"Yet today protectionism is being used by some American politicians as a cheap form of nationalism, a fig leaf for those unwilling to maintain America's military strength and who lack the resolve to stand up to real enemies—countries that would use violence against us or our allies. Our peaceful trading partners are not our enemies. They are our allies.
"We should beware of the demagogues who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends, weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world, all while cynically waving the American flag."~ Ronald Reagan from his Radio Address on Canadian Elections and Free Trade, November 26, 1988
Tuesday, 28 October 2025
"Yet today protectionism is being used by some American politicians as a cheap form of nationalism..."
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Times have changed very much since back in President Reagan's day. The US military is not what it once it was. It isn't dominant. There are militaries with superior weapons, training, leadership and experience. The US has not fought and won a major land war since WW2. Getting into military action on behalf of others will destroy the wealth, freedom and future of the people of USA. There would be death doom and destruction on a huge scale. Now is not the time to be getting into these fights. They are not of our doing and they are not our business either. Do people forget to remember what wisdom John Quincy Adams said? Here it is.
“[America] goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. […] She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication […] She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit.”“[America] goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. […] She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication […] She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit."
How about what the first president said in his farewell speech. He said this.
“Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities. Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. […] Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor or caprice? It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world […]”
Forget about building up a massive military and exhausting the nation, let alone deploying that military in the endlessly expensive foreign wars. Entanglements lead to wars. Wars lead to debt. Debt leads to loss of liberty.
As far as tariffs go, we are rather unfortunately engaged in a process of reorganising the trading system of the entire planet. Every international logistics chain, financial clearing house, transaction system, regulatory structure and so forth is up for change. USA won't be supplying liquidity to ROW any more. Goodbye to Triffin's Dilemma. Meanwhile we each get to experience all the shouting, propaganda, posturing, anything at all except the knowledge of how the process is playing out and what the players are trying to do.
Think of a five card poker player. Just as he isn't going to reveal his cards unless called and has to show, the major players on the international stage are not telling us what is going on. It is understandable that this should be so (if not ideal). Wait it out and see where this progresses to. In the meantime you can be certain to remember H L Menken.
“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”
A US military going to war isn't going to be a solution to problems. A big expensive military is not going to do it. Not this time.
Henry J
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