the mexicans have not caved to pressure. it's true that they haven't retaliated, but look at gdp per capita in mexico compared to canada. if the mexican government levied 20% taxes on american corn or beef, it might start a civil war. that's not what trump is reacting to. the mexicans haven't been as easily pushed around, so he's not pushing them around.
trump isn't looking for fights, he's looking for victims. he's identifying the easiest meat.
there's an old pink floyd song. it's one of my favourite records.
You got to be crazy, you gotta have a real need
Gotta sleep on your toes and when you're on the street
Got to be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed
Then moving in silently, down wind and out of sight
You got to strike when the moment is right without thinking
And after a while, you can work on points for style
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake
A certain look in the eye and an easy smile
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in
You gotta keep one eye
Looking over your shoulder
You know, it's going to get harder, harder and harder
As you get older
Yeah, and in the end you'll pack up, fly down south
Hide your head in the sand
Just another sad old man
All alone and dying of cancer
Got to admit that I'm a little bit confused
Sometimes it seems to me as if I'm just being used
Gotta stay awake, gotta try and shake off
This creeping malaise
If I don't stand my own ground
How can I find my way out of this maze?
Deaf, dumb and blind, you just keep on pretending
That everyone's expendable and no one has a real friend
And it seems to you the thing to do
Would be to isolate the winner
Everything's done under the sun
But you believe at heart everyone's a killer