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Trump's Trade War

6/7/2018

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      It has been a week or so since Trump decided to put tariffs on steel and aluminum, from Canada, Mexico and the E U and the reaction was quick and fierce. Trump claimed that he was doing so for " security" reasons, saying to Trudeau, when he questioned that ( in a phone conversation)and stating that Canada has been a close ally militarily and otherwise for over a hundred years, from WW 1 to Afghanistan etc. Trump raised the burning of the White House during the 1812 war ( it was British troops under Ross who had done so, after the Americans had attacked York( now Toronto). It was actually Aug.24, 1814.
     The response came quickly with Canada imposing ta tariffs worth over $16 billion on American products, from steel and aluminum products to pizza, yogurt, coffee, maple syrup, chocolate, strawberry jam, orange juice, playing cards and whiskey/bourbon etc. These are very targeted, affecting many of the States that supported  Trump and continue to do so and where some prominent Republicans like Ryan and McConnell were elected from. The upcoming primaries and mid-term elections are a key.
     The Europeans have also responded with the European Commission president Juncker saying that " this a bad day for world trade. This is protectionism, pure and simple" and the French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire stating the tariffs are " dangerous and unjustified". The Europeans have so far imposed  over $4 billion on products from motor cycles, to Levi's jeans to bourbon. The Mexicans have also levied import taxes on such items as pork bellies, apples, cheese and various types of steel.
     The " targeted" strategy are a good starting point as jobs are threatened and prices are going up. Some powerful interests like the arch-conservative Koch brothers, the American Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation have denounced the tariffs as " growth killers".
     China which Trump had accused of "raping" the American economy with its products and which has a huge trade imbalance with U S has so far not been targeted. Instead Trump has been making nice ( his daughter has just obtained more than a dozen deals and Trump himself stand to gain financially from Chinese investments in Indonesian projects that Trump has some stake), with China, which continues to increase its presence in the South China Seas, building bases on man-made islands.
     Trump's " national security" excuse( and it is that) is a cover for his " America First" platform, that he used so successfully to get elected. It is protectionist and destructive and only serve to boost his support among his " base". It may continue to do so, until the combine actions of Canada, Mexico and Europe take hold, increasing prices for consumers from manufacturing to agricultural etc. and threatening employment from California to Colorado( sleeping bags) to Florida( orange juIce) to Kentucky ( bourbon) to Maine( maple syrup)  Michigan to Pennsylvania ( felt pens, ketchup, fridges) to Wisconsin (lawn mowers, cheese, soy sauce) to South Carolina( Zodiac inflatable and sailboats). The list goes on.
     The upcoming G7 meeting in Quebec will be a test,  for TRUMP. Some are already calling it G 6+1. The lines are drawn.
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    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.

     

     

     





     



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