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ACCORDING TO LIZ - In a continuation of his trade attacks on Canada, the American King of Chaos has declared that he will “not allow” the opening of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, “until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve.”
Named after Gordie Howe, the Canadian hockey hero who played primarily for the Detroit Red Wings, Howe was famous for going “elbows up” on opponents.
“Elbows up” being the Canadian born-and-bred Saturday Night Live star Mike Myers-initiated rallying call for his compatriots to fight the first wave of tariffs imposed by the America’s Mad Hater.
Construction of the bridge was actually paid for by Canada through a public-private deal that gave Michigan part ownership as well as joint operation of the crossing. Which sounds like a very good deal for the American state.
Who isn’t best served by its opening, is the family of Detroit billionaire Manuel Moroun who own the Ambassador Bridge, one that carries 60 to 70 percent of commercial truck traffic in the Detroit region.
This border crossing is North America’s busiest by volume and carries over 25% by value of all merchandise exchanged between the United States and Canada.
One of a very few privately-owned bridges, the Ambassador has been a cash cow ever since its acquisition from the transit tolls on what is now more than $300 million in goods crossing between the two countries.
The Morouns have fought unsuccessfully for years to halt the construction of a second Detroit-Windsor bridge claiming it infringes on an alleged exclusive right to collect tolls. Their demand that Canada authorize an expansion to add more lanes to their bridge has also fallen on deaf ears.
What they do have that the Carney government doesn’t is favorable reception by the Lord of the White House. Who not only leans over – backward and forward – for American billionaires but also sees dollar signs in his own future, suggesting in a social media post that the United States might like to acquire “at least one half” of the new bridge… to take his cut of the toll revenue.
Trumpf’s vitriolic verbal and threatened economic attacks against Canada went warp-speed following Canadian prime minister Mark Carney’s standing-ovation speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, urging middle-sized nations to band together to resist the American president’s attempts to eviscerate social cohesion at home and international order abroad.
Democrats in the House acquired enough Republican votes on Tuesday to stop the renewal of the renewal of a procedural votebarring lawmakers from overturning the president's sweeping tariffs, wresting the right to tax away from the Overlord and returning it to Congress.
Then on Wednesday it overturned the Trump tariffs on Canada in a 219 to 211 vote. A portent of more defections to come?
Alas largely symbolic, since even if it clears the Senate, without the needed veto-proof majority the Ego-Driven Prez who sees himself as the epicenter of the universe around which all else should revolve certainly won’t stand for such a spit in the eye, and will reject it post-haste.
Even though these tariffs have caused undue hardship for businesses and families across every state.
Canadians, whose tourist dollars fund state economies from Florida to California and all along the northern border have boycotted travel to the United States and the purchase of American-made products. To the point that the Toddler whimpered that “Ontario won’t even put U.S. spirits, beverages, and other alcoholic products, on their shelves.”
How many other political and economic decisions are being made in the White House based on personal vendettas by or profitability to the Kurrent King, directly or indirectly? Ones that lard his own bottom line or benefit others who can protect him or help fund future scams?
The American Mad King’s petulant post against Carney’s trade actions in the wake of his targeted attacks to bring its northern neighbor to heel as the 51st state contained the off-the-wall allegation that if Canada aligned itself with China, “the first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.”
An earlier ramble about the Carney government’s trade deal relaxing tariffs on electric cars in return for beneficial Chinese treatment of canola oil elicited the hair-up-his-tukus threat “I have a great relationship with China and President Xi but we don’t want China to take over Canada. If they make the deal that he’s looking to make, China will take over Canada and the first thing they’re going to do is end ice hockey.”
And prior to his most recent Stanley Cup tirade, the US Führer sent this text message to the prime minister of Denmark:
“Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America... The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!”
Huh?!
Does the United States have a president? Or a buffoon with a thumb on the nuclear annihilation button? An isolationist leader, or one presiding over the most corrupt and cruel American administration ever, making this country feared, loathed… and the butt of international ridicule?
(Liz Amsden is a former Angeleno now living in Vermont and a regular CityWatch contributor. She writes on issues she’s passionate about, including social justice, government accountability, and community empowerment. Liz brings a sharp, activist voice to her commentary and continues to engage with Los Angeles civic affairs from afar. She can be reached at [email protected]. )
