More on the dollar next week!
President Trump is levying a 25% tariff on steel, and 10% tariff on aluminum. Rinos (Republicans in name only), and many Democrats are screaming that it will start a trade war, and they say no one wins in a trade war, which may or may not be true. Trump is eliminating Canada and Mexico from the tariffs. I think tariffs are wonderful, but not in the form Trump is levying them.
We have suffered immensely by having our jobs lost and factories closed because of both Japan and China. It was Japan at first, and still is, but China is the main problem, and tariffs on Chinese goods, not raw materials, is the key. It costs a bundle to buy a German or American car in China. They levy tariffs on cars imported from America and Germany. China recently bought a new Mercedes, dismantled and copied it bolt for bolt, screw by screw, and there will probably be a new Chinese made Mercedes, or will have copied all the parts for their own variety. They’ve copied our airplanes, appliances, electronics, and patents, paying no royalties. After WW II, Japan took a German Leica camera apart, duplicated it exactly, and then had an exact Leica with a Japanese name; Canon. It sold for far less than a real Leica, and was inferior, even though it was a duplicate. Inferior workmanship and materials. I do not believe that Orientals are creative enough to invent things; only copy them. Try to buy anything that isn’t made in China, and good luck.
Here’s my idea of effective tariffs, which would slow the Chinese economy and boost ours. A couple of years ago, I had an idea to make combs from scrap plastics, in order to thwart the Chinese made combs, which are in Walmarts. I was going to make them red white and blue, bragging that they were ‘made in America,’ and put them on the road with sales people, try to get them in truck stops, and every possible place, including Walmarts. I was going to try to beat Chinese prices with their cheap labor and no environmental B.S. After considering all aspects of the project, I gave it up.
Try to buy a screwdriver, socket wrench, pliers, or other tool, which isn’t made in China, and it is near impossible. In my local hardware store, Chinese tools sit next to American made tools, and the Chinese ones are cheaper. Better? I don’t know, but if tariffs were placed on anything made in China that are also made in America, or could be, with employee benefits, anti-pollution requirements, vacations, etc, and which are selling at a higher price, because of them, that’s the place to put tariffs. Tools, tires, combs, furniture, clothes, TV sets, computers, car parts, or what have you. As each item had tariffs placed on them to make their prices equal with American made prices, whose employees had health care, vacations, and worked in clean air, the Chinese factory making those items, would be in trouble. We consume more goods than any nation on earth, and are undoubtedly China’s best customers. Chinese air is unbreathable, and workers have no benefits, so their labor costs are far lower than ours. Would you buy a tool which was made in America, or the same price if the Chinese ones had a tariff which made their prices equal?
Orientals have stolen our patents, movies, know how, and brains at every turn. They take our products, which they are incapable of inventing, and even copy our assembly line techniques. This has been going on for decades, and our lack of tariffs on everything which we used to make, but no longer make, thanks to China and Japan stealing them, with filthy air and no employee benefits, should have had tariffs placed on each and every item long ago. Do it now Mr. Trump, and skip the raw material tariffs, which they can get around anyway, by shipping them through other nations. We have laws which require things made in China and Japan, to be so labeled. It would be easy to instantly levy a tariff on every item made in China or Japan, which used to be made in America, and still could be, possibly at a higher cost, because we value our air and employee health and security. China doesn’t, and Japan less so, so their labor costs are a fraction of ours. If an American tire cost the same as a Chinese or Japanese tire, thanks to tariffs, which one would you buy? Tariffs would equalize their prices.
Can’t you imagine the eventual results of placing tariffs on individual goods, rather than raw materials? Japanese air bags and Chinese dog food have killed American people and dogs. Chinese baby food has killed thousands of Chinese babies. Fortunately, we will not import those things from China any more. The lethal Japanese air bags will be in court for years and the company has taken bankruptcy. Chinese communists don’t give a good damn about patent theft, movie theft, copyright theft, or anything to make a profit, legitimate or not. By placing tariffs on everything individually not made in America, rather than raw materials, the problem would be solved. The thousands of containers coming into America on huge ships, are not carrying steel or aluminum, but products MADE with these materials, some of which should have tariffs laid on them. George Bush did it with steel rather than products, and a few months later, he had to remove it because it failed. How about tariffs on goods made with stolen US patents, on which no royalties have been paid?
And while I am at it, why not go easy on, or not charge tariffs on merchandise from English speaking nations? The English speaking nations are responsible for world-wide civilization. The Brits before us, and the Aussies after us. India was developed, civilized, and taught English by the Brits. They decided to go their own way many decades ago, and are now reverting to their former absurdity. The Japanese stole our patented transistors and never paid a cent of royalty. The Chinese are in the process of stealing Mercedes everything, and have robbed us for decades.
“Big D,” a friend of mine, worked for many years in a steel mill in Alabama. It was sold to China, dismantled, each piece shipped to China, reassembled, and hundreds of Americans were laid off. That steel wasn’t re-shipped to America, but used to make steel products which were then sold in America, probably with no tariffs.
Tariffs on individual goods are great, and If they are made in Canada or the U.K., no tariffs. They speak English! Am I a bigot in favor of English speaking nations? Yup. – Don Stott. 1-888-786-8822