A major problem arises when the old number one manufacturers become uncompetitive. Just as Britain did about 1900 and now the the US is. They call on politicians for tariff protection or go bust with the loss of jobs. The great American rust belt is a monument to this. Difficult times.
To have an idea about the future impact of trade tariffs it would be good to see what happens with Brexit: "The threatening Brexit has already ensured that the investments in the British car industry have been halved in the past twelve months due to the uncertainty about the separation. According to the British newspaper The Sun, Theresa May needs to move forward with the conclusion of a trade agreement with the EU to prevent further investment decline, which puts 860,000 jobs in Great Britain at risk." Was published in the Financial Times.
I agree with your general political views but I think trump should go to trade war with the Chinese. The Chinese are not like Europe, Mexico, Canada or the rest of the world. They use their economy has a political weapon: by attacking american industry they are weakening America. And by weakening America, America is losing its hegemony in the world. When the Chinese run the economic board, their social and environmental policies will become more acceptable around the globe. Trump is doing many things for America to lose its hegmon status in the world (with his treatment of immigrants, the UN, and other world leaders). But is a different problem. And while Americans will suffer from a trade war (especially the middle and lower classes whose standard of livings are underwritten by cheap Chinese labor and currency), America the nation (and the world as a whole) will do better.
I agree with that. So he should focus on China and not attack the whole western world. He is making much more damage then necessary. Correct. But he seems not to understand that.
I agree with your first point. I disagree with your second point. I think he knows what he is doing and I think he's okay with it. I get the sense that he's wrecking everything because either 1. Putin really does have him in his back pocket, 2. It will make his biography in US history books longer.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...tariffs-on-200-billion-of-goods-idUSKBN1K1074 Looks like China may run out of imports to tax. They could always get lazy and triple the announced tariffs on Trump country goods I suppose. Farmers tired of winning
They can also stop buying US Treasuries. They can also prevent US companies from making investments in China - and even seize those assets (and any IP they haven't already stolen).
How did they manage to get the 30+ billion tariffs through anyway? Same national defense argument? Thought Congress was going to reign him in by reminding him only they can issue tariffs? Gonna be hard to justify 200 billion worth of knick knacks
Trump sees himself as will-be King. To do this Congress has been sidelined, the Joint Services Cee reduced, the free Press muzzled, NATO in disarray etc. Not so far to go before he is like his role model - Putin, in total charge. No doubt he has something cooking which will get Putin on board next week. He has certainly fooled the US electors and run rings around Congress.