Countries around the world are mad at us for equalizing tariffs. They remind me of a beautiful woman who latches onto a wealthy man (or in reverse, a young guy with a rich lady). Everything is hunky-dory as long as the cash keeps flowing. But one day the wealthy man (or woman) admits to the loving companion, “Honey, I can’t afford this anymore. I’m in debt $36,000,000,000,000.00.”
See, our diplomats have used our wealth to make friends and calm stormy waters around the world. As Will Rogers wrote, “There’s the one thing no nation can ever accuse us of and that is Secret Diplomacy. Our foreign dealings are an Open Book, generally a Check Book.” (WA #45, Oct. 21, 1923)
President Trump thought he could reason with Putin to end the war in Ukraine “in one day.” But Putin cannot be reasoned with. Like Stalin, he doesn’t care how many of his own soldiers die, or how many Ukrainians he kills. He is determined to take ALL of Ukraine. And the fewer Ukrainians who survive the war, the better. Then Putin wants to take the other countries that were behind the Iron Curtain forty years ago.
China’s Communist leader, Xi Jinping, is watching Putin. If he succeeds in Eastern Europe, Xi will attack Taiwan with the same goal and brutality. And an open check book won’t persuade either Putin or Xi.
Elon Musk left Washington to return to building Teslas and finish plans to inhabit Mars. A lot of folks are thrilled. While he and his DOGE team uncovered horrible wasteful, useless spending, I agree that many good and needed Federal employees were fired or coerced into leaving. The DOGE guys are now in the different departments and agencies. While it proved nearly impossible to stop fraudulent projects already funded, don’t be surprised if the Secretaries and Agency Administrators cut future spending on ridiculous ventures and unneeded positions.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“You will try and show that we are prosperous, because we HAVE MORE. I will show where we are NOT prosperous because we haven’t PAID for it YET.” Life magazine, Aug. 9, 1928
“There is dozens of great humanitarian things that could be done at very little cost, if the tax was properly applied. It’s the waste in government that gets everybody’s goat.” WA #622, Nov. 25, 1934
“There are 800 people at work in the Library of Congress. Didn’t know there was anybody there but a watchman. Why, that’s a librarian to each book… The total salary in there is $773,300, so the Democrats figure there is about $750,000 of this is a total waste to the country.” DT #2147, June 21, 1933