Trump fires thousands of government employees from key government. Departments

 Cbcradio/AIH.    April 1, 2025

 Part 2: U.S. Researchers, 

U.S. Researchers

Guest: Steven Woolf

CH: Today, employees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services waited in line to find out if they still had jobs. The Trump administration has laid off thousands of workers, as it implements an extremely broad reorganization of the department. It's the latest in a series of government actions that are upending the lives of American researchers -- funding cuts, firings, and new conditions on scientific study. And now, hundreds of scientists are speaking out. This week, nearly 2,000 researchers signed an open letter sounding the alarm over what they're calling a, quote, "wholesale assault on U.S. science.” Unquote. Dr. Steven Woolf is a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, and one of the authors of the letter. We reached him in Fairfax, Virginia.

NK: Dr. Woolf, you and your colleagues have talked about a, quote, climate of fear right now. That you see real danger in this moment, as you put it. What is at stake right now in your view?

STEVEN WOOLF: Well, the issue that we're dealing with here is that the Trump administration's policies have been markedly degrading the functions of our government, different agencies. But the area that concerns us as scientists is that there is a, basically, destruction of a lot of the research capacity, not only within the federal government but at universities and research centres around the country. The United States has invested for about 80 years in building up its research capacity. And that's enabled the U.S. research enterprise to make great discoveries in cutting-edge medical treatments. Within weeks, the Trump administration has basically incapacitated a lot of those functions.

NK: And I think it's fair to say that many, if not most, Americans, regardless of their politics, the kinds of things you're describing, innovation, investment, setting a standard for the world, are the kinds that Americans would pride themselves on. So, what is it like to see that shift?

SW: Yeah, the problem is getting the American public to connect the dots. Many of them view this as some sort of bureaucratic reshuffling, some downsizing of employees in the federal government. And one of the reasons why we put out this statement to the American public is to help to raise awareness about how severely this will impact their lives. We explain that research is important for the economy, for businesses in terms of innovation, uh, weather forecasting, protecting the environment, even national security in terms of the military or, uh, intelligence gathering. But as a physician, what, what I and my colleagues are most concerned about is how this will affect the health of Americans. Part of our goal is to try to help the average American understand that if they have a heart attack, or their child is diagnosed with cancer, they're less likely to be getting cutting-edge treatments that will be available in other countries that are prioritizing research.

NK: And it's early, I know, in terms of response, but have you heard a response or reaction that leads you to believe those dots are being connected? That people are getting this message?

SW: Well, it's a heavily polarized country right now. So, when people like myself raise concerns about the direction the Trump administration is taking, there is a large sector of the population that is not happy with those kinds of comments. But on the other side, there is a large sector of Americans who appreciate the fact that somebody is actually speaking out. There is a climate of fear in a lot of these research institutions and universities where the leadership are in a very difficult place, and are not speaking out, trying to keep their heads down and avoid displeasing the administration because the government is placing a lot financial and legal pressure on universities and other research institutions. So, as a result, there's been a relative silence. Many of our professional organizations have not pushed back and spoken publicly about this. We reached out because we, as scientists, feel that the American public needs to know about what's happening, and also how this will affect their health.

NK: We're also hearing today, we're seeing mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services. What are you hearing from your colleagues about what is happening there?

SW: The layoffs that are occurring today are apocalyptic in our field. These are major agencies that are responsible for the health of Americans. And large amounts of workers who have spent their careers trying to improve the health of Americans are being sent packing. We have an agency, for example, called the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality -- or AHRQ -- that is basically responsible for addressing the quality of health care in the United States. That agency has basically been clobbered, uh, and a large portion of the employees of that agency have been dismissed

NK: There are those -- and you hinted at this earlier in our conversation, doctor -- that, who would say, you know, that there's bloated bureaucracy, these things need to be trimmed back, and they think that the amount given to research has been too much over the years. What would you want to say to them?

SW: Well, I think there is a fair argument that there are inefficiencies in many of these agencies. But the way you address inefficiencies is a much more targeted approach. My analogy is if you have a car engine that's running inefficiently, you normally take it to a mechanic for a tune-up. In this case, what's happening is they're taking a sledgehammer and clobbering the engine, which does nothing to improve efficiency, and now the car doesn't work anymore. Uh, that's essentially what happened. There's, there's been very little attempt to actually improve the efficiency of these agencies. Instead, what's been done is simply to dramatically downsize them. Uh, and, and have made them basically, uh, dysfunctional. I think it's important for listeners to understand that there's two pieces to this. One is that these massive cuts are turning off the spigot for research But the second part is the censorship. This is where the government is imposing ideological and political agendas to interfere with what research questions scientists can investigate, what methods they can use for doing their studies, and how they’re, literally the words they can used in reporting the results. So, the very important principle of scientific independence that researchers across the world value is being threatened in this case.

NK: And here in Canada, we've certainly seen, just in the past week, stories about professors and researchers leaving the United States for Canada. Are you expecting that more of your colleagues will leave your country for ours?

SW: I think so. I think it's happening very rapidly. I personally know colleagues that are doing this. It's true for experienced researchers who are feeling the need to leave the country in order to continue to do independent scientific research. But it's also happening for our young people who are interested in a career in the sciences, uh, that are changing their minds about going to graduate school in the united states and looking elsewhere for their education. Uh, not least because the number of openings for graduate studies is decreasing as a result of these massive funding cuts

NK: Dr. Woolf, thank you for your time. I appreciate it.

SW: Thank you for your attention to this.

CH: Dr. Steven Woolf is a professor of family medicine and population health at Virginia Commonwealth University. We reached him in Fairfax, Virginia.

Bernie Sanders’ response to President Trump’s Congressional address on March 4, 2025.

TRANSCRIPT:

The Big Lie Tactic

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS:…through the concept of the big lie and boy did we hear that tonight. You say something that is grossly false, say it over and over again, and have right-wing social media blast it out endless times until people actually believe it. And then, rather than address the real issues facing the American people, the struggles that the American people are facing, we find ourselves wasting endless amounts of time discussing Trump’s absurdities.

Let me just give you a very few examples. Trump claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from him and that he won by a landslide. Remember that? A lie. Trump claimed that the January 6th insurrection was a day of love. A lie. Trump has claimed that millions of undocumented people voted and do vote in American elections. A lie. Trump has claimed that climate change is a hoax originating in China. A lie. Trump has claimed that Ukraine started the horrific war with Russia. A lie.

And tonight, just tonight, Trump claimed that millions of dead people between the ages of a hundred and three hundred and sixty, I guess, were collecting Social Security checks. And that is an outrageous lie intended to lay the groundwork for cuts to Social Security and dismantling the most successful and popular government program in history.

So let’s be clear about that. Well over 99% of Social Security checks are going out to people who earned those checks. Seventy million Americans. Nobody, nobody who was a hundred and fifty years old or two hundred years old or three hundred years old is receiving Social Security checks. And on and on the lies go.

Deflecting From Real Issues

Now the purpose of all of this lying is not just to push his hateful right-wing ideology. It is not just to try to divide us up. It is more than that. It is a masterful effort, and you saw that tonight, to deflect attention away from the most important issues facing the people of our country. Issues that Trump and his billionaire friends do not want to address because it is not in their financial interests to do so.

Trump gave his State of the Union speech tonight. But if you listen closely, that speech had very little to say about the State of the Union. About what is really going on in our country, especially for working families.

Trump spoke for over 90 minutes, although I must confess it seemed a lot longer than that, and he almost completely ignored the issues that are keeping working people up at night as they worry about how their families are going to survive in these very tough times.

A Government of Billionaires

And I will tell you exactly why Trump had very little to say about the real crises facing the working class of this country. Think back six weeks ago when Trump was inaugurated for a second term as president, just six weeks ago. Standing right behind him were the three wealthiest men in this country, Mr. Musk, Mr. Bezos, and Mr. Zuckerberg. And standing behind them were 13 other billionaires who Trump had nominated to head major government agencies. Many of these same billionaires, including Musk, were in the Capitol tonight listening to that speech.

In other words, it is there for all to see. The Trump administration is not hiding it. The Trump administration is a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, and for the billionaire class. Not withstanding some of their rhetoric, this is a government that could care less about ordinary Americans and the working families of our country.

My friends, we are no longer moving toward oligarchy, we are living in an oligarchic society.

The Real State of the Union

Now let’s take a moment and try to escape from Trump’s parallel universe, the universe that you heard tonight, and let’s do something really, really radical. Let’s actually take a hard look at the problems that Americans are facing.

Today, sixty percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Unlike Trump, I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck, and I know something about that reality. It means that every day, every day, millions of Americans worry about how they’re going to pay their rent, pay for childcare, pay for a doctor’s visit when they get sick. They worry about what happens when their car breaks down, and they can’t afford the thousand bucks it costs to get it fixed, and what happens when they can’t get to work because they don’t have a car. They worry about how they can afford to buy healthy food for their kids when the price of food is off the charts.

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Funny, I heard Trump speaking for 90 minutes tonight. I didn’t hear one word from him about the economic reality facing sixty percent of our people, or the enormous stress that they are living under. Ninety-minute speech, not one word about the economic reality facing American workers.

Health Care Crisis Ignored

But that’s not all. Today in America, everyone knows that our health care system is broken. It is dysfunctional, and it is outrageously expensive. We remain the only wealthy nation on earth not to guarantee health care for all.

Mr. President, you really want to make America great again? Then make sure that every American, regardless of income, can go to a doctor or a hospital and not worry about how they’re going to pay the bills. President Trump, health care is a human right.

I didn’t hear one word from you, not one word, over 90-minute speech, not one word from you about the health care crisis that is impacting many, many millions of our people. Nor did I hear you say why we pay by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, sometimes ten times more than the people in other countries, and why one out of four Americans are unable to afford the prescriptions their doctors prescribe. Not one word about the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs.

Housing and Inequality

Mr. President, we have nearly 800,000 Americans who are homeless. Over 20 million of our people spend more than half of their limited income on housing. We have a major housing crisis in America. Everyone knows it, apparently, except you, because in your speech tonight, I didn’t hear you mention the housing crisis.

Today in America, we have more income and wealth inequality than we’ve ever had. Three richest people in America, the folks Trump invited to stand behind him at his inauguration, now own more wealth than the bottom half of our society, a hundred and seventy million Americans. Did anyone out there hear one word from the President of the United States on that enormously important issue, which gets to the very fabric of our society? So few owning so much, while so many people suffer.

And here’s something else the President forgot to discuss. Not only is our life expectancy four years lower than other wealthy countries, the bottom 50% in this country, the working class of America, on average live seven years shorter lives than the top 1%. Got that? In other words, being poor or working class in this country today is a death sentence. Did you hear any discussion tonight as to why so many of our people are living shorter lives than they should?

Climate Change and Tax Policies

During his speech tonight, Trump did not have one word to say about how we are going to address the planetary crisis of climate change. The last ten years, as most Americans know, have been the warmest ever recorded, and extreme weather disturbances and natural disasters have been taking place all over the world, from California to India, across Europe to North Carolina. And yet, not surprisingly, Trump had nothing to say about climate change except, I guess, drill, baby, drill. Well, that’s going to help a whole lot.

And let’s be clear, not only did Trump fail to talk about some of the most important issues facing the working class of America, but the solutions, in quote, he proposed would only make a bad situation even worse. Yep, I did hear Trump talk tonight about some tax breaks for working families in terms of not taxing tips, not taxing Social Security, and not taxing overtime. Fine. But that is Trump change compared to the benefits he’s going to give to the 1%, and it doesn’t tell the whole story about his tax policies.

According to a recent study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, if all of Trump’s so-called America First policies are enacted, including his tariffs, which he spoke a lot about tonight, the bottom 95% of Americans will see their taxes go up, while the richest 5% in our country will see their taxes go down, way down.

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Tonight, in so many words, Trump urged Congress to pass his big, beautiful budget. Do you know what’s really in it? This budget would cut Medicaid by 880 billion dollars. Oh, I guess Trump forgot to talk about that. 880 billion dollar cut in Medicaid. According to one estimate, it means that up to 36 million Americans, including millions of children, would be thrown off the health insurance they have. Hey, a 90-minute speech tonight, not one word about throwing millions of kids off of the health insurance they have. When you cut Medicaid drastically, it means that nursing homes that receive two-thirds of their funding from Medicaid will either have to shut down, lay off workers, or significantly scale back the services they provide seniors. Yeah, I didn’t hear that from Trump tonight either. It would be a devastating blow, these cuts to Medicaid, for the 32 million Americans who get their health care at community health centers.

And it’s not just Medicaid that Trump’s budget would cut. It would also cut nutrition assistance by at least 230 billion. I want you to think about that for a moment, and can you imagine? The billionaire class, people who can support their families, some of these guys have tens of billions of dollars, support their families for the next 10 generations, 50 generations. People who live in incredible opulence, people who own their own jet planes, they own their own private islands, they own their own spaceships, trying to get tax breaks by taking food out of the mouths of low-income kids. That truly is disgusting. What we are seeing is the Robert Hood principle in reverse, taking from the poor and giving to the rich and the very, very rich.

Federal Job Cuts and Foreign Policy

And here is something else Trump has been doing. For the past several weeks, he and his good friend Elon Musk, who was up there in the audience tonight, have been throwing hundreds of thousands of federal employees off their jobs. Now, I know some of you are saying, well that’s too bad, you know, but that’s the federal government. Not me, you know, it’s not me, it’s just those guys who work for the federal government. But I want you to think about this. Think about it for a moment. If Musk and his friends can arbitrarily throw federal workers out on the street today, what do you think that Musk and his fellow billionaires will be doing tomorrow when artificial intelligence and robotics explode in this country? Do you think they’ll give a damn about you and your families? No, they will treat you exactly the way they’re treating federal employees today. You will be out on the street as well.

But it’s not only absurd domestic policies that we’ve got to fight. For the first time in our 250 year history, we have a president who is turning his back on democracy and allying us with authoritarianism. No, we must not abandon the people of Ukraine who were invaded by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. We must always stand for democracy, not dictatorship.

Sanders’ Vision for America’s Future

Let me be very clear. Regardless of where Trump is taking this country, here’s what I think and what I believe the American people want us to do. They want us to end a corrupt campaign finance system. Well gee, golly gee, I didn’t hear Mr. Trump talk about that tonight. A corrupt campaign finance system which allows a handful of billionaires to buy elections. It is beyond crazy that someone like Elon Musk can contribute over 270 million dollars to help get Trump elected and then he gets to run the government. It is absurd that any member of Congress who stands up to Netanyahu’s brutal war in Gaza can expect to be opposed by millions of dollars in campaign contributions coming from AIPAC. The American people want us to end this disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision and move to the public funding of elections. Democracy is supposed to be about one person, one vote, not billionaires buying the political candidates of their choice.

And further, no we should not be giving tax breaks to billionaires. That’s not what we should be doing. We must demand that the wealthiest people in this country start paying their fair share of taxes. We must raise the federal minimum wage of seven and a quarter an hour to a living wage of at least seventeen dollars an hour. We must make it easier for workers to join trade unions, grow the union movement, and prevent corporations from violating labor laws with impunity by passing the PRO Act, legislation that I will be introducing tomorrow.

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No, we are not going to cut Social Security. Quite the contrary. We must expand Social Security benefits and extend insolvency for the next 75 years by scrapping the cap that allows a billionaire to pay the same amount into Social Security as a truck driver. Too many, too many of our seniors are hurting today for us to be talking about cutting Social Security. Over 20% seniors in this country living on $15,000 a year or less.

Further, instead of making massive cuts to Medicaid, we must join every other major country in guaranteeing health care to all of our people through a Medicare for All single-payer program. We must also take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry. Get them to charge us what they charge other countries, reducing prescription drug prices by 50%.

And at a time of a terrible housing crisis in Vermont and in every area of our country, we must build at least 4 million units of low-income and affordable housing, stop corporate landlords from jacking up rent prices, and establish a cap on rent. In a competitive global economy, we need the best educated workforce in the world. All of our young people must have the ability to get a higher education by making public colleges, trade schools, and universities tuition-free and canceling student debt.

Yes, we can create millions of good-paying jobs by combating climate change and moving our energy system away from fossil fuels and into sustainable energy. You know, I heard a lot of talk about freedom tonight from Mr. Trump. Well, in a free society, we must absolutely guarantee that it is the women of America who control their own bodies, not the local, state, or federal governments.

A Call to Action

Now I know, because I’ve heard from many of you, that there are a lot of people out there who are feeling angry and frustrated at what’s going on here in Washington, DC. And some of you may feel a bit hopeless. So let me say this, at this particular moment in history, despair is not an option. Giving up is not acceptable. And none of us have the privilege of hiding under the covers. The stakes are just too high.

Let us never forget, real change only occurs when ordinary people stand up by the millions against oppression and injustice and fight back. That is the history of the founding of our nation, when brave men and women took on the mighty, invincible British Empire. It is the history of the abolitionist movement, the history of the labor movement, the history of the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, the environmental movement, and the gay rights movement.

Yes, I know, the oligarchs are enormously powerful. I deal with them every day. I know that. Yes, they have endless amounts of money. Yes, they control our economy and they own much of the media. They have enormous influence over our political system. But from the bottom of my heart, I am convinced that they can be beaten. If we stand together and not let them divide us up by the color of our skin, or where we were born, or our religion, or the language we speak, or our sexual orientation, if we bring our people together around an agenda that works for the many and not just the few, there is nothing in the world that can stop us. We can win. We will win. Let us go forward together. Thank you all very much.

Trudeau's message in response to Trump's tariffs

 Trudeau: So today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they're talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator.

Make that make sense.

Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight — not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake. At the moment, the U.S. tariffs came into effect in the early hours of this morning, and so did the Canadian response.

Canada will be implementing 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods, starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion of American products in 21 days' time.

Today we will also be challenging these illegal actions by filing dispute resolution claims at the World Trade Organization and through the USMCA.

But in the meantime, our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. tariffs are withdrawn and not a moment sooner. And should these tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures, measures which will demonstrate that there are no winners in a trade war.

Now, just like I did a month ago, I want to speak first directly to the American people.

We don't want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally, and we don't want to see you hurt either. But your government has chosen to do this to you. As of this morning, markets are down and inflation is set to rise dramatically all across your country.

Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada, or because of consumers in Canada, or both. They've chosen to raise costs for American consumers on everyday essential items like groceries and gas, on major purchases like cars and homes and everything in between.

They've chosen to harm American national security, impeding access to

 access to the abundant critical minerals, energy, building materials and fertilizers that we have and that the United States needs to grow and prosper.

They've chosen to launch a trade war that will, first and foremost, harm American families.

They've chosen to sabotage their own agenda that was supposed to usher in a new golden age for the United States. And they've chosen to undermine the incredible work we've done together to tackle the scourge that is fentanyl, a drug that must be wiped from the face of the earth.

So on that point, let me be crystal clear: there is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs today. Now, the legal pretext your government is using to bring in these tariffs is that Canada is apparently unwilling to help in the fight against illegal fentanyl.

Well, that is totally false.

Let's look at the fact our border is already safe and secure. Far less than one per cent of fentanyl flows and less than one per cent of illegal crossings into the United States comes from Canada. But we acted, because we know we can always do better.

We responded to concerns, including from the president, by implementing an ambitious $1.3-billion border plan, a border plan that includes generational investments in new AI and imaging tools to stop the flow of fentanyl in its tracks, stronger co-ordination and information sharing with American agencies, along with the deployment of drones, helicopters and additional personnel to keep our border secure.

You know, a month ago, as part of an agreement with the United States that paused the tariffs, we made further commitments. We appointed Kevin Brosseau as our fentanyl czar, a man who dedicated his multi-decade career in law enforcement to combating organized crime networks and drug trafficking.

We designated seven drug cartels — sick, evil groups who cynically profit off the pain and suffering of people on both sides of the border — as the terrorist organizations that they are.

And just yesterday, we launched a new joint operations partnership, supported by a $200-million investment between Canada's security and law enforcement agencies, a partnership that will enhance the co-ordination of information and intelligence in order to thwart criminal gangs involved in the illegal fentanyl trade.

And critically, our actions are working as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection just acknowledged there was a 97 per cent drop in fentanyl seizure from January compared to December, to a near-zero low of less than half an ounce seized in January.

Now, I want to speak directly to one specific American.

Donald, in the over eight years you and I have worked together, we've done big things.

We signed a historic deal that has created record jobs and growth in both of our countries. We've done big things together on the world stage, as Canada and the U.S. have done together for decades, for generations. And now, we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world.

Now, it's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal. But Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.

We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.

And now, to my fellow Canadians. I won't sugarcoat it. This is going to be tough, even though we're all going to pull together because that's what we do.

We will use every tool at our disposal so Canadian workers and businesses can weather this storm. From expanding EI benefits and making them more flexible to providing direct supports to businesses. We will be there as needed to help.

But Canada, make no mistake. No matter how long this lasts, no matter what the cost, the federal government and other orders of government will be there for you.

We will defend Canadian jobs. We will take measures to prevent predatory behaviour that threatens Canadian companies because of the impacts of this trade war, leaving them open to takeovers. We will relentlessly fight to protect our economy. We will stand up for Canadians every single second of every single day. Because this country is worth fighting for.

You know we've been through tough spots before, but every time we've faced long odds and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we've not only survived, we've emerged stronger than ever.

Because when it comes to defending our great nation, there is no price we all aren't willing to pay.

And today is no different. Thank you.

recipe for finding life on other planets

 Cbcradio/quirksandquarks/March 1,2025

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/mar-1-the-recipe-for-finding-life-on-other-planets-and-more-1.7470424

The recipe for finding life on other planets

Quirks and Quarks17:41

In the last two decades we've discovered literally thousands of planets orbiting nearby stars. Our technology has now advanced to the point where we can investigate whether there's life on those planets. We speak to astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger, the founder of Cornell University's Carl Sagan Institute, about her work trying to answer that question, and her book Alien Earths: Planet Hunting in the Cosmos.

A book cover showing a blue and orange space photo in the background behind the title.

Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos by Lisa Kaltenegger. (St. Martin's Press)

Tariffs are self-defeating! Tariffs are not in the best interest of America's economy!

 

Here's AI's take on tariffs:

Lets hope higher intelligence prevails!

:

**"***

"Tariffs on imports are likely to depress the US economy rather than stimulate it. When tariffs are imposed, they act as a tax on foreign goods, raising their prices and making them less competitive in the US market. This can lead to higher prices for consumers, reduced demand for imported goods, and decreased economic activity.¹ ²

In fact, economists consider tariffs to be poor tools for boosting the economy, reducing the trade deficit, or achieving strategic objectives. They can benefit some domestic industries, but the negative effects on consumers, other businesses, and the broader economy often outweigh these benefits. Tariffs can also lead to retaliatory measures from other countries, sparking a trade war that can further harm the economy.

Historically, high tariffs have been associated with economic downturns, such as the Great Depression. The Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930, which significantly raised tariffs, is often cited as a contributing factor to the Depression. In contrast, periods of low tariffs and free trade have often coincided with economic growth and prosperity.

Additionally, tariffs can lead to a range of negative consequences, including:

- *Higher prices for consumers*: Tariffs increase the cost of imported goods, which can lead to higher prices for consumers and reduced demand.

- *Reduced economic activity*: Tariffs can decrease economic activity by reducing trade and investment.

- *Retaliation from other countries*: Tariffs can lead to retaliatory measures from other countries, sparking a trade war that can further harm the economy.

- *Damage to domestic industries*: Tariffs can actually harm domestic industries that rely on imported goods or components, such as manufacturers that use imported steel or aluminum.

Overall, while tariffs may provide some short-term benefits to certain domestic industries, the negative effects on the broader economy and consumers are likely to outweigh these benefits, leading to economic depression rather than stimulation."

***%*"""**"**

US trade imbalance with China:

"The US trade imbalance with China is a significant issue, with the US having a substantial trade deficit with China. In 2022, the US goods and services trade deficit with China was $367.4 billion, with US exports to China totaling $195.5 billion and imports from China reaching $562.9 billion.¹

Breaking it down further, the US goods trade deficit with China was $382.3 billion in 2022, while the services trade surplus was $14.9 billion. This means that while the US exports more services to China than it imports, the massive deficit in goods trade outweighs the services surplus.

Looking at the more recent data, in 2024, the US trade deficit with China has continued to grow, with the total trade deficit for the year already reaching $245.4 billion, with US exports to China totaling $118.2 billion and imports from China reaching $363.6 billion.²

The US trade deficit with China for 2024 is projected to be around $245.4 billion, based on the total trade deficit from January to December 2024. This is calculated from the total exports to China, which amount to $118.2 billion, and the total imports from China, which reach $363.6 billion.¹

It's worth noting that the US trade imbalance with China has been a longstanding issue, with the deficit growing over the years. In 2018, the trade deficit was $418.2 billion, and it has remained significant ever since."

*****" 

The cause of America's trade imbalance is America's rampant insatiable consumerism ,

Capitalism spawns a consumer culture driven by an ocean of advertizing aimed at promoting ever more consumption.

The only effective way to correct America's  trade imbalance is to reduce consumer demand ; i.e.to reduce consumption! But consumption (and immigration/population growth wch similarly increases consumer demand,) fuels/drives economic growth! 

Trumps intent to impose tariffs on imports and to restrict immigration will combine to depress the US economy!

 Hence Trumps policies may correct the trade I'mbalance,  but with the unintended consequence  of plunging  the economy into recession or even depression!!

***"""**

US imports from Canada, such as energy resources and manufactured goods, exceeded US exports to Canada by $80. billion in 2022.

Why would Trump expect Canada to import as much from the USA as it exports to the USA.?

Canada has 1/10 the population(consumers) of the US. It makes simple arithmetic logic that the US would import proportionally more consumer goods  from Canada than visa versa!               The import-export trade imbalance is simply proportional to and accountable in terms of  the population imbalance between the two countries!!

There is no disproportionate economic benefit to Canada in the Canada-,U.S. trade relationship!

It's mutually beneficial!

***********

According to Statistics Canada, in 2020, energy products (primarily oil and natural gas) accounted for approximately 14.1% of Canada's total exports to the United States.

When excluding energy products from the equation, Canada's trade balance with the US shifts. In 2020, Canada's trade deficit with the US (excluding energy products) was around CAD 34.6 billion.

This means that, indeed, Canada imports more goods and services from the US than it exports, when excluding oil and gas from the trade balance!!

What's Water?!!

 

credit : Anonymous Namaste

In The Matrix, when Morpheus tells Neo that "many are not ready to unplug from the system," he is speaking to a profound truth about human nature and the nature of reality, which reflects both the story's fictional world and the real-life metaphysical condition of society. The "system" in The Matrix is a metaphor for the Illusion—an artificial construct designed to control and subdue humanity by giving them a false sense of reality, much like how many live today trapped in the illusions of society, unable or unwilling to see beyond the veil of lies, manipulation, and control.

Morpheus understands that, for many, the comfort of the system is preferable to the unsettling and often painful process of awakening to truth. People have become conditioned, through years—sometimes generations—of indoctrination, to accept the world as it is presented to them. To unplug from this system is to face a harsh, sometimes unbearable, reality that everything they thought was real is, in fact, a lie. This requires courage, a willingness to embrace discomfort, and most importantly, the readiness to let go of what one thought to be the truth.

Morpheus also knew that those still plugged into the system are often its most ardent defenders. Why? Because the system has become their identity. Their sense of self, their beliefs, their values—all are tied to the illusions and constructs of that system. To threaten it is to threaten everything they hold dear. For many, it is easier to defend the system (and to go on living their superficial lives)than to confront the possibility that they have been deceived.

Defending the System: A Psychological Reaction

When Morpheus says that "many will fight to protect it," he's speaking to a psychological truth: cognitive dissonance. When presented with information that contradicts deeply held beliefs, people experience discomfort. Instead of questioning the belief or the system itself, they will often reject the new information to protect their ego and sense of security. This is why people who are still plugged into the system will vehemently defend it, even when evidence suggests that it is corrupt, failing, or based on lies (false premises)

For those who are not ready to break free , the system represents safety, order, and familiarity. It's the comfortable prison of the mind, and to face the truth would mean losing not only this sense of safety but also their role within the system. The Illusion provides them with structure and predictability, and they will fight to preserve it, even at the cost of their freedom and truth.

Clinging to the Illusion in Today’s World

In today’s world, this concept is strikingly relevant. The system can represent various elements of modern society—political ideologies (e.g. populism)  , economic structures (e.g. capitalism), societal norms, and even religious dogma (e.g. sectarianism), Those who cling to the system often do so out of fear, ignorance, or a desire for control. The system, through media, education, and government institutions, programs people from an early age to accept it as reality. It offers a narrative: if you work hard, follow the rules, and accept your place within it, you will succeed, be happy, and fulfilled. But we know this is not true for everyone.

The awakening process requires breaking away from these narratives and questioning the very foundation of what is accepted as truth. This is the essence of Hermeticism—the practice of questioning the surface to find the deeper truths hidden beneath. However, those who cling to the system will often ridicule, attack, or ostracize anyone who dares question its authority. Why? Because to question it is to question the very fabric of their own reality.

Unplugging: A Difficult but Necessary Process

Unplugging from the system, much like in The Matrix, is a metaphor for waking up from the collective dream that has been sold to the masses. It's about peeling back the layers of illusion to see the world as it truly is, rather than how we’ve been told to see it. Yet, this process is not easy. It involves dismantling years of conditioning and societal programming. It means facing uncomfortable truths about the world and, more importantly, about ourselves.

For those ready to unplug, the journey is one of liberation—of freedom from the mental and spiritual bondage that the system imposes. But for many others, the fear of the unknown, the discomfort of confronting deep-seated beliefs, and the pain of letting go of long-held illusions are too overwhelming.

The Nature of the Matrix as a Metaphor for Control

In the context of Hermetics, the system represents more than just societal control—it represents the materialistic, limited, and external focus that keeps people trapped in ignorance of their true nature as divine consciousness.   The systems that shape our experience are invisible,,intractable...and taken for granted. The system fosters division, fear, and separation. It teaches people to focus on external validation, material success, and power over others. But in truth, as Hermetics teaches, we are all connected, and the real power lies in knowing and mastering the self.

To unplug from the system means to transcend these lower, ego-driven desires and awaken to the deeper spiritual truths that govern the universe. It’s about recognizing that the external world is but a reflection of the internal state. When we unplug, we reclaim our sovereignty and align ourselves with the higher principles of wisdom, truth, and love.

But those who cling to the system remain blind to this truth, often because the system rewards conformity and punishes deviation. They see anyone who unplugs as a threat, not because those individuals are dangerous, but because they challenge the false security the system provides.

Defending the Illusion: The Role of Fear

The strongest weapon of the system is fear—fear of the unknown, fear of losing status, fear of being wrong. This fear causes people to defend the illusion vehemently. They project this fear outward, attacking anyone who threatens to disrupt the illusion they’ve built their lives upon. This is why Morpheus says they will fight to protect it. They are not fighting for the system because they believe in it—they fight because they fear what lies beyond it. They fear the truth.

In Hermetic philosophy, fear is rooted in ignorance, and the antidote to fear is knowledge—gnosis, the direct personal experience of truth. When one begins to see beyond the Illusion, the fear starts to dissolve. The system’s control weakens because its power lies in keeping people in the dark, disconnected from their true essence. Those who cling to it do so not because the system serves them, but because they do not know who they are without it.

(They know no other truth/reality  other than the world view/belief system  that the system provides.Deprived of. the safety and familiarity of this world view  makes them feel like a fish out of water (without any solid ground to stand on)---as though their very life is threatrned.)

Moving Beyond the System

For those who have unplugged or are in the process of doing so, it is crucial to remember that not everyone is ready. Much like Neo, we must navigate the world with the awareness that many are still prisoners of their own minds, held captive by the Illusion. But the task is not to force anyone to awaken; rather, it is to continue living in truth, as beacons of light, planting seeds for those who are ready to see beyond the veil.

Morpheus’s words hold an eternal truth: many are not ready to unplug because they are not ready to face the chaos of the real world, where their perceptions, beliefs, and identities must be reexamined and. reconfigured .. And those who cling to the system(the false reality) will continue to defend it until they find the courage to look beyond it.

No global agreement on ending plastic pollution

 Conte

Impasse over proposed, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics

The Associated Press · Posted: Dec 01, 2024 10:44 AM PST | Last Updated: December 1

Climate activists march on a street to demand stronger global commitments to curb plastic pollution on Nov. 23 in Busan, South Korea, two days before the start of what was supposed to be the fifth and final round of talks to develop an international, legally binding treaty to end plastic waste by 2040. (Minwoo Park/Reuters)

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Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution for a week in South Korea won't reach an agreement and plan to resume the talks next year.

They are at an impasse over whether the treaty should reduce the total plastic on Earth and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics.

The UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, was supposed to be the fifth and final round of negotiations, to produce the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. But with time running out early Monday, negotiators plan to resume the talks next year.

More than 100 countries want the treaty to limit production as well as tackle cleanup and recycling, and many have said that is essential to address chemicals of concern. But for some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, that crosses a red line.

For any proposal to make it into the treaty, every nation must agree to it. Some countries sought to change the process so decisions could be made with a vote if consensus couldn't be reached and the process was paralyzed. India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait and others opposed changing it, arguing consensus is vital to an inclusive, effective treaty.

On Sunday, the last scheduled day of talks, the treaty draft still had multiple options for several key sections. Some delegates and environmental organizations said it had become too watered-down, including negotiators from Africa who said they would rather leave Busan without a treaty than with a weak one.

Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says he's disappointed that no agreement was reached on Sunday, but he added he is still hopeful a deal can be struck as negotiators make plans to meet again next year.

Guilbeault says he would plan to use next year's G7 summit set be hosted in Alberta as a platform to advance the issue.

Production expected to sharply increase

Every year, the world produces more than 360 million tonnes of new plastic. Plastic production could climb about 70 per cent by 2040 without policy changes.

Plastic production is on track to triple by 2050, and microplastics have been found in air, fresh produce and even human breast milk.

In animals such as fish, these broken-down bits of larger plastics have been linked to lower levels of growth and reproduction, among a host of other issues. Researchers are still trying to determine more conclusively whether microplastics carry a direct risk to human health, and at what level.

In Ghana, communities, bodies of water, drains and farmlands are choked with plastics, and dumping sites full of plastics are always on fire, said Sam Adu-Kumi, the country's lead negotiator.

"We want a treaty that will be able to solve it," he said in an interview. "Otherwise we will go without it and come and fight another time."

Ghana's lead negotiator, Sam Adu-Kumi, speaks as Alejandra Parra, zero waste and plastics adviser for GAIA Latin America and the Caribbean, listens at a news conference in Busan on Sunday. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images)

At Sunday night's meeting, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the committee chair from Ecuador, said that while they made progress in Busan, their work is far from complete and they must be pragmatic. He said countries were the furthest apart on proposals about problematic plastics and chemicals of concern, plastic production and financing the treaty, as well as the treaty principles.

Valdivieso said the meeting should be suspended and resume at a later date. Many countries then reflected on what they must see in the treaty moving forward.

WATCH | Why it's so hard to end plastic pollution: 

Why it’s so hard to end plastic pollution

8 months ago

Duration7:07

Thousands of delegates are in Ottawa trying to hammer out an historic treaty to end plastic pollution, but the road to get there is littered with hurdles. CBC’s Susan Ormiston examines why it’s so hard to curb the problem and what it will take for the world to agree on a plan.

Rwanda's lead negotiator, Juliet Kabera, said she spoke on behalf of 85 countries in insisting that the treaty be ambitious throughout, fit for purpose and not built to fail, for the benefit of current and future generations. She asked everyone who supported the statement to "stand up for ambition." Country delegates and many in the audience stood, clapping.

Panama's delegation, which led an effort to include plastic production in the treaty, said they would return stronger, louder and more determined.

Saudi Arabia's negotiator said chemicals and plastic production are not within the scope of the treaty. Speaking on behalf of the Arab group, he said if the world addresses plastic pollution, there should be no problem producing plastic. Kuwait's negotiator echoed that, saying the objective is to end plastic pollution, not plastic itself, and stretching the mandate beyond its original intent erodes trust and goodwill.

• Recycling is failing as a way to reduce plastic. Here's why

• The world is struggling with plastic pollution — Canada is no exception

In March 2022, 175 nations agreed to make the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. The resolution states that nations will develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic.

Stewart Harris, a spokesperson for the International Council of Chemical Associations, said it was an incredibly ambitious timeline. He said the ICCA is hopeful governments can reach an agreement with just a little more time.

Most of the negotiations in Busan took place behind closed doors. Environmental groups, Indigenous leaders and others who travelled to Busan to help shape the treaty said it should've been transparent and they felt silenced.

"The voices of the impacted communities, science and health leaders are silent in the process, and to a large degree, this is why the negotiation process is failing," said Bjorn Beeler, international co-ordinator for the International Pollutants Elimination Network. "Busan proved that the process is broken and just hobbling along."

South Korea's Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Tae-yul said that though they didn't get a treaty in Busan as many had hoped, their efforts brought the world closer to a unified solution to ending global plastic pollution.

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