{"id":42769,"date":"2025-04-10T11:55:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T11:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idea.membrane.com\/songwriter\/?p=42769"},"modified":"2025-04-10T11:55:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T11:55:18","slug":"fish-out-of-water-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingarthur.com\/songwriter\/2025\/04\/10\/fish-out-of-water-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Fish Out of Water"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fish-Out-of-Water-0.mp3<\/a>
\nFish-Out-of-Water-0.mp4<\/a>
\nFish-Out-of-Water-I.mp3<\/a>
\nFish-Out-of-Water-I.mp4<\/a>
\nFish-Out-of-Water-intro.mp3<\/a><\/p>\n

[Intro]
\nFlip-flopping
\n(Like a fish out of water)
\nJaw dropping
\n(Watching the slaughter)<\/p>\n

[Verse 1]
\nIt’s hard to breathe
\n(When you’re out of your zone)
\nMamas will grieve
\n(When they’re left alone)<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nFlip-flopping
\n(Like a fish out of water)
\nJaw dropping
\n(Watching the slaughter)<\/p>\n

[Bridge]
\nThere’s just no air
\nAnywhere
\nNo air there
\nBear<\/p>\n

[Verse 2]
\nHe just can’t choose
\nWhich way to lose
\nWant’s to lose it all
\nThe final fall<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nFlip-flopping
\n(Like a fish out of water)
\nJaw dropping
\n(Watching the slaughter)<\/p>\n

[Bridge]
\nThere’s just no air
\nAnywhere
\nNo air there
\nBear<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nFlip-flopping
\n(Like a fish out of water)
\nJaw dropping
\n(Watching the slaughter)<\/p>\n

[Outro]
\nThere’s just no air
\nAnywhere
\nNo air there
\nBear<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE SONG<\/p>\n

Yesterday\u2019s unprecedented bounce in the stock market was nothing more than a temporary sugar high \u2014 a dead cat bounce in market jargon. It was fleeting, emotional, and utterly disconnected from the underlying economic reality. Fundamentally, nothing positive has changed. In fact, the situation is worse. Far worse.<\/p>\n

Why Did Trump Blink on Tariffs?<\/h3>\n

The reason for Trump\u2019s abrupt about-face on his tariffs wasn\u2019t because of some grand negotiation tactic or economic strategy. It was panic. The night before, the U.S. Treasury bond market suffered one of its worst liquidity crises in modern history. The collapse in bond demand triggered fears that the Federal Reserve might have to step in with emergency intervention. At that exact moment, Trump announced a 90-day \u201cpause\u201d on certain tariffs \u2014 a clear attempt to calm the waters.<\/p>\n

This pause was not a sign of strength. It was a sign of weakness and desperation.<\/p>\n

Traders took the opportunity to buy oversold stocks, but longer-term investors smartly used the bounce to sell into strength. And this morning? Futures were already down again, signaling that smart money knows this isn\u2019t over.<\/p>\n

Tariffs Are Still in Place \u2014 And More Are Coming<\/h3>\n

Many of these countries already have long-standing trade agreements with the U.S. \u2014 agreements that Trump has repeatedly violated or unilaterally torn up. So why would anyone believe he\u2019s negotiating in good faith now? The pattern is clear: deals don\u2019t mean much if one side keeps changing the rules.<\/p>\n

Nothing about the structural trade conflict has improved. The tariff pause doesn\u2019t change the fact that the U.S. and China, the world\u2019s two largest economies, are escalating toward a full-blown economic war. The new tariff structure is estimated to create an effective 145% tariff on Chinese imports into the U.S., and an 84% tariff on U.S. exports to China.<\/p>\n

Global trade between the two countries could fall by 80% or more \u2014 a staggering figure that would destroy supply chains, eliminate jobs, increase consumer prices, and plunge the global economy into recession.<\/p>\n

This is already happening.<\/p>\n

Canceled CapEx and Collapsing Investment<\/h2>\n

We are seeing the damage show up in real-time across corporate America. Capital expenditures (CapEx) \u2014 the lifeblood of future economic growth \u2014 are being slashed or outright canceled:<\/p>\n