Posted on 04/12/2025 7:48:30 AM PDT by millenial4freedom
The Trump administration says electronics like smartphones and laptops will be excluded from ‘reciprocal’ tariffs, a move that could help keep prices down for popular consumer electronics that aren’t usually made in the U.S.
The announcement on Friday would also benefit big tech companies like Apple and Samsung.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said items like smartphones, laptops, machines used to make semiconductors and flat-panel monitors would be exempt.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Certain dollar amounts should be tariff exempt, not the whole item:
1. $200 on a laptop
2. $60 on a smartphone
3. $5 on a shirt
4. $4 on a pair of pants
5. 10 cents per inch of sewing, up to $2 on any other worn thing including dolls clothing.
No one is going to take us seriously any more on tariffs. They’ll just wait for Trump to fold.
I wonder if the bond market selloff spooked him a bit...
Let’s see how long this lasts. My guess is it is temporary and a negotiating tool, useful for as long as it takes to get the other elements in place.
Only items that represent better than we could do ourselves should get exemptions and only up to good value amounts:
1. 10 cents per square inch of LCD screen
2. $45 per hard disk drive
3. $1 per first GB of solid-state memory and 20 cents for each additional GB
4. $8 of value for a toaster or other listed kitchen device.
There are a number of goals such as:
1. financial balance,
2. cash flow to buy American medical and military stuff,
3. cash flow for Third World development financed by garment making,
4. consumer stuff that really is much cheaper than we could make ourselves, etc.
Big Tech wins again.
“negotiating tool”
I believe in burning the midnight oil to unilaterally craft a fully detailed draft document for a deal.
The document should be drawn to meet the legitimate needs of all parties involved to the extent possible.
Other parties might also draw up similar documents so all likely issues and proposed solutions are known.
Only then should negotiation take place.
“Big Tech wins again.”
I proposed tariff discounts on electronic stuff on this site back in 2016 after Trump was first elected and before he took office.
These discounts were based on good value pricing and not on all pricing. A good value item might be 80% tariff exempt, a premium priced item ($1500 cellphone) might only be 4% tariff exempt.
What’s the point? China’s specializing on low-priced products anyway. If we’re going to get manufacturing back, we can’t just try to skim a bit of froth.
Trade agreements should be our servants and not our masters.
We should be able to exit with 180 days of notice.
The agreements should be of such high quality that we should not need to give such notice for many years.
Trump is discovering that he doesn’t have all the trump cards.
He overplayed his hand.
On a positive note, the NASDAQ will be up 1000 pts on Monday.
I would not be surprised if he does this with the other stuff as well.
Can you imagine most prices at all the retailers doubling almost overnight?
Perhaps.
Exactly.
He’s got his China bait on the hook.
Tease them with what they sell the most.
“What’s the point? China’s specializing on low-priced products anyway. If we’re going to get manufacturing back, we can’t just try to skim a bit of froth.”
Go down the aisles of Walmart and Lowe’s.
There’s a lot of stuff we import that can be made and packaged here by automated machines.
Then there is the huge motor vehicle business. I would have it run on the basis of international financial balance, mainly via internal company barter.
GM might import Mexican wiring harnesses and pay for them with EV batteries made in Michigan.
“Can you imagine most prices at all the retailers doubling almost overnight?”
The manufacturing cost is quite often a small percentage of the US selling price. An iPhone might cost $100 to make in China. Paying $125 in tariffs might raise its price by a like amount, or Apple might swallow most or all of the tariff increase.
The cheap stuff you refer to wouldn’t be covered by your first solution.
And I see no reason for “internal barter” in the auto industry specifically.
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