Tuesday, August 25, 2026
What happened last Friday will still be bad in 2041
Last Friday, August 21, Canada cut off trade negotiations with the US after demands were made that they (reasonably) considered unreasonable. For example, it was reported that the US-- for purposes I can't fathom-- demanded that Quebec abandon it's French language laws. Why is that part of a trade negotiation? And... why is that something the US would care about, anyways?
The Canadians walked away, the U.S. imposed a bunch of tariffs, Canada will respond, etc. etc. etc. Eventually those tariffs will be reduced or removed. But... the more important story arc is a longer one.
At a macro level, all of this trade chaos the U.S. is instigating is reshaping the relationships between other nations as they turn to one another. They are fashioning agreements, relationships and organizations that do not center or even include the U.S. Because of our instability, we are losing our role as a leader.
Who wins? Well, in the case of many of the nations we have abused, they are turning to China and the E.U. as "big brother" partners.
In 15 years, it could be that we are still paying the price for mistakes made now. I hope that is not true, but to avoid that future there will have to be a radical re-thinking not only by the party in power, but in the other one as well, with a goal of long-term stability and consistency that can be projected internationally.
