US shares have rocketed after US President Donald Trump said he would suspend steep tariffs on goods from most countries, and instead impose a 10% import tax rate – Source: BBC
Donald ‘ducks’
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86 responses to “Donald ‘ducks’”
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A circus master trying to wield his whip.
Problem is, not everyone is coming to the circus and the most critical attraction is refusing to play.
The ups and downs of the market may indicate short-term reaction, but the long-term outcome is what matters.
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It is unfortunate some are treating this as a zero sum matter because Trump suspended/reduced tariffs on some countries, allegedly to give time to negotiate with about 60 countries on the matter. All of the concerns expressed before his decisions as relates to Barbados continue to beef concern. Hopefully we have learned from the suspended episode.
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Trump is not a person who will ever admit he has lost as proven in 2021
nor will he ever admit he is guilty of a crime as proven by his court cases
He will need sycophantic allies in the corrupt US propaganda war against China
90 days pause signifies USA was not ready to process the new import tax -
@Dub,
Maybe, but the bond market was also crashing and allegedly at least one major hedge fund was in trouble. So it is probable that he was persuaded to back off.
China tariffs still exist as an issue and those alone will cause major economic issues.
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David,
Yes, the concerns still apply. Barbados needs to come back to the baseline, regardless of what the USA, or anyone else, does.
The crime situation alone demonstrates that a reset is necessary. This involves all areas of governance, finance, judicial, education.
The baseline encompasses all of these areas.
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@Horsemeat
It definitely appears the extreme volatility in the stock and bond markets forced Trump to slow down with his reckless tariff policy. All of us know how Trump uses the stock market price index as a sign.
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@Horsemeat
The other factor yet unknown is ‘China’.
It is an elephant in the room too big to ignore.
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Interesting times.
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@ David
As I mentioned on the other thread these 2 countries intend to fight this war differently. Trump see it as he is going to win because China sells him way more than they buy from him. China sees it as they will win BECAUSE you buy way more from me than i from you. Hence your American Consumers will not pay such high duties, after all thats what a tariff is. So yes buy an American car but China’s imput is all over that car.
So lets say it ends up being a 7% duty on ALL imports except for China, the reality is that ALL those other imports from other countries have a chinese input as well.
So we have two countries facing off with completely different weapons in their arsenal and the poor consumer having to pay through their tails either way!
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@John A
How can two economic powers be seen as a win lose situation? Their economies are integrated to the extent there will be no winners. In fact it is the ants in the room that will be crushed.
Some of us see these geopolitical machinations as games.
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So my point is unless Trump and China can come to an agreeement, dropping the rest of the world to a 7% duty is not going to make any real difference to us the consumer. Plus even at 7% understand thall all OTHER cost associated with gettting it to the shelf goes on top of that, hence compunding the cost. So you add to that freight, Insurance, handling charges, duty at our customs, the distributors markup, the retailers markup and final the 17.5% VAT. So dont make the mistake and think “well its only 5% or 7% that ain’t much.” Trust me by the time you compound it up to the supermarket shelf it will be a sizable increase. Remember too that would not include Chinese products either as that duty is yet to be determined.
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@ David
Well countries go to war and both declare they have won even though thousands lay dead on the battlefield.
China will not back down because if they do then it means other countries may do the same to their Chinese exports. China also believe their tentacles extend into so many products globally, that their exports will still get into the USA anyhow undetected as part of another countries product’s input.
The question is will the consumer ( taxpayers and voters) be willing to pay such duties to support Trump in his fight for trade balance? It is all well and good to say “dont buy chinese products” as a politician, but if the alternative is twice the price as the Chinese product will the consumer be happy with that?
As I said both these countries will use different approaches to fight this battle. Plus Trump can’t back down from this now because he would look like a weak fool in the eyes of the world.
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@John A
Trump’s decisions is about forcing others to make deals that makes his look good.
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@John A
China has much more capacity to manufacture and produce affordable products. Also it has an ‘educated’ and disciplined workforce already oriented for current demands etc. They also have a huge domestic consumer market which helps to build resilience.
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“China has much more capacity to manufacture and produce affordable products.”
That’s stating the bleeding obvious
The Big Fight commentary
3rd World Manufacturing Vs 1st World Manufacturing
3rd World pays $75 per month
1st World pays $1,218 per month*(*) But..
Will US workers work for minimum wages in factories?
Will will US Business pay 16 times more for factory workers?
Are US factory workers better and harder working than 3rd World workers
Hell No! [x2] -
@ David
If you have a chance look at what is happening to Harley Davison. They are so overpriced that even with the tariffs on chinese bikes, they are still way more expensive. China has built very similar bikes for a fraction of the price. In my view you have to ask yourself why does China have such a big surplus to the USA to begin with? The answer to that tells you the challenge trump faces with China.
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@John A
Using Harley-Davidson to support your point is not a good one. People who buy those nuts are not motivated by price, it is a brand loyalty, lifestyle choice.
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“….you have to ask yourself why does China have such a big surplus to the USA to begin with?”
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It is the same situation with Brassbados.It is because we have determined to make our living by exploiting the vagaries of COMMERCE – rather than by focusing on our OWN PRODUCTIVITY.
We ‘travel the world’ begging for grants, loans, and looking to exploiting fun-seeking tourists – to sustain our sweat-free lifestyles. While the USA does EXACTLY the same no-sweat thing, BUT by exercising their murderous armed forces to bully any opposition, and by IMPOSING their fiat currency on the world….
…RATHER than by the sweat of their brows – or by any creativity and innovation beyond new weapons of destruction.It BOTH cases, day only runs until night catches up…
…and sunsets loom for both of us… largely complements China.“By the sweat of a man’s brow should he eat his bread…”
Because otherwise-
All Ponzi schemes have to end!!
and they NEVER end well fo the masses. -
China uses child labour to produce products at the price they do. This is egregious and against all human rights practices.
Their record on human rights is ABYSSMAL the following taken from Human Rights Watch:
Over a decade into President Xi Jinping’s rule, efforts to centralize control has led to heightened repression throughout the country. There is no independent civil society, no freedom of expression, association, assembly or religion, and human rights defenders and other perceived critics of the government are persecuted. The government considers the culturally and ethnically distinct Tibetans and Uyghurs as threats and subjects them to particularly harsh repression. Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs remain imprisoned as part of the government’s crimes against humanity in the region. It has also ended long-protected civil liberties in Hong Kong. While foreign governments recognize the Chinese government’s worsening rights record, they have not confronted Beijing.
Tell me now Bajans: Whose Side Are You Leaning On? Still want to go along with the Chinese? Or perhaps do a little more research?
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@Bajan in Exile
If we accept that China has an unflattering human rights record. Why is China a top trading partner of the USA?
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It appears the financial markets continue to be ‘suspicious’ of erratic decision making by Trump and gang.
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Tell me now Bajans: Whose Side Are You Leaning On?
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Well…
How many Blacks have the Chinese enslaved BY FORCE AND ARMS over the past FIVE centuries, and exploited to DEATH at ZERO wages – in order to build the wealth with which they can now afford to pay high wages to adults – and send their children to university?
How many of the surviving enslaved are now seen as UNWANTED immigrants in the country – eligible for clandestine arrest and deportation to ‘shithole’ countries?Bushie leans towards the side of SELF RELIANCE ..and being friends of ALL and vassel on NEITHER of the two exploiters…
However, it is CLEAR that China is about to play a KEY role in bringing KARMIC retribution that is NEEDED – for centuries of shiite that has been dispensed against Gods chosen brass bowls by the ‘powers that were’…
No doubt, in the fullness of time, Karma will devise a strategy to properly ‘reward’ China, Russia, Brassbados, Bushie, and indeed every single BB – according to the various seeds that we have sown….
…Unless of course that particular BB is covered by the INSURANCE policy that was launched when the Boss bushman died on calvary….
What a world!
What a plan!
What a time to be around…. -
In my view you have to ask yourself why does China have such a big surplus to the USA to begin with? The answer to that tells you the challenge trump faces with China.
Xxxxxxxxx
CHINA PAYS ENGINEERS FOR EXAMPLE US$500 MONTHLY SAME IN US WORKERS UPWARDS OF US$10,000 MONTHLY
WORKERS IN CHINA DOING ASSEMBLY JOBS EARN AROUND US$300 MONTHLY IN US SAME ASSEMBLY WORKERS AROUND US$4000 MONTHLY OR MORE IN USA.
CHINA ARE ENSLAVING BLACKS IN 2025 ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA NOT THROUGH CHAINS AND WHIPS BUT THROUGH OTHER MEANS OF EXPLOITATION WHILST CONSIDERING THEM AS INFERIOR AND LESS INTELLIGENT
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Trump has made America the laughing stock of the world
By now Putin must be laughing at Trumps ignorance that only a madman can demonstrate -
@ David
Actually Harley Davison is the perfect example. It was a highly covetd bike globally and at one time had a long waiting time to own. The last 3 years changed that with younger buyings saying its not worth the price and the older die hards passing away. So younger riders are saying its not a good bike for the price now with China and others offering good bikes. Below are Harley’s global sales in units over the past 3 years.
YEAR 2022 178,400 BIKES
YEAR 2023 162800 BIKES
YEAR 2024. 151200 BIKESit just shows that brand loyalty in the new post covid economy will not get you as far as before. They have lost 30% of their sales roughly in just 3 years.
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Some Motorcycle clubs prefer Harley Davidson.
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Since we plan to negotiate with Trump, it would be beneficial to read his book ‘The Art of the Deal’.
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The other elephant in the room after the emotional arguments are stripped away about China this and that – it is reported that China is the holder, directly and indirectly, of 1.2 trillion in US treasuries.
#alwaysfollowthemoney
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Is we in the above “Barbados” or is it “Caricom”. Individually, many of these economies are just too small for the US to enter into negotiations with each country. Jointly, they may be worthy of some notice.
The start and imposition of these tariffs had started to bring some reality to the eyes of these Caribbean folks, but I can see they are on their way back to fantasy land.
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“… it is reported that China is the holder, directly and indirectly, of 1.2 trillion in US treasuries.”
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NOW you are talking elephants in the room boss… !!!China to the USA, is like the IMF/ IDB/ WHO etc to Brassbados….
So just like we HAD to
– take the vaccines
– accept the survey of our school children’s inclination to alternative lifestyles
– sell (and even GIVE AWAY) our VERY LIMITED land resources to foreigners
– sing in whatever tone the IMF ‘advisors’ directThe USA suddenly woke up and realised that THEY TOO are now susceptible to such CHINESE manipulations..
BUT unlike us, they have a big army – and a LONG history of disposing of such adversaries explosively….
THIS time however, the adversary bided their time until THEY TOO had a big-ass army… and Enuff global partners to make the traditional ‘solution’ (think Libya / Iraq) MUCH LESS THAN routine…Trump’s tariffs are mere DISTRACTIONS…..
The REAL elephant comes when the Chinese get pissed off Enuff – to DUMP their US $$$ holdings at cents to the dollar…
What will a dollar (and THAT includes one of OURS) be worth then – in a world where the renminbi or yuan will be the new standard???
Unlike the idiotic, drawn out, tariff ‘false-flag’, this MONEY shock will be an OVERNIGHT devastation of biblical proportions – as history’s biggest Ponzi scheme, the fiat dollar, finally collapses in ruins….
This is not an elephant boss, it is a titanosaur that will rock the world….
What an era!!!
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@blogmaster
Seeing what looks like code or pure ugly text when I click on “trump tariffs unleashed on the world. -
I have seen some describe Trump’s last action on tariffs as a reversal. To me this is not a reversal but is more of a closure of Pandora’s box.
Troubles, pain and turmoil have already been let loose on the world and there is no getting them back into the box. I suspect the fool will be quiet for a while before he introduces his next big idea.
Evidence that we should not let the child drive the train.
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THE PROBLEM WITH SOME PEOPLE THEY WANT OTHERS TO PICK A SIDE INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THE FULL REALITY .
CHINA IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE WHITE MAN IN THEIR EXPLOITATION.
I MAY NOT LIKE TRUMP HOWEVER I AM HAPPY HE IS SHAKING UP THE STATUS QUO.
BLACKS MAIN PROBLEM IS THEY DON’T WANT TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE INDEPENDENT PATH INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUT TO BEG, BORROW AND STEAL A LARGE PERCENTAGE WITH IMPUNITY AND THAT IS IN BOTH THE CARIBBEAN AND AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
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Trump is shaking up things in the interest of the USA as all hegemonists do.
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Well you know the saying. You can ask any price you want for something until it sells it ain’t worth nothing.
So he starts out at 30% tariff he ends up taking 10% globally except for China and before he was getting less than 1%, so he will cliam victory. The Conusmer will end up paying retail in the USA say 12.5% more than he is paying now due to compounding and life goes on. Trump then being a politician, will pull in some money from the tariffs, brag how well it did and then in 2026 ease income tax etc on the people and those that quarelling now will be happy. Only time will tell what the new world economic orded will look like. Maybe the G7 will become the G6 who knows.
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@ David Check this article in the Financial Times today.
https://www.ft.com/content/5b436a19-4061-48a8-87fa-94c0c8d83e0e#comments-anchor
What are the implications for foreign reserves at the Central Bank? Now might be one of the worst times to have your currency pegged to the U.S dollar. Everybody is saying they don’t understand what Trump is doing. -
“Trump is shaking up things in the interest of the USA as all hegemonists do.”
He should be going through proper channels such as financial business and trade advisors, congress, diplomats etc etc instead of trying to wield sole power like a irrational crazy mafia don, making up his deluded strategy on the hoof, claiming an empty victory, boasting other nations are kissing his ass in negotiations or are disrespecting him by calling him a bully and exposing himself as a simple big head fool
Check Me After Dark…
Better World RastaEhh…eh, more dem down
The less dem down
More dem down
Then the less dem down
So dem ya run it ina town
So dem ya run it ina de town,
A better man rasta
A better world rasta,
A better dem rasta,
A better unto Jah,
I sing out outta Jah
I hail de emperor, Negus, Ambesa, Selah,
Selassie I, star war
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@General
Hopefully these kinds of conversations are being had but the blogmaster is not hopeful. The point has been made that our monetary policies have us locked into the Belway Agenda policies given USA influence on the world financial lending institutions for example.
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While we pontificate on what foreign nations, may or may not do, our Auditor General is now 19 months past that Offices last Report. The NISSS, has increased rates, while 5 months past its first Birthday, with nothing to say to its owners about its condition and performance.
The calls for diversification defy the reality we cannot manage what we have.
Well over a year ago, cheers erupted for we were transitioning sugar manufacturing and marketing assets, to the Co-op industry. The deal still hasn’t closed.
What we are good at, is announcing new Hotel construction. A recent one in Holetown, to be developed by ICBL, a locally listed company which has caught the reporting-itus of Gov’t. Shareholders last saw a report in the third quarter of ’23. A statement is due. When?….one can only guess.
Apparently, something is afoot at Paradise. There remains little clarity as the who owns the land. Or what this means to the $124M which Gov’t attempted to write off, amidst objections from the Aud Gen office.
Another strong suit is borrowing. Yet we were forewarned the pool of available funds have shrunk. -
DONALD TRUMP WAS ELECTED ON MAKING AMERICA GREAT NOT THE WORLD. SO FAR I LIKE THE CHESS GAME BEING PLAYED. HE WILL WIN SOME AND LOSE SOME.
CROOKED JOE BIDEN, PAMELA HARRIS AND THE DISHONEST DEMOCRATIC PARTY WERE DESTROYING THE USA.
UPWARDS OF 14 MILLION ILLEGALS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE GETTING ACCOMMODATION IN SHELTERS AND MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS MONTHLY COSTING TAXPAYERS MANY $BILLIONS.
YET TURNING A BLIND EYE TO ITS CITIZENS HOMELESS ON THE STREETS INCLUDING VETERANS WHO DID NOT BENEFIT FROM THE EASY HANDOUTS FOR THOSE JUST WALKING OVER THE BORDER.
IT TOOK MYSELF HARD WORK TO GET MY CITIZENSHIP THROUGH NATURALIZATION FAST TRACKED AFTER THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY IN THE AIRFORCE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO TRUMP CONTINUING TO DESTROY THE STATUS QUO IRREGARDLESS WHERE THE CHIPS MAY FALL.
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The USA does not exist in a bowl. It exists in a Global system which it helped to build based on the back of globalization. Trump 1.0 signed the USMCA. You. You may have the last word.
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I have no work to go to and so I have all day to watch the shitshow. So, this is why I know that the United States of America, the red states, are rolling back child labour laws. Anyone who points the finger at China in this regard should let google be their friend today.
Also, China, regardless of low salaries and wages compared to the USA, have lifted a large percentage of its citizens out of poverty, while the USA is driving the majority of its citizens back into poverty.
I am no naive black person who believes the Chinese to love black people, but one thing that is clear to me is that the United States of America ABSOLUTELY HATES us. They will use us if we have uses, but that’s about it.
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America’s biggest threat and clear and present danger to America is America
Trump is screwing Americans with tariffs where they have to eat up higher costs
and US industry Giants as their business model depends on foreign manufacture
Give him enough rope and watch him fuck himself up big time no effort required -
Waittttt. Didn’t baje take crooked joe bail out money during the heights of covid 🤔 for his company that was doing so well?
Hypocrite -
YOU ARE SILLY AND TYPICAL FOR YOU. IT WAS US TAXPAYERS MONEY AND IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE US TAXPAYERS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS COLLECTIVELY.
YES MY BUSINESS IS STILL IN EXISTENCE 2025 WHETHER BIDEN OR TRUMP IS IN.
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MAYBE ALL OF THOSE LIVING IN A FANTASY LAND ABOUT CHINA IN HOW GREAT THEY ARE INSTEAD OF HOW THEY RIP OFF AND FOOL THE WORLD SHOULD WATCH BELOW. THEN WHEEL AND COME AGAIN WITH REALITY.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CHOOSE TO IGNORE EVEN WHEN HILARY CLINTON LOST TO TRUMP SHE WON THE POPULAR VOTE BY AROUND 2 MILLION VOTES.
BIDEN WON BOTH THE POPULAR AND ELECTORAL COLLEGE WHEN HE WON.
TRUMP IN HIS SECOND TIME IN OFFICE WON THE POPULAR VOTE BY 2 MILLION VOTES FIRST TIME IN QUITE A WHILE REPUBLICAN HAS DONE SO.
I USED TO ONE OF THOSE CUSSING JOHN AND DR GP WHEN THEY UNWAVERINGLY WERE PUSHING TRUMP DURING THE PANDEMIC AFTER HE LOST.
THEY AND THE AMERICANS GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME.
LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
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The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.