The only other countries not touched by Trump’s tariff spree are Belarus and North Korea - countries helping Russia with its invasion of Ukraine. A coincidence?
To be clear, the 10% tariff tier, as officially announced, includes tiny island countries and territories with zero exports to the US, and in some cases zero human inhabitants. So don't believe the line that the Russian exemption is because we already have "no meaningful trade" under existing sanctions.
He’s the personification of willful ignorance, fused with hubris, with a serious dollop of stupidity thrown in, baked in a vat of foolhardy recklessness. What did we expect?
How do we get this in front of every MAGA? Thanks for the post, how could the stupidest Trumper fail to understand? We couldn’t fabricate a better fact. There’s not a journalist working today who would fail to ask “Mr President, why no tariff on Russia and North Korea?” It’s like asking “Do you still beat your (——)?” Only it’s 100% proper and fair. Smashing, shattering and inescapable, what cynics call a “gotcha” question, except it’s imperative, neutral and wholly valid. If this couldn’t erode his support the crucial 1%, (though it should be more like 10-20% easy…) then we are further gone than I’d like to know. Brilliant, Bravo, how do we AMPLIFY?!?!?!!!!
Re amplifying.... well, by keeping writing and sharing and pushing and talking. But, and this is one of my hobby horses, by taking that 1, 2 or 5% of the more 'soft Trumpers' that we need to reach 'seriously'; by that I mean,
1) limited name calling😉(doesn't make them listen or read, it wouldn't work with me either) and 2) well-constructed pieces and arguments that (to some extent) shows both sides = gives them a chance to make their own minds up. Yes, you can make it clear what you think, but to me a persuasive argument does contain both sides.
3) write and talk better; it's not/no longer enough just to say 'Trump is lying', you need to deliver a coherent story and argument to persuade anybody.
= democracy in my book: respect + disagreement + thinking + making your own mind up.
With each obnoxious U.S. economy-harming step, with each horrendous international buffoonery and traitorous act, Mr. t (lower case intentional) gets closer to igniting a powder keg under his insane excuse for a presidency and administration.
Yes, it’s surprising he is still putting on his comedy-tragedy act from the WH, but there are green shoots indicating he might not get his full four years, let alone his “third term”.
I thought I read that senators we’re trying to take tariff control away from him. Even if it doesn’t pass at least they tried and news will spread as the economy tanks
No, I don’t think it’s a warning. That would be subtle, and Trump doesn’t do subtle. I just think it’s a stupid algorithm. No trade with these countries, no vat or something to add. So his retribution tax comes up with zero. No human oversight. (Here in Norway we wondered why we had gotten 16 per cent. Because we actually have a negative trade balance with the Us. We import more than we export. So shouldn’t we get something now? But he added our internal VAT which he consider unfair and voila ! 16 percent increase. It should be mentioned that all goods in Norway pay this tax, nothing US specific. But it’s UNFAIR! Oh well. But no, not a warning. Just stupidity.
The administration has responded to the “why no tariffs on Russia” Q by stating “we are involved in negotiations with them about the war and we don’t want to complicate things”. Except they are not allowing that for Ukraine
Our very own Caligula will go down in history as the author of the biggest own goal in modern metaphoric soccer history. Announcing "Liberation Day" was bad, and backing out from it is equally as bad for different reasons that have to do with perceived power and credibility. Like the invasion of Ukraine, the only solution is for it not to have happened in the first place. That's one thing these two grumpy old men have in common.
I thought rule number one was " keep your options open and do not paint yourself into a corner". Just last week our Great Leader told us we were all being "liberated" but we all got "yippy" so no "liberation"? So now we are all back to being "raped and pillaged" and it is OK? I am sorry, I am trying my darnedest but there is no way to square the circle unless your choice for hydration is Kool Aid.
Here is my list of silver linings:
1. The administration realizes that trillions of real dollars are more important than millions of virtual likes on Truth Social.
2. This "deal" with Russia gets more scrutiny than it would get otherwise
3. Some congresscritters get their spines back, courtesy of voters.
4. Voters realize it is not fun to live in a banana republic, and even less fun to live in a banana autocracy.
5. These actions by the administration prove to be the rude awakening we all needed to stop living in our little segment of the multiverse and bring us back to the public square where we discuss the things that affect us all.
As I have asserted many times 47 is a recruited agent of Russian Intelligence. As such he acts in Russia’s interests and if viewed from this point his behavior is consistent. The most frightening aspect is the likelihood that he has passed high level intelligence information to Russia. It is as if in his last term in and The Supreme Court having issued him complete immunity he is destroying our Nation with no fear of impeachment or Judicial sanction.
We can only imagine what Putin has on trump.
To be clear, the 10% tariff tier, as officially announced, includes tiny island countries and territories with zero exports to the US, and in some cases zero human inhabitants. So don't believe the line that the Russian exemption is because we already have "no meaningful trade" under existing sanctions.
Exactly.
He’s the personification of willful ignorance, fused with hubris, with a serious dollop of stupidity thrown in, baked in a vat of foolhardy recklessness. What did we expect?
How do we get this in front of every MAGA? Thanks for the post, how could the stupidest Trumper fail to understand? We couldn’t fabricate a better fact. There’s not a journalist working today who would fail to ask “Mr President, why no tariff on Russia and North Korea?” It’s like asking “Do you still beat your (——)?” Only it’s 100% proper and fair. Smashing, shattering and inescapable, what cynics call a “gotcha” question, except it’s imperative, neutral and wholly valid. If this couldn’t erode his support the crucial 1%, (though it should be more like 10-20% easy…) then we are further gone than I’d like to know. Brilliant, Bravo, how do we AMPLIFY?!?!?!!!!
Re amplifying.... well, by keeping writing and sharing and pushing and talking. But, and this is one of my hobby horses, by taking that 1, 2 or 5% of the more 'soft Trumpers' that we need to reach 'seriously'; by that I mean,
1) limited name calling😉(doesn't make them listen or read, it wouldn't work with me either) and 2) well-constructed pieces and arguments that (to some extent) shows both sides = gives them a chance to make their own minds up. Yes, you can make it clear what you think, but to me a persuasive argument does contain both sides.
3) write and talk better; it's not/no longer enough just to say 'Trump is lying', you need to deliver a coherent story and argument to persuade anybody.
= democracy in my book: respect + disagreement + thinking + making your own mind up.
Demand that any agreements with Russia are made public.
It is hard to believe that Trump is getting away with this.
With each obnoxious U.S. economy-harming step, with each horrendous international buffoonery and traitorous act, Mr. t (lower case intentional) gets closer to igniting a powder keg under his insane excuse for a presidency and administration.
Yes, it’s surprising he is still putting on his comedy-tragedy act from the WH, but there are green shoots indicating he might not get his full four years, let alone his “third term”.
https://mdavis19881.substack.com/p/wtaf-is-going-on-between-trump-putin
I thought I read that senators we’re trying to take tariff control away from him. Even if it doesn’t pass at least they tried and news will spread as the economy tanks
👏🏻
Good article !
Please check out my substack from this AM; https://doughiller.substack.com/p/impeach
We’re on the same page…
some countrys are friendlier than others after yesterday
Wow.
'Wow' pretty much covers it, yes.
No, I don’t think it’s a warning. That would be subtle, and Trump doesn’t do subtle. I just think it’s a stupid algorithm. No trade with these countries, no vat or something to add. So his retribution tax comes up with zero. No human oversight. (Here in Norway we wondered why we had gotten 16 per cent. Because we actually have a negative trade balance with the Us. We import more than we export. So shouldn’t we get something now? But he added our internal VAT which he consider unfair and voila ! 16 percent increase. It should be mentioned that all goods in Norway pay this tax, nothing US specific. But it’s UNFAIR! Oh well. But no, not a warning. Just stupidity.
The administration has responded to the “why no tariffs on Russia” Q by stating “we are involved in negotiations with them about the war and we don’t want to complicate things”. Except they are not allowing that for Ukraine
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-ready-to-negotiate-abolition-of-duties-on-all-us-goods-official-says/
Our very own Caligula will go down in history as the author of the biggest own goal in modern metaphoric soccer history. Announcing "Liberation Day" was bad, and backing out from it is equally as bad for different reasons that have to do with perceived power and credibility. Like the invasion of Ukraine, the only solution is for it not to have happened in the first place. That's one thing these two grumpy old men have in common.
I thought rule number one was " keep your options open and do not paint yourself into a corner". Just last week our Great Leader told us we were all being "liberated" but we all got "yippy" so no "liberation"? So now we are all back to being "raped and pillaged" and it is OK? I am sorry, I am trying my darnedest but there is no way to square the circle unless your choice for hydration is Kool Aid.
Here is my list of silver linings:
1. The administration realizes that trillions of real dollars are more important than millions of virtual likes on Truth Social.
2. This "deal" with Russia gets more scrutiny than it would get otherwise
3. Some congresscritters get their spines back, courtesy of voters.
4. Voters realize it is not fun to live in a banana republic, and even less fun to live in a banana autocracy.
5. These actions by the administration prove to be the rude awakening we all needed to stop living in our little segment of the multiverse and bring us back to the public square where we discuss the things that affect us all.
PS: Slava Ukraini
As I have asserted many times 47 is a recruited agent of Russian Intelligence. As such he acts in Russia’s interests and if viewed from this point his behavior is consistent. The most frightening aspect is the likelihood that he has passed high level intelligence information to Russia. It is as if in his last term in and The Supreme Court having issued him complete immunity he is destroying our Nation with no fear of impeachment or Judicial sanction.