Freedom, Not Tariff, Is the Most Beautiful Word in the Dictionary

[Revmitchell]

They do so to the harm of their own people. Harm which you seem intent on imposing on the American people.

You may believe so but they have not seen it that way for years.

 

[KenH]

I didn't say that at all I want foreign countries who import goods to do that.

But that is not how tariffs work. Tariffs are paid by the importer.

 

[KenH]

You may believe so

I know so. Tariffs are bad for any populace forced to suffer the consequences of the imposition of them by their government.

 

[Revmitchell]

Demagogic baloney.

Not at all it is wealth redistribution. We have paid 4.5% of our GDP toward NATO while they only paid 1.5%. We paid billions more toward Ukraine that all of the UK. That is fleecing. They charge us high tariffs on everything while we pander the a posse version for free trade. That is fleecing.

 

[KenH]

We have not lost all of it and we need to ramp up what we have.

And it will takes years to build the production facilities to replace what Americans import. And what about raw materials that don't even exist in the United States?

Again, you want to impose unnecessary economic pain and misery on the American people.

 

[Revmitchell]

But that is not how tariffs work. Tariffs are paid by the importer.

Sigh, it is how they work. We do not charge our own people higher prices for products others bring into the market that is absurd.

 

[KenH]

Not at all

Yes, it is.

 

[Revmitchell]

And it will takes years to build the production facilities to replace what Americans import. And what about raw materials that don't even exist in the United States?

Again, you want to impose unnecessary economic pain and misery on the American people.

You need to stop accusing me of wanting things I never said I wanted. It is not honest. be careful

 

[Revmitchell]

Yes, it is.

Good luck with that

 

[KenH]

Sigh, it is how they work. We do not charge our own people higher prices for products others bring into the market that is absurd.

1) Tariffs are paid by the importer.
2) The importer can eat the additional cost, or
3) The importer can pass along the additional cost to the purchaser of his product, or
4) The importer can split the additional cost between eating it and passing it along.

 

[KenH]

Good luck with that

God is absolutely totally sovereign. There is no such thing as "luck".

 

[KenH]

You need to stop accusing me of wanting things I never said I wanted.

You, and you are not the only one, are advocating for policies that will cause economic harm on the American people. I am not saying that you are doing so maliciously.

 

[JonC]

The best outcomes have been when nations work cooperatively together to reduce trade barriers, not punitively.

I agree. The problem is nations do not work cooperatively together.

China depends on the government being a part of manufacturing, on exploring (to our standards) workers, on subsidies, on government control of internal wages and prices, and on child labor (again, to US standards). This means that free trade with China is impossible (China does not have free trade within its own nation).


The ideal situation would be no tariffs but US citizens support US manufacturing. Problem is we are less inclined to pay more money for like goods. We are, theoretically, against child labor but in practice we support the practice to save money.

 

[Revmitchell]

You, and you are not the only one, are advocating for policies that will cause economic harm on the American people. I am not saying that you are doing so maliciously.

You said that I want. I did not say that I want. You misrepresented what I said. Now you may sincerely believe that is the outcome of my position but that is not the same thing as I want. In either case you are wrong

 

[KenH]

Well, quite the written dustup we have had on this thread. I have made my points. I had not intended this morning to spend so much time on this thread this morning. So, please don't take offense if I do not make further replies to comments on this thread. I need to move on with my day and do other things.

 

[JonC]

Yes, they will. They are paid by the importer, who either has to eat the cost and/or pass it along to the purchaser of his product.

I think @reverse point was that the US does not pay tariffs Trump imposes on other countries.

But yes, if you exported milk to Canada you would pay over the over 200% tariff Canada imposes (after tariff-free milk was met) and either eat the cost or pass it along to the Canadian consumer. You would probably have elevated your costs to help cover the future tariffs and considered any cost left as a business cost.

 

[JonC]

And how is a "fair" price to be effectively and efficiently arrived at? By the free market.

It is arrived at by offsetting competitive products in the market to compensate for unfair advantages (like slave labor, subsidies, government ownership, and even resources). These offsets are traditionally tariffs, but have also included exclusion of certain products and, in many countries, government subsidies.

 

[JonC]

In the end the question is one regarding the purpose of government. Is the government primarily responsible to look after the interests of its citizens or the whole world?

I believe the former, but I'm a bit of an isolationist.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Thread closed at request of OP.