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Friday April 11, 2025

April 11, 2025 by Graeme MacKay
Trump's erratic tariff strategy has isolated the U.S., damaging trust and alliances while raising suspicions of market manipulation.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 11, 2025 (Also, The Toronto Star, April 13, 2025)

A Circus of Chaos and Consequences

Trump's aggressive trade policies, particularly against China, create risks and uncertainties in an already fragile global economy.

April 10, 2025

In the annals of American leadership, few figures have managed to blend showmanship with governance quite like Donald Trump. Touting himself as the mastermind behind “The Art of the Deal,” Trump promised to harness his negotiating prowess to fortify the U.S. economy and elevate its standing on the global stage. Yet, as recent events have painfully demonstrated, Trump’s leadership style has proven less an art form and more a chaotic spectacle, reminiscent of a ratings-dropping game show rather than strategic statecraft.

Opinion: What Trump Just Cost America

Trump’s recent decision to impose and then abruptly pause tariffs, excluding China, has not only destabilized markets but shattered trust in American leadership. Announcing a 90-day pause, Trump expected foreign leaders to flock to his door, eager to negotiate. Instead, as Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times aptly noted, his actions have echoed the old adage: if you hire clowns, expect a circus.

The administration’s rationale for these tariffs — from curbing fentanyl to funding tax cuts — fluctuated as erratically as the stock market during his tenure. Trump’s so-called principles crumbled under pressure, revealing a strategy not rooted in sound economic theory but in impulse-driven theatrics. The result? A loss of billions and an even more invaluable currency: trust.

Opinion: America is lost. But we can still save the rest of the world from Trump’s tariffs

President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs risk isolating the U.S. economically and diplomatically, as allies retaliate and rethink their reliance on American partnerships.

April 3, 2025

In one fell swoop, Trump equated long-standing allies with adversaries like China and Russia, applying tariffs indiscriminately and disregarding decades of partnership. Countries that stood shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. in moments of global crisis were left questioning their alliance with a nation that seemed to value spectacle over substance.

Friedman likened this diplomatic blunder to the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan — a strategic misstep that Trump’s tariffs have now emulated in the trade arena. Yet, unlike Afghanistan, this self-imposed trade war has no exit strategy, leaving America isolated at a time when unity is paramount.

Trump’s approach to China, a nation with vast manufacturing capabilities, was a tactical misfire. Rather than rallying global allies to address trade imbalances collaboratively, Trump went it alone, fostering animosity instead of alliance. Friedman highlights this failure to unite against a common economic rival as a critical error, strengthening Beijing’s position while allies now view China as a more stable partner than the unpredictable U.S.

News: Trump’s Encouragement of Stock Investors Draws Scrutiny

Trump's cabinet is characterized by loyalty-driven appointments, where fealty often overshadows expertise, raising concerns about governance integrity.

March 26, 2025

The Trump era’s hallmark is not economic resurgence but rather a profound erosion of American values and influence. His administration’s apparent disregard for ethical governance has fueled suspicions of market manipulation and insider trading, with allegations, as Friedman points out, that Trump’s inner circle profited from his policy pivots. Such actions, if proven, would underscore a presidency marred by self-interest and oligarchic tendencies.

In the end, Trump’s “Art of the Deal” narrative unfolds more like an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal,” where the stakes are not merely ratings but the very credibility and leadership of the United States. As the curtain falls on this chapter of American policymaking, the world grapples with a sobering reality: faith in American leadership has been not just shaken, but shattered.

As America navigates the aftermath of Trump’s tenure, it must work tirelessly to rebuild the bridges burned by his reckless policies. This requires a commitment to transparency, ethical governance, and strategic alliances that prioritize collective prosperity over individual gain. Only then can the U.S. hope to restore its standing as a leader not just in power, but in principle.


Pardon the Conspiracy theory But… As I’ve been reading through various articles and the comments sections, one thing is clear: the idea of insider trading is dominating people’s minds. Many are questioning who might have been tipped off about the reversal. It feels eerily similar to the 2008 scenario, with concerns about how many people panicked and sold low, only for a select few to profit when the market surged.

The opinion pieces aren’t holding back either, pointing out how Trump’s actions have not only wiped out investments but also eroded trust in the system. It’s frustrating to see such recklessness from someone in charge, and the lack of transparency and accountability is a real concern.

Check out my making-of animated editorial cartoon for April 11, 2025, below! If you haven’t yet, please subscribe to my Substack newsletter, where I share weekly editorial cartoons every Saturday morning. Substack is a crucial platform for me amidst the uncertainties of being a staff cartoonist, especially given recent layoffs and newspaper closures affecting our field. As long as I hold my position, subscriptions will remain free. Thank you for your support! This “note” helps craft my weekly posts and showcases animated versions of my cartoons. Enjoy!

– The Graeme Gallery

Read on Substack

 

Posted in: International, USA Tagged: 2025-08, alliances, Allies, chaos, China, credibility, devil, Donald Trump, donkey, dumpster, Economy, game show, globe, influence, isolation, leadership, Let’s Make a Deal, manipulation, market, strategy, Substack, tariffs, Trade, trust, USA

Thursday March 13, 2025

March 13, 2025 by Graeme MacKay
Trump's tariffs on aluminum and steel risk harming U.S. consumers and jobs, while Canada's retaliation highlights global trade tensions.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 13, 2025

Tariff Turmoil: When Protectionism Backfires

March 3, 2018

The tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on aluminum and steel imports were meant to protect American industry and jobs, but they might end up harming the consumers and workers they were supposed to help. As countries like Canada respond with their own tariffs, the economic impact could isolate the U.S. and destabilize its economy.

These tariffs act like a hidden tax, raising the cost of materials essential for many products. As businesses face higher costs, they pass these expenses on to consumers, resulting in higher prices for everyday items. For American families already dealing with rising living costs, this adds an extra financial burden instead of the relief promised.

News: Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs on $29.8-billion worth of U.S. steel

October 31, 2013

Moreover, these tariffs put American jobs at risk, especially in industries that depend on international trade. In places like Hamilton, where steel and aluminum production are key, the effects are significant. Canadian producers lose access to the U.S. market, and American manufacturers relying on Canadian materials face challenges, threatening jobs and economic stability.

The market has reacted with uncertainty, reflecting fears of a recession. Economists warn that unclear trade policies might stifle investment and slow economic growth, undoing recent progress. The panic in the markets highlights the fragility of a strategy lacking coherence and foresight.

As other countries impose retaliatory tariffs, the risk of isolation grows. Trade wars rarely have winners, and escalating tensions can strain diplomatic relations and reduce global cooperation. In an interconnected world, pursuing protectionism might leave the U.S. at a disadvantage, missing opportunities for collaboration and growth.

News: Europe retaliates against Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum

Trump's tariffs, justified by a fentanyl pretext, strain U.S.-Canada relations, threaten economic stability, and serve broader political agendas.

March 5, 2025

The current U.S. trade policy under President Trump seems misguided. Instead of helping American consumers and workers, it risks harming economic prosperity. Policymakers need to rethink their approach, engaging with trading partners and developing strategies that focus on innovation and competitiveness.

Trump’s tariff measures could bring pain to consumers and industries across North America. As these effects unfold, a more balanced approach to trade is needed. By fostering cooperation and understanding the realities of a global economy, the U.S. can work towards a future where prosperity is shared, fulfilling the promises made to the American people.


Trump hits Home

I would have loved to draw something on that bizarre car salesman promo Donald Trump staged on the South Lawn of the White House for his billionaire buddy Elon Musk’s struggling company, Tesla. But instead, I found myself compelled to reflect on the more serious story of how Trump’s actions have hit home here in Hamilton. His tariffs on aluminum and steel, which were supposed to protect American industries, are now threatening to raise consumer prices and jeopardize jobs right here in our steel city—ground zero for Canada’s domestic production.

Canada is responding with its own tariffs, and the economic ripples are being felt across North America, hitting Hamilton especially hard.

No other President in my lifetime has impacted me, my family, and my city so personally. Trump’s poor handling of the pandemic, including the prolonged land border closures, directly affected us. Although intended to protect public health, these closures strained our healthcare services and took a toll on our local economy.

Donald Trump feigns outrage at Doug Ford’s threats to cut off Ontario electricity to American consumers, calling it a horrible way to treat people. Meanwhile, I live in Hamilton, where the lights are about to go out on thousands of livelihoods due to a trade war the President is determined to wage, weakening his nation’s once-closest ally.

Through my cartoons, I aim to highlight these real, personal impacts, hoping to spark the change we need for a more sensible approach. Americans, the world is counting on you to end the carnage!

– The Graeme Gallery

Read on Substack

 

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: 2025-05, aluminum, Canada, consumers, Donald Trump, Economy, Europe, isolation, jobs, market, prices, protectionism, reciprocal, retaliation, steel, Substack, tariffs, Trade, Uncle Sam, USA

Wednesday May 22, 2019

May 29, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday May 22, 2019

Alberta beef producers carefully watch Beyond Meat veggie burger complaint

Beef producers in Alberta are carefully watching an ongoing complaint from their Quebec counterparts.

The complaint’s target? American veggie burger company Beyond Meat.

March 15, 2001

The company has swept into Canadian headlines, advertising a plant-based, meatless burger that mimics beef. It hit the news, to great fanfare, when sold at A&W fast food restaurants, and is now available at various grocery chains.

The vegan company hopes to tap into the meat-eater market because the burger more closely tastes like beef than standard veggie patties.

The Quebec Cattle Producers Federation filed a formal complaint with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week, arguing Beyond Meat has no right to advertise their product as “plant-based meat.”

Alberta Beef Producers and Canadian Cattleman’s Association, which is based in Calgary, have announced their support for the complaint.

“If they’re saying, ‘We’re selling plant-based protein,’ we don’t have any issue with that at all. That’s not misleading at all. That’s very clear what consumers are getting,” Alberta Beef Producers executive director Rich Smith told the Calgary Eyeopener.

January 16, 2019

“When they start introducing terms that they’re using in a comparative way and sometimes in a negative way in their advertising, then that’s where we think it’s unfair and misleading to to our industry and to consumers.”

Beef producers in Alberta are carefully watching an ongoing complaint from their Quebec counterparts.

The complaint’s target? American veggie burger company Beyond Meat.

The company has swept into Canadian headlines, advertising a plant-based, meatless burger that mimics beef. It hit the news, to great fanfare, when sold at A&W fast food restaurants, and is now available at various grocery chains.

The vegan company hopes to tap into the meat-eater market because the burger more closely tastes like beef than standard veggie patties.

The Quebec Cattle Producers Federation filed a formal complaint with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week, arguing Beyond Meat has no right to advertise their product as “plant-based meat.”

Alberta Beef Producers and Canadian Cattleman’s Association, which is based in Calgary, have announced their support for the complaint.

“If they’re saying, ‘We’re selling plant-based protein,’ we don’t have any issue with that at all. That’s not misleading at all. That’s very clear what consumers are getting,” Alberta Beef Producers executive director Rich Smith told the Calgary Eyeopener.

“When they start introducing terms that they’re using in a comparative way and sometimes in a negative way in their advertising, then that’s where we think it’s unfair and misleading to to our industry and to consumers.” (CBC) 

 

Posted in: Canada, Lifestyle Tagged: 2019-19, beef, Canada, fake, fare, food, groceries, lifestyle, market, meat, nutrition, vegetable

Tuesday June 20, 2017

June 19, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 20, 2017

Ottawa wants provinces to keep pot tax low

The federal government will be urging the provinces and territories to keep pot taxes low, according to a senior government source.

March 28, 2017

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will make the pitch to his provincial and territorial counterparts, during a series of meetings to be held in Ottawa over the next two days.

Although the source says a price for pot is not expected to be set during these talks, provincial and territorial leaders will be urged to keep taxes low in an effort to undercut prices on the black market.

The discussions will take place at the semi-annual gathering of the country’s finance ministers, and will be the first formal sit down chat about the issue at this level.

Earlier this year, the federal government introduced legislation that will make the recreational use of marijuana legal by July 1, 2018. Many of the decisions about how the drug will be sold and taxed are being left up to individual provinces.

April 21, 2016

The source says Ottawa wants the provinces and territories to agree to three broad priorities when coming up with their marijuana strategies: a co-ordinated approach, a low taxation rate, and a commitment to ongoing collaboration and co-operation.

The co-ordinated approach is an effort to ensure prices and policies are similar across the country. The source says Ottawa does not want to see any “divergent regimes” spiking or dropping prices.

The low taxation rate is an effort to eliminate the black market. The Liberals have repeatedly said the purpose of making marijuana legal is to keep it out of the hands of children and criminals. By setting a low rate, the source says it will help drive drug dealers out of the market. (Source: CBC News) 

 

SaveSave

Posted in: Canada Tagged: Canada, Cheech, chong, committee, legalization, Marijuana, market, Ottawa, Parliament, pot, pothead, pricing

Friday February 17, 2017

February 16, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 17, 2017

Limited supply, high demand in hot Hamilton housing market ‘without precedent’

Warning bells are being sounded in some quarters about an overheated housing market that is trending toward fewer listings, higher prices and yet increased sales, at least locally.

July 13, 2016

But the president of the Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington suggests the situation is neither worrisome nor difficult to understand.

“It’s Economics 101,” said Lou Piriano. “There is less supply, and more and constant demand.”

A report released Wednesday by the Canadian Real Estate Association describes a “severe” shortage of homes available for sale “particularly in and around Toronto and in parts of B.C.”

The report said “the imbalance between limited housing supply and robust demand in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe region is without precedent.”

And an economist was quoted in the Toronto Star saying that the housing market in Toronto “and any city remotely within commuting distance is overheating, and perhaps dangerously so.”

May 7, 2014

In Hamilton-Burlington, the number of properties listed in January was 1,139, down 9.7 per cent from January of last year — but sales of all properties were up 17.4 per cent.

“There is less product and just as many people want it,” Piriano said.

That influenced the average home price rising 12.8 per cent over this time last year.

Piriano said it’s problematic to focus on national figures when just one housing market can distort the numbers but said the GTA continues to exert tremendous influence on Hamilton’s market. Fifteen per cent of all home sales in this area are done by Toronto realtors.

How hot is the market?

It’s just one house, but anecdotally it perhaps represents stories that area home buyers and sellers have been telling of their experiences: A central Mountain home on Desoto Drive, near Upper Wellington Street and just north of Stone Church Road, listed Feb.6 for $599,500 and received 18 offers, according to Mississauga-based ReMax realtor Carl Schuy. It sold Monday, a week later, for $740,000. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

Posted in: Canada, Hamilton Tagged: bubble, Canada, cemetery, grave, grave yard, Hamilton, housing, market, Ontario, real estate
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This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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