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It's competition from around the world that pushes down prices. If the US was self sufficient internally, there would be little incentive for US companies to lower prices. In Trump's first tenure he imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports but since then steel productivity in the US, output per hour, has really dropped because protected industries have little reason to innovate, not being challenged from outside. In addition there's less international collaboration on new technologies as there's no lengthy supply chain. Tariffs in a globalised economy lead to higher prices and less productivity.

The trade deficit the US has with Canada is largely tied to the price of crude oil, and Canada exports millions of barrels of crude oil daily to the US. Indeed, more than half of US crude oil comes from Canada. Last summer Canadian crude oil exports to the U.S. peaked at 4.3 million barrels per day. In fact, when those oil exports are removed from the equation, the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Canada, according to economic data. In 2023, that surplus was more than US$30 billion, the TD analysis showed. U.S.-Canada trade deficit is highest in 20 years. Does it justify tariffs? - National | Globalnews.ca

US farmers hit by Chinese retaliation for Trump's tariffs. Nothing like hurting your own base. "China's retaliatory tariffs are a direct hit to U.S. farmers - CBS News" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-tariffs-us-farmers/

Donald's handling of the economy gets short shrift from the markets.

Good to see that Vance's cousin has a low opinion of him and Trump. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2yl5kevrpo

At last a Republican with guts. 'Why are we showing favouritism to the thug, the dictator, the murderer?'

Should have known Dr Evil would return. when will the Alan Parsons Project re-emerge?

A victim of political correctness. A photo of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima deleted from the Pentagon files because it contains the word gay, the name of the pilot's mother, Enola Gay Tibbets. Duh!

JD Vance talking about Donald Trump

Italy's Meloni suggests taking Ukraine under NATO's security umbrella without providing membership Italian PM supports Ukraine's NATO membership - Euromaidan Press Meloni Backs Giving Ukraine NATO Security Without Membership - Bloomberg

An example of Maga stupidity Trump claimed in his speech the other day that the government supposedly spent millions in research to make mice transgender. But it isn't transgender, it's transgenic. By inserting a new gene, (transgene) into a mouse embryo, transgenic mice can be manipulated to carry specific genetic mutations that imitate human diseases like cancer, diabetes, etc, allowing for the study of disease mechanisms and testing of potential therapies. “

Elon Musk disrupted 240 flights with his latest SpaceX rocket explosion. The rocket sent debris flying from Texas where it launched, to as far as the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean, and interrupted around 240 flights, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday, causing 171 delays in departure averaging 28 minutes, 28 diversions, and 40 planes to hold in the air for 22 minutes on average with the FAA’s Debris Responsive Area active. Elon Musk disrupts 240 flights with SpaceX rocket explosion after spate of air disasters

Khrushchev saw the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine as a way of fortifying and perpetuating Soviet control over Ukraine. Some 860,000 ethnic Russians would be joining the already large Russian minority in Ukraine. No gift there. The Ukrainians voted for Zelensky with 73 percent of the vote, the largest tally in the country's history, with a pro-Western and pro-European foreign policy. Even now his popularity is high, higher after Trump and Vance's despicable behaviour last Friday.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: ‘Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. ‘To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late.’ Donald Trump threatens new sanctions on Russia after latest missile onslaught

The Ukrainians want national sovereignty, freedom and the opportunity to join the EU. Not be under Russian subjugation. The same aspirations as all the other Eastern European countries once suppressed under the Iron Curtain. And Putin's scared the Russians will want the same freedoms.

Nearly half of the country’s attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over the DOGE's mass firings of federal workers. The AGs accuse the administration of terminating tens of thousands of probationary employees without first following federal regulations, including a 60-day advance notice to affected employees and states. 20 states sue Trump over mass firings saying Musk’s DOGE skipped required notices

Trump winking at Marjorie Taylor Greene's boyfriend, thanking him for the question about Zelensky's attire.

Trump showing utter ignorance about NATO and Article 5. The only time it was invoked was after 9/11 by the US and NATO answered the call.

Ground Control to Major Musk. What's going on? "SpaceX rocket explodes, raining debris from sky for second time in a row - BBC News" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj92wgeyvzzo