What a Shocker

The phase one trade deal is not going to happen this year. What a shocker. If you remember, when Trump first surprised everybody and talked about a phase 1 deal. If you remember, it was never phases; it was one big comprehensive Deal. In fact early on, and I've said this before, the President scoffed at the idea that we would negotiate in stages. "That wasn't going to work, It's all or nothing, we need to get the big comprehensive deal. " Then all of a sudden he announces this phase 1 deal, and he say it's going to be the greatest deal, it's going to be great for farmers, the Chinese are going to buy 50 billion dollars worth of food; American farmers better buy some more equipment; we don't even know if they can fill this order, it's the biggest order anyone has ever had; it's the greatest achievement in the history of achievements - all this was supposedly a done deal. And then nothing happened.

Phase One China Trade Deal

Of course, Kudlow and other White House people would come out and,"Oh, the phase 1 deal is almost here - but now Reuters is saying it's not going to happen this year. Now, it's probably not going to happen next year either, I mean, maybe, because phase 1 - there's hardly anything involved in it, at least the way it is going to end up being.

How About Phase 1a?

But what I think the President should probably do is forget about phase 1. How about phase 1a? Let's break down phase 1 into a, b and c.  Let's at least do phase 1a.  First we could tease 1a, and then when we get phase 1a, if we ever get phase 1a well then we've got phase 1b to talk about!

Surrender without Admitting Defeat

Of course, none of this is going to matter, because none of the real stuff is going to be included in any of these phases. Whether it's 1,2,a,b…  Whatever it is, this is all a way for the President to try to save face and surrender in the trade war without actually admitting defeat.