Until last week I did not believe in the transmigration of souls from celluloid to reality. That changed when Congress passed the so-called “big beautiful bill.” Raymond Shaw, the brainwashed assassin of “The Manchurian Candidate,” is alive and well and living in the White House. There may be other explanations. But outside of the theater of the loony it’s difficult to understand why a president of the United States would gift China the greatest act of strategic self-destruction next to China’s own suicide in the 15th century.
China is already the most innovative investor and developer of green technology. It was set to be the world’s leading economy by the time the president hobbles through his third term. The bill will accelerate both trends while the United States re-fossilizes in the bog of crude while desecrating innovation and environment to maintain production of Jurassic energy.
The $7,500 tax credit for your next electric-car purchase? Gone. So is any chance for American car makers to stay competitive with China’s EV manufacturing: American car makers had set up 24 factories to produce cars that qualified for the tax credit. The jobs are in jeopardy. Your 30 percent tax credit for rooftop solar installations? Gone. Those 30 percent tax credits for companies building wind and solar farms? Gone. (At least a planned excise tax on solar was removed from the bill at the last minute, as a bribe to win Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s vote.)
Tax credits on your heat pump and other energy-efficiency measures in your home? Gone. Get ready to face higher electric bills and fewer means to combat them. Incentives for electric battery technology? Gone, sealing an industry monopoly for China. The bill “took a sledgehammer to the domestic EV and battery supply chain that will be felt in communities around the country,” Albert Gore III, son of Al, said.
It is as if William McKinley had signed an executive order in 1900 eliminating all tariffs protecting the emerging American car industry and doubled down on subsidizing the horse and buggy instead. (Ironic, I know. But McKinley’s targeted tariffs were intended to foster a new economy, not prolong a dying one.)
That’s before cataclysmic math of tax cuts paid for with deficits and the plunder of food stamps, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program known as CHIPs and Obamacare, causing from 12 to 20 million people to lose their health insurance (The lower estimate is by the Congressional Budget Office, the higher by the Senate’s Democratic Joint Economic Committee, with 1.9 million in Florida losing coverage.)
Then there’s debt. The national debt today is larger than the size of the economy, a ratio as high as it was at the end of World War II. We could afford it then. The economic glory years brought that down to 35 percent of the size of the economy by the time the Great Recession hit. Again, we could afford to pull out of the recession. But we never paid down the debt afterward. Obama, Trump and Biden are all to blame. Despite the longest economic expansion in history, the debt is at 100 percent of the economy again, as it was after the world war. The interest alone on the debt alone is approaching $1 trillion a year. It is the fastest growing part of the budget (It was $345 billion at the end of Trump’s first term.) Interest payments are a bigger share of the budget than the military budget or Medicare. They’re exceeded only by Social Security, and won’t be after 2026.
A catastrophe is not merely possible. It is mathematically inevitable. Ask England, who thought the sun would never set on its empire. “The old saw about bankruptcy is that it comes about slowly and then all at once,” The Economist–the empire’s old seer–wrote this week. There’s no panic yet but when the history of the catastrophe is written after the 2029 crash, “expect a chapter or two to be devoted to the big, baleful behemoth of the BBB.”
Or just keep an eye on the Chinese jubilation index. China had its Trump. He followed the Ming emperor Zhu Di, who in the early 14th century brought the Enlightenment to China four centuries before Europe’s. He financed immense scholarship, fostered religious tolerance, and launched a thousand-ship armada that could have rivaled the Age of Discovery: Columbus could have been Chinese and discovered San Francisco Bay.
Instead, Zhu Di’s son became the Maga Ming of his day. He shut it all down. He demolished the armada, exiled the scholars, burned their work, closed the borders and declared a China First policy that condemned the Middle Kingdom to six centuries of isolation, until its surge since the 1980s.
History doesn’t repeat, but it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, either. The Chinese know. They’re watching the American president imitate one of their own, and they’re laughing at his spectacular embrace of national stupor. Without them lifting a finger. That Maga gift shop on Tiananmen Square is a matter of time.
In “The Manchurian Candidate,” Raymond Shaw finally does the right thing and ends the Chinese plot against America. That honorable part of him doesn’t appear to have transmigrated to the White House. The celluloid was made in China.
Pierre Tristam is the editor of FlaglerLive. A version of this piece airs on WNZF.
Gary Kunnas says
It’s simple. You have no clue what you are saying and printing in your paper. You’re a sure fire liberal. It shows when you write about the city of Palm Coast. Space cadet with no knowledge of reality . Take your friend Brad West and craw back under your rocks .
Deborah Coffey says
You got it all in a nutshell, Pierre. Excellent article.
Sherry says
Excellent article Pierre!
The sheer “criminal lunacy” in not doing absolutely everything we can to “mitigate” climate change in every way is nothing short of suicide for our planet! While certainly past Presidents have failed us in not doing nearly enough, trump is literally thrown gasoline on that fire. When he says “drill baby drill”, he’s actually creating “burn baby burn” when it comes to ruining the vital environment that supports human life on the earth.
While I consider elon musk to be nihilistically evil and dangerous in thousands of ways, I am forced to agree with him about climate change.
Musk’s idea for a 3rd party is a good one because the Democrats are too weak and rudderless, and the Maga party is cruel, criminal and corrupt. BUT, billionaires like musk should NOT be “buying” the candidates for that party!!!!
Unfortunately, unless/until we somehow overturn “Citizens United” and take further steps to get the power of bribery out of our entire political system, the billionaire “Oligarchs” will continue to destroy our freedoms and rule over us with a tighter and tighter fist!
Diane Olsen says
What a moron. Not even worth reading with such a ridiculous childish fake title. A tell your bias says so well.
Pogo says
@P.T.
Amen: the best words from you in a long while. Thank you.
When Trump, and his codefendants’ Crypto Bubble hits the fan it will make 1929 seem like — a very good year…
https://www.bing.com/search?q=trump%20crypto%20bubble
A small respite from the darkness (by the hero of the 62′ film):
Bo Peep says
When EVs are worthy by merit then people will buy them. The government doesn’t need to give away 7500 of my tax dollars to encourage the purchase of one. The advance of Solid State batteries should help but currently they are not a choice for a single car family or long trips. Not convenient. If you live close to work and can charge at home they might be for you.
Pierre Tristam says
When the commenter “Kunnas” above addresses the City Council (if we’re to call it an “address”) he’s usually rude, crude, crass, abusive, misinformed and a bit on the dim if always loud side of things. I’m surprised and not a little impressed that here he chose to be only one of those things.
JR says
If Pierre is correct about Trump’s bill then Democrats should have a very easy time of winning back the House next fall! Unfortunately for Pierre is right now most polls (and betting markets) show the Democrats possibly losing more seats next fall. Both things can’t be true. With illegal immigration practically down to zero I have a feeling that Pierre and the left might be shocked at the election results next fall and they’ll already be looking for their next excuse to get rid of the so called KING!!
Tired of it says
Excellent article. magas don’t like to be faced with reality so they resort to their usual name calling and insults.
Michael J Cocchiola says
Wonderful! It’s now our job to spread the awful truth.
Steve says
The America I grew up in and once knew….. Gone
Thank you gfor the insight. Spot on.
Brian says
….And you would prefer The Cackler and Timmy Tampon in the White House?
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act says
As there are commenters on this website who love to quote sources, I’m adding another source of information, and it’s from “The Wall Street Journal:
“The Real Cost of the Inflation Reduction Act Subsidies (Goldman Sachs says the uncapped tax credits will cost three times what Democrats claimed”.
“The Inflation Reduction Act may go down as one of the greatest confidence tricks on taxpayers n history. Democrats used accounting gimmicks to claim the partisan (Biden) law would reduce the budget deficit. But now a Goldman Sachs reports its myriad of green subsidies will cost $1.2 trillion, more than three times what the law’s supporters claimed”.
you can look up this particular article dated March 24, 2023 (by the editorial board) to read the rest.
You may want to research how environmentally devastating windmills are to the environment, meaning . . . what happens to the parts when they no longer work? Very interesting.
As someone who not only has a BS in accounting as well as a masters in environmental science, as well has having travelled all over the world to developed and undeveloped (3rd world countries), I think I have the qualifications to add some intelligence to this discussion. I don’t rely on Pew.
James says
Speaking of “space cadets,” highly recommended reading…
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/curtis-yarvin-profile
… again, only for those interested in the strange backstories to our modern times.
I highly recommend sitting down and reading the article, in full, from beginning to end, in person… for free at the library… while you still can.
Just a suggestion.
DaleL says
G. W. Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump (reboot) are all to blame for our huge national debt/deficit. Bill Clinton’s term in office featured spending and taxes which resulted in a budget surplus at the end of his administration. The large tax increase that Clinton pushed through in his first year fell almost exclusively on upper-income taxpayers. His 1994 budget contained some spending restraints. Instead of hurting the economy, it boomed and there were huge gains in the stock markets. The booming economy resulted in even more tax revenue.
The Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 did little to help the economy. Rather the tax cuts helped enrich the wealthy and set the stage for later deficit spending.
More than one economist is raising the specter of stagflation. Those who are old enough remember the stagnant economy and high (10%+) inflation of the Carter administration and the first couple of years of Reagan’s. Just because the economy, deficit, etc. are not great does not mean they cannot get worse. A catastrophe is possible, but I don’t think it is inevitable. Sanity may yet come back to government eventually.
As for the English, the only reason the sun didn’t set on the British Empire was that God didn’t trust the English in the dark. ;-)
PaulT says
Excellent commentary Pierre, thank you.
It’s fascinating to read the ‘don’t like the truth so let’s shoot the messenger’ comments from the rightward leaning members of our community who dare not admit, even to themselves, that voting for Trump was a massive mistake.
Sherry says
Hello gary and diane,
Don’t like “Award Winning” Flaglerlive? Please take your hate and vitriol some place else. . . Newsmax/Breitbart seems right up your alley.
Pierre Tristam says
For years I’ve been looking for daylight between the Wall Street Journal editorial board and the disinforming catastrophic likes of Sean Hannity and Alex Jones. I have yet to see any.
Pierre Tristam says
@Brian, I would prefer that crass bigots refreshed their comment filter once in a while.
Pierre Tristam says
@JR, Nowhere in this piece, or anywhere, have I or would I make a connection between Trump’s vomitory acts and Democrats’ electoral chances. To the contrary. I predicted before his election that he would win by the margin he did because we’re past the norms of democratic or evidence-based politics. Americans want the authoritarian thug they got. They don;t want democracy. They’ll keep rewarding him. No shock ahead. Just fulfillment.
Ed P says
The National debt does eclipse our annual GDP. The debt was allowed to balloon over multiple administrations and still appears to be no end in sight.
But it’s patently false to claim a financial calamity is inevitable. Here’s why.
The United States’ economy is healthy and solvent. The US dollar is still king. The US GDP is 1st globally and the US economy accounts for 1/4 of the total global GDP. In essence we really are too big to fail, and the other developed nations understand that reality. That fact is also aiding in the reduction of anti American tariffs that our trading partners had imposed on US commerce. The world markets must open up (encouraged by tariffs) to the United States. Our GDP will expand out to these new markets and grow beyond the current 30..5 trillion. Additional tax revenue will occur.
Remember, foreign investors are also committing trillions ( due to tariffs) to expanding back into the United States. Job growth and GDP growth will occur from within.
It’s true the “big beautiful bill” will raise the current national debt in the short run, but over time with the projected GDP growth, dodge reductions/efficiencies/reduction of federal employees( forced back into the private sector) debt reductions will appear. Congress also has to make tougher decisions and aggressively reduce spending as well.
Finally, never bet against American ingenuity and technology. AI frontiers are being expanded by the second.
China’s achilles heel is Communism.
We should all be rooting for success. A paradigm shift as massive as this will take time.
Without a growth plan, taxes on everyone have to be increased and even more social programs will parish. Trump’s plan appears more palatable then the alternative.
Dennis C Rathsam says
OH POO!!!!! Pierre,s sick of TRUMP winning, & winning! Time will tell who the fool is! I predict a banner year! The market is about to explode, so many countries looking to make a deal…TRUMP has all the cards, Canada caved, lots of bullish talk, same ole pussys! Our military is second to none, & Iran wont bother us any more. Putin & China want no part of TRUMP! THEY THINK HE,S NUTS! They saw the devistation TRUMP can create. Maufacturing, is coming home, thanks to TRUMP….More jobs for Americans! Wages going up Taxes going down! FROM 10.00 eggs to 2.99….Prices coming down!!! Certainly not because of the jackass party! The Golden Year of America is around the corner. The American Dream is now a reality. Prosperity is yours for the taking, as the GOP strutts their BBB, the Dems will be wallowing in scandal after scandal…. From the cover up poor fraile Biden. To Pelosi, & Ray Epps trying to pin 1/6 on TRUMP!!!! Wheres the evedence from the crackerjack commity????? POOF !!!! like majic it disapeared!!!! Like I said…. Time will tell who the fool is!
Ed P says
I am posting this as a preemptive response to my critics that will point out that most of the “expert” economists don’t agree with my assessment.
Remember, they have been wrong nearly 100% with their dire forecasts since November 2024. They missed inflation forecasts, pricing forecasts, earnings forecasts, stock market forecasts, and actual tariff effects.
They rely on economic postulates that can not factor in the “Trump effect”. I’m speaking of Trumps willingness to change tariffs, target specific markets, products, or countries.
I’ve read hundreds of economists assessments and projections. I believe they have it wrong.
They are being fooled by using outdated paradigms. Their ideological view can cloud their ability to think beyond the norms or accepted principles.
Only time will reveal the future outcome.
What Else Is New says
Brilliant as usual, Pierre. Thank you for true, professional journalism.
Laurel says
So that’s what brainwashing looks like. There’s no cure for that.
Last weekend, the tourists completely wiped out the Hammock Publix eggs, including the $11.99 category, you know, the eggs that actually have some nutritional value left.
Dennis shops in LaLa Land.
Laurel says
Hey Brian: If you hate women, attempt some courtesy and keep it to yourself. What you wrote was blatantly ugly.