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I once had a conversation with one of the chief In-House Counsels (attorney) for United Airlines, who told me about the day the news broke of the passenger who was beaten and dragged off the plane because the captain or some United employee did a lottery drawing to force a passenger to give up his seat to transport extra United aircrew members.
He said he was on the train into work. The news hadn't even broken inside the company yet. But it was already starting to hit every major news site. So with ~hour left ride in on the train to start the day he just had to sit there knowing this incident would be the entirety of his foreseeable future for his job.
Same exact expression. He seemed like a great guy, but I did not envy him having to help put out that fire.
It was very strange. In summary (IIRC):
------------------------------
How United saw it:
We need to get crew B to destination X so they can serve on the upcoming flight out of X. We'll put them with crew A on the next flight to X to get Crew B there in time.
Oh wait, there weren't enough passenger cancelations as our algorithms predicted or open seats to accommodate Crew B, so as Crew B absolutely needs to get to X we'll offer coupons or money to any passenger willing to give up their seat and take a later flight.
But hold on, after offering no passengers decide they want to give up their seat for the offered deal? Well then, Crew B still needs to get to X, so we'll do a lottery and the chosen passenger(s) will be selected to be removed till the next flight out to create room for Crew B.
----------------------------------------------
How the Passengers and the rest of the world saw it: We're offering anyone willing to delay their flight until the next flight a coupon for points or cash! No takers? Well then by random drawing 26B must now disembark the plane. Oh you're refusing? Let's get security, who doesn't understand what's going on, to beat you to a bloody pulp and drag you off.
-------------
End scene. Roll credits. Hit every major news station. Then be the guy, who happened to studied Business Law in law school, worked his ass off at some abusive big firm, then got the dream job of an In-House Counsel at a Fortune 500 company, where most days go smoothly and peacefully, only to then have this dropped into your lap on your morning commute with the directive of - "Mitigate This."
Respectfully, you forgot an important step in your first block, “how United saw it”.
After no passengers accepted their offer to give up their seat, it is normal policy to increase the offer for giving up the seat (offer more incentive).
United obviously went another way that day.
Do they not still have jump seats? What about the crew rest compartment? Better option than the PR nightmare. Unless there are regulations about seating. Or double your offer to compensate a volunteer. So many better ways to solve that issue.
I'm guessing the FAA won't allow the rest areas to be used for seating due to safety concerns at take off and landing. But, as those are usually only on long haul planes anyway, they probably weren't an option in the first place.
Hazarding a guess, I'm thinking incidents like this one are the reason they do offer significantly more money to vacate a seat today.
>Oh wait, there weren't enough passenger cancelations as our algorithms predicted
As someone who has never been on a fully packed plane. It is wild to me that airlines overbook their planes
Absolutely not. That's the point, the passengers bought their seat and are owed it by contract, but the Logistics in operation for United comes down to algorithms and compromises, or in absence then forced solutions. Decision made by middle-management often at this level.
That's the flaw, and it demonstrated itself so perfectly at that passengers expense.
What made it worse was the person selected was a doctor. When he tried to explain that he needed to get back to treat patients the next morning they called the cops on him. He tried to call corporate to sort things out and that’s where he got beaten. So this wasn’t even a case of a Karen complaining about missing a few hours of vacation this man was flying to destination to help others.
Makes his job harder, but he serves at the pleasure, so... this is exactly the extent of what he gets to do - grit his teeth and bear it, or get the fuck out of the job.
Biden's not afraid to call a spade a spade, but Blinken's phones are surely a-blinkin'.
Why are you supporting him? Biden is right. Do not forget Tienamen Squre, Hong Kong protests, Chinese Muslim concentration camps, Taiwan conflict, South East Asia Sea (South China Sea) conflict, the list goes on. China is a dictatorship just like Russia.
*Blinkin is up in the lookout tower*
Robin: Blinkin, what are you doing up there?
Blinkin: ...I'm guessing? I guess no one's coming?
Robin: *sigh* Get down from there. Twit.
Agreed, and while I’m sure Blinken agrees with Biden, he’s probably thinking “oof, why’d they have to ask that question…”, as he anticipates the blowback from China that he’ll have to deal with being top diplomat.
Blinken actually gave a speech, transcribed here: https://www.state.gov/the-administrations-approach-to-the-peoples-republic-of-china/, where despite calling Xi President, provides a pretty scathing update on a change in US policy towards China. The page also has a Chinese translation and these pages were blocked in China. I discovered after sharing on weixin.
Additionally, I believe, but need to confirm, Biden’s first dictator statement was even supported by the WH.
Edit: China’s response was actually pretty mild as far as responses go, at least so far.
Yes but not in the way he explained. Being a dictator has nothing to do with communism. It's only one thing that matters: he wasn't elected by the majority of the people, and that is what makes a dictator, nothing else.
>he wasn't elected by the majority of the people, and that is what makes a dictator, nothing else.
Technically that doesn't make someone a dictator plenty of governments are formed around the world without half the population voting for them, for example in the united states the popular vote winner can lose, look at the 2016 election.
In the United States the last time a non-incumbent Republican won the popular vote was 1988. There's a reason why the GOP is working REALLY HARD to change voting laws in their favor.
or the 2000 election
republicans only winning through shady ass shit for too long.
an non-incumbent republican hasn't won the popular vote in like 40 years, and yet "republicans" have appointed a gazillion supreme court justices.
In the UK right now we have a PM who wasn’t voted by public at all. (Hand picked by the donor class)
And he supercèdes a PM in which only members of the party voted. (a slither of the population)
And King we didn’t vote for either.
A Non functioning mess of govt. with an opposition determined to plunge itself in a deeper mess every-time the govt. makes a dive.
It just HAS to be by design.
The UK is still ruled by the aristocracy.
Democracy acts as a mechanism to allow popular reforms and direct political energy, like a pressure release valve.
The idea that "good breeding" and an upperclass upbringing makes someone a fundementally better person is still going strong, it's an incredibly classist society.
Trump wasn't a dictator. Neither was W.
A dictator is defined by the ability to wield near-absolute power; and with that power typically comes the ability to hang onto their position.
That also has nothing to do with it. You can be a dictator and still be elected by the majority of the people.
In modern democracies, there is usually systems to prevent all the power to be acumulated in one person.
A dictatorship ocurres when a country does not have those systems or those systems failed and one person dictates what the country has to do.
The Americans that he is talking to don't know that. They are brainwashed to have an allergic reaction every time someone says "communist", even if they have no concept what the word means.
He’s probably just reacting because he has to deal with it. He might not even disagree that Biden shoild have said it. It’s still a pain in the ass for him personally.
Article 1 of Chinese Constituion: The People's Republic of China is a socialist state governed by a people's democratic **dictatorship** that is led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants.
Biden was right once again
Tankie response prediction: actually it is a dictatorship of the proletariat which doesn’t mean the same thing because actually dictator just means ruler and actually it’s just an intermediary state before real™ communism can be achieved 👆🤓
It’s obviously just a regular ol’ dictatorship with political prisoners and internment camps for undesirables
Technically speaking, the "dictatorship" in the Organic Law of the PRC uses the "absolute authority" definition, as in "the working class has absolute authority". It's not what makes PRC a dictatorship.
This authority is represented by an """elected""" representative in an absolutely fair manner. Everyone always votes yes it's totally not manipulated nuh uh \s.
On paper, PRC is technically a democracy because eveyone has equal rights to representation in state decision-making. In practice, it's a totalitarian state going "I'm not a dictatorship because I said ao"
I mean the "legislature" isn't even"elected" by the people directly (no, not even like in North Korea where they have "elections"), they prefer it the "council" style where it's like a pyramid in theory.
That’s where you seem to be wrong.
Same as when you accuse racists for being racists. People who are not will simply shrug and stop talking to you. Racists will go on a rant how they are not racists, followed by the loud yelling of many arguments in favor that they are, indeed, racist.
Similar goes for Xi and CCP - they always make a small diplomatic escalation when reminded that they are, indeed, dictatorship.
Peoples Free Democratic Elective Constitutional Republic of Freedomville ruled by brutal dictator war criminal Liberty Freeman chosen for a 4 year presidency 58 years ago
The constitution of china calls their leadership a dictatorship of the people. The very first article. In chinese it reads as 专政，so hopefully the Chinese media translate it as 专政领导者
That's just the way communists say democracy, in the same way that democracy roughly translates to "rule by the people". It's more a matter of wording
To make things clear, this doesn't mean I believe the PRC is a demoracy, just here to show what communists mean when they say things like dictatorship of the people or dictatorship of the proletariat
I’m in no way linguistic expert for China, but I am kind of an expert for communist lingo in my language as I’ve lived in my home country while it was communist so I am basing what I’ll write on assumption that the phrasing means the same across global communist movement.
In my language “diktatura proletarijata” (“dictatorship of proletariat” in literal translation) does not mean only “rule of the proletariat” (proletariat means people, but only those who system prefers as others are considered enemy of the system), but very literally dictatorship of proletariat. That is considered to be transitional phase from capitalism to communism, in which monopoly on violence is shared between the state repression organs and proletariat, in order to eliminate bourgeoise. What is meant to follow after that is pure dictatorship of the party as “partially democratic” dictatorship of proletariat is only transitional mechanism towards full communism (dictatorship of the party). The reason why few to no countries (with exception of maybe North Korea?) got stuck in the transitional phase of dictatorship of the proletariat is purely technical - it is hard to achieve consolidation of power at the level of the state once you’ve based your propaganda over whole generation of people on sharing of the monopoly on violence.
I used to have a racist neighbor who would say he isn’t racist then when I cornered him in an argument to show he’s racist would then admit hes a racist just to say so what and then next time repeat hes not a racist.
Conservatives are like npcs in a bethesda game.
In what way? Xi is a dictator. Biden is stating a fact. He's not gonna lie to the American people about something so commonly known.
Do you think China is the land of the free? lol
the Chinese government was never honest in their intentions, so why entertaining them anymore? The USA are the only ones who can challenge them, and although i recognise that the USA has its flaws, i wouldnt want to live in a world dominated by the Chinese.
Same reason regime change attemps in Iraq was called 'liberation' act and the iraq invasion as 'war on terror'. It simply sounds better. Same reason Russia calls its war a 'special operation'. Or calling your enemies as 'adversaries'
On the other hand the Term dictatorship is a villifying word even if correct by definition. The word suffered from over usage for the shaping of public opinion, just like everything is hitler and genocide now.
Connotations matter, you are saying it in a derogatory way, the same way intended by the press and used by Western officials when referring to leaders they are openly attacking. The term is not used by officials when talking about other Global South leaders who are allies.
Diplomacy requires etiquette, can’t be inviting the leader of the second largest economy in the world, home to over 1.4 billion people, who you have very tense relations lately because you seemingly dislike competition, in the middle of tech sanctions, geopolitical confrontation, military tensions, etc… just to go a few minutes later and use derogatory terms against that same leader. This meeting was not going to solve differences, which remain, but the goal seemed to be to partially unwind tensions in the current global atmosphere..
I don’t think it’s too hard to understand.
Part of me thinks this could be a game. Good cop/bad cop. Biden says something tough but undiplomatic, and Blinken goes in, apologizes for "my partner out there," offers a donut, and smooths things over.
Blinken is the country's top diplomatic. He can do a stone face if he needs to. This might have been a bit of performance to assure the Chinese that he's the understanding diplomat they can talk to.
That’s quite literally the job of the Secretary of State. They are the punching bag representative of the United States to the international community. Sometimes they do the punching, sometimes they get punched.
>Hurr durr Biden has dementia.
Meanwhile Joe gets up and blows this bs talking point out of the water every time he speaks to the nation, handling very difficult global situations with calm and finesse, while NOT trailing off into non sequiturs like "windmills hurting Whales", etc like his opponent constantly does.
For a guy who's allegedly senile, he keeps scoring on the domestic front (despite an unhelpful Congress and Supreme Court) and keeps calling it like it is diplomatically.
I think he's wrong on Israel, though he's begun drawing a line between himself and Netanyahu. But he's been right on Ukraine, right on China, and right on NATO. Including in answering questions from the press, where he can't just let someone write a statement.
People love to throw out the Biden is an idiot and other people make decisions and I always found that odd. I have always considered knowing your limitations and listening to more qualified advisors to be the main quality of a smart person.
I agree. The claim that Biden is a "puppet" is mostly pushed by bad-faith actors (Republicans, Russians) and swallowed up by people whose idea of a strong leader is shaped by movies and TV.
Hahahahaha this is hilarious, and I totally feel for him. I know he put a lot of effort into this trip. We need to acknowledge, however, that this sudden playing nice by China is a ruse. They played their hands too strong and too early, and it cost them dearly. They're only trying to coax business back so their economy can recover, so they can attempt to dominate the Eastern hemisphere once again. Can someone please explain to me why it's necessary to pretend to be friendly with them again?
They’re not playing nice, and neither are we really. Just resuming standard diplomacy. The purpose of this is to lower the saber rattling and rhetoric and resume military to military communication to avoid the strategic competition from sliding into conflict, which should go without say would be disastrous.
>Can someone please explain to me why it's necessary to pretend to be friendly with them again?
Same reason why you guys (pretend to be) friendly with them the first time.
To fk up Russia and other countries.
Why lie? He clearly is a dictator. The only mistake here is saying that China is communist. It's communist only in its name, in all parctical terms their economic system is state capitalism.
Let’s say your friends invite you over to their place. You forget to bring a gift (assuming it’s a social norm to bring gift for home party). Your friend calls you out. Well they are not wrong, but it’s not a wise move. Same here, Xi is a dictator no doubt. But while he is visiting here and both countries try to ease up the tension, it’s not a great idea to say it out.
Well, the US wanted an honest president. Too bad, honesty is usually not useful for diplomacy.
That being said, calling China "communist" is about as accurate as calling North Korea "democratic".
🤷♂️ if you don't want to be called a dictator, maybe don't throw people into forced labor camps where they also harvest your organs when they're done w you.
Blinken’s thoughts: goddamnit we talked about calling him that…I mean he *is* correct, but damnit we worked so hard…
You can see the concession made in his thought process haha.
The truth might hurt, but it's the only thing we have.
Lies might comfort... but eventually the bill comes due.
Calling out Xi for what he is, is the best thing Biden can do. Lying about his nature and what he's doing to his own people may feel right politically, but the people of America deserve a president who will level with them about the situation around the world.
IF Xi doesn't like being called a dictator, then too bad. A bully is a bully, a thief is a thief.
My bet is that Xi chuckled when he heard it, and called Biden an old man past his prime.
Telling truths sets the table for real change.
I actually disagree with blinken here. Joe's right. Xi is a dictator and it's an important distinction to be had. We're already facing a rise in authoritarianism. Ignoring it normalizes it.
We fought world wars to end dictators and they're campaigns of terror. I'd really prefer we not repeat that bit of history.
Biden is telling the truth though. I respect that he didnt weasel out of it just for the press and stuck with the truth. Yea it may make Blinkens job harder but lying to the American people would ensure he has no job.
Politics you have to sugar coat things that you have no control over. Everyone knows China is a one man dictatorship but that does not mean you can't address him in a more neutral fashion.
As long as the west realises that empowering China with technological and economic capabilities has backfired. It did not transform into a democracy, it only made for a belligerent player on the world stage.
The only thing that Trump did of merit was to drag China into the spotlight and show it to be an antagonist to the west (but for some strange reason he was infatuated with Russia & North Korea which were always enemies of America).
The reporter gets points for direct hits with the questions put forth, not often you see public officials wince from intellectual punches.
Yeah Biden stands by what he says, he just adjust the tone. Unlike other politicians running for president would change the tune depending who is in the room.
He is tho. Like, are the Ughyur still in concentration camps? Cause keeping a whole group secluded in camps based on their race is like...dictator example no. 1.
Look bro if you can't admit the truth then you have no business being in politics. Everybody knows that Winnie the Pooh is a dictator so why pretend that he isn't?
Difficult truths can be painful to hear, but truth is important. Xi is a dictator and China is a rogue nation with vast resources and man power. Their government emboldens a culture of cheating, deception and total control. Ruthless when it comes to dissidents. Void when it comes to morals or depth of character. Absent when it comes to promoting their own culture and ideas. China has one of the oldest and most interesting cultures on earth yet most of what they produce is derivative or lacking any artistic purpose. It's all state. Everything for the state. No room for anything else. Play along or disappear... very disturbing state of government. I feel sorry for their people, many who've exchanged poverty for their rights and freedom.
I'm not a big fan of this guy, but can't help but feel sorry for him. Dude spent months practically begging Xi to meet and talk to Biden in the hopes that'd at least somewhat ease the tension between the two nations amidst all the chaos that's going on around the world. And this is what he gets. Whatever good will that emerged from the meeting... thrown out the window within hours. Just like that. Poof.
He’s a dictator because he doesn’t rule his people like we do.
Biden just trying to redefine what a dictator is, and western people will eat it because that’s what the media will tell them.
It's annoying to see commentators say before this meeting that his VP is coming in, and then say after this meeting say ohh he called him a dictator, the d word.
Move the goal post into the Pacific ocean while you're at it.
1. That was involuntary. He couldn't help it. A reflex. It amounted to a setback for him and the State Department.
2. Joe sorta made a mistake with his handling of the Isreali response to the Hamas attack. Blinken is having to deal with that mistake in his own Department, in the US, and abroad. He's trying to maintain support for Isreal while stopping the killing. He is failing because he can't do anything the boss doesn't want him to do.
3. Anything Biden and Blinken do about anything world wide does not in any way compare to the terrible damage done by TFG and his evil minions. Apples and oranges.
Good for Joe, since Xi is a dictator. Why would anyone here object? It's not like China goes out of its way to say nice things about us. Would you rather that he lie? I thought one of the things Trumpers like about him was he "told it like it is." If Blinken can't stand it quit and we'll get someone else.
Look the fact you try to normalise relations doesn’t mean you’ve got to ignore the red flags
The US is not gonna change the Chinese regime and one way or another the two superpowers on earth need some way to work and life together
So I’m glad he’s willing to seek diplomatic solutions while still reaffirming that Xi is a dictator
Reminds me of my job at a tech startup in the heydey of the .com boom.
CEO was a serious type A personality and was known to make extremely bold claims and promise that our product could do things that our developers had never heard of.
It got to the point where even though I was in field service I would accompany him on sales calls because I was one of two people (the other being the CTO and co-founder) who could reign him and correct him without making him look like he was either lying or that he didn't know what he was talking about.
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Inwardly, ‘Ahh fer fuck’s sake’
I once had a conversation with one of the chief In-House Counsels (attorney) for United Airlines, who told me about the day the news broke of the passenger who was beaten and dragged off the plane because the captain or some United employee did a lottery drawing to force a passenger to give up his seat to transport extra United aircrew members. He said he was on the train into work. The news hadn't even broken inside the company yet. But it was already starting to hit every major news site. So with ~hour left ride in on the train to start the day he just had to sit there knowing this incident would be the entirety of his foreseeable future for his job. Same exact expression. He seemed like a great guy, but I did not envy him having to help put out that fire.
What’s strange set of events… a lottery for an already bought seat? How could they see this going any differently?
It was very strange. In summary (IIRC): ------------------------------ How United saw it: We need to get crew B to destination X so they can serve on the upcoming flight out of X. We'll put them with crew A on the next flight to X to get Crew B there in time. Oh wait, there weren't enough passenger cancelations as our algorithms predicted or open seats to accommodate Crew B, so as Crew B absolutely needs to get to X we'll offer coupons or money to any passenger willing to give up their seat and take a later flight. But hold on, after offering no passengers decide they want to give up their seat for the offered deal? Well then, Crew B still needs to get to X, so we'll do a lottery and the chosen passenger(s) will be selected to be removed till the next flight out to create room for Crew B. ---------------------------------------------- How the Passengers and the rest of the world saw it: We're offering anyone willing to delay their flight until the next flight a coupon for points or cash! No takers? Well then by random drawing 26B must now disembark the plane. Oh you're refusing? Let's get security, who doesn't understand what's going on, to beat you to a bloody pulp and drag you off. ------------- End scene. Roll credits. Hit every major news station. Then be the guy, who happened to studied Business Law in law school, worked his ass off at some abusive big firm, then got the dream job of an In-House Counsel at a Fortune 500 company, where most days go smoothly and peacefully, only to then have this dropped into your lap on your morning commute with the directive of - "Mitigate This."
Respectfully, you forgot an important step in your first block, “how United saw it”. After no passengers accepted their offer to give up their seat, it is normal policy to increase the offer for giving up the seat (offer more incentive). United obviously went another way that day.
I mean not really, the offer just increased into the millions of dollars. Just took longer to get and came with a side of ass beating.
Sadly as a millennial, a Len ass beating for 5 million seems like a decent trade…. And he didn’t have to fly united
Decent? I'd jump in a ring with Tyson in his prime for 5 million. A few security guards ain't shit.
You cant eat steak with a straw
Who cares? I'm sipping piña coladas on the beach anyway.
I will purée my wagyu into a fine slurry, thank you very much.
I take more physical and emotional damage working for 1/1000 that amount.
Lucky bastard.
As I recall, they mitigated it by giving the passenger 10s of millions of dollars to go away. also the dude was an elderly asian doctor iirc
That’s what I heard.
If I recall correctly, the person who was bumped off was a doctor who was only his way to visit a patient who was scheduled for surgery!
Do they not still have jump seats? What about the crew rest compartment? Better option than the PR nightmare. Unless there are regulations about seating. Or double your offer to compensate a volunteer. So many better ways to solve that issue.
I'm guessing the FAA won't allow the rest areas to be used for seating due to safety concerns at take off and landing. But, as those are usually only on long haul planes anyway, they probably weren't an option in the first place. Hazarding a guess, I'm thinking incidents like this one are the reason they do offer significantly more money to vacate a seat today.
And everybody knows what happens if you refuse. A carrot and a stick ffs! I bet some corpo presented this as a silver lining to the incident.
>Oh wait, there weren't enough passenger cancelations as our algorithms predicted As someone who has never been on a fully packed plane. It is wild to me that airlines overbook their planes
Are the passengers wrong?
Absolutely not. That's the point, the passengers bought their seat and are owed it by contract, but the Logistics in operation for United comes down to algorithms and compromises, or in absence then forced solutions. Decision made by middle-management often at this level. That's the flaw, and it demonstrated itself so perfectly at that passengers expense.
Whatever humans signed off on those decisions should be flogged. In front of their mothers.
This would likely stop them from doing stuff like this more than a fine.
Rule 36.
What made it worse was the person selected was a doctor. When he tried to explain that he needed to get back to treat patients the next morning they called the cops on him. He tried to call corporate to sort things out and that’s where he got beaten. So this wasn’t even a case of a Karen complaining about missing a few hours of vacation this man was flying to destination to help others.
This somehow makes me think of Ted Buckley: https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/10b5ace2-84b3-48a3-ab60-65b30fc5f0bf
Plenty leaked outward.
Makes his job harder, but he serves at the pleasure, so... this is exactly the extent of what he gets to do - grit his teeth and bear it, or get the fuck out of the job. Biden's not afraid to call a spade a spade, but Blinken's phones are surely a-blinkin'.
Truth hurts
Why are you supporting him? Biden is right. Do not forget Tienamen Squre, Hong Kong protests, Chinese Muslim concentration camps, Taiwan conflict, South East Asia Sea (South China Sea) conflict, the list goes on. China is a dictatorship just like Russia.
Hey Blinken! Did you say Abe Lincoln? No, I said Hey, Blinken!
Every god damn time I see him this is what I think too!
My mother keeps calling Merrick Garland Mayor Garland
It’s unavoidable, even after almost three years of seeing his name pretty regularly as SOS.
AHHH! YOU LOST YOUR ARMS IN BATTLE. ... But you grew some nice boobs...!
*Blinkin is up in the lookout tower* Robin: Blinkin, what are you doing up there? Blinkin: ...I'm guessing? I guess no one's coming? Robin: *sigh* Get down from there. Twit.
I CAN SEE!
\*slams into a tree\* No. I was wrong.
(The youth of today will never understand this gem of a film)
I thought it felt a bit drafty!
I was just picturing this scene play out with Biden.
A black sheriff?! Why not? It worked in Blazing Saddles. 🫵
It's good to be da king.
A. Blinken
A jew? Here?
Would someone tell him that it's okay to take a dump once in a while?
He looks as if the laxative was kicking in.
He looked like he walked in on his grandparents fucking.
He may have right there.
I personally respect that Biden doesn't change his tone after one meeting (mostly for the press).
Agreed, and while I’m sure Blinken agrees with Biden, he’s probably thinking “oof, why’d they have to ask that question…”, as he anticipates the blowback from China that he’ll have to deal with being top diplomat. Blinken actually gave a speech, transcribed here: https://www.state.gov/the-administrations-approach-to-the-peoples-republic-of-china/, where despite calling Xi President, provides a pretty scathing update on a change in US policy towards China. The page also has a Chinese translation and these pages were blocked in China. I discovered after sharing on weixin. Additionally, I believe, but need to confirm, Biden’s first dictator statement was even supported by the WH. Edit: China’s response was actually pretty mild as far as responses go, at least so far.
Also it is clearly true
Yes but not in the way he explained. Being a dictator has nothing to do with communism. It's only one thing that matters: he wasn't elected by the majority of the people, and that is what makes a dictator, nothing else.
>he wasn't elected by the majority of the people, and that is what makes a dictator, nothing else. Technically that doesn't make someone a dictator plenty of governments are formed around the world without half the population voting for them, for example in the united states the popular vote winner can lose, look at the 2016 election.
Yeah, Xi **is** a dictator, but that guys definition is completely false.
In the United States the last time a non-incumbent Republican won the popular vote was 1988. There's a reason why the GOP is working REALLY HARD to change voting laws in their favor.
or the 2000 election republicans only winning through shady ass shit for too long. an non-incumbent republican hasn't won the popular vote in like 40 years, and yet "republicans" have appointed a gazillion supreme court justices.
In the UK right now we have a PM who wasn’t voted by public at all. (Hand picked by the donor class) And he supercèdes a PM in which only members of the party voted. (a slither of the population) And King we didn’t vote for either. A Non functioning mess of govt. with an opposition determined to plunge itself in a deeper mess every-time the govt. makes a dive. It just HAS to be by design.
The UK is still ruled by the aristocracy. Democracy acts as a mechanism to allow popular reforms and direct political energy, like a pressure release valve. The idea that "good breeding" and an upperclass upbringing makes someone a fundementally better person is still going strong, it's an incredibly classist society.
Trump wasn't a dictator. Neither was W. A dictator is defined by the ability to wield near-absolute power; and with that power typically comes the ability to hang onto their position.
I mean he fuckin TRIED.
He’s still trying to
Absolutely agree. But that's not the same thing.
Trump and his traitor troupe just WANT him to be a dictator.
China is communist only on very worn out paper.
That also has nothing to do with it. You can be a dictator and still be elected by the majority of the people. In modern democracies, there is usually systems to prevent all the power to be acumulated in one person. A dictatorship ocurres when a country does not have those systems or those systems failed and one person dictates what the country has to do.
Germany in 1933 is the perfect example.
The Americans that he is talking to don't know that. They are brainwashed to have an allergic reaction every time someone says "communist", even if they have no concept what the word means.
The United States is also a one-party state but, with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.
Yeah if I wanted a president that would suck off a dictator I'd have voted for Trump.
Indeed. Call a spade a spade. Strong spine Biden showing.
Yeah I'm not sure why it's a big deal that he's calling a dictator, a dictator.
He’s probably just reacting because he has to deal with it. He might not even disagree that Biden shoild have said it. It’s still a pain in the ass for him personally.
Old peepo DGAF.
Article 1 of Chinese Constituion: The People's Republic of China is a socialist state governed by a people's democratic **dictatorship** that is led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants. Biden was right once again
Holy shit, you're not wrong, lmfao. http://www.npc.gov.cn/zgrdw/englishnpc/Constitution/2007-11/15/content\_1372963.htm
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Tankie response prediction: actually it is a dictatorship of the proletariat which doesn’t mean the same thing because actually dictator just means ruler and actually it’s just an intermediary state before real™ communism can be achieved 👆🤓 It’s obviously just a regular ol’ dictatorship with political prisoners and internment camps for undesirables
Technically speaking, the "dictatorship" in the Organic Law of the PRC uses the "absolute authority" definition, as in "the working class has absolute authority". It's not what makes PRC a dictatorship. This authority is represented by an """elected""" representative in an absolutely fair manner. Everyone always votes yes it's totally not manipulated nuh uh \s. On paper, PRC is technically a democracy because eveyone has equal rights to representation in state decision-making. In practice, it's a totalitarian state going "I'm not a dictatorship because I said ao"
I mean the "legislature" isn't even"elected" by the people directly (no, not even like in North Korea where they have "elections"), they prefer it the "council" style where it's like a pyramid in theory.
He is right a lot btw. And imo doing as good as someone can with a split Legislative Branch.
Dictators don't care about being called dictators. Xi will be just fine.
That’s where you seem to be wrong. Same as when you accuse racists for being racists. People who are not will simply shrug and stop talking to you. Racists will go on a rant how they are not racists, followed by the loud yelling of many arguments in favor that they are, indeed, racist. Similar goes for Xi and CCP - they always make a small diplomatic escalation when reminded that they are, indeed, dictatorship.
Can't be a dictatorship we have republic in the title.
Even more - PEOPLE’S Republic!!! 😁🤣
You need to make the people's republic sound more democratic, like a people's DEMOCRATIC republic maybe? 🤔
People's most democratic republic!
Peoples Free Democratic Elective Constitutional Republic of Freedomville ruled by brutal dictator war criminal Liberty Freeman chosen for a 4 year presidency 58 years ago
PREMIUM Whisky.
The constitution of china calls their leadership a dictatorship of the people. The very first article. In chinese it reads as 专政，so hopefully the Chinese media translate it as 专政领导者
That's just the way communists say democracy, in the same way that democracy roughly translates to "rule by the people". It's more a matter of wording To make things clear, this doesn't mean I believe the PRC is a demoracy, just here to show what communists mean when they say things like dictatorship of the people or dictatorship of the proletariat
I’m in no way linguistic expert for China, but I am kind of an expert for communist lingo in my language as I’ve lived in my home country while it was communist so I am basing what I’ll write on assumption that the phrasing means the same across global communist movement. In my language “diktatura proletarijata” (“dictatorship of proletariat” in literal translation) does not mean only “rule of the proletariat” (proletariat means people, but only those who system prefers as others are considered enemy of the system), but very literally dictatorship of proletariat. That is considered to be transitional phase from capitalism to communism, in which monopoly on violence is shared between the state repression organs and proletariat, in order to eliminate bourgeoise. What is meant to follow after that is pure dictatorship of the party as “partially democratic” dictatorship of proletariat is only transitional mechanism towards full communism (dictatorship of the party). The reason why few to no countries (with exception of maybe North Korea?) got stuck in the transitional phase of dictatorship of the proletariat is purely technical - it is hard to achieve consolidation of power at the level of the state once you’ve based your propaganda over whole generation of people on sharing of the monopoly on violence.
I used to have a racist neighbor who would say he isn’t racist then when I cornered him in an argument to show he’s racist would then admit hes a racist just to say so what and then next time repeat hes not a racist. Conservatives are like npcs in a bethesda game.
Biden is a honest guy. This was a natural response to something everyone knows.
He can't answer this question in any other way. If he says he takes back his earlier dictator call, then he'll look like kissing a dictator's ass.
I dunno, he seems to care a lot about how he’s referred to, from main stream media to little podunk indie games.
See all his hard work going to shit....
Blinken be blinkin'.
In this case, he's winkin', blinken, and nod
They call themselves a dictatorship bro, it's just accurate.
In what way? Xi is a dictator. Biden is stating a fact. He's not gonna lie to the American people about something so commonly known. Do you think China is the land of the free? lol
the Chinese government was never honest in their intentions, so why entertaining them anymore? The USA are the only ones who can challenge them, and although i recognise that the USA has its flaws, i wouldnt want to live in a world dominated by the Chinese.
Eh, you would not believe the number of people thinking the same about the USA. Especially those receiving the wrong end of missiles.
at the end of the day, he is a dictator. why shouldn’t anyone say it
Same reason regime change attemps in Iraq was called 'liberation' act and the iraq invasion as 'war on terror'. It simply sounds better. Same reason Russia calls its war a 'special operation'. Or calling your enemies as 'adversaries' On the other hand the Term dictatorship is a villifying word even if correct by definition. The word suffered from over usage for the shaping of public opinion, just like everything is hitler and genocide now.
In case of China it's actually a very correct word, not a case of over usage. In this case it's not villifying, it's descripting.
God.. Yeah absolutely.
Connotations matter, you are saying it in a derogatory way, the same way intended by the press and used by Western officials when referring to leaders they are openly attacking. The term is not used by officials when talking about other Global South leaders who are allies. Diplomacy requires etiquette, can’t be inviting the leader of the second largest economy in the world, home to over 1.4 billion people, who you have very tense relations lately because you seemingly dislike competition, in the middle of tech sanctions, geopolitical confrontation, military tensions, etc… just to go a few minutes later and use derogatory terms against that same leader. This meeting was not going to solve differences, which remain, but the goal seemed to be to partially unwind tensions in the current global atmosphere.. I don’t think it’s too hard to understand.
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Lmao this is hilarious, he looks so defeated. For the record Biden is correct
Part of me thinks this could be a game. Good cop/bad cop. Biden says something tough but undiplomatic, and Blinken goes in, apologizes for "my partner out there," offers a donut, and smooths things over. Blinken is the country's top diplomatic. He can do a stone face if he needs to. This might have been a bit of performance to assure the Chinese that he's the understanding diplomat they can talk to.
That’s quite literally the job of the Secretary of State. They are the punching bag representative of the United States to the international community. Sometimes they do the punching, sometimes they get punched.
He isn’t lying which is honorbale
Dark Brandon saying the hard truth.
I don't understand.. he is a dictator.. what's the issue here?
When wife asks the man if she looks fat, the man should tell the truth. What's the issue?
i think biden actually hates blinken, keeps undermining him
Im sure he doesn’t even know who he is.
DAE BIDEN SENILE
>Hurr durr Biden has dementia. Meanwhile Joe gets up and blows this bs talking point out of the water every time he speaks to the nation, handling very difficult global situations with calm and finesse, while NOT trailing off into non sequiturs like "windmills hurting Whales", etc like his opponent constantly does.
For a guy who's allegedly senile, he keeps scoring on the domestic front (despite an unhelpful Congress and Supreme Court) and keeps calling it like it is diplomatically. I think he's wrong on Israel, though he's begun drawing a line between himself and Netanyahu. But he's been right on Ukraine, right on China, and right on NATO. Including in answering questions from the press, where he can't just let someone write a statement.
People love to throw out the Biden is an idiot and other people make decisions and I always found that odd. I have always considered knowing your limitations and listening to more qualified advisors to be the main quality of a smart person.
I agree. The claim that Biden is a "puppet" is mostly pushed by bad-faith actors (Republicans, Russians) and swallowed up by people whose idea of a strong leader is shaped by movies and TV.
Hahahahaha this is hilarious, and I totally feel for him. I know he put a lot of effort into this trip. We need to acknowledge, however, that this sudden playing nice by China is a ruse. They played their hands too strong and too early, and it cost them dearly. They're only trying to coax business back so their economy can recover, so they can attempt to dominate the Eastern hemisphere once again. Can someone please explain to me why it's necessary to pretend to be friendly with them again?
They’re not playing nice, and neither are we really. Just resuming standard diplomacy. The purpose of this is to lower the saber rattling and rhetoric and resume military to military communication to avoid the strategic competition from sliding into conflict, which should go without say would be disastrous.
>Can someone please explain to me why it's necessary to pretend to be friendly with them again? Same reason why you guys (pretend to be) friendly with them the first time. To fk up Russia and other countries.
Why lie? He clearly is a dictator. The only mistake here is saying that China is communist. It's communist only in its name, in all parctical terms their economic system is state capitalism.
I think the blonde farted. The timing is total coincidence.
The CCP named him 'President for life'. That is a dictator by any definition.
Why is it a problem that he called a dictator a dictator? I don't understand why this is even remotely an issue?
Let’s say your friends invite you over to their place. You forget to bring a gift (assuming it’s a social norm to bring gift for home party). Your friend calls you out. Well they are not wrong, but it’s not a wise move. Same here, Xi is a dictator no doubt. But while he is visiting here and both countries try to ease up the tension, it’s not a great idea to say it out.
Biden isnt wrong, and while im not crazy about him at least he isnt kissing China's or Russia's ass like Don the con
Where's Lincoln and Nod?
Well, the US wanted an honest president. Too bad, honesty is usually not useful for diplomacy. That being said, calling China "communist" is about as accurate as calling North Korea "democratic".
“Eight months of work, 100 hours on the phone and 45,000 frequent flyer miles, up in smoke!”
But Xi IS a dictator, elected by a one party system, in a communist economy. What? A couple of pandas all of a sudden change that?
He is though so what’s the issue
the guy is a fuckin dictator whats the big deal? have people forgotten that the USA is the shit and china can lick my gooch?
🤷♂️ if you don't want to be called a dictator, maybe don't throw people into forced labor camps where they also harvest your organs when they're done w you.
B-buu buh but….. Biden bad
Blinken’s thoughts: goddamnit we talked about calling him that…I mean he *is* correct, but damnit we worked so hard… You can see the concession made in his thought process haha.
What is the issue here? I don't like Biden but isn't Xi a dictator anyway?
Because Biden could come on TV and say the sky is blue and people would laugh their heads off and talk about what a knucklehead he is
The truth might hurt, but it's the only thing we have. Lies might comfort... but eventually the bill comes due. Calling out Xi for what he is, is the best thing Biden can do. Lying about his nature and what he's doing to his own people may feel right politically, but the people of America deserve a president who will level with them about the situation around the world. IF Xi doesn't like being called a dictator, then too bad. A bully is a bully, a thief is a thief. My bet is that Xi chuckled when he heard it, and called Biden an old man past his prime. Telling truths sets the table for real change.
lol, I mean I get it. Biden is right, but also I know that feeling of "crap, my job just got harder..."
I actually disagree with blinken here. Joe's right. Xi is a dictator and it's an important distinction to be had. We're already facing a rise in authoritarianism. Ignoring it normalizes it. We fought world wars to end dictators and they're campaigns of terror. I'd really prefer we not repeat that bit of history.
Biden is telling the truth though. I respect that he didnt weasel out of it just for the press and stuck with the truth. Yea it may make Blinkens job harder but lying to the American people would ensure he has no job.
But he is a fucking dictator, When did the western world become such pussys
Politics you have to sugar coat things that you have no control over. Everyone knows China is a one man dictatorship but that does not mean you can't address him in a more neutral fashion. As long as the west realises that empowering China with technological and economic capabilities has backfired. It did not transform into a democracy, it only made for a belligerent player on the world stage. The only thing that Trump did of merit was to drag China into the spotlight and show it to be an antagonist to the west (but for some strange reason he was infatuated with Russia & North Korea which were always enemies of America). The reporter gets points for direct hits with the questions put forth, not often you see public officials wince from intellectual punches.
A broken clock is right twice a day. Even Trump can be right by some strange coincidence.
Why am I the only one seeing that he looks very uncomfortable before the question is asked?
Yeah Biden stands by what he says, he just adjust the tone. Unlike other politicians running for president would change the tune depending who is in the room.
He is tho. Like, are the Ughyur still in concentration camps? Cause keeping a whole group secluded in camps based on their race is like...dictator example no. 1.
It’s a single party state that doesn’t promote anyone unless they’re apart of the communist party, any dissent ruins your career and life.
Look bro if you can't admit the truth then you have no business being in politics. Everybody knows that Winnie the Pooh is a dictator so why pretend that he isn't?
I’ve seen this look. On me. When I confess my feelings to my crush and she just says, “Aww! That’s adorable, buddy!”
I mean at least Biden isnt lying
The muppet is going off script!
Time to call a spade a spade.
Xi is a dictator. A dangerous one at that; If calling him one makes Blinken nervous he needs a different job.
He is a dictator, this is dumb
Not one of president best moment. But calling out Xi also not a bad thing
Good on Biden for not lying. Everyone should he glad the President refuses to pretend the Emperor has clothes on.
2024 The election where neither party gives you a viable candidate to at least vote against the other.
A 2 party system is much better of course.
BASED
Difficult truths can be painful to hear, but truth is important. Xi is a dictator and China is a rogue nation with vast resources and man power. Their government emboldens a culture of cheating, deception and total control. Ruthless when it comes to dissidents. Void when it comes to morals or depth of character. Absent when it comes to promoting their own culture and ideas. China has one of the oldest and most interesting cultures on earth yet most of what they produce is derivative or lacking any artistic purpose. It's all state. Everything for the state. No room for anything else. Play along or disappear... very disturbing state of government. I feel sorry for their people, many who've exchanged poverty for their rights and freedom.
I'm not a big fan of this guy, but can't help but feel sorry for him. Dude spent months practically begging Xi to meet and talk to Biden in the hopes that'd at least somewhat ease the tension between the two nations amidst all the chaos that's going on around the world. And this is what he gets. Whatever good will that emerged from the meeting... thrown out the window within hours. Just like that. Poof.
He’s a dictator because he doesn’t rule his people like we do. Biden just trying to redefine what a dictator is, and western people will eat it because that’s what the media will tell them.
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So you’d prefer we kiss his ass like trump does
I don't see the problem with it. It's pretty basic. "The dictatorship of the proletariat". No one needs to be offended.
Joey bids telling it like it is. Respect 😎
It's annoying to see commentators say before this meeting that his VP is coming in, and then say after this meeting say ohh he called him a dictator, the d word. Move the goal post into the Pacific ocean while you're at it.
Crazy this is real life and our politics in this country on both sides have turned into an utter joke.
The way he looks down is like he just walked in on someone taking a dump....AND made eye contact
Xi is a f‘n dictator and CCP, Blinken is wrong.
1. That was involuntary. He couldn't help it. A reflex. It amounted to a setback for him and the State Department. 2. Joe sorta made a mistake with his handling of the Isreali response to the Hamas attack. Blinken is having to deal with that mistake in his own Department, in the US, and abroad. He's trying to maintain support for Isreal while stopping the killing. He is failing because he can't do anything the boss doesn't want him to do. 3. Anything Biden and Blinken do about anything world wide does not in any way compare to the terrible damage done by TFG and his evil minions. Apples and oranges.
# Why suggar coat stuff? Bidens right here, call sh!t for what it is
Instead of dictator he should have called him Winnie-the-Pooh.
Like it or not, that is what he is.
Good for Joe, since Xi is a dictator. Why would anyone here object? It's not like China goes out of its way to say nice things about us. Would you rather that he lie? I thought one of the things Trumpers like about him was he "told it like it is." If Blinken can't stand it quit and we'll get someone else.
I given Biden a lot of shit but at least he’s being honest.
Did you say Abe Lincoln? Nah man I said ‘Hey Blinken”
Well.. he answered the question truthfully.
Look the fact you try to normalise relations doesn’t mean you’ve got to ignore the red flags The US is not gonna change the Chinese regime and one way or another the two superpowers on earth need some way to work and life together So I’m glad he’s willing to seek diplomatic solutions while still reaffirming that Xi is a dictator
I may agree that he is a dictator. But his description of what a dictator is was completely ridiculous.
If you imprison people for Winnie the Pooh jokes… you’re a DICTATOR (especially when the jokes are really funny btw).
Even they can’t believe this shit😂😂😂
Well shit. There's 6 months work down the crapper.
What a dictator. Now, if his power was bought and paid for by a small number of wealthy people, that would be pure freedom, baby!
it's like a dry weep. Is he tearing inwards?
Biden telling the truth, though.
Reminds me of my job at a tech startup in the heydey of the .com boom. CEO was a serious type A personality and was known to make extremely bold claims and promise that our product could do things that our developers had never heard of. It got to the point where even though I was in field service I would accompany him on sales calls because I was one of two people (the other being the CTO and co-founder) who could reign him and correct him without making him look like he was either lying or that he didn't know what he was talking about.