I’ve been doing my damnedest to avoid politics as much as possible, and with the boy around it has been easier. That said, what has managed to filter in to me has really got me annoyed, and I’m gonna get a bit salty today.
Sure, there is the bullshit over Iran – something we never should have been involved with in the first place. I remember sitting in my mom’s old Toyota Corolla hatchback, waiting in line at a gas station during the oil crisis in the ’70s. I knew from an early age – don’t fuck with those that control your fuel.
Sure, we have expanded domestic production, but our refineries are primarily geared towards the heavy crude that we don’t produce much of here. We export our light crude and import heavy – and that has worked out fairly well over the years. But now, since we (and I use the metaphorical “we” to represent our nation, as I certainly don’t agree) backed Israel’s claims that Iran was months away from a nuclear weapon (as has been claimed since the ’70s) and we went to war – notably, without Congressional approval.
And while all that drama and bullshit is frustrating, that’s not what pushed me into political thought today – it is the latest tariffs on our neighbor to the north, Canada.
Blame Canada…
Now, I’ve never been a fan of Canada in the sense that I’d ever want to live there – they are too far north, I disagree with their positions on firearms and the laws they enacted, and have joked for years that Trailer Park Boys is the best documentary on Canadian living (though Letterkenny is now up there). But while I wouldn’t want to live there, they have been good neighbors over the years and have always had our backs. So why are we messing with them?
Well this latest round was threatened as retaliation over smoke from their wildfires, and though the official reasoning differs and claims they are because of trade imbalances, I am confident the real reason is over something completely different.
Ego – in particular, one man’s ego and inability to stand someone standing up to his demands.
When our “Dear Leader” took office and immediately slapped (now adjudicated illegal) tariffs on many nations, including many of our allies. Canada was one of the few that fought back and imposed some of their own in response. Things settled down somewhat, but the sting of the, “no, we won’t take that sitting down,” remained.
A bridge to far…
Then came the new Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan, and the complaints from a major donor to our “Dear Leader” who just happens to own the competing Ambassador Bridge and pockets all the toll money made from current crossings. What happened? Our “Dear Leader” threatened to not allow the new bridge to open because we weren’t getting anything out of it… besides the increased travel and trade. So Canada agreed to alter the original agreement, allowing the US to veto toll price changes (up or down, our “leaders” wouldn’t want to piss off a major donor by letting a competitor offer a less expensive route than they want to charge) though they paid the entire $6.4B needed for the construction. They also agreed to split the net revenue from the tolls for the next fifteen years – which really isn’t too much of a concession since the tolls go to offset the maintenance expenses and the original agreement allows debt servicing before any profits are declared, but it allows our “Dear Leader” to take another victory lap in front of ignorant masses and prevents competitive pricing to protect a major donor’s previously held monopoly.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is now scheduled to open next week, but there won’t be all the grand opening fanfare as previously planned – because the Canadian government decided that in the face of these new tariffs, nobody wants to stand there with US officials to celebrate and give any of them a photo op.
“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries.”
Stand or fall…
Additionally, the Canadian PM called an emergency meeting of the premiers and they came to some agreements of their own – namely removing barriers between inter-provincial trade and further pushing the US out of their economy. Out of that meeting also came the resolve to stand up the the bullying tactics used by our current government. Our “Dear Leader” had used the “divide and conquer” strategy with our neighbors, pitting the provinces against each other, but has now managed to galvanize them into a single force that opposes his actions.
But here’s the kicker – the tariffs exclude several products that are necessary for our own survival but Canada has the right and ability to add on their own taxes as they see fit, namely oil and gas, critical minerals, and potash, as well as other products critical to our infrastructure. We import ~85% of our potash, needed by farmers to fertilize their fields, from Canada. We import ~74% of our softwood lumber, needed for construction, from Canada. We import ~60% of our heavy crude oil from Canada. We import ~50% of our nickle from Canada. We import ~33% of our uranium, necessary for the reactor expansion to feed the power demands of AI, from Canada. And raw electricity – Canada supplies power directly into our grid keeping the lights on in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.
If Canada were to slap export taxes on those goods, the impact would be immediate. The Canadian Prime Minister has stated that, “all options are on the table,” and that certainly includes taxing the US on products it needs. Just in time for the midterms, we’ll see Midwestern farmers spending 50% more on needed fertilizer, and refineries paying 50% more for their crude (and they certainly aren’t going to eat that cost so we’ll feel it too).
But while our “Dear Leader” is a loudmouth, he often backs down at the last minute. It is likely that he will back down (or TACO as the kids say) when he realizes that Canada is over dealing with his tantrums and actually has a pretty large stick behind their backs rather than a carrot. But who knows, perhaps Canada will stick to their guns and stand up to their southern neighbor even when the “Dear Leader” eventually backs down. Bullies usually don’t learn a lesson until they finally encounter someone who’s willing to swing right back at them.
Crucify the ego…
So we are entering a trade war with our neighbor and one of our closest allies. Over ego. Because our “Dear Leader” couldn’t handle that someone stood up to him and slapped reciprocal tariffs right back on him when he was doing it. Because he is mad that Canadians are fed up with US actions and are voting with their wallets since they can’t vote in our elections. Because he is protecting a major donor’s monopoly.
All I can suggest is working to become as energy independent and food secure on your own. Look at getting solar for your own place. Start a garden. Save seed and share with neighbors. Build your own community, because the government certainly will not save you.
And on that note, it is time to tend to the garden…
Song of the day: Countdown to Extinction by Megadeth
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