At this stage of continual flux, of animated and polemical debates, and partisan news coverage, it is still a major challenge to get a clear focus on what is happening, and why.
It was interesting to see Trump walk back the tariffs with an attempt to gaslight that it was always a war on drugs, not a trade war. Obviously it was nothing but a trade war from the get go, e.g. dismantling trade agreements and attacking other countries through trade which never had any bearing on the supposed illegal migrants and fentanyl pouring through Canadian borders (as you pointed out even if such a thing was happening, what would they care about trade wars).
In any case Trump certainly tainted his position as a supposed "strong man" and instead whimpered away pathetically with his tail between his legs without ever pulling the trigger. This didn't stop the resounding applause of his sycophants' and cult worshippers who claim he got what he always wanted ... but the rest of the world saw what happened. I think we have to consider that maybe, just maybe, he is exactly as stupid as he appears to be.
In any case I wish Trudeau had called his bluff completely and denied any concession to border security at all on the basis of these threats. We should be aggressively divesting away from the USA and forming other trading partnerships as quickly as possible while they lick their wounds.
"Similarly, relations between America and the current three target countries—Canada, Mexico, and China—are simply not the same, so the ends in view may not be identical in each case. For example, the cheap stuff Mexico sends us is largely stuff that we eat. China is a different story entirely. Part of the goal of these tariffs is undoubtedly economic, although how that fits in to the long versus the short term is up for debate. But other goals are not economic in any usual understanding of the term—control over cross border migration and the movement of dangerous drugs. In other words, the tariffs—to a degree that only Trump knows—are sometimes being used to coerce changes in non-economic policies. Canada appears to be adopting a stupid response, by taking the bait and attempting to engage in a tariff war that they will surely lose in the long run—maybe even in the short run. China, on the other hand, seems to have a much smarter response, probably because they understand what Trump is up to. And so China is said to be preparing to enter into negotiations—which is almost certainly what Trump is looking for."
That was the argument I was making: the trade war itself was not the objective.
I disagree with the passage from the article, however. First, why everyone has to reduce imports from Mexico to food, and specifically avocados, seems to be rooted in silly stereotypes. Mexico is a major source of computers, cars, and other high end technological goods. Second, and more important, Canada's response was the opposite of "stupid": it was necessary and right on target. US stock markets understood the same.
La relazione politica del potere precede e fonda la relazione economica di sfruttamento. Prima di essere economica,l'alienazione è politica,il potere è prima del lavoro, l'economico deriva dal politico, l'emergere dello Stato determina l'apparizione delle classi.
Rapist in Chief Trump's Minyan LLC with key Jewish actors like Kushner and Stephen and guys like Ellison and Adelson and Altman, well, he's part of the chaos. He care not for any of the 80 percent in Amerikkka. The billionaire Klan? All parasite.
The grenades in the room? War criminal Adolph Netanyahu coming to the Wailing Wall Congress for 69 standing ovations.
Chaos and Perversity and Terror and lobotomized public and media made of French whore's shredded nylons.
Good luck attempting to make sense of a fascist whose on the wimpy side of bravado bullshit macho.
It was interesting to see Trump walk back the tariffs with an attempt to gaslight that it was always a war on drugs, not a trade war. Obviously it was nothing but a trade war from the get go, e.g. dismantling trade agreements and attacking other countries through trade which never had any bearing on the supposed illegal migrants and fentanyl pouring through Canadian borders (as you pointed out even if such a thing was happening, what would they care about trade wars).
In any case Trump certainly tainted his position as a supposed "strong man" and instead whimpered away pathetically with his tail between his legs without ever pulling the trigger. This didn't stop the resounding applause of his sycophants' and cult worshippers who claim he got what he always wanted ... but the rest of the world saw what happened. I think we have to consider that maybe, just maybe, he is exactly as stupid as he appears to be.
In any case I wish Trudeau had called his bluff completely and denied any concession to border security at all on the basis of these threats. We should be aggressively divesting away from the USA and forming other trading partnerships as quickly as possible while they lick their wounds.
Maybe Trump isn't using the threat of tariff's to start a trade war.
This is from Mark Wauck's take on the subject...
Trying To Keep Up With Trump
https://meaninginhistory.substack.com/p/trying-to-keep-up-with-trump
"Similarly, relations between America and the current three target countries—Canada, Mexico, and China—are simply not the same, so the ends in view may not be identical in each case. For example, the cheap stuff Mexico sends us is largely stuff that we eat. China is a different story entirely. Part of the goal of these tariffs is undoubtedly economic, although how that fits in to the long versus the short term is up for debate. But other goals are not economic in any usual understanding of the term—control over cross border migration and the movement of dangerous drugs. In other words, the tariffs—to a degree that only Trump knows—are sometimes being used to coerce changes in non-economic policies. Canada appears to be adopting a stupid response, by taking the bait and attempting to engage in a tariff war that they will surely lose in the long run—maybe even in the short run. China, on the other hand, seems to have a much smarter response, probably because they understand what Trump is up to. And so China is said to be preparing to enter into negotiations—which is almost certainly what Trump is looking for."
That was the argument I was making: the trade war itself was not the objective.
I disagree with the passage from the article, however. First, why everyone has to reduce imports from Mexico to food, and specifically avocados, seems to be rooted in silly stereotypes. Mexico is a major source of computers, cars, and other high end technological goods. Second, and more important, Canada's response was the opposite of "stupid": it was necessary and right on target. US stock markets understood the same.
We shall see how it all plays out.
La relazione politica del potere precede e fonda la relazione economica di sfruttamento. Prima di essere economica,l'alienazione è politica,il potere è prima del lavoro, l'economico deriva dal politico, l'emergere dello Stato determina l'apparizione delle classi.
Pierre Clastres.
Rapist in Chief Trump's Minyan LLC with key Jewish actors like Kushner and Stephen and guys like Ellison and Adelson and Altman, well, he's part of the chaos. He care not for any of the 80 percent in Amerikkka. The billionaire Klan? All parasite.
The grenades in the room? War criminal Adolph Netanyahu coming to the Wailing Wall Congress for 69 standing ovations.
Chaos and Perversity and Terror and lobotomized public and media made of French whore's shredded nylons.
Good luck attempting to make sense of a fascist whose on the wimpy side of bravado bullshit macho.
https://open.substack.com/pub/paulokirk/p/corrupt-and-criminal-the-parade-of?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5i319
Whoa, dial it up a little! You're being way too kind!