Aiming at Trump strongholds, Mexico hits back with trade tariffs

Reuters ^ | 6-5-2018 | David Alire Garcia, Miguel Gutierrez

[Sir_Humphrey]

Mexico put tariffs on American products ranging from steel to pork and bourbon on Tuesday, retaliating against import duties on metals imposed by President Donald Trump and taking aim at Republican strongholds ahead of U.S. congressional elections in November.

Mexico’s response further raises trade tensions between the two countries and adds a new complication to efforts to renegotiate the trillion-dollar North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

American pork producers, for whom Mexico is the largest export market, were dismayed by the move.

Trump last week rattled some of the United States’ closest allies by removing an exemption to tariffs on imported steel and aluminum that his administration had granted to Mexico, Canada and the European Union.

[Sir_Humphrey]

The retaliation begins. Predictable. The biggest export market for pork will be damaged and in turn our farmers and the economies in the Trump supporting Midwest will suffer. If they are still hurting in 2020, will they still come out and vote for Trump?

BTW, look for China to do the same with soy beans, another billion dollar market that will be significantly damaged.

[jdsteel]

Of course Mexico won’t just fold immediately...but fold they will.

[central_va]

The biggest export market for pork will be damaged and in turn our farmers and the economies in the Trump supporting Midwest will suffer.

Oh BS. There is a domestic market for all that pork and you know it. I am looking forward to lower pork prices and an economic benefit to my bottom line. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. So if you are worried abort food inflation than you should be celebrating now!

I guess we lost the commercial pig farmer vote.... LOL!

[central_va]

I guess all of the “retaliatory” tariffs prove that free trade is BS and never really existed and nobody truly believed in that fairly tale!

[SmokingJoe]

Like all the other wars with the US, this is one war Mexico is not going to win.. They simply don’t have enough artillery to fight a long sustained trade war with America. Trump was too many arrows in his quiver to crush Mexico in any trade war, starting with walking away from NAFTA and imposing a hefty tax on all car imports from Mexico.

[central_va]

Why does the rest of the world almost universally practice protectionism? And name a country with lower average tariff rates than the USA.

[Stand W]

Twenty-five % tax on all remittances to Mexico in 5-4-3...

[central_va]

Tariff on our exports are deflationary and a boon to domestic consumers.

[VTenigma]

Price of tortillas to skyrocket! Women and children hardest hit!

[central_va]

The of price of bourbon just went down! win - win!

IT WORKS BOTH WAYS!

[hal ogen]

Does mexico receive subsidies from the US taxpayer? If so, stop them. Also, put a 50% tax on any money wired to mexico. Losers.

[VTenigma]

That works for me. Mehico needs us a lot more than we need them. They’re going to pay for the wall one way or another.

[ncalburt]

Oh you poor Globalists .
Trump will crush this third world hell .
Is Mexico punishing us by not dumping more illiterate idiots .

[AppyPappy]

We are retaliating for their tariffs and restrictions. Face it, we can hurt Mexico a lot more than they can hurt us.

[central_va]

Face it the rest of the world pays lip service to “free trade”. The rest of the world plays quick draw on tariffs....

[Yo-Yo]

Hmm, NAFTA is still in effect, is it not? Smells like these Mexican tariffs won’t last very long.

[Alberta's Child]

Your pork prices aren't going down. Instead, the Federal government will buy the votes of those pork producers by imposing a DOE mandate to put pork in our gasoline.

I'm only half joking. You watch.

[Liz]

Start pre-heating the oven to bake some juicy pork chops
Add a couple sides---baked potatoes oozing with melted butter, a green salad----and don't forget the applesauce.

[Mr. K]

Buy Pork to support Trump in this effort!

[Principled]

What seems to be missing from every single discussion i’ve seen on tariffs [and i’ve seen a brazillion] is a simple comparison of financial impediments to trade.

It would be easy and meaningful to compare what happens to a car made in US sent to China vs a car made in China sent to the US. The comparison could be cars, pork, steel, or whatever. And the country could be China, Mexico, Canada, EU or whatever.

It boggles the mind that nobody [nobody i’ve seen] is making this rather simple presentation.

Such a presentation would show everyone that a) we’ve been in a trade war for decades just didn’t fight back and b) our impediments [tariffs] are just now getting even with the VATs, tariffs, etc of all these other countries... it’s NOT that we’re striking out at anyone to be spiteful... we’re striking to even the playing field.