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komali2 · a month ago
I liked this bit by Doctorow recently https://pluralistic.net/2026/01/01/39c3/

If you're getting tariffs anyway, why not just take the yoke of American business protection laws off your shoulders? Let French engineers sell jailbreaking hardware for iphones, or Romanian developers sell unlock keys for John Deere tractors.

mrtksn · a month ago
Because they are terrified that there will be unpredictable and turbulent times for the major industries?

Just look at the public opinion polls, EU citizens are ready to take on Americans and even the most pro-US countries are barely on the green in public opinion towards US. The problems is that the old guard, the establishment is fanatically pro-US and pro stability. Which means that the current politicians are in odds with what the public wants and eventually either the public will have to become pro-US again or the anti-US politicians will take stage. US Doing stuff like tariffs that can destabilize the stability folks can push things to much earlier.

phs318u · a month ago
Except that increasingly, pro-US is looking a lot less like pro-stability. People forget that nationalism doesn’t have to have a right-wing flavour.
aebtebeten · a month ago
Related: EU-US trade deal 'on hold' after new Trump tariffs https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46662068

> The EU's ... Anti-Coercion Instrument, offers a range of punitive measures ... Among them are ... limits on intellectual property protections.

general1465 · a month ago
> Let French engineers sell jailbreaking hardware

It is sold by Israeli engineers for at least a decade and mostly bought by law enforcement.

> Romanian developers sell unlock keys for John Deere tractors

That infrastructure exists since year 2000. Called chiptuning tools, but it is usually done by Italians or Swiss. And specifically for John Deere we had some Ukrainian company, I don't remember exact name.

komali2 · a month ago
> That infrastructure exists since year 2000. Called chiptuning tools,

Sure, but it's a crime to provide these tools to people or instruct them how to bypass controls, is it not?

svilen_dobrev · a month ago
reverse engineering -everything-technological- was a national/state-funded (amateur and also professional) sport not so long ago, in quite a few countries around..
alephnerd · a month ago
> why not just take the yoke of American business protection laws off your shoulders...

Because that means we in the US may as well quasi-nationalize major European investments in the US like VW, Siemens, Saint-Gobains, OnSemi, NXP, Arm, and Nexperia and target European luxury cultural exports like Cognac (LVHM), Wine (LVMH), designer clothes (LVMH), designer purses (LVMH), and others like China did.

As a result, oligarchs like (eg.) Arnault (LVMH) would metaphorically slap Macron like they did on multiple occasions [0][1], and threaten to switch to supporting the RN. If they made Macron in 2017 [2], they can unmake him in 2026 [3].

It's the same story across Europe [4][5]. And any domestic capacity that could have remained within the EU is going to start leaving on January 27th [6].

Edit: can't reply

> how you get from IP law abrogation to 'quasi- nationalization'

IP Law protection is sacrosanct in any US trade deal, as we are a services exporter. If faced by actions like those mentioned above, we wouldn't be above retaliating.

This is why American tech companies successfully lobbied both the Biden and Trump administration to tamp down on any attempt on a Digital Services Tax by any country, such as with Canada [7] and the EU [8].

[0] - https://www.reuters.com/world/frances-richest-man-lvmhs-arna...

[1] - https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2023/08/07/how-be...

[2] - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-05/lvmh-s-ar...

[3] - https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/culture-et-idees/dossier/la...

[4] - https://www.ft.com/content/9b3d057c-16cc-4ab9-93bb-ed82c9ca5...

[5] - https://www.ft.com/content/cc06031c-f4a9-45db-ba3a-a3a23404b...

[6] - https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-india-trade-deal-...

[7] - https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/06/can...

[8] - https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/-wyden-and-cra...

shlip · a month ago
> Because that means we may as well quasi-nationalize [...]

I'm not quite sure how you get from IP law abrogation to 'quasi-nationalization', care to explain your reasoning here ?

saubeidl · a month ago
I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying that would be a bad thing?
blibble · a month ago
> As a result, oligarchs like (eg.) Arnault (LVMH) would metaphorically slap Macron like they did on multiple occasions [0][1], and threaten to switch to supporting the RN. If they made Macron in 2017 [2], they can unmake him in 2026 [3].

I don't think americans quite understand how much the population has shifted from being pro-USA to anti-USA

in the space of a year, as the orange cretin has been throwing his wrecking ball around

we don't have the cancer that is fox news

some billionaire who makes fancy handbags saying he's going to support a different political party will have zero impact on election results

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pm90 · a month ago
SGTM? :D
SpicyLemonZest · a month ago
This article is just wrong about the facts. Doctorow says "Anticircumvention law originates in the USA", but anticircumvention law originates in the WIPO Copyright Treaty, which all EU members and all their major trade partners are signatory to. The DMCA was passed to 2 years after this treaty was signed to implement the American obligations under it.
mentalfist · a month ago
Well, many jurisdictions copied or were pressured to adopt DMCA-like language, especially via trade agreements.

Modern, expansive, DMCA-style anticircumvention regime that now dominates global law can be said to originate from the US.

jauntywundrkind · a month ago
Where did the WIPO come from SpicyLemonZest? Where huh where? Honk

(It was shaped and driven by US and other big business interests.)

picafrost · a month ago
Totally bizarre to watch the US transform from the endearingly crazy and rich friend to the one who holds you at gunpoint and robs you.
loloquwowndueo · a month ago
Transforms. Look at history, they’ve always done that when convenient to them.
forgotTheLast · a month ago
The first world is now getting the third world treatment
devsda · a month ago
True. Those who think they are being unfair just now, this is actually the fairest they've been since forever. Fairest in terms of arm twisting and other tactics being applied to everyone equally instead of being selective. Previously it was on the lines of the west and the rest, but now its just America and the rest.
subscribed · a month ago
Putin's asset, propped to dismantle the US and western alliances.
Imustaskforhelp · a month ago
I have repeatedly said this but it doesn't even matter if they are a putin asset or what but what they are doing is literally what Russia wants and one can realize it when they think about it for soemtime but America's literally at the weakest right now.

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pixelesque · a month ago
To think Ted Cruz was partially on the money when he said in 2016 that "Donald might wake up one morning and nuke Denmark".

What has happened to the US...

sixothree · a month ago
Fox News happened.
komali2 · a month ago
Maybe. I feel like I watched live on 4chan as Trump was presented as a joke and then true believers started posting as well. Maybe 4chan was documenting the phenomenon but it always felt like it willed it into existence like it did q-anon.
DustinEchoes · a month ago
And social media. Trump is the social media president.
tstrimple · a month ago
Right wing media and Newt Gingrich have really done a number on this country.
pessimizer · a month ago
Fox News has never cared about Greenland, and was energetically anti-Trump during the 2016 primary, most of his 1st term, during the Biden presidency, and during the 2024 primary. They're almost fully in the bag for him right now, but hate tariffs.

But even now, Fox News refused to sign on to the new Pentagon press pass requirements, and gave up their access.

Important things are going on. It's not good to mindlessly repeat tropes; we have to actually engage with the world as it is.

mindslight · a month ago
Even being the slimeballs they are, they all each knew how bad Trump was for their party and for our country. Yet one by one they kissed the ring and now we're expected to lick the boot.
tim333 · a month ago
Yet the American people seemed to back Trump. Whenever someone stood up against him like say Rubio the polls would go like 80% Trump 20% Rubio. That's a bit I find puzzling as a non American. Why not choose someone basically decent like Rubio, rather than the Donald?
rwyinuse · a month ago
It's about time for EU to put 50% tax on American digital services, and get rid of all Microsoft products in public sector.
Imustaskforhelp · a month ago
The downstream effects for America of this can be so insane that this might be the reason that the bubble might pop in the first place when reality sets in.

Somebody should do a cost analysis of this and how it would impact S&P and the downstream effects of that as well and so on.

Redori · a month ago
Let’s see Europe survive without American tech
paxys · a month ago
See the recent news about Canada strengthening economic ties with China and welcoming them into their auto market. This wouldn’t have happened in a million years had it not been for US tariffs and hostilities towards Canada. America is truly uniting the world (against them).
padjo · a month ago
The EU/Mercosur deal looks like it’s going to pass too. This move will only make it more likely. America first will become America alone pretty quickly.
jijijijij · a month ago
I think this is the biggest indicator of permanent damage. The EU politicians aren't as impulsive and loud as the US, they won't do anything drastic when necessary changes take time to implement. They will buffer this hurt as much as they can, to cut their losses. However, the fact the trade deal now suddenly passed, after 20 years(?) of talk, points to a fundamental shift behind the scenes. Things are clearly in progress.

I presume, it's the lack of opposition and outrage. Americans letting it happen. It's evident, there is no waiting this out. Today it's Trump, tomorrow it's Vance or whatever lunatic. 38 trillion debt, but nothing to show for it, foreign assets abandoned, power projection crumbling and spread thin. Things are expected to get unstable. The US will never be trusted or even respected again, not any time soon.

slfreference · a month ago
Whitelands or Anglosphere will always be cooperating and coordinating because blood is thicker than water. So all these developments of Canada moving closer to China are superficial. When push comes to shove, the real affinities or allegiances will be revealed, ie the anglosphere will stick together.
burnerzzzzz · a month ago
Yes, its not like white people would start world wars fighting each other or anything
bmacho · a month ago
So you think that the Canadians or the Danish love you for your skin color(?) but you don't do the same, and just threaten them and take their lands? This doesn't make any sense.
deaux · a month ago
This is great news, though a higher percentage would be welcome. The sooner Europe rips off the bandaid, the better.
tim333 · a month ago
I'm not sure how it's great news? I miss they days when the US didn't behave like Russia.
2OEH8eoCRo0 · a month ago
Europe waking up would even be good for the US long term. The US has coasted on success and grown fat on lack of competition.
_DeadFred_ · a month ago
"Things are going to be so much better when we needlessly make them shittier."

WTF Americans. We will do anything to just be chill with this crap. I don't know about you, but in school when I was lazy and waited for the last minute and did my work purely out of pressure I did not, in fact, do better work, and got worse outcomes (a worse grade than I normally got).

fjfaase · a month ago
There might be more competition in Europe than you think, because there are fewer companies that dominate the whole continent.

Also Europe houses the company that builds the worlds most complex machines, which depends on innovations made by hunderds of other companies. I worked at one of those companies.

mrtksn · a month ago
So they will make the paperwork to ship from an EU country that doesn’t face the extra tariffs? EU is a single market. That’s the whole point of EU.
magicalhippo · a month ago
That would be falsifying the country of origin. The fact that the ship sailed from Greece or whatever doesn't change the fact the part was made in France say.
mrtksn · a month ago
Nope, you form a company in Italy and sell your goods you produce in France to that company. That Italian company ships it the same way you always did. Since Trump is erratic and there's no real trade deal between those countries and thus US doesn't have a case to claim that someone is breaking the rules of origin. Not to even mention that you can't put tariffs on individual EU countries anyway. That's EUs domain.

If you think that this wouldn't happen, check out Germany's exports to Kazakstan and other neighbors of Russia after EU started sanctioning Russia. It's not just possible, it's commonplace.

verzali · a month ago
And so what? The rule of law hardly seems to matter any more.
dh2022 · a month ago
Great point... Whichever country Donnie forgot to put on the list will become the country of import... This would not even require physical move of goods. What a joke this is....
joduplessis · a month ago
I wish Europe would just push back. More than what they are currently. There is so much potential there, but somehow the EU all look at the US as some form of idealogical father figure. Excuse the hyperbolic-talk.
palata · a month ago
I don't think it is true. It's like saying "I wish those kids didn't let the bigger one bully them". The reason the bully is bullying is because he is in a position to do it.

The EU is being careful because the US are more powerful.

Trasmatta · a month ago
Trump has repeatedly backed off when he's challenged. It's happened time and time again. It's the reason TACO is a thing. The best strategy against him is to be relentless about pushing back, even if on paper the US is more powerful.
MrDresden · a month ago
The EU is the more reasonable actor here. Making a reactionary move, even one that would feel good, wouldn't be the best move.

The USA is in the process of systematically demolishing it's soft power around the world.

The EU is like a super tanker that takes a long time turning and, make no mistake, it is turning away from the USA.

The push back will be felt for years and decades.

blibble · a month ago
they can't back down on this one

if the moron continues, we will go to the brink

bootsmann · a month ago
The problem is NATO, a lot of the EU is reluctant to push back because at the end of the day the US guarantees that Russia cannot pursue the type of landgrab it is currently trying to do in Ukraine against other states. The risk that the US runs into when trying to take Greenland is that this argument loses weight instantly, so the expectation is that the EU will be much more willing to use its anti coercion tools if Trump tries to make it a reality.
hermanzegerman · a month ago
Russia already fails in Ukraine where they are fighting with our old junk, and the other EU States are kicking their defense industry in full gear. What makes you think they could win a full scale war against the EU
jensgk · a month ago
".. because at the end of the day the US guarantees that Russia cannot pursue the type of landgrab it is currently trying to do in Ukraine against other states"

I am sorry to say that we (Europeans) increasingly do not believe that the US would help us.

lyu07282 · a month ago
It's like when every liberal scoffs at leftists opposing US imperialism, nothing about the power balance has changed. Europe was always a vassal of the empire. This is the liberal international order, this is what that means, not what they tell you it means, but what it actually means.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_international_order

That's why they can kidnap Maduro, have the BBC censor the word "kidnapped" in their reporting on it. Have every European politician applaud it, point to Maduros case against him at the ICC and have Netanyahu fly over France. You can't do anything about Greenland, the same way you can't do anything when he comes for Norways state-owned extraction industry next. Liberals can scream hypocrisy tears all they want, this is the world they built. The empire is coming home.

tim333 · a month ago
A vassal of who's empire?
DustinEchoes · a month ago
Leftists can go eat shit. They spent over a year convincing people not to vote for Kamala. Their preferred candidate won!
bpodgursky · a month ago
The EU has a huge strategic problem because they let their own defenses and industry rot for decades and can't functionally stand alone against Russia, US pressure, and Chinese economic infiltration / industrial replacement at the same time. At least, not without great sacrifices the population isn't willing to make, like pension reform.

So they are playing gentle with the US because it's the least bad choice right now.

tpm · a month ago
> can't functionally stand alone against Russia, US pressure, and Chinese economic infiltration / industrial replacement at the same time.

No country in the world can do that. That's not a consequence of 'they let their own defenses and industry rot for decades'.

mcphage · a month ago
> The EU has a huge strategic problem because they let their own defenses and industry rot for decades

They also have a long history of being able to ramp it up quickly if necessary.

pessimizer · a month ago
The fact is that there is no potential there. Europe has no leverage over the US. It is not holding back anything, it has nothing.

Somehow when the US went to war with Russia, it ended up completing the conquest of Europe. Europe used to just be stagnant. Now it is stagnant and isolated from everywhere except the US, and the US treats it accordingly.

saubeidl · a month ago
Europe has, in no particular order:

- ASML

- Nukes

- Large proportion of US bonds

- One of the wealthiest and most profitable markets in the world

- The world's largest trade network - currently aggressively expanding into LatAm with the Mercosur deal despite Trump's Monroe 2.0 ambitions.

Just a few off the the top of my head. There's plenty leverage there.