Trump’s trade war with our northern neighbor

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Donald Trump declared economic war on Canada over the weekend.

The Wall Street Journal called it the “dumbest trade war.” The Buffalo News assessed the impact on Western New York – not good – and noted how little fentanyl enters the United State from across our northern border. NPR details the folly in Trump’’s fentanyl claims. CNN details what consumer products will get more expensive as a result. Canada strikes back. Experts discuss the impacts, including the exchange rate. (The American dollar was worth $1.48 Canadian as of Sunday night.) Hockey fans in Ottawa and basketball fans in Toronto boo the American national anthem.

In 2021 we quoted an economist saying the economic impact of a 65,000 seat football stadium was the same as a Target store. So what’s the impact of the 10,000 seat soccer stadium proposed for downtown? Maybe a 7-Eleven?

For that, stadium proponents want the state to kick in $20 million. To bring a minor league soccer team to town.

Good luck.

The city has more pressing needs and the state is hardly in a position to fork over $20 million, especially given its pending budget crisis in the face of the likelihood that Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans will cut federal Medicaid payments to the states. Such a move could cost New York billions, perhaps tens of billions of dollars.

The latest test results are out and the reading skills of 4th and 8th graders nationally are the worst they’ve been in 20 years. One-third or more are basically illiterate. Scores in New York have yet to recover from the anemic numbers posted before the pandemic. That didn’t stop state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa from helping herself to a $155,000 raise thanks to the Board of Regents.

Another reason to hate the Kansas City Chiefs: The way they’re pitting the states of Missouri and Kansas against each other in their bid to get taxpayers to build them a new stadium.

Regarding Elon Musk:

• Tesla did not pay any federal income taxes last year.
• His DOGE team has gained access to the sensitive financial information held by the federal government.
• Add Musk Watch to your list of websites to follow. 
• This editorial cartoon by Adam Zyglis gets my vote for the Pulitzer Prize.

A CNN analysis finds two-thirds of Trump’s executive orders issued his first week in office came right out of Project 2025.

The Marshall Project breaks down Trump’s executive orders on immigration. Also, ICE abused immigrants returned to Brazil. 

Another exhibit as to what’s wrong with college sports: Penn State’s football team hired an assistant coach for $3.1 million a season.

The Sabres on Friday inducted this guy into their Hall of Fame. Anything to sell tickets and overpriced concessions, I guess. 

Jim Heaney