Yesterday I tried to write something beautiful, I tried to put the ugliness of the world and tragedies of the past week in the rear-view mirror with a brief reflection on the glorious breaking of a new day.
However, today I must explain and implore all of you to think beyond the daily economic challenges, think beyond the stupid statements, and the charged political climate and see what is coming. We need to look into this abyss and be clear-eyed and purposeful that we are fighting for freedom.
“Liberation day” was not on Wednesday, it was something quite the opposite. It was a redefining of the world order, it was enslavement. Declaring a trade war on the world has consequences. The farcical equations used have no basis in economics, they are a way to disguise ignorance while creating a world in which everyone must bend a knee to the Orange King. The intent is not to create jobs, and growth, but to create power. He is forcing all the world, countries and companies alike to negotiate with him. This is a power grab. He doesn’t care who gets hurt as he will never face the voters again (and don’t believe it is because he can’t run again) as he has no plans to give up power.
If you believe companies are going to make decisions to build in the USA, think about the idea of making a decision to disrupt your business for three to five years and spend hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment. No CEO is going to make decisions for capital expenditures in an environment that is based on capricious trade costs and when the rule of law is dependent on the interpretations of one man. China will see this as an opportunity to recenter the world around Asia. We will become poorer as we lose influence on the rest of the world and bad deals begat worse deals.
The equity markets might recover some, but investors will be moving to other parts of the world, seeking growth. Looking for friendlier environments, based on the capital premise of logical self-interest and mutual gains and less infected by the blind power grab and capriciousness of the Orange King.
The Economy is set on a course of ruin.
International relationships trashed – our friends are Russia and El Salvador it seems.
Courts Rulings are being ignored by the Orange King, under a guise of National Security.
Large law firms, and the Press are being blungened by a weaponized DOJ.
Universities are being bullied to confirm with a MAGA agenda.
Federal workers are being fired.
Health and Science research is being MAGA-fided.
Vaccine studies are being taken over by conspiracy theorists.
Our National Security team and DOD leadership are being decimated by loyalty tests and anti-DEI raids.
The hits keep coming.
With a flourish of the pen, executive orders are replacing the role of congress. … the last and greatest institution. We must rely on congress right now. Congress, our representatives in a representative government is the only obstacle in the way of a Trump taking complete control. He thinks he has them in his pocket with threats of being primaried, with the threat of Musks millions financing challenges against any who rise up to fight for freedom.
We too are the last and greatest line of defense for our democracy. We must give our representatives backbone. We must make our Senators and Representative know that we believe democracy is worth fighting for. Write to them and go to to town halls and make your voices heard. Republican Senators and Representatives especially must know that we need them to stand up to Trump. I write to ours every few days. I tell them we must not abandon Ukraine, I tell them Veterans need support, I tell them keep DOGE away from our Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. I tell them we don’t want trade wars, our economy and our retirement savings are important to us. Take back control of tariffs, as it was before, the domain of congress. I keep it simple and keep the hits coming. They must listen to us, we are their only reason to exist. Tell them do your job!
If they don’t fight for our freedom, then we must replace them in the midterms and pray that it’s not too late.
Fight for Freedom!
