What seems to be missing from every single discussion i’ve seen on tariffs [and i’ve seen a brazillion] is a simple comparison of financial impediments to trade.
It would be easy and meaningful to compare what happens to a car made in US sent to China vs a car made in China sent to the US. The comparison could be cars, pork, steel, or whatever. And the country could be China, Mexico, Canada, EU or whatever.
It boggles the mind that nobody [nobody i’ve seen] is making this rather simple presentation.
Such a presentation would show everyone that a) we’ve been in a trade war for decades just didn’t fight back and b) our impediments [tariffs] are just now getting even with the VATs, tariffs, etc of all these other countries... it’s NOT that we’re striking out at anyone to be spiteful... we’re striking to even the playing field.
Globally, we can produce far more manufactured products than we need. This has an underlying downward influence on the prices that we can charge for these products ... which puts high-wage countries at a basic competitive disadvantage.