Defiant Republican senators warned Trump administration officials Tuesday they were prepared to block the president’s effort to impose tariffs on Mexican imports, threatening to assemble a veto-proof majority to mount their most direct confrontation with the president since he took office.
During a closed-door lunch on Capitol Hill, at least a half-dozen senators spoke in opposition to the tariffs President Trump intends to levy next week in an attempt to force Mexico to limit Central American migration to the United States. No senator spoke in support, according to multiple people present who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.
The lawmakers told officials from the White House and Justice Department they probably had the Senate votes they needed to take action on the tariffs, even if that meant overriding a veto.
Still in London, Trump responded,
“Mexico shouldn’t allow millions of people to try and enter our country, and they could stop it very quickly and I think they will,” Trump said at a news conference alongside British Prime Minister Theresa May. “And if they won’t, we’re going to put tariffs on. And every month those tariffs go from 5 percent to 10 percent to 15 percent to 20 and then to 25 percent.”
This should terrify the stuffing out of all of us, because it would be a disaster for the U.S. economy. (And if you want to be genuinely terrified, see Paul Krugman.) There are frantic meetings going on right now between Mexican and White House officials to put together some kind of agreement that would give Trump a “win,” even a bogus one, so that he backs down on the threat. And let’s hope that works, because even if the Senate decides to override a Trump veto, Democrats do not have a big enough majority in the House to override by themselves — it takes a 2/3 vote — and House Republicans are nuttier than a peanut farm and probably think the tariffs are a grand idea.
So, while I would love to see Senate Republicans stand up to Trump, let’s hope Trump is talked off the ledge before it comes to that. And I still say Republican senators wouldn’t be talking about defying Trump if they weren’t being pressured by the Masters of the Universe, a.k.a. the 1 percent. I’ve said all along that when the day comes Trump pisses off those people, he’s toast.
In other news, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declares it’s time to open an impeachment inquiry.
U.S. President Donald Trump announces an agreement with Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque – RC1D94FA7CB0
I think your observation(s) here are astute. The big players whose operations have a major footprint in Mexico and China are becoming convinced (It took this long?) that Trump's erratic behavior isn't an act. He is actually crazier than he looks. The adults have left the room – no one is there to restrain Trump from his impulses.
They love the tax cuts and deregulation – they really do. Democrats will cut into the happy times significantly but where the cops (AKA, Democrats) will make the 1% curtail the obscene party they're throwing, Trump is going to burn the building down. If the difference is becoming clear, it will be a factor in 2020 but as Trump likes to say, "We'll see."
It's disgusting how much our international relations now resemble appeasing a bratty toddler. "No, Donny, we need to go to the store now, you can't sit and play with the rocks. OK, you can pick out a special rock to take with you if you get in the car right now."
The way I heard it is that Mexico has already been implementing policies prior to his threat and that when the media finally picks it up, Trump will say his "threat" worked.
Time will tell if that source was accurate.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/us/politics/trump-mexico-deal-tariffs.html
Nailed it.
Well it is good that he Senate listens to someone, even if it is the one percenters. They sure ignore the homeless, who by figures presented by one source measure two percent. Of course you don't have Forbes keeping much of a list of the poorest Americans. They do not make many donor lists either.
Doug is correct, big players have major footprints in Mexico and China, as do many more smaller players. I sense a shift of control from the executive branch to the legislative one, as the weakness of the executive branch's plan (if one exists) grows more apparent. The big war seems to be playing in the world of 5G, with China most probably to supply Russia according to BBC news. Both communications interests and security interests certainly need stable leadership to avoid a pending defeat and disaster from this trade war spin-off. Getting such from a diaper changing white house is becoming more apparent daily. The European family intervention was a valiant attempt to right our problem child, but the responsibility and task falls on the legislative branch. I think they might be awakening to that fact.
Trump wants Mexico to run the concentration camps (Hitler-style) that Trump can't get caught with. Actual directions w/in the federal government will surface later – the person who originates US policies later determined to be crimes against humanity may go to jail. I'm sure it's become a common concern, "We can't do this without leaving a paper trail."
All the nations Trump has thrown into turmoil know Trump might not survive the election in 2020. I don't think Mexico will adopt a new and expensive program to contain migrants whose destination is the US when the crisis (if Mexico does nothing) will cost Trump votes. If Trump imposes and raises tariffs, it may trigger the one thing Trump can't afford just before the election – a major recession.
This is a Trump bluff. No one knows if pulling tariffs would immediately arrest the fall if we slide into a recession. Trump might try 20 days and 5%. After that Trump will declare victory (regardless of the situation) and retreat.
Trump tells the veterans of WWII at the D-day commemoration, "You're the pride of our nation". Unfortunately that message isn't reciprocal when it pertains to Trump.
Trump is a cowardly daft dodging bag of shit!!!
A shout out to the memory of my father in law. He took part in the Normandy Invasion. A man who exemplified the meaning of fidelity. To both family and country.
If I were Mexico, I'd say I'm not going to pay for the wall and I will still sell you food and cars, because Americans have to buy both. Oh and usmca don't count on it. Mexico has no incentive to stem the tide.
The 1% have weighed in with the Senate and McConnell and his fellow cretins will now act like US senators representing a constituency and do something, but they won’t be coming at Trump from a position of strength. They are still deathly afraid of Trump’s ability to marshal his hordes against a target with a few tweets, and it is these right wing lunatics the senate knows can spell their doom if they get riled up enough. Based on how Lou Dobbs was “reporting” this issue last night, the wingnuts are having none of it – reality, that is, and see the senate trying to push back as “RINOS banding together with the radical dems” to thwart their wise, patriotic dealmaker. This means that for McConnell to succeed in doing the bidding of the 1%, he’s going to have to craft an end game that shuts down or severely limits the duration of the tariffs, while allowing Trump to take credit for a perceived glorious victory as a result of his incredible, “art of the deal” deal making skills. A tall order.
I'm thankful that for at least for one day, tRUMP didn't disgrace our country at the ceremonies honoring the 75th Anniversary of D-Day – or at least not yet…
As for the 1%, if they start pressuring the fat bloated orange slug who sits in the Oval Office, he'll have to figure out how to do what they want to do, and still save face.
So, imo, tRUMP will go through the first week of his tariff nonsense with Mexico, bend to the will of the corporate honcho's whose respect he craves, declare victory, and step on his dick over some other stupidity later the same day.
I'm going to be watching Miss Lindsey and Senate Majority Leader Yertle closely, to see if, with the 1% starting to realize that tRUMP may cause another major recession, their behavior shows they've been told to rein-in the fat bloated orange slug in the Oval Office.
OY!
WRONG AGAIN!!!
tRUMP did, in fact, manage to embarass us today.
He delayed the ceremonies today because as the time came for him to give his speech, he decided to do a FOX "news" "airing of the grievances" segment with Laura "Eva Braun" Ingraham, where he blasted Democrats – among others.
Maybe today, out in the battlefield ceremonies, instead of a rake, or his dick, tRUMP (?) will step on an old – but still working – landmine! ?
Just kidding!
Gulag..I knew you were wrong, I just didn't want to say anything. I was guessing that you hadn't seen the full coverage of Trump when you made your initial comment.
His speech was a disaster. Not because of the words contained in it, but because his delivery was such a drone on it seemed like someone was airing a doctored video like the one some wingnut did of Nancy Pelosi to make her appear impaired.
It's strange how in a speech even the best crafting of words and ideas can be butchered in the delivery if there is not a spirit of sincerity propelling those words and ideas forward. What struck me was all the gushing commentators were making about how presidential was in giving that speech. Some even suggested that Trump had turned over a new leaf, just because he was able to struggle through a few minutes of teleprompter reading without injecting a criticism of a political opponent or praise of himself. I guess that could be considered an achievement in a sense. But anybody who would delude themselves into thinking a seventy something malignant narcissist can blossom into a decent and civil human being is in for a rude awakening. Once a bag of shit, always a bag of shit.
Swami,
I need a check-up from the neck-up for thinking that, for even a second, tRUMP might be anything other than a smoking bag of shit!
Whawazithinkin'?