List of bullshit from PM Wong
PM Wong on US tariffs: Growth will be impacted, leading to fewer opportunities and smaller wage increases
PM Wong said it does not look like the tariff is open for negotiation, pointing out that "once trade barriers go up, they tend to stay up". This will lead to sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transport, and finance, suffering the brunt of the impact.
READ: https://asia1.news/3XRPBdv
Sure. Let's critically evaluate PM Lawrence Wong’s claims in the article and break down what could be considered "bullshit"—i.e., potentially misleading, exaggerated, or politically convenient statements—and why they might not hold up under scrutiny:
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1. "Growth will be impacted, leading to fewer opportunities and smaller wage increases."
Why it's bullshit:
Exaggerated fear-mongering. The US tariffs are targeted primarily at Chinese electric vehicles and some strategic sectors. Singapore’s economy is diversified, and while some indirect effects may occur (like global trade dampening), not all sectors will see major wage stagnation or job loss.
No direct tariffs on Singapore. Singapore is not the target of these US tariffs. Suggesting sweeping domestic consequences might be a politically useful way to pre-blame external factors for any upcoming slowdown in the economy, inflation, or wage stagnation.
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2. "Once trade barriers go up, they tend to stay up."
Why it's bullshit:
This is a simplistic generalization. Tariffs often go up during election years or geopolitical tensions and can come down through negotiations or WTO rulings. For example, the US reversed some Trump-era tariffs under Biden. It ignores the cyclical and tactical nature of trade politics.
This statement makes trade sound like a one-way street, which is politically convenient to justify passivity or fatalism, rather than planning bold moves or counterbalances like new FTAs or regional industrial strategies.
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3. "Sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transport, and finance will suffer the brunt."
Why it's bullshit:
No clear evidence presented. Finance is barely affected by US-China tariffs. In fact, Singapore's finance sector might even benefit if capital re-routes away from China toward ASEAN.
Manufacturing and wholesale trade might feel pressure, but Singapore's manufacturing is already heavily automated and focused on semiconductors and pharma, not low-end assembly lines impacted by EV tariffs.
Again, it’s a blanket blame-shifting move. If the government fails to deliver good outcomes in these sectors, they can point fingers at the US instead of internal missteps.
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4. Implicit Message: "The US tariffs are to blame for Singapore’s economic issues."
Why it's bullshit:
This is a classic misdirection. Singapore has internal structural issues: rising cost of living, income inequality, wage suppression in middle-class jobs, and a foreign labour policy that has stagnated local wage growth.
By externalizing blame to US policies, PM Wong is shielding domestic policy failures—especially those linked to housing, healt
hcare inflation, and job security—from scrutiny.
PM Wong on US tariffs: Growth will be impacted, leading to fewer opportunities and smaller wage increases
PM Wong said it does not look like the tariff is open for negotiation, pointing out that "once trade barriers go up, they tend to stay up". This will lead to sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transport, and finance, suffering the brunt of the impact.
READ: https://asia1.news/3XRPBdv
Sure. Let's critically evaluate PM Lawrence Wong’s claims in the article and break down what could be considered "bullshit"—i.e., potentially misleading, exaggerated, or politically convenient statements—and why they might not hold up under scrutiny:
---
1. "Growth will be impacted, leading to fewer opportunities and smaller wage increases."
Why it's bullshit:
Exaggerated fear-mongering. The US tariffs are targeted primarily at Chinese electric vehicles and some strategic sectors. Singapore’s economy is diversified, and while some indirect effects may occur (like global trade dampening), not all sectors will see major wage stagnation or job loss.
No direct tariffs on Singapore. Singapore is not the target of these US tariffs. Suggesting sweeping domestic consequences might be a politically useful way to pre-blame external factors for any upcoming slowdown in the economy, inflation, or wage stagnation.
---
2. "Once trade barriers go up, they tend to stay up."
Why it's bullshit:
This is a simplistic generalization. Tariffs often go up during election years or geopolitical tensions and can come down through negotiations or WTO rulings. For example, the US reversed some Trump-era tariffs under Biden. It ignores the cyclical and tactical nature of trade politics.
This statement makes trade sound like a one-way street, which is politically convenient to justify passivity or fatalism, rather than planning bold moves or counterbalances like new FTAs or regional industrial strategies.
---
3. "Sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transport, and finance will suffer the brunt."
Why it's bullshit:
No clear evidence presented. Finance is barely affected by US-China tariffs. In fact, Singapore's finance sector might even benefit if capital re-routes away from China toward ASEAN.
Manufacturing and wholesale trade might feel pressure, but Singapore's manufacturing is already heavily automated and focused on semiconductors and pharma, not low-end assembly lines impacted by EV tariffs.
Again, it’s a blanket blame-shifting move. If the government fails to deliver good outcomes in these sectors, they can point fingers at the US instead of internal missteps.
---
4. Implicit Message: "The US tariffs are to blame for Singapore’s economic issues."
Why it's bullshit:
This is a classic misdirection. Singapore has internal structural issues: rising cost of living, income inequality, wage suppression in middle-class jobs, and a foreign labour policy that has stagnated local wage growth.
By externalizing blame to US policies, PM Wong is shielding domestic policy failures—especially those linked to housing, healt
hcare inflation, and job security—from scrutiny.
