Kevin O'Leary's Take On NAFTA
- Thread starter glamphotographer
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I cringe whenever I hear O’Leary introduced as a “Canadian” because he’s like a blind squirrel who sometimes finds a nut. But for some reason CNBC always introduces him like he’s some kind or oracle on Canadian/US relations. He made his money in software (years ago) but his record in fund management is spotty at best (actually “spotty” is kind). O’Leary makes more from his celebrity than anything else. He was right on some aspects in this interview (eg: the ridiculous notion of unwinding NAFTA) but entirely wrong on others. Eg: at the end when he calls Trump a “great negotiator”. Stuff like this is just stupid especially given what O’Leary said earlier and what most people who follow the issue closely knew. A “great negotiator” does not keep making the same kind of bluff, yet that is what Trump has been doing all around the world, not just Canada. O’Leary should have had the balls or the foresight to simply call Trump’s tariffs what they were: idiotic. His own NAFTA negotiating team didn’t need this bluff and the end result is pretty much identical to what was expected. Same with Trump’s idiotic 5 year Sunset Clause. He makes a bluff by threatening something NOBODY WANTED, including his own team. When done repeatedly that’s just stupid and fooled nobody except the fools who believe he is a “great” negotiator.
IF Nafta (under a new name to please the idiot in the Whitehouse) gets renegotiated under the terms currently being leaked then Trump has accomplished nothing since March except a lot of market stress and uncertainty. In fact, Canada called his bluff by simply waiting him out. People will point to Canadian Dairy concessions but the terms are not that far off what TPP would have brought had the idiotic President not walked away from that deal (and Trump walked away simply because Obama would have signed. An idiotic reason.) Oh, TPP would have forced terms on China with regard to IP and opened up their markets too. Worse, NOW Trump wants back into TPP, after screwing it up by walking out (China backed out because they did not want to sign if the US didn’t). Trump is a moron who disrupts simply for the pleasure it gives him. He disrupts because he can.
So O’Leary was right on certain things (no different than a LOT of people) but wrong on others.
I agree it was best for Canada to call Trump's bluff but so many Canadaians are impatient and wanted a deal done. Perhaps their just Trudeau haters but Mr. Sheeria Law would be in the same boat if he was the PM. Now all the pressure is all on Trump with the new Mexico president. We'll see it works out.
