The TTT - Trump Tariff Thread

[Bn2f]

I personally know nothing on his policy of tariffs against Mexico. I’ll have to read up on that as, I presume, so will MAGA.

I am anxious for the promise of tariffs against China and the resulting consequences it imposes on the Chinese people who have constantly complained about inflationary prices caused by their government’s way too friendly approach towards American imports.

 

[MajorRewrite]

Good time to resurrect and update this thread.

Question - if Trump imposes tariffs on Mexico, how likely is Mexico going to be open to re-establish the remain in Mexico policy?

I guess it depends on how much backbone Mexico has. If they want to push back against US trade aggression, they have options.

Mexico is the largest destination of US exports.

https://oec.world/en/profile/country/usa#alan

 

[Rightguide]

Mexico could be first.

 

[ll74]

Mexico could be first.

Good luck on your expectations.

Fun that the first thing that he might do is trash the one manor multi country economic agreement he accomplished in his first term

 

[dmallord]

I personally know nothing on his policy of tariffs against Mexico. I’ll have to read up on that as, I presume, so will MAGA.

I am anxious for the promise of tariffs against China and the resulting consequences it imposes on the Chinese people who have constantly complained about inflationary prices caused by their government’s way too friendly approach towards American imports.

MAGAns read? You are joking right?

 

[Politruk]

In the 19th Century, the stated purpose of tariffs was to protect America's nascent industry from competition from the more fully developed British and German industries.

Just until American industry itself was advanced enough to compete globally.

That point was passed a long time ago.

When Trump talks about tariffs, he seems to mean protection for American jobs. But if that is the point -- then Congress could simply make it illegal for American businesses to employ labor in foreign countries. Ban the practice -- entirely standard practice since the 1970s -- of outsourcing/offshoring operations to countries where labor is cheaper.

Why doesn't Trump ever talk about that?

What Trump's white working-class base wants is to bring back the time in America -- roughly from WWII to the mid-1970s -- when it was possible for a white man at least, with only a high-school education to earn a middle-class income by manual labor.

Of course, the reason that was possible was that labor unions were so strong, then.

Trump never talks about bringing back unions, either.

 

[dmallord]

In the 19th Century, the stated purpose of tariffs was to protect America's nascent industry from competition from the more fully developed British and German industries.

Just until American industry itself was advanced enough to compete globally.

That point was passed a long time ago.

When Trump talks about tariffs, he seems to mean protection for American jobs. But if that is the point -- then Congress could simply make it illegal for American businesses to employ labor in foreign countries. Ban the practice -- entirely standard practice since the 1970s -- of outsourcing/offshoring operations to countries where labor is cheaper.

Why doesn't Trump ever talk about that?

What Trump's white working-class base wants is to bring back the time in America -- roughly from WWII to the mid-1970s -- when it was possible for a white man at least, with only a high-school education to earn a middle-class income by manual labor.

Of course, the reason that was possible was that labor unions were so strong, then.

Trump never talks about bringing back unions, either.

Trump's perspective on business is focused on how he can pay as little as possible for building things. That includes the use of the cheapest labor sources and not paying companies as a routine practice in his 'business model.'

His history on labor is transparent. He laughs with Musk over firing workers at will. He hires people to be fake workers at his rallies. Trump's not concerned with middle-class incomes or their health issues. Instead, he looks at his profit margins, not at people's welfare.

BTW Trump doesn't read or educate himself about history, so what you point out is unknown to him. Trump took his businesses overseas... so there is that to consider. Hell, his laughable Bible is printed in China!

 

[AceDesSpades]

Good Democrats will rally behind Walz in their support for Chinese Slave Labor and demand no new tariffs, cheap goods and EVs that do not cost an arm and a leg...

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Lets talk Biden tariffs, shall we?

https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-biden-tariffs/

He kept them all and added new ones.

Fair point. I’m generally a free trade advocate. I’m very open to criticism of the tariff’s imposed in Trump’s first term and have concerns about his vague (and dubious) trade policies in the next term. But we can’t ignore Biden’s protectionist policies. He did keep most of Trump’s tariffs in place and doubled down with some new and steeper tariffs of his own.

I suspect Trump’s campaign talk about across the board tariffs will be significantly handcuffed by existing trade agreements ratified by Congress, lawsuits, geopolitical realities, etc.

This is a worthy thread but there won’t be much to talk about until he takes office and specific trade policies unfold.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Good time to resurrect and update this thread.

Question - if Trump imposes tariffs on Mexico, how likely is Mexico going to be open to re-establish the remain in Mexico policy?

Yes. Also what constraints exist under the USMC agreement negotiated during his first term?

 

[ll74]

Yes. Also what constraints exist under the USMC agreement negotiated during his first term?

There's quite a few....which I find fascinating....that the guy who touted this deal and helped create it, actually wants to break the deal.

Seems like a trustworthy fellow that everyone should make agreements with!

 

[SimonDoom]

Raising tariffs will not bring back jobs. Raising tariffs will increase the costs that American consumers pay for foreign goods. That is an absolute bad: it means, necessarily, that American consumers' pocketbooks are worse off because of the tariffs. The long-term impact on American jobs, on the other hand, is completely speculative and dubious.

People should be free. If American consumers want to buy cheap goods from China, let them. People are better off when they are free to make decisions without government taxing them for them.

The lowering of tariffs globally in the post-WW2 era is one of the truly great things that has happened to increase world prosperity. It's a really dumb idea to go back to an earlier era that falsely thought it was better for countries to be self-sufficient than to trade with one another. Self-sufficiency is a popular political slogan, but it's poor economics. Everybody prospers from trade.

As I said, I suspect this is one policy where Trump won't follow through. He'll make a lot of noise and then cut a deal that doesn't actually raise tariffs that much but is enough to allow him to say he won. Kind of what he did with the North American Free Trade Agreement.

 

[eric_erosfan]

Raising tariffs will not bring back jobs. Raising tariffs will increase the costs that American consumers pay for foreign goods. That is an absolute bad: it means, necessarily, that American consumers' pocketbooks are worse off because of the tariffs. The long-term impact on American jobs, on the other hand, is completely speculative and dubious.

People should be free. If American consumers want to buy cheap goods from China, let them. People are better off when they are free to make decisions without government taxing them for them.

The lowering of tariffs globally in the post-WW2 era is one of the truly great things that has happened to increase world prosperity. It's a really dumb idea to go back to an earlier era that falsely thought it was better for countries to be self-sufficient than to trade with one another. Self-sufficiency is a popular political slogan, but it's poor economics. Everybody prospers from trade.

As I said, I suspect this is one policy where Trump won't follow through. He'll make a lot of noise and then cut a deal that doesn't actually raise tariffs that much but is enough to allow him to say he won. Kind of what he did with the North American Free Trade Agreement.

I think we could all use less cheap Chinese crap in our lives. Imagine if we only bought what we needed and didn't impulsively buy some $3 tool shipped from China and delivered for free by an Amazon delivery van?

 

[AceDesSpades]

defeating tariffs supports slavery: Sophie's choice?

 

[SimonDoom]

I think we could all use less cheap Chinese crap in our lives. Imagine if we only bought what we needed and didn't impulsively buy some $3 tool shipped from China and delivered for free by an Amazon delivery van?

That's a choice you are free to make for yourself, but not for others. Cheap Chinese products mean people can clothe themselves and their families more easily. It means American small businesses can source parts and supplies more cheaply and make more profit. Your wishes for how people should live are not more important than theirs.

 

[AceDesSpades]

If you ain't got a job, cheap ain't inexpensive...

TANSTAAFL

 

[eric_erosfan]

That's a choice you are free to make for yourself, but not for others. Cheap Chinese products mean people can clothe themselves and their families more easily. It means American small businesses can source parts and supplies more cheaply and make more profit. Your wishes for how people should live are not more important than theirs.

I'm sure some people have studied this in great detail. What is better? Free trade for lower paying jobs but cheaper products, or protectionism for higher paying jobs but higher cost products. As I have said, I have benefited from 3 decades of free trade. It has made me a millionaire. But look at this election. Do you think the working class thinks it has been great?

 

[MajorRewrite]

If you ain't got a job, cheap ain't inexpensive...

TANSTAAFL

We’ve had the longest run of low unemployment since the 1960s.

And there are 7.4 million unfilled job openings currently in the US.

 

[AceDesSpades]

meaningless

find a cloud, look for a silver lining or see it as a puppy

subjective metrics – you pick, choose, challenge and that beats the hell out of thinking : Google on my wayward Son. Will there be peace when you are done?

 

[MajorRewrite]

meaningless

find a cloud, look for a silver lining or see it as a puppy

subjective metrics – you pick, choose, challenge and that beats the hell out of thinking : Google on my wayward Son. Will there be peace when you are done?

Nice gibberish.

I’m not surprised that you hate facts.

So, why did you change from JoePepsiCo to your new alt? Does the inclusion of “Spades” indicate you’ll be more openly racist while Trump is in office?

 

[AceDesSpades]

When will you as much as delve into Bastiat or von Humboldt?

 

[MajorRewrite]

When will you as much as delve into Bastiat or von Humboldt?

Don’t pretend you’ve studied economics. You don’t even accept basic economic data as facts.

 

[AceDesSpades]

okay

I won't start pretending

maybe you should too...

 

[Biglibido99]

Any businesses that have started to react to Trump's threat of tariffs by forward buying of supplies from China, tying up money that should be used in more productive ways.

Let's see how all this plans out. A big shock for MAGA as inflation soars or they swallow the lies he tells about not introducing tariffs - same as they swallowed his lies about voter fraud .

 

[UltraChad]

Any businesses that have started to react to Trump's threat of tariffs by forward buying of supplies from China, tying up money that should be used in more productive ways.

Let's see how all this plans out. A big shock for MAGA as inflation soars or they swallow the lies he tells about not introducing tariffs - same as they swallowed his lies about voter fraud .

He literally campaigned for YEARS largely on the promise of tariffing the shit out of other nations, especially the hostile ones.

Where did you get the idea he promised not to introduce tariffs??