The Mad Hatter

Mercury used in the manufacture of felt hats in the 19th century caused poisoning that affected the speech and thinking of “hatters.”

There is something of a “Mad Hatter” aspect to the Trump Administration. This report in the Washington Post for March 30 reveals the disarray in the Presidential Personnel Office of the Trump Administration.

Presidential Personnel is the “gateway” for political appointments in Presidential Administrations. This report indicates the lack of direction in the appointment process in the Trump Administration.

The President, a sometime Republican, was never a participant in the conservative movement and knows very few political conservatives. He is also afflicted by the notion that he does not need to fill the many Presidential appointments at his command.

This explains why few of the President’s appointments are known to political conservatives. The president also believes that personal negotiations with heads of state (North Korea; Russia) is the basis of foreign policy.

That, of course, is the reverse of how negotiations with adversaries are conducted. All personal discussions should be preceded by formation of foreign policy and national security goals by professionals whose entire lives were dedicated to understanding those issues. Only after they have formulated policy and met with their opposite officials in the adversary country and general agreement reached should the Chief Executive meet with Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un or Vladimir Putin.

Our interests in Asia are the same as the national interests of Japan, South Korea and the Republic of China (Taiwan).

With respect to China, Richard Nixon chose to play what he called the “China Card” in a game with the Soviet Union and bet on Mao-Tse-tung.  Jimmy Carter withdrew recognition of the Republic of China in favor of the People’s Republic of China.

General Secretary Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China is a dedicated Maoist who is building the PRC into a formidable world power. That has frightened Japan which is the target of the PRC ‘s predatory policies, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is coming to the United States prior to President Trump’s meeting with the communist leader of North Korea.

We have no Ambassador to South Korea and the Prime Minister of South Korea desires a softer approach to North Korea than that proposed by President Trump and is undercutting the position taken by the United States.

Vladimir Putin of Russian aims to recover control of Ukraine and subdue the Baltic States. President Trump’s response is to offer a personal meeting.

Presiding over these developments is a “Mad Hatter.”