Soylent Green is what happens when you never say "no" to capitalism and its neoliberal extension, globalization, which is in many ways just the elevation of the corporation above the sovereign state.

Inequality, scarcity, a collapsing environment, mass unemployment, overpopulation. These things are really important, but we mainly binge on political news in this country that serves the interests of the two major parties, neither of which has any plans to deal with any of these problems in a serious way. Both parties mainly serve different teams of billionaire donors and their corporations.

Capitalism without ever being told "no" is probably what economists consider to be most "efficient." But to me, it seems most efficient at moving wealth to the wealthy. Sometimes you simply have to say, "No."

That could take the form of a regulation, a tariff, a subsidy, even a downright jobs program or a safety net program like universal income. You could complain about tinkering with the sanctity of prices set by the financial marketplace of all things, but that marketplace is ultimately on a course to deplete this planet.

So I just don't get the same knee-jerk reaction that everyone else does to modest protectionism and intervention in the markets. My reaction to this news about a steel tariff is mostly concern that it is Trump doing it because he is not capable of doing something for a good reason.