No. 284: One Tariffic Idea

Proponents of tariffs think smally.

You'll recall Mr. Smoot, Mr. Hawley?

Times were adverse

so they made things worse,

starting trade wars
with dumb tariff laws.

Please,

for a change,

can we think longer range?
Plan ahead 

and get something done?

Not too far ahead

for as Lord Keynes once said,
we're all dead

in the long run.

[updated 3/6/2018 1:17 pm]

No. 283.1: EXTRA! Mr. Ryan's Nay-borhood

“We are extremely worried about the consequences of a trade war and are urging the White House to not advance with this plan,” AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), said in a statement Monday.

— WaPo: Ryan splits with Trump on trade as GOP lawmakers move to block planned tariffs (Paywall)

Is this, at last, respite from despair?

Have Paul Ryan's balls reappeared?

Has he grown a new pair?

Will the limp wimp stand up to the bully?

OR

for rea$on$ the publi¢ ¢an't under$tand fully,

will Ryan retreat, du¢k ba¢k in hi$ $hell

and let Trump ¢ontinue pell-melling to hell?

What are hi$ in$tru¢tion$ from Brother$ Ko¢h?

Will he ¢ontinue to be a $i¢k joke?

Of course, whatever 

Donald says one day,

can be untweeted the next before noon.

Who really can say? 

We suggest staying tuned.

[updated 3/5/2018, 8:59 pm]