Steel Users Prepare for Higher Prices After Bush Tariff- "We Feel Let Down"

Grand Rapids Press ^ | 3/8/02

[RightWhale]

almost 90% of steel consumed in the USA is made domestically.

The other side is that a lot of steel is recycled. It's not really consumed, just rented.

[jwalsh07]

How many manhours does it take to produce a ton of steel in America today?

[Willie Green]

How many manhours does it take to produce a ton of steel in America today?

2000 National Productivity of Steel Production

Country	Steel Production (million metric tons)	Employment (thousands)	Productivity (tons/employee)
Australia	8.5	21	404
Austria	5.7	12	475
Belgium	11.6	20	580
Brazil	27.9	63	443
Canada	16.6	56	296
Finland	4.1	8	512
France	21.0	37	567
Germany	46.4	77	602
Italy	26.7	39	684
Japan	106.4	197	540
Luxembourg	2.6	4	650
Netherlands	5.7	12	475
South Korea	43.1	57	756
Spain	15.8	22	718
Sweden	5.2	13	400
United Kingdom	15.2	29	524
United States	101.5	151	672

[VA Advogado]

Go jerk somebody else off, you silly little #$%@$%@.

Todd, Willie gets like that when you're smacking him over the head with his own box of rocks.

[VA Advogado]

If other nations are subsidizing their steel industry they are basically taking money from their taxpayers and giving it to our steel consumers.

I say bring it on, sell us your stuff cheap. I don't see why we should follow their stupid example.

These are the same people that defend farm subsidies. If the people of another nation did to our agriculture what we are doing to their steel, we might as well cut their government a direct check c/o the us taxpayer.

[VA Advogado]

And whats more, tariffs are constitutional.

Constitutional, but unwise.

[jwalsh07]

Actually, I agree with you mostly but in the case of an industry as base as steel, I think they can be called for.

I look at OPEC and I can easily imagine OSEC and I don't like the looks of either one.

What were the results ofReagans tariffs in the early 80's? That is a precedent for what Bush is doing.

Do you ride a Harley?

[jwalsh07]

Thanks Willie, its what I expected, except for Italy, that surprised me.

[Willie Green]

I imagine Italy must've implemented modern, scrap-recycling mini-mills. As I recall when researching data for this chart last fall, mini-mills like Nucor are up over 1000 tons/employee. Large integrated mills are naturally lower since they process from ore.

(I just noticed that the links to the data are out-of-date.
It's still available at the site, just in a different subdirectory.
I'll have to remember to update that before I post the chart again.)

[GuillermoX]

So? A lot of foreign steel is recycled as well. Should be ban recycling because it "destroys jobs"?

[Willie Green]

If the people of another nation did to our agriculture what we are doing to their steel, we might as well cut their government a direct check c/o the us taxpayer.

Actually, World agricultural tariffs today average about 62%...

but we all know that you never let facts interfere with your line of BS.

[VA Advogado]

What were the results of Reagans tariffs in the early 80's? That is a precedent for what Bush is doing.

You're exactly right. He saved Harley as we know it. It is/was a precedent, however a bad one. As much as I love Harleys, it is hardly a national security resource.

[VA Advogado]

Actually, World agricultural tariffs today average about 62%...

Link Please.

[Willie Green]

Link Please.

OK: Why Trade Promotion Authority is Needed for Agriculture (Scroll down to #8)

[jwalsh07]

No, no, I merely pointed to Harley as a joke. Reagan signed tariffs into law because of steel dumping, no recession ensued. In fact the 80's were an incredible period of growth and productivity increases. How does that fit in?

[#3Fan]

I'm becoming a good influence on you!!!

We'll have to see how long it lasts. LOL

[Toddsterpatriot]

Prices skyrocket, commerce nosedives. Ripples throughout our economy, nobody's immune.

You were so close Willie. If they raise our prices it's bad. We agree. If we raise our prices it's good?

You lost me again.

Willie, tell me the difference again between foreign countries raising our costs and us raising them.

[Toddsterpatriot]

I look at OPEC and I can easily imagine OSEC and I don't like the looks of either one.

Please, the difference is that there are substitutes for steel. Try running your car on ethanol.

What about beer? I wouldn't want a foreign producer to jack up the price. Could be grounds for war.

Why doesn't the government protect the breweries?

[Toddsterpatriot]

Reagan signed tariffs into law because of steel dumping, no recession ensued. In fact the 80's were an incredible period of growth and productivity increases. How does that fit in?

Reagan signed tariffs into law to protect the steel industry. You're right, no recession ensued. That doesn't mean it was a good idea either.

The purpose was to protect the industry so it could modernize and then the protection could end.

Well, they didn't modernize enough and their costs are still too high.

You sound like Rocky the Squirrell "This time for sure"

[Pee_Oui]

That's because Americans want everything for "nothing", but still expect to be paid top wages...

The "unions" have killed our country.

When people on strike can turn away from the bargaining table after being offered 37% increase in wages, then who can blame the corporations for moving to another country where they can hire workers at .60 to 1.00 an hour...

We're a "GREEDY" country, and,we don't want to sacrafice a penny out of our own pockets.

DL