Trump, the Art of the Deal, Negotiations 101 & Tariffs
Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hats have been officially made in the USA, with his campaign using American manufacturers to stay true to his “America First” message. However, some unofficial or knockoff versions — often sold online or by unauthorized sellers — have been reported to come from places like China. These counterfeit products are part of a larger issue of intellectual property theft and foreign-made imitations that flood the market.
However, he is working on the problem--- Removal of the “De Minimis” Loophole
Previously, items under $800 in value could be imported without tariffs. This exemption was widely used by Chinese retailers to flood the U.S. market with cheap, often counterfeit or IP-infringing goods.
→ In 2025, Trump revoked this exemption, forcing even low-cost Chinese goods to face tariffs and customs scrutiny.
I have purchased several of the MAGA hats, all made in America. However, I realize many look for knockoffs. I guess this could be another reason some feel we should not be having a trade war with a country that steals our designs, undercuts our prices, and floods the market with cheap imitations—because they’ve gotten used to the convenience, even if it comes at the cost of American jobs and integrity. Go figure
Question...
If the entire world has been ripping us off for decades, why does the United States still have the largest economy in the world, the best-performing economy of all developed countries, and the seventh wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita?Question...
When is he going to start negotiating with China? What the hell is he waiting for, until price increases hit the public?Negotiate with China...or simply capitulate? Everything I've seen so far indicates that China is not interested in negotiation, not interested in a level playing field, not interested in fair trade.
If that's the attitude, far better to simply find a different trade partner, or make the junk ourselves. There is little (or nothing) China does that we can't do better, albeit at a price that lets the workers live a life.If that is the mindset, why would we launch a trade war when we're not prepared for the fallout? And by fall out I mean that every single thing we touch will be more expensive because we don't have alternatives available in the foreseeable future ...
I said this previously..
Using an analogy...when it comes to real war, if you have reason to be afraid of being invaded, it would be suicidal to provoke your adversary before you’ve armed yourself. That is essentially what Trump’s economic attack risks: given that the U.S. economy has dependence on Chinese sources for some vital goods. it is wildly reckless, in my opinion, not to ensure alternate suppliers or adequate domestic production BEFORE cutting off trade.
We've got fools who have lead us into a war...unarmedCommon sense says there’s gonna be some fallout in a tariff war, that’s just how it works. But let’s be real, Trump wasn’t exactly quiet about this. He spent over two years talking about hitting China with tariffs. Did people really think he was just saying it to campaign and wasn’t going to follow through?
You’ve got to expect consequences when you shake up trade like that. So yeah, we’re seeing some of that now — but it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone paying attention. This was part of the plan, not some random move out of nowhere. It was a huge part of his agenda.
That analogy falls apart pretty fast when you actually think it through. In a real war, yeah, you don’t poke the bear until you’re armed. But this isn’t a shooting war, it’s an economic standoff. And here’s the thing: if you're already dependent on your adversary for vital supplies, you’re already in a bad position. Waiting until you're fully "armed" before pushing back sounds smart, but the truth is, there's never a perfect time. If you keep waiting until you're “ready,” you never actually act, and in the meantime, you sink deeper into dependence.Wondering when he's going to negotiate? What is he waiting for? There seems to be zero plan. The clock is ticking, these tariffs are about to hit main street and people thought eggs were a big deal LOL shits about to hit the fan for real
"you keep waiting until you're “ready,” you never actually act, and in the meantime, you sink deeper into dependence."
Before you cut off trade with someone who is supplying you vital goods, you should have some backup. Alternatives so that people don't have to suffer through exorbitant costs during the 5 plus years it would take to get factories, supply chains and the like up and running. That's common sense, that's a good sense. It's what the rest of us do in real life, such as not quitting one job before we have another lined up. Doing so would be sort of stupid, right?
But in reality, there aren't any corporations clamoring to open certain types of manufacturing plants here in america. Corporate leaders understand that for many items, China can do it more efficiently and cheaper. Corporations are holding the purse strings.... Microsoft just pulled out of Ohio.Costs have not gone up. Not sure if they will. I would assume if the war drags on, they will. I have a watch-and-see attitude. I am ready for anything, I am on board with fair trade. And time has passed on dragging our feet.
It's being reported that we may hear about a couple of deals this coming week. Representatives from the EU will be at the White House on Monday.He has put a 145% tariff on Chinese goods... Who thinks prices won't go up??? That's an impossibility. That's simply wishful thinking. What company is going to eat that kind of loss?
I would assume prices may rise with a trade war with China. My point ar that the last 3 months' stats show they have not, and not being a mind reader--- in this very precarious time, I am not at all sure anything follows any given expected pattern. I have no idea from hour to hour what Trump will do.
I think if there is one thing investors and companies hate, it is insecurity. With Trump saying one day this and the other day that, companies don't know what to expect and will not invest. Basically Trump has already done the market a lot of damage by making it insecure.
He has. Will it all be worth it in the long run?
Stay tuned...Yep, stay tuned.
Hope you hoarded some coffee...
I get where you’re coming from—markets definitely don’t like uncertainty, and Trump can be all over the place sometimes. One day he’s pushing tariffs, the next day he’s saying we’re making deals. That kind of unpredictability makes it hard for companies to plan long-term, and yeah, investors can get skittish when they don’t know what the next move is. But on the flip side, a lot of people still trust Trump when it comes to the economy. During his first term, we saw tax cuts, deregulation, and energy expansion—stuff that boosted business confidence and pushed markets to record highs before COVID-19 hit. So, even though the messaging can be chaotic, some folks think the actual policies are pro-growth and outweigh the drama. I guess it comes down to what you value more: a calm, predictable tone or bold policies that shake things up but aim for big economic gains.
One thing I’ve learned from watching Trump: never predict. The guy is completely unpredictable. Sure, history tells us that tariff wars usually end badly, and if we followed the usual script, we'd expect the same here. But Trump seems to defy history at every turn. I mean, who would’ve thought that a man so battered by impeachment, personal lawsuits, and even comparisons to dictators like Hitler could not only beat Hillary Clinton but, after all that chaos and criticism, actually come back and win a second term? Say what you will about him, but he’s like a political anomaly. I get the concerns about market insecurity—companies hate not knowing what’s coming next—but at the same time, his policies on taxes and regulation were big wins for business, and he is promising more of the same this time around. So yeah, there are two sides to it. I share Dan’s sentiment: “Stay tuned.”Yes, I agree, stay tuned.. As Trump just started his presidency..
They came up with the dumbest tariff scheme possible and gave conflicting reasons for why they were doing it.
They said they’d proceed with the tariffs come Hell or high water.
Then they pulled them back.
Then they went hard at China and said there’d be no exceptions.
Now they’re making exceptions.
The most anti-business environment possible is one with an extremely high level of uncertainty.
If you’re a business trying to plan for the future right now, how would you do it?Plus, it seems Trump backpedals a lot. I don't know if this was mentioned elsewhere, but . . .
Trump administration says it will exclude some electronics from reciprocal tariffs by AP Business (Apr 12, 2025 - Updated)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff … f547109359
"The Trump administration late Friday said they would exclude electronics like smartphones and laptops from reciprocal tariffs, a move that could help keep the prices down for popular consumer electronics that aren’t usually made in the U.S.
It would also benefit big tech companies like Apple and Samsung and chip makers like Nvidia.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said items like smartphones, laptops, hard drives, flat-panel monitors and some chips would qualify for the exemption. Machines used to make semiconductors are excluded too. That means they won’t be subject to the current 145% tariffs levied on China or the 10% baseline tariffs elsewhere."I sure as hell would not be using on the job Training. Trump and his advisors don't know what they are doing. Essentially, they are learning while they are on the job. That's why all the fluctuations in their policies and the markets.
I don't know if I can take almost four more years of their OJT on my dime. He exempted the tariffs on all electronics coming from China, but has China dropped their 125% tariffs on us?
Soybean farmers in Iowa are now complaining that China is going elsewhere to buy their soybeans. Does this mean that Trump is going to have to subsidize them like he did in his first term?.Yes, In yet another wild swing, Trump exempts, phones, computer, chips and other electronics from the new tariffs.
Guess those industries won't be 'coming home' to be manufactured.
Never start a war without knowing how much stronger the opponent has been preparing.
Trump clearly doesn't know how any of this works. It was a rash decision that he made to start a trade war. You have to have factories already set up in here for any of this to work. seems like his advisors don't even know any better.
"Guess those industries won't be 'coming home' to be manufactured." Willow. A few facts
Yes, Apple has initiated construction projects as part of its $500 billion investment plan in the United States. This includes a new server manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, and plans to expand its campus in Austin, Texas. Additionally, Apple is investing in data center expansions and an advanced manufacturing academy in Detroit. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/ … of%20jobs.
Do you feel this announcement is untrue?
Houston, Texas – Server Manufacturing Facility
Apple is actively developing a 250,000-square-foot server manufacturing facility in Houston, part of its $500 billion U.S. investment plan. The facility is set to produce servers for Apple's AI system, Apple Intelligence, and is expected to open in 2026. Apple aims to begin server production by the end of this year with assistance from partners. https://www.chron.com/culture/article/a … hatgpt.com
Construction on one of the largest economic development projects in the region is continuing under the supervision of the area's top commercial construction company. This article dives into the latest intel of Apple Inc.'s billion-dollar campus under construction in North Austin. https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news … hatgpt.comApple has invested almost identical amounts of cash over the last three administrations. The Austin project is a good example of one that began construction under Biden.
But microsoft?
“After careful consideration, we will not be moving forward at this time with our plans to build data centers at the Licking County sites,” Microsoft said in a statement. “We will continue to evaluate these sites in line with our investment strategy.”
Why would these corporations on shore these jobs or facilities in this chaotic environment of tariffs on, tariffs off... Especially in light of the gift he just gave tech by pausing their tariffs."Apple has invested almost identical amounts of cash over the last three administrations. The Austin project is a good example of one that began construction under Biden. "Willpw
I offered the link to give the Biden administration credit where it is due. My post was to offer the fact Apple has also committed to two new projects to bring some great opportunities to our shores during the Trump administration.
You really have a chip on your shoulder. I think my context clearly gave credit where it was due. I mean, look at the date of the article...
Regarding Microsoft https://www.reuters.com/technology/micr … hatgpt.com sounds like a strategic business move.
"Why would these corporations onshore these jobs or facilities in this chaotic environment of tariffs on, tariffs off... Especially in light of the gift he just gave tech by pausing their tariffs." Willow
I can only offer my view on why companies would bring jobs or facilities back to the U.S. when the trade environment under Trump appears chaotic, with tariffs being slapped on and paused like a game of political ping-pong?
But here's the thing: for many corporations, especially in tech, chaos abroad is becoming a bigger risk than volatility at home. China’s increasing geopolitical tensions, opaque regulatory systems, and potential for supply chain disruptions, whether from politics, pandemics, or global conflicts, make it a long-term liability. Tariff uncertainty in the U.S. might be frustrating, but at least it’s happening in a transparent legal environment where businesses can plan around elections, policies, and regulatory moves.
The pause on tech tariffs, while temporary, also signals to these companies that Trump understands their value. It's not a blanket hostility toward all global supply chains, it's a chess move. In that context, reshoring manufacturing offers companies more control, security, and less exposure to sudden external shocks.
So while the tariff flip-flops may seem like instability, for many firms, the U.S. is starting to look like the lesser of two evils and, in the long run, maybe even the more stable bet.
Trump gives big donor Tim Apple Cook a huge break to save his profits, reduces the effectiveness of what the tariffs were meant to do in the first place, sends the message to China that he's completely incompetent when it comes to trade, and sends the message to tens of millions of American small business owners who will go bankrupt because of his tariffs that he couldn't care less about them---all in one fell swoop! All this and so much more!
Yes additionally, he has done nothing for farmers who sell Billions in soybeans annually to China that are now subject to the new China response.... Personally, I don't want to see one penny of taxpayer dollars bailing out these farmers AGAIN.
The latest from Fortune Magazine (online). Food for thought and nothing wrong with reconnaissance for planning purposes.
Trump’s ‘punitive’ China tariffs could end trade between the world’s two largest economies—and that would be painful, volatile, and dangerous by Fortune (April 12, 2025 at 7:07 PM EDT)
https://fortune.com/asia/2025/04/12/can … p-tariffs/
Like any good mystery there are chapters to follow laying out the 'plot' with twists, turns, and upheavals at times. You never know if a monkey wrench will be tossed into the machinery driven by progress forging into the future causing it to come to a screeching halt with a bang and a boom or simply break the cogs and gears.
Read about:
** Tariffs and trade . . . the setting unfolds
** China holds out . . . a twist and a turn or maybe a bluff, but whom?
** Deal or no deal? . . . Just like the song lyrics . . .
"You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done"
** Act two arrives early Monday Apr 14th at the water cooler with the key players chatting about this and that and who knows what.That’s a great read—and honestly, Fortune paints a pretty dramatic picture, and for good reason. Ending or severely limiting trade between the U.S. and China would be like ripping out one of the main arteries of the global economy. It’s not just about cheap electronics or manufacturing anymore—it’s about financial markets, supply chains, and even diplomatic stability. A full-on economic divorce could be painful and volatile, no doubt.
But here’s the counterpoint: the relationship with China hasn’t exactly been warm or balanced for a long time. Many argue we’ve been too dependent for too long, and Trump’s push to use tariffs isn’t just about punishment, it’s about leverage. He’s betting that short-term pain might lead to long-term restructuring, bringing more production home or to friendlier nations. It’s a gamble, sure. But some would say it’s one worth taking to protect strategic interests and reduce vulnerabilities.
And yeah, like you said, it’s a mystery with twists and turns. China might call the bluff, or maybe they will flinch. Either way, Monday’s watercooler chat will be interesting. Just like the lyrics say: you don’t count your money while you're still in the game.
High Tariffs on China is a good thing. They are NOT a good trading partner.
"China has used American companies to build up their own know-how, for example requiring American auto companies wanting to do business there to sign joint venture agreements that give at least 50% ownership of the business to a Chinese company, often state-owned. Typically, those joint venture agreements also include technology transfer requirements, so the American company has to give its know-how to the Chinese “partner.”
Similarly, China restricts activities of foreign banks and other financial services firms, such that foreign banks make up less than 2% of financial services in China. Foreign banks are restricted in funding themselves through overseas parents and have to gain approval for new branch openings. In addition, banks and stockbrokers face foreign ownership restrictions in securities companies, fund management companies, and local commercial banks.
Like U.S. banks, major U.S. tech companies such as Google and Facebook have faced restrictions in China. For example, they have faced bans on some parts of their business, censorship, and active interruptions of service along with demands to follow Chinese political instructions. These and many other restrictions in China keep U.S. services companies from either operating locally or exporting their services to China.
Those types of requirements and restrictions are a very smart development plan on China’s part, but they are the opposite of free trade, since no such requirements exist for Chinese companies looking to do business in the U.S. There have been a few high-profile cases of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States denying a Chinese company’s request to enter the U.S. market, or denying a Chinese company’s acquisition of an American company. But those were decisions made for national security reasons, and when Chinese companies do come into the U.S., they are afforded all of the rights and freedoms that U.S. companies are.
Given that China is not engaging in free trade in a range of key products and industries, there is no logic or economic theory that should prevent the U.S. from responding. Comparative advantage only benefits all parties when they are playing the same game and abiding by the rules. "Absolutely agree with this 100%. It's refreshing to see someone actually lay out the why behind the tariffs instead of just reacting with knee-jerk negativity. What's frustrating is that the left-leaning media refuses to touch this perspective—they’re creating unnecessary noise without offering this very important side of the coin. It’s like liberals see only the downside and ignore the deeper reasons behind fair trade policies. The imbalance with China is real, and pretending otherwise is doing the American public a disservice.
True...hit the nail on the head. How ass backwards is this? This bunch doesn't have a clue.
China, Japan and the rest of the world showed last week that they can wreak havoc in our bond market and cause lots of pain even without tariffs. We are a global economy with natural trade deficits because consumers are ok with products being made in other countries. It’s Trumpist isolationism that is causing the problems.
China has officially halted shipments of several rare earth minerals to the US specifically used as inputs for cars, semiconductors, and aerospace companies...
China has a near universal monopoly on rare earth minerals needed for essentially all modern manufacturing.
This is a major problem.
My god, what has this bunch got us into?
Let's also not forget that Canada, Japan and other countries all sold off US treasury bonds to show Trump they can destroy our bond market and cause our economy to crash.
We are in a lot of trouble.China’s recent decision to halt exports of key rare earth elements to the United States is widely seen as a calculated strategic move. China controls a dominant share of the global supply of these 17 critical elements, which are essential for manufacturing electric vehicles, semiconductors, advanced military technologies, and aerospace components. By weaponizing its grip on the rare earth supply chain during a period of escalating geopolitical tensions, China is exerting pressure on vital U.S. industries and exposing a serious vulnerability in America’s economic and national security framework.
In response, President Donald Trump—during both his previous term and his current administration- has consistently emphasized the need to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources for critical minerals. He has pushed for deregulation to encourage domestic mining, advocated for fast-tracking permits, streamlined environmental reviews, and promoted investment in rare earth processing facilities within the United States. His strategy is rooted in a belief that the country must not remain dependent on strategic rivals for the raw materials that power its defense systems and future technologies.
Ukraine may become a crucial piece of that strategy. With vast untapped reserves of titanium, lithium, and other rare earth elements—particularly in its eastern and southeastern territories- Ukraine is emerging as a potential strategic partner. Reports suggest that the Trump administration, along with aligned private efforts, is actively exploring deals or partnerships to secure access to these resources. For Ukraine, which is seeking Western investment and deeper ties with the U.S., such partnerships could be mutually beneficial.
Altogether, the current landscape presents both an urgent challenge and a strategic opening. China’s clampdown has underscored the fragility of global supply chains, while Ukraine’s resource potential and Trump’s pro-industry agenda align to offer a possible solution. Trump’s broader vision, to rebuild American industrial independence, protect national security, and forge resource-based alliances, may find a defining test in this rare earth standoff.
China slapped Trump in the face after he tossed them a bone. Tomorrow, we will see the war truly accelerate.
So, yeah, the executive order hasn’t been signed yet, but it wouldn’t be surprising if China’s latest move lit the fuse. We could see Trump formalize a plan through executive action within weeks, or even days, to mine, baby, mine. The message is clear: China’s bold step is a wake-up call. It’s time to prioritize self-reliance and move quickly away from depending on China for just about everything.Hence the importance of securing Greenland, the Panama canal, etc.
We are in the midst of a global divide ... America has been on this path since the USSRs demise... NAFTA ...the endless wars of the last 30 years where we topple one nation after another...
BRICS has risen in response ...
Biden's Administration merely accelerated it to the point of no return....
Pushing Russia out of its EU alliances and into China's waiting arms...
Funneling hundreds of billions to Iran so they could fund the Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah so they could run their proxy war against the West...
Too many forces want war... even without the US the EU will march on to its own destruction...like it has always done for hundreds of years.Absolutely agree. The China move with rare minerals just underscores how critical it is for the U.S. to start mining at home. we need to stop dragging our feet and get that deal done with Ukraine too, the sooner the better. Strategic resources and trade routes are the lifeblood of modern power, and we need to start relying on dependable sources—and that starts with our own mines. Securing key locations like Greenland and the Panama Canal is part of the equation, but it all falls apart if we stay dependent on nations that don’t have our best interests at heart.
We've been drifting toward this global fracture since the fall of the USSR, and you're right—NAFTA, endless regime-change wars, and now this BRICS rise are all part of that arc. Biden's policies have just fast-tracked what was already in motion. Forcing Russia into China’s orbit was a massive geopolitical blunder, and the money funneled into Iran has only added fuel to the fire. The West feels like it’s stumbling into another historical cycle of self-destruction, and this time, we might not be able to correct course.
China Makes Big Brazilian Soy Purchase as US Trade War Worsens...
Here we go again. Farmers overwhelmingly voted for trump, so this is on them. No bailouts. The rest of us are sick of this stupidity... They're going to have to suck it up.
After all, this is what they voted for... No whining now.
We are not going to win this trade war on any front. End of story.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-ma … 06866.htmlAnd that would be your perspective, shaped by the sources you've chosen to read—many of which seem to focus solely on doom and gloom. You’re leaving out the positives. For instance, Goldman Sachs as well as. JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley reported great first-quarter profits.
That’s a strong indicator that, at least so far, things are moving in a positive direction. The March jobs report was solid, inflation is trending the right way, and we're seeing relief at the pump, on utility bills, and even in some food prices.
The strong first-quarter earnings from Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase can certainly be seen as indicators that the economy is showing signs of improvement. Both institutions reported profits that exceeded expectation. Goldman Sachs saw a 15% increase in profit driven by record equities trading revenue, while JPMorgan posted robust earnings fueled by market activity and steady consumer demand. These results suggest that key sectors of the financial system are performing well, reflecting underlying economic stability or even growth. Additionally, other positive indicators—such as a strong March jobs report, easing inflation, and lower prices for gas, utilities, and certain food items- reinforce the idea that the broader economy is on more solid footing. While there are still risks and global uncertainties, the performance of major financial institutions like these tends to reflect real-time economic conditions, making their success a useful signal that the economy may be moving in the right direction.
So far, the trade war and newly imposed tariffs have not led to a noticeable spike in consumer prices or a significant drop in consumer confidence. Just the opposite. Inflation is trending downward. While tariffs typically carry the risk of raising prices on imported goods, the broader impact has been more muted than some economists initially predicted.
At the same time, consumer confidence has remained relatively stable. It's possible that any longer-term effects of the tariffs could still emerge, but as of now, the economy seems to be absorbing the changes without the kind of disruption many forecasts had warned about.
So, why all the doom and gloom?China has found another source for their soybeans. They won't be buying soybeans from Americans
farmers... Just like during Trump's first Administration. Not interested in bailing these folks out again.Actually, I won't predict if China will buy soy from the US at the most common time that they buy yearly. U.S. farmers typically sell the most soybeans to China during the fall and early winter months. Yes — factually, the U.S. exports soybeans year-round, but the volume and destinations shift depending on the time of year. China's history shows they shift most of its buying to Brazil during these months since Brazil’s harvest comes in around February–March.
So not sure if this will affect farmers as of yet.
Can you quote Trump or his administration claiming that he would not be interested in bailing out farmers?
He certainly bailed them out in his last term big time- liberals were screaming at the top of their lungs, claiming the bailout was a "social program".
I mean, why even bring up a bailout?I don't care if Trump wants to bail Farmers out or not... They shouldn't be bailed out AGAIN. I don't want to see a penny of taxpayer dollars going to bail out a situation that should have never happened in the first place... Due to the poor judgment of this administration. It's not like they haven't done this before? Farmers also should have known better than to vote for this man.
"U.S. soybean farmers urge Trump to ease tariffs on China to protect their industry"
Lol, they're crying now? They voted for this....
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/14/nx-s1-53 … r-industryThis conversation between NPR host Leila Fadel and American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland can be critiqued as hyperbolic, speculative without solid grounding, and prematurely alarmist, especially given that the current round of tariffs has not yet had time to produce measurable consequences. Ragland expresses "grave concern" over potential losses in the soybean export market, comparing the current situation to the previous trade war and citing figures like a 9% export loss to China. While past precedent provides useful context, assuming that these new tariffs will lead to irreversible damage seems premature.
His suggestion that “we’ll die before then” if a tariff war continues for years is especially hyperbolic, invoking a dramatic sense of impending doom without concrete evidence that current conditions will reach that level of severity.
The fear that Brazil will permanently replace the U.S. as China’s main supplier is presented without exploring the full dynamics of global trade, including how market needs, crop yields, and diplomatic relationships fluctuate over time. Predicting permanent shifts in trade relationships from newly announced tariffs seems unfounded at this point. Plus, the conversation tends to present the worst-case scenario without sufficiently acknowledging the time required for trade policy to translate into tangible market changes. While the concerns expressed by Ragland are certainly valid from a farmer’s perspective, the conversation overall leans too far into forecasting disaster before any actual economic fallout has occurred.If you read tsmog's link on this forum, you will find there are two types of negotiations: Distributive and Integrative. Distributive is a win/lose situation. That is, there is one winner and one loser. While with integrative negotiations, there are two mutual winners. The outcome is a win/win situation.
Trump uses the distributive type. He has to win at everything he does. And if he doesn't, he will cry victim. His Tariffs are a win/lose situation. He thinks he wins, but in fact he loses. That why there is so much uncertainty, flip-flopping, and pausing of his tariff game..
No matter how you rationalize Trump's tariffs, he loses. That's why he levies the tariffs, then he has to reset them. The only reason he pauses them is because he doesn't know what to do next. Currently, China will go elsewhere to buy their soybeans. Trump will have to subsidize the farmers and Trump loses and we pay for the farmers.
I agree with Willow. If you are going to play this game on the world stage, you have to have your resources and infrastructure in place ready to go before you slap tariffs on another country. I don't think is capable of win/win. The irony is he thinks he wins, but in the final analysis, he actually loses and so do we.
When he places tariffs on foreign car parts that get assembled into our cars, he should have our manufacturing making those parts before he slaps tariffs on imported parts. The problem is it takes time to come up to speed to manufacture those parts. It can't be done overnight...I see your point, and I agree that understanding the difference between distributive and integrative negotiation is key when looking at how Trump handles trade. But I don't totally buy the idea that it's always a simple win/lose with him or that he's just flailing around with no plan. Sure, he does lean toward the distributive style; he wants to "win" and makes that very clear. But sometimes, that aggressive posturing is actually part of a larger negotiation tactic. Like with the tariffs: yeah, they cause short-term pain, and yeah, they’ve been paused, adjusted, restarted—whatever—but the goal is to shift leverage. That uncertainty you mention? It can be strategic, too, keeping the other side off balance.
Now, I do agree that you can’t just slap on tariffs without having a plan for how to support the industries or supply chains you’re impacting. That’s where the execution has been messy. Farmers getting hit and needing subsidies or car manufacturers struggling with part costs—that’s all very real and totally fair criticism. But to say Trump always loses? I think that oversimplifies things. Even when the tariffs hurt, they’ve forced countries like China back to the table in ways past administrations couldn’t. I don’t think it’s that Trump can’t do win/win, but rather that his definition of “win” is just a lot more about optics and dominance than compromise. That may not be everyone’s style, and yeah, it can backfire, but it's not necessarily clueless. It's just high-risk, high-reward."Even when the tariffs hurt, they’ve forced countries like China back to the table in ways past..."
China is isolating us. They're not coming to the table. They are actively forging relationships with others...lol Trump is going to make us the next North Korea... An isolated pariah."China is isolating us. They're not coming to the table. They are actively forging relationships with others...lol Trump is going to make us the next North Korea... An isolated pariah." Willow
Yikes—can I hold you to that? Seems like you haven’t learned much from all the predictions you’ve gotten wrong before.
Personally, I try to stick to what’s actually happening in the moment rather than making snap predictions, especially on something as complex as this. I’m definitely not qualified to forecast outcomes in these kinds of negotiations—too many moving parts, too many layers. Plus, I know my own bias would show through, and let’s be real, this stuff is operating way above my pay grade.
Current news---WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday chided China's commerce minister for calling President Donald Trump's tariffs a "joke" but said he still had hope for a major trade deal with Beijing, adding it would require a formula far different from trade and currency deals of the past.
Bessent, speaking to Bloomberg Television during a visit to Argentina, said any U.S. China negotiations would have to come from "the top," involving Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping.Has China made any efforts to come to the table with the US?
I covered the latest on negotiations in my last comment—Bessent made it clear they’ve stalled. Did you happen to read it before asking a question that was already addressed?
To repeat ---
Current news---WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday chided China's commerce minister for calling President Donald Trump's tariffs a "joke" but said he still had hope for a major trade deal with Beijing, adding it would require a formula far different from trade and currency deals of the past.
Bessent, speaking to Bloomberg Television during a visit to Argentina, said any U.S. China negotiations would have to come from "the top," involving Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping.
So, the hapless farmers have made their bed, now let them lie in it….
China reaches out to other nations as Trump layers on tariffs
Meanwhile...
This fool and his inept advisors thought they would isolate China LOL it's all backfired spectacularly.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/chin … on-tariffsThe headline "China Makes Big Brazilian Soy Purchase as US Trade War Worsens" certainly raises concerns, but it doesn’t tell the full story. While it's true that China has increasingly turned to Brazil for soybeans in recent years, this trend began well before the current trade war escalated. Brazil is a major agricultural competitor, often offering lower prices due to favorable growing conditions and currency advantages. However, the U.S. remains one of the world’s top soybean producers and exporters, with many global buyers still relying on American supply. Furthermore, shifting trade flows are not inherently a sign of economic collapse—they can reflect temporary adjustments in response to tariffs or geopolitical tensions. It’s also worth noting that despite these fluctuations, the broader U.S. economy, including agriculture, has proven resilient, with strong export volumes in other markets and ongoing government support for farmers. So while the soybean shift is noteworthy, it doesn't automatically signify long-term damage or a worsening economy—it’s a complex, evolving dynamic within global trade.
Not sure this even gives cause for concern. Yes, it’s widely understood that the U.S. does not export much soy during this time of the year. The American soybean planting season typically begins in late April to early May, and the harvest isn't ready until September or October. As a result, there is a gap between the planting season and the harvest when the U.S. doesn't have fresh supplies to export. During this period, countries like China often turn to other major soybean producers, particularly Brazil, which harvests soybeans earlier in the year due to its Southern Hemisphere growing season. This seasonal shift in trade patterns is common and not a cause for concern regarding the long-term health of U.S. soybean exports. Once the American harvest is ready, the U.S. typically sees a strong rebound in soybean sales."Once the American harvest is ready, the U.S. typically sees a strong rebound in soybean sales."
Doesn't look like China's going to be a taker though? I mean why would they when they found another source?
Since we have no foreseeable way of producing all the things that we import, at the same price that we import them, the -8% depreciation of the Dollar in 2025 is just another tax on American consumers and businesses that rely on importing foreign products.
You wanted a cheaper Dollar?
Here it is.
You won’t enjoy it.
Does bankruptcy and a collapsed economy look better in your eyes than that tax?
We have a choice; continue with our profligate spending habits or cut them back. I know which would produce the result I would prefer, no matter how much it curtails our greed.No, I think the choice was to set up infrastructure and to plan for the production of the more necessary items in this country BEFORE launching a trade war. Even a child could have shown better reasoning than the bunch in the white house .. it appears that the rest of the world is moving forward without us, we're being isolated.
The economy was humming along and we had record stock gains just a few months ago. Now? These amateurish tariffs. Have us facing a recession.
The dollar is taking, that's a bad Omen for our economy.Unfortunately we don't have children that smart in our legislature; there is a zero percent chance that our government could take any action at all, let alone something to stave off bankruptcy, before we collapsed.
No, the economy was NOT "humming" - it was roaring towards complete collapse like the old 97 was headed for the canyon. Which all but the children (and congress) knows."No, the economy was NOT "humming" - it was roaring towards complete collapse
There were absolutely no economic indicators that support this.. just the opposite actually.Is common sense an economic indicator? Not according to our congress, our economists or liberals.
The rest of us know and understand that we cannot live on ever increasing credit forever; that eventually the bill will come due. We also understand that that time is not far in our future.No, common sense is not an indicator, Wilderness, factual statistics and demonstrative evidence is……
Factual statistics and demonstrative evidence are, and unfortunately, the numbers are backing up that gut feeling of economic instability. The U.S. national debt is over $34 trillion and growing, with interest payments alone projected to surpass defense spending this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Consumer credit card debt has also hit an all-time high, topping $1.13 trillion, and delinquencies are rising—signaling that more Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Inflation, though slowing, has still raised prices on essentials like food and housing far beyond what wage growth can cover for many. Meanwhile, mortgage rates hover around 7%, making home ownership unattainable for a large portion of the population. Add in the declining savings rate—now below 4%—and it paints a troubling picture: people are borrowing more, saving less, and the government is spending beyond its means. That’s not just bad optics—that’s a mathematical train heading for a wall.
How does the Republican budget address any of this? it's very lacking as far as revenue. Yet again, it's heavy on spending and light on revenue. The budget, is past will create the largest deficit in history.
President Trump’s proposed "Big Beautiful Bill" is designed to address these challenges directly. First, it takes a tough stance on fiscal discipline by capping discretionary spending and cutting unnecessary regulations, aiming to foster economic growth without expanding the federal bureaucracy. The bill also includes measures to control the growing national debt, with plans to phase in budget balancing and eliminate wasteful spending, ultimately reducing the burden of interest payments. To ease the financial strain on American families, the bill advocates for permanent tax cuts and lowering energy costs through increased domestic production, which would help combat the ongoing inflationary pressures. Additionally, the bill includes initiatives to make housing more affordable, such as incentives for new construction and zoning reforms to increase housing supply and reduce costs. On top of that, it aims to encourage savings and investment by expanding tax-deferred savings options, helping to reverse the downward trend in personal savings.
Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill" takes a comprehensive approach to the nation’s economic problems, focusing on growth, fiscal responsibility, and financial security for American families. Rather than relying on short-term fixes, the bill proposes long-term solutions that prioritize reducing debt, boosting economic growth, and making essential goods and services more accessible to everyday Americans.You didn't address the fact that it spends more than it brings in...
I'm not sure why you're under the impression that it spends more than it brings in. How did you come to that conclusion? There's no way to know for certain that the bill wouldn't succeed—on the contrary, it could help strengthen the economy and even increase federal revenue.
I get that the projections say this new bill will increase the deficit, but honestly, those are just predictions, and they don’t always get it right. I think there’s a real chance this could actually bring in more revenue if things go well. For one, if the economy grows faster because of the tax cuts, that means more jobs, more people earning and spending money, and more taxes being collected overall. It also depends on how you measure things. Some models assume people won’t change their behavior, but I think a lot of people would invest more, hire more, and spend more if they’re keeping more of their money. And if Congress sticks to the spending cuts laid out in the bill, that could help offset the cost, too. We’ve seen in the past that tax cuts can lead to growth; just look at what happened after the 2017 cuts, so I don’t think it’s crazy to think this might actually work out better than the predictions are saying. I prefer to not always take seriously what economists predict because I’ve lived a long life and found they are more often wrong than right."I'm not sure why you're under the impression that it spends more than it brings in. How did you come to that conclusion?
And literally every analysis says this budget is very imbalanced in terms of spending versus revenue... Tax cuts are spending... They reduce revenue. Do you have a source that says otherwise?
The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released an analysis Friday showing the budget resolution Republicans plan to adopt later this month would allow Congress to add up to $5.8 trillion to the deficit during the next decade.
The organization wrote the reconciliation instructions included in the budget would allow GOP lawmakers to draft a bill later this year that could outpace the deficit impact of many big-name laws enacted during the last two administrations.
“A $5.8 trillion deficit-increasing bill would be unprecedented,” the analysis states. “It would add 14 times as much to the deficit than the bipartisan infrastructure law ($400 billion), more than three times as much as American Rescue Plan ($1.8 trillion), three times the 2020 CARES Act ($1.7 trillion), and nearly four times the original score of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ($1.5 trillion). In fact, it would add more to the deficit than all four of these major laws combined.”
https://www.crfb.org/blogs/senate-budge … t-increase"And literally every analysis says this budget is very imbalanced in terms of spending versus revenue... Tax cuts are spending... They reduce revenue. Do you have a source that says otherwise?" Willow
I previously offered those to you. I don't intend to offer them again.
"The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released an analysis Friday showing the budget resolution Republicans plan to adopt later this month would allow Congress to add up to $5.8 trillion to the deficit during the next decade." Willow
This is a prediction, and as I have shared as many are on board with Trump's Bill, that are not. This will be a waiting game, as it is with any new administration.And there aren't any credible organizations or individuals that support this bill. It's not likely to pass anyway, it would be political suicide for Republicans... Their districts are filled with Medicaid recipients... Just the folks this bill is going after to extract "savings" in order to hand a tax cut to the wealthy. It's not playing well in the heartland.
There always seems to be this Aura of wishful thinking around the maga folks. The idea that whatever Trump conjures up will just somehow magically work out in a positive manner regardless of the overwhelming amount of evidence against the majority of it.
Please - give us some "factual statistics and demonstrative evidence" that unlimited borrowing will not produce bankruptcy at some point! List the countries that have done that and survived without economic collapse!
Yes, good idea. Tax the rich. Now it is basically tax the poor. Because the ordinary man will pay for the tariffs. Prices of consumer goods will go up.
What did Trump pay on taxes again last year? And Elon and the other 1%?
"Greenland Courts China in Snub to Trump..."
We just like like complete fools under this regime.
"Greenland's foreign minister has said it is seeking deeper cooperation with China and potentially a free trade agreement, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua."
The comments were made to Xinhua in late March by Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland's Minister for Independency and Foreign Affairs.
https://www.newsweek.com/greenland-chin … ty-2059484So, what is Trump going to do about this “revolting development”?
I say we invade kill all 50,000 of them, and then declare it a new American state... like the good old days when we just killed who-ever was in our way and kept expanding the size of America.
Now that is how you Make America Great Again.
This nonsense of proxy wars against Russia... or trying to tame Afghanistan is why we are 37 trillion dollars in debt... useless wars that get the country nothing of value... if we are going to kill hundreds of thousands of people every year, lets get something of value for our evil deeds.Do you think the liberation of Europe during WWII was a bad idea as well? Costing trillions of dollars and 400.000 American soldiers dead?
Appears to be a very bad return on our sacrifice and efforts.
Yeah... dragging America into two world wars wasn't enough it seems for the brilliant leadership of Europe, they are intent on a 3rd one.
If not that, they appear ready to capitulate to China and give in to whatever demands they have.
I really have no use for the EU or their need for America to bail them out all the time.So you're saying that the US had no say in the matter and was following the orders of Europe. Europe commanded the US to be part of WW2?
You're saying that you rather had not counter measures against Japan who bombed Pearl Harbor... Just let them invade the US as well and do nothing..
And the WW2 efforts didn't justify to change the political landscape in Europe. According to you, it was just as fine if Europe had stayed as a Great Fascist Germany or a Great Stalinist Russia...
I read this comment and I thought that you have to joking. But you are not, are you? So, how is that going to play about “Making America Great Again”?
The United States goes to war against Greenland and Denmark? America will make it clear that there is not discernible difference between itself and China or Russia. You really think that we could survive in total isolation internationally?
Funny how it is that the attitudes you express were the same used to justify slavery and theft of land from indigenous people here. It proves that a right winger is a right wing and their malevolent ideals and concepts never really change over time, looking beyond the smoke and mirrors. Back to the “good old days” of “Cowboys and Indians”?
This regime will fail as its base of support will most probably minimize.
"This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,410 U.S. adults interviewed between April 8-11, 2025. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as 2024 presidential vote."I found that U.gov has adjusted the poll you shared and offered a poll value for April 15, 2025, 45.3% approve-- 50.9% disapprove
https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/trump- … ay-tariffs
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public … econd_term
Has Trump enjoyimg a 50% approval rating for April 15,
April 9-10 According to the HarrisX polls, Trump's approval rating has dropped since he took office, but still above water with an overall job approval rating of 48% versus 46% that disapprove.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/ … _Final.pdf
Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Cygnal poll (April 9, 2025):
Favorable: 47%
Unfavorable: 52%
"The most recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found 49% of registered voters approved of Trump’s job performance, compared to 52% last month in same poll. Although the drop, he is still polling higher favorability over the 46% that disapprove.
This poll also found that 54% of voters think Trump is doing a better job than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, noting that this figure is also lower than his 58% job approval last month over Biden."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/202 … 084041007/There is much to criticize about Rasmussen's methods.... You'll notice that their outcomes are always predictably different than everyone else.
As Im have showed there are several polls that show Trump is, one could say holding his own. I hope you noted the poll you shared was undated today.
I found that YouGov has adjusted the poll you shared and offered a poll value for April 15, 2025: 45.3% approve, 50.9% disapprove. I offered a link in my last comment.
The folksy common sense that many like to point to tells me that we wouldn't see continual and growing protest in the streets if people were feeling satisfied. People really don't get up off their couches for no reason...Bernie and AOC drew a crowd of over 20k in Utah of all places the other day... People are extremely dissatisfied at what is going on with this Administration on so many different levels.
That comment doesn’t really hold water. Just because people are protesting or showing up at political rallies doesn’t mean the majority of Americans are dissatisfied or that the country is spiraling under this administration. People show up to events for all kinds of reasons: enthusiasm, curiosity, peer pressure, or just wanting to be part of something. Citing Bernie and AOC drawing a crowd of 20,000 in Utah isn’t exactly the mic drop you think it is. Bernie has drawn big crowds for years, but let’s not forget, he’s run for president multiple times and still never secured the nomination. Why? Because while he has a passionate base, it's not a majority base. His appeal is loud, but it doesn’t represent the overall sentiment of the country or even the Democratic Party. Protests and rallies are part of the democratic process, not an automatic sign of dysfunction. If people are “extremely dissatisfied,” show us in the data—broad polling, economic confidence reports, voter turnout, approval ratings. Because cherry-picking crowd sizes and treating them like economic indicators or national consensus is just not serious analysis.
Bernie is a curiosity and has a base that follows him faithfully, sort of like a cult. AOC fits into the same category, in my view.
the truth assaulted and beaten to the ground can always be expected to rise to the forefront. Be afraid, be very afraid of an administration that takes solace in consistently lying.
On a unrelated note.... Holeeee Beejezus... I cannot believe the wealthiest University in America was sucking up so much taxpayer money!!!
Trump administration freezes $2.2B in grants to Harvard | KTVU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG62Sh2H6E0Trump loses and we all lose.
The Trump administration recently froze $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University. This decision came after Harvard refused to comply with a set of demands from the administration, which included changes to campus policies, governance, and admissions practices. The demands were framed as efforts to combat antisemitism, but Harvard argued that they infringed on the university's independence and constitutional rights.
The frozen grants are tied to research funding, which supports critical work in areas like public health, medicine, and engineering. Harvard has expressed concerns that this freeze could jeopardize life-saving research and the university's ability to attract top-tier faculty and students.
Trump loses the support of higher education and we lose the benefit of critical research. Because he thinks he has to be the winner, but in the final analysis, he is the loser. This is the outcome of distributive negations as cited in tsmog;s link (one winner and one loser, no compromise)When Trump loses, we all lose—because like it or not, he’s one of the few leaders bold enough to take on entrenched institutions that have operated without real accountability for decades. Take the situation with Harvard. The $2.2 billion freeze wasn’t about spite—it was about drawing a line against an elite university that’s turned a blind eye to antisemitism and hidden behind claims of independence to avoid real reform. If universities like Harvard are allowed to accept billions in taxpayer money while ignoring rising hostility on their campuses, then we all pay the price—socially, morally, and economically. Trump's actions weren’t meant to destroy research; they were meant to demand transparency, fairness, and basic respect for constitutional values. When he loses that fight—when powerful institutions can shrug him off and continue business as usual—it’s not just a political loss. It’s a loss for every American who wants institutions held to account, for every parent who wants their child to walk a campus free of hate, and for every taxpayer who believes in conditions for funding. Trump may be flawed, but without his willingness to confront these sacred cows, we’re left with unchallenged power that answers to no one. That’s the real loss.
I have a very simple answer for you. Netanyahu good, Palestinians bad = anti-Semitic bad. The problem is Trump and others don't want to realize that Netanyahu has created genocide of the Palestinians all in the excuse of looking for Hamas.
His main goal is to rid the Palestinians of Gaza so that Israel can occupy the entire territory. While Trump has dreams of making it a Riviera. Therefore defund Harvard, because they support free speech.I find it incredibly frustrating when people talk about this conflict as if Israel is the aggressor, completely ignoring how it started. Let’s be clear: Israel did not start this war. What happened on October 7 was nothing short of unfettered genocide—Jews were slaughtered in horrific ways, murdered in their homes, raped, burned alive, and taken hostage. It was a deliberate attempt to mimic the horrors of the Holocaust. That kind of evil cannot be brushed aside or morally equated with a nation defending itself. Israel is now at war, and while no war is clean, it has taken precautions to spare civilians, dropping leaflets, issuing warnings, and pausing offensives to allow evacuations. Meanwhile, Hamas hides behind those same civilians, using them as shields, storing weapons in schools and hospitals, and turning every humanitarian protection into a tactical weakness. And yet, somehow, the world finds it easy to blame Israel, the party that was attacked without provocation, while excusing the group that openly murdered innocent people and still holds hostages who are now dying in captivity. That kind of one-sided blame ignores not only the current reality, but the long history of seven previous wars that the Palestinians have waged against Israel. To me, the narrative being pushed is dangerously incomplete and frankly, unfair.
What is unfair is since 1948, Israel's mission was and is to occupy the Palestinian territory. They feel it is the God given right to do it. They have constantly encroached on their land and made refugees out of them. Hamas and that October attack is the price they pay for that. They don't have a military. There are Arabs and so is Hamas.
They have killed millions of Palestinian men, women, and children. They only had one hospital left, last week and Netanyahu bombed the hell out it. What proof do you have that Hamas hides behind those same civilians, using them as shields, storing weapons in schools and hospitals, and turning every humanitarian protection into a tactical weakness?
"the world finds it easy to blame Israel,"
Have you have wondered why the rest of he world finds it easy to blame Israel? It's because we sell them highly sophisticated weapons so that they can attack Palestine, Hamas, and Hezbollah and we are protecting Netanyahu from Iran."occupy the Palestinian territory"
You need to study history.
There has NEVER been a nation/state of Palestine. There has been a nation/state of Israel since the bronze age.
"Before 1948, Palestine was home to a diverse population of Arabs, Jews, and Christians, as all groups had religious ties to the area, especially the city of Jerusalem. The land itself was under the control of various empires, such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and eventually the Islamic Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire."I'm trying to put your comment about me studying history into perspective and to be kind to you at the same time. But you really don't know me and what I'm capable of.
I know we are not supposed to promote are own articles, but here is one I wrote in 2017 about the history of Israel and Palestine. Believe me, I have done much research on the subject. I think you will find that you are wrong about Israel being a nation state since the bronze age..
https://discover.hubpages.com/politics/ … t-ConflictSince you put your article out there, I will comment.
It is very poorly written. You don't cite any sources. How can you believe that an article on a historical topic wouldn't need sources?
It is very biased in favor of Palestinians. There is not even a hint of balance on the topic.
You've skipped over quite a bit of information and history.
I'm sure if you put in some effort you could produce an article that properly covers the topic. This is not one.You are right about all your comments about my article. I'm just one of the dumb sh*t liberal democrats that you love to bad mouth and criticize.
You are much more qualified to critique my article than I am to write it. I guess getting it published on a HP niche site with 751 views gives me no credibility.
As far as balance goes, it is not intended to be balanced. You are right it is in favor of the Palestinians because of the way they have been treated by Israel since 1948. When writing the history of war, there is no balance. Did you know Israel doesn't even have a constitution?. They are a pseudo democracy, just like Trump is making our country.
Since you are an expert on the subject. I would appreciate that you provide a synopsis of the information and history that I skipped over.
By the way, what do you think about Trump ending the Ukraine war on his first day in office?"it is not intended to be balanced"
Okay, then it is not objective. It is not historical or news, it is an opinion piece.
"provide a synopsis of the information and history that I skipped over"
I don't have the time unless you can find a way to pay for my time.
"By the way, what do you think about Trump ending the Ukraine war on his first day in office?"
President Donald Trump, like ALL Americans have no idea what they're dealing with when it comes to russia. They're slowly learning. He provided some hope, but the true, ruthless nature of putin has come to light. The world will be a better place when putin's sickness takes him from this world."Okay, then it is not objective. It is not historical or news, it is an opinion piece."
And that is only your opinion. Do you dispute anything that is stated in the piece? You don't have the time to check or validate what I wrote. Your are right again. I made up the maps and graphics of all the players though out all the history of Israel and Palestine. So if you don't have the time to check it, you know what you can do...right?
"Americans are happy - media concealing it to 'slow support' for Trump That's the verdict from Washington Examiner's columnist Paul Bedard, who explained that Americans now "have the best outlook for the nation they have ever had, a remarkable turnaround so far kept secret by much of the media and Washington," which is hoping to undermine Trump."
So you cherry pick one reporter from a right wing rag and now you expect all Americans to believe it. But don't you think you should rescind it now, given that Trump is making a mess out of our democratic republic and the world's economy with his tariffs and executive orders. This is what happens when his one- sided, "group think administration" is in power. There is no diversity of thought. It's Trump's way or the highway.
The government has no business sticking their nose into private institutions... What happened to small government? Seems like you folks want your fingers in absolutely everything
"The government has no business sticking their nose into private institutions..."
Oddly, this was the battle cry of the segregationists of the 1960s who didn't want black people to attend private colleges and universities.
It's strange to me how the left is determined to protect antisemitism on college campuses." It's strange to me how the left is determined to protect antisemitism on college campuses." Mikle
It's strange that the political left often supports ideologies that come across as anti-Semitic. In my view, this shift stems from a kind of ideological conditioning, where right is wrong, and wrong is right. The evidence of this inversion is everywhere. Just look at the causes they rally behind: defending illegal immigrants who are repeat offenders and have been previously deported, pushing for biological men to compete in women’s sports, promoting divisive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies. Add to that their support for open borders, soft-on-crime policies, normalization of radical gender theory in schools, support for a clearly confused President, and hostility toward traditional values. The pattern is clear: they're embracing chaos while calling it justice.Just because Maga frames it as "supporting anti-Semitism" doesn't mean that is what it's about... It's about the first amendment, it's about free speech. Likewise, framing the support of due process as simply supporting illegal aliens is just as disingenuous... The same goes for using a misleading, erroneous definition of DEI to vilify the policies. Stick to your framework if you like but it really doesn't apply... It's not reality
In my view, every word in my comment reflects my truth. I see the left’s ideologies as distorted and completely upside down—just as I said, they treat what’s bad as good, and what’s good as bad.
That would be your framing, incorrect framing, of the "other side". No one on this side subscribes to the framework Maga has tried to apply to us .. if you see the left's view as distorted, it's only your interpretation of those views, but they don't really match the reality of our views. The left doesn't support anti-semitism, the left doesn't support gender/race over merit and we don't support immigration laws being broken, we support due process, we support free speech...
I’ve presented my perspective on the left or liberals based on how I personally view them. It should be clear that I’m sharing my opinion, as highlighted in the second sentence of my comment to Mike. Once again, it seems there’s a misunderstanding of the context. Read my comment again you will note in my second sentence I state I am sharing my view.
And this would be your view "The left doesn't support anti-semitism, the left doesn't support gender/race over merit and we don't support immigration laws being broken, we support due process, we support free speech..." willow
Note, I was sharing my personal view- You were trying to speak for a group. Do you feel you have the right to speak for others?I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any sizable number of people on the left that support the things that maga always tries to hang on them...
The left doesn't support anti-semitism...
I think antisemitism is not a left or right side issue. I've seen people from both ends being anti-Semitic. (anti-Semitic jokes, conspiracy theories, screaming from the river to the sea, giving Nazi salutes, all kinds of different things.)Agreed. MAGA folks like to frame the support of free speech as akin to the support of anti-semitism.
Yes, that's basically how Twitter became a cesspool.
Also the Podcasts like Joe Rogan give antisemitism free airtime. And conspiracy theories. Basically undermining science and promoting hate speech. (which is not the same as free speech)
Antisemitism isn’t just a left or right issue; it exists on both sides, just in different forms. Some on the left have been criticized for supporting groups like Hamas or using slogans that many see as anti-Israel or even antisemitic. Jewish students have reported feeling unsafe on some progressive campuses, especially during times of conflict in the Middle East. Critics also point to a double standard, where Western traditions get slammed, but other ideologies with antisemitic elements get a pass.
That said, it’s not fair to say “the left supports antisemitism” across the board. Many Jews are progressive and actively fight hate. Criticizing Israel’s policies isn’t the same as being antisemitic, and plenty of left-leaning folks make that distinction.
Bottom line: antisemitism shows up in different ways across the spectrum, and we should call it out wherever it happens."we should call it out wherever it happens."
But we should be accurate and honest in labeling it rather than using the issue as a political football. Showing support for Palestinians does not equal anti-semitism.And in what ways have you seen antisemitism on the right?
Antisemitism, unfortunately, exists across the political spectrum, and the right is not exempt. On the far-right, antisemitic beliefs often show up in the form of conspiracy theories—claims about Jewish people controlling the media, banks, or global political systems. These ideas echo long-standing, harmful tropes and have been pushed by various extremist groups and white nationalist circles. Incidents like the 2017 Charlottesville rally, where marchers chanted “Jews will not replace us,” are clear and disturbing examples. In some online spaces tied to right-wing activism, you'll also find memes and coded language targeting Jewish people or questioning the Holocaust. Politicians and influencers on the right may not always say these things outright, but they’ve sometimes associated with individuals or platforms that promote such rhetoric. Criticism of globalist elites can also slip into antisemitic territory when it's laced with dog whistles or historical references that imply Jewish control without saying it directly. While not all right-leaning individuals or movements support these views, it's fair to say that antisemitism exists in some corners and needs to be called out when it does.
Why is it Sharlee, that I get the impression that you are using Chat GPT.
I was not asking you the question to get a perfectly phrased answer... I was hoping for a more personal answer..I use Grammarly, an AI-powered writing assistant that, as I write, corrects and helps me improve my writing by suggesting corrections for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It catches a lot that would slip by me.
I thought I did answer the question — “And in what ways have you seen antisemitism on the right?” I shared a few examples off the top of my head that I’ve personally seen or felt were coming from the right-wing side of things. In my view, anti-semitic views are learned, not innate—they reflect personal beliefs. It's an individual prejudice that isn't confined to any one political side.Thank you Sharlee for the explanation. I take it back. Antisemitism is at the same level as racism, acting on prejudice. And is independent of ones political vote.
Just because Maga frames it as "supporting anti-Semitism" doesn't mean that is what it's about... It's about the first amendment, it's about free speech. Likewise, framing the support of due process as simply supporting illegal aliens is just as disingenuous... The same goes for using a misleading, erroneous definition of DEI to vilify the policies. Stick to the talking points, the framework if you like but it really doesn't apply... It's not reality.
That red herring really becomes most tiresome, Mike. The issue is the Netanyahu government policies, not anti-Semitism. The Right couldn’t care less about anti=semitism or the rights of any one else outside its oligarchy. This is all about ruse, I wonder how many people have been deported for expressing blatant anti-Palestinian or anti-Arab attitudes? You don’t need your hands to make a count.
"The issue is the Netanyahu government policies, not anti-Semitism."
Now THERE is a red herring.
Disagreeing with Israeli policies does not give the antisemites in this country the right to terrorize Jewish students attending colleges and universities. Jewish students have a right to go to class and academic events without fear or being threatened with violence.
A group of Jewish students at the University Pittsburgh were standing around and talking. They had on their kippahs as it was Friday and they had come from their Shabbat. A group of students wearing keffiyehs attacked them for no reason other than that they were Jews openly displaying their faith. THIS is wrong.
Again, I applaud President Donald Trump for taking such a strong stand against antisemitism.
"The Right couldn’t care less about anti=semitism or the rights of any one else outside its oligarchy. "
I guess this is like those on the left only caring about the rights of illegal aliens and convicted criminals. American citizens who obey the law should have no rights in the eyes of the left.The protests at Columbia University have been intense, with Jewish and Palestinian students expressing their concerns over the Israel-Hamas conflict and its broader implications. Jewish students have chained themselves to campus gates, demanding transparency regarding the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student and activist. Meanwhile, Palestinian students have been vocal about their experiences and the need for divestment from companies tied to Israel's military operations. Both groups have filed complaints against the university, accusing it of failing to protect them from harassment and discrimination. It's a complex and deeply personal issue for many involved.
My sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/4/3/i … oud_khalil
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/je … rcna148995Since the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents against Jewish students on college campuses have reached alarmingly high rates, increasing by 700% from 2022 to 2023.
https://www.hillel.org/antisemitism-on- … -tracking/So you cherry pick a Jewish student newspaper to support your opinion. But that's not balanced. It's just supporting your opinion. How about understanding what is going on in Gaza?
Netanyahu has turned Gaza to rubble with the excuse of looking for Hamas. According to the rest of the world, he has committed genocide and crimes against humanity by killing millions of Palestinian men, women, and children with bombs supplied by us. He wants that land so he can rebuild it to expand Israeli settlements and Trump wants to turn it into his dream Riviera,Everything that has happened in Gaza is the result of the actions of Hamas.
That's it.
Without Hamas, nothing would have happened in Gaza.Really, then you don't know or care about the history of the Palestinian people and how Isreal has encroached into their territory with their settlements since 1948. It's not about what is happening in Gaza now. This has been going on for years before Netanyahu has come into power.
How would you like to have your house pushed down with a bulldozer and be made a refugee in your own land? You like many others have a very simplistic view as to what the real history of the region is about.
There is a price that is paid for every decision that is made. While what happened on Oct. 7 terrible and abhorrent, it was also payback for how the Palestinians have been treated by the Israeli government for decades.Nothing, absolutely nothing that you can mention justifies what hamas did on October 7th.
There are only two things that I have ever been impressed with by the left.
The left's stupidity and ignorance on EVERY topic they attempt to discuss. It is intense, it is blatant, and consistent.
Other than those two things, the left does not impress me at all.We are not here to impress you. We are here to speak the truth of which Trump is not capable of doing. And you are so prejudiced about the left that you can't even see when he is lying or we are speaking truthfully.
But I understand, You can't handle the truth. What gives you the qualifications to even judge my article? Oh I know, you are of a far superior intellect than anybody on the left. I'm done with this crap. You are a waste of my precious time.
Actually, it’s just not accurate to say that Israel has never helped the Palestinian people. Over the past 75 years, there have been quite a few instances where Israel has provided real, tangible support, though the overall relationship is complicated by decades of conflict and mistrust. For starters, thousands of Palestinians have worked inside Israel, especially from the West Bank, where the pay is often much better than what they’d earn locally. Even during periods of high tension, Israel has continued issuing work permits to help keep some stability.
On top of that, Israel has regularly allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the West Bank—things like food, fuel, and medical supplies. In fact, Israeli hospitals treat Palestinian patients all the time, including children and even relatives of Hamas members. There’s also been medical cooperation, like during COVID, and some Palestinian doctors have even been trained in Israel. Israel also supplies electricity, water, and fuel to both Gaza and the West Bank, often at subsidized rates. That kind of support continues, even during times when missiles are flying.
Now, to be fair, a lot of people argue that these kinds of help are only necessary because of Israeli policies like the occupation or the Gaza blockade. There’s definitely a debate there. But still, to say Israel has never helped its neighbors ignores decades of aid, cooperation, and efforts—many of which have happened even during times of deep hostility. It’s not a perfect picture by any means, but it’s way more nuanced than that blanket statement.Thousands of Israeli reservists are condemning Benjamin Netanyahu's war in Gaza. The movement, which began last week with a group of Air Force pilots, has since gained support from paratroopers, tank corps reservists, physicians, academics, and former Mossad members.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/gove … ocialshareYou're steering away from the main point of our conversation. To be completely honest, I find the reasons behind this war incredibly complex—well beyond my full understanding. I don’t feel equipped to either condemn it outright or claim it was somehow inevitable. That said, I acknowledge my own bias. It’s evident that Hamas initiated the aggression, and now Netanyahu appears to be escalating the conflict further. I don’t see any meaningful solutions being proposed, and it seems this war won’t stop until the Palestinians are driven out of Gaza.
As for the Israeli reservists, I have no strong view. They are close to the situation, and I’m sure their concerns are genuine."I don’t see any meaningful solutions being proposed, and it seems this war won’t stop until the Palestinians are driven out of Gaza.
I don't think demonizing an entire group of people is ever the solution.
Fun fact? 75% of the people alive in Gaza today were not old enough to vote for Hamas in the last election in 2006.All it takes is empathy. If you put yourself in the place of the Palestinians, you would understand what has been happening for decades. Even Netanyahu's IDF have had enough of bombing innocent people and turning Gaza to rubble...
Israel does not have a constitution and Netanyahu is not popular with a large portion of the people because they see him as a right wing dictator.. He knows that if he ends the war, they will remove him because of his unpopular government style.
In that sense, he is just like Trump. Trump knew if he didn't get elected, he would be tried for his criminal acts, but he stacked SCOTUS and the lower courts to give him immunity. If he is not elected for a third term, the next president will be afforded those same immunity rights. See how this works? its called setting a precedent, but only looking out for yourself."All it takes is empathy."
Definitely not the strong suit of Trump and his followers. Cruelty is usually the point and it is lauded. Have you heard sympathetic response to the shooting at FSU? At this point they've even abandoned "thoughts and prayers"They are not going against the NRA, and firearm manufacturers. They are some of their biggest Trump donors and lobbyists. Who cares about thoughts and prayers? Show us the money.
"All it takes is empathy. If you put yourself in the place of the Palestinians, you would understand what has been happening for decades. Even Netanyahu's IDF have had enough of bombing innocent people and turning Gaza to rubble..." Mike
I don’t believe it’s as simple as saying “all it takes is empathy.” If we’re being honest, the violence and devastation we’ve seen—especially since October 7th—can’t be understood without acknowledging the long and painful history of the conflict, including the many wars that, in my view, were initiated by Palestinian leadership or militant factions.
Yes, empathy is essential. But I find it difficult to draw a neat line and assign it to only one side, as you seem to do. My empathy extends to the suffering of innocent people on both sides of the conflict. I can't bring myself to selectively distribute empathy as though one group deserves it more. I’ll leave that to those who are comfortable doing so.
So while I understand the emotional impulse behind your statement, I also believe it oversimplifies a deeply complex and tragic situation.
I think that your comparison is oversimplified. First off, Israel not having a formal constitution doesn’t mean it’s some lawless land—it's governed by a set of Basic Laws and democratic institutions, and there’s constant internal debate. Netanyahu is absolutely controversial, no question, and a lot of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest his judicial reforms and leadership style. But to say he's just keeping the war going to save his own skin assumes a level of manipulation that might be more complex than that. There are real security concerns involved, and Hamas isn’t exactly offering peace talks.
As for the Trump comparison—honestly, I think that's a stretch. Trump didn't "stack" the courts illegally; he appointed justices through the process every president uses. You might not like the picks, and that’s fair, but that’s not the same as rigging the system for immunity. Plus, the courts have ruled against him plenty of times. If he were really setting up permanent immunity for presidents, we’d be seeing those results already. It’s fine to be critical, but I think it’s important to separate strong feelings from how the system actually works.
"China has just CANCELLED all jet orders from American manufacturer Boeing to in response to President Trump hitting the country with tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods".
China will also no longer purchase any aircraft-related equipment from American companies....
OH WELL... I'm sure Maga will find some way to twist this into a good thing right?From a newsletter I receive, Marketing Charts, we see a chart on tariffs.
Read about it at the brief article . . .
Americans See Tariffs Impacting Spending published by Marketing Charts (Apr 10, 2025)
https://www.marketingcharts.com/custome … 7150813597
The opening 3 paragraphs . . .
"Tariffs could lead to spending cutbacks by Americans, according to research released by Ipsos. A survey [pdf] fielded among almost 1,100 American adults prior to the announcement of wide-ranging tariffs (since then somewhat paused for most countries) found many contemplating a reduction in spending for a range of items given the possibility of higher prices.
Asked about their reaction to the price of various goods rising at least 10% as a result of tariffs on a range of US trading partners, the report found that personal electronics and phones would be the most widely affected, with 38% of respondents indicating that they would cut back or not buy these items as a result.
Close behind, about one-third would cut back or eliminate their spending on fresh produce (34%) as well as on home repairs and improvements that require imported lumber and steel (32%). Meanwhile, higher prices for appliances made with imported electronics and steel (31%) and for automobiles (28%) would lead roughly 3 in 10 to cut back."Great news?
"The level of tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated, and the same is likely to be true of the economic effects which will include higher inflation and slower growth.” - Jerome Powell
Wow. We had the best economy of the WORLD a few months agoAnother day, another crisis... Trump is raging mad at J. Powell.
Trump says that "If I ask him [Fed Chair Powell], he'll be out of there. I don't think he's doing the job. He's always too late..I'm not happy with him... If I want him out, he'll be out of there real fast, believe me."
FACT: The President has zero authority to fire the Fed Chair as Powell’s term is fixed, and he’s already made clear he won’t resign on command.
If Trump somehow tried to remove him illegally, it would rip the rug out from under Wall Street, and markets would crater...
Does he dare pull the trigger? He is trying to blame this tariff mess on PowellComing from the automotive world when I see an article in that arena I pause, look, and listen so to speak. The article following shares a detailed explanation how the supply chain works for automobile production and the effect the tariffs will have on that. One bottom line is for the consumer . . .
"Automakers typically earn a six- or seven-percent profit on each vehicle, a few thousand dollars on average, Volpe said. If they or the dealers attempt to absorb the tax, as Trump has called for, they would most likely be selling vehicles at a loss.
Passing the tariff on to customers could raise the average imported car price to $60,000, likely depressing demand.
“Dealers aren’t going to take inventory that’s going to put them immediately underwater,” Volpe said."
North America’s Auto Supply Chain Took Decades to Build. Trump’s Tariffs Could Crush It published at National Review / Capital Matters
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/nor … gn=article
Remember the average car has 30,000 parts that require being manufactured. And, in some cases as reported by the article . . .
"For North American automakers, the process to manufacture the rear suspension and drive components for a typical sport-utility vehicle begins in three places: a steel mill in Pennsylvania, an aluminum smelter in Quebec, and a synthetic rubber factory in Monterrey, Mexico.
The Pennsylvania steel is shipped to a factory in Coahuila, a state in northern Mexico, where it is turned into springs. Those springs are then shipped to plants in places like Livonia, Mich., where workers assemble strut towers.
The Quebec aluminum is sent for casting in Coahuila and returned to Canada, this time Ontario, for machining. From there, it goes to a North Carolina plant where it is assembled into a differential, a gearbox that allows a vehicle’s wheels to turn at different speeds.
The rubber from the Monterrey factory may be shipped to Iowa to be turned into bushings, which may be assembled in a control arm in Ontario.
The suspension’s cradle is shipped from Kentucky, the trailing blades and brackets are from Ontario, while other pieces come from Puebla, a state in central Mexico.
It’s all shipped to factories in Detroit or Vaughan, Ontario where workers assemble the pieces into rear suspensions, which are then shipped to vehicle-assembly plants in places like Kansas City, Mo., Fort Wayne, Ind., and Windsor, Ontario.
This complex web of raw materials, parts, and supply chains, developed over decades of generally open trade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is at risk now of being crushed by President Donald Trump’s planned auto-parts tariffs, which are expected to go into effect next month, said Flavio Volpe, president of Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, or APMA. The association pieced together the rear suspension example from its own members’ contracts to highlight just how integrated and interdependent the North American auto industry has become over the last 120 years."Another argument that could be made is that when you lose a war - especially one that you started not just on October 7 but about 50 years ago - you lose territory. Arab nations could have taken in their Palestinian brothers. They didn't - and still don't - want them.
And when another group's only goal is to kill you, no, you probably don't treat them well in return, though many Palestinians have worked in Israel for decades.So it looks like the tariffs are going to go out with a whimper... CEOs from Big box stores and likely someone with a few brain cells in this Administration told dear leader that we are right around the corner from empty shelves and skyrocketing inflation... So as Trump is trying to walk back this disaster....
China says it won’t join trade talks with the US unless they show respect... My oh my, I love it. Hopefully they will make him say thank you for the negotiations... Looks like we will be at the mercy of China and how much they want to make our country suffer
China also threatened retaliation if nations seek trade deals with US at its expense...Deals to restrict trade with China in exchange for U.S. tariff relief are “bargaining with a tiger for its skin” — seeking the impossible from the unreliable..."
https://t.co/M7odRryzuqAnd more backtracking on the big beautiful tariffs..
Trump will reportedly exempt carmakers from some of the US tariffs that he implemented.
Is Trump is panicking?
Is he a "PANICAN".??
I thought that tariffs were "Paid by the country you put them on". LOLLOL did Fox know this guy was going to say this??
In a stunning moment, economic advisor Robert Wolf BLASTS Trump on Fox News, saying "This is probably the biggest manufactured crisis I've seen with a bunch of unforced errors. The execution of 'liberation day' was pathetic." Incredible....listen here: and look at Kellyanne Conway's face...
https://x.com/ReallyAmerican1/status/19 … 8146014328Trump says the U.S. and China are 'actively' discussing tariffs. Beijing says that's false.
While Trump said Wednesday that the world’s two largest economies are “actively” talking, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson responded that “China and the U.S. have not engaged in any consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs, let alone reached an agreement.”
The spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, made the comments at a briefing in Beijing, saying that reports of ongoing talks were false. He added that while China is open to negotiations, “if it’s a fight, we will fight to the end.”
We've got a bunch of half wit fools running this government. All we can hope now is that China takes pity on the American people... We certainly don't have the cards.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/tari … rcna202535Trade war predictions anyone?
I'm thinking ....
- Trump dials back China Tariffs to 10% within weeks.
- Trump takes victory lap with spin:
“The tariffs worked exactly as designed. We squeezed Beijing, forced them back to the table, and now we’re hammering out the biggest fair-trade framework ever....like never seen before". Yada yada yada
- Trump issues threat to China to seem tough:
"If China drags its feet, duties ratchet up 5 percentage points every quarter"
- In 6-8 Months we get some sort of deal that is about as fair and balanced as the deals we already had in Place.
- Trump declares victory and the people who can't critically thing praise him as a genius....Tell me - just what "deal" did we have in place that allows the Chinese, with government help, to steal every bit of secret information they can?
Have you tried to get a Chinese to stop publishing your work here (if you have any under a different name)? Which patents do the Chinese recognize and respect? Do you believe that the Chinese government is not participating in the theft of our secrets (if you say "No" I won't believe it, for you are not that stupid).
"US President Donald Trump's promises of securing trade deals with major partners took another blow Thursday, with a French minister saying an agreement with the EU was "a long way" off and China insisting talks had not even started...."
Does anyone in this Administration know what the hell they're doing? So they let Trump start a trade war and now the rest of the world is just letting us sort of flail about...
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/2 … h-ministerTrump says U.S. officials met with China over tariffs. China says it never happened. Trump’s response:
Trump: “Well, they had a meeting this morning.”
Reporter: “Who's they?”
Trump: “I can't tell you. It doesn't matter who they is"
Is Trump lying?
Sometimes you have to let a toddler tire himself out with a tantrum...lol that's exactly what China did.
Trump placed tariffs on China.
China went and made trade deals with other countries.
Trump is now saying he will reduce tariffs on China.
What chapter is this in "The Art of the Deal"?
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1915446986230079750China has returned two Boeing jets, each valued at $55 million. With $69 million in tariffs applied, the cost per plane increased to $124 million. Orders for an additional 130 jets have been indefinitely suspended....
China cancels 12,000 metric tons of US pork shipments ...The move represents the biggest cancellation of pork orders since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and stalled economies around the world, Bloomberg News reported....
Are we winning yet? Are we great yet? Looks like China has ALL the cardsI read parts of the Art of The Deal as a preview on Amazon. He uses a lot of smoke and mirrors in his deals. He doesn't call it lying he calls it Truthful Hyperbole. He MAGA, Fox News, and other right-wing outlets are living in an alternate reality. The problem is they have a larger viewership than the MSM. Trump supporters don't care if he lies.
This isn't getting enough attention...
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1916505758633525441
No, Trump can't replace income taxes on those making under $200,000 with tariffs. Trump is hoping you are too dumb to understand how taxes work.
Entirely removing income taxes for those making under $200K would cost the government approximately $1 trillion in revenue each year.
A 10% tariff across the board on all US imports would generate only around $310 Billion/year.
Even a 25% tariff across the board would only bring in approximately $780 Billion/year.
Even a 35% tariff on all US imports wouldn’t work because as tariffs go up, imports decline, resulting in less tariff revenue. A 35% tariff would likely shrink the number of imports by 25-40%, meaning it’s virtually impossible to replace income taxes with tariffs.
Tariffs are still a tax on Americans. Trump won't tell you this because he hopes you are stupid.
The amount of additional revenue for the US government might go up slightly due to his tariffs, but cost of goods for American consumers will go up too.Empty store shelves are coming as companies cancel orders from China amid tariff concerns...Walmart, Target Warn of 'Massive' Price Hikes, Empty Shelves...
Companies slowing or cancelling orders from China could lead to empty shelves in stores, amid Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war with its major trading partner.
Currently, the number of freight vessels scheduled to arrive at the Port of Los Angeles is on track to be down by 31 percent for the week ending May 10 compared with the previous year, according to the ship tracking site Port Optimizer....
It's about to get real.
If no changes to Trump’s China tariffs are made, U.S.-based companies have to pay at least $145 in tariff fees to Customs and Border Protection to import most items valued at $100, wiping out profits unless the prices are hiked up significantly.
American companies, including Target, have already decreased or cancelled orders, Chinese vendors told NBC News earlier this month. In addition, the National Retail Federation expects imports to drop by 20 percent in the second half of the year if no changes to tariffs are made.
Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, told NBC that customers would begin seeing shortages of various items beginning “in a couple of weeks.” “We are just going to start running out of stuff, and if the administration waits to resolve the problem until we have shortages and hoarding, that is just too late,” he told the outlet.
On Thursday, Trump hinted that his administration and China were at the negotiating table, and “actively” having discussions, to resolve the trade war, but the claims were quickly shut down by Beijing....
Also, why does he keep lying about negotiations with China? To the point that China is becoming increasingly pissed at us...
https://www.mensjournal.com/news/walmar … ty-shelves
Again, if you don't like the source, absolutely everyone is reporting on this... Pick your poisonAnd, then, today comes along . . .
Amazon Reported Plan To Show Tariff Costs Called 'Hostile And Political Act' By White House by Investor's Business Daily (Apr 29, 2025)
https://www.investors.com/news/technolo … stile-act/
"The White House criticized Amazon (AMZN) after a report said the tech giant plans to display how much tariffs have increased product prices on its website. Amazon stock was lower in morning trading.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reported plan "a hostile and political act" by Amazon. The e-commerce giant will soon show how much of an item's costs is derived from tariffs next to its total listed price, according to a report by Punchbowl News Tuesday. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment."
Or,
White House denounces Amazon for plan to disclose cost of US tariffs by Yahoo Finance (Apr 29, 2025)
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/white … 01363.html
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House on Tuesday denounced Amazon's reported plans to disclose the cost that U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump were adding to its products, and slammed the retail giant for its past ties to China.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had discussed the Amazon plan, reported earlier by Punchbowl News, with Trump, and his message about it was: "This is a hostile and political act by Amazon."Since when has telling the truth become a “hostile and political act”?
I get that people are upset over Amazon’s decision to display the cost of tariffs on its product listings, and yes, it's probably a strategic move meant to shape public opinion. But let’s be honest, so is the government’s outrage about it. This isn’t just about transparency or economics, it’s about control of the narrative. And whether you like Amazon or not, providing consumers with information isn’t inherently a “hostile act.” It's just reality: tariffs raise costs, and companies pass those costs on. That’s not a political stunt—it’s Econ 101.
Trump ran and won in 2016 largely on the promise to fix our broken trade policies. He called out bad deals, stood up to China, and pushed for fairer terms for American workers. Tariffs were always going to be part of that fight—they're not painless, but they’re also not pointless. Some people are up for that fight because they believe it’s necessary to shift the long-term balance back in America’s favor. Others seem more comfortable with the status quo, even if it means continued dependency on foreign labor, offshored production, and weakened domestic industries.
The truth is, for decades, we kicked the can down the road on trade, pretending we could have open markets without consequences. Now that someone is finally forcing the issue, it’s messy and inconvenient. But instead of shooting the messenger, maybe it’s time to face the hard truth: fixing trade imbalances comes with short-term costs. Whether it’s tariffs, subsidies, or renegotiated deals, someone always pays. The question is, do we want short-term discomfort with a shot at long-term strength—or do we keep pretending everything’s fine until it collapses under its own weight? Common sense is a real bitch.If you going to fight a trade imbalance, you need to make the products that are causing the imbalance. It will take years for us to make products that will balance the trade deficit.
Trump's tariffs can stop the imports, but it will take years for us to make all the Chinese goods that are sold on Amazon. The car industry is already making cars using robotic manufacturing. It doesn't take thousands of people working on assembly lines to build those cars.
Where I live we used to have immigrants washing cars. They have all been deported and the car wash companies are all switching over to drive thru washing of cars with you doing the vacuuming that used to be done by immigrants.
Who is going to do the crop picking in in Central California? All that migrant labor has been deported. The price of those goods is going to increase where people won't even be able to buy vegetables.
Trump and his people have been ill advised and have not thought through the unintended consequences of their policies and now it is blowing up in their faces causing his popularity to go down the tubes. .The truth is, for decades, we kicked the can down the road on trade, pretending we could have open markets without consequences. Now that someone is finally forcing the issue, it’s messy and inconvenient. But instead of shooting the messenger, maybe it’s time to face the hard truth: fixing trade imbalances comes with short-term costs. Whether it’s tariffs, subsidies, or renegotiated deals, someone always pays. The question is, do we want short-term discomfort with a shot at long-term strength—or do we keep pretending everything’s fine until it collapses under its own weight? Common sense is a real bitch.
————-
That is what Trump says and I have no reason to have any confidence in his policy, when most of the educated Economists say otherwise. Short term discomfort could as easily become long term discomfort, and I have only Trumps erudite understanding of economics to assuage that fear and loathing?Your "reason" to have confidence is that we cannot continue to support the rest of the world indefinitely. We cannot continue to subsidize all the other countries. Anyone outside the liberal community understands this, even as liberals pretend that we are the world's savior, forever responsible to provide support for everyone BUT Americans.
Absolutely agree — the frustration is justified, and it's a sentiment shared by a growing number of Americans across the political spectrum. While we’re dealing with rising inflation, crumbling infrastructure, unsustainable debt, and veterans sleeping on the streets, we continue to send tens of billions of dollars overseas each year, often with very little accountability or measurable return for American citizens.
What I have found in my research --- According to the Congressional Research Service, in recent years the U.S. has given over $50 to $70 billion annually in foreign aid, and that’s not including special packages like the tens of billions sent to Ukraine since 2022. For example, just from 2022 to 2024, the U.S. sent over $75 billion to Ukraine alone, combining military, economic, and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, U.S. cities are facing homelessness and drug crises, our education system is underperforming, and the southern border remains overwhelmed.
The liberal argument that America must “lead with compassion” often turns into blank-check diplomacy, where aid is doled out even to countries that oppose us at the UN or show little improvement despite decades of support. The reality is that many Americans like myself. feel like we’re funding the world while our own people are left behind. At some point, leadership must pivot toward America-first fiscal responsibility, or we risk not being able to help ourselves, let alone anyone else. Our National Debt ($36.22 trillion) is at this point unsustainable --- that's a word leftists don't know the definition of.You are right. I don't know what debt you are talking about when you say, "Or debt is unsustainable."
There is the budget deficit that has to be paid every fiscal year for the expenses from the previous year and budgeting for the next year expenses.
There is the national debt that is currently at 36.79 T and counting. Each president incurs the debt of the previous president.
There is also the trade deficit (imbalance) which is caused when one country imports more goods from another country than it is exporting. This is the one that Trump claims China and all the other countries on his list are ripping us off by the trillions of dollars.
But is a trade imbalance such a bad thing? From a corporations standpoint where labor costs are cheaper than they would be from our country, it means that the prices would be lower to the consumer, especially when we don't have the infrastructure in place to produce those products.
Trump seems to think that high tariffs to other countries will stop the imports and suddenly we can start producing those products and employ more people, but in reality it is not true, at least not in the immediate future. Countries will also go elsewhere for their farm products if they can't afford our prices. As I said before, if we don't have the products to replace the products we are stopping from being imported, the high tariffs scheme is not going to work.Agreed but he is also pushing the false narrative on gullible folks that he can simultaneously bring all these jobs back to America AND collect trillions in tariffs...you can't do both and people just don't seem to grasp that.
From Mirriam Webster:
debt
noun
ˈdet
Synonyms of debt
1: something owed : obligation
unable to pay off his debts
owe them a debt of gratitude
a criminal's debt to society
2: a state of being under obligation to pay or repay someone or something in return for something received : a state of owing
The "debt" referred to is the $36,000,000,000,000 we currently owe as a nation. It is not "budget deficit", it is not "trade deficit". And yes, it is unsustainable - if nothing else our tax base will be unable to pay even the interest in just a few years.
Yes, a trade imbalance, long term, is a bad thing. Short term it can be and often is a boon to both countries, but long term it is absolutely destructive to one of them.
In addition, have you considered where all those dollars are going? They aren't being spent on our exports and they are not stuffed under a mattress in Bejing; where ARE they being spent? The answer is that it is being spent to buy American land and businesses, converting that profit to yen. When we all work for China, and all profit ends up there, what then? What happens to Americans?Sorry, this comment is so long. You gave a ton of food for thought.
In my previous comment, I was referring specifically to the U.S. national debt, which, as I mentioned, I believe has reached an unsustainable level.
When we talk about debt sustainability, economists typically assess several key variables to determine whether a nation's debt remains manageable or is entering dangerous territory. These include the debt-to-GDP ratio, the cost of servicing the debt (interest payments), the interest rate environment, the rate of economic growth relative to debt growth, investor confidence in government bonds, inflation levels, and the strength of the nation's currency (particularly if it's a reserve currency like the U.S. dollar).
Looking at the current state of the U.S. economy, many of these variables indicate that we have indeed met the conditions that point toward unsustainability. The debt-to-GDP ratio is now over 120%, among the highest in modern U.S. history, and it continues to climb. Interest rates are significantly higher than in previous decades, meaning the U.S. is spending far more just to service its debt, with interest payments projected to surpass defense spending this year. Economic growth has been sluggish and is not keeping pace with the growth in debt, further weakening the government’s ability to stabilize its finances. While investor confidence in U.S. Treasury bonds remains strong for now, credit agencies have issued warnings, and the U.S. has already experienced a credit downgrade. Inflation, although somewhat moderated, is still above the Federal Reserve’s target and contributes to higher borrowing costs. Altogether, these factors suggest that the U.S. is no longer simply on an unsustainable path; it has already crossed into one, with mounting fiscal strain that will require serious policy attention to reverse.
A bit of research indicates --- In 2024, the U.S. federal government borrowed approximately $2.3 trillion, increasing the national debt from about $33.2 trillion at the end of 2023 to $35.5 trillion by September 30, 2024. This borrowing level was driven by a combination of rising expenditures and higher interest payments on existing debt.
GAO
The budget deficit for fiscal year 2024 reached $1.8 trillion, marking the third-highest on record. This was due to a 10% increase in federal spending, totaling $6.7 trillion, while revenues grew by 11% to $4.9 trillion. Notably, spending on net interest payments surged by 34% to a record $882 billion.
MarketWatch
These figures underscore the growing fiscal challenges facing the U.S., with borrowing needs escalating amidst rising interest rates and increasing mandatory spending obligations.
So, do you have any feelings on our current National Debt having slipped into being unsustainable?
Yes, the budget deficit and national debt are real concerns, but we also need to focus on the structural issues that drive those numbers, and trade is a huge part of that. The U.S. has become far too dependent on foreign manufacturing, which not only contributes to our trade deficit but also weakens our long-term economic independence. Fixing our trade policies and encouraging more domestic manufacturing isn’t just about jobs, it's also about reducing our reliance on borrowing. When we import far more than we export, dollars flow out and don’t return in the form of economic value. Over time, that affects our tax base, employment, and even national security.
Tariffs alone won’t fix this overnight, and Trump’s approach may not have been perfect, but the idea that we can keep outsourcing production indefinitely without consequences is shortsighted. If we want to get serious about reducing borrowing and stabilizing the national debt, we need to build up our own industrial capacity and reduce spending where possible. That means developing the infrastructure to produce more at home, promoting fair trade, and stopping the cycle where we fund today's consumption with tomorrow's debt. It’s not just about one tool like tariffs, it’s about a larger strategic shift toward economic self-reliance.What do tariffs have to do with reducing the national debt?
The **U.S. national debt** is on an **unsustainable trajectory**, according to multiple economic analyses.
The **Congressional Budget Office (CBO)** projects that federal debt held by the public will **rise from 100% of GDP in 2025 to 156% by 2055**.
This level of debt could lead to **higher interest rates, slower economic growth, and increased financial instability**.
**Key Factors Driving Unsustainability**
- **Rising Interest Costs** – Interest payments on the debt are expected to **surpass defense and Medicare spending** by 2055.
- **Mismatch Between Spending & Revenue** – Government spending is projected to **outpace revenue growth**, leading to persistent deficits.
- **Social Security & Medicare Strains** – Aging populations and healthcare costs will **increase entitlement spending**, further driving debt.
- **Market Reactions** – Some economic models suggest that **financial markets may not sustain current deficit levels beyond 20 years**, requiring corrective fiscal measures.
Here are the long term projections from the CBO. Please note that Trump's 2017 tax cuts could cause a significant long term increase in the debt as they are set to be renewed this year..
https://www.crfb.org/papers/analysis-cb … et-outlookTariffs are one way the U.S. can start balancing out years of unfair trade deals and a growing trade deficit. When we put tariffs on imported goods, it brings money directly into the government—money that could help pay down the national debt if used wisely. More importantly, tariffs can encourage companies to bring manufacturing and jobs back to the U.S., which would grow our economy and tax base over time. This is how I see it: would I have felt differently many years back? Yes, but we’re at a precipice now. We have such a large imbalance with several nations, and I feel that in the shape we’ve driven ourselves into, we can’t just look at the past or predictions anymore. Tariffs give us a tool to correct that imbalance, and if used correctly, they could help improve our financial standing.
Pay attention to the companies... the corporations that are innovative and productive... not the loser corporations like GM that cannot exist without our government continually funneling billions to them to keep them afloat.
Corporations like Tesla and Apple... successful but reliant on a lot of rare earth materials that China has domination over.
If they crash (I am seeing no internal or external evidence that they are making any serious changes due to the "tariff war") or start having major problems... then there is something to worry about.
If they are doing fine... despite inflation, higher interest rates, etc. then all the media is going on about regarding Trump's tariffs is just more typical BS from our useless news sources.Definitely, I’m right there with you. The U.S. is clearly shifting its focus toward the industries that will shape the future—semiconductors, AI, and cutting-edge technology. The CHIPS Act is a strong signal that we’re serious about bringing semiconductor manufacturing back home, which is huge since these chips are essential to everything from smartphones to national defense. On top of that, AI is taking off fast, with powerhouses like NVIDIA and OpenAI leading the way in real innovation, not just buzz. When you combine that with ongoing growth in energy and biotech, it’s pretty clear where our economic priorities are headed.
The President’s recent moves back that up completely. He’s making deals and forming partnerships that are all about securing the materials, infrastructure, and global relationships we’ll need to lead in tech, space, and energy. Just today, a new deal with Ukraine was signed, giving us access to critical minerals and resources we’ll need going forward. That kind of strategic positioning sets the U.S. up to be more self-reliant and strong, driven by innovation and smart planning. So when you look at companies like Tesla and Apple still holding strong through inflation and tariffs, it says a lot about where the real strength lies. The media may be obsessed with pushing fear and negativity, but if you follow the innovation and the deals being made, it’s clear we’re heading in a promising direction.
Trump will fight every inch of the way.
"When we put tariffs on imported goods, it brings money directly into the government—money that could help pay down the national debt if used wisely.."
The problem is we don't put tariffs on goods we are importing. The country we import from puts tariffs on the goods we import. The government pays those tariffs and passes the increase in price to the consumer. So it doesn't have anything to do with decreasing the national debt. It does decreases the amount of money in the consumers pocket book though.
Why do we have to isolate ourselves when the world is operating in a global market place? If we produce our own goods and services, we are also the consumers. If we operate in a global economy, not only do we become the consumers, but we can also sell goods and services to other countries who want to buy our products. In science and nature a difference in potential causes things to move. Without that difference nothing moves.. I know it is a bit abstract, but think about it. If everything is balanced nothing moves.
By Trump ending funding for higher education in elite universities, he is causing our foreign students who do tremendous research and innovation in all fields of science and health to be bought by foreign countries.
We are losing the best and brightest to other countries. Other countries come to us because we have always produced new ideas and products because of diversity of thought from foreign students.
The reason the Soviet Union ended is become of Soviet containment. We and other countries did every thing we could to isolate them from the free world and they couldn't exist after being isolated. That was the main purpose of the cold war.
I don't think Trump is making America Great. I think he is making America isolated, because America is for Americans only as Stephen Miller so proudly says. How do you define an American?.":The problem is we don't put tariffs on goods we are importing. The country we import from puts tariffs on the goods we import. The government pays those tariffs and passes the increase in price to the consumer. So it doesn't have anything to do with decreasing the national debt. It does decreases the amount of money in the consumers pocket book though." PeoplePower
The U.S. imposes tariffs: A tariff is a tax imposed by the U.S. government on goods coming into the country. For example, if the U.S. places a 25% tariff on imported steel, the importer (usually a U.S. company) pays that tax when the goods enter the country.
Imposition by the U.S. Government: Tariffs are taxes levied by the U.S. government on imported goods. These are not imposed by the exporting countries. When goods enter the United States, importers (usually U.S. businesses) are responsible for paying these tariffs.
Revenue Collection: The collected tariffs are paid to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and then deposited into the U.S. Treasury. This revenue contributes to the federal government's income and can be allocated toward various expenditures, including potentially reducing the national debt. For instance, CBP has reported collecting over $200 million daily in additional revenue from tariffs associated with recent presidential actions.
That’s a thoughtful argument, but it rests on some flawed assumptions that deserve to be challenged. While it’s true the world operates in a global marketplace, not all nations engage fairly. Countries like China, for instance, often manipulate their currencies, subsidize key industries, and exploit cheap labor under poor environmental and human rights standards. When the U.S. opens its markets to such countries without safeguards, it undercuts its own workers and industries. In theory, global trade should be mutually beneficial. In practice, it has hollowed out American manufacturing and made us dangerously dependent on foreign supply chains for vital goods, from semiconductors to medicine.
Labeling calls for economic self-reliance as “isolationism” is a straw man. Advocating for domestic production of essential goods is not about cutting off from the world—it’s about ensuring national resilience and security. Strategic decoupling from adversarial or unstable trade partners is a matter of prudence, not fear. We can still participate in global trade, but we must be selective and prioritize our national interests, particularly in critical sectors like energy, infrastructure, and defense.
The analogy to scientific “potential difference” as a driver of movement is interesting but misplaced. A difference in trade or economic imbalance doesn’t inherently create progress or innovation. In fact, over-dependence on external production can lead to stagnation at home. The U.S. rose to global leadership not by outsourcing everything but by investing in its own capacity to produce, innovate, and compete. Domestic stability in production fosters strength, not stasis.
Finally, reducing Americans to mere consumers is not just inaccurate—it’s dangerous. If we don’t produce what we consume, we give up not just jobs, but leverage, autonomy, and control. A strong domestic economy isn’t just good policy—it’s the bedrock of national security and long-term prosperity. Global trade has its place, but only when it’s structured to strengthen, not erode, the country it’s meant to serve.
I see where you're coming from, but from a pro-Trump view, “America First” isn’t about isolation, it’s about taking care of our own people first. That means strong borders, fair trade deals, and not letting global interests come before American workers. When Trump and Stephen Miller say “America is for Americans,” they mean for anyone who respects our laws, contributes to society, and values our freedoms, no matter where they came from. It’s not about shutting out the world, it’s about making sure America stays strong and secure.Well by that definition, I guess Trump is not American. He is one of the biggest abusers of our laws. As a matter of fact, he has placed himself above all laws. He can defy any law he wants all the way up to and including the SCOTUS. He is untouchable. The only one above him is God and the Evangelicals have taken care of that as well.
We no longer have a democratic republic with three co-equal branches of government. He has the power to control all three branches. He is doing whatever he wants without including congress. Those three branches exist in name only. We don't have a president. We have a monarch.There’s definitely a lot to unpack here, and I’ll start by acknowledging that it's tough for me to fully absorb your sentiment without first recognizing my own perspective. I see Trump as someone who has been scrutinized by our legal system more than any public figure I’ve ever seen. That doesn’t mean he’s above criticism or beyond accountability, but I find it hard to reconcile the idea that he’s “untouchable” when he’s constantly in court and under the microscope—not just for personal lawsuits, but also for legal actions stemming from his policy decisions while in office.
As for the claim that he has placed himself above the law or taken control of all three branches of government, I think that's a strong interpretation. I’d leave the deeper constitutional analysis to the legal experts, but from a practical, common-sense standpoint, it looks more like a contentious and ongoing political fight than a monarchy. I get that emotions run high around Trump; he’s a polarizing figure by any measure, but I still believe that our system, however strained it may feel at times, continues to function. It may not be perfect, but I wouldn’t say we’ve lost our democratic republic just yet.
I must add, it seems many people focus only on what they view as negative when it comes to Trump, but there are major developments that deserve attention, too. Just yesterday, he signed a significant deal with Ukraine involving mineral rights. This is a big step toward ensuring the U.S. has access to the critical minerals needed to manufacture products we’ve long relied on other nations for. It has the potential to entice further investment in onshore manufacturing, especially in sectors like electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors, renewable energy components, defense technology, and advanced electronics. Moves like this could reduce our dependency on China and strengthen both our economy and national security. Just letting us take a step back and recognize, this man is a visionary. We’re lucky he’s working to build a stronger country, instead of letting us fall further behind and remain dependent on other nations for pretty much everything.
I trust that Trump will have our backs, and I also trust our legal system will do its job. They certainly have thus far. I am not even sure what you feel Trump is getting away with. He is being watched like a hawk.
Fact--- Over 220 lawsuits within the first 100 days of a presidential term is extraordinary. No modern U.S. president has faced such a rapid and widespread legal challenge to their policies so early in a term. So what is he getting away with?
"When we put tariffs on imported goods, it brings money directly into the government—money that could help pay down the national debt if used wisely. More importantly, tariffs can encourage companies to bring manufacturing and jobs back to the U.S.,"
These are two claims that are in direct opposition of each other.. you can have one or the other but you cannot have both... Trump's claims make absolutely no sense.Says who?
Tariffs do bring in revenue AND encourage companies from foreign countries to build factories in the United States to avoid tariffs.
Protection of domestic industries
Safeguarding jobs: Tariffs could help protect domestic manufacturers from cheaper imports, giving local industries a competitive advantage. US steel and aluminum producers, for example, will undoubtedly be among the winners. They will sell more product at higher prices, bringing in more revenue and profit.
Discouraging dumping: One of the main motivations for imposing tariffs is to prevent “dumping”, whereby a foreign competitor reduces prices below cost to force local manufacturers out of business. At least that’s the theory, but the Chinese government has deep pockets.
Boost to local production: Higher import costs could incentivize companies to source materials and components domestically, supporting local suppliers in hard-pressed areas such as the so-called “rust belt”.
Market opportunities
Increased demand for American goods: Protective tariffs could make foreign-made goods less attractive, increasing demand for American alternatives. However, this is less likely to apply to luxury categories of manufactured goods.
Investment in local capacity: Tariffs could encourage US companies to invest in domestic production capabilities, potentially spurring technological advancements and innovation.
Support for small manufacturers
Level playing field: Smaller manufacturers who compete with subsidized foreign competitors may benefit from reduced price competition.'Tariffs do bring in revenue AND encourage companies from foreign countries to build factories in the United States to avoid tariffs."
Are you serious?
If the companies are here, you don't have imports and then you don't have tariffs...trump's tariff scheme is nonsensical.
He's so bizarrely out of touch with reality. And they can't get their story straight. Vance told us the point of the tariffs was to slash imports and bring manufacturing home to the U.S. Trump thinks imports will stay so high that tariff revenue will soar. Which is it?
It's a typical trumpian media blitz- throw a lot of stuff at the wall to appeal to as many people as possible and see what sticks."If the companies are here, you don't have imports and then you don't have tariffs...trump's tariff scheme is nonsensical."
If you have a company here you won't need tariffs. You will have Americans being employed who will pay taxes. You will have a company paying federal taxes. You will also have a company paying property taxes. There will be an increase in revenue from the suppliers of the company. This will increase tax revenue.
Then there is an economic boom in the economy where the company is located. More employed people will be able to purchase more things. Tax revenue from this activity will then increase. Other businesses supplying what people need will grow.
This is basic economics 101.Trump says this country will collect so much in tariff that it will replace the income tax he also says he will bring back manufacturing...
His income tax scheme depends on imports. If you bring back manufacturing, which won't happen, you won't have imports...
He Makes ZERO sense .
https://x.com/Bill4Chi2027/status/1917227755072090334
To support the statement that he is making in the above video, imports need to keep flowing into the country....
Tariffs can’t increase tax revenue AND protect/return jobs
If they increase tax revenue, they won’t protect jobs- people will still be importing
If they protect jobs, they won’t increase tax revenue- people will stop importing.
"If the companies are here, you don't have imports and then you don't have tariffs...trump's tariff scheme is nonsensical."
Right. That's why cheap imports drove manufacturing out of the country - because it was never there. All the factories, the weaving shops, all the manufacturing that had thousands and thousands of employees were never here - imports came into a vacuum.So how does his scheme make sense?
He is promising two things at the same time tariff income from imports that replace income tax AND reassuring of jobs...
If the jobs are returned, you don't have tariffs, if you don't have tariffs you can't replace the income tax LOL
This is circling around a pile of nonsenseI don't truly think imports will stop in the next 2 days, nor do I think American manufacturing will go full swing in the same time period.
Sounds like you're proposing that both things will happen within 24 hours, thus the question of how it can be. Or do you understand that we are lacking manufacturing and have too many imports...right now, and that the situation will NOT change overnight?I still don't think you're grasping what Trump is proposing. He has plainly stated that he will simultaneously replace income tax with tariff revenue AND manufacturing will be reshored... These are not my ideas. This is not my speculation. These are his statements.. you cannot have both of these things existing at the same time...ever
Some people prefer the status quo and would rather see things remain unchanged. Others simply haven’t realized how deeply our dependence on other nations has grown—or how unsustainable that path is without serious consequences. My God, imagine if those same mindsets had been in place when we first began the great American experiment. Where would we be now? Some prefer to stagnate while the rest of the world passes us by.
Oh you mean like Trump's interpretation of The Declaration of Independence hanging on the wall in the oval office. When asked by ABC's Terry Moran what he thought of it, Trump told him it was a very important document that was all about love and peace. That is who you have for a president.
While the Declaration of Independence is often viewed as a political document, I can understand President Trump’s point. At its heart, it reflects a deep love for liberty and a yearning for peace, not just freedom from tyranny, but the hope for a nation where people could live with dignity, self-governed and secure. The Founders may not have used the words "love" and "peace" directly, but those ideals are woven into the very purpose of declaring independence: to build a better, freer, and more just future for all Americans. Trump may not interpret the Declaration the way you or even I might, but in my view, he’s truly unique, and I don’t think anyone could argue with that. He doesn’t fit neatly into any group or mold. He’s one of those rare individuals who truly stand apart.
Is it not fair to respect his interpretation, especially when it draws attention to the deeper emotional and moral aspirations behind our founding?
President Trump frequently closes his rallies with patriotic sentiments that echo themes from the Declaration of Independence, such as freedom, self-determination, and the belief that power should rest with the people.
Michigan in late 2024, he stated:
"We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God. We will never give in, we will never give up, we will never back down, and we will never, ever surrender." DJT
Does this not reflect sentiment from the Declaration of Independence?
Dan, if more people understood how tariffs actually work, and spent less time worrying about the so-called “tariff war,” they’d see it could be a real positive for our economy.
Trump is driving new investment into the U.S. while eliminating outdated and burdensome regulations that have made manufacturing both difficult and costly. He is also focused on securing the most essential resource for the future of American industry—rare minerals. These minerals are the backbone of next-generation technologies, used in everything from electric vehicles and advanced batteries to semiconductors, defense systems, and clean energy solutions. Just recently, he signed a rare mineral agreement with Ukraine, a major step toward reshoring high-tech manufacturing and reducing our dependency on foreign adversaries like China. This deal provides the one key ingredient we’ve been lacking to truly bring the industries of the future home, and with it, more jobs, innovation, and long-term economic security for the nation. This man is, yes, provocative with his speech, but he is brilliant when it comes to putting a plan together, and even more impressive in how fiercely he fights for his vision.
He is on a roll at this point. And it is driving a serious uptake in TDS cases.You can blame big corporations for outsourcing manufacturing. They are all about bottom line profits and outsourcing gives them the edge to do that. Do you think if we had assembly line workers they would work for the same pay as the Chinese workers?
As far as assembling lines go, our large manufacturing plants are now using high tech methods such as AI and robotics to replace assembly line workers. They work 24/7, don't require breaks or vacations, no need tor unions or HR to take care of grievances. They don't even need a paycheck.
As far as electronics go, do you think we have people sitting in rows of assembling lines soldering circuit boards? If you do, you are living in the past as well.
Trump wants to take us back to the good old days of manufacturing. It ain't going to happen. What we do need is service oriented people who can run those high tech machines and write code,
He has also deported all the migrant crop pickers who can do manual labor in the fields and work for almost nothing to keep our agricultural prices down. But because of his tariffs, countries are going elsewhere to get there soybeans.
He did the same thing in his first term and we ended up subsidizing the farmers. He claimed we took in 39B. It was just the opposite. It cost us 39B. Trump lives in an alternate reality that doesn't exist except in his mind and his advisors minds.
After watching his interview with ABC's Terry Moran, when he lies, I think he truly believes his lies. He doesn't think he is lying. And that is a scary alternate reality.Speaking of that ABC interview, not enough attention was paid to the fact that Trump believed a photoshopped picture of Garcia's knuckles was real LOL... I mean he was actually arguing and getting angry with Moran over it.
We aren't subsidizing anyone. A trade imbalance is not a subsidy.
Of course it isn't. One country spends far more than another, but all is in balance. One country takes in far more money than another, but all is in balance.
Thus speaks the mindset that views Americans as the savior of the world; all is in balance as long as it is Americans that are giving and others that are taking.How do you balance trade with every country? it is not even a possibility.
Thanks for sharing your view. As I did mine.
The Trump effect has hit Temu...
$31 tariff on a $22 dress! Get ready to see anger like you've never seen before.
Hoping they put a "trump did this" sticker next to the charge...In case you didn’t know, according to the figures I’ve been able to find show that Temu ships Americans 1.6 million packages daily... This alone will politically engage those who have not been previously paying attention.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/sh … 332439007/And it just got worse... Briefing just held:
REPORTER: Amazon will soon display a number next to the price of each product that shows how much the Trump tariffs are adding. Isn't that a perfect demonstration that it's the American consumer who is paying for these policies?
LEAVITT: This is a hostile and political act by Amazon.
I am not a fan of Bezos but I've got to give it to him... Itemizing the cost of protectionism! It's all about transparency, right?
As it happened... Captured by Fox News:
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1917203122121839050
Happy 100 days! Are we great yet?
As a consumer, I want transparency. I want to know why my monthly Amazon order has doubled in price.
Because you insist on buying imports. Surely you understood that before placing the order? Amazon is generally pretty plain about where the goods come from...
Dan, I saw someone celebrating Amazon for pushing back against tariffs, and I found it kind of hypocritical—especially coming from someone who constantly says we should be taxing the rich more. Jeff Bezos is one of the richest men in the world, yet now we’re supposed to feel sorry for him because his company might have to pay tariffs? Let’s be real: Amazon isn’t just absorbing those costs—they pass them on to us through higher prices. So in the end, it’s regular people who suffer, not Bezos. If we’re going to call for taxing the rich, we should be consistent and not make exceptions just because we like a particular billionaire or company that offers cheap goods. It’s strange to see people suddenly side with a mega-rich corporation just because it complains about government policy, especially when that policy is meant to level the playing field. Maybe instead of stamping our feet and whining about it, we bite the bullet and finally deal with the broken trade system that got us here in the first place.
Trump and his advisers are just plain dumb ass stupid. I told my kids many years ago about the wing walkers credo. If you are looking for a job make sure you have a job so that you go in the interview with strength not weakness.
The wing walker in a biplane does the same thing, they don't let go of one wing strut while trying to grab another wing strut. They will be blown off the biplane..
Trump's plan is to stop imports from coming into this country, but he has nothing in place to replace the scale of those imports coming from other countries...So much for the art of the deal 101.
So, in terms of tariffs, which is it?
Countries are all making deals with him (zero evidence of this)
Or
He’s using tariffs to reduce income taxes
Or
All the manufacturers will move to the US?
Only one of these can be true.
We have been given completely conflicting reasons for the tariffs
1. to bring in revenue
2. to bring jobs back
3. to use as a negotiating tactic
They all are polar opposites to each other (making it nearly impossible for companies to financially plan)
If they are a negotiating tactic, then they are short term and expected to be removed. Meaning they won't bring jobs back nor will they bring in substantial revenue...And where are the trade deals? A MONTH after "Liberation Day" and we have (wait for it)...NO deals. No one is negotiating... Well at least not with us. Seems as though we are being isolated.
Groceries are going up in price. Soon the supply chain will be disrupted. 401(k)'s are in the shi*tter. Ukraine is still being bombed. China doesn’t give a sh*t if they don’t buy 15% of their goods from us...
Let's be real, trade balance is the not the most important thing. We have had negative balance for 60 years, while being the top economy....Uhh, wrong talking point? Someone didnt get the memo.
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News that Trump called Bezos on Tuesday morning to complain about the company's plans to display the impact of tariffs on product prices on its website.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took the question from a reporter during an earlier press briefing alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding a report in Punchbowl News said Amazon would be showing how much of an item’s cost is derived from Trump’s tariffs next to the total listed price of each product on its website for consumers.
"This is a hostile and political act by Amazon," Leavitt said.
Btw, they already complied to the kings demands.
But tariffs are so beautiful....We are beginning to see the real world impacts of Trump's beautiful tariffs...
This man owns a gift shop in New York City...
X is being flooded with accounts of small businesses being hit by Trump's tariffs..
Trump's tariff scheme is absolutely nonsensical. This entire time Trump’s bizarre logic has been that tariffs will somehow (1) generate revenue to replace the income tax and (2) force companies to move their supply chains back to the United States.
Cutting deals with all these countries to reduce the tariff rates across the board goes totally against both of those objectives. He believes the bizarre fiction that tariffs will bring manufacturing back to the US. He’s not going to suddenly start cutting free trade deals. The US is cooked.
Tariffs can’t increase tax revenue, protect jobs, AND be negotiating tools
If they increase tax revenue, they won’t protect jobs- people will still be importing
If they protect jobs, they won’t increase tax revenue- people will stop importing
If they are negotiation tools, they won’t increase revenue or protect jobs once Trump gets whatever he wants
There’s no 4D chess here
Trump is promising contradictory things because he has no plan for the tariffs.Good news?
US economy slows sharply, shrinking 0.3% in the first quarter, as tariffs weigh... a stark reversal after nearly three years of solid growth, as tariff-related uncertainty upended spending patterns. And this isn't even the worst of it. This is the mixed bag data. The really bad news is expected in the next quarter when the impacts of Trump's tariff mess will be fully illuminated
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/us- … dp-q1-2025Currently they are going around the table at Trump's cabinet meeting so each can kiss his ass. But riddle me this maga...
Lutnick: "The external revenue service. The tariffs and hundreds and hundreds of billions coming in to build the external revenue service that our objective is to replace the internal revenue service and let outside countries trading with us pay their fair share to America".
They can't get their story straight. They told us the point of the tariffs was to slash imports and bring manufacturing home to the U.S. But Trump thinks imports will stay so high that tariff revenue will soar enough to replace the income tax...Which is it? You can't have both.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1917607994977841425West Coast Ports Brace for China Tariffs to Dent Import Volume Within Days
Large importers, including retailers and manufacturers, paused imports from China this month amid an escalating trade war. Ports are now poised to feel the fallout....
The number of containers scheduled to arrive at the Port of Los Angeles is anticipated to drop more than 35 percent next week compared with the same period last year, data from the port shows. And a quarter of the ships that had been scheduled for May have canceled because of light volume, said Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director.
Some of the 125,000 importing companies that rely on the Port of Los Angeles, including big box retailers and home improvement stores, have halted nearly all of their imports from China, he added, referring to conversations with the firms.
So I'm guessing this means empty shelves? Higher prices as a result?
https://getliner.com/search/s/24480024/ … -type=mainI guess the next quarter of this Trump regime is not looking so bright and dear leader is already preemptively blaming Biden....what a fool. What a coward.
So trump was taking credit for the booming stock market under Biden, but now he's blaming Biden for the stock market and shrinking economy under his administration?
MAGAs believe this shit? where are the deals he said countries would be rushing to make?
Here’s the truth, assuming some of you still believe in such things: After three years of growth, the U.S. economy shrunk in the first quarter of this year, and it’s all thanks to trump and his bizarre, old-timey obsession with tariffs.
So here we are at 100 days with our shrunken economy, looking at empty ports and staring at pain yet to be felt, with a so-called leader who’s only capable of blaming others for his own failures....maga owns thisWho caught the cabinet meeting? trump's cabinet meeting looked more like the Mad Hatter's tea party, with Musk wearing two hats and Barbie Bondi claiming that trump saved a third of America from dying of fentanyl overdoses in the past 100 days and the rest of them competing to see who can kiss his ass the hardest. Not one ounce of self respect. Literally the most vile collection of political miscreants ever assembled...a fascist cult.
Ann Coulter...
"Would it be possible to have a cabinet meeting without the Kim Jong il-style tributes?”
No, I don't think so. Maga has fully embraced this bsWell this continues to go well...
U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WRITES FORMAL LETTER TO WHITE HOUSE TO LIFT TARIFFS ON SMALL BUSINESS IMPORTERS IN ORDER TO PREVENT A RECESSION
"We are deeply concerned that even if it only takes weeks or months to reach agreements, many small businesses will suffer irreparable harm... Small businesses do not have the margin or capital reserves to sustain the increased tariffs, nor do they have the ability to quickly modify supply chains."
Pick your source, everyone is reporting it...Understanding how tariffs work and why Trump is fighting for fair trade.
Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods, and their impact depends on how a business operates. For a company that builds entirely in the U.S. and uses only American-made materials and components, tariffs have little to no direct effect. These companies don’t rely on imports, so they avoid paying any additional taxes tied to foreign goods. However, many manufacturers in the U.S., including major industries like automotive, do rely on imported parts or raw materials to complete their products. In these cases, while they don’t pay tariffs on the finished goods built in America, they do pay tariffs on the foreign-made components they bring in, which can raise production costs.
This is where Trump’s trade agenda comes into play. His approach focuses on fighting for fair trade by using tariffs as leverage. The goal is not to punish American companies, but to encourage a level playing field where foreign countries reduce their own barriers and stop undercutting U.S. manufacturing with unfair subsidies, cheap labor, or manipulated currencies. In the long run, Trump’s vision is that businesses will benefit, either by seeing tariffs reduced through better trade deals or by having stronger incentives to source materials and build entirely within the U.S. This would allow companies to avoid tariffs altogether and contribute to a more self-sufficient economy. The strategy isn't about isolationism; it's about regaining control, rewarding domestic production, and encouraging global partners to engage in trade that's mutually beneficial.
Trump is working to bring in critical resources, like rare minerals, to boost the manufacturing of some of our most sought-after products, including electric vehicles, batteries, semiconductors, renewable energy technology, and defense systems. Yesterday, he signed a deal with Ukraine that will supply the U.S. with rare minerals needed to build what we require in the future. His focus is on making the U.S. more self-sufficient by securing access to the essential building blocks of tomorrow. He is also removing burdensome regulations that have stifled growth, creating a more favorable environment for domestic production. By ensuring we have the materials and resources we need, he’s aiming to reduce our reliance on foreign sources and lower tariffs on the imports that are necessary for manufacturing, ultimately helping to strengthen our economy and industrial capabilities. This is a man with vision, and it’s unfortunate he isn’t being appreciated for his dedication to making this nation a better place for all.'Understanding how tariffs work and why Trump is fighting for fair trade.
Well that is probably the biggest problem for trump, is that people actually do fully understand how tariffs work.
He is claiming to bring in so much money in tariffs (that consumers pay the ultimate price) to replace income tax but at the very same time he says these jobs will return here to America... Which obviously means less imports and less tariff....
No one has been able to answer how these two can happen at the same time
Trump’s lies work during a campaign.
The problem is when his lies collide with the reality of governing.
The tariffs are a huge, regressive tax on regular Americans.
Jobs and factories aren’t coming here... instead there will be layoffs & the decimation of small businesses.General Motors Predicts up to $5 billion Hit from Trump Tariffs...
OH WELLAlabama is now in the ‘find out’ stage...
Mazda’s Huntsville, Alabama plant just hit pause thanks to Trump’s tariffs.
Nothing says “great economy” like factories shutting down because the guy you voted for doesn’t know shit about business.
I am glad that these folks are getting what they voted for though..
https://www.al.com/business/2025/04/hun … riffs.html
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