I wish Trump would knock it the F off with the tariff

[RedcoatOf94]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

 

[East Lake Dawg 61]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

I think many businesses are in the same boat as yours. It's likely to get much worse before it gets better, I'm afraid. I retired 3 years ago and looked forward to a nice lifestyle. At this point, the portfolio is okay. But we will be seriously affected if it drops 40 or 50%, which I consider in the realm of possibility at this point.

Not going to be eating cat food, but all the planned traveling (we love to discover the world and other cultures) is going to be seriously affected. We busted our ass to get where we are, and it's at risk because of some obviously stupid economic theory? Hell yeah, that would suck in a big way.

 

[atlanta cock#]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

Nobody said fixing the mess would be quick and painless. If your biggest problem is a first world problem, you're okay.

 

[Utley1992]

Nobody said fixing the mess would be quick and painless. If your biggest problem is a first world problem, you're okay.

What specific mess are tarrifs solving and how are they going to fix them. What do we gain from having tariffs on bananas and diamonds?

 

[atlanta cock#]

What specific mess are tarrifs solving and how are they going to fix them. What do we gain from having tariffs on bananas and diamonds?

The huge inequity between the amount of money we send overseas and the markets they protect from our products. If tariffs are so bad, why do all the other countries charge us? And where were you when it came to bitching about how this had been going on for so long?

We're $37T in debt. It's not sustainable, and while the GOP has been loathe to fix the problem, the Ds expressly oppose any attempt to fix it.

 

[Utley1992]

The huge inequity between the amount of money we send overseas and the markets they protect from our products. If tariffs are so bad, why do all the other countries charge us? And where were you when it came to bitching about how this had been going on for so long?

We're $37T in debt. It's not sustainable, and while the GOP has been loathe to fix the problem, the Ds expressly oppose any attempt to fix it.

1. Tariffs aren't bad by definition. But that's like saying that a 5 mph speed limit on the highway is good. Everything is good and bad. Adding tairrfs to things like bananas just hurts consumers.

2. The reason we send money over seas if for soft power. It's way cheaper than hard power. It's why we are the world leaders and the world's reserve currency. It's where our paper money gets it's value.

3. The debt isn't going to be fixed by money gained by tairrfs. Especially when Trump is cutting taxes the way he is.


4. I'm surprised you didn't bring up domestic manufacturing, which is what tairrfs are meant for.

 

[atlanta cock#]

1. Tariffs aren't bad by definition. But that's like saying that a 5 mph speed limit on the highway is good. Everything is good and bad. Adding tairrfs to things like bananas just hurts consumers.

2. The reason we send money over seas if for soft power. It's way cheaper than hard power. It's why we are the world leaders and the world's reserve currency. It's where our paper money gets it's value.

3. The debt isn't going to be fixed by money gained by tairrfs. Especially when Trump is cutting taxes the way he is.


4. I'm surprised you didn't bring up domestic manufacturing, which is what tairrfs are meant for.

#2 is a different issue altogether. We send aid, which has nothing to do with tariffs. We open bases, which pumps huge amounts of money into local economies, which has nothing to do with tariffs.

#4 - I kinda did.

 

[Utley1992]

#2 is a different issue altogether. We send aid, which has nothing to do with tariffs. We open bases, which pumps huge amounts of money into local economies, which has nothing to do with tariffs.

#4 - I kinda did.

Buying shit from countries contributes to that as well. Everyone in the world accepts our currency. It functions exactly the same. And and buying products are two sides of the same coin. Putting your currency into everyone's economy.

I will agree that this has had a negative effect on the working class in America. But it's more complicated than simply bringing all manufacturing back to America. Forcing Appld to manufacture phones here will do one of two things, suppress wages or increase costs at the consumer level. Likely both. If you're not already investing in the infrastructure to create factories you're just hurting consumers.



Also, unions dying is also a huge factor in this as well. Trickle down economics has been a colossal failure and has done nothing to improve the wages of the average person. The issue is far more complicated than adding tairrfs to everything. It's one that's caused by the very people Trump surrounds himself with.

 

[atlanta cock#]

Buying shit from countries contributes to that as well. Everyone in the world accepts our currency. It functions exactly the same. And and buying products are two sides of the same coin. Putting your currency into everyone's economy

You're conflating 2 different issues and thus I fail to follow your point.

 

[Utley1992]

You're conflating 2 different issues and thus I fail to follow your point.

I'm not. Our currency is the world's reserve currency because of how we spend money abroad. It's called purchasing power. If you want to run/lead the world, you're going to have to spend money. Soft power is far cheaper than hard power. Also. I added an edit to my previous post agreeing with how this is hurting the working class

 

[atlanta cock#]

I'm not. Our currency is the world's reserve currency because of how we spend money abroad. It's called purchasing power. If you want to run/lead the world, you're going to have to spend money. Soft power is far cheaper than hard power. Also. I added an edit to my previous post agreeing with how this is hurting the working class

You're discussing political power, influence and foreign policy. Tariffs are about opening markets and making the world open and fairer for American biz and farmers. The ultimate goal is free trade. These are 2 different issues.

 

[Utley1992]

You're discussing political power, influence and foreign policy. Tariffs anre about opening markets and making the world open and fairer for American biz and farmers. The ultimate goal is free trade. These are 2 different issues.

I'm answering your question has why we buy more than we sell. It's not too different issues. Tairrfs are not going to solve any problems. Tairrfs exist to encourage consumers to buy domestically manufactured products over imported ones. When you don't have the manufacturing base already set up, you're just raising prices on consumers. We're not getting screwed. Not in the way Trump is telling you we are.

 

[atlanta cock#]

I'm answering your question has why we buy more than we sell. It's not too different issues. Tairrfs are not going to solve any problems. Tairrfs exist to encourage consumers to buy domestically manufactured products over imported ones. When you don't have the manufacturing base already set up, you're just raising prices on consumers. We're not getting screwed. Not in the way Trump is telling you we are.

We are the largest market, to be sure, but for decades other countries have either barred our products altogether or made it extremely difficult to compete by charging exorbitant tariffs on our products. That's what Trump is correcting. Ultimately, it will be better for us in the long run.

 

[Utley1992]

We are the largest market, to be sure, but for decades other countries have either barred our products altogether or made it extremely difficult to compete by charging exorbitant tariffs on our products. That's what Trump is correcting. Ultimately, it will be better for us in the long run.

Well the EU barrs our meat and food bc it's incredibly low quality. What other specific examples do you have? How is tairffing Apple do anything?

 

[atlanta cock#]

Well the EU barrs our meat and food bc it's incredibly low quality. What other specific examples do you have? How is tairffing Apple do anything?

That's not the only reason.

Google and ChatGPT are your frens. China, India, Russia, the EU, South Korea and Japan (and others) bar, ban and/or restrict US products from their markets and/or charge tariffs at a much higher rate than us (until now) than we charge them.

Apple is a fairly unique and interesting issue. They pretend to be woke, green conscious and fair. Yet, they build their products in the country that is the dirtiest and the most abusive of child and slave labor. They are the very definition of a big corp that the Left pretends to hate. But the bottom line is we must onshore our manufacturing, IT and Pharma. It's asinine that we rely on an enemy for such important products.

 

[Utley1992]

That's not the only reason.

Google and ChatGPT are your frens. China, India, Russia, the EU, South Korea and Japan (and others) bar, ban and/or restrict US products from their markets and/or charge tariffs at a much higher rate than us (until now) than we charge them.

Apple is a fairly unique and interesting issue. They pretend to be woke, green conscious and fair. Yet, they build their products in the country that is the dirtiest and the most abusive of child and slave labor. They are the very definition of a big corp that the Left pretends to hate. But the bottom line is we must onshore our manufacturing, IT and Pharma. It's asinine that we rely on an enemy for such important products.

Do you have specifics? Also, there are no "woke" corporations. Every corporation is a soulless machine designed to maximize as much profits as possible.

 

[atlanta cock#]

Do you have specifics? Also, there are no "woke" corporations. Every corporation is a soulless machine designed to maximize as much profits as possible.

Look it up yourself. It's easy. China bans chips. Brazil bans medical devices and software. The EU bans certain cosmetics and plastics. Japan and South Korea have similar bans, and they severely limit vehicles.

Corps are no different you and I. Their policies and beliefs are created and driven by those in charge.

 

[Utley1992]

Corps are no different you and I. Their policies and beliefs are created and driven by those in charge.

There's like 2 corps with actual left leaning beliefs. Marketing towards minorities is profitable. That's why they do it.

 

[Dirty Hairy Dawg]

Well the EU barrs our meat and food bc it's incredibly low quality. What other specific examples do you have? How is tairffing Apple do anything?

Several yrs ago I was shipping to the EU and for no other than protectionism, they raised the tariff to make it impossible for an American company to compete. Then after another decade or so the EU declared one of the other products I was shipping to the EU was a carcinogen. Every U.S. producer produced studies that showed the basic raw material used for production could be used to create chemicals that were carcinogens but our product was in no way carcinogenic. The EU not only refused to budge, they banned every downstream product that was made with our product as an ingredient from being imported to the EU. This meant everyone of my customers that used the product either had to stop using it in the U.S. completely or running separate batches for U.S. consumers and another for EU customers.

The EU definitely protects their markets to a much greater extent than the U.S. government protects ours. I'm definitely a free trader but not a free trader for thee and not for me.

 

[shonuff253]

For people that say the tarriffs are for making fair trade deals well that can't be true when Trump has admitted the minimum any country's tarrif will go down to is 10%. Just this Friday he announced he's establishing a 50% tarrif on EU products to bring production back to the states mean long term and permanent. Tarrifs can't effectively be used as both negotiation tactics for fair trade deals and incentive to bring manufacturing back to America.

Similar to how Bessent today admitted that the Big Beautiful Bill won't cut the debt or deficit but hopes to spur growth to reduce GDP to Debt ration. Then here comes the contradiction...how can you grow the economy while also putting in place these insane tarrifs.

 

[DawglegrightinSC]

What specific mess are tarrifs solving and how are they going to fix them. What do we gain from having tariffs on bananas and diamonds?

We currently run a deficit of over 2 trillion dollars per year. Our congress (both parties) have no will to cut waste or fraud let alone make needed cuts to balance the budget. We pay roughly a trillion each year on interest and that number will continue to ballon until we cannot even pay that. That is why so many countries are looking to join BRICS nations and move away from the dollar. Add to that mess the fact that every one of our trade partners takes advantage of us with tariffs or other fees. Who other than Trump is even attempting to remedy this?

 

[DawglegrightinSC]

1. Tariffs aren't bad by definition. But that's like saying that a 5 mph speed limit on the highway is good. Everything is good and bad. Adding tairrfs to things like bananas just hurts consumers.

There will be some pain from tariffs but they are cutting taxes, reducing the cost of oil and pharmaceuticals in order to offset that.

2. The reason we send money over seas if for soft power. It's way cheaper than hard power. It's why we are the world leaders and the world's reserve currency. It's where our paper money gets it's value.

Soft power is not working anymore. That is why so many countries are working with BRICS countries. They see we are not serious about the value of the dollar or our run away spending.

3. The debt isn't going to be fixed by money gained by tairrfs. Especially when Trump is cutting taxes the way he is.

The debt isn’t going to be fixed by raising taxes either. Who on the left is even talking about the debt or reaching across the isle to cut waste? What is the Dems plan other than fight DOGE and Trump?

4. I'm surprised you didn't bring up domestic manufacturing, which is what tairrfs are meant for.

 

[Utley1992]

Who on the left is even talking about the debt or reaching across the isle to cut waste?

this whatsboutism doesn't work when Trump and the Republicans are supporting a bill that is going to blow up the deficit.

 

[Eastmandawg]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

Yep - have those moments too.

 

[DawglegrightinSC]

this whatsboutism doesn't work when Trump and the Republicans are supporting a bill that is going to blow up the deficit.

That’s what I thought. Nobody. Let’s just keep printing money and blowing up our debt until total collapse.

 

[litedawg1968]

Do you have specifics? Also, there are no "woke" corporations. Every corporation is a soulless machine designed to maximize as much profits as possible.

You say shit like this and then I’m reminded that you’re a Communist.

 

[atlanta cock#]

this whatsboutism doesn't work when Trump and the Republicans are supporting a bill that is going to blow up the deficit.

But, the goal is to grow the economy. The goal of your side is dependence. I'll take my chances with Trump. Your side has pretty much failed at everything the past 15 years and lied like hell to everyone, including to you.

 

[Utley1992]

That’s what I thought. Nobody. Let’s just keep printing money and blowing up our debt until total collapse.

That's what Trump is doing ding dong

 

[LRA Dawg]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

He’s just getting started. Wait til he finishes collapsing the bond market.

 

[The Original SLC Dawg]

capriciousness! The market just recovered from all the nonsense. He pulled with his tariffs on China and other dictates regarding the American economy. Scott Bessent must be pouring himself a double right now because we’re back to telling Apple, a stock whose value is helping many Americans live in retirement right now, they have to manufacture the iPhone in America, which will essentially make it unaffordable.

I’m just pissed because my 401(k) just recovered from the foolishness he pulled over the past couple of months. No one can plan in this environment. That makes it harder for the customers of my company to plan their PNLs, so they buy less from me.

Another company selling the phone for what it would actually cost ($900-$1200) if it were made here, but since it’s made with near slave labor Apple make a killing on them. Did Ethan Allen high end furniture sell for less when they moved production to China? Or any of the hundreds of companies that have moved there? Hell no. They just go on making a killing.

 

[Eastmandawg]

You say shit like this and then I’m reminded that you’re a Communist.

or socialist.

 

[East Lake Dawg 61]

Another company selling the phone for what it would actually cost ($900-$1200) if it were made here, but since it’s made with near slave labor Apple make a killing on them. Did Ethan Allen high end furniture sell for less when they moved production to China? Or any of the hundreds of companies that have moved there? Hell no. They just go on making a killing.

Do you really think an Iphone would cost $900-1200 if manufactured in the US?? It would be closer to $5000 than $1200. Americans don't work for peanuts. That's why the factories went to China in the first place. I'm not trying to mess with you, but this is a total and complete misunderstanding of macroeconomics.

 

[East Lake Dawg 61]

That's what Trump is doing ding dong

It's really bizzaroworld. The deficit/debt is going to blow up under a Trump billionaire tax giveaway AGAIN. But somehow your opposition to that means you want to blow the debt up? It's a head scratcher fo sho.

 

[East Lake Dawg 61]

You're discussing political power, influence and foreign policy. Tariffs are about opening markets and making the world open and fairer for American biz and farmers. The ultimate goal is free trade. These are 2 different issues.

Tariffs alone cannot do what you are suggesting. You have to have the carrot to go with the stick. As in, an actual industrial policy. Which means we need to offer tax incentives to the manufacturing that we deem critical. Which is high-end stuff, not widgets. Which is NOT turning screws into IPhones like Nutlick - I mean Lutnick, says (pun intended). We are only wielding the stick now. It won't work. Low end industrial jobs are not returning here. Ever. We're in the process of showing other countries we're unreliable and untrustworthy with the tariff on/ tariff off BS. And the "you've been ripping us off for years" crap. Nobody is ripping anybody off. We have more money and we therefore buy more shit. 2+2 = 4.

 

[RoyDawgMercer]

For people that say the tarriffs are for making fair trade deals well that can't be true when Trump has admitted the minimum any country's tarrif will go down to is 10%. Just this Friday he announced he's establishing a 50% tarrif on EU products to bring production back to the states mean long term and permanent. Tarrifs can't effectively be used as both negotiation tactics for fair trade deals and incentive to bring manufacturing back to America.

Similar to how Bessent today admitted that the Big Beautiful Bill won't cut the debt or deficit but hopes to spur growth to reduce GDP to Debt ration. Then here comes the contradiction...how can you grow the economy while also putting in place these insane tarrifs.

View embedded media

Good luck doing that if inflation rises and the Fed can’t lower rates. The First Idiot has lied himself into a corner made worse by giving the wealthiest more free money via lower taxes v average Americans. Tariffs are nothing but regressive taxes on the backs of consumers. Google “Smoot-Hawley Act” and learn what the actual consequences of tariffs are.

 

[zingerdawg]

The one post no one on the left wants to touch is why are tariff’s so good for other countries but not good for us. Also I love the cost of manufacturing angle. Yes. That may be true. But they aren’t going to manufacture it at that cost if no one is paying for it. The market will correct itself there. Always has. Other avenues will be found until they capitulate. It is a trade war. It is messy as fvck. It is going to be painful, and to be critical of the president he hasn’t let on how painful it will be.

And please lefty’s stop whining. Every single leader of your party over the last 20 years has said this deficit is ridiculous. Every single damn one. And when Trump was a democrat claiming he would tariff the shit out of countries at a Democrat fund raiser, it was met with thunderous applause. Look it up.

In 2024 the Biden administration doubled tariffs on solar cells coming from China. Tripled the tariff on lithium batteries. They also raised tariffs on steel, aluminum and medical equipment. Where was the uproar then.

In the end this is a negotiation tactic. We are not negotiating to try to make things worse. No matter how hard people here want to spin it. I want to see it play out a little longer. He has about 4 months to get it done. Enough time for things to get better by the mid terms. It isn’t going away.

I would much rather him correct the horrific mistakes made by the previous administration. There is so much low hanging fruit. He could have just done this with the border, wasteful spending, etc. shooting fish in a barrel. He wants to do things the hard way. Like a I said when Biden was destined to fail, if Trump fails at least we will know what won’t work. Same way the supposed democrat utopia has put their approval rating just above the smell of some fresh laid dog shit.

 

[KirbyIsMyDog]

The one post no one on the left wants to touch is why are tariff’s so good for other countries but not good for us.

This is pretty easy. Tariffs are a tax on the citizens of the country that implements the tariffs. If another country wants to tax its own citizens, good for them. We as a country prefer to buy products from a global marketplace (some here and some over there) and happily trade our dollars for these goods. We don't want higher prices on ourselves.

 

[DawglegrightinSC]

That's what Trump is doing ding dong

Again, Trump doesn't have the support from congress to cut spending. That is why he is going the tariff route so aggressively. His plan includes:

-Cut waste via DOGE which they are doing.
-Then make permanent his previous tax cuts and add in a few new ones to stimulate the economy and offset any added costs from the tariffs.
-Cut ridiculous regulations that slow new businesses.
-Tax incentives for new businesses.
-Shut dow2n the border and remove as many as possible. They are a massive burden to our economy to the tune of $200B plus per year.
-Tariffs are bringing in $30B per month currently.
-Tariffs (once negotiated) will cut the cost of what we sell for export drastically which will stimulate US businesses.
-Tariffs are bringing in trillions in investments. These investments by foreign and domestic companies will bring jobs, cut welfare, improve infrastructure, revitalize cities...

Of coarse it will be rocky and there are no guarantees, but the alternative was an eventual collapse. If you do not see that there is plenty of good things planned in this then I cannot help you. Again, what alternative plan did the Dems offer?

 

[shonuff253]

In 2024 the Biden administration doubled tariffs on solar cells coming from China. Tripled the tariff on lithium batteries. They also raised tariffs on steel, aluminum and medical equipment. Where was the uproar then.

Before Trumps tarriff war who were the other countries that established blanket 10% tarriffs on all US products?

 

[shonuff253]

-Cut waste via DOGE which they are doing.

How much DOGE waste is in Trump's new tax bill?