The Profound Incompetence of America’s President

Photo by David Everett Strickler on Unsplash

From day one he’s been touting his great economic insights, how pushing his tariffs will return us to greatness.
Instead, what he is doing is leading us into a bitter trade war with the world, which will likely end with diminished international commerce and a recession.
In America, the stock markets, long a predictor of economic ups and downs, have taken a beating, reflecting the effects of the president’s ill thought out policies.
All of this, he tells us, is meant to bring back jobs to America.
Economists, however, remind us that many of those jobs will not return, regardless of the tariffs. They won’t because Americans will not be able to compete effectively. And we will end up paying higher prices which, in turn, will hurt national growth.
The notion of interdependence is anathema to our president. He doesn’t value it. He scorns it.
And yet, interdependence has been key to our advancements.
Others will produce items better than we do. Like we will produce services, for instance, better than others. Hence, we trade.
Bullying, instead, invites retaliation.
France’s president Macron, for instance, has asked other European nations not to invest in America.
Some European countries have already chosen to make their own armament rather than buy from us.
Will Europeans have to bear some economic pain? Yes. But they seem willing to put up with it rather than live with the feeling of being…