Tariffs, counter-tariffs, and civilization

Tariffs, counter-tariffs, and civilization
By Terry A. Hurlbut
The Great North American Trade War has begun. President Donald J. Trump fired the opening salvos yesterday, with 25 percent tariffs on most goods from Canada and Mexico. (Nor has Trump overlooked China; he is at last joining battle with The Middle Kingdom.) The Canadians and Mexicans have retaliated. No doubt conventional historians, in the mold of the late Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., will bleat, “It’s Smoot-Hawley all over again; get ready for the Depression of 2025!” In fact, Trump is thinking as the leader of a civilization – a civilizational state. As such he has already won the respect of another powerful civilizational head of state. More than that, he is seeking to make America self-sufficient, ideally in all things.
Basic theory of tariffs in a world without rules
On Friday (January 31), Steve Bannon (War Room) discussed what he felt President Trump had in mind by imposing tariffs:
Today on the economic side, these tariffs. This is monumental. Now it may be a negotiating ploy, it may be a lot of things. What we know is that President Trump is trying to change the basic economic model of the country… We’re going to return to being a manufacturing powerhouse. And we’re going to do that in two ways. Number one, we’re going to offer [any manufacturer] the opportunity to move your plant and capital equipment here, and hire American citizens, make your products here, and sell them here, and you will save tariffs…. But if you don’t do that, [you will pay] substantial tariffs. And we are going to protect certain industries, not [merely to build] revenue, but to build a manufacturing base.
https://rumble.com/v6fm1iy-bannon-on-president-trumps-tariffs-hes-defending-the-nation-that-is-the-usa.html?mref=4teej&mc=88ce6
Bannon has a point. America won World War II because we had the manufacturing base in-country. Not only did the Nazis overrun all of Europe except Britain, but the Kriegsmarine also made the Atlantic Ocean their own. The Imperial Japanese Navy couldn’t quite conquer the entire Pacific Ocean, but they certainly cut off any allied manufacturing base that might have existed. So without her own manufacturing base, America would certainly have lost.
This, of course, violates the premise of the liberal rules-based world order the European banking cartel built after that War. But no one can have rules without enforcement – and enforcement would require a one-world governing polity. This is exactly what Americans indicated, in the most recent election, that they do not want. Nor would Americans be wise to accept it. The World Economic Forum indicated, through the Georgia Guidestones and other products, that they want to reduce the world’s population by about ninety-four percent. (CNAV stands by its theory that lightning struck the Stones.)
So a country that values its independence, must have its own manufacturing base. The easiest way to maintain that, is with tariffs. Which have a history of generating revenue sufficient to run the federal government. The United States did not impose direct taxes until 1913 – when it also inaugurated the Federal Reserve.
Trump explained this on his Agenda 47 site:
- America historically imposed tariffs on over 95 percent of all imports, with an average tariff of 37 percent on imports during America’s economic climb between 1816 and 1947.
- For decades, the U.S. government received over 80% of its revenue through tariffs on foreign goods, instead of taxes on Americans.
- However, U.S. tariffs are now among the lowest in the world, making America the most import-pressured country in the world.
https://rumble.com/v2vjk4w-agenda47-cementing-fair-and-reciprocal-trade-with-the-trump-reciprocal-trad.html?mref=4teej&mc=88ce6
The Great North American Trade War begins
Yesterday afternoon (February 1), President Trump struck.
Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China. This was done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl. We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113931044424714413
Trump explained the above in this Executive Order, and this Fact Sheet explaining his rationale. He followed up that declaration with a video, in which he laid out the grievances that prompted him to start the war. Mexico and Canada, he charged, was letting China ship fentanyl without restriction. Mexico, of course, is the favorite crossing point for illegal migrants.
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113931196721633756
This morning the President followed up his statements with detailed explanations:
The “Tariff Lobby,” headed by the Globalist, and always wrong, Wall Street Journal, is working hard to justify Countries like Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER! The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the “Stupid Country” any longer. MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS! Why should the United States lose TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUBSIDIZING OTHER COUNTRIES, and why should these other countries pay a small fraction of the cost of what USA citizens pay for Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, as an example? THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113934450227067577
So clearly Trump understands the risks – and he is absolutely correct about The Wall Street Journal. Their editors have always stood for unrestricted immigration and movement of goods and services. Trade deficits, to them, are of no moment. But Trump also offers these countries’ manufacturers an out: let them build factories in America to sell into American markets. As Elon Musk’s Tesla builds factories in China and Europe, to sell into markets there.
But Trump also indicated another objective he might have with Canada, though not with Mexico (and obviously not with China). He made an explicit push for annexing Canada.
We pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada. Why? There is no reason. We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113934520197790682
Pvt. Rockwell W. “Rocky” Rockman, United States Army: We could take Canada in two weeks. Right, Manella?
Pvt. Al Manella USA: More like two days.
Pvt. Hugh MacDonald, Canadian Army: Is that a fact!? Well, just you try it, mate!
Dialog from The Devil’s Brigade
Retaliation
Canada has announced the most detailed plan of retaliation.
BREAKING: Trudeau announces 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods, with a staggered application over the next three weeks.
https://x.com/SheilaGunnReid/status/1885878209310519541
They believe they can impose tariffs selectively on Republican or Red States only, or at least chiefly. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister for Natural Resources, said the counter-tariffs would apply to goods for which Canadians have “readily available alternatives.”
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) has already said,
Careful Trudeau. The Texas economy is larger than Canada’s. And we’re not afraid to use it.
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1885861558028542167
The Mexican plans are sketchy at best, according to Maria Herrera Mellado at Gateway Hispanic. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took particular exception to this part of Trump’s Fact Sheet:
In addition, the Mexican drug trafficking organizations have an intolerable alliance with the government of Mexico. The government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims. This alliance endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels.
There is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada. A recent study recognized Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution.
“Slander!” cried Sheinbaum in response.
China threatened to sue the United States in the World Trade Organization’s forums, and to take other unspecified “countermeasures.” These could include counter-tariffs on certain foodstuffs American farmers and ranchers produce for export into China.
As many have noted, Trump’s executive order provides that American tariffs will rise in response to any retaliation. In addition, Shopify CEO Toby Lutke, a Canadian himself, criticized his country’s government on two counts. First, Trump isn’t asking the Canadian government to do much more than Canadian citizens themselves have been asking. Lutke is talking specifically about the flow of fentanyl. Second, the trade war will hurt Canada while likely not affecting America.
America will shrug it off. Canada will decline.
https://x.com/tobi/status/1885906286950363546
Analysis: what tariffs will actually do
Tariffs have either a short-term or long-term purpose, and which purpose a country wants, depends on its basic civilizational position. Too many people believe these tariffs are merely a negotiating ploy. Trump wants something, and he knows America has the staying power. So when Trump gets what he wants, he’ll stop the trade war – or so goes the short-term reasoning.
Certainly Trump does have short-term goals he wants to achieve as rapidly as possible. Fentanyl has become the most notorious drug of abuse in America, with millions of lives lost to overdoses. Encouraging many Americans to kill themselves could be part of a grand Middle Kingdom strategy to “soften up” America for an armed invasion. And that invasion could be coming in the form of migrants, especially men of military age. (The People’s Liberation Army Navy still lacks the transports and landing craft to mount an Operation Overlord-style land invasion.)
But tariffs can also serve a long-term purpose. Leave them on long enough, and American manufacturers will start businesses to provide the goods at lower prices. This is what Steve Bannon means by making America a manufacturing powerhouse once again. Only from over-regulation and under-population does this not happen. Trump is definitely addressing the former. Addressing the latter requires a few applications of common sense.
About annexing Canada
But many influencers suddenly assume that Trump is following through on an apparent threat to annex Canada. This is part of the civilizational territorial expansion Trump talked about before his Inauguration. (Trump also talked in November about the 25 percent tariffs he is now imposing.)
Canada has natural extractable resources, most notably oil from tar sands, and already exports much oil to America. Annexation would bring those mineral resources under American control. The U.S. Navy would also gain an immediate Arctic border, and work at once on opening the Northwest Passage. It would also establish bases on the Arctic to tell the Russians, “This is not your ocean.”
But Canada has a population of 41 million people, more than the State of California. Admitting Canada as a State would mean expanding the Senate by two, and reapportioning the House of Representatives to the greatest extent ever undertaken since the Reapportionment Act of 1929. That means either having a 490-seat House (and building a separate building on Independence Avenue to convene it), or taking seats away from as many as 45 States. (Alaska, North and South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming currently have one seat each.) Furthermore, all fifty-five new or reallocated Representatives would be Democrats. Canada’s Overton Window is far to the left of America’s. (Worse, Canada might demand two Senators per organized province – twenty Senators, perhaps all Democratic.)
A better deal
So annexing Canada would not be a viable long-term trade-war objective. But rights of first refusal on those mineral resources, and a Naval Arctic Ocean treaty, would be. So might treaties on polar air routes from the American Northwest to Europe (including Moscow and other Russian and Eastern European cities), or polar orbital launches of commercial or military satellites. The United States could have all these things without the political upheaval that annexation would bring. (Annexing Canada as a territory is a non-starter. Any country more populous than America’s most populous State will insist on representation in Congress. They would also have a perfect right to it.)
In any case, this trade war need not lead to a depression. Blaming the Depression of 1929 on the Smoot-Hawley Tariff is dubious, anyway. Rebuilding the manufacturing base that won World War II is the easiest and most valuable objective to achieve. That holds with or without territorial annexation.
Last of all: anyone losing an export market, will find a domestic market. Four years of often engineered shortages will see to that. That’s why the Russians laughed at President Biden’s sanctions. Americans can similarly laugh at Canadian, Mexican, or Chinese retaliation in the Great American Trade War.
Link to:
The article:
https://cnav.news/2025/02/02/news/tariffs-counter-tariffs-civilization/

Steve Bannon on tariffs:
https://rumble.com/v6fm1iy-bannon-on-president-trumps-tariffs-hes-defending-the-nation-that-is-the-usa.html?mref=4teej&mc=88ce6

Agenda 47 on tariffs:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-cementing-fair-and-reciprocal-trade-with-the-trump-reciprocal-trade-act
https://rumble.com/v2vjk4w-agenda47-cementing-fair-and-reciprocal-trade-with-the-trump-reciprocal-trad.html?mref=4teej&mc=88ce6

Trump’s Truths announcing and defending the tariffs:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113931044424714413
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113931196721633756
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113934450227067577
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113934520197790682

Executive Order and Fact Sheet imposing the tariffs:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/imposing-duties-to-address-the-flow-of-illicit-drugs-across-our-national-border/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/

Canadian response:
https://x.com/SheilaGunnReid/status/1885878209310519541

Gov. Abbott warns Canada:
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1885861558028542167

Toby Lutke’s warning:
https://x.com/tobi/status/1885906286950363546

Declarations of Truth:
https://x.com/DecTruth

Declarations of Truth Locals Community:
https://declarationsoftruth.locals.com/

Conservative News and Views:
https://cnav.news/

Clixnet Media
https://clixnet.com/