China

What in the World Is Going On?

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That should read “What is Going On in the World?” You have any idea?

Money and wealth are distorting the natural order of things all over this wonderful globe. You learned about Dynamic Model Pricing a few weeks ago and how money changes fair trade. An article on the web showed how many is entering politics in ever increasing levels, since the Supreme Court decreed “Corporations are People, too” and can contribute like you or me. That was 2013, and the infamous Citizens United Ruling. So you contribute $100 to your favorite candidate. XYZ Corporation contributes $1 million. Who does your candidate favor? Google how campaigns were financed before 2013. It was complicated but fair for all. Now, money pays and money plays.* Say it isn’t so.

But the real mess is geo-political. Donald Trump has shaken up the world and this is going to be the result: Three Super Nations will rule the world in 20 years. Russia will take over Europe and most of the Middle East, China will get all the Asian nations, including Taiwan, and to Make America Great Again, we get the entire western Hemisphere. Australia, New Zealand and Africa are up for grabs, probably the last places where opposing armed forces will fight. Proof? Who wants Greenland, is talking about other Latin American conquests, and is cultivating a friendship with Argentina? Trump. Us. Who is cutting off aid, and probably support, to Europe? Us. Who has already entered a European neighbor to take over territory? Putin. Who is instigating and threatening military action in the Pacific, including building entire new islands to block traditional shipping lanes? China and Xi.

Trump is often accused of being friendly to Putin and recently backed off Chinese export tariffs.Is there a deal among the world’s three major powers? Is the world about to be partitioned into negotiated sections for each? Will that be a bad thing?

Xi and Putin are already autocratic rulers, so what do they need? Xi and Putin need an autocratic ruler in the United States. Who would even think of anything this huuuge(sic) but Trump, The Deal Maker?** With hindsight and some insight, you can see the trail of this conspiracy beginning before the 2016 election of Trump. He made many trips to Moscow trying to get a hotel built, but it was denied…for the moment. Then, there are the rumors of Russian support for not only the election of Trump but financing for his wife’s documentary/movie. Did Russia put up the money? And Trump repeatedly inserts himself into business deals with China, as if he is the only one who can negotiate with Xi. And don’t forget Trump’s best buddy, South Korea’s dictator and Xi puppet.

If Trump can pull off getting himself the same power as Putin and Xi, the Three Super Nations can form and rule forever. Note the imposition of Martial Law would be a first step towards that power, especially if “civil unrest” reaches a certain, justifiable level. (Wink Wink: Minnesota.)

Smaller countries, races, and ethnicity may or may not be destroyed. Putin, Xi, and Trump will hold so much power, there won’t be much that can harm them, so they may let us keep our native languages, religions, and customs. And SPORTS!

This is science fiction and I’ve no idea if anything in this post is true. Isn’t that the best part? But when you smell crap, there usually is crap. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. If it walks like a duck…it walks funny.

If you don’t hear from for a few weeks…there is a safety deposit box number…shouldn’t have mentioned that…

PS To anyone listening, I promise to never write about this, again. Ever. Promise. Pinky swear. The Secret is Safe.

 *It was probably the same pre-2013 but it was illegal.

**It might also be why he worked so hard to keep power in 2021. He let his buddies down.

Tariffs? We Don’t Need No Stinking Tariffs Do We?

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 The Trump Administration recently announced they have collected hundreds of billions of dollars in “tariff fees”. The specific number is close to $300 billion and climbing. Wow. Look at all that revenue. For America. We’ll pay down the $38 trillion National Debt in approximately 120 years. Yay. Imagine a lazy, waving, small American Flag. But wait, maybe the Trump Administration will send $2000 checks to every American. Yay? Why would he do that? And why hasn’t he?

Tariffs—and their effects—are hard to understand. Most people tell me tariffs are a “tax” on foreign countries and assume foreign countries are paying that tax. It is closer to the truth, however, to say no “countries” ever pay any Tariff Tax. For example, the United States of America, doesn’t pay other countries for their “unfair” tariffs, even as other countries are “ripping us off”, per Mr. Trump.

Wait. China is not paying massive tariffs for all the goods they import? No. They are not. How about Mexico and Canada? No. They are not. And America is not paying tariffs to other countries?* No. So what is going on? Who IS paying?

Again, it’s complicated but here is a simple example: A pair of Chinese sneakers retails at Walmart in the US for $10 in 2024 with the cost being $5 per pair under the 2024 Tariff Plan. China is then “punished” with a new Tariff Plan of 50% the fall of 2025. That Chinese sneaker pair will be charged an additional 50% tariff when it lands on American soil, making the cost of the sneakers in 2025 $7.50. Think a retailer like Walmart will sell the sneaker in 2025 at the same price as the 2024 sneaker? The tariff is really a “tax” meant to make the Chinese sneaker as expensive as an American made sneaker. Does it work? It will if some American Sneaker Manufacturer can sell his sneakers for under $15. The purpose is to support American Manufacturing and give them an economic reason to make sneakers by raising the Chinese Imports price. If you watch any sports events you probably think there are no sneaker-makers in the US, but there are. Why aren’t they being used by professional and amateur sports teams, now? See, complicated.

But the best or worst part of the whole process is who is actually paying, shelling out the dough, for the tariff “tax”? In our example, it ain’t China and it ain’t the US. In this example, it is Walmart. And probably you when you buy the sneaker at the new 2025 price. What will that price be?

Let’s circle back to the billions in tariff revenue touted by Trump. Where did the actual money come from? China? No, it is American money from American retailers, wholesalers, and importers. It’s a neat way to “tax” without calling it a tax. (Can you say One Big Beautiful Bill Tax Cuts?) And….drum roll…Walmart’s initial payments go to the Treasury and Trump can (almost) do whatever he wants with the dollars, without congressional approval. More ICE Agents? A Ballroom? Tax rebates to Americans? What great ideas.

But nothing has happened, yet, not even hyper-inflation. Why?  Read below from The Peterson Institute for International Economics, by Gary Clyde Hufbauer (PIIE) and Ye Zhang(China)September 16, 2025:  “If the Supreme Court affirms the lower courts’ decisions, the federal government could have to refund much of the tariff revenue collected this year. But if the Supreme Court reverses the lower courts and affirms IEEPA tariffs, US firms may start passing the added costs to households. While the tariffs have so far had a modest effect on inflation, eventually consumers could see higher prices.”

The Supreme Court will decide in November 2025 if the Tariffs are even legal. We might have to refund all money to the payers. So Walmart is waiting to see if it gets its money back. Even badder(sic),  imagine if Trump sent out “rebate” checks to Americans he then had to ask them to return. Walmart pricing may rise drastically after the November Supreme Court ruling. Or we all get $2000 checks for Christmas. In the meantime, uncertainty and chaos, the operational mode of our current government.

I am not an economist or politician and researched this post at my own expense (Yes, humor.) If anyone knows the Tariff situation is any different than described in this post, please comment and correct. All I really know for sure is most people think foreign governments are making tariff payments to us, America. Wonder why they think that?

*Subsidies, and other financial “arrangements” (Kickbacks?) can complicate the situation even further, and make it impossible to follow the money.