Trump. Six Sentences- Six Lies. How Fascism Advances

 By Carl Davidson

LeftLinks Weekly, Dec 27, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump got his name splashed in news headlines all around the world last week. The reason is both humorous and worrisome. In one of his Truth Social ‘Christmas Messages,’ he threatened the peace and trampled on the dignity of three countries in one paragraph:

·       “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in “repair” money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about “anything.” Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World. Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!”

We are always taken aback by the number of lies and insults Trump can pack into a small space. Everyone would be wise to be concerned. No matter how much he goes on in this way, we should not surrender to it as a ‘new normal.’ So let’s deconstruct Trump’s season’s greeting.

First, there are no Chinese soldiers operating the Panama Canal. (The truth: CK Hutchison Holdings, a Hong Kong-based company, manages two ports at the canal's entrance, but not with any Chinese soldiers. China is also funding a new bridge and other projects at the Canal to the tune of $1 billion). Second, the U.S. lost just over 5000 workers building the Canal, not 38,000. Even adding the 10s of thousands dead from other countries and previous attempts, largely from yellow fever, the total doesn’t approach Trump’s 38,000. Third, the claim that the U.S. is paying billions in repair money is false and misleading. The U.S. itself has no merchant ships traversing the Canal. It pays for U.S.-bound freight on carriers under the flags of other countries, and the ships and cargoes of all countries pay exactly the same, including a percentage going to repair. Trump's 'unfair' claims are bogus.

Next, Justin Trudeau is Prime Minister of Canada, not it's 'Governor.' Trump used ‘governor’ to imply that Canada’s real status is, or ought to be, the U.S. 51^st state. Nor would Canada gain much, if anything, by being annexed. In overall standard of living, Canada ranks 17^th in the world, while the U.S. is stuck back at 28^th. Finally, judging from current polls, a vast majority of Canadians—ranging between 80 and 90 percent depending on the province—do not want to be the 51^st state of the U.S. They are quite firm about their independence and sovereignty.

As for Greenland, It remains an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Except for foreign policy, it is self-governing, and since a 2009 change in Denmark’s constitution, it has the right to declare independence. At present, it has no desire to do so, with its small economy linked to Denmark’s. Greenland’s population of 55,000 is about 90% Inuit and seven percent Danish. They live in 18 towns connected only by sea and air travel. Fishing is by far the mainstay of the economy, with a small amount of mining.

Trump is not the first U.S. president to offer to buy Greenland. Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million in 1946, but Denmark turned it down. When the Nazis occupied Denmark, the U.S. occupied Greenland until the end of WW2, then recognized Denmark's rule. The U.S. had built several military bases, but they are now reduced to one, at Thule. Its main military value was a string of radar stations, now made redundant with satellite technology.

What Trump likely finds of real interest are Greenland’s ‘rare earths,’ a series of 17 heavy metals needed mainly for making alloys with ordinary metals used in nuclear and military technologies. At present, over 80% of rare earths are exported from China’s Inner Mongolia. While China tightly regulates amounts and prices, they are sold to all countries, including the U.S. A few rare earth mines also exist in the U.S. but Greenland is seen as a valuable new source. The island also has considerable off-shore oil deposits that have yet to be tapped in any major way. For its own power, Greenland makes uses of hydro plants at numerous waterfalls from the glaciers.

 Note. the advancement of the propaganda that the "leader" provides the truth, and facts do not matter is a fundamental strategy of fascism.