BRICS (economic not political)

[CptTrips]

Interesting quote from Kevin o'leary this am. Thoughts ?

104% tariffs on China are not enough. I'm advocating 400%. I do business with China. They don't play by the rules. They've been in the WTO for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in for decades. They cheat, they steal, they steal IP. I can't litigate in their courts. They take product, technology, they steal it, they manufacture it and sell it back here.

Nobody has taken on China yet, not the Europeans, no administration for decades. As someone who actually does business there, I've had enough. I speak for millions of Americans who have IP that have been stolen by the Chinese. 400% tariffs tomorrow morning!

I have little argument on China.  They are obvious bad actors.

I place Canada in a different category.

[CptTrips]

A grown man always weighs what his "rights" are vs what his interests are. 

"One may serve their emotions, or serve their interests.  Seldom can one serve both masters at one time."  - Gaius Julius Caesar

[AKIron]

First of all, that sounds good, even feels good.  But doesn't always make sense.

Do these uninhabited islands have tariffs on us?  Commie penguins?

If you have a small impoverished country where people live in grass huts and subsidy grow bananas and sell them to the US, are they supposed to be buying 787 Dreamliners and f-35's?

Should these tariffs go through Congressional debate and vote? 

Have all these trade disputes been properly worked through the WTO dispute process as we agreed to do by treaty?


Have all these tariffs been limited to exactly what they have against us?  Honest answers only please.

You're talking about trade imbalance. I'm just talking tariffs. You don't want our products, fine. You put an import tax on our products turnabout is fair play.

[CptTrips]

You're talking about trade imbalance. I'm just talking tariffs. You don't want our products, fine. You put an import tax on our products turnabout is fair play.

Well, Trump isn't.  He sees any trade imbalance regardless of reason as unfair.  It is an 8th grader's understanding of economics.  Maybe we should make you President instead.



But let me amend for you:

Do these uninhabited islands have tariffs on us?  Commie penguins?

Should these tariffs go through Congressional debate and vote?

Have all these trade disputes been properly worked through the WTO dispute process as we agreed to do by treaty?

Have all these tariffs been limited to exactly what they have against us?  Honest answers only please.

[AKIron]

Of course every nation should have it's own best interest at heart. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something. I'm not saying we should play "fair". I'm simply saying that outrage over matching another's tariff is misguided, at best.

And oh yeah, since when have those in our government followed the "rules"?

[CptTrips]

Of course every nation should have it's own best interest at heart. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something. I'm not saying we should play "fair". I'm simply saying that outrage over matching another's tariff is misguided, at best.

And oh yeah, since when have those in our government followed the "rules"?

Are all these tariffs only limited to match those that were already on us?

(Retaliatory tariffs aside.)

If not, are we not now the tariff aggressors?

[AKIron]

My opinion is that we use tariffs to benefit us in both the short and long term. Whatever provides the most benefit in terms buying power and employment. My point made though is there should be no crying when we simply match what others are doing to us.

[Busher]

Are all these tariffs only limited to match those that were already on us?

(Retaliatory tariffs aside.)

If not, are we not now the tariff aggressors?

This is exactly the point. I have nothing negative to say about tariffs when used to induce productive negotiations on international trade. Using them as a club benefits no one including the aggressor.

One more point... a trade imbalance is in no way unfair. You have trade imbalance with your barber... you give him dollars for a product; what does he buy from you?

[CptTrips]

My opinion is that we use tariffs to benefit us in both the short and long term. Whatever provides the most benefit in terms buying power and employment.

Do you think these Trump tariffs are going to bring us power and employment?