I'm not an economist

I'm not an economist.

And I am 'a globalist'. The world is too small now for the US to 'go it alone'. Everything is connected. And part of our call (from God, I'd say, but you can say 'from reality') is to make the world better for everyone we can, not just ourselves.

As the richest country in the world, we have an obligation to equal the playing field economically. (Oh, in case you haven't guessed by now, I am a democratic socialist as well.)

John Bohener said today in an interview that the "Republican party was 'napping'" and had become the "Party of Trump". A few years ago, any President who suggested opposing 'free trade' would have been terrorized by the Republicans and Right Wing talk hosts. Not today--though there may be some Republicans in Congress finding their courage when such a violation of their ideals is being threatened.

These tariffs our President (who will not be named!) announced today against our best allies and friends in the world are crazy. (Well, 'crazy' doesn't quite make it crazy enough.)

Not only will Canada and the EU be hurt--we will be hurt. The tariff on aluminum alone, will raise the price of a can of Coke or a can of Miller Light. Plus, all the manufacturers who make things from steel and aluminum will need less workers since they won't have enough raw products to make what they make.

Canada has already put tariffs on American goods today and the EU will follow, so there will be less markets for American goods.

The world in one economic system, no  matter what the President thinks. All will suffer from trade wars. And what if China decides to cash in the billions and billions of dollars of American bonds it holds that enable us to pay our debt?

Seriously, the guy in the Oval Office is a lot like Bruce Holt who I used to play poker with in college. Bruce would up the ante without looking at his cards just to see if he could make some of the players fold their hands. It never worked.

It won't now.

Not only has the President not looked at his cards, he wouldn't understand them if he did.

God help us.