Train Wreck. Clown Show.
- Thread starter Katscratch
- Start date
Guess we will see what is found. It won't be all income taxes. But there can be income brackets taken down to zero.
I’m not sure how to answer that. But given that we have them, I do hope they make our economy better by reducing unemployment and inflation while maintaining or increasing our standard of living.
That being said, I’m not sure if “success” for the tariffs as defined by Republicans will actually accomplish those things. Say there is a world where we somehow do bring all of that manufacturing back to the us (is that the goal? I think so, but I’m actually not sure). We don’t have the population to actually accomplish all of that manufacturing, and we are aggressively kicking out a lot of the people that would perform those jobs. Unemployment is low, and there is no way all the rural and trailer park folks will start working in factories placing tiny screws in computer chips. I get that republicans will want to start to look at child labor and reducing worker protections, as we have seen that in Florida, but that just feels crazy backwards.
It is a moot point though. While I still don’t get what the tariffs are trying to accomplish in the end, they are only hurting Americans now. We haven’t seen it much yet, because many companies imported a bunch of goods in preparation for the tariffs. But once that inventory starts to get low, it’ll get tough. Unless Trump just declares victory and reverses course.
I am not clear on the goal of the tariffs, and will not pretend to be. However, I am still waiting for people who are strongly opposed to the tariffs to explain why tariffs are bad if so many other countries have tariffs and trade barriers against the US.
I am starting to think the goal may be to wage non-military war on the brutal Chinese dictatorship, which is a worthy goal.
No, it is not "a worthy goal." What are we hoping to accomplish by spending the global economy? China isn't nearly as brutal as Trump's favorite dictator, Comrade Vlad.
Oh, and to comment on why these tariffs are so bad ... There is no rhyme or reason, it's just an across the board program of taxing everything that comes into the country. Tariffs should be applied to protect American businesses, not punish the rest of the world.
The fallacy that a trade deficit should not exist with other countries is completely absurd, and it's been discussed ad nauseum. Your comment on not understanding the goal of the tariffs isn't surprising, because it's clear that Trump doesn't, either.
IMO the reason for the tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the States.
Ford for ex., can't sell cars in many countries because they tariff us and manipulate their currency to make it impossible to compete.
So Ford moves manufacturing facilities overseas so they can sell cars.
We have the lowest tariffs in the world for EVERY Country we trade with.
The citizens of the US benefit from chepa and in some cases, child labor, as mentioned above, Countries that have no manufacturing environmental restrictions etc.
AI can reduce the labor force and create higher paying jobs here. We have the technology to do so.
We also need to quit relying on Foreigners for our goods that we rely on for National Security. Such as medicines and computer chips.
Trump isn't going to get 0 for 0 tariffs but he will at least level the playing field somewhat.
But but but BoilerJS, it's not happening instantly. The Democrats want foreign production of companies like Ford to relocate to the US right now, this week. They are stomping widdle feet and panties up an a wad and pooping rings around themselves because they want all of Trump's actions to produce positive results immediately or it's proof that he's a liar and and a con man and Hitler and Putin's buddy.
And when he does produce immediate results, like with illegal immigration, it's unconstitutional.
"It's mean" lol. I don't know they have no real issue. They just want to keep doing what we have been for decades that clearly hasn't worked.
What about the 20 or so countries that we have free trade/zero tariff agreements in place, and where Trump has now instituted 10% tariifs?
Don't know what you mean by spending the global economy.
However, China has been waging economic war on the US since it joined WTO. Using slave labor, IP theft, and gov subsidies to undercut and drive under US business.
And per a link to the WSJ I posted recently, China admitted in a Nov. meeting with Biden cyber people that they had hacked into US critical infrastructure and IT networks. That was and is an act of war.
If you think China is somehow lacking in brutality, btw, read up on the ongoing Uyghur genocide - which apparently you are completely oblivious to despite calling me a "low-info" poster or whatever you said.
Was supposed to be "upending," but was autocorrected.
I guarantee the US is engaging in cyber espionage that we aren't privy to. I am familiar with the Uyghur situation. How destroying the global economy help end that? Oh, and killing off the humanitarian agencies of the federal government ...
I was spitballing there are 20.
Turns out there are exactly 20:
Free Trade Agreements
The United States has comprehensive free trade agreements in force with 20 countries. These are:
I don't why except in the case of Mexico.
Likely reasons would be those countries are not keeping their agreements and/or are imposing non-tariff barriers.
Of course, but the point was that China, for the first time I know, came right out and said it is at war with us - as if to say, what are you going to do about it?
I don't agree with you that the global economy is being destroyed. If we get new trade agreements with our major allies, it may radically change the world situation in a good way for the US by boxing out China. Remember how dependent we were on China during covid. That is a dangerous situation to be in with a country that has admitted it is at war with us. Don't you agree?
The point is that he is trying to justify tariffs based on trade deficits, not tariffs that are being levied against the US.
It is not just tariffs being levied against the US, but other trade barriers as well.
I don't pretend to understand international trade policy, but when countries have massive trade deficits with the US and at the same time have substantial tariffs and/or trade barriers against the US, something ain't fair - especially when that country is a police state working to undermine the US, and even admitting it as if there is nothing we can do about it.
You previously brought up Australian restrictions on American beef and lamb. In cases like that? Either tariffs or the prospects of tariffs seem completely warranted.
Tariffs clearly have a time and place where they can be effective. But across the board tariffs that aren’t carefully strategized or are overextended when not needed are really bad for the ultimate goal; free and fair trade.
So, US economy is humming along, record low unemployment, and this is the time to "radically change the world situation ... ?" That makes no sense whatsoever. That would be like Painter cutting Smith to give younger players more playing time.
You have to have bought in to the Trump-America is a dystopian hellscape to buy in to that.
America was most certainly not a dystopian hellscape the four years pre-Trump.
This is exactly right. The propaganda that told us there were vast caravans of immigrants coming to take over the country, that China was going to attack, Iran was on the verge of firing nukes at us ... All complete garbage.
