Are Tariffs A Good Idea?

[sealybobo]

Remember when Nancy Pelosi said that "we have to pass the bill in order to know what's in the bill?" Nobody knew how badly Obamacare would hurt Americans until it ran it's course. Lots of people put trust in Obama (a con man extraordinaire).

We know for a fact that the Biden method of trade and economics was a complete disaster. All I know is that we have to do something drastic to repair the damage. Is Trump's method the answer? We shall see.

Serious question. Trump ran all the illegals out of Florida. So how come wages aren’t going up as a result? That was he theory.

Instead, Florida changed the law that says kids can’t work 10am to 6am on a school night.

 

[JoeB131]

Too early to say if Trump's economic plan will have positive, long-term results. Will it turn out to be a complete flop or blunder or will we witness the greatest economic recovery since the golden age of American manufacturing?

Well, it's not to early at all. We already see how Tariffs can wreck an economy. Look up Smoot-Hawley if you are still confused.

I remember the Clinton/Bush era of Globalism and "free trade" agreements that sent American manufacturers overseas at a record pace. They (Globalist politicians & amoral businesses) basically took advantage of the Chinese sweat shops which resulted in low quality goods at extremely cheap prices. Now nearly everything comes from China or India and American companies can hardly compete.

Then they need to be more competitive.

Here's the problem, most (white) Americans don't really want to work in a factory. I should know, I've worked in manufacturing logistics since the 1990s, and every job I've worked at, most of the people on the floor are immigrants from India, Mexico, or Poland.

One company I worked at decided to do a survey of how many languages were spoken by employees and came up with 19 languages other than English.

Not only are foreign companies killing us on the price war but other companies have placed obscenely high tariffs on the USA while squawking when we dare reciprocate.

Except that's not really true, either. The problem is, we just don't manufacture anything they want other than providing raw materials and agricultural products.

As it stands, we clearly have to endure some growing pains while Trump's economic adjustment takes shape. The Democrats and RINOS didn't destroy the American economy overnight. It took decades for their anti-American plan to really take shape so we can't expect Trump to undo decades of destruction in a few, short months.

Except Trump wrecks everything he touches...

 

[SaxonJackson]

Serious question. Trump ran all the illegals out of Florida. So how come wages aren’t going up as a result? That was he theory.

Instead, Florida changed the law that says kids can’t work 10am to 6am on a school night.

Trump did the right thing running criminals out of the State but he's not in charge of all the businesses and their compensation packages. He's one man. It's time for everyone else to jump in and do their part. Things like increased wages doesn't happen overnight.

When manufacturing returns to American soil and we start relying on American oil, we should see a decrease in energy costs and an increase on opportunity. It takes time.

 

[sealybobo]

Trump did the right thing running criminals out of the State but he's not in charge of all the businesses and their compensation packages. He's one man. It's time for everyone else to jump in and do their part. Things like increased wages doesn't happen overnight.

When manufacturing returns to American soil and we start relying on American oil, we should see a decrease in energy costs and an increase on opportunity. It takes time.

We will NEVER rely or buy American oil. Don't you understand that? American oil companies are already drilling as much as they want. What do they do with the oil? They sell it on the global market. The certainly don't sell it to you for cheaper than they can sell it on the global market.

Yes, increasing wages should happen over night. If no one is left to work for $9 hr, then you have to raise your wage to $10, 11, 12 until someone shows up to interview for the job. What Republicans are doing is reversing child labor laws.

Ya being played son. I see the con now. But you'll NEVER see it. Give him 2 years America will be GREAT again.

 

[postman]

When manufacturing returns to American soil and we start relying on American oil, we should see a decrease in energy costs and an increase on opportunity. It takes time.

You have it backwards. If manufacturing returns, then American energy demand goes up. With more people driving to work. More factories running machinery, and heating/air conditioning and lights.

Our energy independence would disappear as demand would grow faster than supply.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Well, it's not to early at all. We already see how Tariffs can wreck an economy. Look up Smoot-Hawley if you are still confused.



Then they need to be more competitive.

Here's the problem, most (white) Americans don't really want to work in a factory. I should know, I've worked in manufacturing logistics since the 1990s, and every job I've worked at, most of the people on the floor are immigrants from India, Mexico, or Poland.

One company I worked at decided to do a survey of how many languages were spoken by employees and came up with 19 languages other than English.




Except that's not really true, either. The problem is, we just don't manufacture anything they want other than providing raw materials and agricultural products.



Except Trump wrecks everything he touches...

We already see how Tariffs can wreck an economy. Look up Smoot-Hawley if you are still confused.

Smoot-Hawley didn't wreck the economy.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Yes, increasing wages should happen over night. If no one is left to work for $9 hr, then you have to raise your wage to $10, 11, 12 until someone shows up to interview for the job.

Exactly. No need for a federal minimum wage.

 

[postman]

We will NEVER rely or buy American oil. Don't you understand that? American oil companies are already drilling as much as they want. What do they do with the oil? They sell it on the global market. The certainly don't sell it to you for cheaper than they can sell it on the global market.

They don't understand the global energy market.
If they want to keep American oil in America, would have to enact EXPORT tariffs.

Except export tariffs are unconstitutional

Article I, Section 9, Clause 5
states "No Tax or Duty shall be laid on any Articles exported from any State."

 

[postman]

Smoot-Hawley didn't wreck the economy.

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy? | Britannica

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy? Economists warned against the act, and the stock market reacted negatively to its pas

www.britannica.com

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy?

Economists warned against the act, and the stock market reacted negatively to its passage, which more or less coincided with the start of the Great Depression. It raised the price of imports to the point that they became unaffordable for all but the wealthy, and it dramatically decreased the amount of exported goods, thus contributing to bank failures, particularly in agricultural regions.

 

[postman]

Exactly. No need for a federal minimum wage.

Except if you start to DOGE a lot of federal workers, and so many of them show up for a $15 an hour job, they drop the wage to $14, then $13 etc. until the number of people who apply for work at that wage, matches the number of job openings.

 

[sealybobo]

They don't understand the global energy market.
If they want to keep American oil in America, would have to enact EXPORT tariffs.

Except export tariffs are unconstitutional

Article I, Section 9, Clause 5
states "No Tax or Duty shall be laid on any Articles exported from any State."

I'm sure they can get around that. No Tax or Duty shall be laid on any Articles exported from any State? It's not a tax or duty. It's a tariff.

Same way they weren't texting war plans..

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy? | Britannica

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy? Economists warned against the act, and the stock market reacted negatively to its pas

www.britannica.com

How did the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act impact the American economy?

Economists warned against the act, and the stock market reacted negatively to its passage, which more or less coincided with the start of the Great Depression. It raised the price of imports to the point that they became unaffordable for all but the wealthy, and it dramatically decreased the amount of exported goods, thus contributing to bank failures, particularly in agricultural regions.

Cool story.
Smoot-Hawley didn't wreck the economy.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Except if you start to DOGE a lot of federal workers, and so many of them show up for a $15 an hour job, they drop the wage to $14, then $13 etc. until the number of people who apply for work at that wage, matches the number of job openings.

If no one is left to work for $9 hr, then you have to raise your wage to $10, 11, 12 until someone shows up to interview for the job.

 

[postman]

For the most part, I'm a Trump supporter and am generally happy with the direction he's taking the country. It's too soon to know what the long term effects of his executive orders and policies will be but I'm very happy with DOGE and very happy with sending illegals back to their crapholes.

Stock market April 3rd, 2025

 

[sealybobo]

Stock market April 3rd, 2025

View attachment 1096326

There should be a caption coming out of the 3rd car. A bubble and inside the bubble it says "Trust him, he's got this"

And Trump's head sticking out of the engine car window.

 

[postman]

There should be a caption coming out of the 3rd car. A bubble and inside the bubble it says "Trust him, he's got this"

And Trump's head sticking out of the engine car window.

 

[dblack]

Maybe we need another Tea Party.

 

[eagle1462010]

Maybe we need another Tea Party.

Careful Crazy ass leftist will throw Teslas into Boston Harbor.

 

[citygator]

The reciprocal tariffs turned out not to be based on actual levies imposed by other countries. Instead, they’re based on a formula made up by the White House ― and widely mocked by experts.

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a conservative economist American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office, called it “malpractice” in response to another conservative economist who called it “embarrassing.”

The formula, which resulted in wildly different tariffs for various foreign countries, including several uninhabited islands, first came to wide attention thanks partly to analysis by an anonymous social media user who reckoned the percentage rate of the tariffs matched other countries’ trade surpluses with the U.S. divided by their exports. The journalist James Surowiecki also noticed the correlation.

 

[Flopper]

As the governor of Virginia told the federal workers who were recently laid off.

This is what you voted for.

In general, tariffs are bad.
Why? Because they penalize producers that produce the best product at best price and reward those that don't.

For example:

Lets assume Mexico grows fantastic tomatoes, the best you ever tasted. Now the country next door, the US grows fantastic grapefruits. The US government decides we need to protect our tomatoed growers, increases their sales so they will hire more workers. so the government puts a big tarriff on Mexican tomatoes. Mexico responds with a big tariff on US grapefruits.

The end result is Mexico has to pay more for good grapefruits and the people in the US have pay more to get good tomatoes.

And the big winners are,....... the people that collect tariffs. Once tariffs go away, the balance is restored. Consumers can by the best products at best prices.