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This is pure speculation, but this is what my political intuition tells me about the current US-China political climate. Traditionally, right wing politics requires some external threat to rally against. [Thread] 1/
The war on terror is over. And Trump and co need to build a new existential threat that justifies a strong man. China can be that threat. 2/
While I disagree with the tactic, and I think that getting in a trade war with China is bad for the US, and the world, I don’t think it is an ineffective political strategy. 3/
After all, the goal is to leverage patriotism, and bring democrats into a turf where is hard for them to beat Trump. Historically, the external threat is that turf. 4/
Imagine a debate between a democrat & Trump in an environment in which the main issue is fear of China. This is not our environment today, but my speculation is that they are trying to build it for 2020. 5/
How will the millions of people who have never been out of this country react to a Democrat talking about diplomacy in a context of external fear? 6/
If this is true, will Democrats be able to stop the fearmongering about China before it becomes the topic? That may be difficult. 7/
After 15 years in the US I’ve learned that the easiest way to transform a liberal into a conservative in a conversation is to tell them the US is number 2. 8/
So for the time being, I will keep observant, and see how this fear grows. /END/
