That is what has been going through my head, you see, as the BBC (at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj61j6l08o) gives us ‘US hits dozens of countries with new wave of tariffs’ where we as nations are starting to call names, and in that setting of name calling, we get a new stage. America has lost whatever allies he thought he might still have. Now, as I see it, America stands alone for the foreseeable future. So as we are given “The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 trading partners in the latest escalation in the trade war reignited by US President Donald Trump when he returned to office last year. Those targeted, including the UK, China and the European Union, will face a tariff of 10% to 12.5% on all goods, accounting for almost all American imports.” As such the kid in me (the one calling other names) wants to find a solution for this and leaving the United States out of this seems prudent. Can we sell to other commonwealth nations? So can we give the United States a bonus tariff twice as much? So any product coming into our nation will get 30% tariff, and we given other nations exporting to us 0% tariff (if applicable) in that same trend places like Canada and the EU importing Australian goods get 0% tariff, same for their stuff getting here. I reckon that America will fave a implosion of non-commerce soon enough. There is nothing wrong with the idea of suspending all goods from Kraft and preferring Italian goods over Kraft. Same for Heinz and whatever else comes from the United States. I bet that there are leagues of Canadian and EU goods that could replace other goods that are (for now) coming from America. I reckon that it merely takes 90-120 days for the United States to ring every alarm bell they can find, because this will also implode Wall Street, when brands like Cisco Systems Inc finds themself part of the tariff settings and when its EU competitor gets the bulk of the jobs that were for Cisco, what do you think will happen when ASUS gets these jobs? Because that is a larger playing field. When goods from the United States are rejected, the goal will be to push long term brands out and when they go anything could happen. Will it be easy? Nope, but could it be done? That is the setting that the American Administration is seemingly overlooking. And not going into a ‘lets talk about this’, but a direct rejection of these options. In the same trend that several European nations are now rejecting Microsoft, what happens when that rejection becomes global? Other brands could now see the rejection lights come into view for themselves, because there is every chance that places in the EU and the Commonwealth see opportunity rise, because they were held back by the competitiveness from the United States, when that falls away nearly anything becomes possible. I reckon that Dell will love that idea (and Ireland just as much so).
So whilst we are given ““Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said. The new duties apply to the top 60 US trade partners covering 99.4% of US imports, the Office of the US Trade Representative said.” So whilst that amounts to 99.4% of the US imports, how much of the US Export is set towards these same 60 nations? So whilst we see ‘validation’ through “Asked about the forced labour justification, she said: “I think they were looking for a legal reason to put the tariffs in and that they can maintain them because their goals and Greer has been very clear about this, as has Trump, is about the trade deficit and it is about US manufacturing, it is not about forced labour.”” You see, we are also given “Australia’s total annual imports from the US reach approximately US$60.9 billion” so how much of that could be gotten from the other Commonwealth nations, the EU and China? And set up a system where these 60 nations are given those same settings. As such as these nations could instead of exporting to the United States export the same materials to other nations when they reject all the US exports to their nations. I am not saying it is simple, or even feasible, but the United States exported a record $3.43 trillion worth of total goods and services in 2025. So when we dampen that by at least 50%, I reckon that the old days with people jumping to their death on Wall Street might return. And after that, the United States gets to see what that also brings, because when $1-$2 trillion dollars is likely to keep many people in the United States employed, when that falls away they have another nightmare scenario to content with and they already have a few of these running all over the lawns in Washington DC and optional at Wall Street too.
As I see it, we need to become a lot more proactive in stopping that insane asylum called White House. And as I saw a term called “Pimp of the United States”, I wonder who they meant, because I merely saw the term, not sure where it was coming from. But in this light it might get another settings too.
So whilst we are reshuffling trade agreements, I reckon that China will see opportunity to hand the United States much less good news, optionally the EU nations and the Commonwealth nations too. So consider this simple setting, Pakistan exports a wide range of goods totaling over $36 billion annually, led heavily by textiles, house linens, and rice. Major buyers include the United States, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom. So what happens when the United States is removed and they get Canada and Australia and a few EU nations to replace the United States? Pakistan is hit with 10% tariff, what happens when they can replace United States with these alternative destinations? How many will need to consider this to see what happens to the United States when places like Walmart end up having empty shelves? Just saying, that game can be played by more countries and what happens when Saudi Arabia and the UAE (both 12.5 percent nations) get the same options? How many more nations need to consider this before Jamieson Greer as the Trade representative can inform President Trump that he has a new nightmare coming his way? And I reckon that these 60 nations will add some numbers, I looked at three nations and I got $36B + $26B + $31B giving us $93B. I reckon that we cannot get 100%, but even if we get a mere 70%, it will add to the incoming nightmare into Washington DC pretty quick and it is the setting we cannot see, because if the Commonwealth, EU and China can create a setting to get our needs met, there is a larger setting that the United States will end up getting isolated in the process and that is a bad place to be, especially with their negative settings in their economy at present.
I reckon that doing this is a lot more productive than some people resorting to name calling, but that is merely my point of view. Oh, and what happens when people are introduced to Canadian, EU and UAE/KSA movies and TV series? Did anyone see the premise of that, because I have been irritated to no end of American streamers denying other parts of the world these series, because there is a benefit of withholding these series. So whilst Disney is hedging on the setting that these people will resort to Disney plus. But what happens when the opposite is achieved? What cost will they face then? I get that streamers want an advantage and they should use that, like perhaps a year, but what happens when people have had enough? If I feel this now, I am 100% certain that at least 2-3 dozen people feel that same way. And It should not be a forced buy from Amazon either. It feels like a repetition of movies in the 90’s. I am not sure it is a valid comparison, but that is what it feels to me and as I see it, there is plenty to consider from outside of Hollywood. But are these makers considered? Just writing my thoughts out loud (without resorting to capitals), so you all have a great day and consider what I wrote here, I reckon that several of them might see the light and as my mother was originally born in Argentina and lived in Uruguay (Montevideo), there might be some cultural needs too. I wonder who else has a connection to some of these 60 nations. Because culture is a strong handle to have in all of this. Which makes me wonder, when was the last time I had Dulce de Membrillo? Together with a lovely Dutch Cheese (Edam) is quite the treat and I haven’t had that in decades, perhaps even half a century. So what else can we get in the near future in a supermarket near us?
Write to you all later.
Lawrence van Rijn - Law Lord to be 