In criticizing President Donald Trump’s talk of tariffs (Jan. 4, letters, “The Cost of Trump’s Tariffs”), Lois Eisenberg enumerated a list of the things tariffs affect, including percentages, prices and quotations, and presented citations from here, there and everywhere. Impressive. Well, no. What you “revealed” aren’t secrets, not to MAGA supporters, not to anyone, but that’s not the point of “talking” about tariffs, or “talking” about anything. It’s obvious to me you don’t know Trump well enough to know that what comes out of his mouth does so for a multitude of reasons (including the fact that he loves to hear himself talk, which I am also guilty of doing).
Sometimes it’s about something he’s going to do, sometimes it’s about something he wants people to “think” he’s going to do, sometimes he wants to see how people “react” to it, and sometimes it’s just for the sheer fun of it (i.e. did you actually consider drinking bleach during the pandemic?). I suggest you read any one of his books. The picture that is painted of him is pretty clear: He’s a “player,” and that’s what world leaders do, they “play” each other (even when they’re at war). It’s in the general category of “bribes, threats, and deceptions,” to get something you want. It’s really quite romantic when you stop to think about it. Yeah, a lot’s at stake, and what of it? A lot is ALWAYS at stake.
You (and yours) just sit there barking up the wrong tree, and in the wrong forest, to boot (which, by the way, is the REAL reason Democrats lost this election). It’s time to stop fighting Trump and start working with him — unless you want to keep losing.
It’s your call.
Arthur Saginian
Santa Clarita