Posted on 02/21/2018 11:47:25 AM PST by TBP
The stronger economy we’re enjoying now is no accident. Lower taxes, more jobs and fewer regulations are creating a much-needed boost. So why do we still have one foot on the brake?
I’m referring to trade. Protectionist measures act as a drag on our progress. Indeed, they threaten to undo much of it.
Consider the tariffs and quotas that the Trump administration recently slapped on imports of solar cells and modules, large residential washers, and washer parts. The price? As researcher Tori Whiting notes in a Daily Signal article, we get fewer jobs (roughly 23,000 American jobs this year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association), higher prices for U.S. consumers, and retaliation from America’s trading partners.
Five of those partners — China, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and the European Union — have filed complaints with the World Trade Organization over these tariffs. This begins the long process of determining if the U.S. is violating Section 201 of the 1974 Trade Act. If the answer is yes, these countries can begin putting retaliatory restrictions on our exports to them. That’s hardly a recipe for economic growth here in the U.S.
Or look at the steep tariffs the administration has levied on Canadian softwood lumber imported into the U.S. American lumber companies might cheer this, but how does it affect U.S. consumers? These tariffs “reach deep into new homebuyers’ pockets, causing them to settle for smaller homes, or ones with fewer amenities,” writes researcher Patrick Tyrell. “Some families opt to buy older homes, rather than new homes, hurting home construction jobs. Others drop out of the market altogether.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Tribbles are trouble too. Just saying.
The TPP was full of tariffs.
I’m of both minds on this. Tariffs are not good, but then again, how does an American worker survive on what they are paying these folks overseas and in Central and South America?
Tariffs are the price paid to do business IMO. Like poker ante! If the chinks and russkies et al are allowed to play the game in an un-level playing field, we lose everytime. Unfortunately the crooks in Congress are okay with that as long as they get paid off!
Give me a break. This globalist agitprop is woefully lacking any real statistics on trade and tariffs. The USA barely collects any import duties at all. Currently the AVERAGE tariff the USA’s exports face world wide is 8%. The USA on the other hand charges, on average 1% import duty. We are getting screwed by the RINO globalist in the GOP.
We had high tariffs for the first 180 years of our country’s existence, and we did just fine.
Our founding fathers viewed tariffs as a tax on foreigners wanting to sell into our economy. They also viewed it as a voluntary tax paid when American citizens chose not to buy American made products.
Since we lowered the tariffs in the 1960’s, we’ve seen an accelerating erosion of industry as more and more jobs get offshored to third world countries where the labor cost is extremely cheap.
In a world without tariffs, jobs will continue to offshore until American wages and Chinese wages are equal. Chinese make $2 a day for a 12 hour day. A world without tariffs is a race to the bottom.
Protectionism only works EVERY TIME it is tried.
We had high tariffs for the first 180 years of our country’s existence, and we did just fine.
Our founding fathers viewed tariffs as a tax on foreigners wanting to sell into our economy. They also viewed it as a voluntary tax paid when American citizens chose not to buy American made products.
Since we lowered the tariffs in the 1960’s, we’ve seen an accelerating erosion of industry as more and more jobs get offshored to third world countries where the labor cost is extremely cheap.
In a world without tariffs, jobs will continue to offshore until American wages and Chinese wages are equal. Chinese make $2 a day for a 12 hour day. A world without tariffs is a race to the bottom.
..and labor is really only a small part of the price for durable goods. Maybe 8% and that is for union wages in the USA! So the globalists are throwing away USA’s industry for pennies on the dollar! What a shame...
That is just archaic foolishness borne of ignorance of modern business
Tariffs are the fairest tax of all. Some, including me, would call them regressive in nature. I like that. So how could any conservative be against them? In addition, if you don’t want to pay the tariff THEN DON’T BUY THE PRODUCT. Save your money at least you have that option with a tariff, with income taxes it spay or go to jail.
Modern business = UN Americans traitors making money of weakening the USA.
To a douche bag patriotism is foolishness.
Your ignorance continues to be on display
Hmmm.... false patriotism describes me now as a douche bag
On consideration, one wonders is that an upgrade or a downgrade from Free Traitor?
You are the ignorant globalist hell bent on destroying the USA.
Same with the FairTax. New products are sales-taxed; you can choose to buy used. The side benefit is that it will help change the throw-away mentality we seem to have today. Take care of it, so it is salable down the line when you no longer need it.
Oh look, the doddering free traitor speaks.
Looks like your amnesty express has slammed into reality.
Like yourself, still trying to sputter about business not being understood by people not embracing open borders policy.
Your defeat in opposing Trump since the beginning of his campaign and the strengthening of his support grating on you Bert?
Good. Have another well earned heaping helping of globalist nevertrumper ridicule.
Income taxes are Protectionist.
Property taxes are Protectionist.
Globalist stupid words, rigged words: protectionist, shortage, isolationist etc. They cannot debate with regular language.
Tariffs work.
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