This will truly be a disaster:
Trump will impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for no good reason.
At least its one thing that will seemingly be impossible for even the most ardent Trumpist to ignore.
We've discussed Trump here before. Is he stupid? Is he addled? Is he a active Russian asset taking orders? All three are possible and at this point the last one is starting to look rather hard do ignore. What better to take out an enemy than to insert, at the country's head your stooge.
Active Russian agent or not, Trump has done more to wreck the country than any public figure since Jefferson Davis.
And it's going to get much, much worse.
As the trade war starts off, Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs. Economic genius Gov. Abbot of Texas gloated that Canada can't get by without U.S. Cotton, which is the exact same argument the South made during the Civil War when it went into treason. Turns out they grow cotton all over the globe and, moreover, the type of cotton grown in Texas goes into high end shirts, not cheap t-shirts and skivvies, and the like.
On the plus side, the price of American cotton may start to go down due to this stupidity.
Trump threatened to raise the tariffs even more.
Individual Canadians are boycotting the US in every way possible, and they'll never forgive the US for this. Nor should they. A country that would elect such an obviously stupid man has an electorate that can't easily be forgiven. On a higher level, there are serious discussion of cutting off hydroelectric power to the US Northeast, which would be devastating to the region.
Trump, who lies like a rug, says that this is over drugs and illegal immigration. Next to no illegal drugs come in through Canada, although Canada is a victim of illegal drugs coming into it, as well as illegal firearms.
As for Mexico, it appears Mexico has had enough of Trump and now that between Mexico and Canada the US is in a shit sandwich, it's not backing down either.
Republicans in Congress have become completely spineless and are doing nothing. Locally, they keep smiling and urging Trump on.
Trump is now also threatening to impose tariffs on the EU, which again makes a person have to wonder, at least a little bit, if Putin is calling in some chits.
It may also be the case that Trump dimwittedly is falling for autarky, the economic theory which tried to have everything produced within the borders of a nation. Autarky was the economic theory of Nazi Germany, we'd note, which in part lead to it having to conquer or dominate its neighbors. . . .sound familiar?
Autarky is a universally discredited economic theory. It's never worked, and its not going to work here, if that's the goal.
February 9, 2025
Waffle Hut is imposing a .50 per egg surcharge.
When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One
Donald Trump.
February 10, 2025
The US has imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports in a desperate effort to bring back the economy of 1957.
It won't work.
Prices will rise.
February 14, 2025
And now, reciprocal tariffs.
Inflation has risen to 3%
A population level boycott of American goods is on in Canada. Part of that is the cancellation of US vacations, which is already having an impact in the tourist industry.
The government announced a massive purchase of Tesla trucks. Not like that's a conflict or anything.
February 19, 2025
Trump acknowledged in a interview with Fox yesterday (he sure gives a lot of interviews, and plays a lot of golf) that "inflation is back". In fact, in his typical meandering style, he repeated it several times, and then noted "I had nothing to do with it".
Funny, if it was a month into the Biden Administration the Trumpies would be screaming that it was Biden's fault.
Inflation is going to get worse. And whatever its causing it now (bird flu helped, but treating the economy like a toy for tariffs didn't help), it's going to be on Trump's watch.
His loyalist won't see it that way.
February 20, 2025
Wyoming has only two hospitals rated at the five star level according to an article in the Trib, one in Cheyenne and one in Jackson.
The information comes from Medicare.gov, so my anticipation it will be fixed by the Trump administration eliminating the ability to access things like this when it gets around to it.
Casper's hospital once belonged to Natrona County but was privatized. It was having troubles prior to that, but since then it seems to have increased. It's rates a 3.
February 26, 2025
In spite of the fact that it increases the debt. . .
Some Republicans begin to get clear eyed.
They convinced me in there. I'm a 'no.' If the Republican plan passes...we're going to add $328 billion to the deficit this year. We're going to add $295 billion to the deficit the year after that...why would I vote for that?!?
Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican, on the Republican continuing budget resolution.
The dollars thrown around as being saved by Musk are largely fictional, if in fact is rampaging buffoonery doesn't end up costing the government money. Only taxes are going to pull us out of this debt.
the House approved the Trump budget resolution.
The bill calls for $2 trillion in overall spending cuts over the next decade, a triviality, to help pay for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, thereby being unbalanced to start with. It increases increases defense and border spending, with the defense spending being paradoxical given Trump's isolationist views.
This extends, it should be noted, the 2017 tax cuts, which helped put us in a budgetary crisis to start with. The Republicans recently have used the talking point that this is "unsustainable", which it is.
US consumer confidence dropped the greatest amount it has dropped in four years.
February 28, 2025
And the trade war is back on, of course. The tariffs that Trump suspended on our nearest neighbors are back in play.
Why?
Why indeed.
In part, it may be because the GOP budget, complete with the retention of an income tax rate at an absurdly low rate, is going to skyrocket the deficit and Trump sees this as a way of addressing it. Tariffs are a hidden tax on US taxpayers.
It could be a mere distraction for Trump, who likes to distract the public, it seems.
And as for Canada, Trump seems to have genuine bizarre territorial ambition and weirdly believes that beating up on our neighbor will make them love us.
The only sure thing is that this is going to be a disaster.
March 3, 2025
And, here we go.
The Atlanta Fed is projecting that Q1 GDP will be -1.5%.
That's a contraction of the economy.
Last week's projection was +2.3%, four weeks ago it was +3.9%
Now, younger Trumpers, your word of the week is "Stagflation".
A bright side, however. With all the deportations, you might be able to replace the job you lose with a field hired hand's. . .
March 4, 2025
Chinese response to tariffs:
For pork it goes to 47% with this additional 10%. 5% higher than all other countries.
15% on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton.
10% on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
So, American farmers who voted for Trump. . . you're getting what you voted for.
Canada also hit back with tariffs.
The stock market fell for the second day in a row.
Trump doesn't care about any of this stuff. It won't impact him personally. Additionally, somebody gave him a Classic Comics edition on tariffs and he really believes they're the cure for American economic ills, which is absurd.
March 6, 2025
And auto industry tariffs were paused after somebody took Donny's Classic Comics on Tariffs away and made him realize he was completely tanking the auto industry, the dumbass.
He's given them 30 days to relocate production inside the US, which won't happen.
The Wharton School of Business must be so proud. . . .
The DOGE pinheads have put the Dick Cheney Federal Office Building in Casper on a list of buildings to be closed.
The building was constructed in the 1970s and ultimately all of the Federal offices that were jammed into the Federal Courthouse, which wasn't being used as a courthouse, were moved there. Then the courthouse resumed being used as a courthouse.
Where the workers would go is another question. I suppose they would just be terminated.
This is a monumentally stupid move and there's some suspicion that this building was listed just as its named after Dick Cheney, who was an enormous hero in Wyoming up until King Donny and the Dixiecrats came to rule what had once been the Republican Party. It'll hurt the state.
Both John Barrasso and Harriet Hageman have offices in the building.
Sell real estate, in general, is a bad idea for anyone or anything if it can be avoided.
cont:
Canada didn't bite and is keeping its counter tariffs on.
cont:
Various provincial controlled liquor distribution entities are pulling US alcohol from the shelves.
Alcohol is generally regarded as a saturated market, so even small differences in sales actually make a big difference. Prohibition demonstrated that once a product is removed, the taste for it disappears and does not revive, moreover. Prohibition in the US lasted, of course, from 1919 to 1932, but it destroyed rye whiskey market in the US for eighty years, and devastated the quality of American beer. Canada, already a major producer of beer and whiskey, will simply fill in the gaps locally. My guess is that Canadian whiskey sales in the US (personally I don't like Canadian whiskey) will increase in protest of King Donny's actions.
March 7, 2025
President Trump’s decision to suspend tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that comply with the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) is great news for the Canadian, Mexican and U.S. distilled spirits industries. Spirits produced in Canada, Mexico and the United States are all covered under USMCA. The USMCA has helped to ensure the continued growth of the U.S. spirits and hospitality industries, promote job growth and drive economic prosperity across the nation. We are hopeful that constructive dialogues continue between the U.S., Canada and Mexico that permanently brings back zero for zero tariffs for spirits trade between our three countries. We want Toasts Not Tariffs.
Chris Swonger, President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
Well, too late. US alcohol, which amounted to a $1B industry in Canada, is off Canadian shelves and not combing back on.
During Trump's last call with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Trump became so agitated that he started screaming profanities thus forcing U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to step in and give Canada what they demanded.
This is twice in a week where a cabinet officer suddenly acted independently in front of King Donny.
25th Amendment. . .
Last edition:
