Quote: (12-06-2018 05:41 PM)Leonard D Neubache Wrote:
I'm trying desperately to understand how matching another nation's tariffs is "weak" and "not fair"
We're reaching cognitive dissonance levels previously thought impossible.
Trump is not intending to match other nation's tariff levels. Far from it. His intention is to exceed them many times over. Witness the massive tariffs on China, which are not matched by China. China even agreed to reduce the 40% tariff on cars, Trump has not reciprocated.
In the same way does Trump talk of 20% tariffs on German cars. When the EU only has a 10% tariff.
Trump wants to protect US manufacturers. Not create a fair level playing field. That is just rhetoric to justify the massive tariffs the US is now imposing and will impose.
A desperate measure a loser would pursue, when he has no other option. The real risk is that the tariffs will cause inflation and price hikes for US consumers, in the long term. Getting overseas buyers to switch from US suppliers to alternatives. The tariffs will further increase the US' problem of not being able to sell abroad.