Blowback at the ranch

The tariffs guy: Trump speaking to the media after arriving in Scotland on Friday. Washington’s unreasonable tariffs will begin in five days – but will they backfire on the US? — Reuters

THE world has five more days before US tariffs kick in, determining if a country’s economy is to be throttled or allowed to limp on.

That narrative pervades just about every pundit community and commentariat. These are menacingly interesting times, less from shocking novelty than from agonising familiarity.