Playing Politics with Tariffs: Only On the Walters Post!

Took a break from the chores, grabbed my coffee, and checked my emails. As a few folks wanted to know my thoughts on what’s been happening lately, so here’s what’s on my mind.

Canada slapped tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. In return, China hit back with tariffs on our food and agricultural products. Classic trade war. But here’s the real kicker: not long ago, these same people who run things were blasting U.S. tariffs, calling them reckless, protectionist, and bad for the economy. And now? They’re doing the exact same thing.

So here’s the question: Will these folks criticize Canada the way they went after the U.S.? Will they call out China for their retaliation? I doubt it. The thing is, for a lot of these critics, it was never really about tariffs, it was about who was doing it. If Trump or any Republican put tariffs in place, it was a disaster. But now that Canada’s doing it, suddenly it’s all right?

And China? They hit back hard, but instead of taking the blame, watch how fast the story changes. They’ll either ignore it, or twist the blame back to the U.S. And if they can drag Musk or Trump into the mix, even better. That gives them another reason to rant about those guys instead of actually dealing with the problem.

Personally, I don’t think this is really about whether tariffs are good or bad. It’s about consistency, as if tariffs were wrong before, they’re wrong now. Otherwise, it’s just plain hypocrisy. The thing is, a lot of the people who complain the loudest don’t really care about the issue itself. They’re just mad because they don’t like Trump, Musk, or anyone who doesn’t fit into their view of the world. It’s like when my young ones would throw a fit because they couldn’t get their own way. Same thing, only this time, the tantrums are happening on a much bigger stage.

But that’s politics for you… principles only matter when it suits their needs. We’ll see how it all plays out, but from where I stand, it’s the same game.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW