The US-Canada Trade War

President Trump has announced new tariffs:

25% on all Canadian imports, closing the loophole on imports valued at less than $800, with a lower 10% rate for energy, i.e., oil & gas
25% on all Mexican imports
10% on all Chinese imports, on top of the targeted tariffs Trump introduced in his first term (and which President Biden first retained and then expanded)

These tariffs are much larger than the tariffs Trump imposed during his first term. Those tariffs were targeted – they affected specific industries Trump was hoping to reshore. This is a broad-spectrum approach. It’s a strategy you use to force another state to make concessions in other policy areas. What is Trump trying to do? And will he succeed?

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Tom Perez Was the Wrong Choice for DNC Chair

Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez has defeated Keith Ellison to become the new chairman of the DNC. It took two rounds of voting, with Perez eventually prevailing, 235-200. This is a deeply concerning development–Perez has a long history of taking positions which accommodate and contribute to declining living standards for poor and working Americans. He does support minimum wage increases, but a closer look reveals an untrustworthy record.

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A Hierarchy of Lies and Falsehood

The 2016 election has been full of lies and falsehood. Candidates routinely say things that are not true or make misleading and fallacious arguments. But not all lies are equal–some are more damaging than others, some may even appear justifiable. So today I’d like to break down the different kinds of lies in politics and think about which ones are the most objectionable. To spice things up, we’ll include examples from the campaign of each kind of lie. Are you ready? Let’s go.

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Who is Right about Free Trade? Barack Obama vs. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren

In recent weeks, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is back in the news. TPP aims to lower barriers to trade among the United States and a variety of other nations including rich countries like Japan, Canada, and Australia and developing countries like Chile, Peru, Vietnam, and Malaysia. US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has come out strongly against TPP, as has senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (D-VT). President Barack Obama continues to support TPP–he recently succeeded in having the agreement fast-tracked by the senate and will likely replicate that success in the house. Once TPP is fast-tracked, congress cannot debate the treaty’s contents or make amendments to it. Is TPP good for the United States? Who is right?

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