1/ Look, I *expect* a 70-year old dipshit with an indifferent education and understanding of the world not to understand trade. Global supply chains, low-friction trade systems, JIT, and modern manufacturing alignment is for nerds, right?
2/ This whole zero-sum idiocy makes sense if your knowledge of trade is importing Eastern European brides and bellowing "MOAR GOLD LEAF" in your low-rent, dank casinos.
3/ What should offend, and obviously doesn't, is that Trump's attacks are harming the constituents of House and Senate members who are passively letting this happen.
Trade wars have victims. They are not unilateral. The victims will be American consumers and businesses.
Trade wars have victims. They are not unilateral. The victims will be American consumers and businesses.
4/ I also find the "conservative" media slowly edging themselves towards Trump's position on trade, which is, of course, one more step in the journey from any kind of principle and into the warm spitoon of nationalist economic populism.
5/ "Ignore everything we've always believed, written, and argued for on trade and economics. We've seen the golden light of Trump! 17th-century economics and trade policy are teh awesome!"
Same with a number of think tanks, who whisper their objections when they should shout.
Same with a number of think tanks, who whisper their objections when they should shout.
6/ This isn't a unipolar transaction. The other guys get a vote. That's why mediating institutions like the WTO and NAFTA were good for America and good for our trading partners, but hey...why not burn down the system that led to huge prosperity?
7/ Those BMW and Harley workers, soybean farmers et al who getting boned by Trump's trade policy are largely represented by Republicans doing *nothing* to oppose Trump on an issue that directly harms their constituents.
Nothing. A single, snippy press release doesn't count.
Nothing. A single, snippy press release doesn't count.
8/ This is your Republican Congress, workers of America: Abdication of leadership, abandonment of their constitutional prerogatives, dismissal of their constituents needs.
You'd be ashamed of how far you've fallen, if you had a whit of self-awareness, honor, or dignity.
You'd be ashamed of how far you've fallen, if you had a whit of self-awareness, honor, or dignity.
9/ If the Democrats could get their heads out of their asses, this would be a huge political opportunity; there's a market opening for a party that embraces free trade, budget discipline, and the enormous benefits global prosperity and free markets.
It sure isn't Trump's GOP.
It sure isn't Trump's GOP.
10/ So endeth the lesson.
