Toomey bill to limit Trump’s tariff power gaining support

Trib Live ^ | March 5, 2019 | Deb Erdley

[Alberta's Child]

It's not just a question of tariffs having negative impacts on some U.S. industries due to foreign countries imposing tariffs of their own on our exports. In this case, the U.S. has imposed tariffs not on imported products, but on imported raw materials that are used in manufacturing processes in the U.S. That completely undermines U.S. producers. An imported railroad car made of steel isn't subject to the tariff, but imported steel used to make a railroad car in the U.S. is? Think about that for a moment and realize how idiotic it is. By imposing a tariff on steel, the U.S. government gives the U.S. railroad car manufacturer a big incentive to move their manufacturing operation outside the U.S.!

[DoughtyOne]

I think that’s a reasoned conclusion to come to, but then it’s also a reasoned conclusion that what he is trying to promote is increased steel production inside the United States.

It seems to me we have a war coming, and steel production is vital in times of war.

IMO < we should never have allowed much of our steel reliance to be on foreign powers/manufacturers.

Perhaps more of a sliding scale should have been implemented to ease into a more robust steel industry returning to the United States.

[Alberta's Child]

This is not 1940. Steel and aluminum have far less value for military purposes in an age of military satellites, ICBMs and cyber warfare. In a conventional war against a global superpower, 80% of the ships and aircraft on both sides will probably be sunk within 48 hours. All the steel and aluminum production capacity in the history of mankind couldn't keep up with that rate of attrition.

It's also worth noting that building domestic aluminum production capacity for military purposes is sort of pointless in one respect. Aluminum is produced from bauxite ore, and the U.S. has almost no domestic deposits of this ore. Something like 95% of the world's bauxite is mined in just ten countries, and Brazil and Jamaica are the only major producers that are even in the Western Hemisphere.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for your comments.

I appreciate the seeming validity of your argument, but I am still of a mind that we need the steel industry in times of war.

We will need aircraft, people movers of all sorts, and weapons.

Take care...

[central_va]

Sorry but Republicans only care about corporate profits. Borders mean nothing, American workers are so much krill.

[central_va]

China is the only country left with tariffs and they will soon be gone. LOL

EVERY country we trade with practices outright mercantilism against the USA.

[central_va]

Ok so you are in favor of taking away from the President this crucial power. What consistent globalist hack you are. Typical Republican too.

The should call this the Free Traitor™ Act.

[Alberta's Child]

1. I am not a Republican.

2. I have no real position one way or another on Toomey's bill. I'm simply pointing out that nobody should be shocked when a U.S. Senator actually stands up and represents the interests of the major industries in his own state. Apparently you don't understand this. Why am I not surprised?

[central_va]

I have no real position one way or another on Toomey's bill.

Liar.

[Alberta's Child]

See Post #81.

I might have a position on it if I lived or worked in Pennsylvania, but I don't.

Imagine being the guy who works for the Pennsylvania Rail Car Company and finds out that his employer lost a major contract to Canadian producer Bombardier because the U.S. tariff on Canadian steel priced his company out of the market.

[central_va]

This about limiting the President’s power to levy duties. IT’S NOT ABOUT PA YOU GLOBALIST FREE TRAITOR™ LYING < deleted >.

[Alberta's Child]

Did the President have the power to levy duties back when the U.S. government got most of its revenue from tariffs? I don't think so.

I'm pretty sure this power didn't exist until around World War I. The world isn't going to end if this law is changed, is it?