An annual sporting event could trigger an already ugly, nasty and STUPID global trade war initiated by Donald “Tariff” Trump to go nuclear. As bad as Trumpty is making the U.S. and other country’s (allies and foes alike) much worse than they should be yes, there’s an old saying we should worry about: No matter how bad things are they can always get worse!
Earlier this week Canada’s current Prime Minister went where other world leaders have feared to tread and quite pointedly challenged Trump over the stupid tariffs. In typical, understated but clear classic diplomatic politeness he pointed out how full of sh*t Trump is about tariffs and trade in general. He also accurately stated a sad fact: that the U.S. that lead the free world in the 20th century and dominated after WWII is no more. That we can’t be trusted to keep our word in the long term. As a result he announced Canada would undertake an effort to, in the years ahead double its exports (trade) to OTHER countries. In effect, pull back from being one of this country’s largest and most important trading partners.
Trumpty of course reacted in grade school playground fashion. Last night he went on a Truth Social rant with a kind of ‘No, you don’t get to break up with me – I’m breaking up with YOU’ type of thing. As this article from the Associated Press tells us Trump’s announced he’s ending trade talks with Canada. That shouldn’t surprise anyone but take a closer look at what REALLY got Trumpty all jacked up:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced he’s ending “all trade negotiations” with Canada because of a television ad opposing U.S. tariffs that he said misstated the facts and called “egregious behavior” aimed at influencing U.S. court decisions.
Carney’s speech was nothing more to Trump than a political excuse to get back at Canada because the Premier of Ontario (Doug Ford who I should point out is quite conservative) ran an ad during a playoff game between the Toronto (Ontario) and Seattle Mariners. The ad showed scenery, much of it quite lovely of Ontario but it was the voiceover that set Trump off. The ad used none other that the GOP’s very own Ronald Reagan (St. Ronald, the Reagan as I believe the GOP once regarded him) trashing tariffs!
Yes, a longer address (given over radio from Camp David) was edited down for a one minute commercial but contrary to what Trump, GOPers and even folks at the Reagan Library (they and Team Trump have never until now been on anything resembling ‘best buddies’ terms) claim about mixing words, context etc. the sentences used in the ad were exactly as Reagan spoke them. And the overall context, that long-term tariffs aren’t just bad but economically destructive and destroy workers jobs and lives was the whole point of Reagan’s little five minute or so address that day. Take a look and listen to the man himself because this clip is exactly what is played in that TV ad. First, here’s the actual ad:
Now let’s look at Reagan himself speaking that day. After you do try and tell me the TV ad screws with Reagan’s statements or the context of what he was saying. Yes, he starts out saying the Japanese P.M. was coming to DC in the week ahead and trade would be high on the list of things to discuss, in part over a tariff. Saying he was ‘loathe to do so’ Reagan said for the moment a tariff was being placed on Japanese made semiconductors, but immediately says he will explain why although in quite specific and special circumstances a short-term tariff might be useful over the long term they were terrible policy. That they do much more harm than good. Reagan was a free-trade guy at his core and he makes that clear. Do yourself a favor and even if you hate the guy (and there are reasons to do so) it’s well worth five minutes of your time to hear him out on tariffs. He lays waste to every bit of the bullshit Trump’s been slinging:
The proof is right there. Reagan wasn’t misquoted or taken out of context. On the contrary. That’s why the TV ad rankled Trump so much when he learned of it. It’s been festering and at some point was bound to boil over. There’s an excellent write up from CNN that explains how the real impetus of Trump cancelling trade talks is this ad. I’m sure he feared that it would run during the World Series. I saw earlier today Ford says no, it’s out there and people are talking about it so no need. That’s now. The Series hasn’t even started yet so it’s hanging out there like a sword over Trumpy’s fat, stupid head and Trump knows it.
There’s no doubt Trump has been in a fowl mood today and it’s not helped by what’s likely to come. Known until recently for its unfailing politeness Canada has undergone something of a change. They were justifiably proud of how polite they were and how well received it was in other places. So much so they rather enjoyed and even played along with the gentle ribbing they took about it. Trump’s trade war, and how personal he’s made things with our neighbor to the north have as I said prompted a change.
The origins actually go back to Trump’s first term. He HAD to know about all the mocking on the internet about Melania’s dreamy stares at former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Who could blame her? While Trudeau wound up falling out of favor at the time he was popular both in Canada and here. Young, smart, handsome and fit while “Melanie’s” hubby Trump was…Well, Trump. Old, stupid, fat and even as we’ve learned stinky!
However let’s fast forward to Trump 2.0. Tariffs are the name of the game and Canada has taken a whole lot more from Trump than they deserve. Overall their citizens are smarter both in general and politically. The quality of life from top to bottom is better, as is access to health care and other services. They don’t have anything like the violence we see here because there’s meaningful gun regulation. And health care includes access to mental health care. They get actual meaningful time off work and can enjoy it. Sometimes I wish I’d listened to a lady I once knew and enjoyed time with when she was in DC on business when she suggested I look at moving to Vancouver. Oh well.
What I want you to know is that Canada has already proven it’s done taking Trump (and America’s) sh!t. No more polite neighbor to the north. It’s tradition when Canadian and U.S. teams play each other in whatever sport for both country’s National Anthems to be played/sung. Not long ago, Canadians, Canadians actually loudly BOOED during the U.S. Anthem! It sent shockwaves far and wide.
Game 1 of this year’s World Series is scheduled to start in a couple of hours. 8pm eastern time. It will be broadcast around the world. While it won’t have the viewership of a World Cup or Super Bowl it will still be a massive audience, and Game 1 is up across the border in… Toronto! Ontario (which ran that ad that jacked Trumpy up). CANADA. Don’t be surprised if thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of fans boo during our national anthem. Or hold up anti-Trump signs. Or worse MOCK him with dress up Trumpty Dumptys. He’ll go batshit insane. Maybe even deny entry into the U.S. for the Blue Jays when the Series moves to Los Angeles! These days there’s no telling how far Trump will take things.
What’s for sure is that cutting off trade talks with Canada will just be the start. He’ll expand to make things tougher for others who are quite willing to trade with Canada and while Trump’s already hung an anchor around the neck of the global economy his petulant vindictiveness could lead him to add plenty more. Yes, he will destroy it all because a) thanks to gutless Republicans and SCOTUS he can, and b) because like assholes who get jilted and murder their partner and sometimes even the kids before turning the gun on themselves or committing ‘suicide by cop’ Trump is infused with the “If I can’t have what I want then nobody else can either.
So, incredibly a freaking baseball game, or series of games might trigger a global economy killing game war. Because Trumpty is mad that a conservative icon went and made a speech (and worse recorded it) that grinds his (Trump’s) ‘Tariffs are the greatest most awesome economic thing ever’ into dust.
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If I’m not mistaken, I think St. Ronny was one of tRump’s heroes. That probably burns him pretty good.
I don’t think Doug Ford should be getting mixed up in US politics. It’s too crazy and non-productive. Canada and Ontario should do exactly what PM Carney has said: get on with expanding trade with other counties and forget about the US for the time being.
Ford was not getting mixed up in US “politics.”
You do realize that tRump’s “tariffs” are ECONOMIC WARFARE, not politics.
And Ford leads a very productive Canadian province, which has a large economy tied to the northeastern section of your country with trade and electricity. His advertisement simply stated the obvious, using a pretty realistic spokesperson.
The fact that tRump doesn’t know the difference between an ad from a province and the govt of the country of Canada is more frightening. tRump doesn’t know sh*t about tariffs, either.
But FOLLOW THE MONEY. Tariffs bring in money, even though it is the consumers who pay it.
But now tRump wants his $230 million, so it’s gotta come from somewhere…
I bet the White House is really going to go ballistic after they hear the results of Game 1 (in which Toronto really cleaned the Dodgers’ clock, 11-4).
I don’t follow sports so much anymore. Not even baseball and my beloved Cubbies that I fell in love with when I was five years old (I’m in my lates sixties now) who have broken my heart over and over. And the ONE time they gave me cause to rejoice, not only making it to the World Series (which was all I ever wanted – just that had become a fantasy I’d accepted I’d never live to see) but winning weeks later Trump “won” over Hillary Clinton! I’ve been agnostic for decades but have never been able to shake off the possibility I’m wrong, there is a god and he/she has a mean streak and likes to fuck with humanity now and then. Sort of a ‘I’ll let the Cubs win, after torturing their fans to the very last out. Even non Cubs fans will like it. But in return the U.S. getting Trump sicced on them!’
Anyway what little interest I had in MLB this season was gone when the Cubs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. However I did see talk in the days leading up to the Series and the general consensus was that the Dodgers had developed into a juggernaut. That they were “inevitable.’ That, even though the Blue Jays and they had strikingly similar records at the end of the regular season. It’s only one game and the World Series is a best of seven games thing. A team has to win four games. So there’s plenty of time for L.A. to come back but the Jays have home field advantage this year (if it goes the full seven games four will be played in Toronto and most sports teams do better at home) so obviously, by winning big in the first game they are in a pretty good position.
Trump can play dumb if asked about it because he ordinarily wouldn’t care. He might THIS year because of who happens to be playing in the fall classic. Both teams come from cites and states/provinces he outright hates these days. That’s why I threw in the crack about him refusing to allow Toronto’s team and staff into the U.S. after the first two games. Shut the whole thing down so NEITHER team can win! I’ll bet Trumpty has talked to his senior staff about whether he could get away with it.