The War on Canada

8.24.26

Happy Monday and welcome back to Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Let’s break down the latest news.

Jeffries and Kushner Meet Privately Ahead of Midterms….House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and outside adviser, recently met privately to discuss potential areas of common ground, according to people familiar with the meeting. The timing is notable with the midterm elections less than 75 days away and Democrats increasingly optimistic about taking back the House, which would put Jeffries in line to become speaker. Jeffries and Kushner previously worked together on criminal justice and prison reform during Trump’s first term. Jeffries says Democrats remain focused on tackling the affordability crisis and making clear to the Trump administration that “transformational policy change” is needed. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson insists Republicans will hold their majority.

Common Sense Takeaway: As much as I want to hate this, and believe me—a part of me does—I also fully believe that working together amicably on real issues is the only way to achieve the goals we have. Jeffries knows that he will likely be Speaker of the House come November, so getting a head start on forming policies that Democrats can quickly claim wins on makes total sense. As for Mike Johnson, your days are numbered, buddy.

Trump’s 50% Canada Tariffs Take Effect….Trump’s 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods took effect Saturday after the U.S. and Canada failed to reach a trade agreement. The tariffs cover products ranging from hockey sticks and agricultural goods to dairy products, alcohol and electronics, while major Canadian exports such as oil, gas and potash are exempt. Canada says it will respond with roughly $28 billion in retaliatory tariffs beginning Sept. 8, targeting U.S. goods including steel, appliances, agricultural equipment and electronics. The breakdown comes just days after Trump claimed the two countries were close to a preliminary deal. Both sides are blaming the other for the collapse, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accusing the Trump administration of making “last-minute” demands that were unfair to Canada.

Common Sense Takeaway: Two years into a presidency and there is absolutely nothing to show for it—of course other than an endless war, higher prices, and strained relationships with our allies. The fact that Trump is still doing this back-and-forth with Canada is incredibly pathetic and weak. We had a trade deal—the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement—and Trump destroyed it to flex his nonexistent muscles. Now American consumers will pay the price again.

Supreme Court Allows White House Ballroom Construction to Continue….Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily cleared the way for construction of Donald Trump’s controversial $400 million White House ballroom to continue. Roberts issued an administrative stay blocking a lower-court order that would have halted most above-ground construction while the Supreme Court considers the administration’s appeal. Lower courts previously ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by demolishing the East Wing and beginning construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom without congressional approval. The administration argues the project is within the president’s authority and has even described the site as a critical military facility. For now, construction continues while the legal battle over the project moves forward.

Common Sense Takeaway: A critical military facility? Please stop insulting our intelligence. Trump destroyed an iconic part of the White House for the ballroom for one simple reason: to host his millionaire and billionaire buddies. That’s it. There was no other purpose for this monstrous eye-sore. My only wish at this point is for construction to take so long that it doesn’t come to conclusion, until after he is already out of office.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.