Canada, Greenland, Mexico, etc - USA Tariffs / Trade War commencing March 2025 #5

[Charlot123]

Also, mandatory voting is not a bad thing. It makes many people stop and think about what policies they are voting for, not about what person they are voting for. It helps them own their vote and have a say in how a country is run. If your choice doesn't go through this time, it might go through next time. But you know you are in a true minority or majority this time, where voting is mandatory.

In a democracy, that is.

I sometimes wonder if voting was mandatory in the US, if the people would have chosen - as a majority - what they are being put through now. Tariffs, broken relationships with their allies, etc etc ......

imo

It is complicated. I have to see how voting is organized in other states, practically. In WA, since the time I moved here, I voted by mail. At first it was "absentee ballot", then all state switched over to it.

But...I remember losing my ballot, once. I think in 2012. My husband asked me to stop, on my way home, at the city hall and cast my vote as it was a tight run.

I did. At 7:55. At 8 pm they closed the doors. And here is the issue: out of three voting machines, only one was operable. So we waited.
3 am the next day. We the voters are playing "musical chair" while waiting. ("Democrat-Democrat-Republican.") The KIRO team stops by our station on the way from Seattle as their polls have already closed and makes a video of us.

3:30 - I have cast my vote and am driving home. In AM, there were 6 votes difference but later, my candidate picked up.

But...never again. If I ever knew that it would end this way. So, if at any place they still vote at the poll stations all the time, I understand why people won't show up.

 

[SophieRose]

I have a pair of Clark's shoes I bought used (!) when I was in school and they are still in great condition. Had a pair of their sandals all through high school and college (gum rubber soles, sewed in place). Pairs bought after that had odd plastic soles that degraded after a year or two and just crumbled off the shoe.

I always bought Clark's shoes, almost always ran true to size, lasted forever. A few years ago I read a review on Amazon and a poster said the shoes were now terrible quality, and said they believed the difference was that they were no longer being made in China but Vietnam.

 

[otto]

Finally, some rational comments on this really important subject.

All the deportations aren't going to make any difference until someone sits down and directly addresses the reason so very many people in the US are addicted to opiates, alcohol, ketamine, cocaine, and continue to abuse other drugs.

Fentanyl has nothing to do with migrants or Canada. Mexico probably works with USA locals who get rich by importing fentanyl through legal border crossings. USA water borders may account for a lot more imported fentanyl than land borders - I can't find the data. China saw a hole in the market: reduced access to heroin during covid, and filled it with fentanyl. If fentanyl is stopped, another drug will fill the void.

Tariffs will do nothing to solve illegal drug use in the USA. The USA has to acknowledge that drug abuse is a local mental health problem that must be addressed through local health care facilities. As long as the USA population blames a foreign country for a home grown problem, nothing will change. With a clear conscience, they can ignore the problem because Trump said it's not their fault, therefore not their problem.

 

[otto]

Looks like the Canadian snowbird boycott of US vacations and travel is really beginning to make at least one vacation community very worried:

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/california-city-pleads-to-canadian-tourists-20267683.php

Duty free shops are facing closures. One shop reduced staff from 15 to 3, and is now ready to close the outlet.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/duty-free-struggles-us-travel-1.7508516

 

[SouthAussie]

So, if at any place they still vote at the poll stations all the time, I understand why people won't show up.

Countries with mandatory voting have made it somewhat flexible. We have postal votes, polling station votes, and early voting systems. You have to do one of them once you are 18 and have registered to vote. You can change your option each federal election - depending on your circumstances at the time.

 

[Charlot123]

I don't know much about the US but it seems to me in general it's showing up the bad aspects of political parties (there are good aspects). IMO, it starts with people who want to 'own' a political party., and then they want their party to 'own' government.

Political parties stop being about what's best for the country, and start becoming a way for "us" to win at any cost, all the time. So party loyalists kow-tow to those in party power, and can't say anything to question them.

However, I see no alternative, because otherwise everything, I mean everything, becomes a power struggle.

My little volunteer fire department has been imbroiled in factions, dramatic elections involving attempted take-overs, rowdy public meetings, vicious private criticism of all appointees including the fire chief, for years...fortunately, when there is an actual fire they do respond quite diligently.

JMO

Well, here is an example that I have used many times. Pete Buttigieg. Young, smart, educated, energetic. What was wrong to be nominated for the Democratic candidate in 2020? "Well, you know...not everyone will vote for him." "Heck, if we the Democrats, the progressives don't vote for him, what does it say about us?" "Well, it is not us, these are the swinging states, the electoral votes, you know..."

So we nominated Biden who had the high recognition index from Obama's time and Kamala who i thought was an OK choice.

In the meantime, in Catholic Ireland they had Leo Varadkar as the first openly gay PM, half-indian at that and the Irish people voted him in. As I heard from them, they were not too happy with economy, but that's all.

In Malaysia, a Muslim country - Anwar Ibrahim, and no one minds.

How many women in the world, in India, in Pakistan, in Europe, have broken the glass ceiling? Heck, there is no glass ceiling anymore, the requests are different.

Yet here we are. We can't afford decently nice things because "who takes Florida?"

 

[Cedars]

Finally, some rational comments on this really important subject.

All the deportations aren't going to make any difference until someone sits down and directly addresses the reason so very many people in the US are addicted to opiates, alcohol, ketamine, cocaine, and continue to abuse other drugs.

With respect, I think many, many people have tried, are trying, to figure this out.

Sadly, my observation is that well-meaning, well-funded government efforts are easily 'gamed' by those looking to make money for drugs, and often end up further supporting the drug industry. Eg, provide free housing for addicts, and quickly a dealer moves in and has an even more convenient base to supply them.

Or it's whack-a-moley. The reason why the industry loves fentanyl, is it doesn't depend on growing vast fields of crops, that only grow in certain parts of the world, have to be tended, harvested, smuggled in large volumes, all of which LE have made very difficult. So synthetic drugs are so much easier, so much more profitable.

I think we place far too much faith in big government to solve human problems. In some way, big government might be the problem: people are no longer dependent on a family or small, tight community that demands they stay on a straight and narrow path - individuals bust free, it's safe to go anywhere they want, do anything they want, and some quickly decide that getting high is what they want.

JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

Apparently, there are "wins" from the US tariffs.

But I would just like everyone to know that the Australian one is NOT as a result of tariffs. It was a deal that was negotiated and announced when Biden and free trade were still in place.

And, as you can see, the deal involved a huge loan from the US Govt for the new facility.

I haven't looked at when the other "wins" actually took place. But I was shocked to see the Australian one there! (But I probably shouldn't have been shocked because, you know .... )


Brisbane, Australia - December 17, 2024:
NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) (“NOVONIX” or “the Company”), a leading battery materials and technology company, announced today a conditional commitment to NOVONIX through one if its wholly-owned U.S.-based subsidiaries (“Borrower”), from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) through the Loan Programs Office (“LPO”) for a direct loan of up to US$754.8 million ($692 million in principal and $62.8 million in capitalized interest) to be applied towards partially financing a proposed new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee (the “New Facility”). The proposed financing is being offered under the DOE LPO’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (“ATVM”) Loan Program.

The new facility is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2028 and is anticipated to create 450 full-time operational jobs and 500 construction jobs.

NOVONIX Offered Conditional Commitment for US$754 Million Loan from the U.S. Department of Energy for New Synthetic Graphite Manufacturing Plant in Tennessee - NOVONIX

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, December 17, 2024 - NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) (“NOVONIX” or “the Company”), a leading battery materials and

www.novonixgroup.com

The WH announcement ... Week 12’s Winners: The American People

 

[Trooper]

Sons of the Ice are marching on. .

 

[Snoopster]

Trump trying to shut down any criticism of him in the media. He hates 60 Minutes because they do research and uncover facts.

https://bsky.app/profile/ronfilipkowski.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3lmqftbrwxc2t

 

[Seni]

Apparently, there are "wins" from the US tariffs.

But I would just like everyone to know that the Australian one is NOT as a result of tariffs. It was a deal that was negotiated and announced when Biden and free trade were still in place.

And, as you can see, the deal involved a huge loan from the US Govt for the new facility.

I haven't looked at when the other "wins" actually took place. But I was shocked to see the Australian one there! (But I probably shouldn't have been shocked because, you know .... )


Brisbane, Australia - December 17, 2024:
NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) (“NOVONIX” or “the Company”), a leading battery materials and technology company, announced today a conditional commitment to NOVONIX through one if its wholly-owned U.S.-based subsidiaries (“Borrower”), from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) through the Loan Programs Office (“LPO”) for a direct loan of up to US$754.8 million ($692 million in principal and $62.8 million in capitalized interest) to be applied towards partially financing a proposed new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee (the “New Facility”). The proposed financing is being offered under the DOE LPO’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (“ATVM”) Loan Program.

The new facility is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2028 and is anticipated to create 450 full-time operational jobs and 500 construction jobs.

NOVONIX Offered Conditional Commitment for US$754 Million Loan from the U.S. Department of Energy for New Synthetic Graphite Manufacturing Plant in Tennessee - NOVONIX

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, December 17, 2024 - NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) (“NOVONIX” or “the Company”), a leading battery materials and

www.novonixgroup.com

The WH announcement ... Week 12’s Winners: The American

 

[TootsieFootsie]

In Australia:

We can even vote at any polling station we want, even in another town if we're travelling.
My thinking is that the vote is compulsory so I'm going to try to make my vote count, but I would vote even if it wasn't compulsory.

I think of it as not only a duty but also a privilege to vote and I like to think that even though I'm only one person it could very well be my vote that leads to a better, fairer, more compassionate government.

 

[HmmMysterious]

Now Trump's saying NOTHING is exempt from his tariffs, not even smartphones and computers even though he said they were on Friday. I predict chaos on Wall Street tomorrow.

 

[acutename]

Also, mandatory voting is not a bad thing. It makes many people stop and think about what policies they are voting for, not about what person they are voting for. It helps them own their vote and have a say in how a country is run. If your choice doesn't go through this time, it might go through next time. But you know you are in a true minority or majority this time, where voting is mandatory.

In a democracy, that is.

I sometimes wonder if voting was mandatory in the US, if the people would have chosen - as a majority - what they are being put through now. Tariffs, broken relationships with their allies, etc etc ......

imo

In a systrem with "mandatory" voting, what happens if some one does not vote?

 

[Herat]

Trump trying to shut down any criticism of him in the media. He hates 60 Minutes because they do research and uncover facts.

https://bsky.app/profile/ronfilipkowski.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3lmqftbrwxc2t

GAWD

Who is supporting this short-fingered whiny man-baby? Who is allowing this global embarassement to exist.

 

[SouthAussie]

In a systrem with "mandatory" voting, what happens if some one does not vote?

You get fined $112. But first they give you the opportunity to say why they didn't see you checked off as having voted.

Then the fine increases as time goes by, if you don't pay.

It is like every other expiation notice. You can take the matter to court and let them decide. But it really isn't worth it. Just vote.

You don't even have to write anything on your ballot paper if you don't want to. You just have to submit a sealed ballot paper.

Failure to vote - Electoral Commission SA

ECSA conducts state and council elections. Our website has information about enrolment, voting, electoral boundaries, and parties and candidates.

www.ecsa.sa.gov.au

 

[HmmMysterious]

GAWD

Who is supporting this short-fingered whiny man-baby? Who is allowing this global embarassement to exist.

His idiot advisers/Cabinet, the corrupt DOJ, a GOP controlled Congress beholden to him, Faux News, the rogue Supreme Court and especially the OLIGARCHS.

 

[branmuffin]

China has suspended exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets, threatening to choke off supplies of components central to automakers, aerospace manufacturers, semiconductor companies and military contractors around the world.

Shipments of the magnets, essential for assembling everything from cars and drones to robots and missiles, have been halted at many Chinese ports while the Chinese government drafts a new regulatory system. Once in place, the new system could permanently prevent supplies from reaching certain companies, including American military contractors...

The so-called heavy rare earth metals covered by the export suspension are used in magnets essential for many kinds of electric motors. These motors are crucial components of electric cars, drones, robots, missiles and spacecraft. Gasoline-powered cars also use electric motors with rare earth magnets for critical tasks like steering.

The metals also go into the chemicals for manufacturing jet engines, lasers, car headlights and certain spark plugs. And these rare metals are vital ingredients in capacitors, which are electrical components of the computer chips that power artificial intelligence servers and smartphones.

China Halts Critical Exports as Trade War Intensifies

Beijing has suspended exports of certain rare earth minerals and magnets that are crucial for the world’s car, semiconductor and aerospace industries.

www.nytimes.com

And this time the shortage will be self inflicted. Remember what it was like during Covid when there were thousands of cars almost ready for market but they had a world wide shortage of the chip components so those cars just stood idle waiting for parts and the chips? All the dealerships were frantic to get vehicles. They had long wait lists. My sister never got her vehicle; she gave up. The dealership where I bought my vehicle called me twice trying to get me to sell my car back to them, telling me I'd make a great profit. I said, then what am I supposed to drive? They couldn't answer that - all the used car dealers were having a hey day selling 3 and 4 year old vehicles for the price of a new car. That's what we have to look forward to, if Trump reconstitutes his ridiculous tariffs. There's that old saying, you don't know what you have until it's gone.

 

[KinseyFan]

Countries with mandatory voting have made it somewhat flexible. We have postal votes, polling station votes, and early voting systems. You have to do one of them once you are 18 and have registered to vote. You can change your option each federal election - depending on your circumstances at the time.

The electoral office even set up a voting ‘booth’ in my Dads nursing home. Sounds like we (Australia) take a more ‘outreach’ / community engagement approach to voting. And generally consider it a Right, a privilege and our Duty. MOO.

 

[KinseyFan]

Now Trump's saying NOTHING is exempt from his tariffs, not even smartphones and computers even though he said they were on Friday. I predict chaos on Wall Street tomorrow.


View attachment 578853

I worry for Chinese Americans in all this.