The tariff ruling let President Trump blame judges and walk away from an unpopular policy. Instead, he attacked his own justices and announced new tariffs the people hate
Now, can someone please explain why MAGA still believes that this dementia-ridden malignant narcissist "understands them" and is "on their side"? What breaks through to the cult?
"FAFO." Please define acronyms before using them. A definition after the first use of the word in the text would help those of us who know a few of these abbreviated bon mots, but who rarely use them.
And yet I watched an anonymous CEO talk about getting a refund and not dropping the prices, because people were paying them anyway...
They did this during the inflation of Biden's 4 years, and prices barely dropped from their highs, even when inflation came back down. Now they're getting a bonus.
"...the president has blundered a major political gift for the sake of ideology and a blind pursuit of his trade war."
I think you're being way too kind here. I doubt ideology is driving the bus on this -- Trump just can't deal with being thwarted, eom. NO ONE -- not his staff, not his SCOTUS appointees, and, as I think we'll soon see, not even NATO or the EU -- says NO to Trump. Not now that he's been to the mountaintop and seen his own reflection in the heavens. So this "blunder" is pure narcissistic reflex -- it doesn't even rise to the level of a "decision."
Let's just hope, as his disease inevitably worsens, that someone somewhere somehow has figured out how to hide "the football".
Really great essay today. The numbers on this seem pretty compelling. Trump is also fighting the corporate part of his coalition on this particular point. Businesses need stable and predictable conditions to be able to operate successfully. This kind of chaos isn’t what they signed up for either—and they carry a lot of weight. This doesn’t look like a fight Trump can win and his willingness to even continue with it speaks volumes regarding his lack of judgement.
G. Elliot Morris' analysis here, along with Paul Krugman's discussion of the sections of laws that Trump is now using as cover for his tariffs, give us a good overall view of where the country is at this point in time. Now, I'm waiting for the legal experts to weigh in on whether these new taxes (called tariffs) are legal.
Trump isn't doing this because of ideology [he has none] or policy. He's a malignant narcissist, and his ego can't handle being told 'no', especially in such a public, resounding way. Think of a bratty toddler being told not to throw his toys again. Trump is reacting to having his tariff toy taken away the way he reacted to losing the 2020 election, which as an incumbent he should have won. It was a public humiliation that caused a deep, weeping narcissistic injury that hasn't healed to this day. As in 2020, Trump is reacting to the Court's decision with rage and belligerence. And doesn't care that his behavior is deeply unpopular, illegal or likely to cause republicans even more damage in November.
Right. I was going to write the same comment--that this had nothing to do with "ideology" or a "blind pursuit of a trade war." It is pure infantile toy-throwing, driven by his insatiable ego. It is pure "id" and not "id as in ideology." Thanks for beating me to this thought and doing a great job of explaining it.
Having said that, thanks, Elliott, for the rest of your wonderful analysis and data to support it.
Thank you, Leu! If a woman acted the way Donnie does every single day, the right wing outrage machine would be calling her 'hysterical' and 'unfit to lead' 24/7. Well, goose, gander!
Now, can someone please explain why MAGA still believes that this dementia-ridden malignant narcissist "understands them" and is "on their side"? What breaks through to the cult?
"FAFO." Please define acronyms before using them. A definition after the first use of the word in the text would help those of us who know a few of these abbreviated bon mots, but who rarely use them.
"Fuck Around and Find Out".
I also google the Urban dictionary. Sometimes I wish I hadn't. ;)
Right, I did a search, as I always do with these things. And yeah, what a diminished language American English has become
Bring back debate clubs and public speaking classes!
I like what Governor Pritzker did, sending an invoice to Trump for what he owes Illinois households.
According to my math, $160 billion divided by 135,000,000 households in the U.S. would be $1185 per family.
Trump needs to get busy writing those checks. Maybe he should add interest from his own personal funds.
And he should be blamed and shamed for stealing from the working class and farmers and so many of his own voters!
And yet I watched an anonymous CEO talk about getting a refund and not dropping the prices, because people were paying them anyway...
They did this during the inflation of Biden's 4 years, and prices barely dropped from their highs, even when inflation came back down. Now they're getting a bonus.
Agree.
Which is yet one more reason that we need to raise the top marginal tax rate AND find better enforcement mechanisms while closing loopholes.
This level of income inequality will lead to revolution or 3rd-world status.
"...the president has blundered a major political gift for the sake of ideology and a blind pursuit of his trade war."
I think you're being way too kind here. I doubt ideology is driving the bus on this -- Trump just can't deal with being thwarted, eom. NO ONE -- not his staff, not his SCOTUS appointees, and, as I think we'll soon see, not even NATO or the EU -- says NO to Trump. Not now that he's been to the mountaintop and seen his own reflection in the heavens. So this "blunder" is pure narcissistic reflex -- it doesn't even rise to the level of a "decision."
Let's just hope, as his disease inevitably worsens, that someone somewhere somehow has figured out how to hide "the football".
Really great essay today. The numbers on this seem pretty compelling. Trump is also fighting the corporate part of his coalition on this particular point. Businesses need stable and predictable conditions to be able to operate successfully. This kind of chaos isn’t what they signed up for either—and they carry a lot of weight. This doesn’t look like a fight Trump can win and his willingness to even continue with it speaks volumes regarding his lack of judgement.
G. Elliot Morris' analysis here, along with Paul Krugman's discussion of the sections of laws that Trump is now using as cover for his tariffs, give us a good overall view of where the country is at this point in time. Now, I'm waiting for the legal experts to weigh in on whether these new taxes (called tariffs) are legal.
Trump isn't doing this because of ideology [he has none] or policy. He's a malignant narcissist, and his ego can't handle being told 'no', especially in such a public, resounding way. Think of a bratty toddler being told not to throw his toys again. Trump is reacting to having his tariff toy taken away the way he reacted to losing the 2020 election, which as an incumbent he should have won. It was a public humiliation that caused a deep, weeping narcissistic injury that hasn't healed to this day. As in 2020, Trump is reacting to the Court's decision with rage and belligerence. And doesn't care that his behavior is deeply unpopular, illegal or likely to cause republicans even more damage in November.
Right. I was going to write the same comment--that this had nothing to do with "ideology" or a "blind pursuit of a trade war." It is pure infantile toy-throwing, driven by his insatiable ego. It is pure "id" and not "id as in ideology." Thanks for beating me to this thought and doing a great job of explaining it.
Having said that, thanks, Elliott, for the rest of your wonderful analysis and data to support it.
Thanks, KBH! We're on the same page, it seems!
Trump has no ideology. He has no political philosophy. Everything is about "me." And he is reacting like a 2 year old to be told "no."
And they say women are too emotional.
Thank you, Leu! If a woman acted the way Donnie does every single day, the right wing outrage machine would be calling her 'hysterical' and 'unfit to lead' 24/7. Well, goose, gander!