East Central South Dakota | I don't really post on the tariff issue because I honestly and humbly don't really have a clear understanding of what all that is involved. Economics is not an exact science, and the control group is very small and the variables group that affect the outcome are very numerous. I wish the issue was black and white and I could draw a finite conclusion on the promised results. Here are a few talking points that confuse the issue for me.
1. At heart I am a free trader. It seems like free global movement of goods is a good thing. In reality, free trade is mostly an idealistic dream as every nation has a few domestic industries they want to protect and that list, out of special interests, usually grows into flat out protectionism against the big bad United States. Free trade should be just that, "free trade". My check off dollars are constantly touted as needed to help create new markets and yet most countries use tariffs to make us less competitive and I can't ever recall commodity groups fighting tariffs against our products.
2. The globalists are very much against the United States using tariffs. The globalists have lost all credibility with me over all the money and power grabs they have attempted with carbon credits, carbon sequestration, environmental regulations, carbon taxes and their total campaign of fear and hysteria in the environmental movement. My mistrust with the globalist tribe is large enough, that I am against anything they are for.
3. Historically tariffs have always been a plank in the Democratic platform. Biden kept them in place. Now the Democrats are trying to hang and destroy Trump for a plank out of their platform. The tribalism and hypocrisy of the whole issue, just really turns me off to the issue. Maybe it's not that big of issue when tribes can just switch their opinion based on the other tribe's stance on the issue.
4. I struggle with the fact, that if tariffs are so terribly destructive to a nation, why does every nation on the planet use them against the United States? President Trumps tariff level is just halfway to the level they are using against us. If tariffs are bad for our economy, shouldn't they be bad for the economies of the countries using them against? At heart I am a free trade advocate, but in reality, my nut sack is getting sore from the constant kicks. This includes currency manipulation and artificial trade barriers----which I do believe are worse than the tariffs.
5. At the end of the day, if all nations use tariffs, would we not still be on pretty equal footing with just a higher price base for goods? You charge me 30 percent and I charge you 30 percent. Trade between countries will still occur, but the consumer will pay more for the same product on both sides of the pond. Lots of saber rattling, with trade still occurring and world inflation rising, then adjusting to a new base line and consumer buying power unchanged/to lower. Tariffs not affecting or improving a thing. Maybe the globalists could earn back some respect if they had the power to globally stop tariffs.
An off-topic issue is the world expecting us to police, feed and clothe the entire world when we are broke and deteriorating. What nation in the history of mankind has been able to accomplish that endeavor. Why should we spend dollars and sacrifice American lives to protect a spoiled and socialist Europe. And don't give me the Germany, ww2 and ww1 and blah blah blah. I have check book fatigue when it comes to trying to be the world's policeman. Off topic but in my eyes a much bigger issue than tariffs.
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Tariff issue is hard for me.....
