A major U.S. ruling didn’t just hit trade policy... it exposed the limits of presidential power and validated Ottawa’s decision to wait instead of panic.
Did it? What I hear was a very angry Trump talk about embargoes, killing countries.
I get it, he was angry, but he’s already used one of the dissenters “advice” for tariffs (Kavanaugh). He wants Canada. Expect really, really bad things . It won’t be against Europe, because of the Atlantic ocean, it will be against the Americas. Iran is getting a reprieve. Or maybe he’s going to attempt to take on both. He’s angry, he’s incapable of being rational when he’s not angry, never mind when he’s irate.
I normally would completely agree with you. In fact, I would never have responded as I did. But, we now have not just a bubbling simmering cauldron of anger below us, we have the equivalent of cakes of c-4. The president of the US is beyond angry, make no mistake, and something is going to explode. Canada can no longer sit idle. The US will get truly ugly before it gets better (even US pundits believe this, read at minimum, the Atlantic, don’t like them, but do not totally dismiss them, either).
I understand why it feels that way right now Elaine.
The tone coming out of Washington is unusually heated, and when rhetoric escalates it naturally raises anxiety...
especially for countries as intertwined as Canada and the U.S.
Where I tend to land is this... anger and capability are not the same thing.
The United States is constrained by its own institutions, courts, Congress, state governments, corporate interests, and... most importantly... economic interdependence with allies.
Canada isn’t a distant adversary.
We’re part of deeply integrated supply chains, defense agreements, and energy systems that benefit both sides.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be turbulence.
There probably will be. Political cycles often create volatility before they create clarity.
But historically, structural incentives... trade, security cooperation, and mutual prosperity... have outweighed emotional rhetoric between our countries.
Canada’s best response isn’t panic or passivity.
It’s exactly what we’re seeing... diversification, resilience, and quiet strengthening of partnerships.
Storms look bigger when you’re standing under them. From a distance, many pass.
This is my problem with this issue and pardon my effrontery but I copied you:
“The United States is constrained by its own institutions, courts, Congress, state governments, corporate interests, and... most importantly... economic interdependence with allies.”.
What the globe is seeing today is no constraint at all by US norms as outlined in that statement. None. Yet, one more time, by an individual who has used the office to aggrandize not only himself but his family. SCOTUS spoke and the executive branch of US government ignored it.
This isn’t how it “feels” right now. It *is* what it *is* right now.
Did it? What I hear was a very angry Trump talk about embargoes, killing countries.
I get it, he was angry, but he’s already used one of the dissenters “advice” for tariffs (Kavanaugh). He wants Canada. Expect really, really bad things . It won’t be against Europe, because of the Atlantic ocean, it will be against the Americas. Iran is getting a reprieve. Or maybe he’s going to attempt to take on both. He’s angry, he’s incapable of being rational when he’s not angry, never mind when he’s irate.
Political rhetoric often sounds more dramatic than the underlying reality Elaine.
Major geopolitical moves... especially involving allies... are constrained by economics, law, and mutual dependence.
It’s always worth stepping back and watching the structural incentives rather than the emotional tone of any single speech.
I normally would completely agree with you. In fact, I would never have responded as I did. But, we now have not just a bubbling simmering cauldron of anger below us, we have the equivalent of cakes of c-4. The president of the US is beyond angry, make no mistake, and something is going to explode. Canada can no longer sit idle. The US will get truly ugly before it gets better (even US pundits believe this, read at minimum, the Atlantic, don’t like them, but do not totally dismiss them, either).
I understand why it feels that way right now Elaine.
The tone coming out of Washington is unusually heated, and when rhetoric escalates it naturally raises anxiety...
especially for countries as intertwined as Canada and the U.S.
Where I tend to land is this... anger and capability are not the same thing.
The United States is constrained by its own institutions, courts, Congress, state governments, corporate interests, and... most importantly... economic interdependence with allies.
Canada isn’t a distant adversary.
We’re part of deeply integrated supply chains, defense agreements, and energy systems that benefit both sides.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be turbulence.
There probably will be. Political cycles often create volatility before they create clarity.
But historically, structural incentives... trade, security cooperation, and mutual prosperity... have outweighed emotional rhetoric between our countries.
Canada’s best response isn’t panic or passivity.
It’s exactly what we’re seeing... diversification, resilience, and quiet strengthening of partnerships.
Storms look bigger when you’re standing under them. From a distance, many pass.
This is my problem with this issue and pardon my effrontery but I copied you:
“The United States is constrained by its own institutions, courts, Congress, state governments, corporate interests, and... most importantly... economic interdependence with allies.”.
What the globe is seeing today is no constraint at all by US norms as outlined in that statement. None. Yet, one more time, by an individual who has used the office to aggrandize not only himself but his family. SCOTUS spoke and the executive branch of US government ignored it.
This isn’t how it “feels” right now. It *is* what it *is* right now.
As time passes I have come to appreciate the roles that AI can have in news reporting.
But only, as you have, if it is used openly and with human supervision.
In particular, I like the multiple, daily posts, each summarizing a current headline.
Choosing which Substacks to pay for is a difficult choice.
But, your unusual format and the measured and open use of AI is making yours stand out.
Thank you, Ross... I really appreciate that.
I'm retired... this is a passion project for me. My goal is to help people make sense of the ever breaking news headlines without all the noise.
My thinking is if I can make things clearer in a confusing news cycle, then I’m doing what I set out to do.
I’m not charging for the content at this point because I want it accessible to anyone who finds me here and I’m glad the format is useful.
I’m grateful you’re here.