Highly Respected Leader

Republicans insist that tariffs correct trade deficits. They punish nations like China that sell us much more than we sell them by raising the price of Chinese goods. Eventually, all that stuff previously made in China will be made in the USA by American workers! We will be thrilled to stitch together sneakers for $2.50 per day.

Master Negotiator Donald J. Trump set tariff rates based on trade deficits. The higher the deficit, the higher the tariff. That’s simple and makes sense. Of course, Donnie would never use tariffs to interfere in another nation’s internal politics. Or would he?

Yesterday, Donnie announced a whopping 50% tariff on imports from Brazil. “The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” TACO Donnie must be serious this time. The arbitrary capitalization, exclamation point, and Witch Hunt reference show that he means it.

Donnie continued, “Brazil has unfair trade practices resulting in grave injustices and an unfair trade balance.” Actually, those “unfair trade practices” resulted in a trade surplus in favor of the US every year since 2008. That trade surplus was $7 billion last year. Brazil should be setting tariffs on us.

High Respected Leader Bolsonaro took a page from the Trump playbook in 2022. When he lost re-election as president that year, he claimed that the election was “rigged” and his supporters stormed Brazilian Congress and its Supreme Court. Sound familiar? When that didn’t work, Bolsonaro plotted to poison the guy who won. If that raised a ruckus, he planned to activate the Brazilian military to end any protests. I wonder if they would be masked and drive up in unmarked vehicles like our ICE.

Donnie using tariffs to interfere in another nation’s internal affairs is the “international disgrace”.

It may very well backfire on him though. Before Donnie’s interference, the current Brazilian president was unlikely to be re-elected next year due to a dismal economy. Now, he can run against American Imperialism. This year’s Canadian election turned on opposition to Trump’s “51st State” talk. Of course, Canada didn’t have a Highly Respected Leader waiting in the wings like Brazil.

By Ed Dufton