Why don't you want to tax the rich?

[SweetTea]

And you're quite the idiot. Not everything has a tariff on it, people can buy domestic stuff or some other alternative. You're right about one thing though, Trump was wrong when he said the foreign exporters would pay the tariff. Imagine that, a politician that lied.

They don’t literally pay the tariffs, but many have lowered their prices to “eat” some of them. Semantics.

 

[SweetTea]

Yeah, the cap needs to be removed and everyone should get taxed on every dollar made.

That is not was SS was designed to do. You are asking for an additional huge subsidy once again financed by the “rich”.

 

[SweetTea]

First, tariffs are paid by the importer when the shipment enters the US at the point of entry, NOT the exporter, that is untrue. The importer and the exporter may or may not agree on a lower price for the imported stuff in any future contract so the importer doesn't take a hit for whatever the product is. If the importer and the exporter cannot come to an agreement, then the exporter may take his business elsewhere, same as the importer can look elsewhere to get the price he/she wants. It isn't like the foreign exporter has no choices, he/she doesn't have to eat the cost of the tariff. What usually happens is that the importer pays the tariff and passes the cost onto US businesses and ultimately US consumers.

This isn’t a tariff thread, but suffice to say that there is a huge underestimation of the power of the US consumer and the willingness of foreign manufacturers and exporters to retain those consumers at all costs, including “eating” some of the tariffs by lowering their their prices to the US importer.

 

[SweetTea]

Here's something else that might help you understand it. It's from Trump's IRS site.
It could be that your strong suit isn't arithmetic. If not, find someone who can explain it to you. (Please don't take that as an insult. We are not all good at everything. I can't do auto mechanics.)

A $5 hamburger cost more relative to income for a poor person than a rich person. Should the price of a hamburger be income based rather than a set price for everyone? Should Elon Musk be forced to pay $20,000 for his hamburger? Regressive is just a buzz word that has caught on much like the phrase the rich must pay their “fair share”.

 

[Company 13]

Foreign manufacturers and exporters are paying a portion of the tariffs by lowering their prices. A portion is being absorbed by the importers and some is being passed along to the consumer. TDS folks refuse to acknowledge this fact. It is almost as if they don’t understand CPI and PPI numbers.

A few exporters are lowering prices. But not all of them. And our prices are going up as a result, even as Trump convinces the ignorant that foreign countries have to pay the tariffs.
Is it okay for a president to have tantrums and put huge tariffs on a country because he doesn't like the things they say? Then remove the tariffs. Then put them back. Etc.?

 

[Company 13]

A $5 hamburger cost more relative to income for a poor person than a rich person. Should the price of a hamburger be income based rather than a set price for everyone? Should Elon Musk be forced to pay $20,000 for his hamburger? Regressive is just a buzz word that has caught on much like the phrase the rich must pay their “fair share”.

I'm not saying businesses should have different prices for different customers. But it's the government taxing us. And they do have different rates.
I haven't heard anyone saying "regressive." I have heard "fair share," but I didn't say it.

 

[SweetTea]

And our prices are going up as a result

Headline CPI was 2.7% in November of 2024. They were 2.7% in November of 2025 with Trump’s tariffs. I fail to see your point.

I haven't heard anyone saying "regressive." I have heard "fair share," but I didn't say it.

I could have sworn you were arguing that tariffs are a regressive tax on consumers. If not, I apologize, if so, my point stands.

 

[Company 13]

Headline CPI was 2.7% in November of 2024. They were 2.7% in November of 2025 with Trump’s tariffs. I fail to see your point.



I could have sworn you were arguing that tariffs are a regressive tax on consumers. If not, I apologize, if so, my point stands.

My point is that prices are rising because of the tariffs.
Tariffs ARE a regressive tax on consumers. You are pretending they have no effect. You're just wrong.
As for your stats, don't they come from Trump?

 

[Redfish]

Maybe this will help. I copied it elsewhere.

• Uniform Rate, Disproportionate Impact: Everyone pays the same fixed tax rate on a given purchase. However, that fixed dollar amount represents a much greater financial burden for someone with a low income than for someone with a high income. For example, a $50 sales tax on a purchase would be a much larger percentage of a $2,000 monthly income than of a $10,000 monthly income.

well duh!!! of course, but that is not the point, everyone needs to have some skin in the game, and a flat tax does that, why do you libs always want to punish success and reward failure?

 

[task0778]

They don’t literally pay the tariffs, but many have lowered their prices to “eat” some of them. Semantics.

Tell you what, I don't doubt that there may be instances where a foreign exporter will low his price temporarily, same as some US importers are doing. Or they spread the cost around to other items with no tariff on them, believing that in 2026 (election year) Trump will reduce, delay, or drop at least some tariffs. Which he has been doing all along, for various reasons.

Some call it semantics. I call it misinformation, tariffs are paid by the importing company at the point of entry. Period. That company will no doubt try to negotiate a lower price from the exporting company, who as you say might eat some of that cost. But while the US is the biggest market in the world for whatever you want to sell, they ain't the only game in town. Which means the exporting company may decide to do business with another importer from another country. Or they may decide to just wait out the tariff storm.

 

[Redfish]

My point is that prices are rising because of the tariffs.
Tariffs ARE a regressive tax on consumers. You are pretending they have no effect. You're just wrong.
As for your stats, don't they come from Trump?

prices of foreign goods are rising due to tariffs, and that is the whole point--to make domestic goods competitive.

Why do you think Italy puts a 100% tariff on Harleys? to incentivize Italians to buy Italian motorcycles.

 

[Company 13]

well duh!!! of course, but that is not the point, everyone needs to have some skin in the game, and a flat tax does that, why do you libs always want to punish success and reward failure?

A flat tax does not do that. It places a bigger burden on the poor that progressive taxes.

 

[Redfish]

A few exporters are lowering prices. But not all of them. And our prices are going up as a result, even as Trump convinces the ignorant that foreign countries have to pay the tariffs.
Is it okay for a president to have tantrums and put huge tariffs on a country because he doesn't like the things they say? Then remove the tariffs. Then put them back. Etc.?

don't like tariffs? buy american, there no tariffs on american products sold in america

 

[Company 13]

prices of foreign goods are rising due to tariffs, and that is the whole point--to make domestic goods competitive.

It won't work because we don't have domestic products since corporations jobs overseas.
Help me think of a domestic product I can buy instead of imports. And remember even things made here import parts for the things they make.

 

[Hafar1014]

A flat tax does not do that. It places a bigger burden on the poor that progressive taxes.

It does not since the first 35000 is tax free

 

[Company 13]

don't like tariffs? buy american, there no tariffs on american products sold in america

It's frustrating that conservatives are so ignorant. But in a way, it's entertaining too.

Help me think of a domestic product I can buy instead of imports. And remember even things made here import parts for the things they make.

 

[Redfish]

A flat tax does not do that. It places a bigger burden on the poor that progressive taxes.

so you want the poor to be untaxed and the successful to pay the full burden? the rich will leave the country and so will many businesses. punative taxation never works

 

[Company 13]

It does not since the first 35000 is tax free

Oh, so it's not really a flat tax. OK. Will unearned income be taxed too?

 

[M14 Shooter]

so you want the poor to be untaxed and the successful to pay the full burden?

Socialists are like that - its a great way to buy votes.

 

[Redfish]

It's frustrating that conservatives are so ignorant. But in a way, it's entertaining too.

Help me think of a domestic product I can buy instead of imports. And remember even things made here import parts for the things they make.

a Harley rather than a BMW motorcycle.