A most excellent piece, Hossein.

The threat of tariffs on two of our biggest trading partners is extortion —not a sporting bargaining chip, as some innocents insist. This, apart from hurting American prosperity and competitiveness. Trump is threatening that noncompliance with his (asinine) wishes will severely damage the Mexican and Canadian economies -- similar to the mobster threatening to set fire to a business unless paid.

Do we have an American Putin?

The cave-ins to a vacuous thug are astonishing. The first whiff of accommodation, appeasement, or cowardice (interchangeable words) came with Bezo overriding the editorial staff of the Washington Post to endorse Kamala Harris. He could have easily detached himself and retained strength.

As in an oligarchy, favorites are divvied to a few in Donald Trump's grace. How can smaller publications like the Demoines Register hold their position when ABC (Disney) capitulates? They can't.

You are correct. It is essential to push back hard, which will remove Thug Trump from the picture.

Best to you for 2025.