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San Francisco Chronicle​

Letters: Who benefits from Trump's tariff zigzagging? It won't be businesses or most Americans

Regarding 'Wall Street rises and markets rally worldwide as Trump softens his tough talk on tariffs and the Fed' (Biz & Tech, April 23): It seems we're caught in a loop: Donald Trump giveth and Trump taketh away. What's really going on, and what's the point of this jerking around? The president claims the tariffs are for our own good and that short-term pain will lead to long-term gain. But if that's the strategy, why the back-and-forth? Why the sudden 'pauses' or talk of 'nice conversations' with China? If tariffs are the cure, why not just take the medicine and move on? Our trading partners can't respond meaningfully to U.S. trade policy because there is no consistency. Without stability, trade stagnates. U.S. businesses are similarly paralyzed. Without a clear direction, how can they decide whether to expand, downsize or reconfigure supply chains? Planning becomes nearly impossible in a policy environment that shifts by the tweet. And there's the markets. Investors — including everyday Americans with 401(k)s and retirement accounts — watch helplessly as their savings swing wildly. Meanwhile, speculators with insider knowledge of what Trump will say next can potentially profit handsomely from these market shocks. I hate to think this is by design, but I struggle to see who else benefits from this chaotic approach. If the economy collapses under this weight, there won't be any winners, and I fear that the consequences of this recklessness could be severe. David Posner, Napa Research is worthy The money is not an entitlement but an investment in our society. Much of the funding awarded to Harvard University is for science, including research regarding obesity, organ transplants, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Harvard also gets funding from other sources, but after World War II, it became an initiative of the U.S. government to invest in science and research with our universities, which has made us the world's leader in innovation. Important research should not be held hostage to the whims of our president, and universities need to be able to educate and conduct research without the oversight of a political agenda. Michael McNally, Concord Gender identity matters Regarding 'UK right about sex' (Letters to the Editor, April 21): Letter writer Curtis Carlson's usage of 'performative' and 'superficial' is problematic. One cannot simply dismiss gender identity in that manner. While most of the time biology and identity are in alignment, sometimes they are not, creating a condition called gender dysphoria, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the primary reference for psychiatry. Gender dysphoria affects a minuscule percentage of the population, which is why it's shocking that it has become headline-grabbing. I've known people who have transitioned, and they've gone from being in distress to being strong, confident and comfortable with themselves. As a society, I'm not sure why it's so hard to just be supportive, understanding and loving to them. Roger Feigelson, Belmont Why the negativity? What's next, bemoaning the decrease in fentanyl overdoses because it hurts the livelihood of drug dealers? Matt Goldberg, Oakland The real rube Regarding 'Warriors assistant rallies behind Steve Kerr after ex-part owner's 'hapless rube' jab' (Scott Ostler, April 22): Tech billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya criticized Warriors head coach Steve Kerr for expressing support for Harvard University because it is an 'institution that hinders free speech and fosters antisemitism.' There is a rube in this discussion, and it is not Steve Kerr. Bret Yeilding, South Glastonbury, Conn.