only used facts to back me up. Negotiations were ended by 2:30, about an hour after the lunch break. We had won.

At a Union Dinner about a week later, I was presented with "The Bean Counter" award. We all laughed and had a grand time.

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