That Darned Dog

The United States has real enemies, countries that actively seek to do us harm through unfair trade policies, currency devaluation, hacking, cyber attacks, military strategy, etc.

The US also has allies, stable trading partners who support our interests protect us by fostering good relations and sharing vital intelligence.

On the surface, it would seem that Donald Trump doesn’t understand this. He treats enemies like allies and vice versa.

When I saw the news about his intention to put 25 percent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, our peaceful allies and our two biggest trading partners, I realized something.

A bully feels insignificant in the absence of conflict. Bullies instigate and intimidate because they thrive on drama. If everything is calm and running smoothly, the bully feels ignored.

Over the next four years, expect a daily deluge of outrageous actions and statements. The bully wants to be seen. He wants to feel important. He feasts off of your attention, especially negative attention.

The best thing we can do is to ignore the outrageous behavior. Refuse to take the bait. Focus on what’s important, adapt to unavoidable changes, and get on with our lives. Drown out the noise with success and good feelings.

The worst thing that we can do is to internalize the stress. The bully wants us to feel shocked and threatened, just as a barking dog wants us to be fearful about getting too close to its territory. Refuse to play the game. Think, “That darned dog is barking again. Oh, well. What can we do to make the most of the day?”