The License Plate War

China insisted Putin and Trump put Chinese license plates on their cars, even for a short time. Putin complied, while Trump rode around with no plates. A commenter on X claimed this showed Trump’s weakness

Oh, I see. Putin showed strength by capitulating to a picayune regulation, but Trump showed weakness by refusing.

But what if it had gone the other way, and Trump capitulated while Putin refused? You would say THAT showed Putin’s strength and Trump’s weakness.

If Trump walked on water, you would ask why can’t he swim. And if Trump multiplied the loaves and fishes, you would complain there was no meat. Face it. Many of Trump’s enemies are unpleasable and implacable. No point in even trying to please them.

But here’s the real point of the story. In the Southwest, we frequently see Mexican license plates, and occasionally Canadian. Foreign visitors can use their own plates for a time. But the Chinese communist regime feels so insecure that Trump or Putin riding around for two days with their own plates would threaten their sovereignty. Why is that? Despite dictatorial control, the rulers of China still feel insecure. Perhaps that tells us something important.