Republican senators balk at Trump’s trade aid for farmers

[Chris]

I think youre doomsaying doc, tariffs have worked perfectly in the past, Reagan put tariffs on a number of items.

Change Japan with China today. Back then the democrats were for it btw

I said this in my other post, trying tariffs imho is prudent, we have a hundreds of billions of dollar trade deficit with china, meaning our money goes there and none comes back. They are using that money to build the worlds greatest and most dangerous superpower. The same situation is beginning to arise with mexico.

This trade deficit was OUR CORPORATIONS off shoring to avoid taxs and 15cts an hour labor, they are just as much the benefactors of the trade deficit as china. They are the ones pushing congress to fight tariffs because it hurts their pocket book. Trump is attempting to make it more appealing for them to come back home and start enhancing the quality of life of americans. I GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR AT LEAST TRYING. If it doesnt work reverse it.


President Reagan, asserting that he was trying ''to enforce the principles of free and fair trade,'' imposed a 100 percent tariff today on some Japanese-made computers, television sets and power tools.
White House officials said American consumers could substitute similar foreign and domestic products to avoid higher prices. Retailers agreed that consumers should feel little effect, except for those who buy laptop computers. [ Page 31. ] The proclamation, the first major retaliation against Japan in the postwar period, reflects the Administration's contention that Tokyo failed to comply with a semiconductor agreement signed with Washington last July. 'Deeply Regrettable'
Japanese officials continued to argue that Japan was upholding the semiconductor agreement, and called on Washington to withdraw the tariff. While also sounding a conciliatory note, Tadashi Kuranari, Japan's Foreign Minister, said, ''Japan finds it deeply regrettable that the United States Government has put into effect unilateral measures against Japan.'' [ Page 31. ] The American tariff action covers products whose sales to the United States brought Japanese manufacturers $300 million last year, which is a tiny fraction of the $23 billion in electronic products that Japan exported to the United States last year.
Nonetheless, Administration officials viewed the tariffs, which take effect today, as an important signal on trade. Calls for restrictions have mounted in Congress, and today members of Congress said pressures remained strong for a tough trade bill this year. Analysis and Study Cited
The White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, who announced Mr. Reagan's decision, said the President was acting with ''great reluctance'' but after ''a long period of analysis and study and the hardest of evidence that
we can muster.''

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/18/b...-japanese.html

Walter Mondale campaigned on tariffs and the democrat congress were for them.

Democrat Protectionism: It Won't Win Elections Or Help the Economy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1985/09/29/democrat-protectionism-it-wont-win-elections-or-help-the-economy/267aa84f-8633-45d4-be49-715b163d8357/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.df04a9c2ff80

In reality, tariffs only harm the consumers of the country that imposes them.

Trade deficits aren't what most think they are since US$ going out to purchase foregin goods can only be used to purchase US goods or to investing in the US. There is no loss.

It's not that doc is doomsaying, it that she's doomsaying Trump's tariffs while defending Canadian and other countries' tariffs that Trump is reacting to.

[Dr. Who]

In reality, tariffs only harm the consumers of the country that imposes them.

Trade deficits aren't what most think they are since US$ going out to purchase foregin goods can only be used to purchase US goods or to investing in the US. There is no loss.

It's not that doc is doomsaying, it that she's doomsaying Trump's tariffs while defending Canadian and other countries' tariffs that Trump is reacting to.

https://business.financialpost.com/n...-protectionism

[Chris]

https://business.financialpost.com/n...-protectionism

And you're trying to say both countries subsidies are bad, right?

[Dr. Who]

And you're trying to say both countries subsidies are bad, right?

Bad for consumers in general, but sometimes there are other considerations, including food security. Once you lose an industry to overwhelming competition, if push comes to shove and you really need it, it's not there. Every country must always remain self-sufficient in those areas of production where if suddenly in a situation where trade goods cannot be imported, life can continue on without major food shortages or without the ability to secure the nation. I understand the need for America to protect its steel and aluminum industry, but if it's that important, then, and I know that you will vehemently disagree, subsidize it so that no matter what, it won't fail. Canada's dairy industry is far too small to survive US industrialized mega dairy farm exports without massive tariffs being imposed and actually, it's really only milk that is protected, not milk products. Like sugar and cotton in the US, Canadian milk is off the table. Non-negotiable. Every country has its sacred cows.

[Chris]

Bad for consumers in general, but sometimes there are other considerations, including food security. Once you lose an industry to overwhelming competition, if push comes to shove and you really need it, it's not there. Every country must always remain self-sufficient in those areas of production where if suddenly in a situation where trade goods cannot be imported, life can continue on without major food shortages or without the ability to secure the nation. I understand the need for America to protect its steel and aluminum industry, but if it's that important, then, and I know that you will vehemently disagree, subsidize it so that no matter what, it won't fail. Canada's dairy industry is far too small to survive US industrialized mega dairy farm exports without massive tariffs being imposed and actually, it's really only milk that is protected, not milk products. Like sugar and cotton in the US, Canadian milk is off the table. Non-negotiable. Every country has its sacred cows.

I figured you meant bad for US tariffs but good for Canadian.

You realize the sugar industry in the US is run by one family that garnered those protections from the US government. That's collusion, that's corruption. I bet if we looked into Canadian history we'd find the same.

Why do you call corruption a sacred cow?

[Dr. Who]

I figured you meant bad for US tariffs but good for Canadian.

You realize the sugar industry in the US is run by one family that garnered those protections from the US government. That's collusion, that's corruption. I bet if we looked into Canadian history we'd find the same.

Why do you call corruption a sacred cow?

Canadian dairy is not one family - it's a whole bunch (10,951) of rural family farms, mostly in Quebec and Ontario. The average Canadian dairy farm has 85 cows.

[Chris]

Canadian dairy is not one family - it's a whole bunch (10,951) of rural family farms, mostly in Quebec and Ontario. The average Canadian dairy farm has 85 cows.

And so? You're still being hypocritical.

[Dr. Who]

And so? You're still being hypocritical.

I don't see how. I suggested that the US subsidize steel and aluminum, if it's a sacred cow.

[Chris]

I don't see how. I suggested that the US subsidize steel and aluminum, if it's a sacred cow.

Because you argued earlier that tariffs do consumers harm. Reason not to if it's Trump, ignored for Canada.

[Dr. Who]

Because you argued earlier that tariffs do consumers harm. Reason not to if it's Trump, ignored for Canada.

I didn't argue that they do, I admitted that they do, but sometimes there are more important issues than just price. It's like people choosing to buy from local farmers to keep them in business rather than buying cheaper produce from industrial farms or people choosing to support more expensive local shops to keep towns alive rather than deserting them for Walmart. There are all manner of costs out there. There is a cost to losing local business that is reflected in damage to communities. Nations can make similar choices.