politics

Biden to host 'summit' to rally democracies over autocrats

33 Comments
By ZEKE MILLER

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he aims to assemble government, civil society and private sector leaders in what he has cast as a global faceoff against rising autocratic forces.

Does anyone actually believe this? He can start at home with his own team. The US is in no position to call any other country an autocracy.

3 ( +16 / -13 )

Quite the difference from the past four years of Putin's Puppet, Xi's long time business partner, and love letter-exchanger with Kim....

3 ( +15 / -12 )

The Biden regime is giving a good lesson in how to be authoritarian while pretending to be a democracy.

And "standing up" to autocrats by mumbling a bunch of incoherent nonsense while actually doing nothing at all.

5 ( +17 / -12 )

There is evil in the world.

If good men take no action against that evil, we will all end up paying. We need to fight it together, everywhere it exists, diplomatically when possible, economically when necessary and with force when that becomes the only option.

The desire is for everyone in the world to have better lives than their parents, free of fear from their govts, free of fear from war, and to be allowed to mostly do what they like, provided it doesn't negatively impact others. Others can be next door, in the city, state/province, country, continent or world.

Talking is the first step.

At a minimum, democracies shouldn't be funding non-democratic countries to do evil against their own citizens, neighbors or anyone in the world. A slow withdrawal of that funding needs to start being discussed, so in 5-10 yrs, we are completely out.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

@commanteer

Does anyone actually believe this? He can start at home with his own team. The US is in no position to call any other country an autocracy.

You are right! Especially when the conservative supporters in the US elected an autocrat wannabe like Trump who lead a violent insurrection to stop a legally and fairly elected democratic president from taking office.

Trump is the stain on the US's credibility about anything!

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

If you really look at the Japanese political scene, it is autocratic as well. LDP

0 ( +9 / -9 )

What a sham. More hot air from countries that are scarcely better than those they criticise

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

The shepherd will try to direct his unruly sheep to the recruitment office to fight for his supremacy over China? That will be fun to watch.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

With this "leadership" what could possibly go wrong?

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

About a year after the Dec 9-10 event, the president plans an in-person gathering that would bring together leaders of democratic nations and other officials. The White House said this December's summit would “galvanize commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights."

Maybe Alanis Morisette could write a song about it.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I wonder what does he intend to do in the long run? shame these autocracies into submission?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Thank goodness we finally have a leader we can believe in who doesn't suffer from late stage dementia.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Lol, the Biden White House admits to censoring and banning people from the Internet and yet claims to be against “autocracy.” It reminds me of when the Soviet Union used to organize international “peace” conferences.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Whatever Biden does in his term of office, he will be remembered for what is about to happen in Afghanistan, specifically to the women and girls.

This summit on dealing with autocrats. Will Modi be invited to attend or will he be one of the issues discussed?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Trump loved, defended and often freed from prison autocrats, plurocrats, kleptocrats, aristocrats, paedophiles, perjurers, adulterers, tyrants and murderers, to name a few. He grabbed the knees for the Russians, Saudis and North Koreans. He wanted to treat his citizens, political enemies & journalists in the same way that they do; beat them up and steal their money, just like they do.

What he didn't like was elections, and when he lost one (actually he lost two), he called his brownshirts into action. Unfortunately for him even America hasn't become 30's Germany yet, so he and them got crushed. Crushed by the most insipid opposition leader in generations, who didn't even have to try to beat him. The Democrats could have nominated a blue hat stand and it would have won.

45 was a traitor to American values

4 ( +7 / -3 )

What a sham. More hot air from countries that are scarcely better than those they criticise

So you really cannot see the profound difference between how the US is governed and how places like PRC, Russia, Saudi Arabia or Iran are governed? For all its many faults, faults that are allowed to be published and publicly debated, the US has a far better form of government than those of its adversaries.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Trump loved, defended and often freed from prison autocrats, plurocrats, kleptocrats, aristocrats, paedophiles, perjurers, adulterers, tyrants and murderers, to name a few. He grabbed the knees for the Russians, Saudis and North Koreans. He wanted to treat his citizens, political enemies & journalists in the same way that they do; beat them up and steal their money, just like they do.

Blah, blah, blah, Mr. Trump is no longer in office. America's institutions proved stronger than he and the election results prevailed. This was not the first time America's democratic institutions were challenged and prevailed and probably won't be the last, but the Constitution and institutions created in the nation's early years have proven more durable than those of almost any other nation extant.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I wonder what does he intend to do in the long run? shame these autocracies into submission?

Develop a coordinated approach to China and Russia. Develop support mechanisms for each other so China in particular cannot use economic leverage to influence weaker nations. To the extent possible each democracy should be telling Russia the same things about Russian based cyber crime, Georgia and Ukraine for example and there should be a unified policy regarding South China Sea, Chinese trade practices, cyber espionage and Taiwan along with unified responses to challenges.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@ShinkansenCaboose

If you really look at the Japanese political scene, it is autocratic as well. LDP

Exactly, it's obvious to observers from outside that Japan is an autocracy similar to Russia.

Only Japanese do not realize this that there is something wrong with no transfer of power between parties for 70 years. The only similar regimes are Communist Parties of China, North Korea, and Cuba.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Lol, the Biden White House admits to censoring and banning people from the Internet and yet claims to be against “autocracy.” It reminds me of when the Soviet Union used to organize international “peace” conferences.

Nobody is forced of the Internet. They are free to buy a connection, get an internet server and post pretty much anything they like. Nobody will "ban" them, if they do that.

It is when they illegally steal from others where their servers might be taken by the FBI.

There is no right to post anything you want on someone else's servers - anywhere. Facebook, twitter, weblow, aren't owned by the govt. US Politicians can't force them to post something or not post other things. It is their corporate policy and trying to appear more free than they are that has gotten all social networks into trouble. Even when the USGovt asks those companies for data, they can refuse and often win against the GOVT - in court. The US is rule of law, not rule of a dictator.

Trump is gone because he couldn't convince voters that his way was better than sleepy Joe's way. 4 yrs - Americans aren't THAT dumb. How long will it take to have Xi removed for locking up 1M Uyghurs without due process of the laws by an independent judiciary? Is it even possible?

On the face, the laws in China may seem to be very similar to the laws in the US. We can look at the oath of office for officials in each county, but there are very important, subtle, differences in those. Speaking against current the laws or the current leaders isn't illegal in the US. We expect laws to change and leaders to change.

Plus, we can watch any Winnie the Pooh cartoons that we like, single any songs we like, create art about difficult mistakes from the govt, remember our dead on the day it happened (6/4/89), and say "Biden is an idiot" all without censorship.

It is illegal to yell "FIRE" inside a crowded room for safety reasons. But we can yell "FIRE!" on a street or park or in a field if we like.

This is very different than China. Let me know when typical Chinese in the mainland have access to facebook, google, twitter, then we can talk.

Subtle, but important, differences.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

theFu: Bravo, well said. Those who, for example, equate the Japanese or American political systems with that of China have no idea how dangerous it is to have an opinion in China. Nor do they seem to realize the CCP can take everything you own and lock you up or exile you without the slightest hint of due process. If your relatives complain they get harassed and maybe disappear too. My family knows all of this from direct personal experience at the hands of the Red Guards. A CCP cadre (thug) still lives in our families home in Shanghai. There is nothing even remotely like this in Japan or the US. Not even close.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

These Republican have not seen the legal wrath that will be meaded out against them ,

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

About a year after the Dec 9-10 event, the president plans an in-person gathering that would bring together leaders of democratic nations and other officials. The White House said this December's summit would “galvanize commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights."

The public is being tag teamed, good cop/bad copped in the US and other nations. You have a choice of authoritarians running roughshod over the rule of law for their family and cronies. Or neo-liberal technocrats who pay lip service to legal norms and social justice causes while enabling financial interests and the corporatocracy to squeeze the 99.5%. It is all about false dichotomies.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The best way for Biden to beat the autocracies is to simply to show the American way is better.

As 3000 US troops evacuate yet another US embassy after yet another futile lost war, this will take some doing.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

theFu: Bravo, well said. Those who, for example, equate the Japanese or American political systems with that of China have no idea how dangerous it is to have an opinion in China.

Appreciated. Sorry for the few misspellings (wrong words).

Republican representatives are unlikely to have any legal wrath provided they were doing their jobs. Trump isn't being investigated for actions as President, but for tax evasion as a private citizen and business owner. The 2 trials against ex-Trimp found him not guilty, so those charges cannot be used in other matters. Rule of law.

The GA-12th Representative has been blocked for a week from Twitter and Youtube for posting lies about COVID and vaccines. These were corporate actions, not govt actions. There is no right to post on any social media. That isn't freedom of speech. Youtube and Twitter have freedom of speech, not the users of those platforms. Don't confuse the two.

The people that trespassed on the US Capitol building will be charged with specific crimes, but I seriously doubt any will be found guilty of treason. The charges that stick will be destruction of property, theft, trespassing, inciting violence, and causing injury to police. They will probably never hold a job again, except through their like-minded political friends. Walmart, Starbucks, or any US company with more than 500 employees won't accept the risk involved in hiring those unstable people. They should seek out psychological help.

Last week, there was a conference where all the ballot conspiracy people gathered to share their "proof" that the companies who sold the software and equipment modified the results. The truth doesn't matter. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/08/8chans-ron-watkins-scores-a-major-own-goal-with-leaked-bios-passwords/

All we need to know is that the ballot machines are not cracked or open to remote take over. The people making the claim aren't mentally equiped to understand how servers work, are configured, how different internal parts are commonly disabled and not connected to anything as part of the security process. Or they don't want to believe these facts.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Like most other so-called 'summit' in the past, this 'democracy summit' would be just another public show, in this case, for an elderly personal glorification too.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

All talk and no action ain't gonna cut it.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Thefu grand jury are being convene ,and lots of Republican in the house face indictment and even expulsion,Trump has already been indicted under seal in NY,it will be open in the fall

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

What the heck is this guy talking about?

what he calls a generational competition between democracies and autocracies such as Russia and China.

So is the plan to be less authoritarian to compete, or more so?

This guy seems to think central government is the solution to every “problem”, so I’m not inspired.

defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights.

What is authoritarianism if not the tendency for centralized governments to decree what other people must do, or else?

These folks in the White House had to search their souls before they found it in their hearts to criticize the Cubs regime after recent protests there.

I won’t go to corruption.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The more I read about him, the more I think he's the opposite spectrum of Trump - both could sit upon a Childs sea-saw and balance each other out.

US Politicians are in need of something fresh. Likewise those elsewhere.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And... by new, I do not mean, the CCP nor ties to it.

When thinking about the CCP, I would be in favor of a unilateral defensive strike to wipe out the whole of the CCP , at the same time as North Korea, and Iran.

For Russia, I see them as are oppositional "friends" - seated opposite us, but to give a rational balance to peace.

The CCP has tried (and is continuing to) try to wipe us out with their Weaponized Biological warfare viruses.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The more I read about him, the more I think he's the opposite spectrum of Trump - both could sit upon a Childs sea-saw and balance each other out.

US Politicians are in need of something fresh.

That was Obama. The right hated him.

It's why America is broken - Obama, who was competent, was obstructed by the right, who then went on to elect the most incompetent president ever. So the country went back to the stable "evil" they know, as the "stable genius" was a complete and utter failure of an experiment.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The CCP has tried (and is continuing to) try to wipe us out with their Weaponized Biological warfare viruses.

How have you eliminated the possibility of a third party, say the USA, releasing the virus near the lab in Wuhan in order to create a false flag operation that would cast blame on the CCP?

I mean, I hate the CCP, and if they did it, they deserve the blame. But placing the blame on the CCP if it's a third party only makes everything worse, as it would rightfully give the CCP a persecution complex, and let another player, responsible for the effects of the pandemic, off the hook.

So I would also like to eliminate a third party as a possibility. You clearly have done so, as you have stated a clear and unbending conclusion as to the source of the virus, so I'd like to know how I can eliminate a third party as a possible source of the virus so I can be as confident as you. So how did you do that?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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