Trump announces 20% tariff on all Mexican imports to pay for wall

[Torie]

I was listening to an interesting discussion that Bill Kristol had with this Harvard professor, that went on for about 90 minutes. One thing the professor said, is that when it came to jobs in the US, NAFTA was about a wash. What really hurt US manufacturing, was China joining the WTO.

So congratulations Donald. Beyond the human suffering that you will be causing, both in Mexico (jobs lost), and in the US (also jobs lost as companies that rely on Mexican imports for some of the input of their products to remain competitive are hurt, but also yes, higher prices for US consumers on some items), you have made a major first step in hurting the US economy. I think it might be time to cut back the percentage of my retirement money that is in stocks.

Man, this guy is such a dangerous demagogue. And erratic, and undisciplined.

I guess the silver lining, is that I assume that Congress will not agree to this insanity. But perhaps assuming sanity is itself rather reckless these days. It may be that making Mexico the whipping boy for stagnation/decline of the standard of living of those who used to earn way above the minimum wage, and now earn the minimum wage, or not much above it, or are not in the workforce at all, all of which Mexico has next to nothing to do with, is irresistible.