The last time I checked through the "Winter in the Great White" board after an absence, I found a great recipe for a mango salad and...oh, here’s one for a hangover and....Whoah...this looks like I’d better come in off the trail for a short visit. Steady there big fella, let’s join the posse. "Git thet rope" etc. etc.
Whenever I see something of this absolute bullying nature by US lobbyists I start to wonder what else they’ve been up to. Guess what? There’s so much international bitchin’ and whinin’ goin’ on that the whole matter of international and “free” trade really is becoming a “reductio ad absurdum” argument. If it can get too silly, it can’t be justified as it stands. Sure, maybe the US enjoys a hegemonic relationship over the rest of the world but let’s use a little discretion guys...maybe a bit of the Golden Rule. And, I don’t mean that the guy with the gold makes the rules.
Setting the important matter of the softwood issue aside for a moment, it seems that as we sleep unknowingly in our beds, there has also been a huge threat to the US democratic process by the EU not really wanting to buy most of their bananas from US distributors and explaining to them where they could place said bananas. Yeah, bananas (I don’t know about apples and oranges). Check this out, they even call them the “EU’s banana regime” (a little too close to republic for my likin’):
“The EU's regime governing the importation, sale, and distribution of bananas has been discriminatory and has harmed the economic interests of the United States by denying to U.S. companies a major portion of their banana distribution business. “ ustr.gov
The full document, if it weren’t so bludgeoning to real freedom to trade effectively would be hilarious. It’s like the Marx brothers had a hand in it. BTW, the US won the fight in July by declaring full 100% duties on articles produced by Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom that have nothing to do with the consumption of bananas. These guys fight dirtier than “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and with all of the intelligence.
Here’s a few of their half-baked proposals for items subject to duties to ensure their banana sales: “[section 42022215] Handbags, with or without shoulder straps or without handle, with outer surface of sheeting of plastics, [section 42023210] Articles of a kind normally carried in the pocket or handbag, with outer surface of reinforced or laminated plastics” and [section 34060000] Candles, tapers and the like”.
To sell their unwanted bananas, they’ve actually put European taper makers at risk and the butchers and the bakers are included in their beef with beef. And, the sad part is that it worked...again. Now the Europeans are searching the net for banana recipes...how many things can you do with a banana that you didn’t want in the first place? Well.....no, not that... well, maybe in Greece.
Another of the disagreements with the EU has to do with the European community not wanting their meat shot full of hormones. And I’m beginning to wonder as I watch my teenager turn into a giant...thank Adonis he’s friendly.
As part of their demand to sell their fast-growing super beef, the US targetted products of France and the Federal Republic of Germany including: “[section 05040000] Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than fish), whole and pieces thereof” and [section 07031040] Onions, other than onion sets or pearl onions not over 16 mm in diameter, and shallots, fresh or chilled.” Doesn’t this 16 mm diameter figure sound something like the 19.3 percent figure...I mean they both sound as if they have been thought through...yaaah right... I mean, they've got guys sitting in windowless rooms who are paid to think this stuff up.
One insidious part of the tariff against our softwood is the demand for the posting of a bond to ensure the extortion is paid. I’ve heard a million dollars from each mill as the figure but that’s just from one source. How in Hades can a gypo (and I use the term respectfully) get that kind of money together? Take a look now at the bars in a logging and sawmilling town in BC and see how the already weakened condition of the forest industry has created a lot of lonely under-employed barmaids with the old man babysitting at home. Let's at least try to make Canada a maquiladora-free zone.
This robust protectionism has gone away beyond being silly. Canadians and Americans were meant by geography and commonalities of culture to be friends. If ya can’t tell your friends that they’re losing it, who are they gonna hear it from? Maybe we can get them into an anger management program. Pierre may need one by the time this is done...go get ’em Pettigrew.
But, if it’s to be a trade war, I think you’re right Marcos, we should begin to curtail one of our most prolific exports to the US: comedians. No more funny guys and gals from Canada...laugh that one off Imperialists. I remember getting some flak on the Sideware board away back when by suggesting that Gordon Sinclair was a comedian who was ahead of his time when he wrote his kissin' up ode back in the 60's or was it the 70's? <ggg>. BTW, I can't get over the paper weight dude callin' you a bigot...I think you've achieved a new status with this opus.
Remember the words of that great Canadian Steve Smith when he said, “Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati”. Words to live by, Eh?
I hate to leave this but I’m headin’ back into the bush in a few hours, I’m workin’ on my sunstroke....just came into town to clean up and change my stocks...adios...catch ya later, probably next week. Oh, Yes We Have No Bananas...
Happy Trails
Lenny |
