Economic Suicide, By Executive Order

 One man's ego, everyone's expense.

        Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York, Savannah, Houston — the United States' lifelines of global trade. Ports that were once filled with motion and noise, cranes moving cargo, trucks rolling in and out, ships docking day and night — soon to be sitting still, like something has gone wrong. Like a scene out of an apocalyptic film. No horns. No motion. Just rusting cranes and empty docks. 

Don't mistake it for peace. It's not calm — it's collapse.

        It isn't COVID sweeping across the country this time. It isn't a natural disaster. Not a war. It was a pen stroke that pushed Executive Order 14257 to life. It was pitched as protecting the working class, and bringing jobs back to America, when in actuality it is on a course to do the opposite. We will see rising prices as companies push the cost of tariffs onto the consumer. Supply chains shattering, leaving shelfs bare. Corporations bleeding causing massive and sweeping layoffs. The sudden realization that in fact we are no longer the industrial powerhouse of past. Stateside manufacturing taking years — maybe decades decades — to begin. 

Creating enemies of allies. Secluding ourselves via trade. All to make America great again. It's all just a bullshit façade. 

        It will start with whispers, echoing early 2020. A few will begin to notice gaps on store shelves, prices slowly creeping upward. Some pay no attention, while others buy a little extra. But just like in 2020, it will not stay quiet for long. Déjà vu news segments airing of shipping delays, supply chain concerns, store limits on essentials. Then comes the stampede. Diapers, canned food, medication, car parts, tech, toys, all snatched up. Be sure to check Marketplace for the scalpers. But this time, there's no virus to blame. No six-foot rule. No "flatten the curve." Just the realization that this isn't temporary. This is structural. 

At the Port of Seattle, 64 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours. 26 ships are expected to arrive over the course of the next 30 days. -VesselFinder.com

        The shelves are full for now. But don't be fooled, the crash is already in motion. Stock up now while you have the chance. Get what you need now. Shelf stable foods should be a priority. And don't forget a pack of smokes — some folks like a cigarette after getting fucked. This time, it's the Trump administration bending you over and showing you what "America First" really means. 

        By mid-May, the signs will be impossible to ignore. Weeks 20 through 22 are when shit will hit the fan. If a business depends on imports, especially coming from ports in China such as Yantian, Ningbo, or Shanghai, brace yourself. It is starting now, with blank sailings, and soon with 50% of cargo space being cut. Smaller ships taking the place of larger ships. Fewer bookings, delayed shipments, and skyrocketing cost. And consumers? You're next up in line.

        Most summer goods are already here, but fall? Back to school? Christmas? Hanging on by a thread. Take toys, for example, are staring down a disaster of their own. Currently 77% of toys sold in the U.S. are imported from China. That pipeline is shattering fast. Companies, such as Apple are shifting production to Vietnam or India, but that can not, and will not be able to match China's output. Fewer toys + higher prices = a lot of empty space under the Christmas tree this year for little Timmy. Maybe he can look up at the framed picture on the wall, like those found in North Korea of the dear leader, and thank Trump. 

        Trump has flipped more than a mattress at a pay-by-the-hour motel on the tariff policy. But, even if the tariffs are pulled back tomorrow, the damage is already done. Warehouses are clearing out. Supply won't be able to catch up in time. Major wholesalers are warning buyers: get your stock now. Buy before July, or prepare to fight over scraps. 

        Its not going to be just toys... 

• 40% of cargo ships leaving China this week were empty
• U.S. exports have dropped 18%
• Show prices are projected to rise by 87%, and apparel by 65%
• Foreign goods overall are up 10% thanks to USD instability
• Tourism is down 20%
• China just inked fresh deals with Brazil and Spain, canceling U.S. shipments for pork and soybeans
• U.S. trucking companies are laying off drivers
• Longshoremen and port workers are already getting pink slips

        

        While you should be preparing for the worst, some state governments have had enough. A dozen states, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, have filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the tariffs violate the Constitution and have plunged their economies into disarray. Their argument? Tariffs should be passed by Congress, not imposed by Trump’s executive order. These tariffs are nothing more than a tax on American businesses and consumers. It’s reassuring to know that some states aren’t sitting idly by and letting this happen without a fight. On top of that, Rand Paul has stated that he has the votes to pass his resolution to terminate the national emergency declaration that justified these tariffs. He’s confident in the bipartisan support in the Senate, although the resolution might face challenges in the House, where rules have been put in place to protect Trump’s tariff authority.

Call your representatives. Don't sit idly by. Take action. Fight back in anyway you can.

-The 8th