Trump Transition Team Avoids Gov't Surveillance; Empty Shelves in the Northeast

Daily Digest
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Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/trump-transition-team-avoids-govt-surveillance-empty-shelves-in-the-northeast/

Health

As the nation approaches Thanksgiving, several developments across various sectors have captured public attention. In health policy, the appointment of the new Surgeon General has sparked controversy, with critics pointing to the appointee’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Malone, known for his work in mRNA technology, has reportedly expressed concerns about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on health reforms. He has highlighted the need for leadership to challenge entrenched interests and has advocated for figures like Bobby Kennedy, who have been critical of the industry. This debate reflects ongoing tensions between medical freedom advocates and established health institutions.

Economy

President Trump has announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico unless they assist in curbing migrant crossings into the United States. Canadian officials have responded by emphasizing the importance of their economic relationship with the U.S. and warning of potential repercussions for trade agreements. Trump’s tariff strategy also includes a proposed 10% tariff on Chinese goods until the country takes stronger action against fentanyl production. These measures have sparked debate over their potential impact on both domestic and international economies.

Meanwhile, a cyber incident has disrupted operations at Stop & Shop grocery stores in the Northeast, leading to empty shelves just before the holiday. The parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported a cybersecurity issue affecting its U.S. network, resulting in product shortages and payment processing challenges. The chain is working to restock essential items for Thanksgiving, assuring customers that efforts are underway to resolve the situation. Analysts have suggested that the incident resembles a ransomware attack, drawing attention to the vulnerability of supply chains to cyber threats.

US Politics

The Trump transition team has decided not to use technology and office space provided by the Government Services Administration (GSA), citing concerns over surveillance. Instead, the team will rely on private resources to avoid issues encountered during Trump’s first term. This decision has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and the security of the transition process. The Biden administration has expressed concern over the lack of federal support, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring transparency.

Sources

Controversy Brews Over Surgeon General Appointment Amidst Calls for Bold Action Against Big Pharma Influence

There’s been widespread, let me just say, it’s been widespread outrage, particularly among our audience and other audiences that have been at the front line of this pandemic from the beginning about the selection of the Surgeon General.

Source | Submitted by eramerine1

Cyber Attack Leaves Stop & Shop Shelves Bare as Thanksgiving Nears

Stop & Shop cyber incident leaves some shelves empty ahead of Thanksgiving

Source | Submitted by Walberga

Trump’s Tariff Tango: Border Security or Economic Self-Sabotage?

Trump would unintentionally punish the American people through these tariffs as the costs are always passed on to the consumer.

Source | Submitted by rhollenb

Trump Transition Team Opts Out of GSA Tech, Citing Surveillance Concerns

The Trump transition team has refused to sign an MOU with the Government Services Administration (GSA), and will not be using cell phones, computers, offices or “any technology” provided by the GSA.

Source | Submitted by bcoop

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The MSM gives a fake impression of the inflationary cost of tariffs.

Everything that comes into this country is typically marked up by the relevant margin that the US wholesaler and final seller adds to the cost basis to the end buyer.
John Q Public typically pays hundreds of % to thousands of % above the imported price.
You also have transportation and assembly in any intermediate steps.

A 20% tariff becomes a cost component that may be a rounding error as a cost to the end buyer.

In fact items like pharmaceuticals

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2 posts were split to a new topic: Date stamps on daily digests

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I will disagree with this statement. As has been seen before, when tariffs are applied to imported good, US mfg cost of competing products goes up. Your issue is there’s a % increase at import level, that doesn’t impact final product cost… it doesn’t work that way, as retail costs also increase.

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My understanding of tariff strategy is to remove the incentive for manufacturing to move jobs overseas by elimination of cheaper inputs of labor and materials. The government has also attempted that by subsidies to key industries in the past if I am remembering correctly. Personally I am not a fan of the US not making our own drugs, electronic chips etc that we would need in hard times.

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How about that joke from 90s already that they mfg pair of branded shoes for 1$ somewhere faraway and sell it for 100$ in retail. AFAIK retail markup is often as much as 30-40% in these kind of products.
So I can see where his thinking comes from.
Some basic products like coffee from coffee shop, beans can be .1% of final cup of coffee cost there. REgular people dont know how this works. I understood Switzerland has specialized in this, taking huge margins just managing logistics of products… they are not retailers, but almost everything inbetween raw ingredient producer (coffee bean farmer or chocolate farmer) and retail shop. Oil is special product as it is highly subsidized and highly political tool. Coffee beans are not that way political nor subsidized.

Dont worry, Mexico economy has been simply booming couple of years as they gain bulk of that manufacturing.

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I agree that inflation is coming.
If you listen to Luke Gromen talk about the need essentially for a “Marshal Plan” to return the US to a manufacturing economy, with adequate infrastructure, it is massively inflationary, and nearly impossible to do.

It is too late… and we lack the industrious, intelligent and motivated people to carry out the process of rebuilding a society capable of performing the needed skills and sacrifices.
To start with the US lacks nearly all the industrial capacity to reindustrialize.

Remember we sold off all the industrial factories and closed mines and are a central planned/controlled economy.
We import nearly all the components needed to reindustrialize, cement, steel and nearly all the industrial equipment.
We are also totally bankrupt with no savings, a fiat currency, worthless education system and a ruling effete.

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This was a brilliant move, and no doubt RFK Jr. encouraged it, knowing what goes on in Washington.

We have been considering buying an e-trike for me. My husband suggested a few days ago we should order it now as prices will go up once tariffs are introduced. Need a new car not made in the US? Best to buy it now. Armstrong thinks the tariff plan will cause a worldwide depression as our economies are all dependent upon open trade.

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I havent seen talks of tariffs in EU though. EU is powerful block and I suspect, anticipate lot of money printing to kickstart economy. I could be wrong and dumb politicians + majority of voters want “good old days” back to continue. Im saying all spoonfed chinese and other rich folks, upper middle class “3rd world countries” gonna buy something too. Im baffled with 8bn people on planet that 300mn some US people are only ones living a life(=spending something). Unfortunately many in europe still think that way, that murica is only one with buying power. Some thought Russia was like that before 2020 but their way of managing economy has been very different… they had vibrant middle class around 2012, very much purchase power (=disposable income to travel, not necessarily number on bank account… germans seem relatively poor that way).

Huge majority of economists are indoctrinated to think this way. We shouldnt underestimate so called 3rd world countries(in this new world order all countries not onesidedly chosen either China block or US block… eg India and Brazil are still trading with both blocks profiting nicely) how much iphones and BMWs they can buy. Especially with potential for manufacturing there(it is decently smart to put factories where raw materials are).

So I could put that “tariff fearmongering” to DC disease syndrome that anything new is making us poor and all that. We only know when it has been 1year of new administration policies.

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Typical response from Liberals, we don’t need mfg, there’s plenty of work available. What they miss is that trading money back and forth for services isn’t really creating value added. I’ve even heard govt employees stating they are paying taxes on their income. My typical response, then just let every single person in the US work for the govt. Usually crickets after that.

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I prefer torque sensing drive over cadence drive. They torque units are more expensive, and I wish I had bought that instead of the cadence when I did buy.

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