Tractors and (upcoming) tariffs?

[MGP4506]

I guess American companies may want to bring their manufacturing back to the US instead of Mexico and China who BTW still uses slave labor and child labor.

 

[WACATTACK]

Have you seen those cool new Toyota pickup trucks that are not coming here? That is because of the Chicken tax from 1964, look it up.

 

[350c]

Tariffs are a tool, and like any other tool, can be used correctly or misused. Other countries do have tariffs on US made goods, and that is their decision.

Tariffs are most properly used as a scalpel, not as a sledgehammer.

Canada and Mexico are our largest trading partners as well as our neighbors. I don't understand how imposing a blanket 25% tariff will "protect" us from our neighbors to the north, or how "revenge" and "retribution" (the favorite buzz words of the incoming administration) apply to them.

Mexico has their hands full - more than full - with the drug cartels. The media viewpoint is that they are on the verge of becoming a failed state, or worse, a narco-state. (Unfortunately, we have no other ways to tell what is really going on than the media). They are also a land bridge for people from central America, some of whom are desperately seeking a safe place to live, and, unfortunately, some of whom who have other, rather less noble motives.

Mexico needs help, not punishment. If your neighbor's house is on fire, you call the fire department, you don't call the EPA to complain about the smoke.

We and they need to approach this difficult situation differently. What the US and Mexico have been doing so far obviously isn't working. and slamming them with arbitrary tariffs as "punishment" isn't going to help them or us.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

1. Are "revenge" and "retribution" buzz words of the incoming administration, or the lame stream media words?
2. "Mexico has their hands full"--and what is the US supposed to do about that? Is there anything we can do, other than sending more US taxpayer money, to see the same results we've seen from doing that in the past? I'm sure you've heard the definition of insanity...
3. "Mexico needs help, not punishment." Same question as above. The fire is drug cartels and we COULD be the fire department, but I don't think anyone wants to go that route. Maybe Mexico needs to look at the end of their wrists for the help they need to clean up THEIR country. We can't even clean up our own, although some might say we have at least made a start. If so, why not wait and see what transpires before yelling "Fire!"

 

[Aquabird]

Most here need to research the purpose as well as the reason for tariffs. As far as the tariffs on steel a while back, the Chinese(ccp) were dumping steel here, charging less than their cost to manufacture and ship. They were on a mission to bankrupt all of our steel manufacturers. It just about totally worked. Other countries are thriving because of our economy, much more than we are. At one time Japan was charging a teardown and reassembly charge on all imported Harley Davidsons. A sort of tariff. China uses child labor as well as semi slave labor to produce goods cheaply to market here. China steals our technology and then markets those goods here. China also is the leader in making "ripoff" or phony name brand items to sell here as the real thing. Our govt at times will try to protect our manufacturers, rightfully so imho. There are many more good reasons for tariffs.

 

[Aquabird]

1. Are "revenge" and "retribution" buzz words of the incoming administration, or the lame stream media words?
2. "Mexico has their hands full"--and what is the US supposed to do about that? Is there anything we can do, other than sending more US taxpayer money, to see the same results we've seen from doing that in the past? I'm sure you've heard the definition of insanity...
3. "Mexico needs help, not punishment." Same question as above. The fire is drug cartels and we COULD be the fire department, but I don't think anyone wants to go that route. Maybe Mexico needs to look at the end of their wrists for the help they need to clean up THEIR country. We can't even clean up our own, although some might say we have at least made a start. If so, why not wait and see what transpires before yelling "Fire!"

Mexico slowed the border crossings considerably the last time we threatened tariffs. They have so much of our manufacturing now, that they are no longer the poor old mexico of yesteryear. Drug trafficking is huge from mexico and china and it needs to stop, our citizens are worth that. The old "phony" war on drugs, was never even a skirmish, just talk.

 

[sunandsand]

350c, welcome to the discussion!

"Revenge" and "Retribution" have been bandied about freely, the media is quoting the sources. Exactly who is going to be the recipient isn't clear, it could be the "deep state" (whatever that means, but the phrase plays very well to conspiracy theorists), it could be "immigrants" (remember, to the native Americans, we are ALL illegal immigrants, the definition seems to be "anyone who got here after I did"), or whoever displeases the government in power (no matter which one it is), and that is downright scary because there really is no way to know if YOU or I will someday be on the receiving end of that, or why. We're supposed to be a nation of laws, not a nation of vigilantes.

Fraud in Social Security? And in other government programs? Who'da thunk it? I doubt it is pervasive, because it appears they do pay attention to who gets the money and how much. Any time there is a lot of money floating around, there will always be people looking to beat the system and pocket some for themselves. An audit can't hurt, but going in with the idea that the whole thing is rife with fraud is probably incorrect.

I used to teach accounting, and there's something called the Principle of Materiality. If your accountant tells you it took him six hours but he found the dime your books were off, fire him. His labor cost you six times his hourly rate ($50/hr? $75/hr?) so how would you feel about paying $300/$450 to recover a dime?

Same thing - when we are talking trillions of dollars spread out over a bazillion often arcane government programs, there ARE going to be errors, and unfortunately, there is going to be some fraud. I don't like that, but I also don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Drugs . . . this isn't going to be comfortable, but WE are the cause of the illegal drug trade. There's a huge market for drugs here (and to be fair, worldwide), if nobody wanted drugs, bought drugs or used drugs, the cartels would have to find some other way to make money.

If we could find a non-draconian way to significantly reduce demand, the supply would dry up because if nobody wants to buy the product, what's the point of making it?

We might want to look at WHY people buy and use illegal drugs, how they think drug use benefits them (hint- it doesn't), and find or create ways that give them the same (dubious and/or illusory) "benefits" but that don't involve illegal drugs.

Tall order, but we can dream . . .

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[Duds13]

I haven’t read many of the posts but it looks like the country got what it asked for!

As opposed to.....????

 

[bvanek]

Mexico needs help, not punishment. If your neighbor's house is on fire, you call the fire department

I don't look at the Mexican people as the enemy. But "helping" corrupt Marxist style governments has a very bad track record...... and with China lurking and the Cartels in full blown production of fentanyl, human trafficking, smuggling,etc. how could anyone expect anything but a promotion of the same plan? Those in power will be the ones that reap the benefits of exporting tariff free goods into the US. Maybe we can best put out their fires by helping them dump the cartels?
The need to put out our own fire should come first.... Lets give it a try...... can't be worse than the last four years, and if it is, (which it won't be) you can vote your preferred economical direction back in charge.

add; the media is rounding up fear of Trump including the nay-sayer economic "experts." Most now say (behind the scenes) that tariffs as a negotiation tool will work. They just don't like the players.

Our interests are preserving the western hemisphere, but negotiating with those that share it is not about USA give and Canada and Mexico get....Reciprocal trade along with other negotiated terms will likely be a package deal where both parties will agree to.

 

[jyoutz]

And how do we take into account the influx of illegal drugs that kill US citizens (many of whom are children), the trafficking of women and children, the flow of illegal aliens from and through Mexico, etc., with which the Mexican government is complicit in their lack of serious intervention or control of drug cartels in their own country? It's a shame that money is what speaks most, but the tariffs seem to get more attention than diplomacy ever has.

The tariffs will bite the U.S. as much as Mexico and Canada. Mexico has already promised to reciprocate, and no doubt that Canada will too. As I posted yesterday, they are very large trade partners.

 

[jyoutz]

I don't look at the Mexican people as the enemy. But "helping" corrupt Marxist style governments has a very bad track record...... and with China lurking and the Cartels in full blown production of fentanyl, human trafficking, smuggling,etc. how could anyone expect anything but a promotion of the same plan? Those in power will be the ones that reap the benefits of exporting tariff free goods into the US. Maybe we can best put out their fires by helping them dump the cartels?
The need to put out our own fire should come first.... Lets give it a try...... can't be worse than the last four years, and if it is, (which it won't be) you can vote your preferred economical direction back in charge.

add; the media is rounding up fear of Trump including the nay-sayer economic "experts." Most now say (behind the scenes) that tariffs as a negotiation tool will work. They just don't like the players.

Our interests are preserving the western hemisphere, but negotiating with those that share it is not about USA give and Canada and Mexico get....Reciprocal trade along with other negotiated terms will likely be a package deal where both parties will agree to.

It’s a little more complex that just import and export of finished goods. In the last several decades, manufacturing processes have been integrated among the North American countries with components coming from multiple countries and final assembly in others. Many of the largest US manufacturers have plants in Mexico and Canada to produce components or do final assembly. It will be a colossal show with unknowable consequences. The North American situation is far different than the Asian situation.