[Thalean]

Some interesting points being made here: yes cheaper goods benefit American consumers, BUT often the harm to producers (that is, wage-earners) overshadows the gains. Not least of all because unemployed people end up voting for socialism & higher taxes.

[DannyTN]

This is what I've argued for years.

• You pay for the cheap imports,
• then you pay again when you pay the safety net costs of unemployed Americans,
• then you pay again when those unemployed Americans aren't paying taxes so you have to pay even more,
• then you pay again when those unemployed Americans aren't buying the products you sell and neither are the Chinese.

[Socon-Econ]

Tariffs are in America’s best interest, and they will help precisely the people Trump says they will: the working class.
**************
The use of terms like “working class” is a Marxist tactic. People outside that group often work more and watch tv less.

[CodeToad]

Simple: The more money we have in THIS country the better.

[enumerated]

Trump is doing the right thing placing tariffs on Chinese imports - but people should not forget it’s a weapon - a retaliation against aggressive and offensive trade tactics China has employed against us for years.

It’s a war that China started and we have to fight back. Tariffs are the only way to fight back. It’s long overdue and I’m glad Trump has the balls to do it.

But there’s a danger in exaggerating the benifits of tariffs and minimizing the detrimental effect. People, especially Trump supporters should manage their expectations and brace themselves for a tough time if we are drawn further into a trade war.

US prices will go up immediately, but US production capacity, US jobs and improved terms with and access to foriegn markets, and other benifits of fair trade will not materialize right away.

War is Hell, even trade war, and most benifits to the winner aren’t realized until after the war is won.

I’m for the tariffs but people shouldn’t expect the economy to be stronger in the short run. They’ll just be disappointed.

[xzins]

I liked his idea that if Americans aren’t buying Chinese, then they are buying American, which increases America’s market share

[trebb]

Yep - love the way Trump responded when China “retaliated” for his proposal of $30 billion in tariffs - upped the ante to $100 billion...