Category Archives: Economy
King Dollar Rate Hike
President Trump doesn’t want the Fed to raise interest rates. And he said so. Which is frowned on since the Fed is supposed to be independent.
It’s also awkward for Trump’s chief economic advisor Larry Kudlow, a strong advocate for a strong dollar. Or King Dollar as he likes to say.
Trump hired Kudlow in March. But in February here’s what Kudlow had to say on CNBC:
A strong dollar is an essential pillar of economic prosperity with minimal inflation, but we worry that the White House has not adopted this strategy. So we urge the Trump administration to return to the successful “King Dollar” policies that worked in the 60’s, 80’s and 90’s.
Uh oh. He went on to say:
We also worry that the recent widening trade deficit numbers will further tempt the administration into a weak dollar strategy.
Harley Davidson Trade War Surrender Monkey
President Trump thinks Harley-Davidson is a traitorous Trade War surrender monkey. It wasn’t always that way. That is until the E.U. slapped a 31% tariff on the company in response toTrump’s 25% tariffs on E.U. steel and aluminum.
Trump had considered Harley to be part of his base. But he left the motor cycle maker in a tough spot. His tariffs coupled the E.U. hit could add $2,200 to the price of each bike.
Harley’s customer base consists of American Baby Boomers. And they’re getting too old and fat to ride the Hogs. So the company looked abroad, building plants in Brazil, India and Thailand. And it plans a new plant in the E.U. which would dodge the tariff.
Trade War Surrender Monkey
That didn’t sit well with Trump. He tweeted that Harley raised the “white flag” and he threatened to tax them like “never before.”
Whatever that means.
Draining the Swamp
Trump’s draining the swamp by cutting taxes and regulations. And now the economy is booming.
But he’s slapping tariffs on friends and foes alike. Friends can get exemptions. But to do that they have to hire lobbyists to work the bureaucratic maze.
Trudeau Drives Trump Bonkers
A Justin Trudeau press conference seemed to drive President Trump bonkers. The Canadian Prime Minister spoke as Trump boarded Air Force One following the G7 meeting in Quebec. The president called Trudeau dishonest and weak. Strong words for the head of state of your best ally. Trump trade warrior in chief, Peter Navarro. then piled on saying there’s a special place in Hell for Trudeau. is it hot enough there to make your eyebrows fall off?
G7 American Allies Battle
There was discord during the buildup to the G7 meetings of rich nations in Quebec. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau was insulted because he thinks Trump considers Canada to be a security threat.
But President Trump did say he had to hit American allies with high tariffs for national security reasons.
G7 American Allies
Then on Thursday, which happened to be the D-Day anniversary, French President Macron took a shot at Trump saying, “No leader is forever.” He also said, “the six G7 countries without the U.S. are bigger than the American market.”
The next day Trump waded into the meetings insisting that Russia be included.
