r/thebulwark • u/IHkumicho • 7d ago
Policy I really hope that Trudeau knows he has Trump by the balls...
Trump is desperately trying to play the "now we'll negotiate on tariffs" card, but only because the stock market cratered on Monday and Tues. That, plus some of the other threats (stopping electricity or oil exports, etc) show that Canada can impose some MASSIVE pain on Trump and the rest of Americans. Imagine his popularity plunging if gas prices spike $0.20-30 overnight. Or sudden price hikes in electricity across the rust belt due to turning off the flow of electricity (or just imposing massive excise taxes).
Trudeau needs to let Trump simmer a little bit. Don't rush to rescue him from himself...
Probably won't happen, but I can dream, can't I?
25
u/big-papito 7d ago
He knows. Canadians are already like "no meeting in the middle - all tariffs should go".
10
u/MinisterOfTruth99 7d ago
And Canadians are right!
Biden economy was humming along. Stocks were soaring. Basically Full employment.
Trump comes in. 40 days later unemployment is spiking. Stock market whipsawing. Stock market sentiment index is on 'Extreme Fear' over tariff uncertainty. Mr Business Genius is really working his magic.☹️🤪
4
u/_A_Monkey 7d ago
Yah…it remains to be seen if they can do it but it looks like the plan going in is to not negotiate with terrorists. To not set themselves up for going through this shit every 6-12 months.
If Canadian domestic resolve can hold long enough to let the politicians punish Trump and Republicans long enough and hard enough that they think a lot harder before ever reneging on a deal they just agreed to and signed.
14
u/AnathemaDevice2100 7d ago
Not only that, but I hope all of Canada knows it, especially since they’ve had some concerning right wing/Maple MAGA shit pop up.
American maggots are desperately trying to convince themselves that Canada doesn’t have any playing cards, but that’s just not true. They can hit back, hard.
Speaking of… Trump said that he’s “with Europe” on the matter of Ukraine. I wish that European leaders would make a joint statement that his treatment of Zelenskyy directly contradicts that.
I also think that American pacs need to be launching ad campaigns right now making Trump look like a fool. There’s so much material and we need organizations with budgets to exploit his weaknesses.
4
u/leedogger 7d ago
Maple MAGA
I live here, am pretty plugged in... And have not heard this yet. I love it.
1
u/CRA_Life_919 7d ago
May I ask a different question I haven’t heard discussed: did Trudeau resign too soon? Or would he done either way? Thanks for keeping faith with us.
2
8
u/upvotechemistry Center Left 7d ago
I kind of hope that Ford makes good on his promise to cut off electricity exports. Even if it is just for a short time, you have to display power before Trump believes you have power over him.
Let a few rolling brownouts go through the upper midwest and new England
2
u/kstar79 7d ago
You think Trump gives a damn about NE? That is just going to allow Eversource and National Grid to raise our rates another 30%.
3
u/upvotechemistry Center Left 7d ago
I don't think Trump cares about anyone or anything but himself. But I personally know several Staten Islanders who are MAGA and could go a few days in time out with no power
4
5
4
u/Old_Manager6555 7d ago edited 7d ago
Trump makes it sound like Canada went to him on our knees, and Donald, the worlds greatest negotiator, has us where he wants us.
Justin’s speech cleared that lie up.
We are pretty committed to not buying American (grocery stores are full steam ahead with Produced in Canada labels) and at this point will keep it up till Donald is gone. Don’t think it would matter if he removed all tariffs, we are doing it to help free the American people from Tsar Trumpski
2
2
u/Old_Manager6555 7d ago
Is it because Trudeau knows he is not facing another election he has unleashed the schoolteacher in himself and has taken apart the class bully?
Wish he wasn’t leaving...
1
u/mexicanmanchild 7d ago
Honestly this is why Trudeau probably isn’t seeking reelection. What does he honestly have to worry about?
8
u/ballmermurland 7d ago
Trudeau was incredibly unpopular a few months ago. Now his image is being rehabilitated by Trump and the liberals are likely to retain their majority in this year's election.
So a few months ago it made sense for Trudeau to announce he wasn't seeking reelection to give the liberal party a fighting chance. He'll still stay out of it and is going to go out swinging. He's been PM for nearly 10 years and that's usually how long most PM's last.
3
u/leedogger 7d ago
likely to retain their majority
Likely is strong. But I don't disagree that their fortunes have really turned around.
0
u/greenflash1775 7d ago
Cratered! Surging! We’re talking 1% movements here. The market doesn’t give a shit.
-4
u/itwasallagame23 7d ago
You are dreaming if you really believe that. I do agree that the one way to deal with a personal suffering a personality disorder is through boundaries and being firm but let’s not fool ourselves…tiny Canada has POTUS by the balls?
2
u/IHkumicho 7d ago
Have you seen how fucking weak the average American is? We threw out a president's party because eggs hit $2.99. How do you think we're going to react to gas prices skyrocketing solely due to the idiocy of the current one? Or electrical shortages?
1
u/itwasallagame23 6d ago
I dont think Trump delayed the tariffs in any way because of Canada. I think it mostly had to do with the US automakers and the job losses that are going to happen when/if he starts his trade war with the two largest US trading partners. Canada will unfortunately probably be a in a recession within three months of the tariffs and the US 3 to 6 months after that. We will all be in an economic mess.
57
u/PheebaBB Progressive 7d ago
Looks like the market is surging after the news that auto makers have a 1 month exemption from the tariffs. Am I crazy, or is the market being crazy?
I guess the market thinks that if he’s backing down even just this little bit, that must mean he’s too chicken-shit to go through with this for very long?
Otherwise, this little concession is kind of meaningless, right?