Here’s a quick update on the own goal by this administration. It’s looking like $7bn in revenue from international students and tourists will be lost in 2026.
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I’ve spent the last week on calls all day working out our solution to the copper tariffs. Stupidity beyond measure. One of our friends imports wine and his business is toast if this continues. Lots of other small businesses taking the hit, while the large ones can be more flexible and take the hit (though Ford had posted a big loss IIRC).
The US court of international trade found the tariffs illegal which should/would bring the whole thing down, but he’s appealed (thankfully the appellate judges didn’t seem to buy his guff) and it’s gonna go all the way to the Supremes. They’ve given him extraordinary leeway and I don’t see why they’d stop now. Overall a wretched state of affairs.
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Only Diana Ross can save you now
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There are so many businesses feeling the pain from all of this. Bed and Breakfasts, and Camp Sites in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire that rely on people coming from Canada for the bulk of their business are now closing due to a failure to attract customers. If you’re a local resident now you get great deals but its not sustainable.
There are a lot of small businesses from all sectors in the same boat. Its a needless own goal from this administration.
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My wife works in the international development sector, as does most of her friends. I got talking to one of them at a party a few months ago,she told me that was due to attend a major conference in Seattle and was advised by her organisation to take a pay as you go dumb phone, and to leave behind her iPhone and laptop. Many people (some quite prominent in this field) were choosing not to go for fear of hassle, or even detention, when entering the United States.
Our 10th wedding anniversary is coming up next April, and we had talked about going to New York, but it’s something i have huge doubts about doing. Given the way that democracy, the rule of law seems and the institutions seems to be unravelling, i fear what the country will look like in 8 month’s time.
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You wouldn’t have visited Germany in 1935
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Watch and weep…
Historically, the US has often had a loose attitude towards international law, but the fact it sometimes enforced it kept a lot of countries in check. But now? Putin and Xi will have concluded the US is no longer a serious player, which means more invasions could follow unimpeded. If I lived in the Baltics or Taiwan I would be shitting myself.
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Who ever imagined Jack White articulating what hundreds of world leaders think but are too cowardly to say…
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Beautiful 
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For those of us in the US who order the odd record or kit from abroad. Fuck these fucking fucks.
This is going to cripple so many small businesses in europe that cater to niche markets. Too bad.
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I’m looking forward to my Juno pre-orders being cancelled.
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and we can basically say goodbye to any imports in the local shops. this country is so damn dumb. can’t wait to buy my UK pressings from canadian sellers.
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Apologies if this has already been posted, but i just got round to watching this. Fascinating and territying in equal measure
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I found it utterly depressing. Mehdi is great but I’d just have walked around the room slapping them all.
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https://www.discogs.com/about/news/united-states-tariff-impact-music-media-2025/
Interesting reading. Can be promising, but I’d bet records will get charged anyway, and the confusion is going to make it hard for the postal services to take chances…