By Robert Willmann
An eerie similarity is emerging between what has happened to the Democratic Party in this year’s presidential election season and what occurred in 2022 when Xi Jinping became the president of China for a third term, which required changing the earlier limit of two terms. Around 2,296 delegates were to be involved in what is called the National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held every five years. The actual selection is done through maneuvering behind the curtain by much smaller groups, starting with the Central Committee of around 205 members, to the Politburo with 24 members, to the Politburo Standing Committee of seven members, and perhaps involving others less known. The Seven on the Standing Committee constitute the significant deciders and muscle in the political system [1].
However, we know much more about who was involved in making Xi Jinping the President of China, and the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, than we know about who was involved in forcing Joe Biden to withdraw from his successful run in the Democratic Party Primary to be the nominee and to seek a second term as president.
Political parties in the United States are private organizations, and there are state and federal laws that apply to their activity and to elections. As a private organization, they have internal rules and procedures. The Democratic Party has a document called The Charter & The Bylaws [2]. I found the one established as of 10 September 2022, and I think it is the one that applies now. It contains a few things that the stenographers covering the convention for network television and radio this week might not inquire about.
Article 2, section 3 of the charter requires that: “The National Convention shall nominate a candidate for the office of President of the United States, nominate a candidate for the office of Vice President of the United States, adopt a platform and act upon such other matters as it deems appropriate”.
Nothing permits the selection of a candidate prior to the convention, but that is what has been done.
Article 2, section 4(g) says that delegates [to the convention] shall be chosen through processes which “prohibit unpledged and uncommitted delegates, except delegates or alternates expressing an uncommitted preference shall be permitted to be elected at the district level….”
The delegates pledged to Biden through the primary magically became unpledged. But the junta that forced him out will argue that because he withdrew [sic] as a candidate, his delegates automatically were no longer pledged to him.
Article 9, section 9: “The Democratic Party shall not require a delegate to a Party convention or caucus to cast a vote contrary to their expressed preference”.
The delegates’ preference was Biden. But that preference was taken away from them by others, and not by the delegates voluntarily renouncing their preference.
Article 9, section 11: “All meetings of the Democratic National Committee, the Executive Committee, and all other official Party committees, commissions and bodies, except the DNC Budget and Finance Committee, shall be open to the public, and votes shall not be taken by secret ballot or use of the unit rule”.
We know that is a Big Lie. The conversations and meetings that were the metaphorical gun-to-the-head directed at Joe Biden to force him to withdraw from the nomination were not “open to the public”. Even so, the junta will say they were not an “official Party committee” (but maybe they were!). The conversations and meetings to arrange to get the delegates to switch their preference from Biden to Kamala Harris through video conference calls were not open to the public. The video conferences by individual delegates with one or more persons in the Democratic Party in which they were said to now support Harris were not open to the public.
In the photograph at the top showing a function naming Xi Jinping in 2022 as president of China, there is an empty chair to his left. Hu Jintao, a former President of China for two terms, had been sitting there. He had also been the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. The proceeding was televised, and suddenly Hu was forced to get up and leave. There was a little tussle over a file folder he had, and he may have been prevented from giving a speech at that event. The ugly scene was captured on video [3].
Biden will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention, according to the published schedule, but he will be reading from a teleprompter what other people are allowing him to say. Although Hu Jintao was not allowed to speak at the 2022 selection of Xi as president and party leader, at least he was able to complete both of his five-year terms as president. Biden has been cut off from running for president again even though he and the Democratic Party successfully pushed out competitors and he had the delegates for the nomination.
Kamala Harris dropped out of the Democratic Party Primary in 2020 before the first state held its contest. Biden went on to win the 2020 primary and this one in 2024. Harris, who has never won a single state in a primary, has been made the nominee before the convention by a secret series of events.
Who are the people who determined that Biden would not be elected president in 2024? And who determined that he would not even be allowed to run for re-election? Who communicated with whom? They have names.
China is actually now an issue in the campaign of the Democratic Party. Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota — who was named as being the vice presidential candidate before the convention has taken place — made many visits to China, including right after college.
The secret and forced replacement of a presidential candidate who won the political party’s primary is a dangerous and serious event. It is an early coup d’ etat. A coup before the fact. Ominously, it appears as a companion to the attempted assassination on 13 July 2024 of the Republican Party’s candidate Donald Trump. A member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Clay Higgins, is with a Congressional task force looking into the shooting, which wounded Trump, killed a spectator, and wounded at least two others. He was shocked to find out that when he tried to look at at the body of a person alleged to have been involved in the shooting, Thomas Matthew Crooks, the body had already been cremated! Higgins publicly stated a week ago—
“My effort to examine Crooks’ body on Monday, August 5, caused quite a stir and revealed a disturbing fact… the FBI released the body for cremation 10 days after J13 [13 July 2024]. On J23, Crooks was gone. Nobody knew this until Monday, August 5, including the County Coroner, law enforcement, Sheriff, etc. Yes, Butler County Coroner technically had legal authority over the body, but I spoke with the Coroner, and he would have never released Crooks’ body to the family for cremation or burial without specific permission from the FBI.”
Say what?
[1] http://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12505
[2] The Charter & The Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States.
[3] Former Chinese President Hu Jintao being removed from a proceeding during which the Communist Party of China is naming Xi Jinping as president for a third term.
Joe Biden withdrew because of reality. It became obvious that he was no longer up to the job now and even less for 4 years. The idea that this corresponds with China only show how desperate those who disagree are. Recent events have shown the change to be successful, both in elevating Kamala Harris and scare the crap out of the clueless Republicans. Now they have the old man with diminishing qualities, as meager as they already were. I still have some doubts that Donald Trump will make it to November given the obvious cognitive abilities. Nor is he a healthy man.
Lars,
According to this Alexander Lukashenko may retire sooner than expected. A surprisingly interesting video by the Polish outfit TVP World. Since that would likely put Belarus directly into Vladimir Putin’s hands it’s not chopped liver.
China has its own plans. TVP World.
https://youtu.be/7ItoClSSTxI
Lars –
Joe Biden withdrew because of reality. It became obvious that he was not going to win due to the media trumpeting about his age, including WaPo and NYT.
There, fixed it for you. Biden on his worst day is still 100 times smarter than doddering DonOLD.
I do agree with regarding who is better, but it was obvious that Biden would not be able to campaign effectively and his age problem was quite obvious. But is was more than the media who noticed. I am a year younger than Biden and I am well aware of what happens when you get old and so did many others outside of the media. So, eventually he made the right decision and as they say, the rest is history. He did a lot of good and will be recognized for that. On a personal level, I was pleasantly please when I picked up one of my expensive medications. The cost to me was less than 50% of what it used to be. Thank you, Joe Biden.
Lars,
Aren’t subsidies for the wealthy great. I wonder how much tax money went to pay the rest of the bill and who’ll be stuck with the tab.
Lars,
Joe resigned as President? Who knew? So Kamala is the first female prez? Hilary must really be pissed.
“It became obvious that he was no longer up to the job now and even less for 4 years.”
But what “job” would that be, Lars?
If Biden’s happy juice had got him through that first Presidential Debate then he’d still be the DNC candidate for the upcoming elections.
And everyone from Kamal Harris on down would have been just fine with that.
The only “job” he needed to do as far as the DNC was concerned was to avoid revealing that he was a man without any marbles.
That was it.
That was the only job description he had.
And….. he blew it.
This idea that he was pushed out because the power-brokers in the DNC were concerned about Joe’s ability to run the country is revisionism writ large.
Everyone in the White House must have known that he was an ol’ coot with nothing up top. Heck, they’ve known that for the last four years and DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
Excuse me for being cynical, but if they didn’t care over the last four years then I do not believe for a second that they were concerned about Joe Biden’s Brain over the next four years.
Marvelous essay.
————————
“Comrade Xi?”
Yes. (Said Comrade Xi).
“Who was the Comrade dragged offstage?”
Hu was the Comrade, yes. (Said ..)
————————-
I believe in Amelica, oops, in America the dragging behind the scenes was accomplished by the tag-team of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Obama. They themselves had several inputs but likely one of the most prominent would have been the Chicago Pritzker family of billionaires. For example David Axelrod who was very active in the Obama administration, quite publicly insisted repeatedly that Biden had to step down and he is from Chicago. Reportedly President Biden is not at all pleased with the affair. Trump was nearly killed on July 13 and Biden stepped aside on July 21. Whether he told to review the tapes of Butler by the Whitehouse Butler is an interesting question but whether old Joe would have made the expected inference in his declining cognitive state is debatable. The Obama’s cook and manservant, an expert swimmer according to video tapes circulated on social media, drowned in shallow water, surprisingly enough. A man in peak condition in his prime years. It’s very common.
“Turns out I’m really good at killing people..” Obama is reputed to have said.
https://youtu.be/TSoYvtf-wqw
Some of the finest poems in the Chinese language were the works of men who had been high ranking officials but were cashiered.
The Pritzker family’s huge fortune was founded by Abraham Pritzker who started out as a mob lawyer, according to award winning writer Gus Russo in his book “Supermob.”
(Chicago, yes where have I heard of that city — Gus Russo’s book “The Outfit” is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read.)
Biden and Trump have made more people aware than ever before neither party has any real power. Both illusions. The illusions used to be pretty good but the tricks unfortunately no longer work. A good chunk of people have simply left the venue.
The tier that is in charge, best we can hope for is they understand what happens when a democracy is not kept in check. So far they are doing an ok job. Is it time to let things swing back the other way for a while? Probably. It normally happens when the people start becoming too united against the system.
Don’t know the Dem process, but have some knowledge of the Repub process and they appear roughly similar.
The national committee issues a “call to convention” with the ground rules for delegates, convention committees, and agenda. The primary convention committees are rules, credentials, and platform. The committees are made up of delegates vetted by the 57 “state” committees. The committees meet prior to convention to draft reports to be approved at the convention.
The stated problem was Ohio’s requirement that recognized parties name their authorized president/vp candidates by Aug. Ohio did amend that law but DNC lawyers questioned if those amendments could legally take effect prior to the Aug date. So the DNC by vote amended their “call to convention” such that the convention rules committee could pass its report prior to convention.
The rules committee did meet and passed a rule allowing for acceptance of the credential committee report and for a nomination/vote prior to convention. I haven’t seen the report but assume that it structured things so that there would only be a single nominee for president / vp. So really the delegates had no choice in the matter.
I suppose the first day of convention will provide a single nominee for permanent convention chair, and that chair will push through approval by voice ayes/nays of all reports. (“In the opinion of the chair the ayes have it. Without objection the motion to reconsider is placed upon the table.”)
” The secret and forced replacement of a presidential candidate who won the political party’s primary is a dangerous and serious event. It is an early coup.”
got news for ya. both major parties have some pretty sharp lawyers (somewhere… even the GOP… if it still pays its bills) + “rules & procedures” geeks paying close attention to the proper flow of things. they know how to work their own game quite well. in times like these America has faced lately they get to shine. your detailed research ain’t go’in nowhere… promise.
the China Angle? nope.
Harris has no background? actually, she does… you just don’t like it.
“Ominously, it appears…”? appearances are all a fevered rage… as ever… inside the Anger, Hate & Revenge Party. it appears the kids (among others) are sick of that shit.
on the other hand, you missed how Harris screwed up by not going on & on about (very!) wealthy contributor’s widowed wives being (apparently) more impressive than CMH recipients. that’s a 3D political chess move if I’ve ever heard one.
it’s easy to run down the forever incompetent Dems… I’d rather hear some insights about how the well-oiled Grand Old Campaign team (the one in gold lame shoes) is running on to victory.
What pablum.
The Democratic Party functioned as a mature and functioning political party should, which is to remove an unpopular and incapable leader heading into the next election. The mission of the Democratic Party is to win elections, and in 2024 to prevent another Trump administration.
It was clear after the 27 June debate, that having Joe Biden as the nominee would not have only lost the presidential race but would have dragged down the entire ticket with him heading into November. Mr. Willman draws the wrong analogy. The correct comparison is the UK. In May 1940, Neville Chamberlain, and in November 1990, Margaret Thatcher were deposed by their party for being both unpopular and failing to command confidence. The English Conservative Party even has it a term for it when it is time for their leader to go: The men in the Grey Suits come for a visit to tell them their time is up (in this case, it was in the form of Nancy Pelosi, wearing her favorite grey pantsuit who delivered the news).
And once Biden stepped down, the Democratic Party became united, raised money by the boatload, and became reenergized. The US is not a monarchy. Our leaders do not serve for life.
Kamala Harris is not perfect in many ways ,but she is an improvement on Joe Biden.
Thank God the first Presidential debate occurred in June vice September so we could all see that he was not up for a second term.
The only people lamenting this switcheroo are FOX News talking heads who go through a box of Kleenex per night mopping up their crocodile tears, and Trump campaign which was 100% constructed for a Biden v. Trump rematch.
There will be time for recriminations later: be it the Biden staffers who kept the true functionality of POTUS hidden from the American people, to the DNC who rigged the primaries so there really was not a contest, to the Washington press corps who knew, but who did not report on the true state of Biden’s decline.
Here in the Windy City it is “Morning in America” (to borrow a Reagan phrase) to have optimism and a Democratic Party that is willing to fight to win.
And Mr. Willman should save his China comparisons for another guest article.
James,
The Democratic Party functioned as a mature and functioning political party should,”
FU voters! who cares who you actually voted for.
“The mission of the Democratic Party is to win elections, and in 2024 to prevent another Trump administration.”
So another assassination attempt is on the schedule, or was the last one just a ‘rouge’ element that baffles everyone but the family the buried the son almost as fast as media buried the assassination attempt?
“There will be time for recriminations later: ”
Oh, so the staff runs the Republic and the other branches of government better do what they are told? Or that UK example of Two Tier Kier will be imposed on them?
“Mr. Willman should save his China comparisons for another guest article.”
Oh yes, I would love to read all about Comrade AWalz and his trips to China. More trips than a ceo makes in a lifetime. I’m sure lots of little red books were bought, as gifts of course.
Fred –
Better Tampon Tim than Eyeliner Vance. What the hell was donOld thinking when he picked that guy?
As for your assassination theories: Trump buries himself deeper every time he opens his mouth. We want him alive and talking so that more people will start to realize his dementia. Maybe the assassination attempt was engineered by his own cross-dressing VP nominee?
leith,
better the guy who let Minneapolis burn, the guy who started his adult career by going to China right after they massacred their own people in their own capital? The guy who chose immediate retirement when the country finally called him to use 2 decades of training in combat?
That sure is telling.
“Maybe the assassination attempt was engineered by his own cross-dressing VP nominee?”
How did they advertise that? Or, more precisely, how did a member of the US Senate organize a shooting at campaign rally that killed a man and wounded a former president, and did so with zero electronic trail and zero people going public? Is that your fantasy Leith? The Senator from Ohio put together the – non assassination – attempt that actually killed a man? Michelle Obama being a tranny is trolling insult but it is more believable than your desperate tale.
Bidenomics is working! That’s why Kamala will fix it on Day 1, which is of course the day after day zero. Bidenomics is working though. Joe is healthy too; it’s Trump who has dementia. Joe is healthy. Which is why he was replaced.
Fred –
I read this morning that your former service. the Navy, is running out of trousers.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/08/16/navy-runs-out-of-pants-its-working-uniform-wont-get-more-until-october.html
If donOld gets elected then maybe JD Prance will send them skirts instead of britches.
leith,
The Navy should have stuck with their dungaree work uniform and the “crackerjack” dress uniform. Those blue camouflage uniforms were the most imbecilic.
The guy who chose immediate retirement when the country finally called him to use 2 decades of training in combat?
That sure is telling.
Fred, this bit surprises me more than the rest for a maybe rather personal reason.
After all these many years, I never realized you supported the Iraq war. Or did the War on Terrorism only end in 20112 with–yes, so sorry, it was him–Barak Hussein Obama’s Operation Neptune Spear?
Did I ever know how long you were trained and where you served?
TTG –
Agree about dungarees. And bring back the old herringbone green dungarees us Jarheads used to wear.
But if donOld gets elected, then JD Prance is likely to insist they wear stretch jeans.
leith,
I remember my father’s old uniforms, those green ones with the big pocket that covered your entire ass and his reversible camouflage field uniform with green pattern on one side and brown on the other. They were exceedingly well made.
Leith,
Maybe they should have hired “Dr.” Jill’s fashion designer rather than Michelle O’s.
Meanwhile the great defender of Democracy has us 3 years behind schedule:
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/virginia-class-submarine-navys-best-sub-3-years-behind-schedule-210505
TTG,
Yes. But apparently every three or four years we need a uniform change to placate come congressman’s business donors who make uniforms or use union labor to do so (or both).
Fred –
It’s an Ohio company for those Nav uniforms. How much skim did their bagman pass to Prance and donOld? And the designer was probably one of the Junior Senator’s eyeliner boyfriends.
What the hell was donOld thinking when he picked that guy?
Leith, the big Silicon Valley money behind J.D.? What Job would Musk get in a new Trump admin? What Job would Musk like?
So another assassination attempt is on the schedule, or was the last one just a ‘rouge’ element that baffles everyone but the family the buried the son almost as fast as media buried the assassination attempt?
How long after his death would you bury your own ones? What hints could his co-perpetrators have left on his corpse, an autopsy could have found, Fred?
LeaNder –
Big Silicon Valley money: You mean the homosexual venture capitalist that eyeliner Jimmy Vance used to work with, or should we say under?
I didn’t know he was closet queen. he isn’t? But thanks, I didn’t notice the eyeliner. But yes clearly visible.
Fred:
I know that you like to use this site as your personal wailing wall, but those off the wall speculations keep overshooting it. I know Gov. Walz would pass the beer test, but I am not so sure you could. Maybe you should focus on your buddies, Trump and Putin?
Lars,
14,000,000 votes but hey, deflect with non sequiturs! Primary elections, who needs ’em. Biden’s perfectly healthy to be president, just not gonna win.
On a related Bidenomics note Bloomberg is reporting a million vanishing jobs. My doesn’t everyone over leveraged need a rate cut:
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/08/20/fed-confronts-up-to-a-million-us-jobs-vanishing-in-revision/
James, you do know that the Westminster system of government is very different to the Presidential system used in the USA?
A Prime Minister is exactly that: the first amongst the Ministers in the government, and those Ministers are all elected members of the Parliament.
So a Prime Minister can be deposed at any time – for any reason – by the other Members of Parliament who belong to his party, and by losing that vote he is removed and another chosen from amongst their number.
By way of very marked contrast, a party’s candidate for a Presidential election is not chosen by the members of the Congress, nor does he/she need to be chosen from amongst that legislature.
They campaign for preselection, and if they get the delegates then they get the gig.
That the DNC then stymied the person who got the overwhelming number of Delegates is not a “mature” move, nor is it the sign of a “functioning” political party in the USA.
It was a coup carried out by Faceless Men and Women, and I have no doubt tht ol’ Genocide Joe was “convinced” to drop out via threats and demands that you very certainly will not find in any DNC bylaw or rules of procedure.
Nothing more. No less.
Always Trumpers ought to join the Democratic Party, get in there, & straighten it out. They’ve done so well w/ the GQP.
I still don’t quite understand how Joe Biden can be too mentally impaired to become President, but is still regarded as mentally sharp enough to be the President.
Clearly he is not in charge, and it is equally as clear that the media and the oligarchs who really run the USA are perfectly OK with that notion.
Ol’ Genocide Joe isn’t up to the task of campaigning, and that is Such A Disaster That Something Had To Be Done About That!
But it must be equally true that Ol’ Genocide Joe isn’t up to the task of running the White House, and that’s like, yeah, it’s cool, man, don’t worry about it.
It is a matter of looking forward four years and many did not think Joe was up to expectations for that. Besides, it matter most who the President’s aides are and Joe has good ones, mainly because of his long experience in government. He will be fine serving out his term and by passing the torch, as it were, he will see his considerable achievements continue. Unless a majority of Americans choose the wrecking crew and then they have to live with the results. Project 2025 is being implemented here in Florida and it is not working all that well.
Lars,
Many whom? 14 million people voted for him in the primary election; or don’t primary elections matter any longer and only the votes of the party members? The “Democracy” which needs to be defended.
What part of Project 2025 is being implemented by the Florida Legislature? Firing the UF and New College Presidents? Good riddance. No taxes on tips? That’s a federal tax and not a state tax. Shockingly none of those nebulous things you are so afraid of is making the local news, or even X. Maybe you could enlighten the readers with some actual facts.
Experienced and skilled faculty is leaving, one of the causes of less students at state universities. I recently had three people leave their retirement home because services have deteriorated due to not getting enough help. It seems a lot of young women are leaving the state because of abortion restrictions and the usually make up a large portion of the staff. The farmers are upset because the migrants they rely on to run the farms are also leaving. If the rightwingers knew anything about history, they would know that the book banners are never the good guys, bu they still keep at it. New college just threw a truckload of books away that they did not approve of and that are echoes of fascists, Nazis and communists. Ben Sasse at his short tenure at UF has waster a lot of money and lessen the quality of education. So there are plenty of examples for those who are more awake and observant.
Lars,
“experienced and skilled faculty are leaving”
For what, retirement? Who’s paying more elsewhere?
Women are leaving because all the readily available pregnancy prevention medicine isn’t working for them? Sure they are. And they all once worked in that nursing home down the street.
” book banners are ….”
Which books are banned? Even the sexually explicit ones are freely available for purchase, but boy do the pro-groomer people hate when you take them out of the grade school library ’cause they sure aren’t age appropriate.
Like I said – good riddance to Sasse being gone. Now hold the board of trustees accountable for hiring him to begin with.
“It is a matter of looking forward four years and many did not think Joe was up to expectations for that.”
Revisionism writ large. It was a mere handful of oligarchs and political hacks who “thought” that Joe couldn’t get through the next Presidential debate without being eviscerated by Donald Trump, so they got rid of him.
Lars, you are peddling this idea that Genocide Joe is fine now – a perfectly capable, fully functioning human being – and the only concern is what he will become in the future.
That is wrong: it all came so spectacularly unstuck for the ol’ coot when he went into that debate and revealed to everyone that he is ALREADY a vegetable in a smartly-tailored suit.
Not what’s he gonna be likein four years time” but, rather, “oh my, he’s THIS far gone!”.
I see the Convention of Kamala’s installation is being held on the Street ofJoy. Which, as Bernard Fall would probably recognize, is what the commies named that road he titled his book after: Street Without Joy. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Street of “ofJoy” or Street of OJay?
Whooooosh!
“What was that?”
A White Bronco!
A retired Republican federal judge appointed by the first Bush has publicly stated that he will be voting for the Democratic candidate for the first time ever. Why? Because he feels Trump is a threat to democracy and the American system. But what would a Republican expert on the US Constitution know.
No need for a link, it is all over the media.
Stefan,
A retired judge thinks Trump’s a threat to ‘democracy’? Is that the “existential threat” Biden keeps talking about, but which definitely doesn’t influence anyone to try and shoot Trump – to save us from the ‘existential threat’ to democracy? or some other threat, that somehow didn’t materialize during year 1, 2, 3, or 4 of Trump’s first term?
Luttig? a “classic” conservative of unimpeachable judgment (pardon puns). I was surprised, but I guess anyone can be pushed too far by the moral collapse of their Party – in thrall to a criminally insane leader. would’ve been nice for W to select him over Alito for the SC… I think we have more than enough Opus Dei theocrats as it is.
recent statements;
on prez immunity:
“There is no support whatsoever in the Constitution or even in the Supreme Court’s precedents, for the past 200 years, for this reprehensible decision by the Supreme Court. Needless to say, the decision is irreconcilable with America’s democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.”
on the election:
“In the presidential election of 2024 there is only one political party and one candidate for the presidency that can claim the mantle of defender and protector of America’s Democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law. As a result, I will unhesitatingly vote for the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.”
This is big one might think.
————————-
China NEV retail at 879,000 in Jul, penetration exceeds 50% for 1st time, preliminary CPCA data show.
https://cnevpost.com/2024/08/07/china-nev-retail-879000-jul-penetration-50-preliminary-cpca/
F&L,
China is pushing their EV industry hard and it’s working. The secret, I think, lies in their more affordable, smaller EVs. Those smaller, more affordable cars threaten to take over many foreign markets. The EU and eventually the US are reacting with tariffs and import limits while still trying to exploit the China market with our EVs. We should start marketing smaller, and less expensive EVs here. The only one I know that is in the works is the Rivian R3. It’s several years off, but it has caught my eye. It’s definitely caught the eye of my younger son. We’ve been VW Golf fans since it first came out as the Rabbit here in the states.
TTG,
It’s sure working in China; is that a free market over there or a regulated market run the the party? Curious minds might want to know. In addition, since “climate change is real”, what will be the source of electricity to charge those EVs? Coal, hot air? Maybe they can get uranium from France’s former source in Africa.
Fred,
China heavily subsidizes those industries she wants to promote and she’s subsidizing the hell out of her EV producers. It’s not free market at all, but it is effective. They’re doing the same to their solar and nuclear energy industries, but their not abandoning coal energy prematurely.
Fred –
Wait until donOld gets elected and allows Chinese government-controlled Dongfeng & Changan car companies to build factories in America. They’ll be smiling in Beijing. Xi and Li Qiang are already licking their chops in anticipation.
https://insideevs.com/news/727311/trump-evs-welcomes-china-make-cars-in-us/
https://fortune.com/asia/2024/07/19/trump-invites-chinese-carmakers-evs-us-mexico-tariffs-200/
the establishment of a small EV mkt will be a long haul in the US… kinda like the (original) Beetle was. in general, our car mkt has softened & EVs have additionally suffered from a lack of broad customer acceptance. it’s that “combination of blows” that new consumer technologies often face at inception. range anxiety & access to charging stations being paramount. & the US is infatuated w/ ginormous trucks & all sorts of SUVs. conceptually, the R3 seems appealing, but it has a long way to go – even w/ VW JV $. a Golf-like car would work in the EU… not so sure here… maybe via VW network. I think a “next gen” batts / small & light 2 seater might be a good niche to start.
ked,
the ev market in the US has been around 4% of total vehicle sales and stayed there a long time. Range reality and long term costs are the barriers.
they aren’t the only issues. overproduction of over-priced cars & trucks (to recoup NRE), & lousy resale value (guess one could term that a long term cost, but depreciation is both frt & back-end loaded w/ EVs) are slowing growth right now.
F&L,
Lots of interesting noise about the Chinese solid state batteries coming on line at a fraction of the price of just a year ago too. Could be a game changer. Not only offering 600+ mile range but very short recharging times, and they are much, much lighter than the current batteries. Much much cheaper too.
Mark Logan,
There’s a British company associated with Cambridge University testing a new battery technology that’s much more energy dense than lithium-ion (smaller, lighter) that can charge from 10% to 80% in 5 minutes. It’s still new, but it is in a prototype 2 seater sports car. It also lasts 4,000 fast charge cycles, the equivalent of 600,000 miles. It holds a lot of promise.
https://nyobolt.com
Far be it for me to point out that there is a world of difference between an improved battery that is already in production and already incorporated into cars and…. a new technology that is still in the testing phase and exists only in prototype cars.
By the time “nvobolt” is ready for production – if it ever is – the market may already be all tied up with a bright red bow.
Yeah, Right,
The big Chinese breakthrough in battery technology is also still in development, but if you want to pin your hopes on China locking up the battery and EV markets, knock yourself out.
Someone I know and trust did a tour of the Tesla megafactory, and he tells me that there is a wall down the middle that separates the car assembly production line from the battery production line, and nobody from one side is allowed to cross into the other.
I believe he said it was Samsung who assembled the batteries in their “half”, and then those assembled batteries were delivered to the Tesla employees in the other half i.e. the American side of the manufacturing plant has no expertise in battery technology, and Samsung isn’t about to share that knowledge with them.
But if you want to believe that the Brits are more knowledgeable about this that the Americans, well, feel free to indulge yourself as well.
By the way, I hear that Uber just inked a deal with BYD to sell 100,000 EV’s.
Apparently Uber isn’t willing to wait for the Brits to produce their miracle batteries.
Yeah, Right,
Uber wants to use those BYD EVs in Europe and Latin America. The BYD EVs are far more affordable than others and enjoy a good reputation for quality. Granted they are heavily subsidized by the Chinese government, but they are certain to spread widely in Asia and Latin America. Those EVs are what most people want except in the US. We’re enamored by our huge SUVs and trucks.
TTG: ” Those EVs are what most people want except in the US.”
Hard to know, really, when the US customer won’t really be given that option thanks to the tariffs.
TTG,
Communist imports will save Europes auto industry! They’re cheaper, they’re more reliable! No wonder the EU elite are willing to destroy their own industrial base.
Fred,
The EU imposed 17% to 36.3% tariffs on Chinese EV manufacturers except for Tesla EVs made in China. That tariff is 9%. Tesla also has a plant in Germany.
TTG,
Wages in China have skyrocketed to $3.75/hour.
“he implied that…..”
So he didn’t actually say what the author is saying in the clickbait title? I’m shocked to read in his 5th paragraph. Sorry about Fortune cookies article, paywalled and I don’t have time. But I’m sure the UAW will Fight Fight Fight like they did over that Giant Sucking Sound Nafta, which did just what Ross Perot said it would.
Recently went to a Rodeo with friends from Germany, embarrassing!Tthe off-the-top patriotic gobble-de-gook! My friend taped the beginning to bring back home to share with friends!
Then, I actually listened to some of the Democratic debate (1st-night). Are they always so patriotic? Every other set of phrases is how great the US is. How dedicated all the speakers are filled with deep patriotism!!!
I was just too disgusted that I could not begin to complete the full show of the first night. Everyone clapping so enthusiastically, as if anything anyone said was worth mountains of cheers? So many stories about, “I know what it is like to work” or “So-and-so always stood up for the sad-fellow”
I did have a laugh when they said “I know what it is like to work” Those politicians obviously no longer work! They just sit in there offices and make money-bargains-transactions!
Humpt!!! HELP!!!
At least none of the male speakers wore eyeliner, unlike JD Prance at the Republican Convention in July.
Trump does say that he is prettier than Kamala. I wouldn’t agree with that. But on the other hand he does wear more makeup than she does.
Dems are knocking the Repubs put of the park with a well orchestrated convention.
Repubs went into their convention content they had Biden tied up in a bag….the 2025 Presidency surely theirs…then SURPRISE!
It’s now off to the races with not just Harris who has the wind to her back, but down ballot House and Senate Dems now running much better!
Orchestrated like Biden’s ouster. Kamala is ready to work on Day 1 ’cause the last four years were just year zero.
I can’t stand hearing Joe yell his speeches. Doesn’t he know how a microphone works? Also it reminds me of certain foreign dictators of the 20th century.
Lately Biden has been reminding me of Trump. Rambling, angry, railing at the “elites.” Except Trump actually sounds better these days.
Biden shouted at lot at the State of the Union, too. At the time he was praised for his “vigor” but I thought it was, um, weird. I think it’s a form of overcompensation for vocal weakness. He is also said to be still bitter and angry and maybe it’s coming out in this form.
Bill Clinton is also vocally weaker and is a less effective speaker as a result, but he is still capable of delivering a coherent speech with controlled effects. I don’t think Biden can do that anymore. Very glad we no longer have to watch him trying and sorry that we still have to watch Trump trying.
Stephanie,
Sounds like Kamala, the New Woman who will fix things (isn’t she VP?) on DAY 1, should get the cabinet together and remove Joe via article 25. I mean if he can’t give a speech how can he run the Republic?
Fred,
There are differing degrees of capacity. I think it’s possible for Biden to no longer be able to handle the rigors of a campaign but still be able to conduct presidential business for the next few months.
With regard to the 25th Amendment, it seems to me that it was drafted with a major health crisis in mind that leaves a president obviously incapacitated, not a situation where an elderly president is slowly fading away. It might not be so easy to remove such a person, especially if s/he doesn’t admit his limitations, the people around him are exerting themselves to hide those limitations, and the press is by and large allowing them to do so.
In fact, I’m not certain that the amendment allows for Biden’s removal if he is capable of disagreement and refusal, and it is doubtful that Congress would be united as to what if any action should be taken in such a case.
Stephanie, What makes you think Biden is running things?
What i learned from watching bits of the Democratic convention is this is a race between good vs evil– Princess Liea vs Darth Vader. Darth will destroy democracy just like he did when he was POTUS. Oh, that’s right, he didn’t. It’s a peaceful protest if you try to burn down parts of a city and an insurgency if you steal Pelosi’s podium. It’s democracy when when we install a candidate no one voted for. Inflation is caused by corporate greed and has nothing to do do with printing trillions of dollars.
I couldn’t listen to anymore.