Thursday, March 28, 2024

Apples to Apples

Trump is brutally honest

Posted

Alcoa's Malaga plant may reopen
Brutally honest president scares timid liberal crowd

When most of us are in polite circles we mind our "Ps and Qs." When the polite company leaves, or when surrounded by allies one can trust, the truth rears its sometimes ugly head.
Not so with Donald Trump. When he speaks, the left is overjoyed because, as was said by his supporters during the campaign, they take him literally, but not seriously.
Those who understand him better also understand that he is willing to give food to the North Koreans in exchange for peace. He states "major conflict possible," but he means, "hey midget boy, quit firing missiles and you can eat your rice cakes."
This was the same tactic he used on Canada and Mexico regarding NAFTA. He used bluster, bellowing threats, implied retribution in the form of tariffs, but in reality, Trump just wants to re-negotiate the original "bad deal."
Instead of withdrawing from NAFTA to mark his first 100 days in office, he demurred and spoke in conciliatory terms.
The so-called "wall paid for by Mexico" is most likely in the same category as NAFTA and North Korean conflict. He said Mexico was paying for the wall so often during the campaign, many people actually believed him. In reality, the American taxpayer will spend a few billion on the project and maybe a couple hundred miles may be constructed.
What he really wants is simple - a new world view from the North Koreans about our serious intention to strike their homeland; a new attitude from Canadians and Mexicans regarding trade imbalances - perceived or real; and a new program from the Mexican government that stops most border crossers before they ever reach a wall.
Trump's bluster during the campaign touched a nerve with the working class, frustrated with same-old, same-old political talk and no action on the part of both parties.
Now that he has installed a staff of reasonable subject matter experts in the Homeland Security, Defense and State departments, his bluster can not only be taken seriously, but literally if indeed he decides to act.
This is why his brutal honesty scares the PC crowd. Trump now has the power to back up his bluster and no one is laughing anymore. In a column I wrote a year ago I predicted folks who mockingly called him "The Donald" back then would no longer feel so emboldened once he became "Mr. President."
His ability to touch that angst-filled nerve many of us hide beneath our carefully polished public demeanor is what won him the votes in the rust belt states that eventually led to his election.
His talks with China apparently gave him the go ahead to threaten North Korea without fear of worrying the Chinese.
Once the North Koreans have settled down, I would expect him to stop the Chinese from dumping cheap steel and aluminum on the American and world markets.
Alcoa may actually reopen its Malaga smelter if world markets make that into a profitable solution. Trump has already begun his pro-American aluminum and steel companies campaign complete with the CEO of Alcoa on national television just last week.
We live in a so-called "blue state," but I expect the PC liberals among us will  welcome and enjoy the benefits of a revived industrial economy on the banks of the Columbia.
This new local money will become the funding the liberal PC crowd needs for their laundry list of blue sky projects that they never had a way to pay for in the first place. Certain "grassroots" initiatives will claim success, take and spend the money, but probably not give "The Donald" any credit. The 300 or so workers who will get their jobs back will know better.
Their taxes and affiliated local purchases will fuel the PC dreams better than meager handouts from Bill and Melinda. Money from these high paying local jobs means sustainable growth and stability, not just short term gifts from Seattle.
Because the liberals will never say it, I will. "Thanks Mr. President."

Apples to Apples

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