Obama gives you a 35% tariff because taxes are good

[UltraShy]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aiU3EjfF.Phg

A 35% tax on tires from China was recently imposed by Obama. It was requested by the United Steelworkers Union and if you're a union member you get what you want. If you belong to a union please drop your pants as Obama is eager to kiss your behind.

If you're not a union member, then just open your wallet and hand the monetary contents of it over to somebody who is a union member.

[Amocholes]

This is just an attempt to make the cheap, shoddy products from overseas more expensive than the shoddy products produced in the US.

[millenniumman75]

American products are the way to go if we want to improve anyway.

[nightrain]

Oh no! I better start hording Chinese tires right away! Or am I too late?

[caflme]

Originally Posted by millenniumman75

American products are the way to go if we want to improve anyway.

Yes, and it is really sad to me that we, as Americans, have to be given 'incentive' to consider buying an American product. Our government has to find a way to make a foreign product more expensive or in order to make our products something the American consumer will consider buying.

If our only choices are shoddy products from overseas or shoddy products from the USA, then why not buy American? I'll tell you why most people won't - it isn't quality it is price. If you can get a shirt Made in China for 4.88 at WalMart or the same shirt for 9.88 Made in the USA - people will buy the one made in China. That is why nearly everything here is made there and not here.

Ask yourself 'why' the product can be made for less there and shipped all the way here and 'still' be sold for half the price of stuff here - - greed?

I'm sorry - I've always gone out of my way to buy Made in the USA and will continue to do so --- I rarely ever buy at WalMart.... that is my choice... so far - unless I can't find a product made in the USA.... usually then i buy something used instead of new - from a flea market, yard sale or pawn shop... that way at least some business here in the USA is making money off of it.

Call me naive, OCD or whatever... that's just me.

[WinterDave]

Damn 'Tire-Grabbers' !!

[somethinginthewind]

Originally Posted by winterdave

damn 'tire-grabbers' !!

ROFL!!!!! hahaha.

[nubly]

Originally Posted by caflme

usually then i buy something used instead of new - from a flea market, yard sale or pawn shop... that way at least some business here in the USA is making money off of it.

if youre buying something from a yard sale and pawn shop or some flea market vendors then youre not really helping out the US economy. the US company already made their profit from the original buyer. youd help out more if you bought them at walmart

[caflme]

Yes, I can see either I typed my thought out wrong... I know where I was going but it didn't come out that way. That part did sound stupid. I may have typed more and deleted something and then posted it. It doesn't make any sense.

I just figure at that point I am helping out my neighbors and/or my local community instead of a huge corporation. Plus waste bugs me - another OCD thing... the thought of stuff sitting around not being used when someone could be using it. Or maybe putting groceries on a friends table when I need a working lawnmower anyway. I have no patience to hold yard sales though - I give stuff away... yard sales are too much hassle. Ok, going off topic - time to get off here.

[BostonB]

Specifically about cars. I'll never buy an American car, because frankly they don't last and they're terribly inefficient. It's like American cars are set to self destruct so you'll need to buy a new one.
I claim no country. I'll buy the best for my money.

[nubly]

IMO american cars are just as good as other cars. i dont know why they get such a bad rap. i had a mustang for six years and didnt have any problems. my dad has had a ford (some type of pickup) since the early 90s and its just now starting to break down. i think it depends on how well you take care of your vehicle

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by WinterDave

Damn 'Tire-Grabbers' !!

Very cute Dave, but this is a serious issue. One of the offensive parts of a tariff is that a largely clueless public doesn't even know they're paying it as it's hidden in the product price. If it was separated such that they slapped on a 35% tax at the register consumers would burst into a fit instead of happily paying a tax without even knowing it.

As for products made in China, I'm typing this on a keyboard made in China as I look at a monitor made in China which is hooked up to a computer that was at least partially made in China and will click "submit reply" with a mouse from China the same as all the rest of you are doing.

And you should keep in mind that China buys American, holding several hundred billion in US Treasury bonds (maybe a full trillion -- I forget), making them either our first or second largest creditor in the world.

[BostonB]

Originally Posted by nubly

IMO american cars are just as good as other cars. i dont know why they get such a bad rap. i had a mustang for six years and didnt have any problems. my dad has had a ford (some type of pickup) since the early 90s and its just now starting to break down. i think it depends on how well you take care of your vehicle

I drive an '88 Honda Prelude. In 4 years I've only had to change a tail light. American companies spent a lot of years focused on power and looks; it's the american way. If it looks good and it's faster, it must be the best. At the same time other countries, not all, were working on efficiency and reliability. Six years is not a long shelf life for a car. Everyone thinks having an american car is a show of patriotism, but eventually japanese cars just make a lot more sense.

[kikachuck]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

And you should keep in mind that China buys American, holding several hundred billion in US Treasury bonds (maybe a full trillion -- I forget), making them either our first or second largest creditor in the world.

This is what I would be worried about right here. Tarrifs do nothing but piss people off and economically speaking, the Chinese are the last people we want to piss off because they essentially own our economy. I'm sure B-rock doesn't want a trade war, but if he isn't careful, that is exactly what he's going to get and I seriously doubt it is one we can win.

It's always amazing to me how short-sighted government types are. The see a problem, they find a solution, but almost always forget that that solution causes other problems, sometimes bigger than the original one.

[Thomas Paine]

Originally Posted by kikachuck

It's always amazing to me how short-sighted government types are. The see a problem, they find a solution, but almost always forget that that solution causes other problems, sometimes bigger than the original one.

They seem to have this strange inability to see more then 4 years into the future.

[stylicho]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

Very cute Dave, but this is a serious issue. One of the offensive parts of a tariff is that a largely clueless public doesn't even know they're paying it as it's hidden in the product price. If it was separated such that they slapped on a 35% tax at the register consumers would burst into a fit instead of happily paying a tax without even knowing it.

As for products made in China, I'm typing this on a keyboard made in China as I look at a monitor made in China which is hooked up to a computer that was at least partially made in China and will click "submit reply" with a mouse from China the same as all the rest of you are doing.

And you should keep in mind that China buys American, holding several hundred billion in US Treasury bonds (maybe a full trillion -- I forget), making them either our first or second largest creditor in the world.

Good. The last thing the public needs is to be driving around on tires produced in a country that produces poor qaulity goods. You may be typing on a computer made in china but I bet you're not driving a vehicle that was made in china. And quit with the scare tactics. China wouldn't dare start a trade war with its largest cash cow. And even if they did what could they possibly put tariffs on besides raw materials?

[stylicho]

Originally Posted by kikachuck

This is what I would be worried about right here. Tarrifs do nothing but piss people off and economically speaking, the Chinese are the last people we want to piss off because they essentially own our economy. I'm sure B-rock doesn't want a trade war, but if he isn't careful, that is exactly what he's going to get and I seriously doubt it is one we can win.

It's always amazing to me how short-sighted government types are. The see a problem, they find a solution, but almost always forget that that solution causes other problems, sometimes bigger than the original one.

Please explain what the us exports to china. And what percentage differential exists. You do realize the us received all revenue from tariffs before ww1 correct?

[stylicho]

Originally Posted by BostonB

I drive an '88 Honda Prelude. In 4 years I've only had to change a tail light. American companies spent a lot of years focused on power and looks; it's the american way. If it looks good and it's faster, it must be the best. At the same time other countries, not all, were working on efficiency and reliability. Six years is not a long shelf life for a car. Everyone thinks having an american car is a show of patriotism, but eventually japanese cars just make a lot more sense.

Not to butt in but we're comparing us goods to chinese goods not japanese. This seems to get lost in translation when this subject comes up.

[Thomas Paine]

Originally Posted by stylicho

Please explain what the us exports to china. And what percentage differential exists. You do realize the us received all revenue from tariffs before ww1 correct?

In '06, '07, and 08' the US exports to China advantage has gone down from 13.9%, to 6.4%, to 4.4%. Who knows what it will end up being for '09, but the tariff suggests it isn't looking good.

Top 10 exports to China in '08 were:

1. Electrical machinery & equipment
2. Power generation equipment
3. Oil seeds & oleaginous fruits
4. Air & spacecraft
5. Plastics & articles thereof
6. Optics & medical equipment
7. Iron & steel
8. Pulp & paperboard
9. Aluminum & articles thereof
10. Organic chemicals

Source = http://www.uschina.org/statistics/tradetable.html

And worst of all, they have taken over MMORPG economies with their nonstop macro farming and in game currency selling.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by stylicho

Good. The last thing the public needs is to be driving around on tires produced in a country that produces poor qaulity goods.

Yeah, I'm sure a union wanted this for your safety. If you believe that, I have a bridge that I'd like to sell you.