Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Passages

(3,305 posts)
Wed Jul 9, 2025, 08:20 AM Jul 9

Trump Bullied Canada Over 'Digital Taxes'

Joseph Stiglitz

The Guardian July 8, 2025

The question now: will countries cave in to these threats or stick together and collect the billions they are rightly owed?

Donald Trump’s announcement calling off trade talks with Canada over its digital tax – and that he would impose retaliatory tariffs – demonstrates, once again, not only the president’s ignorance of economics and willful disregard of international norms and the rule of law, but also his willingness to use brute power to get whatever he and the oligarchs who support him want.

He was wrong in labeling the tax as outrageous and “a direct and blatant attack on our country”. It is actually an efficient tax, well designed to ensure that the technology companies – the profits of which benefit the tech oligarchs who have come to dominate US policy – pay their fair share of taxes.

It is accordingly disappointing that Canada appears to have caved, even more so as the prime minister had stood up strongly against Trump’s demand for Canada to become the 51st state. Regrettably, others are giving in – New Zealand and India have reportedly retreated.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/08/trump-bullied-canada-over-digital-taxes-and-ottawa-submitted

Bio: Joseph E. Stiglitz is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. He is also the co-chair of the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress at the OECD, and the Chief Economist of the Roosevelt Institute. Stiglitz was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001 and the John Bates Clark Medal in 1979. He is a former senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank and a former chair of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers.

In 2000, Stiglitz founded the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, a think tank on international development based at Columbia University. In 2011 Stiglitz was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Known for his pioneering work on asymmetric information, Stiglitz's research focuses on income distribution, climate change, corporate governance, public policy, macroeconomics and globalization. He is the author of numerous books including, most recently, People, Power, and Profits, Rewriting the Rules of the European Economy, and Globalization and Its Discontents Revisited.
https://business.columbia.edu/stiglitz/about





4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump Bullied Canada Over 'Digital Taxes' (Original Post) Passages Jul 9 OP
Alternatively WSHazel Jul 9 #1
No, I don't think so. Disaffected Jul 9 #2
For that to be true WSHazel Jul 9 #4
Unfortunately, Canada will have to pick their battles now Prairie Gates Jul 9 #3

WSHazel

(537 posts)
1. Alternatively
Wed Jul 9, 2025, 08:57 AM
Jul 9

Canada created a negotiating pawn out of thin air to trade to Trump for something Canada actually wanted. Trump is the worst negotiator on the planet, and is exactly the kind of person that would fall for this tactic.

WSHazel

(537 posts)
4. For that to be true
Wed Jul 9, 2025, 04:40 PM
Jul 9

For that to be true, then Canada's entire leadership had to be complete morons. Since I don't think they are, they knew that this tax would make Trump's Tech Bro friends go running to him demanding it be taken down. Which gave Canada leverage.

Trump is the easiest mark there can be in a negotiation. Flatter him, give him one or more useless concessions that you know you were never going to get anyway, and you can improve your deal with him dramatically.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump Bullied Canada Over...