Getting a Mule's Attention

There is an old joke about a farmer with a stubborn mule who would not go forward or backward let alone respond to his owner's command. So the old man picks up a 2x4 and hits the mule right between the eyes. The mule then responds to his command. Onlookers are outraged that the man punished the animal so harshly. The farmer explains that "first he had to get the mules attention". That's exactly what President-elect Donald Trump has done with Canada and Mexico. His 2x4? The threat of a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from those two countries. Those opposing the plan were quick with their outrage and predicted that it would lead to higher prices for consumers. However, the result has been exactly what Donald Trump intended in the first place. On Friday, Canandian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled to West Palm Beach, Florida for a dinner meeting with President-elect Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate to discuss the proposal. Prime Minister Truedeau had already called the President-elect but felt it was important to meet with him in person to discuss the proposal. Earlier in the week, President-elect Trump and new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke on the phone to discuss the tariffs proposal. While the two differ on the outcome of the call, one thing is certain: Trump got Mexico's attention. The final outcome between the two countries and the U.S. are still to be determined, but it is clear that leading up to his inauguration on January 20, Donald Trump has gotten the mule's attention.