Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
I don't know what the full spectrum's standing is, but the lynchpins have all gone into effect by now.

US tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico, EU: June 1
Canada's retaliatory tariffs: July 1
Mexico's retaliatory tariffs: June 5
EU retaliatory tariffs: June 22
(More to come)

I'm not going to bother looking up the situation vis-a-vis China, but I'm pretty sure at least one round of tariffs has already been implemented on both sides, with more set to go into effect.

This is a serious situation Seamus, not just rhetoric.


Trump and his supporters believe in the ethic of total retaliation, which is the acceptance that you will never be good enough on your own merits, so the best you can do is create chaos and destruction and inflict cruelty and pain on others.
I have a Comm PhD. I assure you that I believe that rhetoric matters and that it is serious; these tariff disputes will have a significant impact. I hadn't realized we were past the start dates on those yet -- crazy schedule this last month for me.

My basic point is that Trump is assuming we can take the pain better than our "opponents" in these disputes and that they will cave before we do. I am NOT certain he is factoring things correctly in this.