re: If this was about tariffs, why was Switzerland targeted?

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The trade deficit in goods and services is about $920B. So that's $920B excess dollars leaving the United States, in one year

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Right - which is what I said.

We produce $30 trillion a year and net consume from foreigners about a $1 trillion.

Nowhere even close to consuming more than we produce.

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You sound like you're conflating trade imbalance with public debt.

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Not conflating, they are indeed interrelated. What is the mechanism to recoup America’s investment in the rest of the world?

The trade imbalance is the result of policy decision, not driven by our inability to construct or otherwise produce goods and materials.

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This is an argument oft made by MAGA-types in support of the tariffs.

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Not sure what you are talking about.

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Nowhere even close to consuming more than we produce.


I'm sorry, you're struggling with these concepts

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You just refuse to accept facts since the Orange Buffoon doesnt care for them

I wonder how much money laundering happens in Switzerland and how many billionaires hide money in their banks

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You just refuse to accept facts since the Orange Buffoon doesnt care for them

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What facts would those be?

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Which economist/academic work are you citing to make the claim?

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What are you citing?


- **"International Economics" by Paul Krugman and Maurice Obstfeld** – This textbook discusses how trade balances influence exchange rates.

- **"Macroeconomics" by N. Gregory Mankiw** – Offers a simplified explanation of the relationship between trade deficits, capital flows, and currency value.

- **IMF & World Bank Reports** – Their analyses often examine how sustained current account deficits (which include trade deficits) can affect currency valuation and financial stability.

- **Federal Reserve and ECB research** – These institutions publish papers and statements exploring how persistent imbalances impact currency and investor sentiment.


Go ahead brother.

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What are they?

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The administration’s “reciprocal tariff” chart includes a list of ridiculous numbers derived from the ratio of US exports to each country in relation to US imports from each country. The numbers presented are not tariffs. They are an expression of what is fairly described as the imbalance of trade with each other nation.

A tariff is a tax on imports. A number that represents the ratio of US exports to a nation and US imports from that nation is not a rate of tax. It isn’t taxes at all. Trump’s people are calling that ratio a”reciprocal tariff” and they are falsely asserting that any nation that exports more value of goods to the US than it imports from the US has imposed a “reciprocal tariff.” That is, of course, a bald lie.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why any nation of earth should purchase from US companies an equal value of goods that it exports to the US. We are a consumer nation. Goods made here are also more expensive than goods made in many other places.

Suppose a flower company in the US starts a growing operation in some sparsely populated corner of Botswana. Using cheap labor, flowers are grown by the poor people living there on cheap land and exported from Botswana (imported to the US) by overnight shipping for sale in flower shops in the US. What rational person would expect those poor Botswanan country people to purchase an equal amount of goods manufactured in the US? They can’t afford to do any such thing.

But Trump’s irrational tariff chart classifies that relationship as a “reciprocal tariff” imposed by Botswana, even though no such tariff exists.

Trump’s entire propaganda here depends upon you being too dumb to understand what he is doing. You should be offended by Trump sending you out into the world to discuss this in the ridiculous manner that it is presented. He really thinks his supporters are that stupid.

The Swiss have tariffs on most if not all goods coming into their country. This is one of the reason Switzerland is so nice. They price out the EU and prop up local agriculture and manufacturing while being a tax haven to the rich and global corporations. Why shouldn't America do the same? Those saying the math doesn't add up are just prog fascist who would root against America no matter what.

If the Swiss are mad we are stealing their play, then frick the Swiss. Also, the Dems will never win the working class vote if they keep supporting cheap money wall street over workers.

Who defends Switzerland?? No more free rides. That’s why. Go cry somewhere else.