@tarotfindsandmore wrote:
Exactly! The U.S. currently pays tariffs on goods imported from dozens of countries, and has for decades. I think many people are overlooking the fact that the current administration never removed the tariffs that were put in place during the president elect's first term. Obviously, they weren't all that damaging, as his opponents basically undid virtually every other thing he did.
Personally, I'm in favor of the tariffs for the reasons you've mentioned, in addition to a number of others. I'd like to see manufacturing come home (my father ran a small manufacturing business for fifty years, only to have the CCP steal every one of his designs in the final decade he was manufacturing goods that he sold all over the world). China produces more pollution than any western nation, and more than most developing countries. Their labor laws are appalling, their blatant disregard of things like patents and copyright laws destroys small business, and they liberally use chemicals in the goods they produce that are even more toxic than those we use (which is some accomplishment, considering the amount of crap we allow into our own food). They've been very clear about the fact that they have absolutely no problem with running this country right into the ground. I'm perfectly okay with making it more difficult for them to accomplish that goal.
Higher tariffs on goods coming in from China will make it much less attractive to buy the schlock they produce, because the reality is, we only buy their garbage because it's so incredibly cheap. No one ever says, "ooo, look at this beautiful China-made handbag!" or "I just love that amazing Chinese cheese!" We do business with China because no one else is able to compete with their prices. We've completely forfeited our desire for quality goods in favor of mountains of crap that just ends up broken in our landfills in five minutes. A 60% tariff on their goods will put costs right about where the 20% tariff on all other goods is and, personally, I'd much rather buy French cheese and Italian handbags.
YOU GOTTA HAVE MANUFACTURING IN THE STATES in place before you do any heavy tariffs. Consumers will suffer with higher costs goods, Just what we all need right now when many cannot even afford to put a rood over their head.
