Think of trade, credit, love and justice as living breathing organisms or systems, where flow is indicative of a productive, vibrant system. Trump's tariffs are cyanide to trade flows and pneumonia for credit.
Companies that wish to manufacture in the U.S. need access to capital, whether equity or debt. First, they need more working capital just to sell the same amount of stuff under a tariff regime.
Another giant layer is needed to build, equip and operate plants in the U.S. That can come from the company's dinged equity or adding debt (which got more expensive after Trump's Liberation Day).
Trump II's toxic personality is anathema to both love and justice as he demands adulation (false love) and fealty (subjugation) with nary a care about legality, because after all, Trump's wishes are "the law."
Easter was a wonderful break from Trump II, the digital Caligula. Sure, he tried to wear Christianity like Jacob's hair coat but his clumsy efforts could not diminish the Easter miracle. God resurrected his beloved child who he'd sent to show us the Lord's ways!
The death of Pope Francis on Monday morning extended the Easter message as the Pope's leadership had long been about living Christ's Gospel. I noted Trump the Usurper plans to attend Pope Francis' funeral. Rest assured Trump II will try to apportion Francis's legacy, claiming key aspects of the Pope's legacy as his very own.
Trump's toxicity and baseless claims are no reason to stop living Christ's Sermon on the Mount, love God with all our heart and love our neighbor (fellow human beings). Love flowed in the early Christian communities without the support of Roman Emperors. I imagine some of those Emperors served the same role as Trump, living the opposite of Christ's teachings, a "Contra Jesus."
Trump wants to stop the world, for everything to orient in his directions, for its resources to magically come to his feet, for the globe to bend to his will. So far, corporate chiefs have acquiesced and some have been rewarded. How much of an interruption to credit and trade can CEOs take? That remains to be seen.
Pope Francis challenged world leaders to do more for the poor and disadvantaged. He opposed war and violence as a means of problem solving. Francis' humility stood in stark contrast to Trump's insatiable ego.
The Pope focused on our home, the Earth and its environs. Global ocean currents are endangered as are the flows of credit, trade, love and justice.
Lord, hear us and help us live Christ's call while putting to the side the ever-shifting, earthly wishes of Old Testament Kings.
Update 4-22-25: Treasury Chief Bessent referred to the current trade situation with China as "unsustainable" and "an embargo."
Update 4-23-25: Bessent's China softening came in a private meeting enabling those in attendance at a JP Morgan meeting to trade on unpublic information.
Update 4-28-25: Trump said in an interview:
"I run the country and the world."
And that's the problem with Pablum.
