To be fair, this has always been a weakness. It was Obama and Biden’s as well. Insecure men who don’t want anyone smarter around them. And then, with Trump, the added loyalty tests.
Ms. Pletka, I hope I'm free on Thursday. I think Trump is playing a dangerous game of chicken. One of the requirements of a good leader is for him to convey a sense of competence and security. I'm not feeling it.
I plan to retire at the end of the year from my 45 years of bricklaying. It doesn't look good any more. I'm all for the goals. But a little more emphasis on freedom and less on getting even would go a lot further to a stable world. Always good stuff. Take care.
"I just had a great call with the Acting President of South Korea. We talked about their tremendous and unsustainable Surplus, Tariffs, Shipbuilding, large scale purchase of U.S. LNG, their joint venture in an Alaska Pipeline, and payment for the big time Military Protection we provide to South Korea,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They began these Military payments during my first term, Billions of Dollars, but Sleepy Joe Biden, for reasons unknown, terminated the deal. That was a shocker to all! In any event, we have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries." — President Trump.
So Danielle (I feel like I can call you Danielle, so please take no offense), if you were a country, and you have large government and massive trade deficits, and you have 50,000 American soldiers defending another country that has tariffs and trade barriers erected against you and who subsidizes key industries so that yours no longer exist, and who has not always been trustworthy with intellectual property, and … runs a huuuuge trade surplus with you, the nation of Pletkania, … would you be more like our leaders over the past 50 years, … or more like that crazy, orange real estate man?
Yes, I know tariffs do not work ,… etc. But, it depends on what your goal is. And if what we are doing is not working to remove the barriers, … what other options are there, … declare war, embargo, go to GATT/WTO (ha, ha, ha), … what do you suggest as a solution for your country (lower energy costs — yes, DJT is on it), better education (yes, DJT is on it), better infrastructure (we have pretty good infrastructure, but maintenance and improvements could help), productivity improvements (they take time and we are running out of time). OK, it’s your turn lead Pletkania!!!
Oh Pletkania, Pletkania rules the waves! Pletkans never, never, never will be slaves! (And don’t do what the Brits did).
And Ms. Pletka, don’t worry about the markets now. Worry about them when our debt exceeds $50 trillion and the trade deficit is $4 trillion a year — and then it won’t be a 10% drop, it will be 1929! Into every life some rain must fall. Our economy and markets were overvalued given that we are borrowing like drunken … (fill in the blank). Get our house in order or headed in the right direction and the markets will pop. They want to pop. They just hate uncertainty. Certainty is coming, … on better terms. Tariffs may be around a while, but most of the impact on the market is more less built in now. That doesn’t mean the markets won’t swoon, but they will return to their tangent.
I am heartened by reports that Mr. Permanent Tariffs Peter Navarro is being supplanted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as the face of Trump's trade/tariff "strategy," such as it is. It suggests that negotiations toward lower trade barriers (hopefully including non-tariff trade barriers, and there are lots of those) are emerging as the strategy.
Donald Trump is the Napoleon of negotiations and strategy. He has none other than constant maneuver to get what he wants. It is a New York 1970-2010 real estate world, and Trump shifts forces, disguises, changes positions, force marches better than anyone. If you look at the battle Austerlizt, Napoleon mislead, misdirected, and shocked his opponents into defeat. Each battle moved him closer and closer to his goal — but each were nonconformist. He has 4 years and is unlikely to march on Moscow — but he will win this and that and over time, change will occur. It is pin-ball with all the balls in play at once.
Danielle, you should enjoy this and not worry so much about— this is fun to watch. Here are the two rules of the game. Never forget them:
”Don’t take Trump literally, take him seriously.” — Selena Zito
“Don’t look at what Trump does, look at his goal.” — James Madison
I vote he doesn't know what he is doing. If he did, would he surround himself with Peter Navarro and Stephen Miller?
To be fair, this has always been a weakness. It was Obama and Biden’s as well. Insecure men who don’t want anyone smarter around them. And then, with Trump, the added loyalty tests.
Ms. Pletka, I hope I'm free on Thursday. I think Trump is playing a dangerous game of chicken. One of the requirements of a good leader is for him to convey a sense of competence and security. I'm not feeling it.
I plan to retire at the end of the year from my 45 years of bricklaying. It doesn't look good any more. I'm all for the goals. But a little more emphasis on freedom and less on getting even would go a lot further to a stable world. Always good stuff. Take care.
"I just had a great call with the Acting President of South Korea. We talked about their tremendous and unsustainable Surplus, Tariffs, Shipbuilding, large scale purchase of U.S. LNG, their joint venture in an Alaska Pipeline, and payment for the big time Military Protection we provide to South Korea,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They began these Military payments during my first term, Billions of Dollars, but Sleepy Joe Biden, for reasons unknown, terminated the deal. That was a shocker to all! In any event, we have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries." — President Trump.
So Danielle (I feel like I can call you Danielle, so please take no offense), if you were a country, and you have large government and massive trade deficits, and you have 50,000 American soldiers defending another country that has tariffs and trade barriers erected against you and who subsidizes key industries so that yours no longer exist, and who has not always been trustworthy with intellectual property, and … runs a huuuuge trade surplus with you, the nation of Pletkania, … would you be more like our leaders over the past 50 years, … or more like that crazy, orange real estate man?
Yes, I know tariffs do not work ,… etc. But, it depends on what your goal is. And if what we are doing is not working to remove the barriers, … what other options are there, … declare war, embargo, go to GATT/WTO (ha, ha, ha), … what do you suggest as a solution for your country (lower energy costs — yes, DJT is on it), better education (yes, DJT is on it), better infrastructure (we have pretty good infrastructure, but maintenance and improvements could help), productivity improvements (they take time and we are running out of time). OK, it’s your turn lead Pletkania!!!
Oh Pletkania, Pletkania rules the waves! Pletkans never, never, never will be slaves! (And don’t do what the Brits did).
And Ms. Pletka, don’t worry about the markets now. Worry about them when our debt exceeds $50 trillion and the trade deficit is $4 trillion a year — and then it won’t be a 10% drop, it will be 1929! Into every life some rain must fall. Our economy and markets were overvalued given that we are borrowing like drunken … (fill in the blank). Get our house in order or headed in the right direction and the markets will pop. They want to pop. They just hate uncertainty. Certainty is coming, … on better terms. Tariffs may be around a while, but most of the impact on the market is more less built in now. That doesn’t mean the markets won’t swoon, but they will return to their tangent.
I am heartened by reports that Mr. Permanent Tariffs Peter Navarro is being supplanted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as the face of Trump's trade/tariff "strategy," such as it is. It suggests that negotiations toward lower trade barriers (hopefully including non-tariff trade barriers, and there are lots of those) are emerging as the strategy.
Donald Trump is the Napoleon of negotiations and strategy. He has none other than constant maneuver to get what he wants. It is a New York 1970-2010 real estate world, and Trump shifts forces, disguises, changes positions, force marches better than anyone. If you look at the battle Austerlizt, Napoleon mislead, misdirected, and shocked his opponents into defeat. Each battle moved him closer and closer to his goal — but each were nonconformist. He has 4 years and is unlikely to march on Moscow — but he will win this and that and over time, change will occur. It is pin-ball with all the balls in play at once.
Danielle, you should enjoy this and not worry so much about— this is fun to watch. Here are the two rules of the game. Never forget them:
”Don’t take Trump literally, take him seriously.” — Selena Zito
“Don’t look at what Trump does, look at his goal.” — James Madison