It is always play time at the fun house on the Potomac River. This is Mr. Trump’s domain these days and he takes great delight at pushing the buttons of power. In his childlike way, he abuses the powers of his office. Friend or foe alike, he cares not for rules or truth or the future.
It is why I do not like to write as much about him anymore. It is that he is not a politician. He is a clown. He surrounds himself in the White House with a pratfall of clowns.
The only problem that Americans will have to face is that it will take many years to restore the respect, the trust and the nation to nation friendships that the American Empire has had in the past. The world is learning from Mr. Trump that America’s word can no longer be trusted.
Mr. Trump is facing is the same problem a little boy encounters when first he pisses into the wind. He gets wet. He will get worse than wet in a world that turns on America. He is defiant. He is costing America acceptance, influence, power, respect and trade.
He has no understanding that nobody wins when you kick your neighbour’s dog. You can only get payback. And when you screw around with integrated manufacturing systems across borders, you drive up costs. Could nobody explain to him that the three of the largest aluminum smelters in Quebec, producing a million metric tons of aluminum per year, are mainly owned by ALCOA. Who does he think he is hurting with his tariff?
Who does a 25 per cent tariff on steel harm when Canada is a major source of supply of rolled steel for automobile and truck bodies? The American steel makers could hardly duplicate those rolling mills overnight.
Just wait until the Trump loyalists find out what their new Chevy pickup will cost them next year. And why have Canadians stopped buying their produce? And why can they not get casual help bringing in their crops?
Trade wars are ugly. Memories of trade wars are bitter. And those memories last. They leave bad tastes and lasting distrust. In a world taking the path to freer and open trading relationships Mr. Trump is the spoiled child using tantrums to try to get his way.
Mr. Trump promised his claque that he would make America great again. Does he have to destroy it first?
-30-
Copyright 2018 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]