Trump Blinks

 

Under increasing pressure from the fallout of the trade war with China, it looks like President Trump may be walking back one of his campaign promises:

WASHINGTON—One year after withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, President Donald Trump has asked his top economic advisers to study the possibility of re-entering the trade pact negotiations.

Trump has deputized Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative, and Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, to study the possibility of re-entering the TPP if the terms were favorable, the president told a group of lawmakers on Thursday.

The president’s new openness toward the TPP, which he had said during his campaign was a deal “pushed by special interests who want to rape our country,” comes as he is facing criticism from farmers for his escalating trade battle with China. After Trump took aim at China with new steel and aluminum tariffs, Beijing responded by announcing it would place penalties on a list of agricultural products that would affect swaths of the president’s political base.

As a matter of policy, this is a big win in the column for “Good Trump” — it’s absolutely the right policy move from both an economic or foreign policy perspective. As a political matter, it remains to be seen how his base, vehemently opposed to most trade deals, will take the news that the President is going against them on one of his core campaign promises.

Published in Economics
Tags:

This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 170 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college. 

    • #151
  2. Chuckles Coolidge
    Chuckles
    @Chuckles

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    Hola!  Que tal, amigo?

    • #152
  3. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    And, like Obama, Jamie wasn’t born here and hates America. 

    • #153
  4. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Moderator Note:

    Vulgarities in foreign languages and on images are still vulgarities.

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    And, like Obama, Jamie wasn’t born here and hates America.

    [Image redacted.]

    • #154
  5. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    And, like Obama, Jamie wasn’t born here and hates America.

    Amazing how you seek to put words into people’s mouths to have them say something else. Just like the Left. 
     

    • #155
  6. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    And, like Obama, Jamie wasn’t born here and hates America.

    Amazing how you seek to put words into people’s mouths to have them say something else. Just like the Left.

    Yes, Fred just did that with me.

    • #156
  7. Chuckles Coolidge
    Chuckles
    @Chuckles

    Tried to find a video clip of taking bets on the big fight in the quiet man.  Couldn’t, so just use your imagination.

    • #157
  8. EDISONPARKS Member
    EDISONPARKS
    @user_54742

    My take on Obama’s religion is he as secular as any other Lefty out there …. traditionally religious Lefties are the exception.

    Obama being a man of the Left  devotes his “religious” fervor to that which he is most passionate …… Leftism.

    • #158
  9. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    • #159
  10. CarolJoy Coolidge
    CarolJoy
    @CarolJoy

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    You can definitely be a Calvinist and be on the Left –  so many on the left are always patting themselves on the back for their incredible virtue, their tolerance of others  and the notion that life has smiled on them because they are so wonderful. (Although many can’t bring themselves to use the word “God.”)

    • #160
  11. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    • #161
  12. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    Was he a leftist?  He certainly was misguided.

    • #162
  13. CarolJoy Coolidge
    CarolJoy
    @CarolJoy

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):

    Quake Voter (View Comment):

    A question for our libertarians: Why do so many prominent libertarians oppose the TPP? Tom Woods and Lew Rockwell oppose it. Many in the Mises school either oppose or are lukewarm. Not long into any debate at CATO and charges of “corporatist”, “mercantilist” and “faux free trade” are flying.

    Is it the IP dispute? Or the “perfect enemy of the possible” problem. Or the almost inevitable managed trade that results from these agreements?

    Libertarians often make the perfect the enemy of the politically possible. To some extent, that is their role – to remind us that politics ultimately has to answer for principles beyond mere political expediency.

    Libertarianism, especially capital-L Libertarianism is also a magnet for all sorts of contrarians, cranks, and weirdos. Lew Rockwell, for example, has the reputation for being more in the crank camp.

    Let’s use a domestic analogy. Libertarians (little-l libertarians included) often point out the damage done, especially to the poor, by minimum-wage laws. I once got into an argument with a far more centrist Republican who took the position that, because minimum wages hurt the poor, Republicans should increase the minimum wage, in order to fend off an even bigger increase in the minimum wage by Democrats. Naturally, my libertarian instincts rebelled against such strategic thinking. But did the more centrist Republican have a point?

    Sort of. If you think minimum-wage laws are bad, but there really is no alternative to increasing the minimum wage, you should go with the smaller increase. Part of the reason for libertarians’ existence, though, is to point out that maybe there is an alternative in matters such as these, even if it’s not one currently thought politically feasible.

    Excellent thinking. And of course, we have whole generations of people who are “well educated” if “education” is judged by certificates and degrees. But a person has to wonder why basic economics is not taught in HS.

    So many people do not understand basic economics. So all these liberals, many of whom must mean well, I guess, don’t get that if I employ three people, pay each of them $ 11 an hour (while paying myself only ten,)  should a law mandate I pay $ 15, I then most likely have to fire one of the employees. You would understand that, but most liberals wouldn’t.

    • #163
  14. Chuckles Coolidge
    Chuckles
    @Chuckles

    CarolJoy (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    You can definitely be a Calvinist and be on the Left – so many on the left are always patting themselves on the back for their incredible virtue, their tolerance of others and the notion that life has smiled on them because they are so wonderful. (Although many can’t bring themselves to use the word “God.”)

    @carolJoy you lost me on that one.  Every one of those things you mentioned are diametrically opposed to the Doctrines of Grace – aka “Calvinism.”

    • #164
  15. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    There are plenty of religious leftists. Just like here’s plenty of non-believer conservatives. 

    • #165
  16. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    And Jim Wallis is a Leftie.  I don’t think much of him at all, but he is a clergyman.

    • #166
  17. Chuckles Coolidge
    Chuckles
    @Chuckles

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    And Jim Wallis is a Leftie. I don’t think much of him at all, but he is a clergyman.

    Would hate to base an argument on this or that political figure.  And being a clergyman per se means nothing:

    “Therefore it is no great thing if (Satan’s) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Cor. 11:15

     

    • #167
  18. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Oh good. Obama the secret Muslim.

    Not so secret … your blindness is willful …

    By that evidence I’m a Mexican bandito according to a picture from college.

    And, like Obama, Jamie wasn’t born here and hates America.

    [Image redacted.]

    Ay Caramba!

    • #168
  19. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    Chuckles (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    And Jim Wallis is a Leftie. I don’t think much of him at all, but he is a clergyman.

    Would hate to base an argument on this or that political figure. And being a clergyman per se means nothing:

    “Therefore it is no great thing if (Satan’s) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Cor. 11:15

     

    Apparently, some people love to make an argument wherever they can find. Or make one up. All I was doing by citing this person is to say that there are religious people who are on the Left. This is just a fact. I don’t think much of Jim Wallis, as I’ve stated, and think that a Leftist’s view of the Bible is certainly wrong. But to speak of these people as Satan’s helpers only makes our side look bad. Isn’t saying that these people are wrong enough?

    • #169
  20. Chuckles Coolidge
    Chuckles
    @Chuckles

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Chuckles (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    I’m not sure you can be religious and a leftist; sure, you can be an Episcopalian or a Presbyterian, but not an evangelical, I don’t think.

    Jimmy Carter was a leftist and born again. Does that count?

    And Jim Wallis is a Leftie. I don’t think much of him at all, but he is a clergyman.

    Would hate to base an argument on this or that political figure. And being a clergyman per se means nothing:

    “Therefore it is no great thing if (Satan’s) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Cor. 11:15

    Apparently, some people love to make an argument wherever they can find. Or make one up. All I was doing by citing this person is to say that there are religious people who are on the Left. This is just a fact. I don’t think much of Jim Wallis, as I’ve stated, and think that a Leftist’s view of the Bible is certainly wrong. But to speak of these people as Satan’s helpers only makes our side look bad. Isn’t saying that these people are wrong enough?

    I don’t know Mr. Wallis at all, nor did I intend to say he was one of Satans minions.  The only point was that what a person says, how they appear, may not present at all a legitimate picture of who they are.  More specifically, neither Wallis nor Carter nor any other name I can think of necessarily disprove Mr. Webster’s comment on Evangelical Christians.

    Are there religious people on the Left? Even the very far Left?  I’m sure of it.  All sorts of nonChristians, maybe even some earnest followers of Christ.  But an Evangelical Christian?  Not so sure.

    • #170
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.