Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 109
March 4, 2025
Trump’s Crypto Reserve Will Bail Out Silicon Valley and Wall Street Billionaires at the Expense of Average Americans
by Brian Shilhavy
Editor, Health Impact News
One of Donald Trump’s campaign promises was to create a government “Crypto Reserve” where the U.S. Government would own cryptocurrency assets to be used to run the country.
Much of the talk was originally about the U.S. Government owning Bitcoin, but this past weekend Trump announced that it would include other cryptocurrencies as well.
The news originally sent cryptocurrency values higher, but most of them came crashing back down today, as did Wall Street in general.
Trump Crypto Rally Fizzles After Skepticism on Reserves Plan(Bloomberg) — Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will include three lesser-known digital tokens in its strategic crypto reserve was greeted with skepticism in the industry, with investors questioning the project’s merits and the coins he selected giving up some of their initial gains.
Trump said Sunday on Truth Social that the XRP, SOL and ADA tokens will be included in the reserve, along with Bitcoin and Ether. The news ignited an immediate crypto rally, offering relief to an asset class fresh off its worst month since 2022.
Yet the initial euphoria soon gave way to questions about everything from the feasibility of Trump’s plan to the motivations behind it. Crypto markets were mostly back in the red on Monday, with XRP, SOL and ADA each suffering intraday declines of more than 10% after soaring the day before.
The February crypto rout had put pressure on Trump, who returned to the White House after the industry showered him with campaign donations and praise. Even the Securities and Exchange Commission’s reversal of a years-long crackdown had failed to stem the selloff, which many attributed in part to nervousness about Trump’s trade tariffs and dramatic moves to gut government programs. (Source.)
Financial advisor Catherine Austin Fitts of the Solari Report has been very vocal against any kind of Bitcoin or Crypto Reserve by the government, referring to it as a “reverse Robinhood” of stealing from the poor and giving it to the rich. Her fears are that such a reserve would be used to buy real assets, such as real estate, while leaving speculative cryptocurrencies in people’s pensions and retirement funds.
Here are a few short video interviews where she discusses this.
Catherine and the Solari Report has a Substack Page now, and she published a good overview and summary of this proposed Crypto Reserve at the end of December.
BITCOIN BAILOUT: Why a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Is a Bailout of the Big Boys
Excerpts:
Who Is Proposing the Creation of Bitcoin Strategic Reserves?Several proposals for a Bitcoin strategic reserve were floated during the 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign.
At the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville in July, President Trump promised, if elected, to fire Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler, whose regulatory policies and enforcement are unpopular with the crypto industry. In addition, Trump proposed halting sales of existing DOJ holdings of approximately 208,000 Bitcoins representing asset seizures and moving the position to Treasury as a permanent holding. This would ease downward price pressure in the relatively illiquid Bitcoin market.
To great applause, at that same conference Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed a long-term mandated Bitcoin buying program by the federal government, promising that this would raise the Bitcoin price significantly. He also proposed that sellers should be allowed to remain confidential and have the opportunity to reinvest their proceeds on a tax-free basis by qualifying the exchange of Bitcoin for real estate as a qualifying Section 1031 like-kind exchange.11 This could result in extraordinary windfall profits to the “Bitcoin billionaires.”
How such purchases would be financed is not yet clear. At the federal level, purchases could be financed from appropriations, which depend on sales of Treasury notes and bonds, a growing percentage of which are purchased by American retirement funds or monetized through the Federal Reserve in a way that is driving inflation. Another source of funding for Bitcoin strategic reserves could be asset seizures by the DOJ.
[…]
Cui Bono? The Bailout of the Big BoysWe can see why large Bitcoin holders would want federal and state buying programs to help them increase prices and create a sufficiently liquid market to make it possible to exit their positions, particularly before the Bitcoin ecosystem becomes unsustainable and the competition for increasingly scarce energy resources and the growing environmental damage become more widely understood.
[…]
If government can afford to buy private crypto assets, it can afford to—and should—cut taxes instead. Let citizens decide if, in what, and when they wish to speculate. Citizens do not need Bitcoin to fight inflation. What they could use to fight inflation is lower taxes, basic infrastructure, and public services that support a productive economy.
(Full article.)
[…]
10 Days in North Korea
10 Days in North Korea
Directed by Angela Gallardo Bernal (2014)
Film Review
Russian and Spanish with English subtitles
Bernal is a Spanish-speaking documentary filmmaker who makes films for RT. This film ends by noting the pervasive self-censorship in North Koreans she’s allowed to interview. They’re 100% unanimous in their glowing praise for “the General)” for “giving us all his love and everything people need.”
They also steadfastly assert that North Korea has no political prisoners. It’s okay to have different views than the government but not to engage in property destruction or violence.* Felonies are punishable by compulsory labor on farms and construction sites and in mines.
Bermal’s film crew was only allowed to visit the capitol Pyongyang, which is impeccably clean (and totally devoid of street beggars or homeless people) without street beggars or homeless people) and characterized by meticulously arranged aesthetics (flowers, murals etc). The bodies Kim Jong-Un’s father Kim Jong-Il and his grandfather father Kim Il-Song are both embalmed and on display in a mausoleum in the capitol Pyongyang. Major buildings throughout the capitol are covered with gigantic portraits and memorabilia of both former generals.
In Korea as of 2014, the vast majority of North Koreans could only access an internal “Intranet” because the World Wide Web was only accessible to select scientists and researchers. The North Koreans interviewed felt this was a good thing, given the Internet is “full of inappropriate sexuality and American propaganda.” They admitted to being skittish about being exposed to other cultures, which in their view are “basically unstable.”
Ninety percent the delegates of the Supreme Peoples Assembly belong to the Workers Party and 10% to the Democratic Party or Chondoist Changu party. A handful of members have no party affiliations. North Korea’s current leader Kim Jong-Un (known as the “general” or “marshal”) was elected as a delegate after his father Kim Jong-Il died in 2011. He was subsequently elected as Supreme Leader by 100% of the delegates.
The North Korean army is on constant full combat alert. With ten years military service compulsory for all Korean men, in 2014, the country had one million soldiers in addition to their highly militarized police. With Soviet assistance, the government has built a massive fallout shelter to house all North Koreans in the event of a nuclear attack.
North Korea regards the Korean peninsula as a single country, arbitrarily divided by US aggression in 1954. Prior to George Bush II’s designation of North Korea as part of the Axis of Evil, there was an active program (known as the Sunshine Policy) working for North and South Korean reunification** Family reunions of North and South Korean families arbitrarily separated by the US-imposed line of demarcation began in 2000 and ended in 2008, when the Sunshine Policy ended. Regular reunions restarted briefly in 2018 as part of Trump’s efforts to improve US relations with North Korea.
The Kaesong Joint Economic Project (part of the Sunshine Policy**), which has continued, has greatly benefited North Korea’s economy. As of 2014, 100 South Korean companies participated, employing 53,000 North Koreans.
Western sanctions have really hurt North Korea, which relies mostly on tourist revenue and foreign currency generated by North Korean animators. The latter are extremely sought after by foreign filmmakers because they do high quality work very cheaply.
Food shortages are endemic as only 15% of North Korea is arable. The government sets production goals for North Korea’s collective farms and tries to boost farmer and factory morale by encouraging regular visits by students who boost morale via singing and flag waving ceremonies.
Although North Korea receives some UN aid, China is the main supplier of food aid. Roughly two million North Koreans pick up monthly food rations from food ration centers
*Kim Jong-un had his uncle executed in 2013 for high treason (he was accused of corruption and plotting to topple the regime).
**The Sunshine Policy grew out of a treaty (the Agreed Framework) the late president Jimmy Carter negotiated with Kim Il Sung in 1994. Among other provisions, the agreement included substantial South Korean humanitarian aid to address North Korea’s chronic food shortages, loosening of restrictions on South Korean investment in North Korea, the opening of North Korea’s Kumgang Tourist Region to South Korean visitors, the establishment of a family reunification program, the opening of rail links through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and a worker exchange program permitting South Korean workers to work at North Korea’s Kaesong Industrial Park.
March 3, 2025
Rotorua Lakes Council Letter to Minister of Health
MaryRotorua Lakes Council (RFC) have sent a letter to the Minister of Health, Mr Simeon Brown, asking for a withdrawal of the directive sent to them in November 2022 from the Director General of Health ordering them to fluoridate their water supply.
The Council has outlined all the reasons why they disagree with the Directive, pointing out that there is conflicting evidence pertaining to both the efficacy and the safety of fluoridation.
They have also requested that a public inquiry be held so that this information can be discussed in the public domain.
It is long past the time when councillors, and New Zealanders in general, can rely unquestionably on the Ministry of Health on this issue. Two weeks ago the Ministry of Health sent two representatives to the RLC to try to convince the councillors that fluoridation was safe and effective. However, their presentations were an embarrassment to the Ministry. They either are completely ignorant of the research, or don’t understand it, or are saying whatever they think they need to so that the fluoridation programme can continue in New Zealand and the Ministry of Health won’t be found to have been wrong.
For example, Dr Shoemack, Medical Officer of Health in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes region, told the councillors that “fluoridation didn’t treat individuals, it treated the water”– obviously completely untrue. The whole point of fluoridation is to medically treat individuals. Dr Clark misled the council by claiming that the US National Toxicology Program review only looked at studies “well over 1.5ppm, very different to what we have here”. Once again, this was totally untrue.
Fluoride Free New Zealand calls on all local authorities in New Zealand to do the same as RLC. We also challenge anyone who agrees with fluoridation to provide a well referenced rebuttal of any claims made by RLC that are not in agreement with the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
See letter from Rotorua Lakes Council below.
[…]
Via https://fluoridefree.org.nz/rotorua-lakes-council-letter-to-minister-of-health/
Trump was rude to Zelensky, but told him the hard truths.
Nuclear-News
Much of what President Trump told Ukraine President Zelensky in their contentious public meeting Friday was valid…and needed to be said to achieve peace. A sampling of the truths Trump told Zelensky:
1. Ukraine must seek immediate ceasefire not more war
2. Why? The war is lost with Zelensky having “no more cards to play” to achieve his unrealistic, indeed delusional war objectives.
3. Only the US can achieve war’s end thru a negotiated peace with Russia. What Trump omitted is that this has always been America’s war simply using Ukraine proxies to fight it.
4. Ukraine is running out of soldiers, relying on old men and conscripts snatched off the street to fight a lost cause.
5. Zelensky could start WWIII with his efforts to keep war going by attacking deep into Russia.
Trump’s comments signaled a near complete break with predecessor Biden’s embrace of the weak, compliant Zelensky to fight the war to weaken Russia and keep it out of the European political economy.
Trump knows the war has nothing to do with Europe or America’s national security interests and must be ended.
If the Oval Office dustup offends people who want this war to continue indefinitely, possibly going nuclear, then by all means be outraged. But if you want to end this lost war utterly destroying Ukraine so US can weaken Russia, then join the peace community in supporting Trump’s peace initiative.
This war has put peoplekind at risk of nuclear annihilation for all 1,100 days since it began. That must end.
[…]
Tulsi Gabbard questions if Ukraine is ‘aligned’ with US values
Tulsi Gabbard, US Director of National Intelligence © Getty Images / Kevin DietschRT
The national intelligence chief has suggested that many of Zelensky’s actions in recent years go against the ideas of freedom and democracy
Ukraine and many of its European backers may not be aligned with the US values of freedom, peace, and democracy shared by President Donald Trump, according to Washington’s director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Gabbard was asked about last week’s heated exchange at the White House involving Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance. The tense meeting ended with Zelensky abruptly leaving the White House after being accused by Trump of ingratitude, “gambling with World War III,” and refusing to seek peace with Russia.
The incident has sparked a backlash from Trump’s critics, including several EU leaders, who have accused him of “bullying” Zelensky. However, according to Gabbard, anyone who has criticized Trump over his interaction with the Ukrainian leader is merely showing that they are “not committed to peace.”
“Many of these European countries, and Zelensky himself, who claim to be standing and fighting for the cause of freedom and democracy” are actually acting contrary to these values, Gabbard stated.
“When we actually look at what’s happening in reality in these countries, as well as with Zelensky’s government in Ukraine, it is the exact opposite,” she added. Gabbard pointed to the lack of elections in Ukraine, Kiev’s criminalization of opposition parties, the shutting down of Orthodox churches, and the complete government control over media outlets.
“It begs the question. It’s clear they’re standing against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. But what are they actually really fighting for, and are they aligned with the values that they claim to hold in agreement with [the US], which are the values of freedom, peace and true security,” Gabbard said.The DNI chief further criticized Washington’s EU partners, recalling Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he accused European countries of implementing policies that “undermine democracy” and show that they “don’t actually believe in the voices of the people.”
“We’re seeing this in the United Kingdom, we’re seeing this in Germany, we saw it with the tossing out of the elections in Romania,” Gabbard said, suggesting that this shows a “huge divergence” between US values and those of the European nations that have backed Zelensky.
Russia has also suggested that last week’s clash between Zelensky and Trump once again proved that Kiev is not genuinely interested in peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stressed that the Ukrainian leader’s behavior in the Oval Office “demonstrated how difficult it will be to get on the path of a settlement around Ukraine.”
[…]
Via https://www.rt.com/russia/613608-tulsi-gabbard-ukraine-us-values/
Figures Suggest Measles Vaccine Caused 16 Times More Deaths Than Measles Since 2000
US MortalityThe Recent “Measles Outbreak” Scare Appears to Be a Big Pharma Campaign, Unsupported by Data.
The recent headlines about the “measles outbreak” prompted me to examine the actual data. Notably, before the introduction of the first measles vaccine by Enders et al. in 1963, measles deaths had already declined by 97.2%, from 12,992 in 1919 to 364 in 1963—without vaccination.
After vaccination, deaths dropped to nearly zero. However, proving causality would require long-term placebo-controlled trials. Charting the pre-vaccination trend from 1949 to 1962 shows that both cases and deaths followed the expected trajectory, meaning the decline might have continued without vaccination. The sharper drop in cases may be influenced by bias, as doctors and parents—assuming vaccination prevents measles—could have attributed symptoms to other causes.
No randomized placebo-controlled trials for measles vaccination appear to exist. The renowned Cochrane Institute, while assessing measles vaccination as effective, rates the evidence as only low to moderate certainty, relying solely on observational studies rather than the gold-standard placebo-controlled trials.
Furthermore, measles deaths have remained lower than ten since the early 1980s, often attributed to mass vaccination. However, as shown above, no solid evidence supports this claim. In contrast, an analysis of VAERS reports on measles vaccine-associated deaths compared to confirmed deaths coded as measles (B05) suggests that since 2000, up to 16 times more people may have died from the vaccine than from the disease.
Of course, this comes with the usual challenges of attribution and causality, as well as potential underreporting. A 2010 Harvard study estimated that “[…] fewer than 1% of vaccine adverse events are reported,” suggesting that actual measles vaccine-related deaths in the U.S. could be significantly higher—potentially ranging from 200 to 2,000 per year.
While measles vaccination is widely credited with reducing deaths, the absence of randomized placebo-controlled trials leaves room for uncertainty regarding its true impact. Historical data suggests that measles mortality was already in sharp decline before the vaccine’s introduction, and the Cochrane Institute itself acknowledges only low to moderate certainty in the evidence for its effectiveness. Furthermore, VAERS data indicates that vaccine-related deaths may far exceed those from measles in recent decades, with potential underreporting suggesting a much higher actual toll. Given these factors, a more critical examination of measles vaccination policies and long-term safety data is warranted.
P.S. Both the AP and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have falsely claimed that the recent death was the first in a decade. However, as shown above, the last recorded measles death occurred in 2019 and the data during the pandemic is not reliable. While AP has acknowledged this error to me, they have yet to correct their misleading headline.
[…]
Via https://www.usmortality.com/p/since-2000-measles-vaccines-may-have
More governments pledge to join UK and France in sending peacekeepers to Ukraine
European leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday. | Pool photo by Toby Melville/AFP via Getty ImagesBy Stefan Boscia LONDON ― More countries have signed up to Britain and France’s plan to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, Keir Starmer said.
Speaking to reporters after a summit of European and world leaders in London on Sunday, the United Kingdom’s prime minister insisted the “coalition of the willing” plan must have United States backing. Donald Trump’s America was a “reliable ally,” he said.
“A number of countries” agreed to commit troops to a peacekeeping force during the summit, Starmer said, but he added that he would leave it to individual nations to announce their participation.
It reflected a similar statement on defense spending made after the summit by NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Rutte said he heard “new announcements” around the table for more European countries vowing to “ramp up defense spending.” But he would not be drawn on further details.
Starmer called the summit in London to drum up support for the peacekeeping plan and to get European leaders to commit to defense spending increases.
It was revealed on Sunday morning that the U.K., France and Ukraine would work on a peace plan and present it to Trump.
The summit was hosted by Starmer and attended by other European and world leaders ― including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ― but there was no U.S. representation.
Rearming EuropeThe gathering came in the shadow of Friday’s disastrous meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, which caused European leaders to question whether America can be relied upon as a leader of the Western alliance.
“We are at a crossroads in history,” Starmer said. Europe “must do the heavy lifting.”
But, he added: “The discussions we’ve had today, particularly the coalition of the willing, is on the basis that this is a plan that we will work with, with the U.S., and that it will have U.S. backing.”
“That is the purpose of the plan and that is why I spoke to President Trump last night before we develop the work on this plan.”
Starmer announced before the summit that he and French President Emmanuel Macron would take the lead on coming up with a draft peace plan to bring to Trump.
Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House on Friday without signing an agreed U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal, which European officials believe would have bound Trump closer to Ukraine’s security.
After the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “we urgently have to rearm Europe” — and she said she will present a “comprehensive plan” for this at a meeting of European leaders this Thursday.
She added: “It’s basically [about] turning Ukraine into a steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders.”
[…]
March 2, 2025
Video of Bipartisan Group of RINOs and Democrats Blowing Smoke Up Zelensky’s A$$ Prior to Meeting with Trump
Warmonger Lindsey Graham and Democrat Senators Coons and Klobuchar (Source: Sen. Klobuchar / X)Jim Hoft
On Friday, Ukrainian President Zelensky met with a bipartisan group of US Senators and warmongers before his meeting with President Trump.
The meeting was held at the Hay Adams Hotel across from the White House and took place before Zelensky went to the White House.
Zelensky wrote:
An important visit to the United States. In Washington, I met with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Senate.
Our discussions focused on the continued military assistance for Ukraine, relevant legislative initiatives, my meeting with President Trump, efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, our vision for ending the war, and the importance of robust security guarantees.
We take pride in having strategic partners and friends like the United States. We are grateful for the unwavering bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine throughout all three years of Russia’s full-scale aggression.
As you watch the video below, you see US senators acting like children with complete joy as they meet the megalomaniac who refuses peace with Russia.
Have they ever treated President Trump with such excitement? No, of course not.
After Zelensky met with these US Senators, he then went to the White House, where he:
disrespected the US President and his cabinetspoke over both President Trump and VP J.D. Vancecalled J.D. by his first name and not the titleArgued with Trump and VanceDisrespected the American audienceAnd then, he was escorted from the White House.https://x.com/i/status/1895510194550943828
Here is a screengrab from the video and a list of identified US Senators.
They don’t want you to know about the meeting!
Screenshot: Zelenskyy / XAmy Klobuchar (D-MN)Jacky Rosen (D-NV)Lindsey Graham (R-SC)“Danang Dick” (Richard Blumenthal) (D-CT)Roger Wicker (R-MS)Charles Grassley (R-IA)Chris Murphy (D-CT)Peter Welch (D-VT)Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)This was a disgrace and undermined President Trump’s historic peace talks. Remember this when the primary season comes around!
What’s shocking is that after meeting and taking photo with Zelensky, RINO Lindsey Graham slammed him, calling the meeting “an absolute, utter disaster” and openly questioning whether Zelensky is “redeemable in the eyes of Americans.”
Graham: I’ve been to Ukraine eight or nine times since the war started. I understand the consequences of Putin’s actions against Ukraine. I appreciate what the Ukrainian people have done. They fought like tigers. At the end of the day, I was hoping that this minerals deal, which would be transformative in the relationship, would go over well. I talked to Zelensky this morning. Don’t take the bait. President Trump was in a very good mood last night.
Somebody asked me, am I embarrassed about Trump? I have never been more proud of the President. I was very proud of JD Vance, standing up for our country. We want to be helpful. What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again. I think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go in business with. The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president, was just over the top. So, I think the relationship between Ukraine and America is important, vitally important, but can Zelensky do a deal with the United States? After what I saw, I don’t know.
I think he has made it almost impossible to sell to the American people that he’s a good investment.
He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.
[…]
Via https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/bipartisan-group-rinos-democrat-senators-met-zelensky-blew/
Former NIH Director Francis Collins Abruptly Retires After Involvement with Gain-of-Function Wuhan Research Revealed
by Christina Laila
Former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins abruptly retired from the agency on Saturday amid accusations of perjury.
In 2021, Dr. Francis Collins resigned just a few weeks after documents exposed he lied about his involvement in gain-of-function research in the Wuhan lab.
“It has been an incredible privilege to lead this great agency for more than a decade,” Collins said in a statement.
“I love this agency and its people so deeply that the decision to step down was a difficult one, done in close counsel with my wife, Diane Baker, and my family. I am proud of all we’ve accomplished. I fundamentally believe, however, that no single person should serve in the position too long, and that it’s time to bring in a new scientist to lead the NIH into the future. I’m most grateful and proud of the NIH staff and the scientific community, whose extraordinary commitment to lifesaving research delivers hope to the American people and the world every day.”
Recall, Francis Collins in the summer of 2021 said parents should wear masks at home in front of their unvaccinated children.
Collins conceded that it “may sound weird” that people should wear masks in their homes, but he advised it anyway.
“Parents of unvaccinated kids should be thoughtful about this and the recommendation is to wear masks [at home] as well,” Collins said. “I know that’s uncomfortable. I know it seems weird but it is the best way to protect your kids.”
This kind of lunacy wasn’t even advised before Covid vaccines were available.
[…]
What Trump can Learn from McKinley’s Tariffs
By Quentin R. Skrabec Jr.If Trump is to be successful as regards tariffs, he must look at President William McKinley’s successes and mistakes.
As a young, struggling congressman, William McKinley’s friend President Rutherford Hayes told him to specialize and develop expertise in tariff policy. McKinley’s first legislative effort as a congressman was to increase tariffs in 1877. McKinley rose quickly to chair of the Ways and Means Committee. McKinley was instrumental in forming a Tariff Commission and became a framer of the 1882 Tariff Bill.
His chairmanship led to the passage of the famous “McKinley” Tariff Act of 1890. The Tariff of 1890 went too far and lacked the appropriate guardrails to address inflation and potential trade wars. The 1890 Tariff roughly added a 50% tariff on all manufacturing imports. McKinley’s colleagues overruled him, following the model of tariffs as revenue producers versus McKinley’s model of protectionism for American industry. The short-term adverse effects and political impact cost McKinley and many other Republicans their seats two years later.
McKinley’s return to Congress in 1896 would be the forge for America’s first voting alliance of workingmen and manufacturing capitalists, which won him the White House twice.
The era of McKinley tariff protection lasted from 1880 to 1920. In 1880, the American steel industry struggled to expand against British steel’s supremacy but flourished under the McKinley tariffs. Steel production went from 1.3 million tons in 1880 to 11.2 million tons in 1900 to 28.3 million tons in 1910. In 1898, the American steel industry surpassed Britain in pig iron production. The U.S. gross national product grew from an estimated $11 billion in 1880 to $18.7 billion in 1890 to $35.3 billion in 1910.
The American glass industry was another struggling industry in 1880 due to imports. By 1910, the McKinley tariffs reversed the trend, and the glass industry had increased its output five to tenfold. During the peak tariff years of 1896 to 1901 under President McKinley, steel production increased 111%, electrical equipment production increased 271%, and farm equipment increased 149%. During the same period, wages increased by 10% and employment by 20%. Even more impressive to free traders, prices fell as productivity and innovation mushroomed. Macro and microeconomic data of the period continue to be debated, but McKinley won the working-class dinner table.
An example of McKinley’s short-term failure and long-term success was tinplate. England had destroyed American tinplate production and controlled the market at the time. Tinplate household items and canned products were essential to American farmers and the frontier.
In the short run, the McKinley tariffs did increase the price of tinplate with the 1890 Tariff Act. The Republicans lost Congress and the presidency in a landslide in 1892, with McKinley losing his seat. The goal, of course, in the long run, was to develop the American infant industries such as tinplate. The high price spurred exploration for tin and increased American investment in tinplate and canning. Before 1890, there were a handful of tinplate manufacturers in the United States, but by 1893, 200 mills produced 13,000,000 pounds of tinplate. The cost of tinplate dropped dramatically by 1895 as the McKinley tariffs created a competitive domestic tinplate industry, putting profits back into the business. It was a harsh lesson of the market and domestic production lagging.
[…]
Via https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/what_trump_can_learn_from_mckinley_s_tariffs.html
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