Trade Wars and Tariffs

[BeardedVol]

How are tariffs not a tax?

Ask Peter Navarro, he's the one who is trying to sell the idea that tariffs are actually tax cuts.

Apparently his argument has already convinced @Thunder Good-Oil.

 

[volbound1700]

That's a big assumption. Heck, Trump slapped 10% on Australia with whom we have a free trade agreement, effective tariffs of 0%, and a trade surplus. If Australia gets no love, why would Vietnam be any different?

I have heard that Australia is another one USA is about to cave/negotiate on. Issue with Australia is that they weren't buying US beef and farmers complained to Trump about it so he did the tariff. You can't please everyone.

The EU, Australia, UK, Canada, Costa Rica, etc. tariffs have been dumb.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

That's a big assumption. Heck, Trump slapped 10% on Australia with whom we have a free trade agreement, effective tariffs of 0%, and a trade surplus. If Australia gets no love, why would Vietnam be any different?

I think that the tariffs going on everything is simply the mechanics of the process. Australia says some nice things, keeps their tariffs at zero, and they’ll get theirs lifted.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

I have heard that Australia is another one USA is about to cave/negotiate on. Issue with Australia is that they weren't buying US beef and farmers complained to Trump about it so he did the tariff. You can't please everyone.

The EU, Australia, UK, Canada, Costa Rica, etc. tariffs have been dumb.

We sure as hell purchase a chit ton of Australia's lamb.

 

[jmacvols1]

Vietnam is a great example of the pointlessness of these "reciprocal" tariffs.

Vietnam's average effective tariff on US imports is 5.1%. But Trump is taking the trade imbalance and calling it a tariff of 90%. But even if Vietnam were to cut all tariffs on US imports it will not erase the trade imbalance. Vietnam is a poor nation with less than a third of the population of the US, but they produce a ton of textiles for dirt cheap. They simply do not need, and cannot afford, to import from the US at a rate comparable to what the US imports from them. Tariffs will never change this fact. The only way to correct this trade imbalance is for Vietnam to stop producing, or for the US to stop buying, the things that Vietnam makes that Americans want to buy.

Assuming that every single trade imbalance is a problem is economically illiterate. An 8th grader could tell you how dumb that concept it.

US will end up having free trade with Vietnam.

You will complain no matter what Trump.

 

[mrorange211]

US will end up having free trade with Vietnam.

You will complain no matter what Trump.

That's certainly the hope and I'll give him props if it happens.

 

[bamawriter]

I think that the tariffs going on everything is simply the mechanics of the process. Australia says some nice things, keeps their tariffs at zero, and they’ll get theirs lifted.

Then the "mechanics of the process" contained no analysis, no logic, no planning, and no point.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Ask Peter Navarro, he's the one who is trying to sell the idea that tariffs are actually tax cuts.

Apparently his argument has already convinced @Thunder Good-Oil.

He said that the tariffs can replace taxes and also address security issues as well as a couple of other points.

Almost 100,000 US manufacturing facilities have closed since NAFTA. Generating revenue for the Treasury isn’t the primary objective. It’s added value.

 

[bamawriter]

US will end up having free trade with Vietnam.

You will complain no matter what Trump.

But Trump isn't arguing for free trade. If free trade was the point, why has he slapped tariffs on countries with which we have free trade (see: Australia)? His entire argument is that trade deficits are a problem, which is why the entire formula was based on deficits and not tariffs. We cannot erase trade deficits with countries like Vietnam, Costa Rica, Lesotho, etc.

 

[Vol8188]

Ask Peter Navarro, he's the one who is trying to sell the idea that tariffs are actually tax cuts.

Apparently his argument has already convinced @Thunder Good-Oil.

Sorry, I misread. Tariffs are for sure taxes. I do find it odd that those who supported Biden’s global corporate tax idea are opposed to this.

But either way, it’s a tax

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Then the "mechanics of the process" contained no analysis, no logic, no planning, and no point.

That’s the starting point. Then adjustments will be made on a case by case basis. Creating the starting point gets everybody lined up coming to the negotiation table.

 

[BeardedVol]

The Tennessee Holler on Instagram: "PORTNOY: “I’m down $7 Million today… Trump has put his tariffs all over the place… I’ve been trying to understand them - I don’t. And everything is in the shitter because of it.”"

5,582 likes, 743 comments - thetnholler on April 4, 2025: "PORTNOY: “I’m down $7 Million today… Trump has put his tariffs all over the place… I’ve been trying to understand them - I don’t. And everything is in the shitter because of it.”".

www.instagram.com

 

[Vol737]

Just don't pull out and all will be fine.

Too early for….TWSS??


Nine kids later…..

 

[Vol737]

We sure as hell purchase a chit ton of Australia's lamb.

Had some great lamb chops from Publix the other night. I’ll still buy it, tariff or not. Will Montana pay a tariff to ship Bison to my local grocery store? That’s some fine stuff too.

 

[BeardedVol]

He said that the tariffs can replace taxes and also address security issues as well as a couple of other points.

Almost 100,000 US manufacturing facilities have closed since NAFTA. Generating revenue for the Treasury isn’t the primary objective. It’s added value.

Lol no he didn't, here's the time stamp of his exact statement:


He literally says "tariffs are tax cuts", and besides that I've seen nothing coming out of the administration, where there has been any talk of lowing personal taxes as a part of this tariff scheme.

So unless you want to cite your source, that seems to just be you trying to cope with the moronic reality that you voted for.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Had some great lamb chops from Publix the other night. I’ll still buy it, tariff or not. Will Montana pay a tariff to ship Bison to my local grocery store? That’s some fine stuff too.

Lamb is great. I purchased 3 packs the other day at Sam's for around 30 bucks.

 

[Dergibvol]

I'm guessing you were also whining about $3.99 eggs during Biden but you're now telling people to toughen up when there's an unnecessary $9000 bump for new home construction price.

The increase in new build home prices is a bad example IMO. Those who are buying and building new homes today have the wealth where 10k is something they don't even blink at.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Lol no he didn't, here's the time stamp of his exact statement:


He literally says "tariffs are tax cuts", and besides that I've seen nothing coming out of the administration, where there has been any talk of lowing personal taxes as a part of this tariff scheme.

So unless you want to cite your source, that seems to just be you trying to cope with the moronic reality that you voted for.

He also “literally” says “tariffs are jobs”. He “literally” says “tariffs are national security”.

Thanks for the confirmation. LOL.

 

[hog88]

But Trump isn't arguing for free trade. If free trade was the point, why has he slapped tariffs on countries with which we have free trade (see: Australia)? His entire argument is that trade deficits are a problem, which is why the entire formula was based on deficits and not tariffs. We cannot erase trade deficits with countries like Vietnam, Costa Rica, Lesotho, etc.

We don't have free trade with anyone. Australia, the example you used hasn't allowed US beef to be imported since 2003. While technically not banned anymore they have not approved any import applications since the ban was lifted.

 

[lawgator1]

Utter disaster.

 

[hog88]

Utter disaster.

Too soon to go chicken little.

 

[bamawriter]

We don't have free trade with anyone. Australia, the example you used hasn't allowed US beef to be imported since 2003. While technically not banned anymore they have not approved any import applications since the ban was lifted.

Just because a country doesn't accept a specific import doesn't mean we don't have free trade with them. If Australia allowed US beef imports and tariffed them at 2000%, that would indicate a lack of free trade.

 

[BeardedVol]

He also “literally” says “tariffs are jobs”. He “literally” says “tariffs are national security”.

Thanks for the confirmation. LOL.

I mean at this point, what aren't tariffs to you?

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[WebbCobb]

He said that the tariffs can replace taxes and also address security issues as well as a couple of other points.

Almost 100,000 US manufacturing facilities have closed since NAFTA. Generating revenue for the Treasury isn’t the primary objective. It’s added value.

If you look at the data, NAFTA had an impact but China’s accession to the WTO is when manufacturing falls off the cliff

 

[hog88]

Just because a country doesn't accept a specific import doesn't mean we don't have free trade with them. If Australia allowed US beef imports and tariffed them at 2000%, that would indicate a lack of free trade.

Banning our products while we allow theirs is not free trade. Just because a country doesn't charge tariffs on our goods doesn't mean we have free trade with them.

Now with that being said, instead of placing tariffs on Aussy goods Trump should have just banned all of their meat (lamb) exports to the US.