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Title: Trump's Tariffs Will Crush the Beer Industry
Source:
Reason
URL Source: http://reason.com/blog/2018/03/02/t ... riffs-will-crush-beer-industry
Published: Mar 2, 2018
Author: Eric Boehm
Post Date: 2018-03-05 05:06:36 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 4839
Comments: 62
Donald Trump's plan to slap a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports has beer makers belching their outrage. "President Trump's announcement today that he plans to impose a 10% tariff on aluminum imports will increase the cost of aluminum in the United States and endanger American jobs in the beer industry and throughout the supply chain," says Jim McGreevey, president and CEO of the Beer Institute, a trade association. McGreevy called the proposed aluminum tariff "a new $347.7 million tax on America's beverage industry" and warned that imposing those added costs could trigger more than 20,000 in job losses. "American workers and American consumers will suffer as a result of this misguided tariff," said Molson Coors, the Colorado-based macrobrewery that's one of the biggest beer makers in the world, in a statement. According to the U.S. International Trade Commission's Harmonized Tariff Schedule, most aluminum products currently have tariffs set between 2 percent and 4 percent. Breweries stand to be particularly hard hit by the proposed tariffs, but they are hardly the only losers. Everything produced with aluminum will become more expensive if the White House goes ahead with its protectionist plan. Manufacturers who use steel will be hit even harder if Trump decides to impose the 25 percent tariff on all imported steel that he is reportedly mulling. Our Steel and Aluminum industries (and many others) have been decimated by decades of unfair trade and bad policy with countries from around the world. We must not let our country, companies and workers be taken advantage of any longer. We want free, fair and SMART TRADE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2018 Beyond Trump's nationalist nonsense, the closest thing to an actual rationale for tariffs that the administration has been able to produce is a claim that relying too heavily on imported aluminum and steel is a threat to national security. The United States needs aluminum and steel to make rockets, bombs, and other weapons of war. If the global supply of those commodities were somehow restricted, the argument goes, then it would weaken America's ability to defend itself. That entire line of argument falls apart under even the slightest scrutiny. For example, the largest exporter of aluminum into the United States is Canada, a nation that also happens to be one of America's closest allies. Any scenario where Canada restricts aluminum exports to weaken U.S. national security is a future where Washington has far, far bigger problems than aluminum imports. Meanwhile, the negative consequences of the tariffs are not hypothetical. In January, the Trump administration imposed new tariffs on imported washing machines. (With this, at least, thy spared us the facade of claiming that cheaper, foreign-made washing machines threaten national security.) Prices immediately increased. The same thing will happen with aluminum and steel, except the effects will be felt throughout a much wider swath of the economy. American workers will lose jobs. American consumers will pay higher prices. Beer will become more expensive. But at least we'll be secure against the threat of a war with Canada. And they'll make lots of other things more expensive too.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 41.
#28. To: Deckard (#0)
My retirement job might become walking the highways and byways picking up discarded aluminum cans and recycling them. Last time I believe I received 55 cents a pound.
Can't you (at least) get a job flippin' burgers @McKiDees? Maybe we should set a fund raiser for Fred on LF?
(FRED: "My retirement job might become walking the highways and byways picking up discarded aluminum cans and recycling them. Last time I believe I received 55 cents a pound." Maybe we should set a fund raiser for Fred on LF?" Ok, THAT wuz funny. For starters, I'll kick in a few 2 for 1 Mickey D coupons. (that will take care of both you and War.) According to Recycle USA, 31 empty cans = ONE POUND of empties. How many pounds did you turn in, Fred? GI, what's the usual policy from LE when they see something like that?; People NOT in orange, cleaning the highway of debris independently?
I've never seen LE bother anyone off the highway unless a complaint is phoned in or the pedestrian is seen on the maintained portion of the roadway. When I worked the road, if I found people walking down the side of any highway, I'd check them for warrants and if there wasn't any file 5's, give them a free ride with the coolest cop they'll ever meet.
Hey dipwad, I'll work both sides of the highway. You've got the center.
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#29. To: Fred Mertz (#28)
#31. To: buckeroo, Fred Mertz, war, GrandIsland (#29)
BUCK: "Can't you (at least) get a job flippin' burgers @McKiDees?
#34. To: Liberator (#31)
#41. To: GrandIsland (#34)
(Edited)
When I worked the road, if I found people walking down the side of any highway
Replies to Comment # 41.
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