Visit of Trump

I get my tea from Sri Lanka (Dilmah - ethical company)
I don't think they sell Dilmah tea in the UK BradfordLass although I have bought it when 'over there'.

However I would not want to attend a state banquet where our poor Queen would be forced to lavish him with hospitality and undeserved praise.

I have been to the USA and on the whole I like the American people. I not not like Trump for, many reasons and do not regard him as being worthy of the office of POTUIS.

If he wanted to meet me, I would agree to meet him, in order to tell him what I think of him and give him some advice. I am quite sure he would not listen, let alone heed the advice.

However I would not wanrt to attend a state banquet where our poor Quu

It’s now being reported that DT wants to dine with BJ whilst he’s here. As we are in an election period, is it acceptable that the POTUS ( who his supporters and apologists tell us is here to represent the American people and we should be treating his office with respect) is apparently publically supporting one particular politician who is not a member of the government by wanting to dine with him?

quizqueen When you insult him, you insult everyone who voted for him as well. Never mind, I expect Donald speaks just as highly of you lot!
I don't mind insulting people who are rascist and misogynistic. Not that I think all Trump supporters are but I certainly think he is and if you voted for him you either think as he does or you need to examine your motives very carefully. As for DT speaking about me, I doubt very much he would bother, I am too old to be pussy worth grabbing and too left wing to fall for his rascist solutions, oh and I haven't any money.

I still like " Earl Grey " though !

Off topic - just for a cuppa

GabriellaG54
According to UN figures. top 5 tea producing countries are:
•1 – China (2,473,443 tonnes)
•2 – India (1,325,050 tonnes) ...
•3 – Kenya (439,857 tonnes) ...
•4 – Sri Lanka (349,699 tonnes) ...
•5 - Vietnam (260,000 tonnes) ...

I get my tea from Sri Lanka (Dilmah - ethical company) and South Africa (Rooibos).

I doubt they'd go bankrupt if I turned to Brazil for my coffee {grin]

FYI...India is the largest tea producer in the world.

I greatly appreciate the mess the president is making - Prior to his inauguration it was a " meet the new boss, same as the old boss " regardless of what party held office - Trump woke every one up -- for better or worse - And it's given us the opportunity to address so much stuff that's gotten kicked under the rug since??? Forever!

Both parties seem to be taking advantage of this opportunity to talk about necessary changes -

Trump's latest 'trumpery' is to withdraw from the UN Arms Treaty. This should be sufficient grounds to withdraw the invitation for a state visit. He is quickly becoming (should become) an international pariah. Not that it would bother him.

I'm very amused that people are saying that we have to butter up to the Orange One because we could need US military protection, but they are dead set against us joining any sort of defence initiative and co-operation with our nearest neighbours in Europe...

--And if DT pulls the US out of NATO, as he's
been threatening, where would that leave us?--

The nastiness certainly always comes out whenever the Trump word is mentioned but it really says more about those who post on here rather than the man himself, in my opinion. When you insult him, you insult everyone who voted for him as well. Never mind, I expect Donald speaks just as highly of you lot!

The thing about America is that the current President won't be there for ever, 5 years max, so why insult him and risk antagonizing the country?
I agree Jabberwok - and perhaps if we all pray very very hard to whichever deity we choose or by the force of our collective will, it could be less.

Our food standards could still be protected if we remain in the EU.

Another 5 years of DT is plenty of time in which to finish off privatising the NHS and put in in the hands of the damn Americans. Not to mention ruining our food standards.

Jabberwock Trump is not America. Many have demonstrated against him and many would welcome a British stand. China has undergone such huge changes in the last 100 years that it is difficult to predict anything. We have almost 400 years of trying to acheive democracy and probably still haven't got it right.
Interesting that they are taking air pollution very seriously and making more progress than we are. www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/14/pollutionwatch-china-shows-how-political-will-can-take-on-air-pollution

The thing about America is that the current President won't be there for ever, 5 years max, so why insult him and risk antagonizing the country? For China of course their president is there for at least 20 years if not longer! ditto North Korea, probably Putin, and more besides! Not sure that China will ever be up for democracy! Inscrutable they certainly are! Why is it ok to sanction some countries disapproved of, while encouraging dialogue with others?!

Most of the teas from China are more of the specialist type of tea, the best known being Lapsang Souchong or Earl Grey and some green teas.
I think most tea comes from East Africa and Assam, although, looking at my packet, it is from Yorkshire maddyone.

Just a snippet in case anyone was interested.

It's really difficult to know where some of the things we buy are manufactured - even if we know, we may not know where the components or ingredients come from.

I agree maddy - all we can do is the best we can within reason. I remember during the apartheid years buying a really beautiful blouse. When I washed it for the first time I had to iron it inside out and there in minuscule letters sewn into a seam was the label Made in South Africa. I did continue wearing the blouse but never felt the same about it

I think all the Gransnetters put together couldn’t drink all the tea they have in China Maryeliza

But more seriously, I’ve just looked at my tea packets, and the country of origin isn’t listed. It says on the one brand that they belong to The Ethical Tea Organisation and a different brand claims to be a member of an organisation that respects the rainforest. So we don’t know if we’re buying Chinese tea or where the tea comes from. It’s all blended anyway so possibly the blend contains tea from different countries.

My point is we often don’t know if we’re supporting regimes we’d really rather not support, when we buy every day products in the shops.

As for Saudi they shouldn't be permitted anywhere near any of us and we should stop supplying them with weapons systems.

I would say that the reason for meeting with China is that we know it is a country going through huge changes and that talking and influencing these may be our best hope for more liberal policies in the future, whereas the US now seems to be on a retrograde path and is curtailing liberties once taken for granted, so not talking to them and not attending state banquets may once again be the best way to express disgust. It's a bit like children you have to talk to them and teach them what is right but once they know, and if they then behave badly ignoring them sometimes gets results.

Thanks Jabber, the main thing is though that we, the British, have welcomed him to Britain and he has attended a State Banquet whilst he was here.

What is there to say about China - utterly awful regime( of one kind or another) for decades and I’d never visit for all the tea they had?

Good analysis anja about expectations and POTUS.