American Politics 4.0 - Orangeyou Glad He’s Back?

[direwolf]

I was just watching some of the FireAid benefit concert in LA. It's so refreshing to see a little bit of love, joy and positivity amidst all the chaos and darkness surrounding the U.S. right now. Here's hoping that the majority of sensible, decent Americans can somehow find a way to band together and fight back against this hateful, fascist bulls*** that has infected their government and their country.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by GGG

Canada needs to give Trump the easy immigration win he is asking for. If you look at Columbia it cost them nothing economically. So there should be an easy way to get Trump to not impose Tarrifs in exchange for ficticiously meeting his demands.

You do that behind the scenes and publicly you stand ready to retaliate.

If you read the project 2025 stuff for Tarrifs and trade targeting Canada doesn’t make sense. So the handlers of Trump will likely aim him in the correct direction.

Didn't we do that when we tightened up the border security and started flying helicopters there to make a spectacle of it? It seems like he has the easy W here, and should just run around and tell everyone how he managed to make us stop all that fentanyl from just walking in.

[Senator Clay Davis]

We need to up the kayfabe though. Take a bunch of seized drugs from the evidence locker, get a couple patsies to get "busted" at the border, and goddamn aren't we doing an amazing job? This is our world now, it's wrestling, it's a work, so embrace that ####.

[Fuzz]

You can double up and use immigrant patsies.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

We need to up the kayfabe though. Take a bunch of seized drugs from the evidence locker, get a couple patsies to get "busted" at the border, and goddamn aren't we doing an amazing job? This is our world now, it's wrestling, it's a work, so embrace that ####.

And if this doesn't work, a presser musing about a Chinese army base in the Yukon, just so that Trump stops taking us for granted?

[puckedoff]

Wishful thinking but if we could use this as the catalyst for getting rid of some inter-provincial trade restrictions and increase trade infrastructure with other countries it could turn out to be a win long term for Canada, assuming the Trump party ever leaves office.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by Slava

Didn't we do that when we tightened up the border security and started flying helicopters there to make a spectacle of it? It seems like he has the easy W here, and should just run around and tell everyone how he managed to make us stop all that fentanyl from just walking in.

No kidding, all Trump has to do is show video of Blackhawk helicopter's flying around the border and he has his win. But I think this is more about seeing how submissive he can make Canada to his whims, in which case, nothing will satisfy him.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

No kidding, all Trump has to do is show video of Blackhawk helicopter's flying around the border and he has his win. But I think this is more about seeing how submissive he can make Canada to his whims, in which case, nothing will satisfy him.

Sorry, due to the purging of all DEI policies, they shall now be referred to as FreedomHawk Helicopters.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by Slava

And if this doesn't work, a presser musing about a Chinese army base in the Yukon, just so that Trump stops taking us for granted?

100%

While not army bases ... I would LOVE for Canada to release a statement like this on Feb 1:

"We are no longer going to subsidize the US with cheap oil & gas. They have been taking advantage of us for years. We have instead reached a 20 year agreement with China where they will pay full market value for our surplus going forward."

* Full disclosure - I have no idea what I'm actually talking about regarding such matter. But, as a lay person, something like that would bring a smile to my face.

[indes]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

100%

While not army bases ... I would LOVE for Canada to release a statement like this on Feb 1:

"We are no longer going to subsidize the US with cheap oil & gas. They have been taking advantage of us for years. We have instead reached a 20 year agreement with China where they will pay full market value for our surplus going forward."

* Full disclosure - I have no idea what I'm actually talking about regarding such matter. But, as a lay person, something like that would bring a smile to my face.

If we could get our oil to tidewater this would be a legitimate strategy & give us a lot more negotiating room to work with. Alas we have done exactly the opposite and put all of our eggs into the "America will always help us out" basket. Oops!

[Bigtime]

Ok, so now the tariffs will be on March 1st?

https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-...ay-2025-01-31/

I can't keep up with all of the speculation.

[WideReceiver]

Originally Posted by indes

If we could get our oil to tidewater this would be a legitimate strategy & give us a lot more negotiating room to work with. Alas we have done exactly the opposite and put all of our eggs into the "America will always help us out" basket. Oops!

Eggs? Did you say eggs?

That’s what got us into this hell.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

100%

While not army bases ... I would LOVE for Canada to release a statement like this on Feb 1:

"We are no longer going to subsidize the US with cheap oil & gas. They have been taking advantage of us for years. We have instead reached a 20 year agreement with China where they will pay full market value for our surplus going forward."

* Full disclosure - I have no idea what I'm actually talking about regarding such matter. But, as a lay person, something like that would bring a smile to my face.

So I have been listening on and off to Fox News on SiriusXM recently, since the inauguration. Mostly for entertainment purposes, but it does open one's eyes a little into the mindset of MAGAs. Today I am cautiously optimistic on tariffs, at least on oil & gas. Fox has been massively pro tariff on everything but today on Fox Business they had a correspondent in Calgary and were talking about how bad a tariff on oil would be for the US. Which we all know, that's hardly new. But when Fox is not supporting this I think that is a good sign.

As a matter of fact they had the CEO of Cenovus on and he mused about finding alternative markets for their products if the US isn't on board with wanting them. Yes, that's easier said than done but certainly is a shot across the bow to the Americans.

Not holding my breath, you never know with Trump but this was certainly encouraging.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

So I have been listening on and off to Fox News on SiriusXM recently, since the inauguration. Mostly for entertainment purposes, but it does open one's eyes a little into the mindset of MAGAs. Today I am cautiously optimistic on tariffs, at least on oil & gas. Fox has been massively pro tariff on everything but today on Fox Business they had a correspondent in Calgary and were talking about how bad a tariff on oil would be for the US. Which we all know, that's hardly new. But when Fox is not supporting this I think that is a good sign.

As a matter of fact they had the CEO of Cenovus on and he mused about finding alternative markets for their products if the US isn't on board with wanting them. Yes, that's easier said than done but certainly is a shot across the bow to the Americans.

Not holding my breath, you never know with Trump but this was certainly encouraging.

Agreed, that's encouraging for O&G ... but I'd still like us to take a harder stance (if we actually can).

Trump telling us that he's going to put a tariff on everything EXCEPT the one thing that he needs is a slap in the face. He gets what he needs on the cheap but still gets to hurt Canada?? Eff that.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by indes

If we could get our oil to tidewater this would be a legitimate strategy & give us a lot more negotiating room to work with. Alas we have done exactly the opposite and put all of our eggs into the "America will always help us out" basket. Oops!

I read somewhere recently that pipelines to the west coast and to eastern Canada are very much back in play.

Who knows if they will every come to fruition ... but one can hope.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by indes

If we could get our oil to tidewater this would be a legitimate strategy & give us a lot more negotiating room to work with. Alas we have done exactly the opposite and put all of our eggs into the "America will always help us out" basket. Oops!

Who gets our oil via Transmountain? How much is international vs US?

Edit: at least 50% goes to China. Upping that would be a start.

https://www.ualberta.ca/en/china-ins...expansion.html

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Who gets our oil via Transmountain? How much is international vs US?

Edit: at least 50% goes to China. Upping that would be a start.

https://www.ualberta.ca/en/china-ins...expansion.html

Good interactive graphic here:

https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-an...s-in-2023.html

But mostly Hong Kong, Spain and the UK in 2023. Going back, looks like it is primarily Hong Kong and China. Easiest to see if you filter origin to Alberta, and remove US from destination.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Ok, so now the tariffs will be on March 1st?

https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-...ay-2025-01-31/

I can't keep up with all of the speculation.

Good night Westley.
I'll most likely kill you in the morning.

[Table 5]

Regardless of if/when the tariffs come, I think the basic lesson here is the same one that came with Covid in regards to needing to put more emphasis on self-autonomy (a lesson that our government didn’t really seem to heed) and focusing on taking advantage of our inherent strengths. I don’t really see a bright future without a good relationship with the US, but we need to start acting on moving forward with tangible projects that help increase Canada’s long-term economic prospects and self-autonomy regardless of who’s in power down south. You know, things like building/supplying those LNG terminals that allies like Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland etc have been begging us for years. Would’ve been great to do this years ago, when we were in a better position of power, but you know…

While we will never be a top dog, threatening to go from being one hegemon’s bitch, to being the other hegemon’s bitch, is not really appealing to me.

[Manhattanboy]

The Reuters story might be false. Apparently WH press secretary says tariffs to be effective tomorrow.