Posted on 01/16/2017 11:26:16 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
It's Germany's turn to feel the heat after President-elect Donald Trump turned his ire on the country's automakers, its supposed dominance of the European Union, and the failings of Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policy.
In a weekend interview given jointly to Germany's biggest tabloid, Bild-Zeitung, and (somewhat incongruously), the august Times of London, Trump repeated for the first time as President-elect pretty much what he had said a thousand times as candidate last year. It's as if Europe either hadn't been listening or, more likely, had simply been hoping he would take a different tone as President.
As far as business is concerned, the most alarming part of Trump's interview was a threat of import duties (already familiar to U.S. ears) that sent a chill through German auto stocks: BMW lost 1.3%, Daimler – the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars and Freightliner trucks – lost 1.4%, while Volkswagen lost 1.9%. The three rely on the U.S. market for about 20% of their global sales and, probably, a bit less of their profits.
(Excerpt) Read more at fortune.com ...
So?
It’s as if Europe either hadn’t been listening or, more likely, had simply been hoping he would take a different tone as President.
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More likely they believed the assurances of our Ministry of Propaganda and the establishments of BOTH parties that Trump would NEVER be President.
BMW has spent big bucks building and expanding their facilities in South Carolina.
We’ve been funding most of their defense for about 70 years ...
They’re gutting themselves of far more than money with the entrance of primal refugees, but they’re concerned about a few dollars in trade fees?
No reason to give an eff what they think.
Really?
The entire country?
Amazing how utterly stupid the media and politicians world wide are.
Here’s a tip. Read, “The Art of the Deal.”
Trump is set on us competing and winning in the world business stage providing it’s a level playing field.
So, if you’re charging our companies taxes and tariffs, and devaluing your currency, then we reserve the right to do the same.
It’s as simple as that.
You play fair, then no tariffs. Pretty simple.
Make them pay!
Germany’s bristling again? I guess with all the influx of Jew-haters from the middle east, they’re starting to feel a little emboldened. Starting to be just like old times for Germany.
Ach! Ze Trump!
It’s high time these other countries pay their fair share of defense and other related costs. The USA has been doing more than a lot of these other Countries. GO TRUMP!
Sure, they are mostly funded by the USA and maintain a skeleton force on the presumption that if it comes to bullets flying the USA will take over. That's true. But on the plus side, they offer us the combined strategic military expertise of these grizzled veterans, now serving as defense ministers of five European nations including Germany (center):
Don’t care
Does it hurt to bristle?
Maybe it should.
I imagine a majority of Germans secretly support Trumps comments against Merkel
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