Canada and Mexico Under Attack: The China Solution
By: Dealn Baker - Center for Economic and Policy Research
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Canada and Mexico Under Attack: The China Solution
For reasons that obviously have nothing to do with reality, Donald Trump has decided to renege on the trade deal he negotiated five years ago and start a trade war with Canada and Mexico. He wants to tax most of imports from these countries at a 25 percent rate, with the exception of Canadian oil, which will be taxed at a 10 percent rate.
This is a tax increase of roughly $200 billion a year ($1,600 per family) that will overwhelmingly be paid by moderate-income and middle-income families. It is the largest tax increase on them that has ever been imposed. And retaliation from both countries is likely to impose additional costs.
Meanwhile, both Canada and Mexico are struggling to deal with a situation where its neighbor and closest ally has turned into an erratic enemy. They can and should look to retaliate (I trust not honoring patent monopolies for items like prescription drugs and iPhones is on the list), but they should also look to longer term solutions. And there is one obvious answer here, China.
The logic is straightforward. China has an economy that is already almost one-third larger than the U.S. economy and growing far more rapidly. The growth gap should grow as Donald Trump’s erratic policies sap the dynamism of the U.S. economy.
But more important than its size, China produces just about anything these countries could want. It manufactures a wide range of items, many of high quality and available at far lower prices than U.S. products. It also is advancing rapidly in tech, where its AI is now at the cutting edge in terms of performance and massively cheaper and more energy efficient than the U.S. competition.
As both countries look to integrate with China’s economy, they could almost certainly count on considerable help from China in getting through the near-term disruptions created by Trump’s taxes. Imagine Canada took down its trade barriers and everyone in the country could now buy high quality electric cars for $13,000 a piece? There would be a similar story with solar panels, batteries, and many other items. Canada and Mexico could turn economic hardship into an economic bonanza.
It is understandable that these countries would be reluctant to tie their economies too closely to an autocratic regime like China’s, but with Trump and the Republican Party intent on abandoning democracy, their choice is which autocrat they want to line up with.
Xi offers two big plusses over Trump in this respect. Deals actually mean something to him. He doesn’t abandon the pacts he negotiated because of something he read on social media.
And Xi lives in reality. He recognizes that global warming is real and that you can’t prevent fires sparked by global warming through randomly opening dams.
The reality is that there is no longer a superpower even ostensibly committed to democracy and the rule of law. At this point Canada and Mexico have to look at the one that can be a more stable partner for trade and investment relations. There can be little doubt at the moment this is China.
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Have I not already said: "China would love to get Canada's wood" and wouldn't Canadians be happy to be able to purchase so many things for less cost than similar American ones. Wouldn't you like to be given the chance to buy a good new EV car for $13,000.? It would still have to be priced competitively with a car produced in Canada so as to not affect employment.
Trump's folly will have unwanted consequences for Americans - just wait and see. The news today has announced that inflation is already increasing.
By the way, an aside: Was everyone able to have eggs for breakfast this morning? I did.
Ahh yes I had scrambled eggs why the drama?
I just bought two dozen y'day not unusual and plenty here even though there has been an out break of avian flu in the egg producers etc..
A dozen here costs on average $7.50 a dozen but can cheaper or dearer depending on how they are farmed..
We have banned all caged chicken eggs here now..can only get barn laid or free range eggs and that is a good thing in my opinion...
And finally banning life sheep and cattle exports too...if overseas countries won't eat frozen meat then stuff em I say...
That reminds me of an old joke an Australian friend told me once "Why don't kiwi's marry sheep? Because sheep can't cook!".
Drama? What drama?
I guess the only thing left is Tofu?
Become a Vegetarian and rely on Tofu for protein!
LOL. At first I thought you meant the kiwi bird, then it hit me that New Zealanders are called Kiwis.
My wife likes tofu, but I'm not particular about it.
People seem to be running around like headless chooks over eggs..
In the States, New Zealand and here..it started a few weeks ago.. creating drama where there isn't any...
Stuffed if I know, slow news days?
Gulp..pass..
Agreed.
You know, it's a good thing I as lenient about off topic comments as I am, cause if nobody said anything about eggs this seed would have been wiped off the Front (Home) Page days ago.
Some of the best articles are the ones that go off topic, of course so are some of the worst. It's kinda a crap shoot
Well you did start it!! the comment about eggs was what caught my eye...the rest of the article mmhh..
Besides it's more fun than flipping politics.. anything is better than that.. brushing the cat, watching paint dry, eating Vegemite sangas, washing dishes etc etc...
Yes, I did start it and I'm glad I did.
Had a couple poached eggs for lunch , went and picked up some sundries for the weekend usual milk , bread and eggs .
picked up 2 doz @ $3.19 a doz . funny thing , they are cage free vegetarian fed , no hormones or anti biotics . and i still havent pulled my hair into a man bun , or had any desire for a double mocha Capuchino with a double pump of vanilla .
Even boiled up 6 for egg salad tomorrow.
In case I'm not believed about what I paid for eggs.
Certain parts of the country are affected more than others. I would think that the more rural the location, the lower the price due to the eggs not being supplied by a large corporate farm and the (seemingly counterintuitive) availability of eggs from more local suppliers. When I had chickens, I could hardly give enough eggs away.
Looked at the carton , these out of SLC, a good 4 hr drive from my area , keep in mind its winter and there are a couple mnt passes and canyons to go through .
But i do understand your point .
other things do of course affect prices as well that non have mentioned , thats why i mentioned the eggs i got today , would normally be classified as "ORGANIC" and usually cost more .
one more thing i just noticed on the carton , they are certified humane ......
I miss keeping chickens , i quit that a couple yrs ago, so i know what you mean about not being able to give them away , and all i had was 6 layers.
These are large brown eggs , the other kind , large and extra large white eggs are right in line with prices around the country being anywhere from $6 and up , most expensive i saw was Ex large white for $12, so being frugal i got larges for just over $3, which is tolerable to me .
You're a good egg.
Source of that expression:
@ Thomas and Mark
I'm kind of surprised to see that more people than I thought would have raised chickens, but that may be because I've always been a citified person.
The daughter who has all the grandkids (5) has 47 last i knew , and lets just say they have proven to be descendent from dinosaurs, the little raptors , both the kids and the chickens , they eat just about anything put in front of them .
all the waste from the hunting season cutting things up went to the chickens so no need to bag it and take it to the dump .
I miss the chickens, each had their own Chicken-ality, their own characteristic way of clucking, but I do not miss stepping in their chicken poop with bare feet
I used to chop veggies for salad on the porch. I would just throw the bits and pieces of the stuff I did not want off of the porch. Did not have to worry about waste laying around. Insects like ticks were not really a problem either.
My hygienist kept chickens for a while. All have died but one, named Pretzel. Pretzel is her escape artist, so I don't know how Pretzel has lived so long. I'd have thought she'd have run into a mean dog or neighbor by now. But yeah, she had chickens that were mean, and chickens that were friendly, and some who loved to be cuddled. Pretzel is a cuddler.
Pretzel is a bully to their dog, Annie, though. Annie insists on having an escort to use the facilities. Pretzel pecks her butt every time she tries to do her business.
I went to Costco earlier this evening. They were entirely out of eggs.
Eggs are the new toilet paper
Some day we will be telling our grandkids kids , back in my day , we use to cover our enemies homes and trees with toilet paper and eggs .
kids : were you rich back then when you were a kid ?
Gpaw " just smiles and says in ways we never even realized .....
I eat eggs every weekend. Mostly with bacon, sometimes Canadian bacon or breakfast sausage. Either hash browns or toast too.
Ahh yep same here..egg and bacon sangas are the go for me..
I get Aussie bacon though Canadian is available..along with poached eggs, scrambled, fried etc..
I eat eggs almost every day. In Canada we call what you call Canadian bacon 'back bacon'.
What happened to the 24th egg?
I ate it..
That was its fate from the start.
Along with another 4 two last night and two this morning..
Only had one in my Australian oatmeal this morning (we don't have any small bird eggs this morning) so I think I'll have an egg and tomato salad for supper tonight.
Lol could have but I really dislike the taste of eggs
That's unfortunate since they're a very healthy food.
Agreed, I can only hope I get enough of the health benefits in my pancakes, waffles and other baked goods where the taste (and smell) is masked
By the way, an aside: Was everyone able to have eggs for breakfast this morning? I did.
In the U.S.....eggs are for the wealthy!
I'm not at all wealthy and we eat eggs every day - we get chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs and small bird eggs.
That's a lot of variety!
Other than Chicken eggs I don't think I've ever had any other type-- maybe Duck (?).
Of course there are many different types of eggs:
Chicken, Duck or Ostrich – which egg type is best?
Photo: Holland&Barrett
I never saw an ostrich egg, but I did once eat an ostrich steak. Yes, it tasted just like chicken.
I am not wealthy either eggs here are the norm..note sure what everyone one is on about...must have missed something...
Why would you want to eat small birds eggs? Wouldn't be worth peeling..
Can get duck, chook, quail considered a delicacy wouldn't bother giving them stomach room..to flaming small...
I don't know which bird the little eggs are, could be quail, pheasant, pigeon, but I put 6 little eggs into my Australian oats breakfast - one bite for the whole egg and they taste better when yolk and white are eaten together.in one mouthful. However, my wife peels them for me cause i'm too clumsy and screw them up when I try to peel them.
but I did once eat an ostrich steak. Yes, it tasted just like chicken.
So then I guess is better to buy Chicken as its cheaper than Ostrich!
Oh wait-- can't you get Bird Flu from Chicken? Maybe no more Chicken for a while . . .
I've heard of Irish Oatmeal, but never heard of Australian Oats.
Are they actually real Oats-- or are they an imitation made from kangaroos?
I've not heard anything about bird flu happening in China, but if it happens for sure we'll blame America.
I think shona1 knows better.
Morning.. rats!! How did you know?..
Yep we throw in a bit of roo, chuck in some koala and then add a bit of emu..
So you have got speed, strength and agility..
Buzz can testify to that..😁
I plead the 5th.
I forgot, but back in the past I also ate much smaller eggs, although not from fowl, It was very expensive. Can anyone guess what it was?
caviar?
LOL. You got it.
Really?? How much is a dozen eggs over there?
According to this chart: LINK -> Prices by Country of Eggs (regular) (12) (Markets)
In China a dozen medium chicken eggs cost in US dollars US$1.62, a little less than US$4 in America, a little more than that in Australia. As you can see, eggs are a lot more affordable in China.
Yes but how are they farmed?? I doubt China is using free range eggs or barn laid eggs...
Any money they are battery chooks..all battery chooks will be phased out here.. Woolies and Coles have already stopped buying caged eggs which is great...
Hence free range are more expensive but I am all for it better for the chook and they produce better quality eggs...
So I am very happy to pay any extra... besides 60 cents for an egg I think that is cheap...
I have no idea how they're farmed.
The logic here is unarguable. Tomorrow. I'll post an article about the vacuum Trump is creating in South America, surely in China's favor.
The EU wonders if it shouldn't be strengthening ties to China.
Maybe Donald is actually a Chinese mole.
Trump is doing China a big favour, and the American people are going to pay for it. I'm just shaking my head about how stupid it is.
Wednesday I ate at Waffle House, and they had extra 50 cents per egg charge.
That is getting weird.
I went to Aldi's last weekend, and eggs were $4/dozen, with a limit of 2 dozen per customer.
I've been considering raising chickens myself. I have plenty of space in the yard.
There was a time in my weekend hippie days when I was still single that I almost bought a farm. Had I done that I would most likely have had chickens, but if I had bought that farm my life would have turned out to be VERY different than what it's been.
I've never seen this happen before, but I love it. There are 2 comments about the posted topic, and 57 comments about eggs and chickens. It should win a prize for being the most off topic for any article ever posted on NT.
That and it has actually remained civil .... that is even more surprising ., but it proves it is doable .
That's because it's about eggs and not politics. LOL
...and getting back to the seed... As part of its Belt and Road mutual-aid program, Chinese companies have made big improvements to other countries' ports (including ports on the Panama Canal, which the US had let deteriorate, so now Trump must invade
). Vancouver is already a big port, but would have to grow to Antwerp size. It's possible, with rail lines to the east. Mexico has no mega-ports, but I'd bet that China "would be glad to help".
Trump is opening one Pandora‘s Box after another.