Thanks for the reminder of Tuesday’s comment and yes, that’s more than enough validation.

Speaking of when and if Trump will take the off-ramp, I read another blog's analysis of the consequences of the recent Trade Court ruling that the president has no power to impose tariffs.

Legally? I believe there are several routes Trump could legally impose tariffs:

* Trade Act of 1930. POTUS could impose tariffs up to 50% on imports from nations that discriminate against the United States.

* Trade Act of 1974, Section 122. POTUS could impose tariffs up to 15% but limited to 150 days.

* Section 232 tariffs such as those imposed by Trump on steel, aluminum, automobiles could be used to cover other sectors but not used like global blanket tariffs.

Briefly, the writers concluded that the Appeals Court in question, the Federal one, is very likely to uphold the ruling on clear legal grounds.

Seems likely at the Appeals Court level, but did those writers factor in the fact that Trump is notorious for attempting to leapfrog over that level and go directly to the Supremes? He'll attempt a stay while the court considers the issue or he'll attempt to go direct to SCOTUS. Chaos will ensue, etc.

That court has national jurisdiction, so the Supreme Court would have little reason to hear an appeal at its level, and even the Supremes are likely to stick to the law when it is so plainly written.

These Supremes!? Alito et alia? They are just as likely to strike it down based on some procedural BS they invent or twist themselves into a pretzel to stall the entire issue.

The president could try to get Congress to change the laws and give him the tariff power that he doesn't currently have, but how likely is that with this Congress?

Not happening with this Congress; he doesn't have the votes.

The writers conclude that the off-ramp - Trump simply not talking about tariffs any more and pretending the entire thing never happened - will be taken by the end of this year.

No way. Trump will double down and use whatever means he has to impose those tariffs as long as he can, even if they're temporary. The Castrated Caucus will do nothing... for now. Trump does have legal ways he can impose tariffs... just not the one he's chosen.

IMO :)

are you sure you didn't mean Fox News SPORTS entertainment?

I meant the whole enchilada... ummm... TACO!

those guys can make professional wrestling out of anything.

The Department of Education comes to mind. ;)

TACO, TACO man
I gotta be a TACO man

I am skeptical of that scenario ever occurring. but if so, i'm sure the rightwingosphere will laud donald's "genius" for pushing the courts to clarify the law and forcing other countries to jump at shadows.

JL

Speaking of when and if Trump will take the off-ramp, I read another blog's analysis of the consequences of the recent Trade Court ruling that the president has no power to impose tariffs.

Briefly, the writers concluded that the Appeals Court in question, the Federal one, is very likely to uphold the ruling on clear legal grounds. That court has national jurisdiction, so the Supreme Court would have little reason to hear an appeal at its level, and even the Supremes are likely to stick to the law when it is so plainly written.

The president could try to get Congress to change the laws and give him the tariff power that he doesn't currently have, but how likely is that with this Congress?

The writers conclude that the off-ramp - Trump simply not talking about tariffs any more and pretending the entire thing never happened - will be taken by the end of this year.

are you sure you didn't mean Fox News SPORTS entertainment?

those guys can make professional wrestling out of anything.

JL

You don't want to ask questions? - Fat Donny

You just want to talk to him, I get it. - Pirro

Somebody should have at least asked Jeanine Pirro how many more unqualified alcoholics were remaining at Fox News Entertainment from which Trump could staff his administration. She hasn't practiced law in near two decades.

in all likelihood they didn't consider either of these goals except post-facto. that's been the administration's m.o. all along - ready, fire, aim. presumably we're in the "aim" phase at the moment, and if either of those aims (or any other) ends up being remotely successful, they'll claim that was the only goal all along.

Yes, sir. Exactly! Totally... 100%. :)

How long before the Trump tariffs are declared unconstitutional in a court of law? Seems likely if the Courts follow the law. So the GOP can either continue to take inaction and turn a blind eye to this bullshit or grow a spine and do something about the big government overreach. The United States Constitution grants Congress (and only Congress) the power to impose, raise, or lower tariffs, which are taxes; in no way whatsoever does it give any such power to the President who has unilaterally ordered tariffs under false pretenses while the GOP cowers in compliance.

~ Kick

[ Permalink ] [ Wednesday, May 7th, 2025 at 22:32 ]

So the answer to the question was three weeks.

We cannot say we did not see that coming.

Donald is not bright enough to intentionally function as a spy nor even an asset of a foreign country. His habits and preferences happen to align quite well with Putin's agenda, and Putin figured out very quickly how to manipulate him, which is why there's obviously been mutual support. however, Donald is way too much of an egotist to ever intentially operate under anyone else's direction. He'll go to his grave believing everything he ever did was his own original idea.

JL

VladP must be thrilled. He knows an empty threat when he sees one. The senate will act! LOL. Why does Fat Donny need a bill? To make sure it never happens? He just waves his magic wand at everybody else, but he's Putin's bitch.

If that's not enough validation for you, I'm afraid you're out of luck with me.

He seems to have the critical thinking skills of a toddler. He could have tried to do something about covid and been a hero. Instead, he did what he did. Likewise, he could have put the economy on cruise control and crowed about how wonderful he is. Instead, he's hellbent on destroying the economy so that he can blame it on Biden. Most importantly, he's mentally defective and I believe he just enjoys overtly behaving like a mobster goon.

I cannot recall a single response to my theory from Weigantia. I’d like a reality check, please.

If Donald decides to be smart about it, he'll use the court decision as an off-ramp to the TACO issue, like you suggested. but what odds would you give that Donald decides to be smart about it?

JL

You don't want to ask questions? - Fat Donny

You just want to talk to him, I get it. - Pirro

I agree with you that it's silly to report the administration's alleged reasons for imposing the tariffs. however, the fact that the two narratives are contradictory to each other is hardly the most salient point. in all likelihood they didn't consider either of these goals except post-facto. that's been the administration's m.o. all along - ready, fire, aim. presumably we're in the "aim" phase at the moment, and if either of those aims (or any other) ends up being remotely successful, they'll claim that was the only goal all along.

JL

Interesting! But, as with most of these lower court decisions challenging the Republican administration's apparently illegal overreaches and seizures of arbitrary power, it's just not clear what the practical effect will be. The article makes that clear - none of this is final, and the Supreme Court is going to have to make a decision eventually. Like, say, about 18 months from now. Great.

I did notice that the HuffPo article asserted that Trump's tariff policies are 1) designed to return manufacturing industries to the U.S from abroad; and 2) designed to force importers to agree to better trade terms that would allow manufacturing to continue abroad.

Completely contradictory, of course, as we've discussed on this column for many weeks now. And the HuffPo writer, like so many hapless economics reporters, doesn't seem able to point out the contradiction to its readers, but writes nonsense just the way it comes out of the White House.

Why does the media allow itself to be the Trump White House's bitch like this?

OK, good. But in fact, you also offer an alternative future:

"Or Trump could get incensed by the fact that nobody is taking him seriously (and by the TACO label), and instead actually not chicken out and keep tariff rates sky-high no matter what happens to the markets or the American economy. This would backfire on him spectacularly, as his approval numbers would tank even further than the dismal point they're at now, but he might not care if he's in enough of a snit over not being taken seriously."

Whoa. That's entirely different from this TACO humor, isn't it? Trump's pique and uncontrollable id actually results in permanent, long-term, hugely destructive tariffs, for which Wall Street didn't sell off because they think their TACO take on the situation is the right one.

But having raised this possibility as if it is a serious factor in our economic planning, you immediately dismiss it as improbable, and go back to the comforting wrap-up line, "Chicken tacos, anyone?"

Why bring up the nuclear option, so to speak, only to immediately dismiss it?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ap-trump-tariffs-lawsuits_n_68379989e4b00a0537e023f7

-CW

. . . or he could take the off ramp the courts gave him today.