Donald Trump‘s electoral success confirms that the “lived” economy, not that of statistics, is a sufficient motivation to direct consensus or dissent. It becomes anger when the benefits go to a few. Those who are trying to imagine the moves of the new US administration (which will officially take office on January 20) foresee the immediate introduction, among the executive orders, of duties on Europe and China. They are hypothesized to be 10% for the Old Continent (we will see if generalized or targeted) and 60% for Beijing and other countries considered commercially hostile
(Photo ANSA/SIR)
The good performance of the economy is not enough if it does not bring benefits to workers, their families and the places in which they live. Inflation, i.e. the general increase in prices, causes discontent among those who have worked and see their salary lose value at the supermarket checkout.
Donald Trump’s electoral success confirms that the “lived” economy, not that of statistics, is a sufficient motivation to direct consensus or dissent. It becomes anger when the benefits go to a few.
Those who are trying to imagine the moves of the new US administration (which will officially take office on January 20) foresee the immediate introduction, among the executive orders, of duties on Europe and China.
Keeping foreign products away, and therefore protecting entrepreneurs and domestic workers, is a step of that America First that the new president wants to pursue as a reassuring message to those who voted for him and to those who abstained.
The new president looks at family spending more than the parameters of the research offices. Isn’t it the same thing? Not exactly. “We have to lower prices – Trump promised months ago – when I see that bacon costs four or five times more than it did a few years ago and when I look at some food products in supermarkets, people can’t believe it. Once upon a time they could buy an entire cart. And today, many people simply don’t have the money. They go into shops and can’t buy anything.” The reference is not to prices in general but to the individual products most used in families. It is a partial vision that seeks the consensus of those who actually use those purchases and find confirmation in their experience.
Not that there is a shortage of economists among Republicans. The same ones who know well how former President Joe Biden left an unemployment rate of 4.1% at historic lows. But
Trump has his own simple plan: produce more locally, handicap foreign goods, reduce taxes and encourage the creation of highly innovative businesses. Lighten the role and costs of public administration, a task entrusted to the super-rich Elon Musk in a combination that gives Europe shivers due to the clear conflict of interest between Musk’s activities and public information/decisions.
The next few months will not be easy. As is known, duties of 10% are hypothesized for the Old Continent (we will see if they are generalized or targeted) and 60% for Beijing and other countries considered commercially hostile. In Europe there is a risk of a loss of exports currently exceeding 500 billion. For Italy, the USA is worth over 10% of exports (almost 70 billion), the loss will be lower because some industrial products serve the reindustrialization of the States. It will get worse – according to initial estimates – for fashion and agri-food. And since duty calls duty, it will be a world of progressive trade walls. The physical ones were not enough.
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