Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Trump's Tariff Gambit
American Thinker.com ^ | June 4, 2019 | Marc A. Scaringi

Posted on 06/04/2019 6:32:27 AM PDT by Kaslin

President Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on all Mexican imports until Mexico takes serious action to control its border with the U.S. shocked the Washington Beltway, Wall Street, and the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City. These centers of financial and political power, lulled by a U.S. Congress that has refused to act and activist federal judges who have stymied Trump’s border control efforts at every step, were jolted awake by Trump’s ultimatum. But they should not have been surprised. The president issued a similar threat back in April. And, Trump promised from day one of his presidential campaign that he would make stanching the flow of illegal immigration, crime, and drugs northward and of U.S. factories and jobs southward a focal point of his presidency

During his presidential campaign kickoff at Trump Tower in 2016, Trump lamented, “When do we beat Mexico at the border? They’re laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they’re killing us economically.” Trump was right. That year the U.S. suffered a $64 billion trade deficit in goods with Mexico; in 2018 it reached $81 billion. In comparison, the year before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect the U.S. had $1.6 billion surplus in goods with Mexico; the year after, a $15 billion deficit. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal nearly 4.5 million U.S. manufacturing jobs have been lost since NAFTA.


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/04/2019 6:32:27 AM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
The Art of the Deal!


2 posted on 06/04/2019 6:35:47 AM PDT by Bon mots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

In before the “But how will we get our necessities” whiner crowd

Could always move to Mexico if it’s their crap you like


3 posted on 06/04/2019 6:41:28 AM PDT by Regulator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Mexico had 25 years to benefit from NAFTA, they squandered it, they are still near 3rd world status.


4 posted on 06/04/2019 7:03:18 AM PDT by tiki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

“The tariffs are intended to cudgel the Mexican government into quick action. And, they’ve certainly garnered the attention of the Mexican government. That’s because Mexico has so much to lose if the tariffs are imposed.”

****************
Trump has done the right thing in making this Mexico’s problem to fix. We don’t need deals, proposals or any other useless “suggestions” from Mexico. They’re all just delaying tactics.

The only thing we want to see is results — a halt to the flow of illegal immigration, drugs, criminals, and disease. Until that happens, Mexico will have to deal with the consequences of a problem they could have solved long ago. If anything, we’ve been way too patient with them. Now the clock has run out.

Financial pain has a way of encouraging people to act. And it works.


5 posted on 06/04/2019 7:06:14 AM PDT by Starboard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Starboard
...Trump has done the right thing in making this Mexico’s problem to fix. We don’t need deals, proposals or any other useless “suggestions” from Mexico. They’re all just delaying tactics...

The real issue is that it was never a problem for Mexico. The situation at the US border has been a net benefit to Mexico, which is exactly why they allowed and even encouraged it.

President Trump has now aligned Mexico's interests with those of the US and we will see action.

If he is tough enough on this Mexico may build a wall on their side of the border -- and pay for it.

6 posted on 06/04/2019 9:02:51 AM PDT by CurlyDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: CurlyDave

“The real issue is that it was never a problem for Mexico.”

******************

That’s true but the point of my comment was that Mexico’s refusal to cooperate with us is now a problem for them — and THEY needs fix it. I don’t care one bit about aligning our interests with Mexico’s. That’s a lofty sounding thing but only RESULTS matter now. In other words don’t bother telling me what you’re going to do, tell me when you’ve actually done it. Show me real progress and then we’ll talk.

Countries and people are big on talk but small on action. Its time we put an end to the endless distractions and insist on action, results and progress. Anything less is just more unproductive BS and a waste of our time.


7 posted on 06/04/2019 9:23:20 AM PDT by Starboard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson