Posted on 03/01/2018 12:02:33 PM PST by ek_hornbeck
President Donald Trump said Thursday his administration will impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as early as next week, a highly controversial move that Trump framed along economic and national security lines.
Trump said the US will impose a 25% tariff on steel imports and 10% tariff on aluminum to shore up the struggling industries, capping a fierce, months-long internal debate that divided some of the President's top advisers. The move is likely to invite retaliatory measures from foreign countries, raising the specter of a trade war between the US and several other steel-producing countries.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Is it your contention that the US does not have a National Security interest in producing its own steel and aluminum..?
At any price?
Do not the national security implications outweigh the price considerations for this most basic material?
Re: “China HAS destroyed the steel industry. We are trying to rebuild it.”
Actually, China is not even in the Top 10 countries that export steel to the USA.
Taiwan exports more steel to the USA than China.
Source...
https://www.trade.gov/steel/countries/pdfs/imports-us.pdf
lol
The Chicoms do not come close to playing on an equal economic, environmental, social, let alone human rights playing field as the US industries have millions of taxes, rules, regulations and those who want US industry dead.
CNN is awful, but in fairness.... it is not incorrect to call it controversial. Just watch this thread and the responses.
I am generally a free trade person, but in order to be truly free it must be fair. It is essential that we have steel and aluminum production in our nation for defense. I would not feel the same about many industries. Trump promised to do this and it is another promise kept. It is a brilliant move politically also because this brings him union and blue collar support in critical districts for the mid-terms and in 2020. Consider that this comes at a time when it appears quite possible that SCOTUS will gut unions.
As Mariner pointed out above - I am not afraid of a “trade war” because everyone wants to trade with us. 25% and 10% are hardly earth shattering numbers.
You might be interested in this recent article from “Watts Up With That.”
WUWT is the Number One anti-global warming website in the world. Almost everyone who posts or comments there is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician.
Strategic Minerals - Our Next Energy And Security Crisis?
By Paul Driessen
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/26/strategic-minerals-our-next-energy-and-security-crisis/
Yup, the media melodrama is pathetic. The Japs have been dumping steel into the US since the late 70s. Its time we leveled the playing field, which is what Trump is doing.
No argument here on the points you made, just pointing out the subtle use of subjective qualifiers by the media to steer the “debate”.
Different era. Do research on Nucor Steel.
Here is my point.
Twenty years ago, I didn’t have to pay a guy on my staff to test steel. Now, I do. Not everyone does. I have received equipment by major players in their field build with steel that does not meet specs, and if we didn’t test it there would have been a major event (explosion). Not everyone does.
When I challenge the suppliers, the push back is “We can no longer get the steel domestically, so we are forced to buy overseas”. This isn’t just one or two, but every supplier in the field.
So while China is not in the top ten (well, I will believe you as I do not have time to look at the numbers), it has changed how my industry does business in a major way. It has also put people at risk.
I don’t believe the argument should be that we are dependent upon other minerals, therefore steel and aluminum are not important.
It’s well known the US needs to develop secure sources for DOZENS of strategic minerals. Ideally US, if not then North American.
But there are no more strategic materials for a world power than steel, aluminum, copper and oil. They are the bedrock of power and wealth.
If protection causes them to cost more, it’s worth it. If manufacturers think they should move to take advantage of cheaper materials costs, they should consider the cost of moving their finished goods into the US.
Because we won’t put up with that shit either.
And if the whole damn world has an issue with it, tough titties. They can sell their goods elsewhere.
That's changed.
Japan is now the #7 exporter to the USA.
Who's #1?
Canada - which I never would have guessed.
“Like Union wages and excessive environmental hoops. “
And once the union case is voted on by SCOTUS, every state will turn into a right not to pay union dues state. That’s when unions start to die and people get to take home more pay in exchange for an honest days work.
You may be surprised to learn that Canada is the #1 steel exporter to the USA, with a 16% share.
+1
Thank you for that information. I didn’t know that although it doesn’t surprise me.
Go,Trump! MAGA
Well said.
Another way those Chinese companies save on operating costs is by imprisoning people who have committed no crimes and using them as slave lsbor..
“Canada - which I never would have guessed. “
Canada subsidizes steel in multiple ways.
Favorable taxation, guaranteed domestic price, favorable regs of every kind to include environmental. Even their iron ore is nearly free for the taking.
To top it off, all the Canadian Steel producers are now foreign owned. I’m digging to see if I can find out WHO.
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