How to End a Situation Cleanly

I thought this would be relevant to recent events.  All relationships/friendly arrangements/situations etc. are bound to end some time. Whether you are the dumper or the dumpee, ending a situation can be awkward, tortuous, and even painful. 

Over the years, I’ve given notice a number of times that I wanted out of a situation. Other times, I’ve been given notice as well.

Below are some general guidelines on “ending a situation” (a euphemism for dumping someone, I guess). Remember: the point is to keep things as painless, quick, and clinical as possible. You’d also like to remain on good terms if possible.

Before we start, keep in mind that the dumpee usually goes through 5 stages: (1) denial; (2) bargaining; (3) anger; (4) despair; (5) acceptance. This process can take hours or years. The dumpee doesn’t always hit ALL of these stages. When the person you’re dumping starts acting up, etc., try and pinpoint where on this 5-point scale they are situated.

Let us proceed.

If you are the Dumper:

·         If possible, give “constructive” notice. This means  stop calling them, ignore their calls, give notice via a text/email/IM, or make it plainly obvious you are extricating yourself from the situation. Note: it is considered bad taste to end an actual relationship this way. For all other arrangements, this is okay.

·         IF you are in a relationship, meet them at a neutral location (i.e Starbucks or a club.)  Dumpees are prone to wailing and throwing histrionic fits, screeching and shrieking, crying and lamenting. You want to avoid these.   If you dump them when they come over, they will sometimes refuse to leave. If you dump them when you are over their place, they will sometimes refuse to let you leave. Under no circumstances should you dump anyone when either of you are operating a motor vehicle.

·         Make it clear that (1) it is over; (2) your decision is final; (3) continuing friendship (if this is even on the table) is contingent on good behavior; (4) they can pick up their crap at x location at y time; (5) there is nothing left to discuss.

These conversations should ideally take 5-10 minutes. Sometimes they do not. The dumpee will demand an explanation. Give her/him one if you want; I usually just leave this part out, as it is irrelevant to the finality of the decision. They will ask stupid questions. They will cry (Once they start crying, that is your cue to leave. If you respond to their tears, they will catch on to that, and start them on cue anytime they want your attention. Do not enable this behavior.) They will bargain or negotiate. Stand your ground. If they persist, leave.

·         There are only a few ways she will react in the coming days/week: (1) accept it and leave you alone (obviously, this is ideal); (2) whore herself out (this is not your problem. Ignore her histrionic spasm of self-destructive behavior); (3) attempt to be your friend (sever this option if she shows any penchant for cockblocking, spying, acting possessive, or any other crazy, insane behavior); or, possibly the most likely, (4) act crazy.

What should you do if she acts crazy? Now, I understand you may have genuine feelings and concerns for this person’s welfare, and that is fine. But realize that is a weakness which she will pick up on. She will call you for a number of “emergencies” i.e her car broke down, her pet died, her dad’s in the hospital, she’s sad, etc. etc.

IGNORE ALL OF THESE SQUEAKS FOR YOUR AID. THEY ARE TRAPS. Dumpees tend to exaggerate or even concoct “emergencies” and use these as the scapegoats for why they are “sad” when the reason they are sad is primarily linked to you giving them the proverbial boot.

Nevertheless, she is going to act crazy and try and guilt-trip you etc. etc. She is going to make it sound as if you have some duty to ensure that she is “okay.” These are the rants of a lunatic. You have no such duty. Once you gave notice that you were done with her, you have no further obligations to her.

·         I understand you may be feeling guilty at causing someone you cherished so much pain. Stop. Remember, you broke it off for a reason.

She will pick up on this guilt. She will attempt to tug at the strings of sentimentality. This will end horribly, and you will kick yourself in the ass if you fall for this oldest trick in the book.

Once again, she no longer has any relevance in your life. Whether she wins a billion fucking dollars in the lottery or contracts eyebrow cancer, she is no longer your problem. Do not let her guilt-trip you into doing things you do not want to do.

If you are relatively inexperienced with the other sex, it is a 100% surety that you will fall for this trick. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

·         Always remember: you ended it for a reason. It doesn’t even have to be a good reason to the objective person. All it has to be is a good reason for yourself. As long as your net happiness is higher after than before, that is reason enough.

·         If you’re getting cold feet, remember this adage: “If someone’s heart is gonna get broken, it miiiiggghtt as well not be mine! :D”.  You have no duty to be “merciful” or “gentle”. Think back to the times you were dumped; was the other side “merciful” or “gentle”?

If you are the Dumpee:

·         This part is actually a lot easier, because it removes the responsibility of coming up with some kind of canned speech. If you are the dumpee, it is pretty straight-forward.

·         First: nod, acknowledge them, smile, and leave. You are free!  BUT REMEMBER: keep things amicable! This is not the time to tell them any stories they never knew about. People tend to get bitter about any such surprises. Literally, nod, smile, leave.

·         Second: Call up your people. Freedom isn’t free, and you better celebrate it!

·         Should you stay friends? Well, that depends. Ex-sex is always a possibility if you leave things amicably. They could also have hot friends. In general, err on the side of good terms. Obviously, if they’re being a pain in the ass, you cut the cancer out.

·         Third: Call up any prospective girls that have been waiting for you to be free of any encumbrances (and there is usually at least one girl who’s been waiting on your harpy to fly away).

And that’s pretty much it. Just keep in mind that as situations begin, they also end, and then other ones begin anew, etc.

Keep it surgical, keep it friendly, and you’ll be fine, whether you are the dumper OR the dumpee =)

Sharing an Anecdote #1

Everyone’s got a history. The environment in which you grew up forges and molds you, leaving an imprint on the person you are today. 

Wellp, I’m not about to share my story. 

No. 

This is the story of a once-close friend I have not seen for almost 12 years.

I haven’t seen him for 12 years because he shot six people 11 years ago, and killed two of them. 

Wait, back up, back up.

That’s the end of the story.

(British accent) To get to the haht of a story, you have to go back to the beginning.

When I was 6, there was a massive park next to my house. All the neighborhood kids would play there. On 3 electrical boxes, however, there were the letters tagged “L.V.M.” Like I said, we were just 6. We did not know that the park was a hangout of a gang called LVM. LVM died out when we were still kids, but that park remained there.

I was 12 when I first met Kevin. He was new to the school district. Funny looking kid. Fat, snotty-nosed, with the bushiest hair I’ve ever seen on a (insert-my-ethnicity) kid. Big and bulky for his age, he was quite overweight. I always thought he looked like a monkey—a gorilla, with his flaring nostrils and chimpish smile.

He started to hang out with me and my best friend, and we would just kick it at his house (his mom left him and his younger brother unsupervised) every day. This went on for a few years.

We were just normal 6^th-grade kids. We’d play N64. We’d put on boxing gloves and have sparring matches in his living room. We’d go loitering at the elementary school he lived by, because sometimes, in the wooded areas, we’d come across a huge box of porno mags (ok, this only happened once. But we found 2 cardboard boxes full of Penthouses. At least 100 magazines! To us, this was like finding gold). 

One day I distinctly remember is when Kevin, me, and our friend Dustin were playing basketball at that same elementary school, and Kevin tried to do a lay-up. As he did this, he yelled “AIR KEVIN!” and jumped--- then fell on his ass.  Me and Dustin were laughing our asses off. I still remember Kevin’s woodchuck-looking face yelling “OWWWWW”. 

Entering junior high, things started to change. LVM in the late 80’s/early 90’s was part of a general “gang-banging” culture that gripped my ethnicity around that time period. This was still present during the mid and late 90’s, and to the early 2000’s. The gang activity was the craziest in the late 80’s to mid 90’s, and gradually receded up until about 2005 or so. When I see high-school kids of my ethnicity now, however, (thank god), it seems the “gang-banging” culture that started in the late 80’s has finally receded. (they’re more like emo-rocker kids now).

Fast-forward a few months.

We were no longer kids playing N64, play-fighting, playing basketball, going to the movies, bike-riding, etc.

No.

It seemed so normal at the time, but if I think about it, this period was so violent and turbulent. I would not go four or five days without seeing a fight or being involved in one. Fights, jumpings, rumbles, people getting stabbed, etc.  (I just deleted over 1,000 words detailing things I saw growing up. Let’s just say it was a very unusual.)

Still, this appeared "normal" at the time.

When we entered high school, the actual gangs came a-recruiting. My local hometown clique was by far the biggest, but there were Chinese gangs from the adjacent cities who would try to come to our high school to recruit.

In the first year of high school, everyone (but 4 or 5 guys) were scrambling to get “sponsored.” Not being sponsored pretty much meant you could get jumped at will, and you couldn’t do shit about it. How are you gonna fight 10 guys by yourself? People being people, some people abused this power. 

Most of the home-grown youngsters were affiliated on some level with the local hometown crew. Those who had loyalties to other crews could expect the hometowners to start shit with them on a daily basis.

Kevin, being relatively new to the city (he moved over in 6^th grade), didn’t have the political connections to link up with the big wheels in the local hierarchy. Instead of accepting the status quo, he decided to link up with an “outsider” gang.

The hometowners quickly noticed this, and I remember one day, at a Jack-in-the-Box, about 30 people were ready to beat Kevin’s ass. Kevin made one phone call, and he avoided an ass-beating. Such was the power of sponsorship.

The bushy-haired flaring-nostriled cheeky fat kid I knew had a huge chip on his shoulder: He wanted to be a shotcaller. He started acting funny, constantly bad-mouthing sponsored hometown kids, promising he was going to show them “what’s up.”

 He moved schools, and linked up with this other guy named Tom. Tom had similar aspirations. They decided to start a gang called Triad Boyz. It was a small clique, just starting up, had maybe 6 or 7 founding members.

I woke up one day and left my house. The entire neighborhood was out; yellow “Caution” tape surrounded several homes. 

The neighbors said there was a gunfight in our street the night before. 

I didn’t really connect the dots; besides, it was still morning. I hadn’t seen Kevin in 2 or so weeks at that time. Ever since he started up his new gang, he had been a busy beaver.

Later in the day, I got a call from a good buddy of mine: Methhead Jeff. (In retrospect, Methhead Jeff was one of the weirdest people I’ve ever met in my life. He had presumably been sent over by a gang to recruit, but it seemed like he spent most of his time smoking meth and weed. He would take swigs of tequila in the bathroom between periods 2 and 3, smoke meth all through lunch break, and smoked copious amounts of weed. Years later, I ran into him at a McDonald’s, where he spent hours talking into a walkie-talkie… with no one on the other end.)

Methhead Jeff: “ Yo, that shooting on your street? I hear some (insert local home-town) got capped. Kevin’s crew was behind it.”

This blew my mind. First off, if it was local home-town clique, it was probably someone I knew. Us hometowners had virtually grown up with each other, through grade school. Second, I didn’t think Kevin would ever turn into a killer. I mean, the kid I knew would barely jump people. He didn’t brawl much. He also got scared a lot during situations of impending violence, so I didn’t understand how he would be capable of blasting people.

Methhead Jeff gives me the lowdown. Kevin and his new clique had been drinking at a local Asian bar when they “hit up” some group they thought were <insert-local-hometown-clique-name>.  Remember the chip Kevin had on his shoulder about being outside of the establishment? With his new gang formed up, he was eager-beaver to start exacting some revenge. 

The group and the Triad Boyz agreed to meet at the park with the LVM tags (now since scrubbed off) around midnight. They had a rumble. The Triad Boyz were getting the worst of it. Their opponents pulled out bats and swords from the trunks of their cars and were threatening to smash the shit out of the Triad Boyz.

Kevin’s gang got into their car and fled. Their opponents gave chase. Kevin’s gang (in 2 cars) pull up into the cul-de-sac of my street, but their opponents walled them off with their convoy of 3 cars. They exit their cars, bats in tow, to beat the shit out of the Triad Boyz.

Kevin’s superior gives him a phone-call saying one thing: “Blast them.”

So Kevin pops up out of the sun-roof and starts shooting. 2 people eventually die of their gunshot wounds.

Kevin was 16 years old.

Methhead Jeff assures me this is what happened last night.

I tell him I gotta go, because my fuck-buddy who I’ll call Madeline (Madeline was the girl I lost my v-card to lol) is blowing up my pager. She lived next to Kevin a city away. I call Madeline, and Madeline asks “what’s going on with your boy Kevin?” and I go “what? What’s going on?” and she says “ I just saw five-oh come and take him away.”

Hmm. Maybe Methhead Jeff knew what he was talking about.

In any case, this story became widely known amongst the hometowners, and Kevin’s fate was sealed. Nobody ever knew what happened to him.

When I entered grad school, I was given access to a specialized database. One night, because my brain was fatigued from too much research, I decided to search for Kevin’s fate. Was he out? Did he get away? Was he executed?

I pulled out the case, and read it. Reading it confirmed much of what “Methhead Jeff” had told me. The incident describes both the park and the cul-de-sac on my street, which is quite eerie to me. Kevin’s attorneys managed to delay the trial for 6 years.

It turned out the victims were NOT affiliated with my hometown. At all. They were just a random group of friends drinking when they were accosted by Kevin’s Triad Boyz.

I won’t post the link to the case here. The case mentions many names of people I know, and I’ll respect their privacy. 

Here is the general article in the Orange County Register listing what kind of sentences the “Triad Boyz” eventually got: http://articles.ocregister.com/2006-12-08/cities/24757909_1_gang-member-murder-and-street-terrorism-gang-related . 

In 2006, Kevin was booked into Folsom State Prison.

About the topic-requests you guys have been asking me...

I’m going to be busy as fuck in the next few days, so I thought I’d pop in and say a word. 

First off, this blog is getting a lot more hits than I thought it would, which surprised me, considering I hid the link from 3/5 of my digital friends.

Second, it’s also clearly turning into a “tell-all-about-Code-Red” blog. People are starting to request topics, which I think is pretty cool. All of the comments/demands/questions are for more Code Red stuff, so, uh, hmmmm. 

I’m going to address some of those questions here:

To those ladies who requested a few times that I write from the girl’s point of view, i.e how does a girl know if a guy’s really into her, how can a girl find out if a guy’s playing her, would a guy change for a girl etc. (off the top of my head, those were the only questions I remember)…. Sorry, but I am NOT going to be addressing your questions. At least not yet. Here’s why:

(1)   I can track hits, but I can’t discern the identities of the people reading this thing.  I have to assume it’s somebody I know. I will not allow this blog to be “weaponized” against me haha. By that, I mean I’m not trying to see some girl read my advice and then try and kind of use it on me.

(2)  I don’t wanna betray my gender in such a fashion. Maybe one day I’ll answer one of the more innocuous ones, but not yet.

(3)  I WILL answer “how do you know if a guy’s playing you” however, but under a more general piece. I’m thinking about writing one on cheating/pre-cheating/creeping etc.  This is actually the next one I’m working on. Good question, Molly.

To the 2 or 3 guys who are asking me to write a more detailed “how to fuck your friend” guide but basically custom-tailored to your personal situations, I am also going to say no. 

Even if you are a unique snowflake who pisses wine and shits gold flakes and you’re going to be an astronaut when you grow up and you and the girl share a bond that’s so magical and so special and you want to take her to a wonderful picnic where fairies frolic around and you’re both on cloud 9 and little bunnies with funny-hats-that –have-bows-and-bells-on-them serenade you with tiny violas, these four elements never change (scroll to the bottom of: http://akaishinjitsu.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-you-wanna-bang-your-friend-gruber.html). 

Now, if you’re trying to pull a jack-move (which shares some elements with Gruber’s scorching desire but differs in some key ways), I will write on that in the wayyyyy future. But not anytime soon.

My friend Quentin brought up an interesting question though. So, basically, Quentin has only been in situations with Asian girls his whole life. He is currently dating a middling, run-of-the-mill, plain-jane right now; we’ll call her Candice. Unfortunately for Candice, Quentin is eyeing his “friend”, who is non-Asian. (actually, friends as in plural, but let’s keep this simple for now.) To use an analogy, before Quentin shatters his poor innocent Candice’s heart into a billion tiny pieces and takes a crap on all of their memories together as he prepares “Normandy beach” for a landing by “softening” it up with some pre-invasion recon mission,  Shady Quent would like to know what the weather on “Normandy” is like, the texture of the sand granules, the line-of-sight from the hills, things of that nature.

In essence, he asked me to tell him the differences between starting-and-having a situation with an Asian girl vs. a non-asian girl. I’ll have to think about this one first. I have been getting re-acquainted with Asian chicks more lately, after a 2 or 3 year  hiatus, so it’s an interesting question to ponder. 

Quentin, I promise I’ll answer your question. But Candice has gotta go first lol. I will not aid and abet this amoral, soulless coveting you are doing. Boo-crew, my ass. You’re carrying the Red Torch now.

So You Wanna Bang Your Friend, "Gruber".

I’ve opted to NOT post my piece on Horoscope Signs and Dating. First of all, it revealed way too much information about my history. Second, any girl who was tangentially described in the piece could figure out her ultimate impact on my timeline. So no. 

For the record, out of the 5 known “Code-Red Killers”(a term  used to describe a girl who induced me to willingly and voluntarily wear the yoke of exclusivity during the Code Red Era) 3 of them happened to be Libras, 1 was a Gemini, the last a Pisces. Libras, obviously, are my favorite sign. The love of my life was a Pisces. Longest serious relationship was a Capricorn. Other then that, I’ve opted against posting that entry.

INSTEAD, I’ve whipped up this piece. 

I have this friend. We’ll call him “Gruber.” For the past 4 years, Gruber’s been madly in love with his good friend “Wendy.”

He’s asked me to write a detailed “how-to-get-Wendy” guide based on my past experiences of situations with friends. The guide he imagined me writing requested excessive minutiae, such as “how fast should I respond when she texts”, “should I respond all the time when she messages me” or “should I say yes if she asks me to lunch.” Basically, he asked me to think up every scenario possible and write a one-size-fits-all guide. 

Let’s see, Gruby. Whoa, there’s been a number of hook-ups-with-friends. I know you wanted me to synthesize elements common with these girls and write it down for you, but each case was different. 

All of these girls, I thought of as just friends. I still think of them as just friends. But there aren’t many elements in common between these situations, at least not to the level of detail you were demanding. Getting lunch or how often we texted/called or how often we hung out didn’t make any difference. 

Now, Gruber claims he loves Wendy. Whatever. Let’s call a spade a spade and just put this out there: basically, you want to bone Wendy.

I’m going to keep this guide simple for you, buddy. You are seriously over-thinking, over-worrying and over-analyzing it to the point of paralysis. Hopefully, these elements will simplify everything for you. If she doesn’t go for it, you can mope for 24 hours (the 24-hour rule is remarkably effective, and a key hallmark of Code Red. One is allowed to bitch, moan, piss, whine to one’s friends for 24 hours from time of romantic travesty. After that, Stfu. You didn’t die. You’re fine.), then move on. Completely. (Crunching the math, it takes me on average just a little under 4 hours to get over a break-up/severing-of-communication/parting-of-ways. I wake up, hungover from redbull vodka, bitch about the incident to a close friend, and by noon I’m completely dandy about the subject forever. This has stopped amazing my friends.)

 Gentlemen and ladies, if you want to start a situation with your friend, this guide applies as well. These are all integral elements. In my experiences from distant-past to recent-now, if any of these elements are missing, you’re better off going on to the next one, on to the next one.

Test #1: If she doesn’t find you physically attractive, move on. This is pretty much it right here. If you don’t pass this test, move on. Girls give their opinion of you in various ways, so keep your ears open, and pay attention when she’s talking. 

You need to think back and see if she said anything to tune of “you’re good-looking.” If you want to know if she sees you as just a friend or a man, you need to throw out a feeler bet (this is a bet in poker where you bet a set amount into the pot to provoke a reaction. It’s used primarily to receive information on the strength of the opposing player’s hand). This is the sole reason why I blurt out “I’m in love with you” or “damn, you’re the most beautiful girl in the world” when I’m drunk. 

FYI, her statement needs to be absolutely unambiguous. You’re not looking for “you look nice in that shirt today” or “I think some girls might find you attractive.” There should be no guesswork involved. My friends in the past made it absolutely clear.

Test #2: If she refuses to drink with you, you have no shot.  Nobody hooks up with a friend they’ve known for years for the first time when there’s broad daylight and they’re sober.

There’s no way around this one.

Test #3: If she doesn’t want to hang out with you after midnight, you have no shot.  There’s only three remotely possible things drunk people want to do after 12 am. (1) party more; (2) hook up; (3) pass out. It can be one or all of these things, but this is essentially it. 

It doesn’t matter where. She doesn’t wanna get Mexican food with you after 1 am? Doesn’t wanna come over? Doesn’t invite you over? Doesn’t wanna walk her dog or play Frisbee? Never gonna happen. 

And I don’t mean invite yourself along to wherever she’s going. After midnight, drunk people tend to linger around the people they wanna hang with. If the person they wanna hang with isn’t around, they’ll call/text them. 

“Everything fun happens after two o’clock” and “nothing good happens after two o’clock” and “nobody’s ugly after two o’clock.”

Test #4: Kiss Her.  This is self-explanatory. At some point, you should realize you should attempt to kiss her. There’s no magical “perfect timing” so do it whenever you feel it’s a decent time. Don’t wait for the perfect time. 

May I suggest the dance-floor. The dance-floor is the most “romantic” place to have a first kiss lol. You even get a theme song to pump you up! Hahahhaa. 

That's it, Gruber. No matter how much you analyze, re-analyze, over-analyze the situation, there's no getting around these four elements. If you want Wendy, you cannot be missing any of these points.

Sayonara, Fair City

Running on 2 hours of sleep, so not much time for blogging, but it is time to say goodbye to this city of mine. It's been an interesting three years. Tonight will be legendary!

Hey Dean, this is why you shouldn't vote for Donald Trump.

I have this friend who I’ll call “Dean”. He’s been . . . positively enthralled by the idea of Donald Trump as president for quite some time now, and recently gave me his book The America We Deserve to read. Now, granted, this book was written in 2000, but it got me quite interested in Trump’s positions.

I have to admit that I “lolled” at some of Trump’s positions he stated in the book.

In an effort to save Dean from the dark side, here is this entry. Please, Dean, do not pray for the triumph of Trump. 

What I like about Trump:

Before I begin, I want to say what I like about Trump as a potential candidate. 

*He is a very clear communicator. He explains quite concisely what his positions are. 

*From an economic point of view, Trump’s assertions that the country needs to be run by someone with a business background (rather than a law background) makes sense. He states that only people who have run corporations know how to get the country into the black again. On one level, this is true.

This mentality can also backfire, because a CEO of a corporation is always looking at the bottom-line. While this brings the corporation to profitability, it can also mean certain things get cut. If we were to view the USA as a corporation, the first programs to get cut would be such “unprofitable” things like welfare, low-income assistance, Medicaid, and other “bloated, inefficient” government programs. But I don’t know, people tend to do certain things when they can’t get food or medicine. Like riot. Or die. And I know there are some people who don’t give a rat’s ass if “poor people” die or suffer or whatnot, but really, think about this for a second. You’re willing to let thousands of people potentially starve to death because you don’t want a few dollars cut from your monthly paycheck.

*I also agree with him, in principle, that America needs a president who can make deals, who is results-driven, and who works to reduce the national debt. (This mentality can also backfire, which I’ll get to later.)

Positions I partially agree with:

*Trump believes we need to drill for oil in our territory. I partially agree with this, because oil is the life-blood of a modern nation, BUT just because we drill for oil in our territory does not mean that this oil necessarily benefits us. The oil-drilling rights are put up for auction in a capitalist state, which means European countries may win the rights. I suppose we could close the auctions to non-American corporations, but that would border on (gasp) SOCIALISM.

*School choice, stop “dumbing down” education, and breaking teacher unions. In theory, this should make schools more efficient. Teacher unions are also powerful things, and something like the bottom GPA-percentile of a university graduate class go on to become 75% of the public-school teachers, which is quite unacceptable.  If we force schools to be more competitive, this may spur on higher-quality education.

The danger of “privatizing” schools or turning them into “for-profit” institutions is this: the school may focus on what is popular, and not necessarily educational, in order to attract a larger number of students. Specifically, I’m worried about the danger of fundamentalist schools popping up and replacing public education.

Trump’s Positions Which I find Retarded, And So Should You, Dean.:

*He advocates BOMBING Saudi Arabia and invading, in retaliation for 9/11. The geopolitical absurdity of this statement alone invalidates him as a candidate in my opinion. Saudi Arabia has a shitload of oil. The stability of that kingdom is of utmost, unrivalled importance to the United States. Anybody who says otherwise has the mentality of a child. We do not want to see Saudi Arabia bombed, and we certainly should not be the ones bombing them.

*He claims he will unilaterally and forcefully tell China to (1) make the trade fairer NOW and (2) stop manipulating their and our currencies.  This is the “this mentality can potentially backfire” sentence at work here. If Bush was criticized for “cowboy diplomacy”, Trump can potentially make it worse. You do not tell a sovereign nation what to do. It is unlikely they will listen. It is likely they will retaliate.

*One-time 14.25% tax on the wealthy to pay off the national debt. This will only encourage how-to-hide-assets. It could also scare wealthy Americans and corporations out of the country. It also borders on thievery and communist-style “state confiscations” of personal property. Highly unrealistic.

* “Re-negotiate tougher and fairer free-trade laws” with other nations. How exactly does Trump propose to achieve this? We cannot simply renege on signed trade agreements. We can raise tariffs, other nations will raise tariffs, the issue will go to the WTO, and if the body passes a judgment unfavorable for us, does Trump propose ignoring the body? What kind of precedent will that set?