Canadians seem to understand Trump better than Americans do. Canadians recognize that Trump's words are emotional tools, not promises. American partisans and media treat his words as absolute promises. Democrats hate the promises, Republicans love them. Nobody remembers what he DID.
Rubin also understands the real pros and cons of tariffs, and the reality that tariffs and sanctions are always used by all administrations. I'm not sure factory jobs will return solely because of tariffs. Proper industrial policy includes both the stick of tariffs and the carrot of subsidies and regulations.
Rubin recognizes that sanctions help the target country to achieve self-sufficiency. Cuba proved it first, then Iran, then Russia. I hope Canada can do the same.
He might be overestimating the necessary inflationary costs of local production. Henry Ford achieved the LOWEST priced car by paying his workers MORE than other industrial workers, and giving them shorter hours. Higher-paid workers can afford a better life, which makes them more loyal and productive. Our industries followed the Ford model until 1980 when Wall Street recaptured the country.
We are in very dangerous times. The fog is everywhere, and so much is obscured by misinformation that it is almost impossible to know what is true about anything. The misinformation is not new, but what is new is that it is very hard to control the narrative.
For example, with respect to Soviet Union, very few of us actually knew what was happening behind the Iron Curtain and the little information we had came from either Government Sources (controlled media) or the people who got out, and they were the ones for whom it did not work.
In 2025, we live in a very different world. Our neighbor down the street is from Russia, and is texting daily to their family. We have all met Palestinians, and know that they are not irrational & evil. The result is that while we might not know what is true, we have a pretty good idea what is not true.
Having said all that, I personally think we need to go back to localizing as much as possible. Why, for many reasons, but primarily because what I can be certain of is what is happening in my own neighborhood. This means bringing the ability of all the citizens to make decisions about what is happening in their neighborhood home, so that we can ensure that what we know is transparent. When that happens, we will all be better off.
Refreshing! Rubin understands reality.
Canadians seem to understand Trump better than Americans do. Canadians recognize that Trump's words are emotional tools, not promises. American partisans and media treat his words as absolute promises. Democrats hate the promises, Republicans love them. Nobody remembers what he DID.
Rubin also understands the real pros and cons of tariffs, and the reality that tariffs and sanctions are always used by all administrations. I'm not sure factory jobs will return solely because of tariffs. Proper industrial policy includes both the stick of tariffs and the carrot of subsidies and regulations.
Rubin recognizes that sanctions help the target country to achieve self-sufficiency. Cuba proved it first, then Iran, then Russia. I hope Canada can do the same.
He might be overestimating the necessary inflationary costs of local production. Henry Ford achieved the LOWEST priced car by paying his workers MORE than other industrial workers, and giving them shorter hours. Higher-paid workers can afford a better life, which makes them more loyal and productive. Our industries followed the Ford model until 1980 when Wall Street recaptured the country.
Trump will save us! NOT!
We are in very dangerous times. The fog is everywhere, and so much is obscured by misinformation that it is almost impossible to know what is true about anything. The misinformation is not new, but what is new is that it is very hard to control the narrative.
For example, with respect to Soviet Union, very few of us actually knew what was happening behind the Iron Curtain and the little information we had came from either Government Sources (controlled media) or the people who got out, and they were the ones for whom it did not work.
In 2025, we live in a very different world. Our neighbor down the street is from Russia, and is texting daily to their family. We have all met Palestinians, and know that they are not irrational & evil. The result is that while we might not know what is true, we have a pretty good idea what is not true.
Having said all that, I personally think we need to go back to localizing as much as possible. Why, for many reasons, but primarily because what I can be certain of is what is happening in my own neighborhood. This means bringing the ability of all the citizens to make decisions about what is happening in their neighborhood home, so that we can ensure that what we know is transparent. When that happens, we will all be better off.