Dem 50
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GOP 50
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Asians Don't Care

By "Asians" we mean people who live in Asia, especially leaders of Asian countries. We don't mean Asian-American voters. They tend to be Democrats because Republicans, especially Donald Trump, often use minorities as whipping boys (and girls). Americans are worried silly about the election, but Asian government and business leaders in India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and other Asian countries (except China) don't think there is much difference between the candidates. For them, the biggest issue is dealing with China. Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have put reining in China high on their to-do lists. They have different plans but neither one is China-friendly and that's what counts for the leaders of the various Asian nations.

However, there is one aspect where Asian leaders do prefer Harris: defense. Asian countries are more dependent than European nations are on the U.S. to defend them if China decides to attack; the U.K. and France have nuclear weapons. The U.S. has troops in Japan and South Korea, which serve to deter a direct attack by China. Trump might withdraw them. Harris is very unlikely to do so. Somewhat related to that is that in Asia, the war everyone is interested in is the one in Ukraine. That one tests U.S. resolve to defend its friends. Taiwan, especially, cares about that one and is worried that Trump doesn't care. Nobody in Asia cares about Gaza.

Another concern in Asia is North Korea. There is some concern that Trump could get played by Kim Jong Un, but that is not a major concern. There is also concern that the U.S. is a declining power and China is a rising power, but that is independent of who the president is.

The situation in Europe is completely different. Just about every European leader except Viktor Orbán wants Harris to win and most of them hardly try to hide it. For them, the U.S. is important not only for trade, but also for defense. They most certainly do not want the U.S. to withdraw from NATO and most of them regard Trump as an unhinged imbecile unfit for any public office. (V)



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