retiredprof.com
  • Home
  • Videos

Trump...  Ethno Nationalism, the Drug of Danger 

2/26/2017

0 Comments

 
    There is fear and danger in the land and many are fleeing to sanctuaries, within and without. The appeal to fear and insecurity, to ignorance and bigotry, to religious zealotry and ethnic nationalism, to " make America great again", to ban Muslims, to deport millions, to " bring back the jobs", to tear up trade agreements, to repeal Obamacare, to build the Wall and make Mexico pay for it, calling the media  " the enemies of the people", questioning the integrity of the courts and the competence of the intelligence services, is roiling the land ( two Indian engineers going to a bar for an after-work drink are accosted and shot, one killed, after being told to go back to their country; many are taking to the streets to protests; some are seeking sanctuary and many are fleeing to Canada).
    Restricting trade and immigration is a toxic. It could damage the economy. Trade is necessary for every nation. It is a means of selling what it has and buying what it needs. There have to be rules and those are contained in the agreements negotiated, like NAFTA.
     Some countries run a deficit and that is not necessarily bad and may indeed be a good sign. When, as in the case of US and Mexico, there are many reasons. Firstly, the US has a very strong currency much more valuable than Mexico's. So it is cheaper for American consumers to buy much more of what they want ( avocados, tequila, cars, oil and gas etc.), while the Mexicans cannot afford to buy as much from the US. US/Mexico trade is worth $581 billion+ with a $ 55 billion deficit; US/China has a $659 billion trade with $ 360 deficit and Us /Canada has a $575 billion trade with a $ 15billion deficit. In the case of China, much of what it sells to the US is made by American corporations in China and it is very inexpensive and so shoppers at Walmart and other outlets, get a bargain, buy a lot and the corporations hire workers and make a huge profit and consumers save. The same with Mexico and Canada. Millions of jobs are created on all sides (  the Us/Canada trade is responsible for 9 million jobs in 35 states in the US and 2 million in Canada.
     So if, as Trump threatens, he tears up the NAFTA agreement,  American consumers will have to pay more for products they need and many millions will lose their jobs. That is why many states are calling on Trump not to restrict trade with Canada. We share a long border and millions travel each year back and forth for shopping and holidays and visiting friends and relatives too.
     In the case of Mexico, Trump wants to build a wall, ostensibly to keep out illegal immigrants, many of whom come from various countries in Central and South America and elsewhere and cross the border into the US. He wants the Mexican to pay for the wall but that has been roundly rejected, so he is using the scrapping of NAFTA as a means of forcing the Mexicans to make a deal. That will not happen ( probably, if he had not been so loud and bullying, some deal could have been worked out quietly, but Trump screams insults ( rapists and criminals), rather than negotiate quietly. The $55 billion deficit is due to cheap Mexican goods and the high American dollar. American customers can easily buy Mexican but Mexicans cannot buy American.
     China has been the manufacturer to the world for over 20 years. It is a combination of cheap labour and a Chinese government that in the 90s came to realize that it has to open ( to get rich is good, as Deng Chao Ping noted ) up in order to feed its teeming population. Many corporations relocated to China and China flourished ( even Trump wanted to do business there....his clothing line but not hotels), as they produced all manner of goods that were eagerly sought after, from television to clothing to everything. Its trade deficit grew with the US as, not many Chinese consumers could afford to buy American. So Trump used China and the deficit to whip up anger against China, accusing it of, among other things of currency manipulation ( while he and his daughter continue to make products there ).
     If Trump goes ahead and try to impose tariffs or any other punitive measures on Canada, Mexico or China, it will be Americans, people and corporations that will suffer, whether it be, by paying more for goods or losing their jobs. He makes policy on the fly, without much thought or information. It may have worked in the election campaign but not as government policies. Ignorance, threats, bullying of trading partners have serious consequences and so the wall, if built will be paid for by American taxpayers; the trade agreements, if they are scrapped will cost American jobs and if tariffs are placed on goods coming into the country, it will be the American consumers who will pay.
     Immigration and the 11 million " undocumented" won a lot of support for Trump and won him the White House, but now the reality check. His first attempt to ban immigration from Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia and Syria, by Executive Order was a disaster. It created a nightmare for travellers and not just from these countries and was quickly and successfully challenged in the courts ( District and Appeals , where all 4 judges ruled against the ban ( Trump tried to hide behind an Obama restriction, but failed ). Trump has gone back to the drawing board and a new Order is expected.
     In the meantime, there is fear in the land as people are rounded up and deported ( on the grounds that they are criminals, no matter how small the " crime" or how long they have been in the country. Many cities and churches have declared themselves to be " sanctuary" and refusing to go along with the ban or to cooperate with immigration officials. Many fear-stricken people are fleeing across icy fields to the Canadian border, seeking refuge in Canada. Trump's action has led to a petition signed by 1.8 million in Britain, to ban him from a proposed visit and forced a debate in Parliament, whose Speaker "is  strongly opposed" to Trump addressing the House of Commons and thus banned from doing so. The Europeans have also been very critical of the " Muslim ban".
     The 11 million " undocumented" perform many tasks, from babysitting to gardening to picking crops to construction, to restaurants to working in factories and slaughter houses ( jobs that are "dirty", backbreaking and dangerous and which " Americans" do not want to do. They are a very important part of the work force and already farmers and builders and restaurants etc. are complaining ( even the Trump vineyard has approached the  authorities to get " foreign workers" to come in). These are necessary work and the workers pay billions in taxes but do not collect Social Security ( even though they have contributed billions ). Another campaign promise that is having serious consequences.
          
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Follow me on Twitter

    ​
    Picture
    fig 2-b My Father and Mother to whom I owe everything

    "Ecce Homo"  ("Behold the Man"), Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus to the people of Jerusalem.

    fig 1-b


    figure 1-a

    F. Goya
    Two men fighting with clubs
    circa 1819-1823

    The Black Paintings Period


    (Fig 2a) The Death of Innocents


    Author

     Ishwar R. Prashad recently retired from over 47 years of teaching.

    He taught Political Science variously at Dawson College, Loyola College, Algoma University College, Sir George Williams University, Concordia University and Vanier College.

    Previously, he taught for nine years in Port Mourant, Guyana.


    He became Principal of Corentyne Comprehensive High School at the tender age of 21. During this time he turned down Scholarship offers to study overseas in England and the U.S.S.R.

    He chose Canada and after graduating from Sir George Williams with a B.A Honours with Distinction, he accepted a Fellowship to complete his graduate work at McMaster University. He completed his first two degrees-Bachelors and Masters- in three years.  

    His last position was as Co-Ordinator of Political Science and Economics at Vanier College and Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Concordia University.

    He is married to the former Juliet Ramcharan (Library Supervisor, McGill University) and together they have three children – Indra R. Prashad, P.Eng. ,McGill (Presently Manager, Ontario Safe Water Drinking Agency), Ishwar R. Prashad Jr., B.A ,McGill (Presently, President, Kismit Gear Inc.) and Rabindra Y. Prashad, (Presently, Artist and Chef).They are the proud Grandparents of eight grandchildren-Miranda, Kamal, Ayesha, Élan, Anĵa , Étienne, Chloé, and Jasmine.

     

     

     





     



    Archives

    July 2020
    May 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    November 1999

    Categories

    All
    A
    Estryed Infrastructure
    F
    Hai
    Ic
    I Will Srike With
    Jr
    O
    Q
    T

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.