This is politics in plain English for normal people and the common good.

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Programming note

Hi all, I’m taking a break next week. The Editorial Board won’t publish Monday through Thursday. I might jump in now and then with one of these threads. But I won’t be writing think-y pieces. While I’m away, I hope you have a great week. Cheers, JS

Trump ‘orders’ firms out of China

China issued new retaliatory tariffs this morning on American goods. The president then posted a retaliatory tweet in which he “ordered” US firms to stop doing business with China. That, as a result, spooked Wall Street into a nosedive. It’s rare when cause and effect are so clear in the market. Donald Trump can’t order…

‘He’s so insecure’

You hear it all the time. “He acts that way because he’s insecure.” Take guns, for instance. He bought a gun because he feels insecure. He acted out because he feels insecure. He did terrible things to others because he feels insecure. So if he felt more secure, he wouldn’t do that? I’ve always felt…