Would we better off if Trump had followed through on his threat to withdraw from NAFTA?

Sure, we all want Trump to fail at everything, but this deal, which gives Canada some things it wanted and preserves much of NAFTA, is better than blowing up NAFTA.

*Dairy: Canada will allow American farmers more access to its dairy market, raising quotas on the amount of US dairy that can come into the country and eliminating a pricing system that made it more difficult for US farmers to enter the market. Canada will continue to impose severe tariffs on any US dairy that exceeds the quota. The access level is reportedly identical to what Canada agreed to give up as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), out of which Trump pulled the US early in his tenure.
*Dispute resolution: Chapter 19, an extrajudicial trade dispute system that allows NAFTA members to bring grievances against other members over allegedly unfair trade practices, will remain in place as it is under the current NAFTA. The preservation of Chapter 19 was a big goal of the Canadian negotiators. Chapter 11 — which allows investors to bring disputes against other NAFTA member governments — apparently will be phased out with Canada, a key goal for the US.
*Tariffs: Canada received some assurances that any future tariffs on imported cars and auto parts will not hit the country. There was no formal agreement on the US's existing steel and aluminum tariffs.

in the 1930s, hitler got huge gains in exchange for empty promises easily broken without much consequence, until years after the allies finally declared war.

here, canada is getting real benefits and can easily retaliate as soon as donnie goes tariff-crazy again.


it is unfortunate for america (and the world) to the extent that donnie can get a p.r. boost out of this minor tinkering of nafta, though.

Reports just came out showing numbers much worse than expected.

They play the long came - and this time around they'll use the US debt