Is anyone else thinking this?

[DBA]

When we choose free trade with China, it destroyed our industrial base. We learned that if you merge two very different economies it will be a disaster for one or both of them.

We never really had free trade with China, even after China joined the WTO in 2001. There have been tariffs in place with China for decades. We also have a huge trade deficit with China.

If I said free trade, I meant to say fair trade.

Countries set small tariffs to protect their people. It's a matter of balancing their economies so nether one suffers.

There is no instance where other countries should be tariffing our goods or services at a higher rate than we tariffs theirs.

But tariffs should never be used destructively like what Trump is doing.

Why is it destructive if he mirrors the tariffs other countries impose on us. Despite what you may have been taught, it isn't up to the US to subsidize other less successful countries. The Socialist tendencies of many of the "experts" are being exposed at this time.

 

[DBA]

You cultists just can't stop worshipping this guy. These tarriffs are going to destroy our economy.
This morning two trillion dollars dissapeared from people's portfolios in 20 seconds....and that was just the initial shock.
It's going to get a LOT worse. Eventually we are all going to feel it in the form of higher prices and supply shortages. And the interesting thing is you can't blame any of this destruction on Democrats.
Republicans and MAGAts own it ALL now.
I guess that's the downside of all this "winning" you've all been crowing about since last November. Winning is only half of it.
After you win you have to govern. When you elected a convicted felon POTUS with six bankruptcies on his resume and a history of fraud you aren't setting the economy up for a very strong future. Trump was pretty much destined to wreck our economy...just like he has always wrecked his businesses.
Today the chickens began coming home to roost. It was only a matter of time.
Certainly can't blame THIS one on Sleepy Joe though, but I am sure you'll all try.


The breadth and severity of the levies dwarfed those imposed by Trump during his first term, threatening to upend global supply chains, exacerbate an economic slowdown and boost inflation. It also left investors struggling to game out what levies would do to corporate profits.

If Apple, for example, were to absorb the jump in costs as a result of tariffs on China, the iPhone maker’s gross margin could take a hit of as much as 9%, said Citigroup analysts led by Atif Malik.

The plan is equivalent to the largest tax increase since 1968, JPMorgan economist Michael Feroli wrote in a note. It could add as much as 1.5% to prices this year, using the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, while weighing on personal incomes and consumer spending.

Trump tariffs wipe out $2 trillion from US stock market

Approximately $2 trillion was wiped from the S&P 500 Index as new tariffs by President Trump raised fears of a recession. Apple, Nike, and other companies heavily dependent on overseas manufacturing saw steep declines. The levies could upend global supply chains, increase inflation, and depress...

m.economictimes.com

Ok, so if the economy is bad when Trump leaves office, you can blame it all on him(barring another COVID like situation). If it is good, will you give him credit?

 

[rightwinger]

White House Used 'Embarrassing' Formula To Come Up With Tariffs

Economists mocked the Trump administration's methods for calculating taxes on imports from abroad.

www.huffpost.com

"But 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."

Trump is making it up as he goes along and America will pay the price for his poorly executed Trade War

 

[rightwinger]

Why is it destructive if he mirrors the tariffs other countries impose on us.

Except Trump lied and he is not mirroring other tariffs

His numbers were voodoo economics

 

[DBA]

Except Trump lied and he is not mirroring other tariffs

His numbers were voodoo economics

You children will thank us all later. For now, throw you tantrums.

Just an FYI, I am down in the markets myself and I have quite a bit invested. I am not concerned.

 

[Wild Bill Kelsoe]

And if he trashes the economy and turns the US into an international pariah……Republicans will pay the price

You're both right.

 

[rightwinger]

You children will thank us all later. For now, throw you tantrums.

Just an FYI, I am down in the markets myself and I have quite a bit invested. I am not concerned.

That is doubtful
Tariffs will not bring those jobs back and we will be stuck with higher prices and a hostile environment towards the US

 

[DBA]

That is doubtful
Tariffs will not bring those jobs back and we will be stuck with higher prices and a hostile environment towards the US

Oh no, you mean Europe will hate us even more? Say it ain't so. We could just cut them off and see how they fair.

 

[MagicMike]

Ok, so if the economy is bad when Trump leaves office, you can blame it all on him(barring another COVID like situation). If it is good, will you give him credit?

Sure. But I'm afraid you aren't quite understanding what is happening here. This isn't going to be something that's even recoverable. We aren't going to have to wait until Trump "leaves office" to assess the damage. It is going to be more immediate.
Within a few months the adults are going to have to take over and do their best to dig Trump (and the economy) out of the dump.
At the very least he's going to have to backtrack on these tarriffs and reverse himself, but it will probably be too late.
So how about you?
Are you going to be willing when we're all suffering through recession on our way to a major economic depression before summer, or when he has to take advice from the adults and reverse himself on these ridiculous tarriffs in a week or two, to admit that Trump didn't (and doesn't) know what the fuck he is doing and that he's a failure?

 

[Leo123]

They won't have time to answer between working their three jobs.

'They' are working 'three jobs' now. Trump's economy will increase wages, provide more manufacturing and make it so 'they' won't have to have multiple jobs. Look for women to be dropping out of the work force for their preferred role as a mother and homemaker. Of course there will still be good jobs for those women wanting a career.

 

[rightwinger]

Oh no, you mean Europe will hate us even more? Say it ain't so. We could just cut them off and see how they fair.

Yea…Europe
Our close allies for 80 years

Also, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland

In addition to any country that Trump unfairly slapped tariffs on

 

[MagicMike]

'They' are working 'three jobs' now. Trump's economy will increase wages, provide more manufacturing and make it so 'they' won't have to have multiple jobs. Look for women to be dropping out of the work force for their preferred role as a mother and homemaker. Of course there will still be good jobs for those women wanting a career.

How specifically do you imagine this happening Leo 123?

 

[DBA]

Yea…Europe
Our close allies for 80 years

Also, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland

In addition to any country that Trump unfairly slapped tariffs on

Europe has been taking advantage of the US for years. They are like children living in our basement. Yes, we care for them, but at some point they have to start paying their own way instead of buying more video games.

 

[Leo123]

How specifically do you imagine this happening Leo 123?

I am not your teacher. Read what Trump said. Then come back with a real question we can debate.

 

[Leo123]

Yea…Europe
Our close allies for 80 years

Also, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland

In addition to any country that Trump unfairly slapped tariffs on

Gee I thought you Democrats always say Euros hate US. We have nothing to lose really except trading parasites.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

And if he trashes the economy and turns the US into an international pariah……Republicans will pay the price

Deplore, Exclude, Infiltrate

MAGA will get more extreme if Trump is sabotaged again. They won't go running to the disgusting and insulting Democrats. Three hundred million rifles will compensate the Democrats' lock on the undesirables' votes.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

I can only hope

So far, Trumps vision seems very short sighted
He is taking a huge risk with our country that will have lasting consequences

Disney Getting Dizzy

"Global Warming will cook the Earth" is a better scare story. You can't even sell your new ones to sensationalist Hollywood.

 

[JGalt]

The Democratic Party has so strongly opposed Trump to the point that if his use of tariffs proves successful, it could reshape the political landscape. If it boosts the economy, Democrats will likely struggle to win the White House for the next 20 years.

We can only hope so. But whether Trump succeeds or fails means nothing to the left, as they see everything he does as a "failure." They're either too proud or too stupid to give him credit for anything.

 

[MagicMike]

I am not your teacher. Read what Trump said. Then come back with a real question we can debate.

Answer the question!
Don't just deflect to "whatever your fuhrer said." I already KNOW what that asshat has said.
How SPECIFICALLY are Trump's policies going to create jobs and raise wages?
You sound like one of those idiots in the rust belt who believed Trump back in 2016 when he promised them he was going to bring back their factory jobs and their coal mining jobs.
Of course he didn't. He lied through his teeth.
So then the idiots voted for him AGAIN in 2024.
Just can't fix stupid.

FOXTROT
DELTA
TANGO

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

I don’t oppose tariffs if they are targeted to a specific country or economic sector.

The way to compete with China is to build economic alliances where we can control the market. Offer the alliance trade deals while you punish China

Trump has started a Trade War with the world
Unlikely we will win

No Reason Why We Can't Once Again Become the World's Greatest Creditor Nation


China and India are a ten trillion dollar market. They will soon become consumer societies, so there is no limit to what we can produce to sell over there.

Because of trying to fight Trump's tariffs in his first term, China had its worst economy in thirty years and had to surrender. "Trade War" is a scary expression only to losers. If we get back the way we used to be, we'll never lose again unless, in the future, we get back to the way we are now.