Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a cabinet ideologue with zero experience in business or transportation, appears in the news admitted the high price of gasoline is part of the Biden energy agenda to push people into purchasing electric vehicles.  You’ll have a higher car payment, but you won’t pay for gasoline.  WATCH:

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Tow trucks from Michigan have been sent to assist Ontario police and Canadian federal law enforcement to remove the Freedom Protestors and truckers from the Ambassador bridge at the border crossing between Canada and the U.S.A.

Yesterday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone call to discuss the collaboration of U.S. and Canadian federal law enforcement as well as joint intelligence agencies to remove any blockades at the border crossing points.   Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also told media she would assist the Canadian government effort.

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As local, regional and federal law enforcement on both sides of the border begin to confront the blockades, it appears they are sharing resources.  Previously, Canadian tow trucks refused to cooperate against their own citizens in protest.  It appears that Michigan tow trucks are willing to do the dirty work. However, the initial tow companies pictured can only move regular passenger vehicles and pick-up trucks, like those driven by supporters of the truckers.

Police arrived shortly after dawn this morning to clear the protest group who spent the night at the busiest crossing between the United States and Canada and enforce a court order issued yesterday. “The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge. We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully. Commuters are still being asked to avoid the areas affected by the demonstrations at this time,” police tweeted.

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Comrades, Ontario Premier Doug Ford held a press conference this afternoon to announce he has declared a ‘state of emergency‘ and intends to issue orders against dissident truckers authorizing the police to place them under arrest, initiate fines up to $100k each individual, and revoke the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn’t comply.  The rebellion must be quashed, before the citizens start to think they have power.

As a typical DeceptiCon, Premier Ford begins his justification with the feels, and then gets to down to the business of calling the Freedom Protest in Ottawa an illegal occupation.  Ford emphasized that workers are not permitted to challenge government. In essence, all your paychecks are belong to us – and you have no right to disrupt economic activity controlled by government.

Referencing the growing cross border blockades and looking/sounding like a corrupt union boss from the 1950’s, Comrade Premier Ford reminded the Canadian citizens that only government is permitted to destroy livelihoods, collapse businesses and create economic pain.  The people in/around Ontario are not allowed to disrupt or influence the provincial economic activity; picking winners and losers is exclusively the role of government.  WATCH:

CANADA – […] “While these emergency orders will be temporary, we have every intention to bring new legislation forward that will make these measures permanent in law. We are taking the steps necessary to support our police as they do what it takes to restore law and order,” Ford said at a press conference at Queen’s Park.

The state of emergency will make it illegal and punishable to block and stop the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure.

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The Freedom Convoy trucker protest has now expanded and is starting to hit more U.S-Canada border crossings, while the main trucker convoy remains in downtown Ottawa. The Coutts border crossing, between Alberta and Montana, is shut down as truckers have closed every lane.

However, after 12 days of pressure – and a typical Alinsky response from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – things are beginning to escalate. Now, in Windsor, Ontario, the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit – the busiest land crossing on the U.S-Canada border, has been effectively blocked.

The government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is starting to panic.  “They’re essentially putting their foot on the throat of all Canadians,” Bill Blair, Canada’s minister of emergency preparedness, said Wednesday. “It can’t be allowed to persist.”  Yet, the Trudeau government is quickly discovering their biggest Achillies’ heal in this issue.  There is no logistical way to stop truckers from blocking the roads and bridges.

The logistics of trying to forcibly remove the big rigs with tow trucks is a nightmare.  Additionally, the tow truck companies are not willing to support the government in a fight against their own profession.  Slowly, the uber elite who think they are the rulers are starting to realize just how little power they have when the “workers of the world” really do “unite”.   Trudeau really is starting to panic:

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Perhaps the mainstream media is starting to wake up.  NBC is now reporting that cross-border auto parts and food shipments may start being disrupted as the trucker vaccine mandate begins.  Approximately 60 to 75% of all U.S. truckers are not vaccinated.  The cross-border vaccine mandate for American truckers begins January 22nd as part of the Dept of Homeland Security protocol.

In October DHS announced:

…”beginning in early January 2022, DHS will require that all inbound foreign national travelers crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination. This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated.” (link)

The Canadian trucker vaccine mandate began January 15th, the U.S. mandate begins this weekend, January 22nd.  Given the scale of out of season fresh fruit and vegetable shipments from South and Central America, as well as Mexico, we can anticipate serious issues in the food supply chain.  The NBC article highlights trade with Canada, but that’s miniscule when compared to the trade we get from Mexico.

(Via NBC) – […] The U.S. mandate, announced in October, requires all essential foreign travelers, including truck drivers, who cross U.S. land borders to be fully vaccinated. Essential nonresident travelers had been able to enter the U.S. during the pandemic regardless of their vaccination status, in part so as not to disrupt trade and to give them more time to get vaccinated.

The forthcoming mandate follows one that went into effect in Canada last week that prohibits unvaccinated truckers from crossing into Canada from the U.S.

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Joe Biden may be celebrating his historic achievement in reaching an inflationary milestone previously set by Jimmy Carter, but the working class is paying the price for their economic stupidity.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the November inflation rate today [DATA HERE] showing another rise in the annualized rate of inflation of 6.8 percent.  As you review the data, ask yourself this question: ‘Is there anything in the current economic landscape to indicate this is going to stop?’  The honest answer is no.  Here’s why…

As the BLS accurately (albeit briefly) notes, their inflation data reflects the cumulative increases in costs of products and services at all stages in the supply chain.  Raw materials cost more (extraction, regulation impact), processing costs more (energy impact), transport costs more (fuel impact), final goods assembly costs more and handling costs more.  From field-to-fork or mining-to-showcase, the total cost to create stuff costs more. [AP Interactive Chart]

Yes, the inflation data is backward looking. Meaning, it is looking back toward the previous period to compare costs.  However, despite the White House protestations to the contrary, that’s not a good thing, because it is going to get worse.

The contracted price for goods delivered (depending on sector) are net terms in 30, 60 or 90 days.  Meaning, the purchase price on final goods wholesalers are receiving now, were agreed upon months ago.  Those terms for current arriving goods are no longer valid.  The new terms (purchase orders) carry higher costs, and as an outcome higher prices to consumers are still coming.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk was seemingly channeling his inner Galt during a video interview with Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal at the CEO Council Summit.  Apparently Mr. Musk can see what’s on the other side of this spending horizon and doesn’t want to experience it.  WATCH:

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The Full Interview is below:

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A big win for medical privacy and the principles of freedom.  Ford, General Motors and Stellantis have agreed the United Auto Workers union members will not be forced to take the mandatory vaccine as a condition of employment.  [UAW Announcement] Additionally, the vaccine status of the workers will remain private with a policy of private and voluntary disclosure.

UAW – At a meeting Monday evening, the COVID-19 Joint Task Force, comprised of the UAW, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, has aligned on a policy of voluntary and confidential disclosure of vaccination status for UAW members. Each company will provide additional communication to employees on how, where and when to report their vaccination status.

In addition to encouraging members to disclose their vaccination status, the Task Force continues to urge all members, coworkers, and their families to get vaccinated and get booster vaccinations against COVID-19, while understanding that there are personal reasons that may prevent some members from being vaccinated, such as health issues or religious beliefs.

After reviewing the status of CDC and OSHA guidelines, the Task Force also decided it is in the best interest of worker safety to continue masks in all worksites at this time. (read more)

This helps swing the pendulum back toward the American worker.

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A very interesting interview with Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Association.

During a House Transportation Committee hearing on supply chain issues, CEO Chris Spear shares an internal survey showing that 37% of truck drivers “not only said no, but said hell no” to the Biden vaccine mandates.

To give some perspective of the downstream consequence, the ATA President noted that “if just 3.7 percent, not 37 percent, just 3.7 percent” of the drivers left the industry, there would be over a quarter million vacancies resulting in a “catastrophic” collapse of the U.S. supply chain.  Mr. Spear also shared his opinion the OSHA rule is completely unworkable and unlawful.

The consequences are grave if just 3.7% did not work.  However, if ten times that many, 37 percent of truck drivers, stopped hauling products because of the Biden vaccine requirement, American civic society would collapse within days as panicked citizens took to the streets.  Desperate Americans would be clamoring for scarce products, and the impact on society could not be measured.  WATCH:

As we have continued to point out, a federal vaccine mandate might sound like a good idea on a think tank, academic or white paper policy level of consideration; but on a practical level, wiping out a large percentage of your most productive workforce over a vaccine mandate is unworkable, and might even end the operation of the entire business.

It is important to note the recent NBC poll on this issue amid the outlook of the vaccine mandates.  A majority of the country do not support the vaccine mandates, and worse still, the number of unvaccinated workers is essentially unwavering in the past six weeks {poll data}.  Remember, the number of Americans who willingly quit their jobs increased to 4.3 million in August {link}, and then increased again to 4.4 million in September {link}. People are not f**king around now.

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The U.S. Census Department releases retail sales data today showing a strong contraction in consumer spending for July [MSM LINK].  The out-of-touch financial pundits were looking for a 0.3% decline; however, the drop was four times greater with a contraction of 1.1% in spending.

“The slide in retail sales comes after Friday’s preliminary consumer sentiment report from the University of Michigan showed one of the largest drops on record, leading some strategists and economists to warn of downside risk to the sales data.” (link)

This should not be unexpected for those who read here.  Massive price inflation on essential goods is eating up wages.  Food, fuel and energy price increases are changing consumer spending habits.  Non-essential purchases have stopped….. they haven’t slowed, they have stopped. ←Emphasize this because it is not showing up yet in the data lag.

The data reflects that auto sales were the primary contributor to the decline in spending (-4.3%).  This should make sense to people because auto purchases are the largest general consumer purchase outside of home purchasing.

When purchase decisions are made by families; and food and fuel prices are skyrocketing; replacing a vehicle is not essential.  Auto sales are a key indicator of consumer confidence and income.

Overall inflation is the primary driver.  Real wages are declining (wages – inflation), and disposable income is dropping quickly.  Americans need to start talking very deliberately about what is about to happen.  CTH predicted this and has been walking through the visible outcomes as each set of new data surfaces {SEARCH BOX}.  Nothing happening right now is unforeseen or not easily understandable.

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