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“I feel terrible for the American people because it’s not the American people, and it’s not even elected officials, it’s one person,”
Like hell. Congress is the one thing with the power to end this madness. The Republicans in control of both houses are absolutely responsible as they are doing literally nothing to rein in Trump's madness.
Agreed. It’s 80% of the elected officials at this point. It’s unfortunate that foreign puppets are in power.
Idk how much of a threat it actually is, but wasn't musk threatening to primary anyone who went against him?
If a threat from an unelected foreign Nazi is all it takes to keep you from doing your job, you're not fit to hold public office.
"I feel terrible for the American people because it's not the American people, and it's not even elected officials, it's one person,"
Americans elected Trump, and Americans are failing to do anything to reign Trump in.
These are the official policies for the COUNTRY! So unfortunately, this is not just one person, it is de facto USA as a whole.
If it was only Trump, it would just be Trump refusing to buy Canadian for himself. As it is, the whole apparatus is enforcing these decisions, and they impact all of USA.
The US electoral system is broken and has always been broken. Republicans have spent the past 2 decades gerrymandering and introducing as much legislation as possible to manipulate the outcome of elections in as many districts as possible. They've introduced legislation: to prevent people with debt from voting, to prevent people with criminal records from voting, to prevent people who cannot physically make it to polling stations from voting. The Republicans and the ruling class own all the largest media organizations in the United States, and they have weaponized social media and traditional media to indoctrinate and manipulate as many people as possible.
Trump won this election with fewer votes than he lost in 2020. He won mostly because Republicans and Democrats are material allies in neoliberal and imperialist endeavors. Democrats refused to campaign on progressive politics, instead choosing to run on a more conservative campaign than they ever have before.
The working class is not responsible for their own manipulation at the hands of the ruling class. It is not their fault that the system is broken. It is not the fault of American families who literally can not afford to resist, as without the income from their jobs, they will lose their homes and be unable to feed themselves and their children.
Capitalism is the problem. Conservatism, and by extension neoliberalism and fascism, is the problem. Donald Trump is an accelerationist fascist. He will not wait and seeks to plunge the nation headlong into fascism as soon as possible. But do not mistake that as being in opposition to the social and political system of America. Donald Trump is entirely a representative of the failure of American democracy, not a representative of the American people. He manipulated people into voting for him, as evidenced by widespread outrage at his actions even among those who ostensibly voted for him.
The US electoral system is broken
Which is why it's considered a flawed democracy, which I stated.
Republicans have spent the past 2 decades gerrymandering
Except Trump actually won the popular vote this time. Making this argument void regarding the presidential election 2024.
Republicans and Democrats are material allies
That far I agree, they have arranged it so they share power, except this time, Republicans may choose not to share it anymore.
The working class is not responsible for their own manipulation at the hands of the ruling class. It is not their fault that the system is broken.
Isn't it? Haven't they mostly agreed on this arrangement because for decades many thought they benefited from it too?
Capitalism is the problem
I partially agree, but there is no real alternative to capitalism, and definitely not anything proven, the problem is not capitalism but how it is managed. In a social democracy it can work pretty well.
Regarding the capitalism part
I'd say that what we see today is the logical conclusion of capitalism. In a way it's a broken system, it just takes time to collapse. But growing wealth inequality and consolidation of power are inherent problems in capitalism, and we were always going to see times like this. I mean, for further example, look at climate change and how it's damn near impossible to actually solve the problem
It's more that there is little political will for an alternative system, but don't get me wrong, if humanity wants to survive in the long run, there is no easy way out. I seriously do think that, either humanity makes a global economy that serves people, and not capital, or we will self-destruct due to systemic incentives of the profit incentive
And it’s not like the tariffs were a bait and switch. Trump literally had them in his platform.
In fact, all the crap he’s been pulling was in his platform. He’s doing exactly what he promised he would do, and half the country was like, “Maybe this isn’t a good idea” and the other half enthusiastically voted him and then are shocked he’s doing exactly what he said he would do.
This is like the time the UK voted for Brexit and then became shocked when Brexit happened.
This. I can't stand how they blame the system for a choice they chose to make, be it voting for the orange turd, or sitting it out to protest a war halfway across the world, knowing fully well that he'd use that complacency ro return to office. Now the rest of us are dragged into the muck.
Absolutely, Trump was elected in a democratic election.
USA is a (flawed) democracy supposedly with checks and balances.
It's not like some military general overthrew the democracy out of nowhere.
Obviously there are good Americans that oppose this, and tried to prevent it, but they are unfortunately a minority, and as a whole USA as a country is doing this, and letting it happen.
American here.
Keep doing what you're doing Canada. Don't play this retard's game. The ONLY thing conservatives understand is money. Hit them where it hurts. It's the only thing that'll make them sour on this traitor.
American trade is nearly worth half of Canada's total GDP. something like 75~80% of total Canadian exports go to the US. if they actually retaliate in force they could be dooming their country to an economic crisis if Trump is spiteful enough. so far the Canadian tariffs have only touched about $30B worth of goods, or 7% of the total trade.
Bottom line is Canada can't rely on an unreliable country that literally threatens them.
It's time for the world to move away from working with the U.S. We've shown we aren't trustworthy. Canada needs to increase trade to other countries to compensate.
While true, the Canadian government has already announced grants and loans to help Canadian companies restructure their supply chains away from the US. It's a start. While the legal framework exists, Canadian companies haven't yet had a reason to take advantage of new free trade agreements with the EU and the Asia Pacific. Now they do.
Also, in terms of numbers: about 25% of Canadian GDP is based on US trade; a little lower than the number you quoted, still too high, I'd say. Hopefully, the Canadian economies' smaller size will prove agile enough for the transition. I've also seen it suggested that the hit to the Canadian economy from Trump's attacks could be offset by removing internal trade barriers so that Canada can trade more efficiently with itself. This has been a huge shot in the arm for that project.
20% of US exports go to the EU, 18% go to Canada, 17% to Mexico, and less than 10% to China. Similarly, about 70% of US imports come from those same markets. This will be devastating for everyone, the US included. It won't be the 'short period of transition' the bloated diet coke goblin imagines. World trade patterns and supply chains will literally be upended.
Good
Yeah we’re not playing this back and forth game, just hit the Americans with tariffs and make them stick. Tbh I’m liking this “buy Canadian” movement that Americans have finally awakened
As an American… me too. I buy everything Canadian that I can. As long as he is in office, I’m buying foreign made. Idgaf about the tariff hike to do so. I’m voting with my wallet from now on since my vote doesn’t mean shit.
We’re gonna get a nice trump recession. All the fuckbrains will have to contend with their stupidity. I just hope I don’t get what they deserve.
Lol 'Trump recession'.
Better get ready for Trump destitution, with the way things are going
Something also not touched on in the article is the HUGE number of ukrainians we have in our country, particularly in the praries. We're ranked in the top 3 for ukrianians/Ukraine heritage, below Ukraine and Russia.
I'd argue most Canadians are pretty pro-Ukraine, and the US wiffle-waffling on that as well stings deep.
Trump thinks he can simply order things up like he's getting a Big Mac, and the courts and other countries are demonstrating to him that the world and the US do not work that way.
Also, I hate how normal this feels. Everyone's still struggling to pay for food, utilities, and health care, but now the other 49% are making excuses because now it's their shitty guy in charge of it, and the people who were making excuses while it happened for the last four years are pretending they give a shit.
Eh, the last 4 years were rough, but we were coming out of a pandemic and had one of the best, if not the best recovery in the world. To pin how we responded to covid on Biden is disingenuous. I voted for him because I didn't want Trump, but outside of his really bad fumble for the recent election (and his support of Isreal genociding Palestinians), he did a rather decent job.
had one of the best, if not the best recovery in the world
And that's really sad. The "best recovery in the world" and we're still inches away from a destitute working class, and ever-increasing wealth for the oligarchs.
Some highlights I found interesting:
The tariffs have been met with deep anxiety in Canada, whose majority of exports are sold to companies and clients in the US. Officials predict up to a million job losses if a 25% across the board levy went ahead, while economists warn that a recession is imminent if they persist.
Even with the tariffs being scaled back temporarily, the uncertainty alone is hurting both American and Canadian economies, says Rob Gillezeau, an assistant professor of economic analysis and policy at the University of Toronto.
"The most sensitive thing to uncertainty is business investment," Prof Gillezeau says, adding that firms are "not going to want to spend a dime anywhere" until they have some clarity.
That trepidation is also seen in the stock market, which had erased virtually all its gains since Trump won the presidency in November.
Proof that the rug can be pulled out from under you is a good sign that you need to prepare for that.
These sorts of preparations speak about the uncertainty mentioned in the article. That kind of uncertainty also hurts both countries. I don’t think there’s any net benefit to anyone.
million job losses if a 25% across the board levy went ahead, while economists warn that a recession is imminent if they persist.
Obviously this will harm the economy initially, probably much like when Finland lost most of Nokia. (Nokia was a huge part of Finish economy and jobs)
But Finland rose again quickly, and Canada will too, because Canada is a country that is very well liked in most of the world, and will have no problem increasing trade elsewhere.
There will be a transitional period, but on the upside also greater independence from USA.
Luckily Canada does not suffer from Dutch disease like Finland did. So Canada will be more flexible in the ways it can recover quickly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease
USA on the other hand, will not be in similar position to recoup their trade losses with, Mexico, Canada, EU, UK and China.
So USA will probably face a harder recession than Canada.
And that's probably Trump's plan, to weaken the entire west, including USA, NATO and of course Europe to benefit Russia.
As an American, I hope more countries choose this path. Trump, and a large number of Americans need to understand that “American exceptionalism” only matters to (some) Americans. A community of nations means no one country gets to dictate to all the others. Eventually that isolationism some of my country clamor for will come to feel pretty lonely as fewer and fewer countries put up with our BS.
It's a temporary reprieve for a reason. Canadians would have to have American levels of comprehension of what's happening to back off now
Hell yeah - it'll be a looooong time, if ever, before we can trust the U.S. again as a neighbour and ally. Right now, they're nothing less than an enemy.
As an American, I can't blame you for having this sentiment. Canada and Canadians don't deserve the stupid shit the Trump administration and its followers are dishing out. Like many here, I'm disgusted that we are treating one of our closest abd staunchest allies in such a crappy way. I hope you guys continue to play hardball on this stuff.
I've got both family and friends in the U.S., and have always enjoyed my time there, like most Canadians I think - but we're pissed off now, and we're gonna protect ourselves and the country we love any way we can. Here's hoping this madness ends soon, although right now it's hard to see how :-(. Cheers, and thanks for the support!
Honest question - are Canadians generally fine with normal US citizens with no untoward agenda still coming to visit and shop in Canada? I love partaking in the cuisine, a museum, and a library in a relatively nearby border town. Especially the more ethnically-diverse cuisine, because shitty generic Americana fare gets tiresome. Canadian Tire is fun, too, although I do secretly wonder why it's not Canadian Tyre. Curious to know if US plates on a car in Canada generate a negative response nowadays.
Also, I'm sorry about the reality for which I felt the need to ask this question.
Come and spend your money in our economy, sure!
I doubt you'll have any trouble unless you have MAGA bullshit on display or are driving a Tesla.
We dislike your president and the shit show he's caused. If you're willing to spend your hard earned money here though we'll welcome you with open arms.
We were recently in Vancouver, and people were happy to have us! You shouldn’t worry. We did some extra shopping in solidarity and they appreciated our support.
Most of the people I know are not okay with Americans right now. I’m in Alberta tho.
I own a business in Canada which gets a ton of tourists. I'm fine with everyone coming in.
That said, if they're wearing a MAGA red hat or a Trump shirt, I'm not quite sure what I'd do. I'd probably tell them they can't come in wearing that. I think it would be hilarious to make these scrubs leave their hats in the car.
What if, hear me out, what if we trick trump into thinking DC is canada? Maybe we would be DC statehood then? 👀
The title could really use an extra comma and some quotation marks...
dint he just do 50% tariffs on steel