The Political Ramifications of Separating Families
jamesharrell

The Political Ramifications of Separating Families

If you have turned on the news in the past few days then you know there has been one story that has dominated the airwaves, it is the Zero Tolerance Immigration policy.  The policy put forth by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Trump has been explained as a necessary approach to dealing with the immigration crisis that is happening at the southern border.  However the most controversial aspect of the zero tolerance policy has been the separation of children from parents in order to prosecute the parents.

The policy has been justified by the case that the immigrants are in the country illegally and have thus broken the law and could potentially pose a threat.  However previous Presidents have taken a much different approach.  Many American believe that this policy is immoral and the news is filled with coverage on the accommodations that have been set up for the more than 2,000 children that have been separated over a six week period.  Let’s look at some of the reasons given by the Trump administration for the policy.

It is Completely Legal

While the zero tolerance policy is relatively new it was done with the approval of the President.  The President has stated on numerous occasions that they are following the letter of the law.  He has also stated that this is the fault of the Democrats for their unwillingness to change the law.  Despite these claims this has not been the policy of previous administrations.  The United Nations, Pope Francis and many others have declared the process of separating children inhumane.

Previous Laws

President Trump has publicly stated that he hates seeing children treated this way while at the same time blaming previous laws and Congress for not overhauling the immigration plan.  However at the same time the President won’t sign legislation unless it contains funding for the proposed border wall.  Here is the President blaming the democrats.

The Necessity of Keeping the Country Safe

One of the reasons for the policy is the need to keep the citizens of America safe.  However most American believe it is not necessary to separate families in order to maintain safety.

It is Being Used as a Deterrent

The Attorney General has stated that the policy will be an effective deterrent in reducing the number of illegal aliens coming to the country.  While his critics have said that the policy will also deter legal immigration.  It must be noted that many coming to the border from Central America are fleeing violence and oppression and they are here to seek asylum.

The policy has stirred its share of controversy and promises to be  the leading news story for days to come.  Senator Ted Cruz has introduced emergency legislation to try and deal with the issue.  With the midterms coming in a few months Republicans don’t want to feel the backlash.

Trade War with China
jamesharrell

Trade War with China

The threat of a US – China trade war has hit the financial markets and Beijing has promised to retaliate.  On Monday, Trump announced an additional $200 billion in tariffs on imported Chinese goods if Beijing doesn’t alter their “predatory” trade practices.  Many speculate that Beijing has underestimated the resolve of the American President.

The Effects of a Trade War

China and the US have the two largest economies in the world and a trade war between them could destroy the supply chains for the tech and auto industries.  Both industries rely on components manufactured in China.  If Trump follows through on his threats of tariffs then it would threaten more than $459 billion worth of imported Chinese goods.  Fear of a trade war has weakened the dollar and sent the stock markets plummeting to more than two year lows.  Both countries are vowing to retaliate if the other imposes more tariffs.

Caught in the Crossfire

The Chinese telecom company ZTE Corp that had been rescued by the President in a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping is now in jeopardy as the shares dropped more than 10% following a Senate vote.  US banks and business groups are all getting ready for the backlash that could impact all foreign businesses with a presence in China.  The backlash will go beyond the tech and automotive sectors with the impact being widespread.  China could look for action to enforce action against US companies that deal in Chinese Markets.  There are countless companies that are embedded into the Chinese markets as it stands now.

The Chinese Economy

Beijing has already had meetings with leading Chinese businesses to look at the cost of shifting the demand for US goods to suppliers from Europe and Japan.  They are also looking into the potential for Chinese firms to act as suppliers.  The Chinese economy was already cooling down as the central bank put more than $200 billion yuan into their banking system this past week.  Analysts are worried about the impact on the economy should a trade war escalate even further.

China is one of the largest importers of US goods with almost $130 billion dollars’ worth of goods going to China last year.  The US imported more than $500 billion worth of products from China.  A trade war with China could potentially devastate both countries and take the world economy with it.  Hopefully cooler heads can prevail in this dispute going forward.