In a phone call from the Oval Office, President Trump had just delivered unwelcome news to three of America’s most powerful auto executives: Mary Barra of General Motors, John Elkann of Stellantis and Jim Farley of Ford.
Everyone needs to buckle up, Mr. Trump said on the call, which took place in early March. Tariffs are going into effect on April 2. It’s time for everyone to get on board.
The auto chiefs, like the leaders of other industries, had been arguing that Mr. Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on cars coming from Canada and Mexico would wreak havoc on their supply chains and blow a hole through their industry. They had won a concession of sorts when Mr. Trump agreed to give them a one-month reprieve, until April 2.
But now, the Big Three automaker chiefs seemed to realize there was no point in fighting for more. They had gotten as much as they were going to get.
No doubt. I just remember a time when ‘god, guns and gains’ were the only consistent republican policies, and this wasn’t long ago. Declaring the stock market irrelevant would have had them booted from the party quicker than you can say dow jones.
Now here we are, watching maga cult handwave it all away to liquidate. Just insane.
Not really. It’s been a team sport far longer than Trump. Multiple decades of fascist state propaganda finally created a mass mental illness for a devil like Trump to exploit.
Full agreement about the “team sport” and them setting the field for trump, but traditionally gop members had to be team corporate interests first to even get on the bench.
But perhaps it’s just me being shocked at the realization juggernaut companies like Ford and Intel are now being treated as “little guys” in the party controlled by individuals with billions in personal wealth.