Posted on 02/03/2013 7:43:15 AM PST by Cringing Negativism Network
OK sorry for the rant, but here goes.
We are running a trade deficit which is unacceptably high.
We need to make things in America, yet we import everything from everywhere else.
Pay off the deficit? Deficit is not debt. I know you are confused about the difference.
Your cure for too much government spending and power is more of the same.
It is time for a dramatic change. I propose, import duties.
Yes, more money for government, less for the people.
Still want to double the cost of oil? Why?
If you have an alternate say so, and let's discuss the alternate.
Instead of more government power and spending, how about we try a conservative idea, less government power and spending?
We are not allowed to make things in Amerika. If we put import taxes in place, what will you eat and what will you wear?
Eat dirt, and wear a barrel, cause your screwed.
You want proof?
Dont consume anything not produced in America for 30 days. Most of the food in your market is imported. 90% of the clothes are. American goods cost far more, because of the massive government paperwork necessary to keep the doors open.
The problem is Opressive Government, not lack of manufacturing ability. Our economy is crashing because of the EPA and other extra legal governing agencys and the MASSIVE spending (wealth transfer to cronies for kickbacks) of a corrupt Federal Goobermint.
If the Goobermint would go away for one year, our economy would out grow the world.
If you taxed imports for a year, what would it accomplish besides putting more money in the hands of Multi-Millionaire Congress Critters?
Get Series.
Good thing we don’t have another election, for two years.
We have a way to go so far.
:D
You're going to bring manufacturing back to the US by imposing tariffs, and starting a trade war, rather than by lowering corporate tax rates and reducing barriers to doing business in the US? Good grief, could you possibly be any more cluless than you are?
More than 140 nations utilize the value-added tax system as a means of building government revenue. Do you want us to go after the rest of the world?
I support tariffs on foreign goods to stimulate US manufacturing...and to open up markets to US goods that are blocked by Free Trade rules.
I got that. But you don't open other markets if you raise tariffs on foreign goods. Reciprocity is the way most trade agreeements work. They will put tariffs on our exports.
Judging by the way you twisted my words from another post...I can tell you are quite the Mao friendly Free Trader
If providing facts, makes me a "Nao friendly Free Trader," so be it. Our problems are self-inflicted. We have made ourselves non-competitive by overtaxing and over-regulating our businesses. We have made the playing field uneven by shooting ourselves in the foot. Raising taxes on imported goods will just make it worse, not better.
Going back to import tariffs makes sense, but should be done carefully, as part of a larger re-positioning of the economy. (Import taxes pose a downside to US agricultural and high-value exports when others retaliate, and the likely effects of shrinking the global economy.)
At the arrival of globalism, the US should have repositioned its economic and taxation models from one that encouraged debt and consumption and discouraged working, to one that encourages thrift, investment and employment. A country that is creating vast wealth could handle that, but we were not. By sticking with the old system we have sucked decades of accummulated wealth out of the US.
Charitably, Obama stupidly believes wealthy investors will earn enough internationally to finance a permanent consumer economy through high taxation and welfare redistribution. Jobs are not required, and capital can flow out forever for foreign goods. Common sense suggests that diverting capital from investment into consumption, while disincentivizing investment through high tax rates, is a death spiral. The pie will get ever smaller as it is eaten, until we achieve equality in poverty. I suspect that is Obama’s desired outcome, with messiahs excepted. Wihtout major changes, this will happen, probably sooner than later.
I propose a 10% flat tax on personal incomes, no exclusions or deductions, no floor — everyone participates, almost no paperwork, paid in monthly installments, along with FICA and Medicare withholding. Zero corporate taxes, but 100% of net earnings must be re-invested or distributed to persons as taxable income. Tax all imports at a rate sufficient for revenue needs, but preferably low — I have no idea of % and assume it would change); paid by the importer. Major spending and entitlement reform.
The ruling class would never consider this. The tax system is used to micromanage business, control citizens lives, create useless jobs, and especially to manipulate politics and cause bribery. The consumer/debt economy has so stimulated and bloated GDP through credit inflation — that without massive unnecessary spending created by easy credit, the GDP bubble would burst, leaving significant deflation and puddles on the floor.
Thanks to anyone who read all this — rattled on a bit long.
The net effect of your idea would be to increase the cost of living for most Americans. When you increase those costs, you will reduce their standard of living.
The net effect of your idea would be to increase the cost of living for most Americans. When you increase those costs, you will reduce their standard of living.
No tariffs....... archaic concepts of a by gone inperialistic era.
Trade must remain as free as possible to utilize the skills of the world. To insist on buying American is to kill our nation.
American companies, even small ones operate globally now. To try to turn back is foolish
Thomas Jefferson had noted that, in his day, the rich uniqely paid for the federal government to operate with the taxes that they paid on imported goods.
"The rich alone use imported articles, and on these alone the whole taxes of the General Government are levied (emphasis added). Our revenues liberated by the discharge of the public debt, and its surplus applied to canals, roads, schools, etc., the farmer will see his government supported, his children educated, and the face of his country made a paradise by the contributions of the rich alone, without his being called on to spend a cent from his earnings." --Thomas Jefferson to Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811.
But more importantly, consider that, in that same period, the Supreme Court had clarified that Congress is prohibited from laying taxes in the name of state power issues, essentially issues which Congress cannot justify under the Constitution's Section 8 of Article I.
"Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States." --Justice John Marshall, Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
So although the rich paid the bill for the federal government to operate, Congress was not taxing and spending for anything that it could not justify under Section 8, Congress's main expenses likely being to maintain the armed forces. It wasn't until FDR's activist justices allowed Congress to greatly overstep its Section 8 limited powers that Congress began taxing and spending for many issues that were actual under state power control, which corrupt Congress had no constitutonal authority to address.
Thoughtful reply thanks.
Unions drove manufacturing out of this nation.
Amazing to see “conservatives” proposing new taxes. Under a new/old name, of course.
That’ll work, shore thang. Mo foo stams, mo midnite basketball, y’all, fo shizzle!
Well if the choice is between China and a union. Who you gonna choose?
One supports a centralized government organization. One supports a centralized government organization.
One is American.
Hobson’s choice.
Not gonna happen it our lifetimes. We have to stop the bleeding of jobs - now.
As well as retaliatory taxes that would harm our exports.
Just a bad idea all around.
What percent of the US PRIVATE sector labor force is unionized?
I'll answer since free traitors love to dodge every question.
The average labor cost per unit is around 5%
The PRIVATE sector union participation rate is 6%.
So ALMOST every manufacturing job going to Asia etc. is non-union.
Maybe taxes and regulations play a role?
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