“Few forces have such a powerful, long-lasting impact on geopolitics as distrust…”
As someone who is very much out of his comfort zone when talking about “geopolitics” or international economics, the quote above strikes my layman’s common sense infused brain as being a profoundly relevant comment on not only geopolitics, but on virtually every aspect of life in civilized society. Distrust destroys every relationship it touches - period.
The problem is that we have a mafioso mentality (some might argue a “caveman mentality”) operating in and around the White House currently. The sad fact is that distrust is like a destructive virus that feeds on itself.
We thought the COVID pandemic was bad. Well, the distrust pandemic is upon us now, I fear ….. Jesus! See what I just said?
I grew up in Lansing, MI, the then home to Oldsmobile Motors, the now defunct General Motors brand. It was well known in the 70’s that a job at the Olds factory got you a cheap new car every two years, a large enough wage to own a home, own a boat and a camper, summers off with unemploymen. Most state campgrounds were booked solid with auto workers. The factory line was the best place to get illegal substances, incidentally.
Today’s economy requires workers willing to make $2.50 hr and those demanding $10’s of millions for their services. Not sure which alternative Elon has in mind for us? A blend of both… perhaps.
As to the promised long-term economic gain, first, even with tariffs the predicted increase of manufacturing's role in GDP rises from 10% t0 12.5% (Krugman). Secondly, the median wage of an industrial worker is $18/hour (BLS; also, our local Costco has a starting wage of $20/hour). This data ≠ a return to a golden age in the US economy - especially considering the regressive nature of the tariffs.
The Secy of the Treasury has commented that "tariffs will generate 1 TRILLION dollars over the next ten years".......that is $500 BILLION each YEAR that will come out of the lower 50%'s income. The amount of misery this projects is appalling. Furthermore, the stupid republicans do not include any debt reduction in their calculations. Google has this to say about the debt costs: The U.S. government spent $952 billion in net interest costs on the national debt in fiscal year 2025, which is projected to rise to $1.8 trillion by 2035 - (only if the debt DOES NOT INCREASE!!!) By the time tRump is gone (which could be MANY year from now) this country will have achieved a third world standard of living and set a record for collapsing without an invasion from an enemy, or will that happen as well?
They're dropping the EU (GDP $20T) for Russia (GDP $2T) to face the Chinese, but in such an inept, clumsy way, that they're pushing allies (GDP $5.9T) into the arms of the Chinese and antagonizing Canada (GDP $2.1T).
It's the greatest self-own in history. No, seriously.
How will the suddenly meme-hot "Abundance" agenda play out in real time as tRump 2.0 conducts a full-on assault on the US economy? Curious people would like to know.
Sounds like pain all around : ) But pain isn't the goal. Or maybe it is. Our tariffs are designed to lower (or eliminate) their tariffs. This will create a freer marketplace and an economic boom.
To what extent will any of these geopolitical own-goals be reversible once a new President is in office? (Assuming a Democratic or more traditional Republican administration - perhaps a naive assumption?) While US allies and trading partners need to react to Trump’s new policies, they must know that there is a non-zero probability that many will end when a new President is inaugurated.
“Few forces have such a powerful, long-lasting impact on geopolitics as distrust…”
As someone who is very much out of his comfort zone when talking about “geopolitics” or international economics, the quote above strikes my layman’s common sense infused brain as being a profoundly relevant comment on not only geopolitics, but on virtually every aspect of life in civilized society. Distrust destroys every relationship it touches - period.
The problem is that we have a mafioso mentality (some might argue a “caveman mentality”) operating in and around the White House currently. The sad fact is that distrust is like a destructive virus that feeds on itself.
We thought the COVID pandemic was bad. Well, the distrust pandemic is upon us now, I fear ….. Jesus! See what I just said?
And that’s how it works on any/all of us.
I grew up in Lansing, MI, the then home to Oldsmobile Motors, the now defunct General Motors brand. It was well known in the 70’s that a job at the Olds factory got you a cheap new car every two years, a large enough wage to own a home, own a boat and a camper, summers off with unemploymen. Most state campgrounds were booked solid with auto workers. The factory line was the best place to get illegal substances, incidentally.
Today’s economy requires workers willing to make $2.50 hr and those demanding $10’s of millions for their services. Not sure which alternative Elon has in mind for us? A blend of both… perhaps.
As to the promised long-term economic gain, first, even with tariffs the predicted increase of manufacturing's role in GDP rises from 10% t0 12.5% (Krugman). Secondly, the median wage of an industrial worker is $18/hour (BLS; also, our local Costco has a starting wage of $20/hour). This data ≠ a return to a golden age in the US economy - especially considering the regressive nature of the tariffs.
The Secy of the Treasury has commented that "tariffs will generate 1 TRILLION dollars over the next ten years".......that is $500 BILLION each YEAR that will come out of the lower 50%'s income. The amount of misery this projects is appalling. Furthermore, the stupid republicans do not include any debt reduction in their calculations. Google has this to say about the debt costs: The U.S. government spent $952 billion in net interest costs on the national debt in fiscal year 2025, which is projected to rise to $1.8 trillion by 2035 - (only if the debt DOES NOT INCREASE!!!) By the time tRump is gone (which could be MANY year from now) this country will have achieved a third world standard of living and set a record for collapsing without an invasion from an enemy, or will that happen as well?
They're dropping the EU (GDP $20T) for Russia (GDP $2T) to face the Chinese, but in such an inept, clumsy way, that they're pushing allies (GDP $5.9T) into the arms of the Chinese and antagonizing Canada (GDP $2.1T).
It's the greatest self-own in history. No, seriously.
How will the suddenly meme-hot "Abundance" agenda play out in real time as tRump 2.0 conducts a full-on assault on the US economy? Curious people would like to know.
Sounds like pain all around : ) But pain isn't the goal. Or maybe it is. Our tariffs are designed to lower (or eliminate) their tariffs. This will create a freer marketplace and an economic boom.
To what extent will any of these geopolitical own-goals be reversible once a new President is in office? (Assuming a Democratic or more traditional Republican administration - perhaps a naive assumption?) While US allies and trading partners need to react to Trump’s new policies, they must know that there is a non-zero probability that many will end when a new President is inaugurated.