Trump's Splashy New NAFTA Deal Doesn't Actually Exist - Vanity Fair

According to these folks.
https://piie.com/blogs/trade-investment-policy-watch/can-trump-terminate-nafta
Trump can terminate NAFTA if he wants.

(snip)

No one back then thought we could possibly have a narcissistic mob boss as president, either.....

one outlet reporting that we are now WORSE off with North Korea than we were when we started, and we gave up a good ally for the privilege of being taken to the cleaners by Kim?

The elites who own cable news control the narrative, yes, including msnbc. msnbc has a couple of anchors who stray from the narrative but I remember history, and those who strayed too far, starting with Phil Donahue, got canned. Donahue was anti Iraq war, Tweety was pro war, guess who stayed and who got canned?

I don't know a lot about treaties, but the president just SAYING something at a press conference doesn't make it so.

A little theatrical distraction as John McCain had the nerve to go and die, stealing Trump's thunder and making him look bad in the process.

See Post #6 link, above - provides a good summary on treaties. Much of my thinking on government functions and agreements are based on observing diplomacy, tradition and decorum through several presidents. Apparently, all that's out the window with the Trump Administration. On a positive note, I hope down the road Congress starts doing its job and tips the scales back away from the executive. Obviously, that won't happen with this Congress unless the public massively revolts.

One thing is quite clear from that article from Peterson Institute: a president does not have the power to do anything to this treaty by simple dictate as he like to imply. As you said - theatrics for his base. As an example, the "huge problem" he implies regarding dairy trade with Canada is 100% bullshit.

There appears to be provisions included for making changes by any signatory nation, and it contains required negotiations and appropriate time delays.

there were so many things that I thought were rather written in stone or actual laws. Come to find out there is so much we take for granted that actually is protocol or tradition and no one actually believed a president would toss it out the window based on a whim or a mood.

As it was all happening, I also could picture a future congress making efforts to transform long established traditions into laws that could weaken the executive branch.

Meanwhile, we have a president who treats every day in office like a reality TV show, with a very sketchy script and a lot of spontaneous improvisation.

I kept saying during the Republican primary:

* the Republican party will surely disqualify him. They didn't.
* there's no way in hell they'll nominate him. They did.

Now, I'm saying I hope they've learned their lesson. Not optimistic on that one either.

Years ago, once I realized the Republican party was (and still is, IMO) 100% about supporting corporate interests, a lot of things started making sense. In order to reach my epiphany, I had to look at their legislative record a bit. Then, I could see that everything else they say is emotional fluff to get votes (patriotism, religion, guns, etc.).

Nixon's years were a confusing time because he was a master of distraction from the legislative work they were doing, and he got Agnew to execute the dirtiest trickery out on the road for him. Trump does not give a shit and just does most of it himself. Still, he suits their needs quite well.

.........

Didn't think anything could ever be worse than Watergate.

I couldn't ever relate much to republicans, mostly because of the excessive flag waving patriotism and resistance to change. My interest in politics was superficial and sporadic until GW Bush. It was then that like you, I started to see that republicans were the party of corporations and big business. They only paid lip service to principles and morality. You couldn't believe anything they said, as they would do or say anything to achieve their objectives and they were always for sale.

You know, as bad as they are as a party, I never thought they would go this low. Apparently there really is no line they won't cross, no depth that is too low.

I don't think they learned their lesson. I think they need to go and if there are any real conservatives left out there, they need to build a new party from scratch and in the meantime, congress has to get corporate money out of politics once and for all. Of course, people have been saying that for a long time, so I'm not sure I'll see it in my lifetime.

This whole thing is just windmill-jousting, frankly.

Canada appears to be stuck between a bad deal and no deal, and they can’t handle “no deal”

their ace in the hole is timber, as in basic items for home construction. Quite crucial for our economy, like imported steel.

Neither Trump or his Repug congress can shit massive new timber forests no more than they can shit dozens of new steel mills and sources of ore.

I would really like to see our general public be better informed on these trade balance issues. Unfortunately, most don't seem to care so long as they can often fill their cart with new stuff at Walmart.

..........

This idiot couldn't negotiate himself out of a paper bag.
Tired of winning......