Posted on 06/25/2025 8:51:03 AM PDT by mikelets456
Ignore the link but it gets to my point. First let me say, I voted for Trump 3 times, had a Trump flag hanging out front and support 99% of what he does. My concern are the uncertainty with tariffs. I have asked customers on a daily basis for the past 2 months how business is and across SS the board the uncertainty of the tariffs is KILLING business. We sell to these companies and we are dead. Most manufacturers are dead and businesses overall are dead. I can’t believe this has gone on for so long. I think if he simply raised tariffs 5% across the board and got these tax cuts through we would be booming. But it’s been 6 months and getting eerily quiet. Go ahead flame away, but if this goes on much longer our economy will be heading in a downward spiral.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsbtv.com ...
There should be a general set of rules set from time to time by Congress. These should be based on logical factors, so they are more reliable.
[From my proposal]
The total tariff shall be:
1. 25%, on aircraft grade aluminum alloys and automotive grade ferrous metal,
2. on national security products [we could and should make],
a. initially 0%, and then increasing by 2% at the start of every IRS quarter month after 2025 to 20%, on
I. industrial level components,
II. any drug for lawful retail sale & consumer use,
III. drug, chemical and plastic industrial inputs, other than refinery hydrocarbons and those for making fertilizer,
VI. semiconductors,
V. solar cells and panels,
VI. basic rare earth element products other than ore,
[That’s for national security reasons]
3. 0%, on
a. other raw materials, including coffee beans, fertilizers and their precursors,
base metals, electricity, raw & refined hydrocarbon products,
when vended without resale or short leash supply restriction,
[That’s to ensure our manufacturers and farmers have access to cheap raw materials.]
b. foodstuffs, when sourced from a country for which the Secretary of Agriculture justly holds in good standing
for lack of undue impediment on import of US agricultural products generally vendible in the USA,
[That’s to open up markets to US agricultural products.]
4. tariffs paid on section 1 and 2 imports, except from China,
may creditable on a one-to-one basis after bona fide export of manufactured products containing them
via any optional scheme the Secretary of Commerce may allow a bona fide manufacturing exporter to participate in.
[That’s for a more level playing field for US exporters.]
NOTE: It may be better to tax transfers of American money to foreign countries at 10% than having a base tariff of 10%
Also, from my proposal:
The base tariff for a particular import shall be:
1. increased 2% per dollar as estimated by the Secretary of Commerce,
on the industry wage shortfall of a key source country compared to the USA,
up to 20%, but levied only if the country is industrially advanced,
[That allows for tariff setting based on industrial wage levels. China has lower levels than ours. There is a developing country exception to help them grow and expand the world economic ‘pie’.]
2. increased by the percentage of the latest 12-month US<->international commercial cash flow US shortfall,
excluding most raw material transactions, as to be estimated by the Secretary of Commerce, up to
a. 10%, if the key source country is industrially advanced,
b. 5%, otherwise,
[That’s to help cut the trade deficit and to stabilize the dollar.]
3. increased by the percentage of the latest 12-month US<->the key source country commercial cash flow US shortfall,
excluding most raw material transactions, as to be estimated by the Secretary of Commerce, of up to
a. 10%, if the key source country is industrially advanced,
b. 5%, otherwise,
[That’s to help balance financial flows between the US and specific countries and to ensure Canada isn’t penalized for massive and highly valuable raw material exports to the USA.]
4. adjusted based on the latest 12-month US<->foreign exchange rate change,
as to be computed at least annually by the Secretary of Commerce, with
a. proportional addition by up to 5%, when unfavorable to the US dollar,
b. proportional reduction by up to 5%, when favorable to the US dollar, but to not less than 10% tariff,
[That’s to help stabilize foreign exchange rates. The tariffs need to be more about long-term international and domestic financial stability than stuff. Brazil as well as the US needs the ability to be financially stable.]
5. as directed by the President of the United States and otherwise allowed by law,
adjusted based on domestic producer profitability, by industry and/or product type,
except when the import is a garment from a country that is not industrially advanced,
or contains intellectual property of key value significance,
as shall be calculated by the Secretary of Commerce, with
I. a 10% addition, no domestic producer of product or service type,
II. addition of calculated percentage that is less than 10%,
III. reduction by calculated percentage that is less than 10%, but to not less than 10% tariff.
[That enables the President to protect key US industries such as the steel industry from collapsing.]
Note the high degree of self-adjustment. That enables the rules to remain reliable for much longer.
And yes, Congress needs to set the rules. If the EU gets a better deal from Trump than Australia, then the Australian Parliament may refuse to ratify Australia’s deal with Trump.
Did I mention anything about inflation? No. I’m talking about tariffs hurting businesses because the uncertainty of company costs. Do I really need to explain?
That’s fine, just settle it at whatever cost and move on. The problem is it keeps getting extended and manufacturers don’t know what to expect so they slow walk everything until it’s settled.
My business was utterly destroyed by the Kung flu lock downs. It stayed flat (95% down) all during the chomo in chief’s term. Things are looking up a bit for me but there is some uncertainty with tariffs as many materials and supplies I can ONLY get over seas. (Certain alloys and machinery components). They simply aren’t made here and it will take years to retool here. Trump made a big mistake and didn’t announce new incentives and tax breaks for us manufacturers BEFORE announcing new tariffs AFTER new supply chains were in progress. As long as the democrat party exists small US manufacturers will just do what I have been doing. Keeping your nose above water and making just enough to pay the bills and minimize taxes. I don’t see it improving, at least in my industry.
Thant being said look for new opportunities. I have been studying automation, AI adaptive designs, and robotics and getting away from my near 30 years of aircraft manufacturing and engineering.
Ummm, after yesterday’s nice day in the 3 major markets, the DJIA only needs 4 more such days to hit its all-time high, the NASDAQ literally only needs 2 more similar days, and the S&P500 only needs 4 more similar days, to be at their all-time highs. The markets do not seem to agree with your assessment on manufacturing.
Go ahead flame away, but if this goes on much longer our economy will be heading in a downward spiral.
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You don’t follow the Markets, do ya? Do you get ALL your silly notions from the enemedia?
“That’s fine, just settle it at whatever cost and move on. The problem is it keeps getting extended and manufacturers don’t know what to expect so they slow walk everything until it’s settled.”
Sounds like manufacturers don’t want to take risks, but that could be risky. Interesting.
(typo, that should be 5 days for the S&P)
“the tariff uncertainty is 100% caused manufacturing to a crawl.”
Seems counter intuitive.
Sure, If we only had Comma-la. /s Things would be SO MUCH BETTER! /s
Want some cheese with that whine?
Donald J Trump (47) the best president since Donald J Trump (45) and George Washington.
I know 47 is better than 45, but the tenses didn’t work out.
Our three greatest presidents:
1. George Washington
2. Donald Trump (47)
3. Donald Trump (45)
4. Thomas Jefferson
5. Dwight D. Eisenhower (the first president I remember)
A little pain now, for great reward in a bit of time.
The Tariffs all go away once the offending nations drop their unfair tariffs.
As to Lincoln, just how many Americans did Abraham Lincoln get KILLED?
“Roughly 2% of the population, an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty. Taken as a percentage of today’s population, the toll would have risen as high as 6 million souls.”
How many arms and legs?
“Approximately 60,000 amputations were performed during the Civil War (1861-65), more than during any other war in which the United States has been involved. Three-quarters of all operations were amputations.”
How many horses?
“Present in every Civil War camp and on every battlefield, horses suffered and died in numbers that rivaled even the Civil War’s high rate of human devastation. An estimated 1, 500, 000 horses and mules were wounded or killed, or died of disease in the war, as compared with 970, 000 military casualties.”
Lincoln, a “great president”, I think not.
Horseshit. Tariffs are working, wages are rising and inflation is in check. The tariff will bring in 4 trillion over 10 years to the treasury. So go out of business I DONT CARE.
I don’t think you understand how tariffs work. Do your homework.
The companies importing goods ? We should care)
When you say manufacturers do you mean domestic or foreign manufacturers . There is a difference.
I agree. Trump ran promising “reciprocal” tariffs, and complained about balance of trade deficits. He did not promise to punish allies who sell quality goods to us at low prices.
NOBODY is hiring!
A little pain now, for great reward in a bit of time.
The Tariffs all go away once the offending nations drop their unfair tariffs.
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But Trump is imposing punitive tariffs on S Korea, not in response to high Korean tariffs, but because they sell more to us than we sell to them.
I don’t blame South Korea. I wouldn’t buy American junk either.
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