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Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

reuters.com

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Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#561

Post by jacquesm »

kyboren wrote: post #501
carefulfungi wrote: post #463

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this were true, and if you want to give credit to Trump for EU defense spending increases, then (1) why is Trump asking for a dramatic increase in US military funding and (2) when will the US savings on defending the EU be spent on US workers?

1. Obviously the Trump admin is requesting an increased military budget because of looming global conflict. We don't want to get caught with our pants down. Russia obviously bears the moral blame for starting this war, but Putin clearly was tempted by Western weakness. Had European states kept large and effective militaries and credibly threatened to employ them in Ukraine's defense, we probably wouldn't be where we…

Agreed that Putin was tempted by Western weakness, but you didn't go far enough West.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#562

Post by munksbeer »

rayiner wrote: post #546
jacquesm wrote: post #427

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haven't you done enough to wreck your reputation by now? For reference: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46685072

[flagged]

I don't understand this response.

Surely you are aware that Denmark doesn't come as a little isolated package? Your country, the US, gets a group deal. Your allies in Europe have sent soldiers to die for you very recently. Including, little Denmark.

On the back of pax Americana, supported by your allies, you have continued to live as the most prosperous nation the world has ever seen. That system did not arise out of altruism. It was a strategic bargain. Allies accepted US leadership and some constraints on autonomy in exchange for security guarantees and access to the US-led economic order. The US, in return, gained disproportionate influence and long-term economic advantages.

I've seen you hand wave this away (because of course you would) suggesting the US was rich already.

Why do you even feel the need to suggest that Denmark is irrelevant to the US? It is only technically true if Denmark was the only ally you had. I think you're smart enough to know this, so why are you saying it?

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#563

Post by jacquesm »

rayiner wrote: post #546
jacquesm wrote: post #427

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haven't you done enough to wreck your reputation by now? For reference: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46685072

[flagged]

No, that's a response based in fact. I have no dog in that race, I'm not Danish and strongly believe that following the USA on that particular ill advised adventure was a mistake. But the people that went went because the USA invoked article 5 and that's what allies do.

For you to belittle that - and in fact to deny it - is utterly ridiculous. You believe you are making substantive posts but I really can't tell the difference between some of the worst trolls on HN and what you are putting out there. The only thing I give you credit for is that you are doing this under your own name rather than hiding behind anonymity like the bulk of the rest but that does not change the nature of what you communicate one bit.

If you want substantive posts you are going to have to stop posting what arguably is the worst kind of flamebait.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#564

Post by mym1990 »

7speter wrote: post #193
mym1990 wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its baffling that you think the collapse of the USD would have no negative ramifications on the rest of the world...

The negative ramifications seem to be better than being invaded by the US or having regional entities invaded by the US, and the ensuing instability as a result. If its going to be like this the rest of the world might as well cut its losses

You seem to have a very limited view of the world if you think the US doesn't have fans of totalitarian rule and that the "rest of the world" is exclusively against US global strategy. I am going to guess that you actually have no idea what the negative ramifications of the collapse of a currency that underpins the foundations of our world are, because it is something that is near impossible to predict.

I agree that at some point, governments and people will need to step up and fight back, but the idea that the US will somehow fall in a vacuum and everyone else will live happily ever after is laughable.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#565

Post by jacquesm »

wolvesechoes wrote: post #533
epolanski wrote: post #424

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, that's the logic of a 15 years old playing call of duty. Europe has spent less on military because after the cold war and still today, it never had any realistic threat. Russia can't even take few miles off Ukraine. The only realistic threat is the US, which is an ally, in theory. Now a threat.

> Russia can't even take few miles off Ukraine And yet Europe is unable to support Ukraine enough to change the course of war. Which is the direct cause of the current situation. If Europe was so strong and ready, war in Ukraine would be over, Russia was defeated, and US wouldn't even think of doing what it is doing. Everything else is copium.

The course of war has already changed.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#566

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

pessimizer wrote: post #527
azinman2 wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re assuming the people in charge are sane, rationale, and value past decisions that have worked out. It’s quite clear with the now likely permanent damage to NATO this isn’t the case.

> You’re assuming the people in charge are sane, rationale, and value past decisions that have worked out. No, it's an assumption that the people discussing the subject are sane and rational. It's one thing to argue that the US devaluing its wildly overvalued dollar is an effective default. Nobody would disagree with that, that's why we did it - to give us the continual option for rugpulls. But it's simply delusional…

Perhaps you're missing context here? The US Congress has established and frequently reaffirms a policy called the "debt ceiling", which requires the government to default on some of its obligations (including debt repayment) soon after reaching a certain nominal amount of debt. In 2023, negotiations to increase this ceiling lasted up until the week before the default would have begun, and 36 Senators still wanted to reject the deal and force the default. To me it does not seem insane or irrational to worry that next time there might be 41 Senators who want to default.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#567

Post by rayiner »

TimorousBestie wrote: post #557
rayiner wrote: post #546

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> Why do you always respond to substantive posts with feelings and personal attacks? You get the audience that responds to you, mate. If what you want is reasoned debate, you need to apply positive feedback when people come to you with reasoned debate. You’re negatively conditioning the “reasoned debate” population with every ideological screed. Then there’s the willingness to violate social norms (e.g., zero respect…

Wait—when did I “disrespect” Danish soldiers? I love Danish people. I literally use them as an example of a local optimum in civilizational development. But that doesn’t change the fact that “US + Denmark against China” is basically the same war as “US against China.” In my post I literally spelled out why Denmark is militarily insignificant: it’s got a population the size of Maryland. Obviously this wasn’t a comment on the courage of Danish soldiers.

Grown ups should be able to have a discussion about generalities without getting emotionally invested in them.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#568

Post by weakfish »

pavlov wrote: post #105
CamperBob2 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're under active, malicious attack by 1/3 of our own eligible voters. Not clear how this will play out, as I can't think of any historical parallels.

It's not uncommon for democracies to be subverted by a minority party. Nazis did it in Germany. They lost parliamentary seats in the November 1932 election, but remained the largest party with 33% of seats. The next year the country was already a dictatorship. Communists did it in Czhechoslovakia in 1948. They led a coalition government but had just lost the previous election. I'm worried that United States 2027 will…

I mean, they already tried it on J6, we just got lucky it failed and yet didn’t learn our lesson

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#569

Post by luke5441 »

nonethewiser wrote: post #542
luke5441 wrote: post #522

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Inflation is a kind of default, I'm not missing the point. The value of the dollar is based on the promise of 2% inflation of a basket of goods. Breaking that promise is default.

Well... no. Default is when you can't pay back what you promised. Not keeping inflation under a certain target. Unless words just don't mean anything anymore. In which case, yes. Which could also mean no.

In case you are interested in more than definitions of words: Bond investors do not care if you default by giving them a haircut, doing things like forcefully extending the term to 100 years or lowering the currency value by printing money. In either case they will adjust their future risk premium of US govt. bonds and of course price in future inflation.

One might be able to hide the money printing for a while, though, while the haircut is explicit.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#570

Post by kyboren »

jacquesm wrote: post #563
rayiner wrote: post #546

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

No, that's a response based in fact. I have no dog in that race, I'm not Danish and strongly believe that following the USA on that particular ill advised adventure was a mistake. But the people that went went because the USA invoked article 5 and that's what allies do. For you to belittle that - and in fact to deny it - is utterly ridiculous. You believe you are making substantive posts but I really can't tell the d…

The USA has never invoked Article 5. Please stop spreading misinformation.
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