I thought the reason for trashing trade agreements and taking a wrecking ball to the Canadian economy with extreme tariffs was because of fentanyl coming from Canada at the border?

Apparently not, says Trump, from his speech at Congress tonight: “… Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again”.

By his own words, he has just shown his big lie.

  • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works
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    5 days ago

    So they’re illegal then?

    Trump was only able to enact these tariffs without sign off from Congress (which he would absolutely not get) because they were enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The act allows the president to apply certain controls over the economy so long as they’re in response to a national emergency. At some point a while back either Trump or Biden, I forget which, declared a state of emergency over fentanyl. Trump is now using the tiny trickle of fentanyl coming from Canada as his justification for these tariffs because has to connect them to a state of emergency to enforce them.

    If they’re actually about making America richer (no matter how wrong he is about how that works) then they need approval by congress to go into force. Every single affected business in America should have standing to sue over that.

    • Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca
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      5 days ago

      Oh no, their convicted felon president who faced zero repercussions is committing another crime! I’m sure the US legal system will provide justice.

      I agree that people should be made aware, but replace “sue” with “riot”.