Last night, I watched Syriana for the nth time. Maybe after n+1 times I will finally be sure I have figured out what the Hell was going on. And having Bashir from Deep Space Nine as an Emir really doesn’t help. I keep looking for Quark. Oh, well.
Looking for Quark. The Ferengi as metaphor for the Trump “Administration.” Why do I think USA Americans deserve it? Really, no one deserves this fascist humbug. It is, really, demoralizing. But meanwhile, consider the Ferengi. I’ll be damned, but they got it right, Don’t let their get-ups fool you. There’s latinum in them there lobes. You just got to think about it.
Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity. That’s one of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition (ROA). You never heard of them. Good God, Donald Trump lives by them. He could have written them if he were literate. Or coherent. Or lucid. But small matter. Like, consider his daughter, Ivanka, For someone whose nickname is Princess Sparkle Pony, she’s done pretty well for herself. Doing what? Damned if I know, but her net worth (not net of her putative squeeze, El Jaredo, thank you) is somewhere in the neighborhood of God knows. A shagload, as the Brits say. Mucho dinero. Some guesses put her up around a billion. I think that’s impossible, but I don’t know why. I believe in some stranger stuff, even before breakfast. Anyway, Ivanka has a lot of latinum. And she got it by being The Donald’s Daughter. Nice work if you can get it. Donald gets it. A lot of it, apparently. Remember. More is good….all is better. Another Ferengi pearl (ROA).
If you don’t know, by the way, the Ferengi were the inhabitants of a mythical exoplanet, Ferengar, where the First Beautitude is Screw Your Neighbor Before You Screw Anyone Else (ROA). The Ferengi are motivated by greed, plain and simple. They do what it takes to make money. And the rest, well, is integrity (, about which no one cares. Remember, a Deal is a Deal…until a better one comes along (ROA). The Donald couldn’t have said it better himself. Ask any number of countries trying to figure out US commercial policy. If it’s Tuesday, it must be Tariffs. Or not. say I am exaggerating? Ok. Here we go, in real-Trump Time
The Chronicle of Trump-Tariff Making
Nov. 25, 2024 – Less than three weeks after his election victory, Trump announced on Truth Social plans to place 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, citing an alleged failure to secure their respective borders with the U.S.
Jan. 20 – Trump signed a memo calling on Cabinet members to “assess the unlawful migration and fentanyl flows” from Canada, Mexico and China. Afterward, officials should “recommend appropriate trade and national security measures to resolve that emergency,” the memo said.
Feb. 1 – Trump ordered 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariffs on imports from China. The White House said the tariffs would take effect on Feb. 4.
Feb. 3 – Trump announced a one-month pause of tariffs on Canada and Mexico after reaching agreements with each country that included commitments to bolster border enforcement.
Feb. 27 – Trump affirmed plans to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico when the one-month delay expires on March 4.
March 3 – Speaking at the White House, Trump reiterated plans to move forward with a fresh round of tariffs the following day. Within minutes, the stock market tumbled. The S&P 500 closed down 1.7%, its worst trading day since December.
March 4 – Tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET. A near-instant trade war broke out. China and Canada each responded with retaliatory tariffs, vowing additional measures. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum slammed Trump’s tariffs but said she would hold off on retaliatory measures until after a conversation with him.
March 5 – Trump ordered a one-month delay of auto tariffs after a request from the “Big 3” U.S. automakers: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Chrysler.
March 6 – Trump signed executive orders temporarily pausing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, a free trade agreement.
March 9 – Canada selected new Prime Minister-elect Mark Carney. In his acceptance speech, Carney addressed Trump’s tariffs on Canada and the threat posed by Trump, calling the events the “greatest crisis of our lifetimes.”
March 11 – Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to impose a 25% surcharge on electricity from the province sent to U.S. customers in response to earlier U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. In response, Trump threatened to double steel and aluminum tariffs specifically for Canada.
March 12 – The U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. Trump opted against doubling the levy for Canada after an agreement was reached and Ford pulled back his threat to impose the electricity surcharge. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on about $20.7 billion in U.S. goods.April 2 – Trump announces “Liberation Day” tariffs, but Canada is excluded from a steep set of so-called reciprocal tariffs as well as a universal 10% tariff on nearly all imports.
April 3 – Tariffs of 25% on vehicles imported into the U.S. took effect. Mexico and Canada make up the top two U.S. trading partners for both finished motor vehicles, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. imports, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. International Trade Commission by Cato Institute, a right-leaning think tank. Carney slammed the policy, saying it signaled the end of a “system of global trade anchored on the United States.”
April 9 – Canada slapped 25% retaliatory tariffs on non-USMCA compliant vehicles from the U.S.
April 15 – In an effort to ease tariff-related business impacts, Canada issued a six-month pause on levies for U.S. goods that are used in Canadian manufacturing, processing and food and beverage packaging, as well as those used for public health and national security initiatives.
April 28 – Liberals won the most seats in Canadian parliament, cementing the party’s hold on power and Carney’s role as prime minister. In a social media post early in the day, Trump suggested that Canadians should vote for him in order for Canada to become the 51st state.
May 6 – Carney visited Trump in the Oval Office, telling him Canada is “not for sale” after Trump repeated his assertion it should become the 51st state.
May 28 – Two separate federal courts invalidated some of Trump’s steepest tariffs, including 25% tariffs on Canadian goods. The rulings centered on Trump’s unprecedented invocation of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act as a legal justification for levies.
May 29 – A federal appeals court moved to temporarily reinstate the tariffs outlawed a day earlier.
June 2 – Trump ratcheted up a tax on all foreign steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%.
June 16 – At the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada, Carney and Trump said the U.S. and Canada would reach a trade deal within 30 days.
June 27 – Trump said he would suspend the U.S.-Canada trade talks as a result of Canada’s plans to move forward with a tax on U.S. technology companies.
June 29 – Carney said trade talks between the U.S. and Canada had resumed after Canada retracted its plan to tax tech firms.
Now, look here. I’m trying to stay polite. And avoid obscenities. Try to run ANY relationship on a yes/no, she loves me-she loves me not system. Through darts at a board that is divided into On and Of. Use a random number generator. Meanwhile, your partner–in anything–is gonna give up trying to plan or to produce anything (sex, drugs, rock’n roll) because it takes time to get any nontrivial operation going, let alone to execute it well.You know, “Sent for you Yesterday, Here You Come Today….If You Can’t Do Better Well Just Stay Away.” (Johnny Mercer lyrics) Who the Hell knows what’s going on? We’ll just stop until the smoke clears. With Trump, the smoke never clears. A Deal is a Deal….Until a Better One Comes Along. You can’t run a hotel that way, let alone 17 trillion dollar economy.
Trust is the biggest liability of all. Dammit. Didn’t Elon Musk, sometime compadre of Trump, say “Trust no one. Even no one.” Now that I think of it, that weirdo Musk must have some Ferengi blood in him. Here’s what AI “thinks” (see, over 70 I am, but modern)
Imagining Elon Musk as a Ferengi running a government is quite intriguing! Ferengi are typically all about profit and capitalism, so it would be interesting to see how Musk’s entrepreneurial spirit would influence government policies. He might prioritize technological advancements and infrastructure, focusing on space exploration, renewable energy, and perhaps even a universal basic income funded by profits from his businesses.
However, given the Ferengi’s notorious rules of acquisition, there could be a lot of negotiation and deal-making involved in governance. Policies might revolve around maximizing profit for the state, and there could be a strong emphasis on privatization of services. How do you think the citizens would respond to such a government? Would they thrive under this system, or would there be pushback against the profit-first mentality?
For the answer, look at TESLA stock.
Whoops. Guess the Great Disruptor got his disruptors busted. Oh, well. The real world does tend to have its challenges, and magical thinking typically is not a good strategy.
When in Doubt Lie (ROA) Yeah, that’ll work. Works for Trump. Works for Elon. Works for the entire Republican Party. Just lie. Brazen it out. Do what a Ferengi would do. And remember, A Wealthy Man Can Afford Anything But a Conscience. (ROA)
Welcome to Syriana/Quark/MAGAWORLD.
And if it isn’t familiar, go back and watch DSN. Especially Little Green Men You’ll be just where you need be. Along with the other stupid Earthlings Quark swindles.
This Game Is Over, Salvucci Sez 