Sunday, February 2, 2025

I am less worried about the tariffs than most

Trump started an incoherent trade war with Canada and Mexico. It isn't designed to raise money or anything, but to look tough about immigration and drugs. I am not particularly worried about this because it is performative. 



My guess is that Trump will negotiate, get a tiny change, and proclaim he won for America. This was the exact process during his first term when he "tore up NAFTA" North American Free Trade Association and replaced it with USMCA "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement". Despite the puffery from the Administration last time, it contained very few changes to NAFTA. None of the changes materially affected trade, but he sold himself as a master negotiator.

Mexico and Canada have responded with tariffs but will probably "cave" by sucking up to Trump and changing almost nothing.

Kabuki Theater at its (2nd) finest.


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I’m in Steamboat Springs - most posting begins on Sunday

 However, I had to post this. Everything is kind of poopy now (see no curse words). So I take humor were I can.