Mod Pools, Tariffs and Trump
I’ve been asked a lot over the last 2 years if the Trump tariffs have impacted us or our projects and I think with confidence that I’m sure it’s caused some inflation here and there embedded invisibly of some of the product or services we buy, but it was hard to see. But generally I was surprised by the non-impact.
Not any longer as madman Trump throws a fit and slaps a 50% tariff on many Canadian imports, one being sporting goods, a category which my modular pool seems to fit into. So they have my $81,000, and now are trying to figure out who and when is going to pay $40,000 more just to sell or buy the same product. While I’m unsympathetic to the idea that I should pay those tariffs for my seller, I’m empathetic that it is an existential problem for this modular container pool company, Mod Pools. The problem is the 4 or 5 people who work there including the Owner Levi are so damn annoying that I was dying to buy this last pool and never have to deal with them and their shitty company again - but alas, not the case. I’m stuck in tariff limbo with them, like a poorly paired college dorm room-mate -except there is $80k on the line, which is a lot of money even if you do the after tax rationality of $50k. My guess is this can’t last, this latest round of tariffs - it’s like mutually assured destruction.
Trump’s losing streak must really be getting him to be lashing out like this, hurting non-constituents as well as the MAGA crowd. At least when he messed around with the SALT taxes on high tax blue states, it was a somewhat targeted political attack - this is more spray and pray. Not sure what the end game is but to have Canada capitulate. I can’t even follow the story except Trump didn’t get what he wanted so he melted down. Same as in Iran, but there we just go ahead and kill a few more thousand people with some bombs. The impact of this round of tariffs will actually produce some pain and impact - can't see many positives of it no matter what angle I'm looking from.
Great way to expend our power and reputation - no one can afford gas, health care, child care, education or the cost of living everyday, but let’s bomb people and start trade wars.
This new Modern Masterpiece has me returning to my roots as an experimenter and designer. Should be listed next week.
