Emmanuel Macron has hit back at Donald Trump’s latest threats to impose tariffs on any country opposing his Greenland takeover, warning that “no amount of intimidation” will persuade European nations to change their course on Greenland.
He was echoed by the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, who warned the EU would not be “blackmailed” by the US president, who on Saturday announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries from 1 February, with a further 25% tariff from 1 June.
In a joint statement, EU leaders said “tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral”.
It is highly likely that the European parliament will halt ratification of last summer’s trade deal with the US after Manfred Weber, the head of the European People’s party, the largest voting bloc in the institute, said they would have to pause the legal rubber stamping process.
Not my own but I liked how this seems to be the logic operating between Trump and his peers:
“Tax the americans, until the europeans comply.”
It makes sense when you understand that this is class war. The working class is being choked in both the US and Europe all while fueling nationalism within each.
Seems to me you are making a major false equivalence there.
In what way is the working class being choked in EU?
Unlike USA EU countries have a right to unionize, we have actual democracies and EU also have livable minimum wages despite some EU countries being only a fourth as wealthy as USA.
Also nationalism in Europe is very different than in USA, as EU has 27 countries, it’s not like EU will suddenly become one maniac nationalist/fascist nation with a giant army that can oppress the entire EU population like can happen in USA.
EU is not perfect, except when compared to USA or China, then it kind of is.
I hear the working class in the EU is having troubles with inflation and housing.
Here in the UK it’s pretty fucked. I earn a fairly low wage, and I live in a van because housing is so expensive. I could just about afford to pay rent, but I couldn’t afford much else. The van thing isn’t ideal - I’m in my 50s, hot summers and cold winters are challenging - but this is the only way I can afford to be able to do stuff and even save a bit.
UK is not in EU.
Inflation is an aftermath of Covid, Covid was a major economic challenge everywhere, but people are still paid livable wages in EU unlike in USA.
There is always struggle for workers to get their fair share, difference is that in EU this struggle is on a much more even playing field than it is in USA, and AFAIK anywhere else in the world.
There is no class war in either USA or EU, there isn’t in USA because Americans aren’t fighting for their rights.
And there isn’t in EU because workers did fight for it, and we have won the necessary rights that prevent us from getting choked.
There is of course always debate on how the money of society as a whole should be shared. And in EU workers actually have significant political power in that debate, where in USA they don’t.
So apart from a livable wage, we have for instance free healthcare and education, something many Americans dream of.
Romania is among the poorer EU countries, but they have the highest home ownership in EU.
So at least I think I can say with good certainty that we don’t have an EU wide housing crisis.
With major infra structure variables like housing there will always “trouble” show me a country that is completely without problems regarding housing.
In EU the situation today is certainly way better than it was back in the 70’s in most countries, where in USA it’s the exact opposite.
I don’t think you understand what “class war” means. (1) One class can be fighting it while the other class is not. See Americans for an example.
(2) There is no “end” to class war when the working class “gets a living wage”. The capitalist class will always chip away at your wage and social programs. They are doing that now in Europe.
You don’t understand what I was even referring to when talking about class conflict. Here is a test: do you think “class” is dependent on how much money you make? If the answer is “yes, a Doctor is clearly of a different class than a janitor” then you have no idea what I’m talking about.
The way you talk about it makes me think you are just misunderstanding what I was talking about at a fundamental level.
I’m talking about class in the Marxist sense.
Oh yeah? But do you have the highest incarcerated levels? You probably don’t even have school shootings.
But I don’t think Trump has had much influence on that honestly. Housing is getting super expensive for years and the prices just never stopped rising and inflation is largely a result of Putin’s war in the Ukraine.
The worldwide class difference is a problem when the market is open to everyone, so investment grade assets like real estate are priced on a foreign billionaire level everywhere. Our local labour laws are pretty decent, and we have really good wage equality overall but the rest of you are dragging us down frankly. Since you mentioned them, China had the right idea to impose severe restrictions around that type of “investing” and we should probably follow their example to some degree. One way to fight absurd wealth accumulation is to make it impossible to buy anything with it.
Are you European?
Yes, I am European and a supporter of EU in for instance the way EU requires member states to observe human rights.
And also how EU protects democratic rights for all citizens of EU, which again is directly contrary to USA, that undermine democracy on the federal level.
Ah. “No True Scot”, or “Appeal to Authority” ? Which?
No. I was literally just wondering to get a context for your comment. But based on your comment I’m gonna assume you’re not.
I responded to another one of your comments so ending replies here. I realized from your other comment that you have no idea what I meant when I referred to “class”