The Trump administration says a steel tariff will be announced in the next two weeks to preserve American industries. John Stossel says that won't work.
George Bush tried a similar tariff. Steel production hardly rose at all, and 200,000 jobs were lost in American industries that depend on steel.
Trump is also using the 25% tax as leverage to get Canada and Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He calls the current deal "such a disaster."
But Stossel says NAFTA has been good!
Avocados were once rarely eaten in America. They were hard to find in the winter because American producers can't grow year-round. Mexican farmers can, however, and since NAFTA, Americans buy 4 times as many avocados.
American producers weren't hurt much–they still grow roughly the same amount they did before NAFTA. But consumers are much better off.
People think NAFTA harmed manufacturing. Trump points out that "before NAFTA went into effect, there were 285,000 autoworkers in Michigan. Today, that number is only 160,000."
That's true, but it's mostly due to technology, not trade. Robots do work humans once did.
Looking at total production of cars and car parts, American auto output is up since NAFTA.
Stossel points out that trade also enables amazing things like iPhones. Apple gets raw materials from 63 different countries, and sends the raw materials to 34 different countries for processing. Multiple countries then assemble the products. All that helps make phones affordable, and profitable to produce.
Stossel says: Yes, trade hurts some Americans. But it helps many more of us.
Sumbodie pleze splain to dum old me why it is that tariffs are always bad for 'murika,but never seem to hurt any other nation in the world.
Could it be be because the rest of the world doesn't have Wall Street investment bankers artifically inflating and deflating markets to buy low and sell high?
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
By addressing the unfair trade in steel and aluminum, Trump is only setting the stage for shrinking the overall U.S. trade deficits, which would help rebuild U.S. manufacturing industries.
By addressing the unfair trade in steel and aluminum, Trump is only setting the stage for shrinking the overall U.S. trade deficits, which would help rebuild U.S. manufacturing industries.
Roll on, Donald....ROLL ON....you da man.
Time will tell,but I believe you are right on this.
The US Commerce Dept needs to start doing their jobs and taking SERIOUS looks at the US investment banks and the things they do that harm our nation and our security. They are in bed with the communists in wanting to make America art of "Worldwide Government,Inc".
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
I seem to remember from history class that at the time of our nations birth, we were largely an agrarian society, and we manufactured very little. Our founders wanted us to do a lot more manufacturing, so they instituted tariffs to encourage our nations manufacturing. This was to strengthen our nation's national security ( you cannot fight if you are unable to manufacture your weapons ), and to enhance the nations wealth.
Our manufacturing base grew & grew. By the time of WWII, our nation was the manufacturing giant of the world, enabling us to defeat Hitler & Tojo !! And after the war, we were still an industrial giant. That enabled us to be the strongest military, and to have the largest, wealthiest middle class in the world. That further strengthened our nation.
No one should object to us maintaining that status, EVER !!!!
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.
Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
I seem to remember from history class that at the time of our nations birth, we were largely an agrarian society, and we manufactured very little. Our founders wanted us to do a lot more manufacturing, so they instituted tariffs to encourage our nations manufacturing. This was to strengthen our nation's national security ( you cannot fight if you are unable to manufacture your weapons ), and to enhance the nations wealth.
Our manufacturing base grew & grew. By the time of WWII, our nation was the manufacturing giant of the world, enabling us to defeat Hitler & Tojo !! And after the war, we were still an industrial giant. That enabled us to be the strongest military, and to have the largest, wealthiest middle class in the world. That further strengthened our nation.
No one should object to us maintaining that status, EVER !!!!
True,ALL dat,true.
The people behind this are the big money globalist free-traders with no loyalty to anyone but themselves. Tariffs keep THEM from making more money and gaining more power and influence,and THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES HARMED BY A TARIFF.
BTW,it needs to be stated that those people MAKE NOTHING AT ALL BUT MONEY. They manufacture NOTHING and they care even less than nothing about jobs for other people. With Venture Capitalists,it's all about "Me,ME,ME,DAMMIT!" I am NOT saying those people aren't necessary for a healthy economy and society. They are. Even our bodies carry viruses within them that are necessary to maintain a balance. I am just saying they need to be watched VERY closely,and reigned in when they step out of line.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
" The people behind this are the big money globalist free-traders with no loyalty to anyone but themselves. Tariffs keep THEM from making more money and gaining more power and influence,and THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES HARMED BY A TARIFF.
BTW,it needs to be stated that those people MAKE NOTHING AT ALL BUT MONEY. They manufacture NOTHING and they care even less than nothing about jobs for other people. With Venture Capitalists,it's all about "Me,ME,ME,DAMMIT!" I am NOT saying those people aren't necessary for a healthy economy and society. They are. Even our bodies carry viruses within them that are necessary to maintain a balance. I am just saying they need to be watched VERY closely,and reigned in when they step out of line. "
I agree completely !!! I have no love for the globalist's that have no loyalty to the country. They have been behind the exporting of all of our industries.
I consider them part of the CFR / NWO / Globalist / Bankster crowd. Traitors ALL
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.
Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." (Will Rogers)
