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PGTS Humble BlogThread: Only in the USA |
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Gerry Patterson. The world's most humble blogger |
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Total Tariff Madness. |
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Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2025 11:05:43 +1000Jabba the Hut announces "Liberation Day" |
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On April the 2nd, Trump, who has always harboured an irrational fondness for tariffs, presented the world with a list of (so-called) "reciprocal tariffs" on large placards. It would be difficult to dignify this dog's dinner with the word "plan" ... However some of his fans did call it a plan ... To follow through on his often stated intention to undermine or destroy international organisations such as the UN and the WTO, even though the USA has been the principal beneficiary of such organisations in the post WWII era.
According to Trump there was a "national emergency" and he was enacting these tariffs under the auspices of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act [IEEPA]. This would address the "emergency" and enable a brave new age of industry, trade and commerce in the USA.
None of these statements were true. There was no emergency and if there were, many legal experts considered that the president did not have the authority to impose tariffs in this manner. But even if it were true, tariffs would be more likely make the situation worse, as they had during time of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930.
There was a deafening silence from the Republican party.