Tariffs, Protectionism, Trade Deficits, and Trade War

[SuburbanFarmer]

You will push for anti-American policies, and when the consequences of those policies result in attack, you will just surrender.

You have no business voting.

Back in the Paleolithic, the rest of us would just kill men like you. By the middle ages, we'd just make you peasants. But now you get a vote in the destiny of nations, and you are seriously threatening the future of our country.

Since you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, that's probably true. Thank god we're not ruled by the drooling mob (for the time being).

I have every idea what you are talking about. I think it's silly. But, regardless of who is right and wrong about the effects of tariffs, it's utterly beside the point. I can concede the point to you even though I think you are wrong, and the larger issue is more important: America should maintain it's domestic manufacturing and base materials industries. The ability to produce strategic resources and build shit -- you know, like warships and fighters -- is more important than whether or not a small urban class of hucksters and merchants can make some extra shekels by destroying the future of our nation.

We never ceased to have "the ability" to do anything we like. Our economy has been outsourced by the central banksters, and now we're bitching about the consequences of it, without addressing the source.

How do you suppose the rest of the world "survives" on the equivalent of minimum-wage American work, when we can't even feed a family with it? That's mass inflation, happening 24/7/365, thanks to your friendly neighborhood money-printers. They manipulate the price of gold down, and buy up our stock market, to give the appearance of 'prosperity', while they rent your ass out from under you.

Tariffs and trade imbalance are merely the effects of monetary manipulation, not the cause. This was all dictated the minute we ran out of money in WWI, and created the 3rd Central Bankster Union of the USA. It's all been flowdown from that, as we slowly go bankrupt.

[Speaker to Animals]

If this economic warfare continues without a response, there will be no steel or aluminum industries in America, guy.

[SuburbanFarmer]

If this economic warfare continues without a response, there will be no steel or aluminum industries in America, guy.

You're correct, but the 'warfare' is between your central banksters and the labor force. China has nothing to do with it.

[Speaker to Animals]

Fucking hell you are clueless.

[Fife]

You will push for anti-American policies, and when the consequences of those policies result in attack, you will just surrender.

You have no business voting.

Back in the Paleolithic, the rest of us would just kill men like you. By the middle ages, we'd just make you peasants. But now you get a vote in the destiny of nations, and you are seriously threatening the future of our country.

Since you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, that's probably true. Thank god we're not ruled by the drooling mob (for the time being).

I have every idea what you are talking about. I think it's silly. But, regardless of who is right and wrong about the effects of tariffs, it's utterly beside the point. I can concede the point to you even though I think you are wrong, and the larger issue is more important: America should maintain it's domestic manufacturing and base materials industries. The ability to produce strategic resources and build shit -- you know, like warships and fighters -- is more important than whether or not a small urban class of hucksters and merchants can make some extra shekels by destroying the future of our nation.

Listen to that Schiff episode I put in the OP. He begins with the premise that Trump is obviously correct that our trade deficit is a MAJOR problem. An existential problem. He then goes on to talk about the reality of how we can address the deficit IRL; and does a tidy vivisection on the soon-to-be stiff protectionism patient.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Fucking hell you are clueless.

Yes.. the only possible reason that I wouldn't be arguing on your black/white line in the sand. When someone comes in from the side, it's clearly because they 'don't understand the game'.

[Ex-California]

What's funny to me is that all these people on the Left are now for the free market...

I still don't see a problem with Protectionism. Stapleton had a really weak argument on this, he was talking about how the EU is going to impose tariffs on blue jeans and bourbon because of our steel and aluminum tariffs. No one needs Levis or Jim Beam. Everyone needs metal

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

No one needs Levis or Jim Beam.

Fuck you!

Everyone needs metal

True

[kybkh]

For people to try and make an argument based on "theoretical economics" in today's world is just silly.

Every scale is weighted and every coin diluted.

It's a total crap shoot on a global scale as to the truth behind any nation's numbers.

[Fife]

What do you mean by "theoretical economics?" I don't understand that term of art.