Posted on 04/02/2025 6:09:38 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
Michigan union workers are hailing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign-made cars, telling a crowd in the Rose Garden on Wednesday evening that the president’s economic nationalist agenda will revitalize communities gutted from decades of free trade policies.
During the speech, Trump brought up a man named Brian — a leader in the United Auto Workers (UAW) — who said the 25 percent tariffs on all foreign-made cars will drive an economic boom in areas like Macomb County, Michigan, and save American industry.
“I grew up just north of Detroit, Michigan in Macomb County — known as the home of the Reagan Democrats. My first vote for president was for Ronald Reagan,” Brian said. “I thought that was going to be the best president I ever saw in my lifetime until Donald J. Trump came along.”
“I have watched my entire life, I have watched plant after plant after plant in Detroit and in the metro Detroit area close,” Brian continued:
There are now plants sitting idle, there are now plants that are underutilized. And Donald Trump’s policies are going to bring products back into those under-utilized plants, there’s going to be new investment, there’s going to be new plants built. [Emphasis added]
And the UAW members — and I brought 20 of them with me, they’re sitting right over here — we support Donald Trump’s policies on tariffs 100 percent. So, Mr. President we can’t thank you enough. In six months to a year, we’re going to see the benefits, I can’t wait to see what’s happening 3-4 years down the road. Thank you, Mr. President. [Emphasis added]
Last week, UAW President Shawn Fain, who campaigned for former President Joe Biden, thanked Trump for the auto tariffs that he said will help “end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
“Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions,” Fain said.
Revive the Rust Belt.
Revive Coal Country.
Revive the timber states.
Young men need good jobs. The cubicle farms inhabited by people with pointless college degrees have not worked out so well.
Should add “Sorry we called you the new Hitler, a threat to democracy and a fascist. We were in a grumpy mood back then.”
Fain was the one with the shirt that said Eat The Rich.
Quite a few auto union workers voted for President Trump. Some had a union sign and a Trump sign in the same yard
Will still vote dem in the next election.
Detroit used to be the car making capitol of the world..now look at Detroit, its unrecognizable because all of these corporations shipped their companies overseas for cheap labor..I saw some prick on X complain about how workers in Vietnam are worried about their jobs at Nike, yeah Nike employs 250,000 people in Vietnam to make their shoes, ship them here where they charge what, 150 for a pair of their shoes..all of these companies want cheap labor, enough is enough
That’s a good thing that’s been going on since I was a kid.
Grew up in Macomb County, the scene of the “Reagan Democrats”, working people in unions who defied the bosses and voted for him, starting a national trend that helped him win twice. Bosses still shoveled millions of dollars of union dues “education” funds (to pay for Dem ads) to the Dems.
Just the Public Sector Unions, 2024:
$12,501,058 To Democrats
$1,664,900 To Republicans.
Teachers unions, firefighters, postal workers and letter carriers, FAA, National Weather Service, Professional Engineers in California Government....
Example: 99.90% of the American Federation of Teachers’ contributions have gone to Democrats.
Other various labor unions: over $708 Million.
Now if we can just get rid of the regulations so they can make a car people can afford to buy. That would be something.
Now all the US carmakers have to do is stop producing junk. The modern stuff is unreliable and super expensive to fix. As for GM their engines are blowing up. I just saw where a new Cadillac engine only made it 4 miles from the dealer before it blew up. Silverado engines are also blowing up. They need to dump this new stuff and go back to proven and true engines of the past. Shortly after their bankruptcy they took a huge downward turn in reliability.
The UAW will soak up all the benefits of the protective tariffs. It won’t lead to better and cheaper cars. It will lead to some extremely well paying UAW jobs.
The nonunion plants will unionize to make sure they get some of the largess.
No more 1.4 litre aluminum 3-cyl twin turbo’s pushing giant vehicles..
It’s frigging ridiculous...
I’ve never owned an America car. In fifty years of driving all I’ve ever bought are Opels, Nissans, Toyotas and a VW diesel, because American cars are junk!
I’ve seen person after person I know buy Subarus, Hondas, Toyotas, etc., and they all last 300,000+, often with few repairs.
At the same time I know so many people who buy GM, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, etc., and they all fall apart at around 125,000, often needing multiple expensive repairs.
I have done the same.
I never buy new cars but the ones I buy last.
None are made by USA corporations, although many are made in America.
The problem is complex.
US CEOs work for shareholders. They don’t give a rats ass
about the product, just short term bottom line.
Union workers Can’t survive in an open labor market, because they are not able to.
Full disclosure I’ve been reluctantly a union member
most my working life and I NEVER needed their help.
They were idiots!
I retired at age 55 no thanks to unions!
My father had to join the AFL/CIO when working for auto manufacturer.
In Detroit, the Public School teachers would force pupils to vote in classroom elections. My Dad had tried to prepare me and say we voted with a secret ballot.
I had chosen a Republican candidate. Kind of hard to keep a secret when were the only one that had voted Republican.
When we left the Social Studies class that day (walking one-way, single-file along the lockers), I was pushed, shoved with the person behind walked on he heels of my shoes so my shoes fell off. My Social studies teacher asked why were these student doing that to me?
I told her because they found out I voted Republican in her class.
That night when I walked with my dad to the local neighborhood market for milk. We walked because my family could not afford a car. My Father asked how my day was at school. I told him.
He was quiet at first.
Then, he shared the Union did to him as an employee. The Union would call them in one on one. The AFI/CIO questioned him which candaidate he intended to vote for?
So, I asked what he did?
He said he had to answer & tell the Union what they wanted to hear.
My Father was a strong Christian. He didn’t lie. But, I was shocked. I said, but that it was wrong to lie.
That’s when I learned the meaning of DURESS.
My Father said he knew God would understand because he had a wife and 2 children to support. He said God would understand because he had to lie under duress.
“Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions,” Fain said.”
Absolutely! of course ‘Michigan union workers are hailing President Donald Trump’s tariffs.’
My father said American car companies could compete with any automobile companies on the world if it hadn’t been for the politicians!
Re: 16 - mixed bag on American cars.
Overall foreign brands have held up better. Toyota, M-B, etc.
If the quality is there, I’ll buy American every time. If it’s not, I don’t buy American. Simple as that.
That is what the retail outlets charge the consumer. What does the manufacturer get? I know from direct experience that retail markup is 1000%.
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