Monthly Archives: April 2025

04/29/25

Germany — Trump Was Right

Germany has a difficult time with defense and its Nato involvement because of its collective guilt from World War II and the atrocities committed in its name by Hitler. They should.

The result of this has been an unsteady stance on defense — some would say a semi-pacificism since WWII — and their tepid participation in Nato — the defensive alliance that safeguards Europe from the aggression of Russia and Putin — a man cast on the Hitler model.

What does this have to do with Trump, Big Red Car?

Ahhh, dear reader, here it is.

During Trump 1.0, Trump had three main beefs with Germany: Continue reading →

04/28/25

Voldomyr Zelenskyy — Global Hero And Freedom Fighter

It is 2:31 AM on 24 February 2022 and you and your beautiful wife are sleeping under a feather quilt in your warm bed in still wintry Kyiv when the phone rings. You look at the clock and rub your sleep shut eyes before answering.

Early in the war President Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska. They look fatigued and worn hard.

Continue reading →

04/22/25

Spotted Owl Soup — A Jobs Creator And Tariff Buster

If you are of a certain age, you will recall the saga of the Pacific Northwest spotted owl — strix occidentalis caurina. This was the classic logging/timber/lumber v environmentalists controversy that castrated the lumber industry in the Pacific Northwest.

It is an apochryphal environmental story and one that demonstrates the impact of regulation on industry and the unanticipated impact on foreign trade. It is also indicative of the “winner-take-all” nature of politics.

What happened, Big Red Car?

Continue reading →

04/9/25

The Chinese Treasury Dump Boogie Man

In discussions around the issue of the US – China economic relationship much has been said about the threat of the Chinese dumping their extensive portfolio of US Treasuries (bonds, bills, notes). Is it a real threat?

You decide.

Give me the facts, just the facts, Big Red Car

OK, dear reader, here are the nascent facts:

Continue reading →

04/7/25

Non-tariff Barriers To Trade Because Tariffs Are NOT Enough

If you have been following the events in the global economy since Liberation Day you have undoubtedly been confronted with many opinions as to the wisdom or folly of the actions of President Donald J Trump — the Tariff King/Emperor. Like everything in our complicated trade picture, there is far more than meets the eye.

If you own equities, it is even possible you are choking on some meaningful paper losses.

WTF is actually going on, Big Red Car?

Well, dear reader, what you are seeing is a massive global trade RESET just like re-booting your computer when it fails to operate as it is supposed to do. President Trump, as he promised, hit the RESET button and imposed tariffs based on a concept of reciprocity.

This is part of Candidate Trump’s suite of financial campaign promises: to right size the government, to get rid of fraud, waste, and corruption, to reduce spending, to conquer inflation, to lower interest rates, and to put international trade on a fair and free footing. 

Leader of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, meeting with President Trump — first in line to discuss tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade. The parade is coming.

Part of that is fair, reciprocal tariffs. But, it is not just reciprocity, it is also what are called NTBs — non-tariff trade barriers — that have the same impact as tariffs, they restrain the ability of American manufacturers to obtain access to foreign markets and to have a fair chance to do business on a level playing field.

At its core, the Trump RESET is all about fairness. Continue reading →

04/4/25

Iran — The Witching Hour Has Arrived

I was talking to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the other day. We speak from time to time. Time zone’s a problem.

I said to him, “Ali, my man, you’ve gotten your ass in a crack with the Trump admin, haven’t you, Old Sod?”

He sighed and then whispered (has a shallow, raspy, weak, old-guy voice), “Yes, my dear Big Red Car, we are good and truly fucked, I fear. What can I do?”

“Well, for starters, amigo, how about defunding Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis? Stop firing missiles into Israel and pull out of Syria and Iraq? Stop killing Jews indiscriminately? Quit with the nuclear bomb development?”

Continue reading →