Taxing and tariffs

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Actually we already have a pretty good idea of what the changes in tariffs and taxes are doing... Bigger trade deficits and bigger budget deficits (more federal debt to pass on to the next generation - where are the Tea Party deficit hawks when you need them?)

Anyway, if you don't like the way the New York Times tells the story, watch David Stockman (one of the fathers of Reaganomics / Reagan's OMB director) unload on Trump policies:

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/02/...ll-bring-down-an-economy-on-its-last-leg.html

I'm guessing this thread is about to be shut down, so for the sake of the OP, I'll step out. I think I already violated forum rules with my original post. If the moderators wish to move this debate to the ash can, then I'd be happy to continue talking with you about this.
 
I'm guessing this thread is about to be shut down, so for the sake of the OP, I'll step out. I think I already violated forum rules with my original post. If the moderators wish to move this debate to the ash can, then I'd be happy to continue talking with you about this.

Taking a more narrow focus on the discussion, putting a tariff/tax on raw materials that are needed by US manufacturers is hurting US manufacturers - auto plants are slowing production, and some are thinking of moving production abroad. This doesn't even account for retaliatory tariffs from other countries.

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-china-trade-war-all-the-industries-hurt-by-us-tariffs-2018-11

A grounded view of the situation would be, "hey the trade deficit is getting worse, this policy is not working, let's change it because businesses are getting hurt."

Plus, you have to say labeling Canada a National Security Threat in order to impose tariffs is kind of a slap in the face of one of our greatest allies?

None of it makes sense to me, and the numbers are showing it.

At least I have Game of Thrones to look forward to in April. :)
 
If tariffs were so bad can someone explain why most other countries have high tariffs for many years and defend them to the death and will go kicking and screaming to give them up. Seems they have helped china achieve that super high GDP year after year. They seem to have the intended effect for other countries. Possibly because china fights the long game and the US caves after 1 negative quarter. And they know this.
 
Taking a more narrow focus on the discussion, putting a tariff/tax on raw materials that are needed by US manufacturers is hurting US manufacturers - auto plants are slowing production, and some are thinking of moving production abroad. This doesn't even account for retaliatory tariffs from other countries.
Short term pain for long term gain. There is a reason other countries are cleaning our clock.
Look at what they are doing, to find the answer to what we should be doing. Trying to turn this mess around is painful short term because its festered for 30 years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WinterinWI
If tariffs were so bad can someone explain why most other countries have high tariffs for many years and defend them to the death and will go kicking and screaming to give them up. Seems they have helped china achieve that super high GDP year after year. They seem to have the intended effect for other countries. Possibly because china fights the long game and the US caves after 1 negative quarter. And they know this.

You know, it’s funny that I started typing the very same thing last night. Some of those I’ve seen criticize the Trump tariffs seem to be the same people who have lauded Germany and others for their aggressive tariff policies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Seasoned Oak
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ashful
Tariffs update. The numbers are starting to speak for themselves. The tariffs have cost Americans and American businesses ~ $284 billion so far. And that is before accounting for the increased costs of goods due to other countries raising their tariffs in retaliation. That additional cost is estimated currently around $110 billion. Meanwhile the Chinese have played a strategic long game by reducing tariffs to other countries. China has lowered its tariffs, but not to the US, just toward everyone else. The net result is that US business agreements and trade deals are withering while trade relations amongst other countries are strengthening.
https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-in...-china-lower-its-tariffs-just-toward-everyone
A notable indicator of the effect of these tariffs is the troubling drop in freight shipping volumes.
https://www.cassinfo.com/hubfs/Freight Payment /Transportation Indexes/Cass Freight Index/Cass Freight Index Report - May 2019.pdf
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: SeanBB and bholler
My browser says that is not a trusted source, but according to the article it appears the trade gap increased in the May report? The links previously provided provide a broader picture that incorporates the data from international sources. The linked reports are not really opinions as much as current, dry, economic data. The actual costs of the tariffs are fact. They are paid by the importing business and consumer, not by the exporting country.
 
Last edited:
Lol, of course your browser says Breitbart isn't a trusted source, it's a conservative news company. I'm sure your browser would happily redirect you to the some of the others you frequently link to, NY Times, CNN ect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: paulnlee
So much assuming. Browsers don't redirect, it's a BS plugin. It alerts for poor liberal sites like the Daily Kos too. There's no alert at The Wall St. Journal, or the National Review or The Washington Times. FWIW,. the NY Times is a pay site so I don't go there much. And CNN, meh.
 
Last edited:
Lol, of course your browser says Breitbart isn't a trusted source, it's a conservative news company. I'm sure your browser would happily redirect you to the some of the others you frequently link to, NY Times, CNN ect.
Breitbart is not a conservative news organization. It is by the admission of several of its head people an organization that alters or fabricates facts to meet their agenda. Not exactly trusted news. There are plenty of trusted news organizations with a conservative bias. But breitbart isnt one.
 
FYI, the links posted came from a conservative investment advisory firm.
 
Breitbart is not a conservative news organization. It is by the admission of several of its head people an organization that alters or fabricates facts to meet their agenda. Not exactly trusted news. There are plenty of trusted news organizations with a conservative bias. But breitbart isnt one.

Name them
 
Name them
I named 3. In addition to The Wall St. Journal, or the National Review and The Washington Times there's also the Weekly Standard, Washington Free Beacon, The Federalist, etc.
 
I was asking Holler about his Brietbart comment.
List some what? As far as reliable conservative news sources begreen has already listed some good ones. I would add one American news Network.
As far as execs who have admitted to Breitbart being misleading our outright lying Alex Marlow and Steve Bannon both have as well as others. They have also been caught in multiple fabrications.
 
No one still had an answer to the the question if why tariffs work so well for china,(and so many other countries)which is why they refuse to give them up. The Zero tariffs both way option is still on the table. China is not biting yet. It seems only the US should let other countries dump their goods tariff free on us and keep stealing our jobs. Many countries have 100% tariffs on US goods.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ashful
Tariffs update. The numbers are starting to speak for themselves. The tariffs have cost Americans and American businesses ~ $284 billion so far. And that is before accounting for the increased costs of goods due to other countries raising their tariffs in retaliation. That additional cost is estimated currently around $110 billion. Meanwhile the Chinese have played a strategic long game by reducing tariffs to other countries. China has lowered its tariffs, but not to the US, just toward everyone else. The net result is that US business agreements and trade deals are withering while trade relations amongst other countries are strengthening.
https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-in...-china-lower-its-tariffs-just-toward-everyone
A notable indicator of the effect of these tariffs is the troubling drop in freight shipping volumes.
https://www.cassinfo.com/hubfs/Freight Payment /Transportation Indexes/Cass Freight Index/Cass Freight Index Report - May 2019.pdf


That is a very interesting read, (piie.com). thank you.
 
No one still had an answer to the the question if why tariffs work so well for china,(and so many other countries)which is why they refuse to give them up. The Zero tariffs both way option is still on the table. China is not biting yet. It seems only the US should let other countries dump their goods tariff free on us and keep stealing our jobs. Many countries have 100% tariffs on US goods.
First off we were not tariff free to start with. But to answer you question why it works for some and not us is pretty simple. Their products are in demand ours generally are not. So they are in a position to be able to dictate the market. We simply are not
 
Their products are in demand ours generally are not.
Our products will never be in demand when other countries make them too expensive to buy, by charging high tariffs, while we do not. Zero tariffs is the desired outcome. They do this to discourage their population from buying foreign products over domestically produced ones thereby protecting their jobs and market share. A very simple and effective concept. When prices are equal, american goods are very much in demand.
 
Our products will never be in demand when other countries make them too expensive to buy, by charging high tariffs, while we do not. Zero tariffs is the desired outcome. They do this to discourage their population from buying foreign products over domestically produced ones thereby protecting their jobs and market share. A very simple and effective concept. When prices are equal, american goods are very much in demand.
What products are you referring to that would be in great demand without foreign tariffs?
 
What products are you referring to that would be in great demand without foreign tariffs?
https://www.marketingtochina.com/attractive-u-s-products-chinese-consumer/ A survey from a boston consulting group revealed 61% of chinese people would actually pay more for american products considering them safer and less likely to be "fake" . American produced Infant products are one of those more trusted. Iv seen this first hand where foreign people are very distrustfull of their own countries products and consider them inferior to foreign products as well as to american products. Even when prices are the same. Sounds like they are expressing the same low opinion of their own countries products as you seem to be.
 
Apple products are coveted in China. Many of our food, nutritional and skin care products sell well there. Oddly enough they also love KFC chicken and Pepsi.