Wednesday, June 13, 2018

How We Can Fight Back Against Trump's Tariff War



In one of my last posts I ran this photoshop creation I made, to represent what many millions of Canadians would probably love to see happen to Donald Trump.

Especially after the deranged bully threatened to escalate his insane trade war on Canada and Canadians. 

Escalating his attack on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Donald Trump is now pledging to punish “the people of Canada” economically because of the post-G7 news conference in which Trudeau criticized Trump’s tariffs.

And it seems that the Montreal Gazette's Terry Mosher had the same idea.



Sadly however the cowardly Trump is not likely to go anywhere near a boxing ring. 

And certainly not after reading this story. 

But that doesn't mean that we can't help our government fight back, by boycotting Trump's companies and Trump products sold in Canada. 

Or by staying home this summer.

Our federal government is doing its part to tell the White House that its tariffs are unacceptable by applying tariffs on American goods like orange juice, mattresses, and bourbon. But only ordinary Canadians can apply some pain to the tourism industry. 

Go east. Go west. Go north. Enjoy yourself. Just don’t go south. Empty hotel rooms and campsites send a message.

That won't be too hard for me for obvious reasons...



The U.S. has changed a lot since my father used to drive us all the way from Montreal to Maine for a summer holiday, and I looked forward to it all year.

But as this map shows we do have more clout than many people imagine...



So we should use it to defend ourselves, and hopefully persuade many who live in those states to throw out the Republicans in the mid term elections.

I hope we can do that without poisoning our relationship with the American people, most of whom are not to blame for the actions of their grotesque would be dictator.

As this story about two towns on the border between Quebec and Vermont that I know well clearly illustrates. 

But as I wrote on Twitter last night at least there is this.

Now that the monster threatens us all, we can fight him together.

Until the day he is defeated.

And the whole world is a better place...

25 comments:

rumleyfips said...

Don't worry Simon, I haven't crossed the border ( 1 hour away for 50 years ) since the 9/11 sillyness. Having checked the list I find that I haven't dealt with Trump products either.

Jackie Blue said...

Anywhere between half to 2/3 of the U.S. wants that graphic to come to life too, Simon. And I'm sure an untold number of Europeans and probably Australians, Asians, Africans... Martians? "Sieg heil, eh! *whack* Sieg heil, eh! *whack* Right in the Dumpster's face!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWF8iRCan7I

And I don't blame Canadians for staying home or taking their business elsewhere. In fact I've been hearing that a growing number of people are actually planning to spend the July 4 weekend in Canada -- celebrating Canada Day and ignoring our national holiday altogether. That's potentially millions of dollars in tourism being flushed out of the U.S. "A republic, if you can keep it" -- Yeah, sorry Ben, you can keep it all right. Donald's been pushing us Yankee hosers to go kite-flying in the queen's maple garden up north.

There's a longstanding trend of Americans in times of national embarrassment who travel abroad and wear clothing or luggage tags identifying themselves as Canadians. Most people in other countries have caught onto the ruse but at least it lets them know that those Americans are the ones who stand against whatever embarrassment or pain the country is currently inflicting upon the rest of the world. In other words, the Americans who stand with Canada and what it stands for.

Interestingly enough, that trend is said to have begun 50 years ago when a corrupt, aggressive, racist, paranoid, warmongering Republican was the U.S. president... and the Canadian prime minister was a handsome, forward-thinking, compassionate young leader of the Liberal Party by the name of Trudeau. What's the old saying in French? Plus ça change, plus ca même chose...

Jackie Blue said...

We sane and appreciative "US-onians" thank you Canadians for taking in our stranded passengers on that horrible day. And for protecting our diplomats in Iran in 1979. And for taking in our draft resisters who refused to fight an unjust war. And we're really "soory" about this unacceptable slap in the face.

Hopefully, as Trudeau said, "sanity will prevail" at some point, but I honestly think Amerika needs to be put in the penalty box or rehab for a long time before it is allowed to rejoin the civilized world. Trump may not stay in office forever but the factors that put him there have never been properly addressed and confronted. Sometimes the addict needs to hit rock bottom before he can be built back up again.

Apartheid Amerika needs its own international BDS movement like South Africa and our "great ally" Israel. And maybe a wall, if you can get Russia to pay for it...

Anonymous said...

The good thing about Trump's idiot moves are that they have united this fractious country for once, and should give Justin Trudeau a big bump in the polls. When the attacks ads start, Trudeau will be portrayed as standing up for Canada, while Scheer, as you have pointed out, will be seen as a traitor.

Anonymous said...

Canadian trade is just another episode in the reality series designed to entertain and motivate the base for the mid terms. Canada is the US largest trading partner and only has a small trade imbalance of around 20 billion compared to a total imbalance of over 700 billion. Simple good faith negotiations could readily eliminate the imbalance but Trump obviously has another agenda or is just making it up as he goes along. Either way Canada had no option but to take a rational stance and make it public. Good for Trudeau in doing so. Shortly the show will move on to the next episode leaving the audience a little poorer but that is the price of admission, voluntary or not.
The global trade episode is much more interesting. The current imbalance of $700 billion plus represents roughly 20 million jobs. Many are low paying and physically demanding. At present the US gives the providers trinkets in the form of IOU's for the merchandise and diverts its own labor resources into military games. Although Trump and the Cons think they can funnel the social benefit crowd into filling these jobs by starving them out, the reality is that in order to fill them many from the warrior gang will have to trade in their guns for hammers, wrenches and sewing machines. Good bye world domination, hello collective bargaining and much more powerful social movements. I am sure this is not the autocratic golden land Trump has in mind unless he can somehow convince the new recruits they should work for peasant wages out of patriotism.
RT

e.a.f. said...



You can start by not shopping at Home Depot. Owned by a couple of brothers who are Republicans and supporters of Trump.

the American tariffs will drive up the cost of living, however, many of the items we can boycott are also things most aging baby boomers never had in the 50s and 60s in winter anyhow. Don't purchase food grown or manufactured in Communist China. Not good for your health.

Sending Trump a message will be important, but it is doubtful he will listen. Freeland and her team have done a lot of work in those 35 American states and they have all spoken to dturmp to no avail. What needs to happen is for the average American worker to wake up and figure out voting for Trump won't help them keep their jobs.



It has also been reported Cohen is feeling abandoned and Trump Corporation isn't paying his legal bills. He's shopping for new lawyers which could mean he is going to flip.

lovely picture yesterday of the NRA meeting with a Russian government official prior to the election.

What we can see by reading Politico, Daily Beast, Daily Kos, and Crooks and Liars many americans are not happy about what Trump and his henchmen have said about Trudeau and tariffs for Canada and the E.U. Some Americans are very concerned that tdrump is more interested in playing nice with Putin and Kim 3 than the American allies.

if this keeps up and Trump stays in office, the E.U. and Canada need to up their military game, big time and that means more accurate and newer nuclear weapons also. Russia has some nice ones so they say. with what is going on do not be surprised if Russia makes a move towards former Eastern bloc countries and use their new nukes, which are very accurate and use less radiation, sort of pin point nuclear missiles. N. Korea doesn`t have those.



We have not been much on war in the past, but we do need to give it a think. Kim got everything he wanted and the U.S.A. got nothing. Trump got played. but Trump is doing Russia`s bidding by trying to get it re admitted to the G6,7,8 and if that doesn`t work, which they expect won't, to try and destroy it. Russia did a good job of electing Trump. It will ensure the U.S.A. will not take them on in a war. China will back Russia and N. Korea will be a very happy camper.


My suggestion, don`t go on a vacation in the U.S.A. unless its already been paid for and buy products from elsewhere. there is a Disney World in France and its just as nice as the one in Florida, so I`ve been told. You can purchase cloths made in Canada, Mexico, India, Europe, etc. It doesn`t have to come from N. Korea, Communist China or Russia. Same with our food, furniture, etc. In the end, you will save money. When I stopped purchasing goods from Communist China my impulse buying stopped. Bedding and towels from Portugal are lovely! Germany`s linens are expensive but last at least 10 years. We`re good to go without the U.S.A. because we have a social safety net, starting with our health care. Americans loose their jobs, no health care. Ours will still be there because its pretty much free.

Fighting the U.S.A. in a trade war will be expensive and some what painful, but if we are to survive as a free country, we will have to suck it up and go for it. We are Canadians and we don`t take orders from a bag of nothing named Trump.

lagatta à montréal said...

China is actually pretty much capitalist nowadays. The old term "communist China" comes from the days when Taiwan was recognised by certain western states as the "real China", an absurdity.

I never travel to the US (sadly, there are places in New England I like). It is very difficult to avoid US goods entirely. Portugal makes good linens, good cheeses and wines, and excellent tinned fish and seafood (for my inner cat).

Simon, Aislin also has a good recent cartoon portraying Trump and Drug Ford as big and little flying pigs.

Simon said...

Hi rumleyfips...I’m extremely impressed. No border crossings since 9/11, and not even one pair of Ivanka Trump’s Made in China slippers? I’m going to have to nominate you for the Great Canadian Patriotic Award. 😉
I used to cross the border all the time, because I really love the northeastern part of the United States. That was until I came up against a border agent who looked like the splitting image of Don Knox. He found some hiking maps a friend had lent me that had some GPS notations on them, and proceeded to treat me and the three other students in the car like we were Al Qaeda agents. Now when I travel to our family’s home in Maine I fly to Portland...

Simon said...

Hi Jackie...we do have to stand up for our rights, especially since the arguments Trump is using against us are so phony. But it’s still hard to do anything that could hurt ordinary Americans. I don’t know if I’ve told you this story before, but my grandfather was attached to the U.S. Navy in the last year of the Second World War to learn how to fly Corsair fighters. And until he died he always thought of the U.S. as one of the greatest countries on earth. And on several occasions took me along on almost always futile searches for a soda fountain. So while some of the things that happen in your country horrify me, I wouldn’t have any other country as our neighbours, and dream of the day when Trump is defeated, and we can resume our normal lives together....

Simon said...

Hi Jackie...thanks for that video. And yes, our deplorable Trump Fuehrer is sure doing a great job of disrupting the world. I will be doing my part to boycott U.S. products, which is a lot easier in summer when Canadian fruits and vegetables are available in our supermarkets. But ultimately our humble efforts will come to nothing unless American voters can deal Trump a blow in the mid term elections. Or Robert Mueller descends from heaven to save us all...

Simon said...

Hi anon@9:19 PM...I too am hoping for that scenario to play out. But it will be up to us to make it happen, because we can’t count on the Con media. They are already portraying Scheer as having rallied around the flag, when as I have pointed out, he himself did no such thing...

Simon said...

Hi RT...I still find it hard to believe that Trump can fool many Americans into believing that Canada is The Enemy. But your analysis of the global trade situation is very interesting. Trump seems to forget that war is only the extension of diplomacy, and that in that regard he is losing bigly. His America First doctrine is counterproductive and will only lead to an isolated and weaker U.S.

Simon said...

Hi e.a.f...good comment and good suggestions. Except for the one about Disney World in France. 😉 But yes, there are many small things we can do to send a message to the Mango Mussolini, and support our government. My feeling is that Trump is increasingly erratic, and that if we can stand our ground he will give in first. Now is the time to stand up for our country, and show the world that we are not scared by bullies....

Anonymous said...

Hi Simon
Imagine factories and fruit orchards filled with past their prime Trumkins. A flash back to the Hoffa era.
Eventually most repetitive labor will be replaced with new technology such as Fab Labs but not for a few years into the future. Meanwhile a chaotic trade war and the repatriation of high labor / low pay jobs will be a sobering experience.Make America great again ... fill the factories with Trumkins and watch the productivity soar.
RT

e.a.f. said...

Simon, about the Disney world in France, if you had kids and they kept at it, trust me, you'd go to France and do the Disney world thing there. You can always take a river cruise later. there is only so much one can sacrifice for the country and the nagging of children and /Disney World, well,,,

lagatta à montréal said...

Not necessarily. I have friends in France who worked there as students. The working conditions were counter to French labour law. The whole set-up is deeply poisonous, indoctrination in the most retrograde version of a capitalist, sexist and ethnocentric viewpoint. I'm not blaming you if you gave in, but we have to bolster our resistance strategies against that offensive.

LiesOfTheIntell said...

Build them trade walls, build them high, build them strong.

BRING JOBS HOME. END THE GLOBALIST BS.

Steve said...

Shakedown in Trump town
Trump rules do not be mistaken
he is playing the the same 3D
chess that every grifted
has learned
is the best education
if you want to pull
the big con

Yet now it seems that
Trump has graduated to
Spock levels
using logic
and hypocrisy
to stimulate
the crowd
like chess
was a contact sport

The Donald says
lets have Free Trade
just free baby no
harness no
support
lord of the flies
economics

and more verses

Steve said...

I have been to Disney in France and Japan. Kids love it but nevertheless you cant remove the facist fingerprints.

Steve said...

lagatta you are so wrong. China is a big corporation this is capitalist. You deal with China you deal with the corp. The private industry is just a part of the octopus.

Steve said...

Botton line folks, any fight with America may give them a black eye, we will have limb loss at best.

Steve said...

Trump, Rush and all the others at the top of the right wing in America avoided the Vietnam war through influence and condemn the freedom the sixties brought as the work of the devil. What they actually live for is a mystery to me?

Simon said...

Hi RT...well that's something to look forward to, and I can already see it happening here with Drug Fraud already getting set to cancel a planned raise in the minimum wage. But on the positive side I have eight robots in my house, so when the desperate zombies start roaming the street I'll be well protected... ;)

Simon said...

Hi e.a.f...If I had kids and I lived in France I can see myself taking them to Disney World. But thank goodness that's not going to happen, so I'll settle for the river cruise instead... ;)

LiesOfTheIntell said...

It's wonderful seeing trade barriers being rebuilt, the media -especially elitist friendly hoe rags like the CBC decry these developments.

But for anyone needing a job ... all I can say is Go Trump Go!