Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Friday, April 4, 2025

As Usual, Listen to Josh Marshall

 This feels like the most comprehensive explanation of why we are suddenly in a trade war.

TL;DR: Coerce countries into making "deals" with us that benefit us (and hurt them). They peg their currency to the dollar, the dollar falls in value, American exports become attractive, America reindustrializes. It's a dumb plan, but it IS a plan.

Then there is the reality that this is Trump we are dealing with here. There can be no mutually beneficial trade deals. America HAS TO WIN. Which means large entities like Europe and East Asia are simply not going to give him what he wants. This isn't stiffing a contractor and threatening to tie him up in lawsuits. These are sovereign nations.

UPDATE: Derek Thompson seems to land in the same spot.

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