THE ERA OF TRUMP

[Montegriffo]

I’ve seen you walking and quacking for a decade; don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.

I don't think you know what a Marxist is.

Have I ever called for the means of production to be seized?

I think it’s more likely that you yourself don’t understand Marxism. The Revolution playbook matches that of the Left perfectly. Undermining institutions, and producing infinite social division, to isolate the individual. It’s all in the book dude.

Undermining institutions, and producing infinite social division?
Sounds just like Trump to me.
He's even going down the leftie, union, protectionist tariffs.
Conservatives are supposed to be free trade.
Thatcher and Reagan are spinning in their graves.

[SuburbanFarmer]

I don't think you know what a Marxist is.

Have I ever called for the means of production to be seized?

I think it’s more likely that you yourself don’t understand Marxism. The Revolution playbook matches that of the Left perfectly. Undermining institutions, and producing infinite social division, to isolate the individual. It’s all in the book dude.

Undermining institutions, and producing infinite social division?
Sounds just like Trump to me.
He's even going down the leftie, union, protectionist tariffs.
Conservatives are supposed to be free trade.
Thatcher and Reagan are spinning in their graves.

Still can’t tell if you’re trolling or not. But perhaps I should have been more clear, and used the term ‘social institutions’ - ya know, family, church, community, etc. not Our Lady Of Perpetual Paperwork institutions.

Reagan and Thatcher endorsed tariffs. The whole ‘free trade’ thing started with Clinton, and seems to involve the US dropping tariffs and getting nailed in return.

Like I said, I’m still on the fence, but the economic house is on fire everywhere. This is part of a much bigger game in global finance. The global currency debasement game is coming to an end, and the only tool left to the Executive is tariffs. Better to do something, even if it’s wrong.

[Montegriffo]

These comments from Reagan from April 1987 ring true:

You see, at first, when someone says, ``Let's impose tariffs on foreign imports,'' it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes for a short while it works -- but only for a short time. What eventually occurs is: First, homegrown industries start relying on government protection in the form of high tariffs. They stop competing and stop making the innovative management and technological changes they need to succeed in world markets. And then, while all this is going on, something even worse occurs. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. The result is more and more tariffs, higher and higher trade barriers, and less and less competition. So, soon, because of the prices made artificially high by tariffs that subsidize inefficiency and poor management, people stop buying. Then the worst happens: Markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs.

The memory of all this occurring back in the thirties made me determined when I came to Washington to spare the American people the protectionist legislation that destroys prosperity. Now, it hasn't always been easy. There are those in this Congress, just as there were back in the thirties, who want to go for the quick political advantage, who will risk America's prosperity for the sake of a short-term appeal to some special interest group...

https://www.forexlive.com/news/ronald-r ... -20250312/

[Montegriffo]

[Montegriffo]

Thatcher and Reagan were the mother and father of globalisation.
They were the beginning of the outsourcing of jobs.
The miner's strike was all about importing cheap Chinese coal and laying off British miners.
She did the same with steel production and shipbuilding.
Thatcher famously said ''there is no alternative'' when talking about global free trade.

[Montegriffo]

[Montegriffo]

[Montegriffo]

Still think Reagan and Thatcher endorsed tariffs?
I can keep posting vids of them promoting free trade until you workout that you are mistaken...

[Haumana]

Yes, there were tariffs during Ronald Reagan's terms as President of the United States (1981–1989). While Reagan is often remembered as a champion of free markets and deregulation, his administration did impose tariffs and trade restrictions in certain cases, often to protect American industries or respond to international trade disputes.
Here are some key examples:

Japanese Auto Imports (1981): Early in Reagan's presidency, Japan agreed to "voluntary export restraints" (VERs) to limit the number of cars exported to the U.S. This wasn’t a traditional tariff but acted as a trade barrier to protect the American auto industry, particularly companies like Ford and General Motors, which were struggling against Japanese competition.

Steel Tariffs (1984): The Reagan administration negotiated voluntary export restraints with several countries to limit steel imports into the U.S. This was in response to pressure from the domestic steel industry, which faced challenges from cheaper foreign steel.

Motorcycle Tariffs (1983): To save Harley-Davidson, an iconic American company on the brink of collapse due to competition from Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Yamaha, Reagan imposed tariffs on imported large motorcycles. The tariff started at 45% and gradually decreased over five years, giving Harley-Davidson time to recover.
Textiles and Apparel: Reagan’s administration enforced quotas and tariffs on textile and apparel imports under the Multi-Fiber Arrangement, a global trade agreement that allowed the U.S. to limit imports from countries like China and other low-cost producers.

Machine Tools (1986): Reagan imposed quotas and tariffs on imported machine tools from countries like Japan and West Germany to protect the U.S. machine tool industry, citing national security concerns.

While Reagan generally favored free trade rhetorically, his administration pragmatically used tariffs and trade restrictions when politically or economically expedient, often to shield key industries or address trade imbalances. This approach contrasted with his broader push for deregulation and tax cuts but reflected the realities of global competition and domestic pressures during the 1980s.

[Martin Hash]

MAGA is NOT NeoCon.