The absurdity of Donald Trump’s trade war
The absurdity of Donald Trump’s trade war
Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China will harm America’s own economy and diplomatic power
These sanctions are designed to weaken the US. Voting an obvious foreign intelligence asset into power is really the greatest self own in history.
It's clear at this point that Trump and Musk's strategies are beyond shortsighted. Now it's in our face—it will harm America's long-term stability, both militarily and economically. Trump's directives to undermine economic growth with his tariffs, dismantling trade ties with Canada and threatening our neighbors with more pain unless it becomes a fifty-first state, cozying up to our adversaries and idolizing dictators, abandoning science, health, and services while worsening food shortages and increasing food costs—America is going to be far from 'great.' Their focus on redirecting resources, like California's water, shows a lack of care for environmental and social issues; drilling for liquid gold isn't going to bring affordable food to the table. And this isn't the half of it.
Appointing people with controversial backgrounds to key positions will weaken and suffocate important institutions. Elon Musk and his army of sycophants have now reportedly taken over the inner workings of multiple government agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, the Treasury Department, and the General Services Administration. Trillions of dollars in the hands of an unelected billionaire—the ripples of these moronic decisions will ripple around the world, something has to give.
I don't know, they might just be high on Atlas Shrugged. You know, never attribute to conspiracy that which can be explained by stupidity.
No doubt they are intended to cleave the U.S.A.’s greatest asset from it. Our allies and the rules based global order. Russia and China can not defeat it.
But they can defeat a weakened isolated USA. Or better yet they can establish their own regional hegemony when the USA that has no further interest in foreign intervention.
It certainly feels like that, but "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
It can absolutely not be adequately explained by stupidity and all these people have demonstrated their maliciousness time and time again.
Aha, so tariffs are straight from " the book".
Here are some numbers to consider.
The US sold $441 billion worth of goods and services to Canada in 2024.
Canada sold $482 billion worth of goods and services to the US in 2024.
The US has a populating of 334.9 million people.
Canada has a population of 40.1 million people.
Per capita, every American man, woman, and child spent $1,316.81 on Canadian goods and services.
Candians spent $12,019. 95 on American good and services.
Who isn't pulling their weight in this trading relationship?
This isn't about illegal immigration and it isn't about the 20 lbs of fentanyl that tried to cross the border from Canada.
This is about the billionaire class raising taxes on the poor and raising prices for Americans.
He needed to find a way to bolster government revenue so that he could give his billionaire buddies that bought him the election a nice tax break. As they say: don't let a good crisis go to waste.
The Shock Doctrine should be at the absolute front of everyone's reading list, follower shortly by that field manual about sabotaging fascism. The goal of these tarrifs is to cause a panic.
It's time to buckle the fuck up. Yah best start believing in fascist dystopias, because YOU'RE IN ONE.
MAGA and the Orange Turd are brainless fools. That is what we are dealing with.
That's the problem actually, they are NOT fools. They are VERY smart and VERY determined adversaries who are determined to destroy the US economy and everything everybody would want to stand for, in order to maximize their own short term gains. They are making highly calculated moves specifically for that goal of theirs.
They are straight up adversaries to American people, they need to be treated as adversaries, and you do NOT ever attempt to underestimate your adversaries.
Orange 🍊
Mangoes 🥭🥭🥭
Bananas 🍌🍌🍌
Tap for spoiler
Orange man goes bananas
When goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will
- Frederic BastiatBetter title :
The absurdity of Donald Trump’s trade warNon paywall link from the crosspost.
https://archive.is/2025.02.02-171159/https://www.ft.com/content/069a3af8-261b-4848-b19b-4fe82d324c64
It's hilarious to see reputable right-leaning media publications such as FT and The Economist trying to rationalize Donald Trump's behaviour.
The legal pretext for Trump’s move is questionable, too. He made use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, an executive authority that enables him to respond to extraordinary economic or security threats. Yet that law has not previously been used to enact tariffs. The courts and Congress ought to block them.
Fascinating that FT seems to believe that the US judicial system is going to come to the rescue. I disagree, but what do I know? I am not American (although I have previously lived in North America for a decade).
Did the orange man eat your face, FT?
