This has little to do with trade — in fact, the US had a $6.8 billion annual trade surplus with Brazil last year — and everything to do with geopolitics.
Monday, August 25, 2025
That $20 Dress Direct from China Now Costs $30 After Trump Closed a Tariff Loophole – and the US Will Soon End the ‘De Minimis’ Exemption for the Rest of the World, too
How the Trump tariff attack on low-value shipments from Hong Kong and China (and soon elsewhere) is yet another tax on the poor.
Food Giants Graded a “D” on Sustainable Farming Practices
More fiddling as the planet burns and soil quality degrades, as big agricultural buyers give lip service to regenerative farming.
BRICS 2025: Propaganda and the Illusion of Change
How the propaganda machine behind the BRICS 2025 summit works—told from the inside, it reveals that nothing truly new is happening
Del Monte Foods Goes Into Bankruptcy: A Trump Tariff Casualty
Struggling Del Monte Foods keeled over due to its exposure to steel and aluminum cost increases from ‘Trump’s tariffs.
Genius Act: This New US Crypto Law Could Pave the Way for the Next Global Financial Crisis
On top of the leverage bombs in the US and other financial systems, the embrace of crypto, specifically stablecoins, is another systemic risk
Early Job Mentoring, Placement, and Training Boost Refugee Integration Without High Costs
Like it or not, advanced economies are committed to immigration to counter low birthrates. Better refugee integration reduces the friction.
The Inevitable Militarization of Space?
A high level review of the US efforts to project power in space and the actions/reactions of Russia and China.
Coffee Break: P. Diddy, RICO, Politicized Prosecutions
The Sean Combs trial provides a lens through which to look at RICO and prosecutorial overreach in an era of collapsing rule of law.
The Sad (Very Familiar) New York Times and Its Mamdani Hit Piece
The hit parade, as in the hit piece parade, on New York City mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani, is still in high gear.
Chaos in the Caucasus: The Great Armenian Sell Out and Turkish/NATO Dreams of a Turan Corridor Stretching to China
The great question is how Russia and Iran will respond if Turkiye and friends attempt to muscle their way across the Southern Caucasus.
Trump Just Gave a Huge Gift to China’s Economy
The GOP’s huge new tax and spending law will make it even harder for U.S. companies to compete in clean technologies.
“The Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened”: Von der Leyen Faces Impeachment Risk
EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen is (finally) in some trouble. How much of a sweat does she need to break to survive?
