President Trump vs.
the global economy
The entire global economy is being stressed by Donald Trump. He is making up new rules as he goes.
Trump is very close to cratering the world economic system. What happens in America affects the world. Big economies like China will probably find ways around his trade tariffs. They and others will find trading partners that seek win/win trading instead of win/lose trading that Trump proposes.
As the tariffs take effect, and the pain becomes untenable, there will be a flight of capital and of nations seeking non-trade-barrier trading partners. Why trade with the U S and pay for the privilege, when other nations lower trade barriers and encourage free trade?
What I believe will happen will be the isolation of America and a boycott of American exports. Nations will dump U S dollars or use them to convert to other currencies that do not try to control their politics and trade. The dollar will cease to be the world reserve currency.
Despite what Trump believes, other nations are not locked into a closed system of trade. And America is not the center of global trade.
Trump is playing with fire. If or when the world debt load becomes too great, there will be a paradigm shift away from the dollar-centric world economy. America will find itself on the outside looking in and expecting and demanding entry. Entry will be denied, though, for fear of American hegemony and control and its responsibility for the global depression.
Trump is setting up the world economy for a major crash. When it crashes because of unsustainable policies and debt, we citizens will suffer extreme inflation and supply chain breakage or stoppage.
Our credit as a nation will cease. There will be no money or credit to pay for critical imports or infrastructure improvements.
Many essential imports will cease. Of course, Trump believes that will cause America to restart its manufacturing and surge ahead to a bright future. He is forgetting that if the rest of the world unites against us, we will be unable to survive economically or politically. He will be to blame, along with his sycophants and the GOP.
The world economy is already on the verge of collapse because of debt burden. If it crashes, or when it crashes (it is overdue), America will not be invited to the reorganization after the Greater Depression it has caused. Why would other nations invite the cause of the crash to the table?
America depends on very many things from the rest of the world. It’s not just manufactured goods, either.
So, take heed, MAGA people, your man is about to cause irreparable damage. You might think about finding someone who works with nations and seeks to uplift them rather than tear them down and step on them.
Thomas Beach
Waimea
What are children
learning from Trump?
As a former kindergarten/ first-grade teacher, I remember that if a student in my class called names like the president has done — such as calling journalists and others “crooked or stupid” — that student would be warned to stop, apologize and subsequently he or she would be punished by deprival of recess if it occurred again.
What are our children learning from this flagrant betrayal of our basic habits of courtesy?
Lois Margaret Drake
Volcano
