Trump proposes 35% import tariff on products made by US companies abroad

[The Other Castro]

Over several tweets this morning, Trump proposed a 35% import tariff for products made by US companies abroad. For readability, I combined the tweets into one paragraph:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  1h1 hour ago
The U.S. is going to substantialy reduce taxes and regulations on businesses, but any business that leaves our country for another country,

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  1h1 hour ago
fires its employees, builds a new factory or plant in the other country, and then thinks it will sell its product back into the U.S.  ......

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  1h1 hour ago
without retribution or consequence, is WRONG! There will be a tax on our soon to be strong border of 35% for these companies ......

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  55m55 minutes ago
wanting to sell their product, cars, A.C. units etc., back across the border. This tax will make leaving financially difficult, but.....

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  40m40 minutes ago
these companies are able to move between all 50 states, with no tax or tariff being charged. Please be forewarned prior to making a very ...

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  37m37 minutes ago
expensive mistake! THE UNITED STATES IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

[Intell]

He's not wrong.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Nice way to give the advantage to non-U.S. companies.

[Sir Mohamed]

LOL, pure populism. Does he have any idea why manufacturing leaves the US? Because it is too expensive. I’d like to see his supporters reactions, when prices for products like the IPhone are going way up because of higher production costs.

[The_Doctor]

He doesn't understand economics. Namely: he doesn't understand that they won't keep the jobs here. If they just won't be allowed to send it to Mexico or Japan, they turn to automation. Consumers will not allow higher prices and they can't offload their jobs ... so automation just accelerates.

In a sense, I'm going to actually enjoy this economic braindead strategy. It will bring about the automation age much faster.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Nice way to give the advantage to non-U.S. companies.

Precisely why China should just sit down and shut up. 

[The_Doctor]

Nice way to give the advantage to non-U.S. companies.

Precisely why China should just sit down and shut up. 

That too.

[dead0man]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

[The_Doctor]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

Last post. Until some Branch Trumpidian weighs in with some entertaining idiocy.

It boils down to the average Midwesterner going "MUH FACTORY! CLOSED! JERBS TO MEXICO/CHINA/(random Asian nation)!"

[Jeffster]

LOL, pure populism. Does he have any idea why manufacturing leaves the US? Because it is too expensive. I’d like to see his supporters reactions, when prices for products like the IPhone are going way up because of higher production costs.

I guess that means you oppose raising the minimum wage for the same reasons, right?

[Jeffster]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

You must also oppose minimum wages, and costly regulations then too.

[Jeffster]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

Last post. Until some Branch Trumpidian weighs in with some entertaining idiocy.

It boils down to the average Midwesterner going "MUH FACTORY! CLOSED! JERBS TO MEXICO/CHINA/(random Asian nation)!"

People like you disgust me. You are talking about millions of Americans who lost jobs, and hundreds of towns that have been destroyed all so you could let capitalists exploit labor in nations with lower standards for human rights, workers rights, and environmental regulations. Your whole argument boils down to "muh cheap iphones! Who cares about human rights, or the environment, I want muh cheap iphones!"

[Mercenary]

Prices would go up but there would be more jobs as well. It is a tradeoff that people will have to decide on. Although really they already did decide as they could have simply refused to buy products made abroad and opt for Amerocan made goods only but they like their cheap crap. Americans voted.with their wallets and they said they dont give a crap about manufacturing jobs.

[Jeffster]

Prices would go up but there would be more jobs as well. It is a tradeoff that people will have to decide on. Although really they already did decide as they could have simply refused to buy products made abroad and opt for Amerocan made goods only but they like their cheap crap. Americans voted.with their wallets and they said they dont give a crap about manufacturing jobs.

That's why the government needs to raise prices on foreign crap made in countries that fall below our standards. Just as some people would drive dangerously fast if there were no speed limits, or some people wouldn't wear their seat belts without a law, sometimes the government has to act in a way to protect people from their own stupidity.

[Jeffster]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

Last post. Until some Branch Trumpidian weighs in with some entertaining idiocy.

It boils down to the average Midwesterner going "MUH FACTORY! CLOSED! JERBS TO MEXICO/CHINA/(random Asian nation)!"

People like you disgust me. You are talking about millions of Americans who lost jobs, and hundreds of towns that have been destroyed all so you could let capitalists exploit labor in nations with lower standards for human rights, workers rights, and environmental regulations. Your whole argument boils down to "muh cheap iphones! Who cares about human rights, or the environment, I want muh cheap iphones!"

85% of manufacturing jobs have been lost due to automation

These jobs are NEVER coming back

Have you worked in a factory with automation? I have, there are still plenty of people working in those plants. Your argument is "well we won't be getting as many jobs back that we'd like if the plant came back to America so we should just keep exploiting people in the third world under horrible conditions."

Long term we can talk about a UBI or government subsidized make-work programs once automation makes more and more jobs obsolete. But that would only work if we cut back on immigration and gave up on the retarded "no borders' fantasy world that so many people are in such a hurry to create.

[The_Doctor]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

Last post. Until some Branch Trumpidian weighs in with some entertaining idiocy.

It boils down to the average Midwesterner going "MUH FACTORY! CLOSED! JERBS TO MEXICO/CHINA/(random Asian nation)!"

People like you disgust me. You are talking about millions of Americans who lost jobs, and hundreds of towns that have been destroyed all so you could let capitalists exploit labor in nations with lower standards for human rights, workers rights, and environmental regulations. Your whole argument boils down to "muh cheap iphones! Who cares about human rights, or the environment, I want muh cheap iphones!"

1. I dont care. That is however accurate on my opinion.

2. I don't care about human rights in the third world in the slightest. I care solely about our economy and the health of the global economy. 

3. Yes, I prioritize cheap goods. That's because they're a benefit to our economy.  We aren't the great factories of the 1950s.  We produce twice as more goods with 1/3 the workers.  That's not going to stop. That shouldn't stop either. Its great for us.

4. Fair trade deals won't stop the bleeding. Nothing will. Automation will only accelerate and require highly skilled workers in our factories.  Limiting immigration won't really help either unless you think Americans are cool with fruit picking.

The intelligent thing is to adapt. Not try to stop the job losses. Our economy hasn't been manufacturing oriented since John Kennedy and won't be again.

5. Have I said I don't care?

[Jeffster]

I've never understood how making things cost more for everybody is a winning electoral strategy.

Last post. Until some Branch Trumpidian weighs in with some entertaining idiocy.

It boils down to the average Midwesterner going "MUH FACTORY! CLOSED! JERBS TO MEXICO/CHINA/(random Asian nation)!"

People like you disgust me. You are talking about millions of Americans who lost jobs, and hundreds of towns that have been destroyed all so you could let capitalists exploit labor in nations with lower standards for human rights, workers rights, and environmental regulations. Your whole argument boils down to "muh cheap iphones! Who cares about human rights, or the environment, I want muh cheap iphones!"

1. I dont care. That is however accurate on my opinion.

2. I don't care about human rights in the third world in the slightest. I care solely about our economy and the health of the global economy. 

3. Yes, I prioritize cheap goods. That's because they're a benefit to our economy.  We aren't the great factories of the 1950s.  We produce twice as more goods with 1/3 the workers.  That's not going to stop. That shouldn't stop either. Its great for us.

4. Fair trade deals won't stop the bleeding. Nothing will. Automation will only accelerate and require highly skilled workers in our factories.  Limiting immigration won't really help either unless you think Americans are cool with fruit picking.

The intelligent thing is to adapt. Not try to stop the job losses. Our economy hasn't been manufacturing oriented since John Kennedy and won't be again.

5. Have I said I don't care?

Do you support slave labor too? What are your opinions on the minimum wage and regulations? I wonder if the people who support free trade agree with this mindset.

[The_Doctor]

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I don't agree with a minimum wage as it so happens. It's inefficient and only 5% of jobs are minimum wage. I'd rather focus on creating educated people to generate naturally high paying jobs.

 I think safety regulations and the minimum to keep factories running should be there. 

As for slave labor, no. Pay the workers what the market says they're worth. 

And yeah I'm a total 100% common world market free trader.

[Jeffster]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't agree with a minimum wage as it so happens. It's inefficient and only 5% of jobs are minimum wage. I'd rather focus on creating educated people to generate naturally high paying jobs.

 I think safety regulations and the minimum to keep factories running should be there. 

As for slave labor, no. Pay the workers what the market says they're worth. 

And yeah I'm a total 100% common world market free trader.

How can you claim to be against slave labor when you just said you don't care about human rights in the third world in the slightest, you prioritize getting the cheapest goods?

[The_Doctor]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't agree with a minimum wage as it so happens. It's inefficient and only 5% of jobs are minimum wage. I'd rather focus on creating educated people to generate naturally high paying jobs.

 I think safety regulations and the minimum to keep factories running should be there. 

As for slave labor, no. Pay the workers what the market says they're worth. 

And yeah I'm a total 100% common world market free trader.

How can you claim to be against slave labor when you just said you don't care about human rights in the third world in the slightest, you prioritize getting the cheapest goods?

Actually strictly speaking, if you mean 20 cents a day in China labor, I don't care. That's their problem not mine. In that context I dont care about human rights. 

However actual slavery is abhorrent. And obviously I disagree with rhat. 

[Higgs]

Smh, making the consumer pay the price is not the answer to a lack of jobs.

[The_Doctor]

A quick economic lesson in free trade. The market will gradually raise wages and we benefit China and Asia with our free trade agreements. They get jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise. That's really why I don't care about “slave wages” and the liberal hysteria about their conditions. Without free trade they wouldn't have jobs in the first place.

Anyway….

As their economies expand, wages will go up. That will in turn make pricing more expensive but presumably both the US and Asian economies will be rich enough to sustain it (or we'll all have largely automated factories that keep prices cheap).

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

gooooood luck enforcing that lmbo

[Jeffster]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I don't agree with a minimum wage as it so happens. It's inefficient and only 5% of jobs are minimum wage. I'd rather focus on creating educated people to generate naturally high paying jobs.

 I think safety regulations and the minimum to keep factories running should be there. 

As for slave labor, no. Pay the workers what the market says they're worth. 

And yeah I'm a total 100% common world market free trader.

How can you claim to be against slave labor when you just said you don't care about human rights in the third world in the slightest, you prioritize getting the cheapest goods?

Actually strictly speaking, if you mean 20 cents a day in China labor, I don't care. That's their problem not mine. In that context I dont care about human rights. 

However actual slavery is abhorrent. And obviously I disagree with rhat. 

Oh, so now you do care about human rights in the third world, but only when it comes to slavery. As long as the person gets some money for their labor, no matter how little, and they have the choice to leave the job if they want, you don't care.

So we could have a country where the conditions are so horrible that a workers only choices are to work for 20 cents a day or starve to death. And they can't complain about their work conditions because there are millions of other desperate people willing to take their job if they quite or get fired. And they can't try to form a labor union at their work because the government actively cracks down on the workers at the behest of management. And the government of this country is an unelected authoritarian regime that brutalizes any citizen that tries to speak out on these abuses, and they allow the destruction of the local environment for the benefit of private companies. All this is OK with you, correct?

Then why would you be against a person owning another human as a slave even if they treated their slave really well, but you're fine with a government that treats it's people brutally in order to entice foreign manufacturers to relocate there to increase revenue for the government and for the profit of the politically well-connected? It's the same barbarism just one level removed.

[Jeffster]

A quick economic lesson in free trade. The market will gradually raise wages and we benefit China and Asia with our free trade agreements. They get jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise. That's really why I don't care about “slave wages” and the liberal hysteria about their conditions. Without free trade they wouldn't have jobs in the first place.

Anyway….

As their economies expand, wages will go up. That will in turn make pricing more expensive but presumably both the US and Asian economies will be rich enough to sustain it (or we'll all have largely automated factories that keep prices cheap).

I have no problem with nations using their lower cost of living as a way to entice manufacturers with cheaper labor. It's when you combine that cheap labor, with an authoritarian government, and you deny the workers the ability to vote for their representatives, and deny them the ability to ensure a safe workplace with reasonable working hours, or to keep their environment from being destroyed, that I have a problem.

By keeping workers in a country like that from improving their own conditions, you essentially have a thumb on the scale preventing the balancing out between trade partners that the "free traders" say is supposed to ultimately happen.