71 Replies to “The Free Ride is Over”

  1. soooooooo the top yank is fed up shelling out billions in freebies to the ungrateful? next up: the UN.

  2. Sorry but I fail to see this as a good thing. My small side business did at least 90% of its sales to the US. I’m no economist but it’s difficult to see how basically shutting down international trade is good for the economy.

    1. Pssst … it’s NOT shut down. You just have to start paying YOUR FAIR SHARE. You don’t get to trade on the devalued Canadian dollar and force American competitors out of business anymore.

      Eat your tariffs or you won’t get any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your tariffs?

      2. Er what? I wouldn’t be paying anything, my American buyers would be. And my little business which did maybe one sale a week was definitely not putting anyone out of business.

        1. One word, dear sir: Temu. Or China, if you like.

          That’s why.

          That’s also why you get one sale a week. I’m thinking one sale an hour would be better for you, right?

      3. Well Canada Post has been doing it for a few years now….I used to buy a lot of small things on eBay and they never attracted attention from Customs Canada and then all of a sudden, eBay instituted a policy of enormous charges for shipment of small items….almost certainly at the direction of Canada Post. Haven’t used eBay for a couple of years now.

        1. I was a heavy eBay user … but the amount of utter crap clogging their pages drove me away. No, I do NOT want to have my products mailed from Chi-Communista … good riddance.

        2. Aha! I wondered why eBay shipping charges became absolutely ridiculous. Haven’t bought on eBay for about 2 1/2 years, after a set of seat covers from down south, which did not have massive charges attached.
          Since then, have seen items where shipping was more than the item, at absurd levels.
          My preference is Amazon. A friend likes AliExpress (chinese), wife has used Temu, but I scorn it because, Chinese, and use a seldom used CC when doing so.
          Example, an electric bike for $89. Are you kidding?

          1. Psssst … eBay actually counseled their sellers (probably still do) to lower the price of their items and Jack up the shipping costs to compensate. eBay actually COUNSELED their sellers to attempt to HIDE the cost of their item … for all the schlumps who are too busy to check the total sales price.

            That message appeared on the cut and paste pages when I listed items for sale.

            Why? Because eBay wanted to spur sales and screw their buyers. It’s a shit website. A shit business that deserves to DIE a horrible death.

    2. This has been a sore spot for the US for almost 30 years. The US has asked Kanada and other countries to reciprocate. All said FO and laughed. Now it’s happened and everyone is indignant, screaming “Orange Man Bad!” All the while never looking at their own bad neighbour behaviour.

    3. We have entered an upside-down world where purported conservatives are cheering tax increases and restrictions on trade.

    4. Canada’s deminimus exemption is $150 and you still have to pay GST on it. Why should the US have an $800 exemption?

    1. There are things we do not make here. I am hoping this will create companies that do.

      1. The US does not and never will have the capacity to make all the goods that its business and citizens need and desire. And even if it could, it’s better off focusing on those things that it has comparative advantage in. Any other strategy will make it poorer.

        1. And half our population should be unemployed and/or working for inflated minimum wage. Unh huh … We should simply “transition” into a nation of high earners, low earners, and total government dependents. We should hollow out our middle class.

          For a conservative … you sure sound like a Marxist. The death of our middle class is death to our economic system and productive society

          2. “For a conservative … you sure sound like a Marxist”

            That’s because he is what is euphemistically known as a ‘progressive’ conservative.
            More properly called Liberal Lite.

          3. And you, Fred from BC, are a partisan hack, judging everything not from a stable set of beliefs established through learning and experience, but rather an allegiance to a bombastic politician in a foreign country. If Trump declared a love for disco, you would be praising the virtues of KC and the Sunshine Band.

            For your future reference, here’s what a real conservative looks like:

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQiRyZuMPBs

          4. Ohhhh … “mainstream” … aka … “norms” … and “institutions” …

            Note how those are all soft, nebulous, self-defining terms (the user gets to define their meaning). The things called “norms” were NEVER normal. Our “institutions” have been utterly hijacked and destroyed … and “mainstream”? Is only “mainstream” for those maximally profiting from mangled economic models.

          5. Ronald Reagan reading from a script that speaks of “free trade” in meaningless generalities reminds me of Joe Biden reading a teleprompter as a man incapable of original thought.

            Missing from Reagan’s “reading” of someone else’s words is the inequity of paying an overpopulated China – literal SLAVE wages compared to modernized, developed, First World, Western nations. I don’t even need to get into the lack of any health or environmental regulations … let alone “Net Zero” in the SLAVE wage nations. There’s nothing “free” or “equitable” in that. It’s an utterly un-level playing field.

            So yeah … what corporation wouldn’t LOVE maximizing profits by shifting all but the top echelon of their jobs offshore? To the SLAVE wage nations?

            And Reagan mentions as his moment of pride of the post-WWII world order, where America literally BENT OVER and took it up the ass from all the nations rebuilding after Adolph triggered their ultimate demise. He fails to recognize that it’s far past time for Europe and Asia to stand on their own two feet … rather than erect barriers to American products.

          7. I trust Reagan’s take on economics far more than I trust Trump’s, who has surrounded himself by kooks like Navarro and Lutnik.

          8. Just curious about that “science” of economics. Science PROVES our earthly reality by reproducible experiments … aka … proofs.

            Please give me the scientific formulae The Fed is currently employing to keep interest rates jacked up. Don’t give me a one word … inflation … explantation. Please give me the scientific equations being used by the Fed. In EVERY science class I took, I had to show my work. So please give me the complex formulae being used to keep rates jacked up high enough to strangle our economic activity.

            And … if economics were so scienciterrific… why do we EVER suffer from recessions, runaway inflation, business cycle downturns … all manner of economic malaise. Our scientists successfully launch rockets, design, build and operate cell phones magically can take and send photos through the air … but all our Federal Reserve can do is strangle the economy and NOT improve inflation. Do they even have a SUPPLY SIDE equation in their multi-year malaise models?

            Sorry. It’s not science. It’s human behavior. And the Fed’s are acting like entitled, spoiled brats. Bad behavior.

          9. The US has just suffered it’s fourth month of poor job growth.

            https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/us-jobs-report-august-2025

            One can’t prove this is due to Trump’s tariffs policies, but it is consistent with standard economic theory. And more prosaically, businesses get nervous when the rules of the game are in constantly flux, so they delay investment to accumulate cash. Trump has reacted by firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and criticizing the Federal Reserve for only slowly lowering interest rates.

            But the FED is between a rock and a hard place. Its primary duty is to control inflation, and Trump’s tariffs policies are almost certainly inflationary, which would counsel raising interest rates. But Trump’s policies are also contractionary, which would counsel lowering interest rates.

          10. You suffer from a common misconception — that all of science is based on reproducible experimentation.

            That’s not possible in many cases, so many sciences gather evidence primarily through observation rather than experimentation. Examples are astronomy and economics. Mediciine is a mix of experimental and observational studies.

            Observational studies are generally not as reliable as experimental ones, but are still regarded as science.

          11. You should stop using the word “proof” when it comes to science. Its demonstrates a naive understanding of it.

            Proofs are for mathematics. Science can not generally prove anything about the real world. At best it can provide powerful and useful descriptions of the real world that match the evidence. These results are always provisional, meaning they are subject to revision in light of new evidence.

    2. I have a small side business selling vintage clothes and accessories. Many of the things I sell are rare and unique and not available in multiple sizes. That’s not unique to me, that’s all vintage stores. Everything is quite literally one-of-a-kind.

      Another example is handmade items and art. A lot of people are focused on the effect on cheap Chinese junk, and aren’t thinking about small artisan makers and sellers.

      You might not care, but those are examples of things that someone might not be able to get in the US.

      2. I feel for you. My wife has a serious similar business and she has stopped shipping to the US entirely. One thing Trump needs to keep in mind is that people do have alternative markets that they can shift to.

    3. Try to buy a shirt that was made in America. Or a can opener, computer, camera, etc. I could go through the alphabet, it’s a long list.

      Because why? Because the Communists have been waging economic war on the West since the 1970s, dumping goods in our markets so unbelievably cheaply that we don’t even make that stuff here anymore. Because we can’t compete with free labor and zero regulation.

      So here we are, #OrangeManBad just fired back after nearly 50 years of us being hollowed out. And all he did was extend tariff protections to packages under $800. One change, and the whole world-wide postal system ground to a halt.

      What does this tell us? That Regan should have done this. Or Bush I, or Bush II. But they didn’t, so here we are.

    4. Wine not from California?
      Crown Royal
      Moosehead
      Beavertail
      Pemmican
      Maple syrup
      Softwood lumber/logs
      Natural gas
      Dilbit

  4. Since when did conservatives start viewing a tax cut as abusive? Since when did conservatives start viewing tax hikes as good policy?

    1. I pay taxes based on how hard I work and how much money I save and invest. That’s a pretty shitty way to tax people.

      Whereas … I don’t NEED to buy shitty crap from China. Let my boycotting of their crap force THEIR crap-makers out of business … let American manufacturing thrive again. LAMTA! baby

      1. You pay taxes based on how much money the state believes it can extract from you, period. If you don’t want to buy things from China, don’t. I recently purchased a machine tool that came straight from India for $70. The Canadian machine tool company I often deal with offered the same thing for $230. Even with all the tariffs, the Indian tool is still massively cheaper. And while it may not be the same quality as the locally manufactured one, it’s more than adequate for my needs. If someone sought to prevent me from buying the Indian product, I could not afford the local one and would simply not buy it.

        1. Agreed. It’s like your silly nation (and mine) slapping a 100% tariff on ChiCom EV’s … great … so their $12,000.00 EV’s now cost $24,000.00 … still cheaper than anything we make … by far. It’s just that the main public doesn’t give a husky fkcu about EV’s … no matter how cheap.

    2. Trade policy is complex. Britain and the U.S. both relied on protectionist tariffs to encourage domestic manufacturing at first. There can be strategic reasons as well. Britain’s Corn laws made sense to make them less dependent on imports during Napoleonic Wars. Afterwards, it just impoverished Britons into sending their children to work in the mines and factories.

    4. “Since when did conservatives start viewing a tax cut as abusive? Since when did conservatives start viewing tax hikes as good policy?”

      Since when is a temporary tax exemption considered to be a tax cut, or the end of such an exemption to be a tax increase? Did you even bother to read the article?

      Go troll elsewhere. Take KM with you.

    5. Trump is not particularly conservative. On some things he is, but mostly he holds a mishmash of various ideas that don’t fall into any one category.

      His adherents don’t seem to care. They seem to back every decision of his no matter what.

      1. This clearly makes them morally inferior to those wise ones who oppose every decision of his, no matter what. Oh, climb down off that crucifix, Martyrmot, I don’t mean you in particular. When Trump is unquestionably right, you are indeed scrupulous about approving his actions and merely slandering his motives and character.

        1. Actually, I rarely discuss Trump’s motives and character. I honestly don’t care, and it would be tedious to speculate. Obviously you haven’t been paying attention.

          I do care about his decisions. He has made at least two errors that could have cataclysmic consequences: his tariff program and his choice for health secretary. I won’t shut up those, so you may as well keep your snide comments to yourself.

          1. Goodness, were you saying something just now? I wasn’t paying attention.

            I certainly do not want to shut you up. I would have you speak on, ever more mockably. I shall keep my snide comments to myself, and post only those which provide the wisdom and beauty which the world so desperately craves. So, no change there.

  5. Never underestimate the level of outrage from the pretentious Canadians that have taken for granted the benefits of living next to the US.
    The culture is hated right up till the next film festival where they geek out over the Hollywood stars that come to Toronto Montreal or Vancouver to flog their latest film.

  6. “U.S. government announced it would revoke duty-free treatment for low-value parcels entering the country.”

    So that’s the Gov saying it’s going to stop that “Not Taxing Stuff You Want To Buy” and start the “Taxing Stuff You Want To Buy”. Because everyone wants to pay Gov extra so that the stuff you want to buy costs more.

    Glad we got that sorted out 🙂

    Tariffs – cutting your own nose to spite somebody else’s face.

    1. No. To provide employment in America. If Canadians want more jobs in Canada, tariffs can benefit you as well.

    2. So you mean like the tariffs and trade barriers Canada has slapped on America for so long … and have now slapped on the ChiComs EV’s ? Gander? Meet Goose.

    3. The items were always supposed to be taxed but weren’t. Now the rules are to be enforced.
      If you don’t understand that then STFU.

  7. I sign went up at our post office (rural MB), 3-4 days ago stating they will henceforth be collecting tariffs for parcels destined to the USA. What the details are, I don’t know. As for Canada Post they only lost 407 million the first quarter of 2025. A record even for them. Defund, defund,defund.

  8. Hyundai has been cheating U.S. laws & rules. Now the postal organizations of many countries are revealed to be doing the same?!?

    How much money is being stolen from American taxpayers every year?!?

    1. Robert … I have said … for YEARS … that the deep deep pockets and credit card of the American taxpayers are being LOOTED! Every day, and in every way.

  9. The US taxpayer was/is propping up almost the entire world economically. Just like Alberta pretty much single handedly props up most of canuckistan.

    2. “The US taxpayer was/is propping up almost the entire world economically”

      Absolutely they were. Until Trump came along, very few people had any idea how most of the world was profiting at the expense of the US. The tariffs imposed on America after WW2 were supposed to be temporary, to allow Japan, Germany and the other nations who needed it to rebuild their economies.

      ” Just like Alberta pretty much single handedly props up most of canuckistan.”

      That too.

      1. History repeating
        I seem to recall this was similar to one of the many grievances listed by Jefferson when the 13 declared they no longer wanted to be used as King George’s cash cow.
        And ironically, it was no different when the English Parliament (lead by Cromwell) decided the King needed to depart for the same reason.

  10. So instead of buying from China or elsewhere and getting free shipping American consumers will have to pay the USPS costs now.
    So they will have an incentive to buy local, without the shipping charged.

    1. “So instead of buying from China or elsewhere and getting free shipping American consumers will have to pay the USPS costs now.
      So they will have an incentive to buy local, without the shipping charged.”

      Tariff Strategy 101.

      1. As Trump made it clear at the outset, Canada can struggle along trying to fund “programs” to adjust or join the US and avoid all this.
        We get full access to the US market and we no longer have Ottawa in our life.
        Under that scenario the only losers are the hall monitors and grifters in Ottawa that will be out of a job.

  11. Look at the bright side.
    It will force further reductions in the size of the hopelessly inept Postal Service.
    Silver linings.

  12. I’m surprised nobody has mentioned drugs. If I was Trump and trying to stop drugs from entering my country I would take aim at the postal service. By dropping incoming packages by 80% I could better check the remaining 20%.

  13. Also, to the Americans who think they are getting screwed by other countries I offer an alternate reality.

    At some point, back in the 1950s or 1960s, some smart American business guy decided he could make the same stuff off-shore because labor costs were growing rapidly in his home country. This led to a flood of US businesses off-shoring with the result that so many imported goods were much cheaper than American made products and US manufacturing started its long decline. Americans screwing Americans. Of course these smart American entrepreneurs managed to bribe the politicians making it easy to import cheap goods with no tariffs (Americans screwing Americans yet again).

    As time went on America has moved to abusing its role as the world’s reserve currency to the point that other countries are starting to cooperate to bypass the need for US dollars. America screwing the world. We saw this with quantitative easing, for example. 40% of all US currency has been created within the past 6 years.

    So there is a lot of screwing going on, but it’s not just other countries screwing the American market with their cheaper products. History teaches us that all great powers decline by eating themselves from within.

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