Trump 2026: Chaos, Tariffs, and Presidential Whims

Recent Trump actions and behavior have me rolling my eyes.

First, congratulations to Trump for finally releasing a healthcare ‘plan’.

After ten years of promises, it underwhelms. Trump believes that giving money directly to taxpayers so they can ‘make their own decisions’ will make healthcare cheaper and more effective. The White House has declared this as a framework and urges Congress to take it up.

How much Trump’s healthcare idea will help is unknown, but —

The plan lacks implementation detail and is light on issues such as rising costs or coverage gaps
Potential impacts on revenue streams due to additional administrative and bureaucratic costs must be a concern
Uncertainty about its legislative prospects loom as midterm elections draw near
The competitive, heavily regulated nature of the industry means oversight will be needed, and that is opaque
His proposal might help where healthcare is well established, like cities, but not in rural areas where options are limited
Trump’s Inspector General purge of 2025 included HHS, handicapping the oversight mechanisms which already existed

As misdirection, Trump’s plan helps shift attention from unfavorable facts, like less than one percent of the Epstein files has been released, and ICE is increasingly unpopular with voters.

Trump’s second move is another emerging from the swollen perception he has of his intelligence, acumen, influence, and his abuse of what patriotism is.

A man who never served in the Army or Navy, who played football briefly as a teenager, Trump wants to dedicate one Saturday’s four-hour window to have only the Army-Navy college football game televised. To make that happen, Trump, professing he’s being patriotic, declares he’ll sign an executive order to make it happen.

I think if he wants to be patriotic, he’ll let Congress pass laws about things like that, according to what We the People want. Trump’s move is all about indulging his own whims as a barometer of what’s best. With all that’s wrong with the world, presidential oversight of college football television scheduling is completely unneeded.

Playing for the trifecta, Trump tied two favorites together, tariffs and Greenland, in one quick chop. Frustrated by other nations rallying around Greenland to stymy Trump’s plans, Trump declared tariffs on eight nations — all allies — to coerce them into ‘giving’ Greenland to the United States.

I can’t comprehend how taxing Americans and reducing product availability will force those nations to ‘give’ away Greenland. Never mind that Greenland belongs to one nation, Denmark. He wants other nations to do his dirty work and convince Denmark to give up Greenland, which Denmark and Greenland consistently reject.

Trump’s new tariffs fly against the trade agreements he’d just completed with these EU nations regarding tariffs, reducing their trust of the United States. Trump earned himself the nickname TACO — Trump Always Chickening Out — for the manner he rolled out and rescinded tariffs in 2026. Economists and CEOs often cited the resulting chaos from Trump’s practice for business uncertainty and confusion.

Trump still doesn’t get that We the People often end up paying the tariffs and rising prices result, directly impacting affordability.

Prices will likely increase, if Trump follows through with these new tariffs. Congress is talking about intervening, but the established pattern doesn’t bode well for any early or quick relief. The Trump Administration tends to actively resist rulings against their policies, push backs hard, and delays implementation.

With prices — like beef — already high, the stacking effect means other prices end up rising from demand. People who can’t buy beef buy chicken, for example, pushing up the demand on chicken, increasing prices.

While those EU prices might not directly drive up prices, pressures in the supply chain and indirect costs associated with them might be experienced.

Too early to say. Trump may chicken out from imposing the tariffs, or lower the tariff amounts — who knows?

I know the global markets didn’t like it, as many economists and investors worry about a trade war.

The only thing clear at this point is that 2026 is much like 2025: chaotic and uncertain.

With Trump still calling the shots, I expect it to get worse.

January 20, 2026 1

Twosdaz Wandering Political Thoughts

A couple bits of political news seized my neurons last night and today. All are about Trump, one way or another.

First comes Trump’s announcement about Epstein. “Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me'” Trump was not concerned about reports of predatory behavior, sex trafficking, rapes, and child abuse. No. Trump was upset that Epstein hired people away from Trump’s businesses. Real empathy on display there, isn’t there?

Along those lines, many of us were aghast about Trump’s word choice when talking to reporters about Epstein Island. Trump said that he never had the privilege of visiting Epstein Island. A place shrouded with horror stories, part of the fabric of the cases against Epstein and Maxwell, and Trump says he ‘never had the privilege’. He’s such a mindless, empty buffoon.

Comedians rightfully tore Trump apart on it.

“Trump was like, ‘I’m sorry, what I really meant was I never had the honor.” — JIMMY FALLON

“[imitating Epstein] ‘Hey, Donald, want go to the island this weekend?’ ‘[imitating Trump] Well, first of all, Jeffrey, thank you for thinking of me. Unfortunately, that’s the weekend that the teen pageant that I bought is installing the indoor security locker room cameras.’” — JON STEWART

“[imitating Trump] Sadly, I never had the honor of dining with Jeffrey Dahmer.” — STEPHEN COLBERT

Finally, Senator Durbin gave me some fleeting satisfaction. This was at a recent Senate Judiciary hearing where ‘esteemed’ Republican senators are eager to help give Trump cover. To do that, they want to investigate President Biden’s state of health. Durbin ably points out all the things going on which are way more critical which should be investigated, and ends with a montage of asinine Trump statements that really make you wonder about Trump’s mental health.

Senator Durbin points out that during a Trump meeting with UK personnel, Trump trumpeted that they have an agreement with the EU. UK has not been a part of the EU for five years. You’d think that the President should know that.

Trump also noted, “The kidney has a special place in the heart.”

Then there is the gem when discussing Hurricane Florence, “This is a tough hurricane, One of the wettest we’ve ever seen from the standpoint of water.” I’m glad he clarified that. I thought he might be mentioning it from the standpoint of beer, coffee, or dirt.

The Grand Old Trump Party — GOTP, for short — will never take up investigations of the Dear Leader, of course. They instead try to deflect, attempting again and again to blame Democrats and Presidents Obama and Biden for the economy, Epstein affair, or whatever draws negative attention to this. You’d think that people would be waking up.

But, no. I read a disheartening interview with Latino Trump voters in the NY Times.

Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired

I am also very conservative. I have a deep faith. And I think our religious freedoms are being eroded away. But I am optimistic. I think things could change.

Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson

What makes you optimistic that things could change?

Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired

We have a good president. If Congress will just get behind him and back him up, I think there’s a lot of good he could do for us.

After reading that piece and these voters’ thoughts, I remember, many will not change until something affects them personally.

Time will tell if it’ll be too late for them, and too late for us.

July 29, 2025 3

An Abundance of Caution

In headline news, COVID-19 has mostly been impersonal. There are always anecdotal stories. Some of those are about non-believers who turned out to be carriers or were involved in a superspreader event. They now regret calling the novel coronavirus a hoax and not taking action, as family members and friends actually sickened and died, just as they were warned, or, they experienced serious health problems themselves. That’s what it sometimes takes to open people’s eyes.
Herd immunity was given another boost via the Barrington Project. Interesting idea but when you look at the numbers involved and the impact, it’s a scary idea. Pursue herd immunity and you’ll endure higher hospitalizations, packed ICUs, and higher death rates. In theory, your economy will be better and life will be more ‘normal’.
Want to talk about Sweden? Go ahead. I’ve already checked them out. Their mortality rate is fifth highest in the world, behind Spain, the US, UK, and Italy.
States, of course, are interested in herd immunity, especially those states where COVID-19 is already surging. This includes Idaho and South Dakota. South Dakota was home to several superspreader events and took little to no actions. Now COVID-19 is raging across the state.
Florida, naturally, is also interested in herd immunity. They’re embracing that science after defying all other science.
Meanwhile, we’ve had a few big names contract COVID-19 and die. Now more people in the rich, powerful, and famous circles are testing positive. We’ve already had Donald Trump, his wife, son Barron, and twenty-five other people (or more – I quit counting) associated with a WH event. This doesn’t include the Secret Service agents protecting the POTUS and family; they don’t tell how many of them get sick. But today brings news that Kamala Harris is canceling some events because an aide and another associated with her campaign tested positive. So did Alabama coach Nick Saban, along with Atlanta Falcons staff.
Several U.S. Senators and a few mayors have tested positive. The senators usually make news because they’re Republican and refuse to either notify others, quarantine, or wear a mask. I guess a few of them require their loved ones and family to contract the illness and suffer before they’ll be more serious about it.
The Atlanta Falcons news comes on top of other NFL COVID-19 news. Cam Newton, Patriots QB, has ended his COVID-19 quarantine. The Tenn. Titans won their first game back after being off for sixteen days due to dozens testing positive in the Titans org.
“An abundance of caution” is the NFL’s new tagline this year. Whenever something COVID-19 related is announced, the the press release usually has the phrase “an abundance of caution” in it. That includes two stories today. One that the Falcons have closed their facility after at least one, but maybe four, have tested positive. Two, Odell Beckham, Jr, a Cleveland Browns wide receiver, was sent home with an unspecified illness “out of an abundance of caution”.
COVID-19 is havoc on the NFL’s schedule, of course. After creating and promoting Thursday Night Football, there’s no Thursday Night Football this week. That game was moved to Sunday. Meanwhile, we did have the standard Monday Night Football, along with Tuesday Night Football this week. They’re also talking about adding an eighteenth week to the regular season.
One of the big headlines today is that Europe’s surge of daily new cases are now higher than the United States. The UK and EU are talking lockdown again. Some are speculating this is the second wave. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re stocking up on food and supplies, continuing to wear our masks, and social-distance. Of course, we have that privilege. Too sadly, there are many in society who don’t.

October 15, 2020 3

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