US Places New Tariffs on Imports From China

dilettante

dilettante

Well-known Member
Location
Michigan

It's hard to separate this issue from the population decline issue.

Can a trade war like this continue very far? How deeply can China ramp up its subsidies? Pay people to buy their stuff?

How bad off is Europe in this? With such a brittle economy and even harsher population collapse it is hard to see how long they can even sit at the table of this game. Immigrant hostility seems to be deeper than the media portray it in the US, and in terms of energy much of Europe doesn't look too far off from a peat-burning society once again.
 

Population collapse? A bit over-the-top, no? We're not going to run out of people. Birth rates are falling, that's all. Given the number of people we struggle to support now, that doesn't sound like a terrible thing to me.

Also China's economy is not doing well, and it's various issues are well documented elsewhere. Various bits of tech are getting bans in the West because of spying claims etc., let alone all the stolen technology.

Europe "doesn't look too far off from a peat-burning society once again"?!?! What?!? Seriously, where are you getting your news from, because it's waaaay off. It's full of fear mongering, and jumps in logic. I promise you, if you come over to Europe, we'll leave the light on for you. I'd lay off the catastrophizing, it's truly a flight of fantasy designed to keep you in fear of.......... well, most anything really. Smile - have a good day!
 
I'm not sure it's particularly political in any negative way. The video makes the distinction between these new tariffs under Biden and those made under Trump. It even expresses that Trump would likely go even further. And the entire video is a bit Trump-averse.

So I don't see how it's Biden-friendly or hostile to state the fact, since a minor point is that Biden chose to hold back from levels that might be more appropriate. The "appropriate level" is arguable and subjective though.

The "US" didn't do it anyway since unlike most countries the US is its citizens, not its overlords. See:

FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices | The White House

There you have it, straight from the horse's mouth.
 
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But more importantly, what do we think it means? How might it benefit workers or harm corporate profits and investment returns, etc? Do servants' industry workers tolerate higher prices for goods in order to preserve manufacturing capabilities and jobs?

I think there are better things to discuss rather than quibbling over concealing the source of a policy position.
 
Guys, China is on the outs. We won't have to pay more for goods, because production is being moved to the next cheap option in Asia.

As to my own personal opinion - the types of manufacturing jobs that went to China simply can't go back to the US. As stated, prices would have to rise, and consumers don't want that and frankly, won't accept it. If you want to bring more industry/manufacturing to the US, you're going to have to come up with new industries and higher end products. Be thinking skilled labor. Honestly, no-one wants to be a grunt standing in a huge factory doing some repetitive task over and over until the sun goes down any more. I see videos of those manufacturing plants in the US making iPhones, plastic parts, and other tech - and frankly they make me feel ill just looking at them. It's nothing I'd aspire to see young folk doing......
 
I started a dumb thread months ago regarding some stupid gossip about Elon Musk and you, @dilettante, you complained it was political. I mean, you couldn't stop complaining. Just ranted on and on about political when it was silly social gossip, nothing more. Thread removed.

@dilettante
I have wanted to tell you off about this so this political thread of yours is the ideal place to do it. Consider yourself told off. Also, I completely forgive you. :p
 
VaughanJB said:
Guys, China is on the outs. We won't have to pay more for goods, because production is being moved to the next cheap option in Asia.

As to my own personal opinion - the types of manufacturing jobs that went to China simply can't go back to the US. As stated, prices would have to rise, and consumers don't want that and frankly, won't accept it. If you want to bring more industry/manufacturing to the US, you're going to have to come up with new industries and higher end products. Be thinking skilled labor. Honestly, no-one wants to be a grunt standing in a huge factory doing some repetitive task over and over until the sun goes down any more. I see videos of those manufacturing plants in the US making iPhones, plastic parts, and other tech - and frankly they make me feel ill just looking at them. It's nothing I'd aspire to see young folk doing......
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US consumers demanded minimum wages be raised to $20/hr and corporations/big business pay their *fair share* in taxes. Well that's what happened and it drove up prices. And it's true, those same US consumers don't like paying more for something that cost a lot less back when manufacturers paid $10-$12/hr and 30% less in taxes. And they actually acted surprised about it...like, what did they think would happen?

I've got 3 grandkids and several nieces and nephews, and I know a family of five a few houses down who would jump on a factory job right now ...for as little as $10/hr. And they wouldn't consider themselves "grunts", they'd consider themselves grateful to be employed.
 
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Jules said:
These tarriffs aren’t on everything Chinese.

According to AP it will be on “Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment”
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Because their EVs blow up, their batteries spontaneously combust, their solar cells die within days, their aluminum is contaminated with a much weaker metal, and we make our own medical equip, plus we import medical equip made in Canada, and it's all much better quality, lasts longer, and is less dangerous and more reliable.
 
Pepper said:
I started a dumb thread months ago regarding some stupid gossip about Elon Musk and you, @dilettante, you complained it was political. I mean, you couldn't stop complaining. Just ranted on and on about political when it was silly social gossip, nothing more. Thread removed.

@dilettante
I have wanted to tell you off about this so this political thread of yours is the ideal place to do it. Consider yourself told off. Also, I completely forgive you. :p
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Point taken.

But this thread wasn't meant to be political. Both "sides" have been advocating and implementing these tariffs in the last decade in response to China's trade manipulation. The question here is what does it mean to workers, consumers, local tax bases, and how might we adjust and to what factors?
 
This is not political; just an observation:

Came back from a trip to the "good ole' USA" and I noticed a few things. Here in Canada we have a lot of Nissans and Toyotas. In the USA I noticed very, very few (actually I saw one Toyota).

What they have is plenty of Buicks, Chevy and Fords. Plenty of huge 4 X 4 trucks with crew cabs.

I'm not saying this is good nor am I saying it's bad. Just an observation when driving the interstate or cruising through the various towns or cities.
 
I read that China makes and sells more Buicks than the US does.
 

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