Our slow walk toward the end of NAFTA and $5 gallons of milk proceeded over the weekend as Trump's trade representatives inserted more poison pills into a proposal that's already festering.
You might say this isn't just another preposterous demand; it's also a hypocritical one. American officials trying to carve out special rules for American businesses are now demanding that Canada roll back protections for their own industries.
U.S. negotiators opened a new front over the weekend with a proposal that Canada dismantle its system of protections for the dairy and poultry sectors, a move that Ottawa will reject, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday.
U.S. opposition to NAFTA’s dispute resolution mechanisms, plans to restrict outside access to government contracts and attacks on Canadian dairy and softwood lumber producers have further stoked the grim mood among trade officials.
Mexican and Canadian officials are responding to Trump's ridiculous demands by allying with American farmers and lobbyists.
That doesn't make any sense, does it?
It shouldn't, but it does in bizarro America because Trump isn't representing the interests of American industries. He's not listening to American lobbyists. They're just as opposed to these demands as Mexican and Canadian officials are. It's true that some Canadian products are internally subsidized, but farmers in America rely on milk byproducts imported from Canada and the American construction and real-estate industries rely on cheap Canadian lumber.
If Trump isn't actually representing American interests, who is he representing? As far as I can tell the answer is himself. He isn't listening to the very industries he claims to be advocating for because he knows what's best for them regardless of what they say. Trump's belief in his own genius is fueling these irrational demands.
If Trump withdraws from NAFTA, the increased cost of doing business will be passed down to average consumers. That means we'll all get to spend more money at the grocery for basic necessities just because Trump demands it. Congress could always overrule him, but our GOP Congress can barely tie their shoes.