This is important. It is not a war between the American and Canadian people – but it is the American and Canadian people who will pay for the war.

Just as Americans and Canadians are paying for that other war.

Trump – currently in control of the American government in the same way that an idiot child given a loaded gun is in charge of who gets shot – has fired back at the government of Canada, which fired off a 50 percent retaliatory tariff (that is to say, imposed a tax) on American-made large displacement motorcycles, which effectively means Harleys and Indians.

Trump, retaliating in kind, outright banned Can Am Spyders, which are three-wheelers made in Valcourt, Canada.

What does it mean for Americans – and Canadians?

Well, it obviously means no Canadian-made Can Am Spyders for Americans, for as long as the ban remains in force. It also means Americans will be paying more for the Can Am Spyders that are already in America, at American dealerships – because prices will go up to reflect the artificially created reduction in supply. If Americans who want Can Am Spyders decide they can't afford to pay more for the remaining inventory that dealers are likely going to try to charge more for, then it will be the dealers who pay – in the form of no sales.  Either way, it is Americans who pay (as well as Canadians who work making the Can Am Spyder). It will not be Trump or his Canadian counterpart.

This is important.

Trump imposes tariffs – taxes – on imported stuff, from Canada (and elsewhere) and we pay the extra. Not "Canada." Just as Canadians  who want to by Harleys and Indians made in America that are tariff-taxed by Trump's Canadian analog pay the extra.

How much extra? Well, a Harley or Indian bike with a "customs value" of $30,000 Canadian dollars that's subject to a 50 percent tariff tax could become a $45,000 bike ($15,000 in tariff-taxes) plus another $750 Canadian in value added (GST) taxes, which the Canadian government imposes (and extracts). Interestingly, electric "motorcycles" – such as the Harley LiveWire – are exempt from these punitive taxes. The air fingers quote marks are added to mock the idea of an electric motorcycle, which is something like an artificial woman. It may look real, but it ain't the same. The more relevant point as it pertain to this discussion is that Canada's government is hurting Canadians – excepting, for the moment, Canadians who are in congruence with the political orthodoxies set forth by the Canadian government. They are rewarded for their congruence, at the expense of those who are not.