E=MC Trade Wars? Tariff Time Shenanigans in Washington!

Relativity of Trade: It Depends!

Greetings from the theoretical world of economics or as I like to call it applied philosophy with numbers! News reaches my ghostly ears (yes even in the afterlife one gets news) that the esteemed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promises a flurry of trade announcements. Apparently deals are being cooked faster than a potato in a microwave. But like a cat chasing its tail deadlines seem to be dancing a merry jig. It reminds me of my early days with relativity – everything is relative even the date your tariffs go into effect! As I always said 'The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.' Perhaps someone should whisper that in Mr. Trump's ear.

Mailboxes Overflowing with Offers? Preposterous!

Secretary Bessent claims his mailbox is bursting with new trade proposals. My my it seems everyone is suddenly enamored with the United States! This sudden influx of offers smacks of a desperate student cramming before an exam. Speaking of cramming did you hear about the student who showed up to his physics exam with only a banana? The professor said 'Well this is apeeling but I'm not sure it'll get you a passing grade!'

The Tariff Two Step: Forward Back Side to Side

Now we're told these country specific tariffs won’t be collected until August 1st. A delay? Is this some new form of quantum entanglement where the tariff both exists and doesn't exist until observed? “God does not play dice with the universe,” but maybe politicians do with tariff rates. It's enough to make one question the very fabric of spacetime or at least whether to buy imported cheese this week or next.

15 Letters of Trade Love (or Something)

President Trump plans to dispatch up to 15 letters detailing tariff rates. 'Thank you for wanting to trade here's the rate.' How polite! Almost makes one forget the underlying economic machinations. It’s as if he's saying 'The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results… unless it’s tariffs then let's give it another go!'.

To Be or Not To Be (The Fed Chair)

Ah and the question of Secretary Bessent potentially succeeding Jerome Powell as the Federal Reserve Chair arises again. Bessent ever the diplomat states he'll do what the President wants. Reminds me of a famous equation: Pressure = Force/Area. In this case the pressure is the allure of power. The question is does Bessent have the area (knowledge and experience) to withstand that force? He says they're making 'great gains' at the Treasury. One must wonder are these gains real or just a relative observation?

A Puzzle Wrapped in an Enigma Served with Tariffs

In the end the whole situation leaves one scratching one's head. Letters deals deadlines shifting like sand in an hourglass... it's enough to make a physicist yearn for the simpler days of unified field theory (which by the way I'm still working on). As I always mused “If we knew what it was we were doing it would not be called research would it?” Perhaps that’s the true genius of this administration's trade policy – nobody not even they knows what they are doing! And isn't that… relative?